Andrew Huff, creator of Gapers Block, a Chicago-based blog, spoke with DePaul University journalism students last Wednesday.
Huff is a professional blogger who has not only found numerous blogging sites, but a way to make money at it as well.
While the site is currently advertisement supported Huff said the site has not always brought in the big bucks.
“We had 12 bloggers on board and nobody was paid,” Huff said, “It started out as a labor of love.” There are currently 84 writers on staff.
Huff began his journey into pro-blogging when he began writing blogs for large corporations. Huff said he was finally able to quit his public relations job and begin doing something he actually loved to do.
Huff explains how Gapers Block began.
Gapers Block recently received a $30,000 grant from Chicago Community Trust to help fund local, regional reporting.
Huff is currently working on a project called 1954. In 2003, when Huff was in college he found an old datebook dating back to 1954. It just so happened that in that year, 2003, the dates perfectly matched enabling Huff to be able to use the book. Now, in 2010, the dates align again and Huff is using the opportunity to post each page on the web and write about it.
Huff told students about how blogging was possible to make money on.
Huff said he had wrote for Thelobby.com, a travel Web site. He wrote on different restaurants and things to do in different cities.
“All I had to do was mention where the nearest Westin hotel was,” said Huff.
Established in the online world, Huff’s name is in the top ten “Andrew” ranks in the top 10 when googling his name.
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