Hopefully appropriate...

I'm hoping against hope that this is an appropriate place to post this thread. If not, I'm apologizing in advance!

I wonder something. Is this a phenomenon that is exclusive to me? A cosmic joke at my expense? Well, I hope not. I hope some of you can commiserate, comment, even offer advice.

Right now, I work for a small town newspaper. I do the typical staff writer stuff. But, the pay is akin to peanuts. I'm okay with that; that's the way any small town publication is going to be. But the job, working as a journalist in any capacity, having a by-line...oh, what bliss! This is soul food for me.

I pursue other avenues of income. I work as a writer for a law firm. I've got another recurring private client for whom I have written small ebooks and articles. I have not made a mint. But a few hundred bucks a month is nothing to shake a stick at either.

I do find, however, a lot of doubtful comments from family members about how much money I earn. In fact, each time a particular relative asks me about my job, th subject of moolah is always mentioned. i'm to the point that I reserve my little celebrations and refrain from commenting on cool things in my world. I feel scrutinized under the microscope so to speak. If I do not make 3k each month I am not a legit writer?

I should add that I am constantly learning as much as I can and pursuing the dream of freelance work for magazines as well. As many freelancers understand, this alone takes a lot of time. I would hate to work it out per hour. I am always busy. But I know that in order to supplement my newspaper income with magazine work, i have to work hard to get there.

Is this typical? Am I just a nerd for caring? Okay, confidence is not something I am hardwired to have. I get that. But I work from home mostly, I still keep up with my kids, and my husband is fully supportive. I am in my mid-thirties and didn't pursue this dream with any real effort until about a yea and a half ago. I could really use some feedback/advice here.

Or just tell me I am being a nut and to knock it off, that could work too. (nervous attempt at humor)

Thanks,

Steph.

Wow. I guess I never thought about the privacy issue, well, at least not enough to think to tell this person to butt out. Good approach. And sometimes I'm the last one to see the forest in the trees.

I guess it's tough. He's an in-law, so I feel extra pressure to be overly forthcoming.

Thanks everyone for the advice and encouragement.

happrywritermom: Eventually, I want to move on to a larger paper, but for now I am content where I am. My goal right now is the make it into freelancing for magazines. I want to balance a career between freelancing for magazines and writing for a newspaper. I do want to see more income; this is more than a hobby. But I am very well aware that less than a year and a half in is not long enough to expect a dollar a word assignments.

I do want to move onward and upward. I could freelance from my tiny office for the rest of my life, alongside interviewing normal people in my small town for the paper. Maybe a little larger paper eventually.

You are right; those outside the business don't seem to get that this is a process. Rungs on a ladder...