I always struggle when it comes time to craft a response to the common question “So, what do you do for a living?” In reality I have a number of things on the go at any given time including site development, working with my various customers on a freelance basis, running my copyright enforcement business, working on an upcoming eBook and maintaining my network of affiliate blogs. To answer the question with complete honesty I would probably need a half hour to explain each of the different things that I do but instead I always fall back to an easy and familiar answer.
“I’m a freelance writer.”
There are a number of reasons for this. It’s not because I’m ashamed or embarrassed about the true answer because I’m actually quite proud of what I’ve been able to accomplish. While it was a struggle starting out, things have improved to the point where I’m comfortable in what I’m doing, have been able to hire a couple virtual assistants to help out and working on some new projects that I’m very excited about.
The truth is when I actually do start explaining things people get that glazed look in their eye and politely nod when I know they have absolutely no clue what I’m talking about. How many people know what affiliate marketing is or want to hear about the ins and outs of a DMCA investigation? Most people lose interest in the first minute causing some awkward silence while I scan the room for a corner to hide in while I shake off my embarrassment.
Freelance writing is what I started doing when I decided to take a crack at earning a living online and it has served me well although I don’t do very much of it at all these days. So why do I continue to tell people that’s what I do? It’s an easy answer that everyone can understand quickly and easily. It’s like telling someone that you’re a teacher or a butcher. They can instantly identify your occupation and have a pretty good idea of what you do. You write stuff and get paid for it. Simple and easy answer.
Things get a bit sticky when they press the issue and ask who I’m writings for, what I’ve been writing about lately and questions of that nature. At this point I talk about some of the things I am writing about for my affiliate blogs and quickly change the subject before my little white lie is found out.
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After three and a half years of this I have finally decided to change my answer and by extension the focus of this blog. From now on I’m going to respond to that question as “I’m an Internet guy” and say it with pride. I’ll explain that I have been able to figure out various online business models that allow me to earn a decent income from home and talk about some of my upcoming projects in terms that most people would understand. I will stay away from the technical side of things because I seem to resort to that when I’m nervous and recognize that I lose their focus even further when I do this.
So there you have it. I’m an Internet guy. Moving forward I am going to use this blog to help educate people about what I do, how I’m doing it and giving them tips on how to do the same if that’s what they’re interested in. I will be giving away information on some of the things I have been successful with but there are some projects and services that I will always keep close to my chest because, quite frankly, I don’t want the competition. I will also be writing about some of my upcoming projects as they come out of the planning stages and are implemented. And like most people who have turned to the Internet to earn an income I have made plenty of mistakes along the way. You can be sure that I will share those stories as well in order to help you prevent the same mistakes that I made.
Of course, if you have any questions at all I would be more than happy to answer them to the best of my ability. I am not a guru nor am I a millionaire who basks in the sun while my passive income machine generates thousands of dollars on a daily basis. I’m simply a guy who has worked hard, carved out a few niches and is looking to continue growing things over the course of the next year.