And what do you do again?

How many times have you heard this question? I've gotten into the habit of just saying "nothing, I'm home with the kids." The honest answer is that I write Search Engine Optimized articles for a percentage of the advertising revenue from large websites and for a flat fee from private clients. I also operate a few niche market websites, write for several random blogs and I subcontract flate-rate SEO writing work to other mom writers. I also have a few e-books and I'm working on some screenplays that I plan to produce with a business plan I've written for my innovative never-been-done-surefire-financing plan for motion pictures. Plus, I consult with local business owners so that they can build their own website (it's not rocket science) and I help them improve their SEO and learn how to balance their online and their local marketing.


People just don't get it.


"So do you... like... work for a company?"


The only time I spill the beans is when I think my story can help someone. My husband and I closed our family business last year. I think people assumed that we had a bunch of money in some secret savings account (because you know, everyone with a failing business is secretly rich, right?) Either way, my husband was depressed and in and out of court, and I just had to write. The feelings of losing the business, were too hard to journal in my blog, so I wrote nonfiction articles. When I started to see that I could earn an income from it, I plowed ahead, with an initial goal of $100 a day, 7 days a week.


The days were long but the bills were paid. No one really knew how we were managing. My girl friends knew, and thought it was cool. A friend of ours once tried to sell us a used computer and told me to "ask my husband for the money" I nearly burst a blood vessel. I'm sure if I tried explaining it to him that he would have ended up confused. I declined the computer offer because I didn't want to explain it.


People always ask what we've been doing since the business closed. Instead of explaining anymore, I just say "nothing." or "taking care of the kids."