TMI?
Tuesday, September 8, 2009 I was reading Janet Reid's blog this weekend and thought that she made a really good point in this post that I've never discussed here on the blog but one that I'm giving increasing thought to and that is the fact that as the lines are blurred between authors and their readers, authors and agents, authors and editors, etc, you CAN be too public, too out-there and that it can backfire.
These days, so many of us Twitter and Facebook and blog that sometimes, I think it's easy to forget that just about ANYONE can read what you're writing. I see this on Twitter a lot - I follow some folks who really lay it all there, which, of course, is fine, but I also think that if I were scoping them in a professional sense, I might think twice. The same can be true of blogs. I'm pretty conscious about revealing details of my family or my private life here - NOT because I don't think you guys aren't awesome, but because, well, I don't know who the heck is reading this. I also try to keep any truly negative thoughts to myself (because that doesn't serve the purposes of supporting other writers) and try not to bait critics or any sort of nastiness in the comments section or elsewhere. Sometimes, sure, wouldn't I love to totally let loose? Well....yeah...but Alice Hoffman did, and look where it got her. In a heap of trouble.
And I'm not even looking for an agent or publisher. I think that if you are, you just need to remember that you're google-able, that if someone wanted to, he/she can really unearth loads of material that you might not really even realized revealed things about you. This is one reason, for example, that I keep my Facebook private - it DOES give me a safe space (sort of) to let my freak flag fly, and it's another reason that I always carefully consider what I tweet about. Yes, I'm looser on Twitter - I post inane, silly, ridiculous things, but I'm fairly conscious about not making them (hopefully) detrimental to my character. I just post things - I hope - that people can relate to, not judge me by. And I think all writers, aspiring or not, can use that reminder, you know?
Anyway, I just thought it was interesting to discuss. The lines between us all are so blurry these days that we sometimes forget that the lines are still there. But they are. Still there.
Anyone else feel the same? Watch what you say, to a certain extent, in the public domain?
Reader Comments (5)
I think twice before I press that Enter button - whether on Twitter, Facebook, my blog, or comments on other's blogs.
Some people have very professional, charming blogs but are less careful in their blog or YouTube comments or Tweets - and I think there are always repercussions, however subtle. I crossed at least one agent off my to-be-considered list because of ranting blog comments; I canceled a book order for one soon-to-be-published author because of unkind Tweets.
And I seldom use real names of friends and family (Brother is not my brother's name; nor is my Chicago-area friend really called Pinecone) unless they are authors whose books I am pushing.
In a way, you always have to think How would this look if quoted in an article about me? - because once it's out there, you can't call it back.
I struggle between wanting an outlet for my personal self, and needing a "platform" (though I don't really think of it as such) for my professional self. When I graduated college, I decided the professional side was more important (in terms of a web presence) and deleted all my old teen-angst-y blogs. There's probably a page or two left in Google's cache, but for the most part the younger me is erased from the internet -- and not because I said anything particularly detrimental, but just because that's not the way I wanted to be perceived.
I still blog personal stuff, in part because I'm as of yet unagented and unpublished and thus don't have as much professional to discuss besides my daily struggle to produce words (hehe), but I always try to be conscious of my potential audience and what they might think about me or what I say.
It helps that my parents read my blog, so I already have to think about their reactions. :P
Oh, and really, this "TMI" issue applies to EVERYONE, not just writers or people whose professions are more public. Frankly if you're applying for anything, from a scholarship to a job as an underwater basket weaver, you can and probably will be Googled.
An excellent topic. :D
I'm very, very careful of what I post/say online--since once it's out there, it's pretty much out there and you can't take it back. I keep most life details private since 1.) I'm not sure anyone actually cares to read it :P, and 2.) I want to keep my privacy to some extent, etc.
Also, while I have no problem being goofy or random (this IS my personality), I try to keep in mind other professional persons, random strangers, and family may also be reading what I post/twitter/etc. It's a balance of avoiding TMI and possibly overly negative comments/attitudes that could be harmful later on, and not completely muzzling myself when I want to say something. ;)
I definitely like seeing posts that show some of people's lives (on occasion), but I agree there is a TMI line that once you cross, you can't go back.
Thanks for the thought-poking post, Allison. :)
~Merc
TMI isn't just about reputation or character; it's also about personal safety. I cringe on Facebook regularly when I see people announcing their travel plans to all 500 of their closest friends. One person in particular announced a two-week vacation with all five kids and spouse. I decided to check their profile and there was the home address front and center for all 500 friends to access. And if, as has happened to a number of my own friends, one of this individual's friends' account was hacked...anyone could have gotten that very personal information. Sure, it's probably listed in a phone book, but putting it out on Facebook (and sometimes Twitter) makes it that much easier to connect all the dots.
I believe in being open and honest online; I don't choose to hide behind a handle to avoid identification. But I try to maintain my inhibitions that are so easily stripped away when you're staring at a computer screen instead of another human being. My personal rule of thumb is to avoid saying anything that I would not say face-to-face - I'm pretty shy, though. I don't suppose my rule would work for everyone. ;)