In the discussion on Monday regarding the person stopping by the office, an anonymous commenter chimed in with what I thought was an interesting point of discussion about boundaries in the Internet era.
He/she writes:
Have been thinking a lot about the writers who choose to keep their privacy, such as Salinger and Pynchon and those who are all out twittering hither-nither.
I have very mixed feelings about the personal publicity writers are encouraged to develop, even agents. It seems like we are auditioning for “America’s Next SuperWriter” and the fifteen minutes of fame required.
…The photos do connect people. But then where is privacy given a boundary?
As I wrote in a post late last year, the days of being “Just An Author,” if they ever existed, are basically over. Everything is out there on the Internet, and authors are really expected to put themselves out there to find their audience. Publishers want authors to be Facebooking, Tweeting, blogging, and everything they can do to get out there. It’s really tough to do that without using at least part of your personal life and picture to make that happen, even if you’re using a pen name.
What do you think: Is this the price the modern author has to pay if they want an audience? Is there a way to balance Internet presence with privacy?
Kiersten White says
Just because you are "out there" doesn't mean you have to share every aspect of yourself with the internet. I keep up a pretty consistent presence online through twitter and blogging, and while my readers "know" me, I don't share things that are too personal. I also don't post current pictures of my kids, or their names, or my husband's name and/or profession.
It's a fine line to walk, but one that definitely needs walking. My publisher has told me time and again how much they love what I'm doing online. And I love doing it, otherwise I probably wouldn't.
So, point: You don't have to put your whole self out there, but you definitely need something. Decide what works for you and commit to it. Now I've got to go put up my credit card and social security numbers on my blog, because someone was asking about them.
Steven Till says
I do think it benefits authors today to be more public through the methods you mentioned (blogging, tweeting, etc.) in order to get their names out there. And even doing these things, I don't think authors will have to sacrifice that much privacy. You still have more control over your privacy than movie celebrities or musicians, for example. Through Internet marketing, you still have some control over who you want to associate with. You can set privacy settings in Facebook, Twitter, etc to control who has access to your profile.
So I think it's important for authors to utilize these methods for exposure. You can be as exposed as you want to be without sacrificing a great deal of privacy.
Anonymous says
If a writer can maintain a professional persona while interacting with the public on the internet, I see no down side. The point I start cringing for them is when things get 'loud' and they end up resembling the noisy neighbor instead of the elegant master of words the veil provides them.
I think a little mystery and not knowing everything about them and their family is a good thing, least for myself.
Kristan says
LOL and ditto to Kiersten White. GEEZ I love that girl. Is it September yet? I want to read her book!!
Sam says
I think privacy is possible, not that I want it. I, and many other writers, are fine (and thrilled) at the idea of self-promotion. My writing excites me, and telling other people about it excites me, too.
As the internet evolves and online writing finds its niches, it will find more and more parallels to music.
Case in point: There's an underground band, called Blank Dogs, that has reveled in being unknown. It took about 18 months before the founder of the band was properly revealed, and that was only because he had been in prior bands and maintained those connections. The band cultivated a sense of mystery by utilizing exotic and ancient imagery. Of course, the music ain't bad either, and that helped.
The combination of purposeful, authored mystery and well-done content is powerful, and perhaps represents the next wave of introverted creators.
Kelly O'Connor McNees says
For better or worse, I think being connected is, as you say, "the price authors pay." It can be time-consuming and overwhelming. But connecting to your audience can be rewarding too. I have been touched by the level of support and excitement I've heard from total strangers (and my novel isn't even out yet). After all, you are writing for readers, and the new connectedness encourages you to remember that.
The difficult thing becomes getting your writing done while maintaining tweets, blogs, etc. But overcoming distraction has always been a writer's biggest challenge–this is nothing new.
Ultimately, the author has to draw the line where she feels comfortable. And please familiarize yourself with FB's new privacy settings! There are ways to shield photos and more personal interactions from the public eye.
K. A. Laity says
I think the dangers of obscurity still outweigh any dangers of publicity. A little common sense is always good (i.e. not trashing other writers, former agents or publishers) but it helps if people can find you. Your online "personality" may be the first thing a reader encounters that makes her decide to check out your book and click that BUY link.
Josin L. McQuein says
Pen names will become more popular, as will "photoshopped beyond belief" photos.
Limari Colón says
I was thinking about this yesterday. After I decided to become a writer, I knew I had to give up my internet phobia. Taking baby steps, I have created several profiles online and even a book club! I think people want to know who they are relating to. The popularity of your blog serves as proof.
I love to read the latest news and thoughts of people I look up to. It makes me feel I have a shot at being successful too.
Thank you.
Nerb says
I think that this is more an issue for older writers than for younger. The current 20-something and rising generation is already used to having everything out there on the Internet for the world to see. The Internet is a powerful tool if used appropriately.
Melissa says
If someone really wants to protect his privacy, he can use a pen name and create an complete, but fictional persona. Use stylized images rather than author photos. Be active in the online world, but don't do book signings or personal appearances. DO interviews by e-mail, phone, or radio. If he gets big and MUST do personal appearances, he can hire an actor to play himself in the real world. 🙂
Malia Sutton says
"So, point: You don't have to put your whole self out there, but you definitely need something. Decide what works for you and commit to it."
Kiersten said this well, and I couldn't agree more.
Anonymous says
There are degrees of exposure re: tweeting, blogging, etc.
There's also time: one only has a limited amount of it.
Promotion, as it's currently being put forth, seems at odds with any sort of deep, high quality writing. It's logistical as much as anything. Are writers really wired to be full-time carnies for their work?
These devices, the net, etc. seem to encourage what is counterintuitive to writing. I see a meta dialogue about writing / technology emerging, & the embrace tech narrative seems more false by the post – esp. when you have the biggest proponent of "free," John Lanier, disavowing (in a hard back book & Harpers) the disasterous paradigm he staked out & started pimping ten years + ago.
Last week's topic (Amazon's price point, MacMillan's leverage), I didn't see one post referencing the fact that the high churn on devices is driven by the romance genre. It makes perfect sense for a writer who can turn out 24 books a year – and has the audience to sustain that – to charge $6.99. But a novel that takes 5 years to write, another 3 to publish, that $6.99 isn't sustainable. (And even if s/he's turning out 24 books a year, how much time, really, does a romance novelist have to devote to promotion?)
I am hoping these blogs will start to parse some of these issues, esp. as they relate to genre vs. literary fiction. They're two v different demographics.
IDK if this is for a forum, but will mention anyway: a recent huffington blog post by a former music industry exec gone publishing hits on the evolutionary similarities of struggle between the two industries.
SarannaDeWylde says
I agree with Kate and Kiersten.
I'm a new author and I want everyone to know who I am. Yeah, it's time consuming, but my personality is my voice.
Sure, it's hard to decide where that line is, what to share, what not to share. Not to mention tact has always been a problem for me, but it's hard for everyone to decide what to put out there, not just authors.
As a former corrections officer, I don't have any illusions as to my privacy. Someone can find whatever they want to about you regardless of how carefully you guard yourself, but there's no reason to make it easy on them.
I think ultimately, it depends on how your package yourself.
Ink says
I'm with Kiersten, and I think it helps knowing what you want to share (and what you don't) when you start in. Where do you want to draw your line?
And the online stuff should probably have a purpose. If it's utterly random it's more likely to slip into unwanted self-revelation.
I think basic prudence is the key. Have an approach, and follow it carefully.
Emily White says
I think there's a broad line between having a few accounts on the internet so that people can find you and know what you're about and telling the world your personal life. I may have a blogger account, but I don't share anything that I would like to keep private.
Kayeleen says
Being relatively new to social networking, I have a hard time finding the balance of how much of myself to put out there. It has to be enough that people want to interact with you, but not enough that they can drop by for beverages at any time.
When so much of my experience with writing is interwoven with my personal life, it's hard to separate the two, but I'm slowly learning.
Anonymous says
Two words: pen name
I write with one to preserve my privacy and delineate between my author persona and my "real life." So yeah, I might be up online and sharing parts of my self and my life with people, but people who read what I publish get just as much of a sense of who I am as people who I communicate with online.
T. Anne says
I think since this is new territory it's safe to say we haven't worked out all the kinks yet. Part of the appeal of being a writer when I was younger was the thought I could remain reclusive. Not so. It's a learning curve for most of us for sure. You're a great teacher Nathan!
Liberty Speidel says
Kiersten said it all too well! (I just learned of this writer yesterday through her agent's Tweets–and even though I don't read her genre, am interested in reading her book.)
I think that with Google and Facebook, a writer just has to decide how much privacy they want. Right now, not having any publishing prospects on the horizon, I'm happy having my blog and making friends on FB (and tweeting, too.) When I hook an agent, that's when I think I'll really start promoting myself, and that'll mean to me shifting my focus to a fan page on FB, urging some of my online-only friends to the fan page before I start trimming my personal page (which I keep very tightly guarded to non-friends anyway), and really promoting myself as an author.
I agree about not sharing your spouses name (my husband is the only one with his name in our metro area) or your children's names, or their pictures, at least on your professional side.
However, how many of us writers will dedicate our books to our spouse or kids, and name them? Isn't that about the same as putting it out there on the internet? I've already written the dedication to my book, and name both my husband and my child (soon to be children). While that's a personal choice–and one that in this world of identity theft, I should discuss this with my husband–what's the difference with putting that same info out on your blog/FB fan page/website?
Stephanie says
Even when you want to be private or semi-private, enterprising people find ways to find you, even if it's just an e-mail address. If people want to invade your privacy, they will, no matter how much or how little on online presence you have. Like others indicated, you can choose what you put out, even when there's a demand or compulsion to provide more.
Actually, writers are probably among the best-equipped people to maintain public personae. We can handle the criticism 😉
Destiny Rae Booze, Novelist says
Sure, that's the price every modern author pays. It's a very small one to pay in my opinion. The author is the filter for how much information gets out there. Nothing more than the author is comfortable with needs to make it onto the keyboard.
Social media is about much more than putting your life on the internet. It's about connecting with people, connecting with readers. Why wouldn't every author want to be available to their fans?
Every author should be out there to connect with their readers. The only true price they pay is time, and the fans deserve that time.
jjdebenedictis says
Warning: Opinions ensue. And you know what they say about opinions.
Marketing and publicity don't sell books.
They only convince people to pick your book up off the shelf (out of the hundreds available alongside it) and consider buying it.
Which is crucial, because you can't make a sale until they have the book in their hands. However, they make their decision to buy based on the words on the page, not the publicity campaign.
Spontaneous, enthusiastic word-of-mouth ("going viral") is what makes a book's sales really take off. If you get good word-of-mouth, the benefits of your self-publicity will be negligible in comparison.
And good word-of-mouth come solely from having written a damned good book.
So do only as much self-publicity as you can stand to, and provide no more of your private self to the public than you are comfortable with.
Your career will rise or fall based on your ability to write. Networking and self-publicity can kick-start word-of-mouth but they don't substitute for it.
ella144 says
Speaking as a reader, while I enjoy learning about the people who write the books I love to read, and hey, look, their next book comes out in a few months, I don't want to know all the gory details of their lives because who they are is not part of the equation that makes me like their book(s).
Speaking as a writer, knowing that other writers balance writing with their day job, kids, school, spouse, and so on helps me when I start to feel overwhelmed by it all. And, hey look, her new book comes out in a few months.
Ann M says
I would say that some exposure is good. Over exposure is probably bad. When I think of the authors I follow, typically they blog about writing. For me, it's more about the characters of the stories than the authors. That said, it makes it ALL the more fun and enjoyable to know the author of a beloved book is also a nice person. From that point, what I'm most interested in isn't what the author did that day, or what the spouse, children, great-aunt, is like, but how that author came up with such a unique plot, intriguing characters, or the amazing twist at the end! So, that's what I look forward to, delving into the author's mind to learn how they came up with that awesome book I want to read again and again!
As for an aspiring author (or an up-and-coming-author) I suppose it's more difficult. Still though, I think what would draw me to a new author would revolve around their book, not so much their daily life.
JDuncan says
I honestly don't have much problem with the public image and being out there in the public sphere. I'd also be fine if I sold books without having to raise a finger to find readership. For me, the biggest drawback isn't the breaking down of any barriers to privacy, but the time it takes away from everything else to make your presence known out there to the public. It's a big time investment, time that would generally be better spent writing or being with family and friends. So, in that regard, it's a big sacrifice and I hope publishers understand this when it comes to the expectation level put on their writers.
Mark Terry says
Here's a Corollary Question that I think demands a little more thought on the part of your readers.
If the typical advance for a novel is around $5000 and it may take years (or never) to make it to a point where you can even make a couple house payments based on the money you earn from your book, is the lack of privacy worth it?
Thomas Taylor says
If writers have to share their off-page lives with the world then I'd certainly rather be in the driving seat of the process. And it's very easy to bend the truth on-line, or at least cast ourselves as something we're not quite.
Christi Goddard says
I had successfully avoided blogging, facebook, twitter, and the like until I wanted to publish my book. Now I've broken down and created a blog and a website in the hopes of attracting readers, but I think that is where the line for me would be drawn.
A website with book information and 'about me' sorts of things, and a blog with random thoughts and an interface with readers. Add Facebook and Twitter to that, and there would be no time left to do my actual job: writing more novels for my wonderful agent!
Anonymous says
I'll post as an Anon as to protect myself from the onslaught.
I think the only people that give a damn about authors twittering, blogging, and facebooking are other authors.
Writers always claim they are reaching their fans. No they aren't. They are reaching the other writers they know who only seem to leave comments, ect as promotion for their own books (using their book cover as an avatar, natch).
True story. I went to the blog of a specific writer (whose successful debut book I read two years ago) to try and find info on if there were other books coming out. No information existed. I posted on his blog, asking for any info.
In going back to his blog for a number of weeks, hoping he'd answer, I got nothing but too much information about his personal life… What his wife got him for his birthday… The expensive weekend getaway he took… Pictures of the food he ate… Pictures of the dog he saw… Pictures of his wife climbing a rock or something… Tales of enamoured fans telling him how great he was… Pictures of those fans…
And ALL the comments for these mind-numbing posts? ALL of them writers or aspiring writers, saying Gee! Fun! Wish I were there! You rock!
I still don't have a clue when his next book is coming out. But now that I think of him as a slightly self-important dum-dum, I no longer care.
Alexis Grant says
I agree with a lot of what's been said here already — Even if you have a strong online presence, you don't have to give up your privacy. In fact, sometimes I think when people complain about how they're "supposed to have a blog" and don't want to because they're not into sharing every detail of their lives, they're just using it as an excuse. Either that, or they don't understand what blogging is, how to use Twitter, etc.
Giving everyone a sense of your personality is really important as you build an online presence — we care about YOU because we like you. But that doesn't mean you have to tell all. In fact, if you tell all, we'll like you less. There's a fine line between giving us enough information to feel like we know you, and offering TMI.
Nathan Bransford says
anon-
I think it's important to remember that just because a blogger's online presence is not what you personally are looking for doesn't mean that the other people who are reading/commenting aren't actually enjoying it. I may not want to read every site I come across, but that doesn't mean I go around thinking they're a jerk just because their site doesn't have what I personally want to read about.
Shelley Sly says
I agree with those who have said that you can have an online presence without disclosing too much of your personal life.
As someone who is by nature a quiet and private person, I was pretty intimidated when I started blogging. But I knew that having a platform could make a difference in the long run if I plan to get published. I think I've found a good balance with some, but not full, disclosure.
I definitely recommend that writers blog and use sites like Twitter and Facebook. I've heard published authors say that they've gained a wide audience that way.
Suzannah says
A while back, I wrote about how I was using my baby's mid-night feed times to work on my novel. I've perfected the art of typing while holding him.
Yesterday I received an anonymous comment accusing me of being an 'all-American,' and that my article was 'the type of crazy overachieving nonsense [they] brits have come to expect' from Americans. This person also accused me of not giving my child enough attention.
Obviously this was a drive-by commenter who knew nothing about me (my About page clearly states that I'm Canadian). But beside that, I felt like it was a personal attack on me as a mother.
Like Kristin said, I never give out personal details of my life on my site, but sometimes I use personal experiences as a springboard for my articles.
Now, obviously, I have to either keep everything completely impersonal, or put up with stuff like this. Of course, I think those types make up only a very small portion of one's audience, so I guess it's worth it.
I suppose the higher your profile, the more you have to endure (right, Nathan?). 🙂
Nathan Bransford says
suzannah-
Definitely, and I think that speaks to the difficulty authors have balancing publicity and privacy. It's not just a matter of handling the balance of public/private that you put online, but the fact that being out there online brings a certain element to you whether you want it or not.
D. G. Hudson says
Privacy can be a safety issue as well as a personal issue. There have been a few instances of harassment online. If you maintain a public presence, some thought must be given to what you say. There is always the chance that a post may offend someone.
Authors can balance publicity and privacy, but it takes extra effort. One must consider how much of yourself you want to expose. IMO, much is said on the various social networks that repeats what has already hit the news headlines. Where is the value in that?
For purposes of getting our writing published, we must conform to some of these requirements. Just remember, once your privacy is breached, it can't be taken back.
We never know who lurks behind those other screens or phones, watching or even tracking our internet movements.
It's all about being aware of the consequences.
Seamus says
I like Kiersten's distinction, but even still, I think this makes an enormous difference to who is writing and who is successful. Anyone who has taken the Myers-Briggs Personality Type Indicator test knows that among other continua, there are those who recharge themselves through social exchange (called "extroverts") and those who recharge by withdrawing from social exchange (called "introverts"). Both have something unique and important to say in the world of literature. I have watched as the naturally "out there" population (extroverts) take to the social media and others hold back, because it's not a natural way for them to relax. Does this mean, like so many other professions, that the most successful in our craft will be those with extrovert tendencies? We will lose a great deal of literary strength, as a culture, if so.
Kristi says
The blogging isn't an issue for me since it's primarily writing related. I was using Facebook for more personal stuff, but since I have a number of writers as friends now, I've been much more careful about what I post there — still need to figure out those privacy settings!
Fawn Neun says
I think it's the price they have to pay.
Look at Neil Gaiman… he tweets, he blogs… As a matter of fact, I did an interview with his new fiance, Amanda Palmer, a musician who is known for her internet self-promotion and I asked specifically if she thought that the shy and introverted were going to fall by the wayside. Her take was that it was part of the job.
We're living in a tough time when publishing houses and record labels don't have promotional budgets, so the artists are going to have to pick up the slack.
You don't have to tell-all or bare your soul, but you do have to have a certain accessibility.
I think she put it best when she said that if she didn't believe in her work enough to promote it, who would?
Nick says
I've a blog, but I don't update it often, mostly because, like everyone else when they begin, I'm talking to myself. I've a Facebook, but I keep it private as I can. Reckon if I do get published I'll make a fan page or something to communicate with people. I've a twitter, but like my blog I never really update it, because frankly I have nothing to say.
This does remind me of something I was thinking of the other day though. Are author photographs REALLY necessary? I mean if they are I'll grin and bear it, but personally I think I'm quite the ugly bastard and like to avoid photographs whenever I can. Only two pictures of me on my Facebook, and one more of me over on my sister's, but that one's a good five years old now, and I like keeping it that way.
I will say I daena think it's impossible for authors to be Salinger-esque these days, either, but it is a very, very hard thing to do, and I think you would have to be like Salinger. One thing people so often forget is, Salinger didn't just disappear square off the bat. He was never some big social butterfly and did certainly keep to himself, but he did do appearances and interviews and things up until 1980. So, you know, get some publicity under yourself, even if it's only a little bit, get a fanbase going, then feel free to disappear into the ether.
Not saying, mind you, that disappearing into the ether is necessarily a good strategy, but I reckon it could still be done if you were deadset on it.
At the end of the day I think an author should do whatever they are comfortable with doing to market their book. If that means shameless plugging on a couple of forums or hanging up flyers around town, great. If that means parades down Broadway, fantastic. Unless you're a "name" like King or Meyer, don't leave it all to the publishers. But the author should still have the final say-so with their end of the line. Especially when it comes to the internet.
Personally I'm a very private person. I do share details about my life, to a point. I'll tell you I live in Pennsylvania, I've got three severely retarded pets, that I live in a tiny house, etc. Those are just inconsequential facts to me. But there are some things I just cannae dig sharing. And I don't just mean with a potential future fanbase. I've been going out with my current girlfriend for nearly three weeks now, and so far no one knows but us and her family. Far as I'm concerned, things like that are my business and my business alone, and if at any point something arises which necessitates outside knowledge of affairs, that's when the information goes out.
I think it's important, too, for authors who are fine with sharing a lot, to not share too terribly much. Share too much and it ruins the mystique, and mystique is important. Can you honestly say you were never once curious about what Salinger did while holed up in Cornish?
Sorry for the long rambling post. Making it up as I go along, so it's kind of like "Right, this thought here and then I'll be done and WAIT! What about that?" So, yeah. Back to what I was saying.
Another long post, so again I must split it.
Kelly Bryson says
My blogs don't feel nearly as revealing into who I am as my WIP does.
I created a family blog and a professional blog so that people can easily choose the content they are interested in, plus it frees me to write about potty training on the family blog, and my critique group on the writing blog without worrying that I'm boring either my family/friends or professional contacts. I try to be the same person in every area of my life, though.
Nick says
Continuing on:
I feel I should point out the obvious pitfalls of the internet being a central part of self-promotion, too. Although not entirely related to the subject at hand, I feel this works as a fair enough caveat. After Daleks in Manhattan/Evolution of the Daleks aired, Helen Raynor went on a big Doctor Who fansite to see what people thought of her episodes. Half an hour later she was on the phone with the executive producer in tears, talking about quitting writing. So even if you've got a thick skin, it's important to watch yourself out there.
Some web presence is certainly necessary. I've found some stuff — not much, but some — of wht's in my collection because I'd read about it somewhere else, or someone mentioned it, or something, and I went and googled and it and said "Yeah, I'll have go with this".
Still slow going on getting myself a website, because I am poor. I've $429 now, but $270 is banked for, well, emergency funds (the amount will grow, I promise), and the remaining $159 will likely have been spent by Easter. Plus, I just don't have anything to really do with a website right now, you know? If I get some books published I could think of some stuff to put up there — about the author page, blog, forums, info on the book(s). But as is, what would I put? So even after I get a job, probably going to hold off on that front. Probably. We'll see what happens.
Maybe do some candid meet-n-greets or something, too. I do like a good drink every now and again, and I love the pubs in Dunoon and Inverness especially. So, y'know, could do something there I guess. Everyone of legal age come round for a drink.
I don't know. I'll worry more about marketing myself when I'm nearer to publication.
And that's about it. Buh-bye for now.
Chuck H. says
I've been told several times that I need a blog. I'm not sure I want to. What if I put myself out there and no one cares? I have enough just dealing with your rejection of my obviously superior writing, Bransford. I don't need it from everyone else.
WV: dipser – yeah, right.
Anonymous says
Seamus,
Thank you for your post!
Marilyn Peake says
I think that writers can definitely balance their private and public lives. Some of the best writers, e.g. Cormac McCarthy, are very private. Some of the worst writers are constantly clamoring for attention on the Internet. I think Cherie Priest is one of the best and most intelligent genre writers today. She blogs, she tweets, she posts pictures of herself at book promotion places like steampunk conventions, but she doesn’t share every single detail of her private life. Sometimes I think that writers take the lazy way out when they post regularly about their private life. It takes more effort to write entertaining posts on a variety of topics. That’s one of the reasons I enjoy your Blog, Nathan. Monday through Friday, there’s always another interesting topic.
Anonymous says
I think there are a bunch of things going on here. First, unless you're a full time writer, I would suspect most writers would like to separate their personal lives from their writing lives. Second, employers do search google as part of the hiring process, so this might influence the type of material a writer produces. Last, a lot of the social networking sites provide zero privacy.
I think the above will just cause more writers to use pen names.
Susan Quinn says
Having a public persona is part of deal for anyone who works with the public – authors just being more recently part of that group.
And just because your blogger face is your public "persona" doesn't mean it's not a true part of you. I think people respond to bloggers that are a) genuine and b) offer something (information, community, entertainment). Keeping your public and private persona's separate is simply a mark of professionalism, one that most people practice in their work-a-day lives. Authors, being a secluded bunch, simply do it on the interwebs, and (potentially) reach a much larger audience, but the same rules apply.
Vegas Linda Lou says
Those of us who write memoirs are lucky since our lives are [literally] an open book. We want to instill curiosity about us and it’s a thrill when readers say they want to know more or wish they knew us in real life. I think it must be tough to be an introverted writer these days.
Dara says
As others have said, you can be known in the social networking sphere without having to divulge really personal details.
I think it also depends on what the author feels comfortable with.
Christi Goddard says
I agree with Seamus regarding the 'extrovert'/'introvert' personality types. Some people can express themselves far better in written form than in personal form, and many are more comfortable with interaction than others. When I think about being published, I think about the book signings and conventions and how much fun they will be, while my one writing friend is terrified of being the center of attention like that. It's not that I want center stage, but I love to entertain people and make them laugh. Social interaction feeds my soul.