Comments on: Blogging as a Job – The Perceptions of Others – Convincing Those You Love that You Can Be a ProBlogger

By: BusyBlogging

BusyBlogging — Mon, 04 Aug 2008 04:25:27 +0000

Like many others, nothing worked more than the statement “I can pay my bills with it”.

I actually just told my boss that I will be pursuing my blogging career and my wife was supportive of the idea only because I was able to show her the paypal transactions.

Nothing beats results :)

By: rubu

rubu — Fri, 22 Feb 2008 16:55:08 +0000

It’s particularly interesting to hear what you’d tell your kids, and that blogging/web publishing will continue to be only a tiny part of an increasingly broader communications spectrum. It’s a great point, well made.

By: Internet Business Blogger

Internet Business Blogger — Sun, 17 Feb 2008 04:46:13 +0000

My wife never takes me seriously even with 700 or so a month in income. When a clickbank check for $1000 showed up two weeks ago though she changed her mind.

It is important for family to see what blogging buys you instead of what it takes away in the form of time

By: Martijn

Martijn — Sun, 17 Feb 2008 02:46:53 +0000

Having setup and created a business that does quite well in creating a living I have quite run out of (technical) challenges. The business won’t go away — its feeding quite a few families by now, but the fun for me was always in building neat solutions that save time and money. The rest is just every day (boring) paperwork.

The attraction of a “pure” web income would really be living on the sharp end of your skills. I am sure the wife would understand, but she would like to see cash first ;-)

By: Tj @ BareFly.com

Tj @ BareFly.com — Fri, 15 Feb 2008 06:59:51 +0000

It’s really hard to make all my family members to understand that when i’m graduating from college I don’t plan to get a job, I rather would be working from home on my blog and on affiliate marketing. They don’t believe me and think I’m a phsycho!!! All I can wish is my blog income beats the job…

By: jd

jd — Thu, 14 Feb 2008 10:05:09 +0000

Hey Darren –

What are your favorite “principles of communication”?

By: Allyn Paul

Allyn Paul — Wed, 13 Feb 2008 20:59:06 +0000

The idea of your family (particularly your spouse) looking down on you for choosing the career of “blogger” is the same ANYTIME you make a career change in your late 20s or 30s.
You could tell your wife you’re going to quit being an accountant and be a police officer and she’d have doubts.
Its the age of the career change that blocks your family and friends’ perceptions… not the occupation.
AL

By: Francis O'Gorman

Francis O'Gorman — Wed, 13 Feb 2008 19:42:17 +0000

Thank’s Darren, for helping us understand.

By: Jamaaludeen Khan

Jamaaludeen Khan — Wed, 13 Feb 2008 19:18:26 +0000

I don’t blog for a living, but my business website is a blog. Among other things, I train on blogging and I create blogs for my clients.

My company’s recent success though has been due to my blog. It’s given me high credibility and made me known in the local market. Due to Google (love ‘em) ranking my posts so high I’ve been getting a lot of traffic and, more importantly, a lot of business through my blog.

I love blogging, I run another community blog too and next week I’m launching a new personal blog. I think it’s just so powerful.

But back to the point, when I use to spend hours at home blogging my wife couldn’t understand it, it was a waste of time for her. But now she’s seeing the fruits of those efforts, and she now sees the value in blogging. My focus is training so I wouldn’t consider an exclusively blogging career, but if I did happen to change my mind I think my wife would be able to adapt easier than before.

I think we need to share with our partners what we do, and also share with them our challenges and successes. That works for me!

By: Arham

Arham — Wed, 13 Feb 2008 18:23:50 +0000

nice post.. :-)
but,As College Student whose made to get an a job, how can I explain, Prof.Blogger is my career ?
.
it’s mean Problogger is an entrepreneur so not, an employee which made for getting some a job.

oh ya, is any Blogger wrote Problogger on their card ?

By: Stephan Miller

Stephan Miller — Wed, 13 Feb 2008 17:54:52 +0000

I have been an affiliate marketer for about three years. I started with a kid on the way and no way to pay the bills other than doing that or cutting myself in two so I could work three or more full time jobs. I shifted to blogging in the last few months. My wife stood beside me this whole time. Even when I went into freelancing for a while and realized it would not work for me. I don’t work well with others. Jobs suck. If you have a career you like, your boss sucks. I am making it my job to teach my kids that. The less people that have you under their thumb, the more you can do with your life. You call the shots. I never want my kids to take a job they didn’t want to. This has been every job except what I do now for me.

By: Jeremy

Jeremy — Wed, 13 Feb 2008 16:24:14 +0000

“I’d rather encourage my kids to learn about principles of communication and become savvy with technology…” I couldn’t agree more. Blogging is an excellent communication vehicle, but the important thing for kids is to learn and understand the value of effective communication and the power of technology as a means of dissemenating a message. Blogging will change and evolve, and good communication skills will be necessary no matter what. Thanks for some great insights!

By: Neil Roberts

Neil Roberts — Wed, 13 Feb 2008 15:55:10 +0000

I’m not blogging full time yet but one of my mentors is. He, James Brausch, doesn’t call himself a pro blogger though. He prefers business owner.

By: suresh

suresh — Wed, 13 Feb 2008 15:36:11 +0000

First of all adding some extra money other than natural profession gives self satisfaction and self confidence.

Secondly blogging gives self confidence and authority over subject .

At last if a part time blogger gets confidence that he can go on

fine he will be automatically becomes a professional.

By: Ruchir Chawdhry

Ruchir Chawdhry — Wed, 13 Feb 2008 15:34:08 +0000

Many people still don’t know what a blog is (in today’s terms), most people still think that blogs are always personal and that you can never make money out of them. It can be difficult to explain to people what you really do, especially your family. But as you said, they usually understand after the money starts rolling in…. ;)

By: jopals

jopals — Wed, 13 Feb 2008 13:48:37 +0000

I am now much interested in blogging, thanks man for enlightened my mind. i am now serious on posting in my blog regularly, yesterday I’m very happy upon receiving $19.50 in my blog.

By: Lueni ngeBlog

Lueni ngeBlog — Wed, 13 Feb 2008 13:34:46 +0000

Darren, currently.. blogging is my second job and I hope it will be my first job at the end of this year.. thanks

By: B Carter

B Carter — Wed, 13 Feb 2008 12:16:32 +0000

Darren, those answers are down to earth and realistic; that’s what keeps me coming back. Thank you.

By: m07

m07 — Wed, 13 Feb 2008 10:47:17 +0000

First of all i did thank you for this as it will help me in convincing my parents(i m single) that there is huge potential out there.Actually i think i will give them i link to this post.thanx once again

By: Nick | Put Things Off

Nick | Put Things Off — Wed, 13 Feb 2008 09:21:25 +0000

Thanks ever so much for answering my questions so thoroughly, Darren. It’s really helped. (And apologies if my questions read like the Spanish Inquisition!)

Like many here I shy away from the term, “blogger” for the various negative connotations it has. “Web Publisher” or “Writer” seems to carry more respect and understanding. Similarly, after seeing your video, I’m beginning to think of my own blog less as a blog and more as a website.