It's a time of shifting identities. Some, like Ben, are moving to greater transparency. Some, like Hollywood, are moving to opacity. Me, I'm remaining in a state of stationary visibility.
It wouldn't take an at-all clever person to crack the secret of Thmazing's real-life identity. Can you use Google? Can you read? Can you click? You can figure out who I am. It's not that hard.
I miss my old opacity sometimes, and other times I envy the blatant this-is-me-ness of people who plant their names right up top. I see advantages and disadvantages to both. Behold!
Opacity
- Advantages
- Sense of mystery
Reward those in the know with a feeling of superiority
A gatekeeping device
Allows clearer differentiation between Self and Blogged Character
- Looks amateurish--real writers paste their names on everything.
Limits the ease of a casual searcher finding all my work in one go.
Transparency
- Advantages
- Looks professional--what kind of a writer doesn't put his name on things?
Looks bold--no fear of being identified with my words.
Makes it simpler for people to find me. (Although, if you Google my real name now, Thmusings does show up....not near enough the top though.)
- Risk of stalkers increases. Stalkers!
Violent death.
The way I balance this is to have my website be super-transparent, and have it connect to all my blogs. What that does is make thmazing.com my official organ and Thmusings the place where my friends come to visit. By virtue of arriving somewhere without my name obviously attached, you join the in-club, you're hip, you're thawesome.
I've seen the Foblog stats, so I don't know if anyone will ever actually see this post, but I solicit your thoughts on this issue.
20 comments:
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It's worth noting (hinthint) that Edgy's been waffling on this issue lately.
How would you feel about me rampantly linking Eric Jepson in order to put your blog higher on the result list?
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That would be okay. I guess.
I like anonymity a lot. In college, I realized just how ridiculously easy it is to find me, so I'd rather be too opaque, even at the risk of seeming less professional. In fact, when I become a famous novelist/journalist/playwrite/etc I might keep my pseudonym. Or possibly getting a new one. Much like with my blog, it won't be impossible to figure out who I am, but it won't be easy, either. I like to hope it isn't easy now. . .
This made me think of you folks.
Ha! That's so every conversation Foxy and I have.
(Except that she plays along rather than threatening to leave me.)
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That's it. I'm leaving.
That's what your mom said.
That's what your mom said that his mom said, last night!
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I'm leaving this time and I mean it.
Bye!
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I'm serious!
Me too!
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While I've been out, I've found this. Check out chapter three.
That's beautiful. I'm glad you're back, and all repentant for your prodigal ways.
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I'm not repentant. I'm just adding enabling to my list of sins.
Thanks for stopping by, Barb! Very nice of you to share.
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Hey, everybody! It's Barb!
I realize this was a post of long ago, but I also know you'll be seeing this response anyway, so it really doesn't matter. My point? I am struggling with this very issue right now. I wonder about moving to privatization. My main concern is having my kids find the blog and feeling exposed. But I'm tired of code names and other methods and want to just write. Not that I've been writing lately. My point.
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