Just Google me
I was at the Foreign Correspondents' Club of Thailand the other night and was randomly talking to a lady from one of the news agencies. She asked what I did, and I mumbled something about being a freelance journalist based in East Timor. She asked my name, and I said Matt. She then asked for my surname, and I said Crook.
I don't know if she was expecting to know my name, but she didn't, which was understandable. Her face looked blank, so I panicked and said she should Google me, which I thought was quite funny, but she looked a little taken aback by my comment. With hindsight, it was quite a weird thing to say, but I always say odd things when talking about my work.
Being a freelance journalist is great, but I often get the impression people don't think it's a real job. It is literally all I've done for the past year and half. I've made enough money to support myself and throw a little wedge into my savings account. That's all a job is for, right?
But still, when people ask what I do, I usually say something quickly before having to expand a little. Yes, my name is Matt Crook, I haven't held down a regular job in more than a year, and I can be found in Google.
"I often get the impression people don’t think it’s a real job." Not only that, but a lot of people think we do it purely for fun, so they will ask you to do some writing for them and are then quite shocked when you tell them you're going to charge them for it – and how much.
That reminds me! A few weeks ago I told someone to Google you! He was looking for a writer for his website. I didn't have time so I recommended you. I wonder if he ever found you…
Freelance writing is the best job in the world!
Yes, he found me haha. Henry, right?
That's right!! 555.