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?
Cam Snow says
Yes, you can be both public and private (note, this is not the public-private partnership term the government keeps using when they want to screw us out of more money).
You can blog about your writing, your books, your book tours, how to get published, how to write better queries, etc. You can set up a new Facebook account and friend everyone and hype away. You can do signings without having to reveal personal facts about yourself.
It also helps that writers generally don't have paparazzi following them or a bazillion people with fan pages. Your life can be your own.
Munk says
If I remember Nathan once blogged that you don't have to "do" every social media, just find the one you like the best and invest.
Well, I don't "like" any. Some of it is that I don't find my personal story all that interesting… but mainly, it's that I don't want potential readers to be interested in ME. I want them to be interested in my stories. Frankly, I don't really care if you like me or not, don't take that personally, sometimes I don't like myself.
To look at it another way… I don't know much about any of the author's personal stories that I read, I study their style, but I couldn't care less about whether they have two small dogs or one big one, or what they had for dinner last night, or what color they just painted their bathroom, or how much they love their car, or how much they hate their car.
I'll finish with this… To me FB, Twitter and even blogging reminds me of being in a bar full of people, noise everywhere. One guy stands up on a table and gets everyones attention… for a minute. Just as he does someone runs in the bar, pulls him down and gives a passionate speech… completely unrelated to the scene a third person with a wonderful picture immediately steps in front of my table and coughs, noise everywhere. I like intimacy, not insanity.
I don't like crowds unless I am simply observing them… it is one of the main reasons I like writing.
Oh… but back on point… I suppose if to get someone to read my stories they have to know whether I wear boxers, briefs or those boxer/brief things… I'd tell them. I got nothing to hide, I just can't figure out why anyone would want to know.
Portuguese cunt says
Yes… NO… Damn.
There goes my Wikipedia page.
Jana Oliver says
Knowing the whole privacy thing was going to be an issue as my career grew, I created a "moat" around certain aspects of my life. My very close friends have my contact info, all the rest have a mail box and a cell phone number (which can easily be changed). Certainly a very clever person can find those out if they try hard, but I saw no reason to make it easy.
IMHO authors have to be "out there" so I do a lot of conventions and I answer e-mails from readers. Meeting and talking to the fen (plural of fan) is what charges me up so I can spend hours at the computer in my writing cave. Privacy is important. So is visibility. The trick is to find the perfect balance.
Lesli Muir Lytle says
It's a choice from the beginning. Even if you only have three fans and one is a stalker. YOU ARE SCREWED. You chose to get screwed when you picked up a pen, when you sent off your first tweet, blog, or query.
It's over. Embrace the horror and keep writing–and hope that King Stephen took the worst hit for us all.
Topic Anon says
First of all, thank you Nathan, for opening this discussion. I am the anon who wrote that post asking for more of this discussion. And thank you all who are participating in this conversation.
I personally think this is a very important area to keep think-tanking and appreciate all these opinions and thoughts.
For myself, this is an evolving place.
I find that anonymous connections can be safe (which is one reason why I use them more) or dangerous.
Yes. Just like deep River's episode or the unknown factor of someone just showing up. Ask anyone who has had to deal with a stalker.
Less fearful but still daunting can be the drive by snark.
Also, a few times, my learning curve as a writer was off and it was embarrassing. It was only through the kindness of strangers,who upon my request, removed my posts, that my bloopers didn't stay out there to haunt me.
On the other hand, I really trust face to face, conferences, and bookstores. I have put several blogs in place and am slowly getting prepared for more blogging.
I think, as many of you have pointed out, that it's a lot about your style and comfort zone. What can you do to promote your art while not destroying your privacy?
Many of my own favorite authors, artists, musicians, and thinkers remain very private outside their art and work AND they are/have been and remain successful.They go out, I have observed, in their own comfort zones or within their own communities first (such as scientific communities).
Anyway, it is an area of consideration that there is a LOT to keep considering.
Thank you again so much for this conversation.
Lisa Lane says
I agree–readers want even more than ever to interact with their authors. One cannot sell books today without putting oneself out there via social networking, blogging, and regularly updated websites.
Vicki Lane says
I blog daily. Since the setting of my books is a place very much like our farm, I include lots of pictures of where I live. I'm enjoying the exchange with my readers and I've picked up more readers along the way.
I don't find it an invasion of privacy because, as others have said, I only share what I'm comfortable with strangers knowing.
I'm on Facebook but not really very fond of it. As for Twitter … not for me.
Anonymous says
My problem with this whole publicity thing probably revolves around my "life" as a reader. I don't know if I'm an oddball or what, but I never have much interest in the personal lives of those who wrote books I love. I mean, a little blurb on the back cover (or wharever) telling me a bit about the author has always satisfied my "need to know."
Because of this lack of interest, more or less, in authors lives in general, I now become a tad befuddled about what on earth to share about my own life. Before public versus private becomes an issue for me personally, I guess I need to become a lot nosier about the lives of other authors. LOL
Sharon (jjshannon)
Crystal says
I'm 30 years old and love computers, but I really have taken my time getting used to the let-it-all-hang-out-ness on the internet. I think that, in a handful of years, the pendulum will swing back to people wanting more privacy even as they depend more on the internet for their daily activities. So – is "privacy" these days just an illusion, no matter how careful we are? When we hear how the Chinese government was trying to hack into dissidents' Gmail accounts, and how cyber security is becoming an increasing issue (on all levels), I can only see this question continuing to be asked and to evolve as our technology does.
The Economist this past week has a really good article on the topic of privacy:
"Research published last year by Pew showed that some 60% of adults are restricting access to their online profiles. In an earlier study the institute had found that, contrary to received opinion, many teenagers and young adults are also using privacy controls to restrict access to online information about them. Nicole Ellison, a professor at Michigan State University who studies social networks, says that over the past few years she has noticed that her students have become steadily more cautious about whom they share information with."
https://www.economist.com/specialreports/displaystory.cfm?story_id=15350984
Michelle Moran says
I agree with the first blog poster, Kiersten. Being "out there" doesn't mean you have to share everything about yourself as an author. I have a website on which I share hundreds of travel photos (to historic places, since I write about history). But no one knows (or needs to know) what I ate for breakfast, what my daily schedule is, where I get my manicures, or even where I live.
I really do think writers can achieve a balance between sharing information with readers and privacy if they're careful.
With sites like zillow.com, google maps and whitepages.com, almost anyone can be found, along with the other members of their household, their emails, their phone numbers, their location, what their house looks like, etc. On the you-can-never-be-too-cautious side, I make sure that none of my information on these sites is updated/available. But that doesn't stop me from sharing photos with readers or keeping a Facebook page. I think how much is too much is different for each individual. Tweeting about where I've just dined for lunch – for me, that's in the TMI category. But that's not the case for everyone.
Samuel says
What about the psychological effects of having an online presence? Does the inevitable wondering, over-thinking, conjecturing – the horrible two a.m. ‘who’s lookingness?’ of it all – not contaminate your writing brain at all? It’s this that concerns me the most. I know how much I need solitude to write, and I worry that allowing the internet into my thoughts means I’ll never be alone to just worry about the words.
I’m reading The Paris Reviews at the moment, and both Capote and Hemingway say how vital ‘internal’ privacy is to their writing process, and how invidious they find public interruption. In literary terms at least, I wish I lived fifty years ago.
Anonymous says
You can be "out there" every day discussing your book releases and news, engaging in discussions with fans about the subject matter of your books, developments in the publishing world, etc., without ever divulging a single piece of personal information about yourself.
Promotion doesn't necessarily mean "personal." It just means
Anonymous says
Agree with above anon that many of the authors that have heavy presences really aren't exposing themselves much. Their profile pics are only book covers, their profile info lists the same stuff as you can find in in the About the Author section of the books. It's not personal at all! It's just an illusion of access.
Anonymous says
Anon 12:18:
SOME authors do it like you describe, maintaining an interaction with fans without reallybeing personal. However, there are those authors who really do get personal, sharing family events and pics, what they did on vacation, etc. Depends on the author.
But it certainly is possible to maintain distance even while keeping up fan interaction.
Stephanie says
There's a difference between privacy in terms of sharing details about yourself and privacy in terms of not having people show up on your doorstep.
The first one is easy – for the most part, you can be whoever you want to be on the internet. The second one is a lot harder. It doesn't take much for superfans or superenemies to find potentially dangerous information about you online, like where you live. In fact, you don't even need to be online for them to find you…so if your offline presence inspires fanaticism, it doesn't matter whether or not you have a social network where people know what you like for breakfast or what you named your new dog.
Publicity has always been a double-edged sword. Sure, there are exceptions like the Salingers and Pynchons of the world, but for the rest of us writing under our real names, the public presence that puts privacy at risk is also what reminds readers to care about buying your book. As soon as you achieve anything that makes people want to find out more about you, the risk is there.
With those scary thoughts in mind, I say embrace internet publicity. Part of publicity has always been defining your public persona. If you want that persona to be about your day-to-day life, that's your choice, but if you'd rather focus on your writing or larger issues you care about, then it's easy enough to leave your personal life out of it.
Terry says
Good question.
This is a big issue for me. And I've been working on getting over it. But I think a lot of writers don't want the limelight. We're happy, quietly tapping away on our stories, chatting a bit on blogs or hanging out with family and close friends.
We have no need or desire to be even a minor celebrity in any way, shape or form. So, for us, it's difficult. If I wanted that much personal attention, I would have become an actor.
Like, Munk, I want my story to be the focus.
Anonymous says
It's not just writers. In a computerized society, personal information is collected and stored all the time. Privacy is a relative thing now.
But for online platforms where we choose to say things about ourselves, it's a good idea
to decide ahead of time what we will share. Will we tackle politics? Religion? Will we review other people's books–if so, only the ones we like? Will we talk about family members–if so, who, how much, and by pseudonym or real name? Will we post pictures–of whom, and under what circumstances? Will we mention our day jobs, medical problems, friends? Before I started blogging, I set a policy for myself on all those questions.
In most cases, there's no right or wrong answer–just the answer you can best live with.
Stephanie says
@Samuel 12:14
That definitely takes some getting used to. I suppose it's not that different than wondering what people are saying about you and your book once it's on the shelves…except there's more of it and more of a chance that you'll actually find out what's being said about you.
Just like you have to develop a thick skin during the querying process, you need to form internet callouses to help you not only walk away from the web, but also learn not to take comments too personally.
Internet anonymity makes people bold and brutal, and you have to learn to separate that from the real world – and your fictional world – or it can drive you crazy.
Thermocline says
I'm wondering if having a significant online presence is as important for authors of children's or MG books. It seems like it might be a little weird to have nine year olds following posts about your life.
reader says
THANK YOU to Munk @11:40, you took the words right out of my mouth.
I read five really, really good books, all in a row recently. I'll certainly pick up each of those author's next work. But I haven't looked up any of them online because I DON'T CARE about their personal life or their "online" persona.
When did the book itself stop mattering so much? Do people like a book more because they can read about the minutia of an author's life? I don't.
Yes, people can blog without divulging personal stuff, but how many blog posts about the minutia of creating Book X are really interesting? Truthfully, not many.
I firmly believe most writers would be better off spending that time suck of twitter and blog posts actually writing. Good books sell copies. Good blogs, not necessarily, (imo).
It's gotten so writers who haven't even finished a rough first draft are already paying big money for custom designed "author" blogs — as if the book is an afterthought even though it's not finished, queried, sold, or published. That's kind of sad to me.
Ishta Mercurio says
Kiersten said it pretty well, really. A public presence is important, but you don't have to air your laundry out online.
There is a distinction to be made between promoting your work and promoting yourself.
Nic says
There is a line to tread. I think its great if your in the public eye, whether its being an author or as part of a tv show or whatever, its great to do tweet or blog.
I follow some of the stars of my favourite celebrity reality show and i think it adds a whole extra dimension to the show because i'm following them on twitter.
While i twitter, and have a blog, i don't think i reach a particular wide audience and i don't tend to talk about the work in progress that i'm writing or about writing in general.
Samuel says
@Stephanie 12.38pm –
Thanks for the response. I'm sure you're right: it's a case of knowing to walk away – that you have to walk away – and not becoming too depressed about it all. I've just got no idea how you do that. Time will tell…
Anonymous says
"I think the only people that give a damn about authors twittering, blogging, and facebooking are other authors."
In many cases you are right. But I have built a fan base through twitter and facebook and I wasn't even sure if I could do it. It's not my entire fan base, but it is about a fourth of it.
However, I have seen too many writers promoting to other writers when they should be spending their time trying to reach everyone.
And, I DO NOT appreciate getting invited to facebook events, yahoo events, and other nonsense from other authors. I don't care about your blog, twitter page, or free give away either. If I want to read a book, I'll buy it. All this rude, aggressive networking ties up my e-mail, wastes my time, and insults me. Writers…find a fan base of readers, not other writers.
This is why anon comments are necessary 🙂
Cynthia Leitich Smith says
My general rule of thumb is that I don't post anything that I wouldn't say at a speaker podium or, more conversationally, once I sat down afterward to eat lunch with the event planners, gatekeepers, YA readers, etc.
Nicole says
Blogs, Facebook, and Twitter are just like any other public appearance. Just like you choose what to wear and how to act so you choose what to post about yourself. The internet is even better. You don't have to get dresses, gas up your car, and find your way somewhere. Just turn on your computer, access the web and bam! Your at your own publicity event! Embrace technology, it's the future, and it opens up a world of possibilities 🙂
Clarity says
A tough decision, I admire the Salinger Way.
But we do live in new times; if one is very astute and sincere, one can share from a respectful distance.
I hope to be as clever as "one".
Jenny says
I think there's a difference between the way authors are being asked to put themselves 'out there' and the way other kinds of celebs are out there.
1. Most authors, even if they put every minute of every day into writng and publicity are not going to have the problems that the Brangelinas of the world have. Even Stephen King, JK Rowling, and Stephenie Meyers seem to only have those issues when a new book/movie release is out.
2. Us writers are not hot. We spend days sitting at a desk letting things spread that shouldn't spread.
Even those among us who *are* hot are not going to be posing for Playboy and using our images to drive sales because that seems agains the nature of the writer. What you're going to see as far as authors and images is (hopefully) a classy picture on the back of your book. (And, hey, with e-books that becomes even less of a deal.)
3. Plus, the methods listed here as far as promoting writers are all, well, written. Blogs. Comments on Blogs. Twitter. General Internet. As writers, we control what we put out there. And we can even make bend some of it up to make ourselves sound cooler.
For example: I am a Nicole Kidman look-alike. =)
lotusgirl says
I think you can still market yourself and keep your private life your own. You don't have to blog or tweet or buzz about every little breath you take. It's important to remember that those places are PUBLIC forums and friend and foe alike read them. Post accordingly.
Mrs. G.I. Joe says
This is a tough one. I am sort of working thinking through the privacy issues. I know you have good arguments for not using a pen name but because of my husband's job I absolutely have to make ever effort to keep our real names out the spot light. Its just for the best. If some soldier under my husband were to realize "Hey your wife wrote that book!" That would cause all kinds of distractions that you can't have in a military setting.
So I think it will probably be a boat load of work to keep private lives what they are…private. But rarely does an author turn out to be a celebrity. People love and adore Stephanie Meyers' books but most probably wouldn't recognize her if she walked into their bar, know what I mean? If someone did dig up something on an author's private life that was meant to be kept secret it would have to be HUGE in order for people to care.
(Like the "Million Little Pieces" scandal).
Nathan, I just have to say I love your blog. Its been a huge help so far. But I have combed it over relentlessly to find answers to a few questions I have. Can we just post questions in the comment section of your recent posts?
Sophia says
I'll be honest: I am an avid reader, but I have no idea whether the authors I follow are on Facebook or Twitter. I don't know if they have blogs. I really don't care. I want to read their books, not their diaries.
I can see how this type of social networking is beneficial for an author to get in touch with agents and publishers, but does it really have much of an impact on the reader? I'd really like to know.
Nathan Bransford says
mrs. gi joe –
Actually I have discussion forums for questions you haven't been able to find on the blog:
https://forums.nathanbransford.com
Anonymous says
Book sales are about people wanting to read what you have to say (fiction or not). The more people know you and like your thoughts, the more likely they are to buy your book. However, I will actually not purchase a book if the material is retread from the author's speeches, short stories, website, etc. What's the point when I can get it for free?
It seems like the more interesting your material, the more likely it is to sell. The recent influx of soldier and spy memoirs, I think, says as much since it's not like any of them had incredibly large Facebook followings prior to the book. Really, these are all for after the fact.
Once someone reads the book, they follow up to check out the writer. So, the book is already sold. The goal of Youtube, Facebook, Twitter, etc, in marketing is to get publicity. Publicity need not be for the producer (writer), but the product (book). A brand name (author) is best built not by being a major internet junkie, but by putting out solid writing that is immediate, open, and interesting.
My two cents…
Sarah Olutola says
I don't think there's a danger unless the author doesn't know how to censor him or herself before posting.
Anonymous says
Some observations I have had about writers social networking:
Some writers use *every* opportunity to sell themselves. Where this may be marketing savvy, sometimes it gets obnoxious. (I even have friends who put advertisements in EVERY personal e-mail.)
I really like it when I connect with someone when it feels personable. I think this blog–Nathan– pulls that off nicely.
In our culture, there is often a sense of overload on the commercials that seem to never quit.
I would much rather listen to an author speak in a calmer way on Public Radio or Actor's Studio (etc.) than be bombarded with advertisements from Amazon (for example).
Sometimes less is more.
Terry says
This isn't just about online blogging and tweeting. Writers make public appearances, too.
I've seen some very well-known authors at my local bookstore, talking and hawking their books.
Icy @ Individual Chic says
I think the online presence is not so much about "sharing yourself" as to "generating sales". If someone runs across your internet presence and decides, "hey I like the sound of this person, maybe I'll buy the book they're banging on about", well then your online presence has done its job.
It doesn't matter what you share, (your thoughts, your baby pictures, how you wrote your book) your job is to generate sales.
Do it any way you want.
Elie says
It's about the book.
Not about the author.
Verisimilar Knowles says
Accessibility is a great thing. As a reader, I hit a stage where I googled every author I could remember. I didn't want to know the gory details, just the little things about their writing I wouldn't know otherwise.
I think the authors I have found online have been (almost) as a big an influence on my writing through their blogs as through their books. Some of the authors I haven't read yet, and I'm completely sold.
I followed links from Shannon Hale to Laini Taylor to Stephanie Perkins, Kiersten White, Natalie Whipple and you.
It's like a great big online literary matchmaker. Complete with weirdos and stalkers. 😉
Michael Pickett says
Sometimes I think that even the stuff that authors write about themselves has some sort of element of fiction to it. What they put out there has an engineered persona that keeps his real self a step back. At least, that's what I would do if I were a famous author.
Lissa says
Okay Nathan, as a sci-fi fan you've no doubt read Arthur C. Clark's and Stephen Baxter's "The Light of Other Days." It presents an interesting picture of the end of personal privacy. In similar fashion, our kid's generation is already getting used to the lack of privacy. In some ways they revel in it. The beautiful thing is, the more information is out there, the more daunting it becomes to sift through it, the more unlikely it is for someone to care about what you've posted.
Eventually, agents and publishers will become either irrelevant, or known individually for their ability to bring literary gold to the surface. What will it be worth to have someone else shuffle through the heaps of crap on the internet and deliver something worth reading to your ipad.
As for the authors, I hate to bring it to your attention, but everything about you is already out there for someone who's looking. Get used to it. Better to shape your own presence and satisfy your audience than go into hiding so they're tempted to dig you out.
Kathryn Magendie says
I don't go to my stylist house, knock on her door, and ask her for a quick trim (or to do it for free).
I don't go to my doc's house and ask for a diagnosis (or to see me for free).
This is my job, even if it is one I adore and have dreamed about – but, it is a business, too.
My online presence is necessary, yes, and beyond that I enjoy interacting with other writers, with readers, etc – writing "full time" can be an isolating experience, as well, and without an internet presence, I'd be a half-crazy mountain woman – but I keep my private life as private as possible. And I expect to be respected by general all around human courtesy, and I have been – no one has crossed any boundaries that have made me uncomfortable.
Dawn Maria says
Great topic.
I have a website/blog and I'm on Twitter (no Facebook). On Twitter I have two accounts- one with my pen name where I promote/connect/meet other writers and a private account for my real life with my sci-fi geek friends, because sometimes I need to discuss Star Wars at length.
On my blog I do post pictures of my family, but I don't use my husband or sons' names. I've tried to create a site that has the same combination of personal & professional info I enjoy on my favorite authors' blogs.
I try to be aware of not giving too much personal info away, especially where my family is concerned. With myself, I'm earnest about my feelings and struggles and those tend to be the posts that readers connect to.
I agree with many of you that the promotion side of things gets greater attention than the quality of the writing. For me, the balance struggle isn't so much about privacy, it's about finding the time to write and promote and work and take care of my family.
April Wendy Hollands says
This is why I've chosen a pen name: I'd like to stay private if possible but still have a public persona so that people can buy my books when I'm a famous author one day.
Henya says
I am the kind of person who stands in the corner of the room at gatherings. I resent having to take the time from writing my books and go through the process of jumping up and down in order to be seen or heard. I wish I didn't have to. Right now, I am writing. That's all. Just writing my books.
Anonymous says
How about making up your entire bio online? If you write fiction, you're used to making stuff up. Why not make up yourself?
Sharon M. Smith says
I am not a published author, but I am working on it. I am really trying to expose my name and my writing so I am Twitter, Facebook, LinkedIn, and keep a blog. Whew. I am very authentic and open, but I too leave out small details of my life and names of husband and kids as well as places I hang out.
Anonymous says
With sites like zillow.com, google maps and whitepages.com, almost anyone can be found, along with the other members of their household, their emails, their phone numbers, their location, what their house looks like, etc. On the you-can-never-be-too-cautious side, I make sure that none of my information on these sites is updated/available.
I've tried to keep up but I've lost the battle. Business-related sites like Manta have pulled my business license information from public records and refuse to delete my information. I also live in one of the cities that Blockshopper targets–so my name, address and the price I paid for my house are now out there in the world. Blockshopper is notorious for ignoring delete requests, claiming the have a right to public records. It creeps me out.
holly says
yeah, authors need privacy just like any other person. and some people share everything to fans and others share nothing, it all depends on the writer and how much private life they want to keep.