Okay, I added the little cartoon portrait earlier today, but I'm not sure I want to keep it. I kind of like parts of how it turned out--my smile really is a little lopsided--but they didn't have "one long braid" in the hairstyle options so to the extent it kind of looks like me, it kind of looks like me in disarray. I mean, more disarray than usual.
I also think if I'm going to put a picture of myself on the blog maybe I should just put a picture of myself on the blog. I'm not really doing the anonymous thing here. I don't mind my readers knowing who I am, I just don't want this blog to turn up on a Google search anyone might be doing on my business and my first name is fairly distinctive. Z.'s first name is even more distinctive. A search on my first name, my town, and the word "bookstore" turns up links to my store twice in the first ten hits. A search on just Z.'s name and "bookstore" turns up my store's website itself on the top of the list, and a profile from our synagogue newsletter a bit further down the page. In short, keeping names off the blog seems wise. But most of you reading this know me in real life, and I use my first name pretty often when I comment on other people's blogs. So should I just put up a photo already?
Any thoughts on pictures, anonymity, etc.?
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5 comments:
Well, obviously a picture offers more anonymity than a name. And if some of your readers already know you IRL, then it probably makes less of a difference.
I guess it partially depends on why -- or if -- you don't want your identity to be readily accessible. Would it change the content of your writing? Would you feel more restricted? Do you just want to avoid stalker-types?
How's that for a non-answer?
I'd vote for a picture. But since I don't have one on my blog, feel free to discount my view accordingly.
Hey I think that protecting your identity and Z's is important. If we can find the bookstore which I assume is something you want then I would opt for more anonymity but then I can be paranoid.
AJ (in JP)
I advise starting off with as much anonymity as you can muster. It's easy to move in the direction of being less anonymous, but becoming more anonymous is not so easy.
As a reader, I am very comfortable learning about and knowing you through your writing.
Reading the post, it sounds like you would like to put up a picture. IIf that is true, I say go for it.
Thanks for the comments everyone. I've been thinking about it (and emailing with Niobe--thanks!) and I realize that I am comfortable with people from blogland (Anna gave me that word) finding out things about me, and I'm comfortable with friends and even social acquaintances reading this. I realize that will limit what I say but it matters to me that I have (or can imagine) an audience of friends I know.
That said, I don't want people who know me professionally to be using anything I say here to evaluate me.
As for the picture, I'm axing the cartoon--post to follow.
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