Confessions of a Six Figure Professional Blogger

How Do You Explain Blogging To Your Family?

July 3, 2008 | Blogging

Being that I blog for a living, I sometimes find myself in a quandary on how to explain what I do to people who ask. To most people, when I say “I am a professional blogger”, I get a blank stare.

Just ask my wife. As far as she is concerned, I sit in my office and pound on keys all day. Well, actually, now that she has begun doing some light blogging of her own, she has more of a feel for it. But how I make money doing it? Clueless.

The rest of my family is relatively clueless about what I am doing. It is just some techie thing I do and somehow I manage to get paid for it. I have been asked several times by certain members of my family what I do for a living, and even when I try to explain it again I know that I will be asked again later.

Oh, the best one is my wife’s grandmother. My wife is Russian. Early last year, we had her grandmother here at our house from Russia. Of course, her grandmother doesn’t speak a lick of English, making the situation worse. However, she obviously doesn’t even know what the Internet is (simply no clue). She barely even understands what a computer does. And given that she is more familiar with physical work, my wife’s grandmother is practically CONVINCED that I’m in the mob or something. How else could I make money sitting here on that box? :) I guess it would be drug dealer 2.0.

So, if you’re a blogger or in another similar tech field, how do you explain what you do to your family?

Some alternatives I have called myself are:

  • Internet developer (they usually get this one, but they think I program webpages for a living)
  • Web Publisher (my personal favorite)
  • Run an Online Magazine (magazine, they understand).

Perhaps, some day, professional blogging will be understood. But, actually, it might be better for those of us who do it that it not be! :)

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  • actually until now they have no ideas on what im doing online, only my wife knows that im into blogging, im planning to tell them soon once it is stable already
  • This is hilarious! I tell everyone I'm a web designer as that is the only thing the general public understands. Otherwise they may understand it if I explained the marketing aspects, but it would take a long time to attempt and I don't bother anymore with it. But truly, I am an Internet Marketer. :)
  • Well, I guess I can present a different point of view. Being a teen blogger is way harder. I'm still under parental control and I have to tell them what I'm up to. Explaining about blogging? Well, the line I used is just "I write online". :D

    I don't explain more than that, I tried to explain SEO once and they're dumbfounded. Hahaha. So there, I've just stuck up to the explanation that "I write online".
  • I vote for plain old 'writer'. Still denotes a bit of mystery versus, say, 'I'm a technical writer'.
  • I can relate and I create media on the Oregon Coast...
    It aint logging or fishing, no clue!
  • I just explain that I'm a portfolio guy - drop the "e" word (entrepreneur), the "j" word (journalist) and the horrible horrible "c" word (consultant)

    that gets the majority of eyes rolling!
  • I could tell you, but then I'd have to kill you. :)
  • To be clear you aren't in the mob are you? LOL Too funny.
  • I still have a full time job! I can't wait to get to the point of explaining that one, maybe just tell every one I quit my job, and me and the wife and kids are going on welfare! LOL
    Keith
  • I tend to simply say that I write about technology online.

    Its always frustrating to explain, but sometimes I like to have a little fun and use the term Internet Entrepreneur once in a while.

    That usually leaves them wondering even more. ;)
  • "I write articles for technology news websites." They kind of grasp that.
  • I just go with technology journalist / writer
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