It’s Official! Blogging is a Proper Job!

Yes, really, no longer are we regarded as slightly (slightly?!?) obssessed monomaniacs attacking perfectly innocent keyboards for no good reason. We do, according to the US Government, actually have real jobs. Real jobs as bloggers that is.

The Bureau of Labor Statistics (part of the Department of Labor) publishes something called the Occupational Outlook Handbook. It’s a list of just about every possible job in the United States, along with an idea of how many people do it, the amount of money earned, the training necessary and what the job market is going to look like in the future.

In their entry on writers and editors they say this:

Bloggers write for the Internet. Most bloggers write personal reflections on a subject of close personal or professional interest. Some blogs take the form of a personal diary; others read like reports from the field—first-hand, subjective accounts of an event or an activity. Most blogs are written for recreational reasons with little expectation of earning a fee; however, some blogs promote a business or support a cause and may generate interest or income through other activities.

That’s not a bad description of blogging actually but to me the important thing is that recognition in that very occupational handbook. Blogging is now an occupation and if anyone says different then they’ll have to take it up with Uncle Sam.

So there.