The Writer's Id : Forum : Ponder Your ID


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Ponder Your ID

16 Years Ago


I am wondering (and wondering) about the identity of writers in online communities. I know that I'm a stranger in a strange land, but I'd like to make friends, so I'm still trying to be upmost polite . . . which isn't necessarily all of who is me. I do feel as though I've walked into a thriving pre-established community (and maybe someone's peeking through the curtains at me on occasion). I am still having a hard time setting up my profile - The writer has to be able to write something legit - correct? And then I have to find some good self-portraits. I feel pressure to perform. And then there are those little thumbnail photos everywhere . . . Fascinating . . . I invite you to ponder over the following questions, comment on them, split discussion wide open, piss people off, use this as inspiration to write something moving and then post it, whatever . . . Here's a chance to talk about what we've perhaps all been wondering . . . (note: if you would like to keep such responses between the two of us, feel free to message me personally).
I'll offer up two little questions to start:

1. Do you have more than one profile and maintain separate identities? How do you think the sense of "anonymity" effects your writing and publishing habits?

2. What do you really think of that little thumbnail image that you can attach to your identity or to every piece that you write? Just how powerful is it? What are some of the best ones you've seen? The worst? Why?

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[no subject]

16 Years Ago


Quote:
1. Do you have more than one profile and maintain separate identities? How do you think the sense of "anonymity" effects your writing and publishing habits?



Seperate identities on writerscafe? Nope, but I do have a few different sites out there somewhere. Mostly gathering dust, but there's two I do keep up to date as much as I can... looking at how I write for them I can say that there are two different personalities. For the first one I made, I keep the stuff I post there a little more tame. Keep the swearing down and such. Mostly because all the people that read it are, what I call, "jesus people". Nice church goers who are pretty kind to my ramblings against religion in general.

Plus, it's where the natives from the US seemed to gather. Half of them anyway. What's really weird, what I find really weird, is that all the 37(ish)+ women seem to enjoy that profile. There are no friends and family from up here in Canada that even go and visit that site.

Personality wise, that's the nice guy Kevin. Also, I uploaded a bunch of chapters there for a 'book' I'm writing. It's the closest I came to a native community that I've found on the internet. That's what brought me to writerscafe. I was doing another pointless sweep of the internet looking for somewhere I can post the stories I wrote about contemporary rez life. I haven't found one yet. All I've really found are those sites with coyote and eagle old timing story sites. They're all well and good, but I'd feel out of place there.

Oh, I was going to say that at the first place (yahoo360) everybody is nice. Good way to get a huge ego when everybody enjoys what you write. You know how well that works, you pick up a few bad habits when that happens.

Then there's my other site at myspace. That's where I just let it all hang out. Which goes to show how popular real me is, people avoid that one like the plague.

For writerscafe, I almost thought about starting one more identity besides this one. I write whatever comes to mind and some of those things are violent and bloody with no real purpose. I just leave those sitting collecting dust on my harddrive.

So, here I am. A native guy who enjoys writing cynical pieces, contemporary rez stories, horror (the ghost story kind, not bloody mary screaming out of a mirror and chopping up teenagers at a party), action (remnants of 80s action, Predator, Lethal Weapon, Mad Max, The Road Warrior kind of stuff), and even a couple sci-fi's. It's all a little much for this picture I uploaded of myself.

As for anonymity effecting my writing I upload? Yep, definetly. The two different identities I post under are a whole lot different. At yahoo360, I have my real picture and name all over the place. So the stuff there is toned down, don't want to look like a jerk.
At myspace, I still use my real name, but there's no pictures there so I write almost anything. Plus, not a lot of it is really serious. Stuff like "God Chat" is posted there. At yahoo360, just the serious short stories.


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2. What do you really think of that little thumbnail image that you can attach to your identity or to every piece that you write? Just how powerful is it? What are some of the best ones you've seen? The worst? Why?


I think it's alright, with the stuff I upload I usually try to find a picture that would go with it. If not, I see if the writing can stand on its own. Personally, I like the little pictures people upload with their stuff. Gives a little feeling to what you're about to read.
The best one I seen was for a horror story. It fit the character so well, but... the story that went with it, I didn't enjoy so much. It was well written and all, but just not what I enjoy. Then there's the other side of that whole thing. A picture that looks promising, but it's only there for colour instead of the black and white tree. Then you find yourself skipping whole paragraphs to find the meat of the thing.
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[no subject]

16 Years Ago


Quote:
Originally posted by Rachel

1. Do you have more than one profile and maintain separate identities? How do you think the sense of "anonymity" effects your writing and publishing habits?


I new to this place, but the place and people seem really cool. I only have one profile here and it will probably stay that way. But I've got a few "split personalities" out there. I usually only do that when I'm either writing something completely out of the norm for me (I usually stick with horror though i have a romantic and comedic side) or when people begin to think, "Great story..oh wait its from Cujo..eh he'll never finish it." Thats what happens to me people just stop reading because they know i have a bad track record for finishing stories. It usually works re-inventing myself but keen people can spot the impostor. "Hey you write alot like this guy..." I prefer not to be anonymous, i want people to know who i am its just part of who i be ^__^. But of course when people start predicting your every move, thats when anonymity is good. "Wait..you wrote that? No way! Thats so not your useual." It gives me a god feeling.


Quote:
Originally posted by Rachel

2. What do you really think of that little thumbnail image that you can attach to your identity or to every piece that you write? Just how powerful is it? What are some of the best ones you've seen? The worst? Why?


To me it kind of says alot, like a small preview...but i dont judge by the pic because some just dont match up. Besides no one can take a picture of the authors mind and how they envisioned the story. For me, I dont have alot of deep intra personal photos with hidden symbolysim. Ive just got a few average ones with some photo shop touch ups. Thats all, as for your identity, i say the pic is a snapshot of a small part of you. The thoughts that went through your head as you decided to upload it, all that happened that moment are captured by that image. Yeah...well i think i answered the questions. *shrugs* ^__^
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[no subject]

16 Years Ago


Quote:
Originally posted by Cujos13th
But I've got a few "split personalities" out there. I usually only do that when I'm either writing something completely out of the norm for me (I usually stick with horror though i have a romantic and comedic side) or when people begin to think, "Great story..oh wait its from Cujo..eh he'll never finish it." Thats what happens to me people just stop reading because they know i have a bad track record for finishing stories. It usually works re-inventing myself but keen people can spot the impostor. "Hey you write alot like this guy..." I prefer not to be anonymous, i want people to know who i am its just part of who i be ^__^. But of course when people start predicting your every move, thats when anonymity is good. "Wait..you wrote that? No way! Thats so not your useual." It gives me a god feeling.


So, then it's not very different from having a couple of different pen names . . . you can attach personae to each style. I think that's a neat and professional way of looking at it. I wonder if others worry about people thinking that their work might suck, so they keep their online ID in writerscafe apart from their personal one (as much as possible anyway . . . ). One of my big worries is pissing someone off in a review - saying the wrong thing. Do you think that you can "tell" what kind of reviews a person is looking for by their profile?
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[no subject]

16 Years Ago


Kevin, you are definitely a good one to ask about identity! Wow. I know how it feels to feel as though you are pressed into a certain genre or personality in light of your gender, surroundings, history, etc. A big one that I always deal with is - "Oh, you're a sweet young mother - don't you write children's books?" I'm not interested in writing children's books in the slightest and to tell you the truth, I get a little ticked when people assume so. Do you find that interpretations of your particular situation/identity are a plus or a negative for your career as a writer? I could see it going either way . . .
I will have to look for more of your fiction stuff . . . sounds way cool. All that I have had a chance to read of your stuff were the essays.
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[no subject]

16 Years Ago


Quote:
Originally posted by Rachel
1. Do you have more than one profile and maintain separate identities? How do you think the sense of "anonymity" effects your writing and publishing habits?


Personally I have one profile, same one here that's on urbis, that's on writing.com, that's on myspace. As for anonymity, I have to keep that for the content I am writing. I am writing an expose (memior) on the field I work in (and am licensed in), so keeping my name private right now is important.

Quote:
Originally posted by Rachel

2. What do you really think of that little thumbnail image that you can attach to your identity or to every piece that you write? Just how powerful is it? What are some of the best ones you've seen? The worst? Why?


I think the images are great and personally I see them as important. Each image attached to each story holds significant importance to each story. I love the ability to do that here.
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[no subject]

16 Years Ago


Quote:
Do you find that interpretations of your particular situation/identity are a plus or a negative for your career as a writer?


Both.
On the plus side? How many folks here at writerscafe know anything about life on a reservation? I'm guessing that the number would be in the low double digits at most. I'm not saying it's a bad thing that no one would know. Mostly because if everyone did know, I'd have nothing to write about.
With that, I'm left alone in a huge field to wildly run around doing anything I want.

That freedom to write like that? That's the negative side. There's so much to write about that story ideas flow like crazy and it's tough to pinpoint any long enough to write about it. Too many bits and pieces flying by and here I am trying to pick some out to put together for a short story.

I'd like to ask people what kind of story they'd like to read about the rez, but that's asking for trouble. It's like asking a cop to tell you stories about what it's like to be a cop. Sure, they can tell you stories of what they seen and felt on the job, but you'll never know what it's really like unless you were a cop yourself. There's some things you just don't know how to put into words.

As for the identity, people don't really bring it up. Which is okay with me, as far as I know, I'm just a regular guy.
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[no subject]

16 Years Ago


::mad:: ::biggrin:: I'm not sure I like my ID. I have only one ID and it is everything I've chose to do with my life from day 1. To explain it would take at least 1 page. It is easy to look back with hind-sight and talk about what you were. My ID in not the thumbnail but my name. I have used my real name because I care not for the hidden meaning of wishs within. The want-a-be charade of who I think I should be. My name comes from a very wonderful source. My first name is the middle name of my Uncle. My middle name is from the Doctor that delivered me into this world. And of course my last name is from my Father. I'm proud of my name and thus proud of my ID. ::happy::
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[no subject]

16 Years Ago


Just wondering why you would say that you're not sure if you like it . . . Do you feel at home in the group or in other groups? Do you feel like there is a certain "way" that you should be setting yourself up? Sometimes I feel this way - like I am surely the big dweeb amongst the cool people. How hard has it been - creating this online ID? Sometimes I have no idea what to say in a review when someone shares something that they want me to read. I made some positive reviews and people voted them "No" as Helpful. This bothered me. You're too nice and you're a weenie. You offer up too much advice and you're a witch. Just like real life . . . except the friends are so far and wide spread . . . Anybody else see strange similarities or differences to life? Now, I'm much closer to my online identity than I was to the identities I created in AOL chatroom some years ago - but I think this is because I just started being more honest with myself . . . Maybe there is some sort of skill to creating yourself online . . . I'd say the artist/poet puts more time into creating a personae and creating himself . . . The writer is used to slipping into other skins . . . I bet it happens alot out here where it's so easy . . .
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[no subject]

16 Years Ago


Answer 1.

I have only one profile here. I do have other profiles on other sites, like www.pathetic.org (a poetry site). I know people who are members of that site personally ( in the physical world). Occasionally knowing that someone I know will be reading what I write pops into my head. But, I don't want the quality of my writing to suffer because I am afraid of my audience so I try to block that out. Some of my poems I've posted in my library on this site and others were written about people I KNOW will be reading them. There is a certain amount of anxiety that comes with that. But letting that cloud my writing won't serve any purpose.

To me writing is about honesty, and about getting the thoughts and words out and down on paper (or on a screen, as the case may be).

Answer 2.

I change my avatar and other photos quite often. Though I will admit to taking a bit of time trying to select the best photo I can from all the ones available; because like it or not we are judged based on how we look to others. When I look at another member's profile I am always a bit disappointed when they have no photo posted simply because if I am looking at their profile it means I want to know more about them, and their appearance is part of who they are.