Normally, the main subjects of my posts are the recipes.
I’m actually somewhat shy and don’t like a lot of attention on myself.
But many people have asked what I do as a full-time blogger.
I do not just sit around and eat cookies all day. (Too bad, ‘cause that would be fun.) I work really hard! So today’s post is going to be a little different from the normal recipe posts.
A Day in the Life:
I wake up naturally around 5am, amble downstairs, and start replying to a massive amount of emails, comments, facebook messages, and tweets. If it’s a running day, I’ll eat pre-run snack, then and answer more questions while waiting for the food to digest. [Insert run here: a little over an hour]
Upon returning, I quickly check the computer again, then eat a real breakfast.
Yesterday’s breakfast was this: 5-Minute Chocolate Oatmeal.
With breakfast done, I go back over to the computer, this time to ensure the day’s post published as scheduled. I work on writing new posts for about an hour and a half, taking mini breaks to measure dry ingredients, get one or two things started on the stove or oven, and cook something else in the microwave. (I’ve become a master at multitasking.) Then I run upstairs for a quick shower, after which I do maybe 20-30 more minutes of blogwork (writing posts, editing photos, answering questions) whilst also making lunch.
After lunch, I take Henry and Batman for a walk (unless they’re at my parents’ house, in which case I go by myself). I come back and do a photoshoot or two, since it’ll usually be nice and light out by this time. I also do some taste-testing of whatever recipe experiments were cooked that morning. Yesterday, I tested chocolate peanut butter pie and peach cinnamon coffee cake.
About two hours after lunch I’m usually hungry again, so I’ll have a snack. Sometimes the day’s experiments have turned out so well that I’ll just eat them for snack.
Yesterday’s snack was one of my favorites: Fudge Brownie Energy Bars.
Yes, more chocolate.
Then it’s back to the kitchen for more recipe experiments (and washing dishes!). I also continue to check the computer intermittently, answering questions and emails. Y’all ask a lot of questions, which I love because it means people are reading and making the recipes. I do try to answer as many as I possibly can!
Some days I run errands, often with a friend (or my roommate, if she’s off from work) to keep me company. And then it’s dinnertime, which is often followed by hanging out with whatever friends (if any) have found their way over. Our house is quickly becoming the “hang out after work” place, and I take advantage of this by giving out samples of the day’s experiments, asking for honest opinions.
Not all my experiments turn out; it sometimes takes two or three trials before I arrive at a recipe worthy of publishing… or ten in the case of my Chocolate Pumpkin Brownies!
Sometimes we’ll watch tv (Gossip Girl, Friends, whatever sports are on), but I always have a notebook in hand to multitask—brainstorming recipe combinations, writing out new posts, making a to-do list, etc. After people leave (or even sometimes when they’re still over), I’ll schedule the next day’s post, continue to tackle the never-ending inbox, eat a nighttime snack—usually more chocolate!—and finally turn off the computer. I don’t take days off, and even if there’s no post for the day I’m still working on all the other components of the site. When it’s time for bed, I rarely have a problem falling asleep.
I know some people (a lot of people?) think blogging isn’t a “real” job, but truthfully it’s no different from saying my job is: photographer, photo-editor, recipe developer, writer, and often–too often!–web technician. It’s definitely never boring!
What do you do as your job?
Do you enjoy what you do? I love almost every minute of this (except when the site crashes or an experiment fails… those times are no fun), and I really hope to continue running this website for as long as people continue to read.
EDIT: By popular demand:
Part Two: Questions and Answers
Your schedule sounds really heavy! I really appreciate your efforts, though.. Even so, don’t wear yourself out. 🙂
I am a CNA part time at an assisted living facility and a high school/college student. My job is tough- some days wayyy more than others- but I am growing to appreciate it for what it lets me do for others (though I can’t say I like it in a lot of ways).
Your job makes me smile every day…. you keep doing what your doing with your pretty little chin held high! 🙂
I’m a full time mommy to the two cutest little kiddos around!!! 🙂 (people also say this is not a “real” job….. let them try it for a day…they’ll see! ha)
I also do massage and babysit regularly…. blech, I always find time to make some of your scrumptious recipes tho!!!
Hey Katie! Thanks for sharing your day with us. I’m always curious what life is like for other professionals. To answer your question, do I enjoy what I do, I’ll say…sort of. Right now, I’m finishing my first year of vet school. It’s actually finals week…7 finals, 7 days! I most definitely do not enjoy finals week. However, even though vet school is quite challenging, espeically during times like now, for the most part, I like vet school. We do get to do a lot of cool stuff (one of my favorite things so far was surgery on a koi! How awesome is that? If you’re curious how we do surgery on fish, google the Nova Science Now segment on fish surgery, featuring one of my profs, Dr. Greg Lewbart). I know I’ll love being a vet, though, and that’s what keeps me going through the hard weeks. Oh by the way, I just want to say that I absolutely LOVE your blog. Seriously, I look forward to your posts, and experimenting in the kitchen is a wonderful study break. I have either oatmeal or a smoothie (or both!) every day, and that’s all thanks to your delicious recipe inspiration. Keep up the hard, tasty work! 😀
I’m definitely going to google it! I always wanted to be a Vet until I realized science wasn’t my strong suit. But I have a ton of admiration for Vets! 🙂
This was really interesting – it’s nice to see how the actual day to day life of a full time blogger works out 🙂
I work in primate conservation and work with local people in Indonesia to conserve a monkey only found on one tiny island. I love my job – it’s hard but I love it. When I’m not in indonesia I am an Anthropology lecturer at a University and when I’m not doing that I bake and exercise! I just did a 53 mile charity cycle to raise money for my monkey project dressed in a furry monkey outfit! (http://nancypriston.com/2012/04/09/stop-press-monkey-seen-cycling-from-london-to-brighton/)
I love your blog – I find it so inspiring! 🙂
thanks
Nancy 🙂
That chocolate oatmeal looks so good. I can’t wait to try it. I love how you respond to questions and in a timely manner. Your blog is by far my favorite. You do an excellent job with it, your hard work really shows.
I’m a nurse. Usually I enjoy my job. Most days you are on your feet 12+ hours, sometimes with no lunch break and barely any time to use the bathroom. Patients and their families often do not understand that. Yesterday I had a family yell at me for being 4 minutes late with a medication; I had been across the hall with a patient that had coded. It is a much harder job than most people realize.
Thanks for writing this Katie and I am sure people appreciate the time you put into everything especially answering questions and comments. I think it is good you wrote this, Happy Herbivore wrote that it was nearly impossible to make a living off blogging and her site is very popular. I guess people probably have different definitions of what a living is and an acceptable salary is, and different ad companies also give different amounts. More power to you, girl, doing what you love!
Wow! That is so inspiring (that you fully support yourself) although I am really not surprised.
I am a full-time blogger too, but I don’t support myself. I make peanuts. But I don’t care! I absolutely love my blog and writing and photographing and doing French recipes and all the blog friends I’ve made, etc. Of course, I also raise 3 children, tend to my garden and house, hold English classes in my home for kids, teach Bible studies, cook for our constant flow of guests and … okay. I’m a little exhausted now.
So I made your coconut cake this morning and it was yummy. But I’m gluten intolerant and used rice flour and thought it would need a teaspoon of xanthum gum, but that turned out to be too much. It was gummy. It was gummy but yummy.
yay for Bible studies! That sounds like FUN!
Gee, you’re quite the worker aren’t you? 🙂 Um, I don’t have a job. Well, that’s not entirely accurate. In one day I am a chemist, historian, algebra-ian, grammarian, essayist, and more. and I don’t even get paid for the whole shenanigans! Bummer for me. I’m pretty sure that’s illegal…right?
My bad- this is Sarah the official CCK drooler 🙂
Thanks for a peek into what you do! I always love to learn more about the people I follow!
As for me, I’m a full-time at-home mom and I have a second career where I actually do chocolate tasting parties in people’s homes for Dove Chocolate Discoveries™ where I sample things like chocolate martinis, cocoa tequila lime brittle and other goodies made with Dove Chocolate. I also mentor a team of other Chocolatiers so they can be successful as well (most people get what I do best when I say it’s like pampered chef – only with chocolate). As part of that, I maintain a facebook page (www.facebook.com/chocorocco) where I share fun dessert recipes (many of which are, of course, chocolate) from blogs like yours and other dessert sources providing ideas as to how my clients can adapt your recipe to use DCD products. In my prior life I was a CPA preparing taxes so now I like to say that I cashed in my bean counting career and hit the jackpot counting cocoa beans instead. 😀
I’m a graphic designer. I work for a college. It’s fun and I work too much for not much pay, but I enjoy the people I work with…