May
18 2006 |
People responding anonymously on internet message boards and blogs is nothing new. I used to be more uncomfortable with it than I am now. Because before I started this writer gig, I was more than free with my opinions (and you aren’t now? I can hear you asking).
While in general, I do think it’s just best to say it and put your name up there, there are times when I just won’t reply at all, even when I really want to, because I have to be mindful of this public persona thing.
Not that I’m a shy virgin or anything. I talk shit with the best of them. I’m mouthy and opinionated and I don’t usually hesitate to tell people to fuck off. And yep, there are people who think I’m a foul mouthed feminist pornographer. And I am two of those three.
But recently, I’ve seen several cases in which authors reply anonymously and while I’m uncomfortable about it, I can see why they do it. I don’t agree with the anonymous commenter at AAR who bashes erotic romance and accuses us all of all sex no plot even when she admits she doesn’t read the genre. But I can see why she won’t put her name up.
We have this silly, but totally important thing which is public perception. I can skate the lines and flout the rules but after a certain point, I’m committing career suicide, even if I feel really strongly about something. And that sucks because just because I write books doesn’t mean I don’t have opinions about things! But you don’t want to know what Lauren Dane thinks about George Bush and so I have a private journal for that stuff.
And you probably do want to know which authors I think are fake assed suck up bitches. That would send my hits through the roof! But in the end, it would be a “really bad thing” and so I don’t do it. Or I save it for Anya and Megan who listen to me cause they’re saints.
Anyway, I’m sort of babbling but this issue has been on my mind lately.
May 19th, 2006 at 4:58 pm · Link
Evidently, this has been on a LOT of minds lately – lol. Don’t know how many of us have expressed ourselves on anonym’ people, fake ones, blog ho’s, and the like. I don’t know if I’m too green as a writer or too damn old as a woman to give a hoot, but I says what I thinks and just take the bullets that are shot at me. *stoopid grin*
Babble all you like. This was an interesting post.
May 19th, 2006 at 8:27 pm · Link
I wouldn’t want to bash somebody on the internet even anonymously. That’s just bad karma waiting to boomerang.
May 20th, 2006 at 4:50 am · Link
*snerk*
Yup, alas even I am too scared to come out and actually call those fake assed suck up bitch authors on my blog, but hey – that’s why I have my peeps on IM. Now THOSE archives are interesting *g*
May 20th, 2006 at 4:02 pm · Link
I think most of my bitching goes on in emails LOL and yeah I get frustrated by not saying anything but there are time when that is the best thing for me to do dangit LOL
May 20th, 2006 at 4:11 pm · Link
Well, Renee, you’ve heard some of it, LOL and Jaynie too.
But it’s hard to see something and it gets you all riled but you *know* commenting on it is totally, utterly stupid and bad for your heart. Sometimes I listen and sometimes I eat three cupcakes and post, cause I’m all about excess.
Lyn, LOL! I’m too old to not be opinionated. But I’m getting better about self control.
Charli – that’s cause you’re a good example.