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Comment by pg | Hacker News Reader

I usually just tell people I'm a programmer. If you say you're a writer, that tends to provoke some people into an attempt to discover whether you're "really" a writer, which in their minds equates with making your whole living from it. Despite the prevalence of open source, this sort of person tends to believe that no one would write code except for money, so they'll usually take your word for it if you say you're a programmer. Even though in fact I make some money from writing and none from programming.

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Same here. I am a programmer, but I spend so much time making comics that I consider it a second, very low-paying job. When people ask me what I do, I say programmer so I don't have to justify myself.

And people understand what programmers do, that's easier to imagine than many other jobs. My father was a marketing manager and I grew up not really knowing what he did.

oh come on, you've got to at least plug your comic!

Oh well, it's in french. Here is a link to something I put online last year:

http://grandpapier.org/La-presse-independante

But most of what I publish is in print, and some is out-of-print. I know I should put more effort in making my things available, but this definitely has a lower priority than making new comics.

(hrm. I notice only now I was replying to a comment by pg. It made absolutely no sense to write 'same here')

I belive this phenomenon comes from the fact that for certain people, the "artiste" is a superior human being. Someone who belongs to a special caste. So they don't want to let you come through with it untested. Envious.

I think most people don't consider artists are superior, but everybody tends to ask these questions. I think it's more a need to fit people into categories.

for certain people, the "artiste" is a superior human being

Ha. Yeah, those people are confused young women and other artists.

Someone who belongs to a special caste.

Most other people (parents, employers, non-confused women) do consider artists to belong to a special caste: the financially destitute, irresponsible "untouchable" caste.

Spoken from experience as an artist.

To answer the OP, I say programmer when asked by most people, "artist" when asked by confused young women.

Wouldn't it be more accurate to just say you're an investor?

I probably spend more time writing actually.

Even though in fact I make some money from writing and none from programming.

This is humorous to me because in attempting to learn how to make money as a writer (online), I was dragged into learning how to wrestle with code, development and design. So now in fact I make more money doing those things than I ever did from writing.

So when people ask what I do, I tell them "it depends on the day." Not sure I've ever had anybody ask me what I am . . . though that could make for an interesting philosophical conversation. Dust, anyone?

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