The most uncomfortable situation for me is that which might be easy for anyone else with a different occupation: being asked what I do for a living.
Family get-togethers, social gatherings, or church services are often those places where I get asked that question.
“What do you do John?”
Answering The Question
I used to respond like this:
“Uh, I work part time at a day job.”
But then I would get asked why only part time. So later, I changed it to this:
“Uh, I work part time at a day job and part time as a internet project manager (or website manager).”
You might ask why I responded this way. Why didn’t I just tell the whole truth that I was a financial blogger? Well, you see, too many people don’t think you can make money at that. They would have looked puzzled and even if I explained how it worked with affiliate programs, SEO, and all that jazz, they would be more puzzled still.
Then a thought occurred to me: so what if they’re confused? Does that really matter? Does it matter what they think? Shouldn’t I just be an oddball and shine in the way God wants me to shine?
So today, I’m officially changing my answer to the question:
“I blog. That’s what I do!”
I’m going to wear the label proud, and I think you should too if you blog. Let’s change the perception too many people have out there. Let’s educate the people who want to know how it works, and leave alone those who don’t care to learn about it.
How To Become A Blogger
I’m probably not the best qualified to explain the ins and outs of blogging, but I do have a couple suggestions if you’re interested in starting. For a more thorough exploration into the world of blogging, read Peter’s eBook, Blueprint For How To Make Money With A Blog.
I’ve been blogging for about two years now, and I’m just starting to get off the ground. It wasn’t easy. It took time. So, if you’re going to start a blog, make sure you have extraordinary amounts of patience. Think forever.
Get to know people in the business. Talk with some of the blogging greats. Learn who is who and get your foot in the door. It’s all about networking and getting traffic to your site.
Learn how to code websites. You can find tons of tutorials online by doing simple Google searches.
The Curse (Figure Of Speech) Of Financial Bloggers
You better get ready to scrutinize your finances like none other. Believe me, when you write financial stuff every day, you get to thinking about your own financial stuff:
“Do I have the right health insurance?”
“Should I really refinance the house in my situation?
“How can I make more money? Wait, should I really be this greedy?”
Sometimes, it can drive you mad. But if you surround yourself with the right people, you’ll stay grounded and won’t lose your mind (thanks to the help of my wife, I can still make decisions without obsessing over all the financial options).
As a financial blogger, you’ll soon find out there is more to know than what Dave Ramsey can teach you. But he is an excellent place to start, and I trust his perspective on money above all else. What I mean to say is that you’ll question the smallest of financial details that Dave might not have covered in his numerous books or Financial Peace University class.
And that’s okay. Just make sure to stay grounded. Know that you’re serving the Lord and follow your own financial advice that you’re publishing for the masses.
What do you say? What are your thoughts on financial bloggers? Meet me in the comments!
I get questioned by family, friends and co workers as well, and it often makes for a quite uncomfortable conversation, particularly since my “day job” has nothing to do with finances and investing.
I think at this point my friends and family know enough about my blog and blogging activities that I don’t feel uncomfortable sharing about it and talking about it as my “second job”. I think some of them actually know and realize that it can be an income producing activity, and they’re pretty amazed at what you can do as a site owner/publisher.. Which by the way is what I’ll call myself sometimes since i have several sites. I’m a publisher/blogger.
I’m also at a point now where I’ve been blogging for almost 4 years, and as a result I feel more comfortable with talking about it. I think more and more people are waking up to the world of new media, and realizing that there are a ton of opportunities out there for small businesses like ours.
“As a financial blogger, you’ll soon find out there is more to know than what Dave Ramsey can teach you. But he is an excellent place to start, and I trust his perspective on money above all else.”
Careful, John…don’t let Dave take God’s place! ;)
More along the lines of the article…it’s amazing how much you learn while blogging. You don’t realize what all is involved until you take time to try to explain it to someone else. Even if someone never makes a lot of money blogging, they will learn some valuable skills and knowledge!
Paul,
By “all else,” I meant “all other people alive on earth today.” Thanks for helping me clarify!
God is the center of our pursuit. This should be already understood. :)
I didn’t think you’d actually put him above God, but some clarification wouldn’t hurt. :)
I’m not sure I’d put any one man’s advice or perspective above all other people alive today though.
Love it! Be proud of what you do!
I do find that since I started writing that I am scrutinizing my own finances much more closely. It is actually a good thing and serves to provide some accountability.
A great way to stay personally accountable.
I don’t think my friends and family can really understand blogging as a real source of income.
Good article, I’ll make sure to make sure my wife keeps me grounded! I am trying to start my own personal finance blog and appreciate all tips! If you have any more, keep it coming!
My family are impressed and happy for me to be a blogger. My in laws asked what a blogger and a blog is, so I just say to them I have a website as they just did not get the concept of a blog (and that is my brother and sister in laws who are below 33, so you’d think they would know). I tried explaining, but website is easier to say.
Excellent post though.
I didn’t tell my friends and family about my blog, but some of them quietly subscribed. The ones who follow my blog are impressed with the quality of posts I turn out. The most common question I get is. “How are you going to make any money from your blog”. Now that I have put up some ads, they are starting to see how it works.