Strangely Naked
Now that I've gotten your attention . . . . .
Strangers across the country read my books. Strangers across the WORLD read my books--they've been translated into Italian, Spanish, German, Greek, Dutch, and others. I get emails from readers in every state--as well as hearing from people in Europe--and even Japan. They are always--and I mean always--lovely and warm and kind. Which is very cool.
But I recently heard from an old friend, who said she was reading one of my books. And I periodically get emails from people from high school or other points in my life, people I am no longer in touch with, who spotted one of my books and are now reading it. Which is also cool. But it does feel weird.
I stopped Googling myself ages ago. I cannot even begin to tell you the mixture of very nice comments, nasty ones occasionally, and outright odd statements--just weird things people write about in this era of blogs and YouTube--like in one case someone writing into a pretty well-known blog that there was a typo on my cover that guess what? Doesn't exist. So this person is IMAGINING a major typo on my cover. AND feeling compelled to blog about it. How bizarre is that? Or occasionally someone will just write the most nasty comment about one of my books--but it veers into an almost personal attack. I can tell you, I don't ever react that way to books (unless written by Anne Coulter--but then again, I wouldn't buy her book). I know one blog where this aspiring writer, unpublished, just analyzes book after book--which 99% of the time she despises and picks apart and is rude about. I mean just nasty. Yet . . . I wonder . . . is SHE any good? Who knows? But the thing is, none of these people know me, and I guess I like it that way. They can comment on this person, this "author"--that they will never meet. If I knew then what I know now, I would have taken a pen name throughout my career.
But friends and relatives? I imagine them combing my books for hints of my real life and things they know about me. It feels strangely naked. I don't go to therapy--but my books are sometimes therapeutic. But would you really want people reading your shrink's notes?
So, am I the only one who feels this way? Is it hard to share your work with friends and family? Or are strangers worse? If you're unpubbed, do you have no problem entering a contest, but don't want your mom to read your work?
Curious minds want to know.
Strangers across the country read my books. Strangers across the WORLD read my books--they've been translated into Italian, Spanish, German, Greek, Dutch, and others. I get emails from readers in every state--as well as hearing from people in Europe--and even Japan. They are always--and I mean always--lovely and warm and kind. Which is very cool.
But I recently heard from an old friend, who said she was reading one of my books. And I periodically get emails from people from high school or other points in my life, people I am no longer in touch with, who spotted one of my books and are now reading it. Which is also cool. But it does feel weird.
I stopped Googling myself ages ago. I cannot even begin to tell you the mixture of very nice comments, nasty ones occasionally, and outright odd statements--just weird things people write about in this era of blogs and YouTube--like in one case someone writing into a pretty well-known blog that there was a typo on my cover that guess what? Doesn't exist. So this person is IMAGINING a major typo on my cover. AND feeling compelled to blog about it. How bizarre is that? Or occasionally someone will just write the most nasty comment about one of my books--but it veers into an almost personal attack. I can tell you, I don't ever react that way to books (unless written by Anne Coulter--but then again, I wouldn't buy her book). I know one blog where this aspiring writer, unpublished, just analyzes book after book--which 99% of the time she despises and picks apart and is rude about. I mean just nasty. Yet . . . I wonder . . . is SHE any good? Who knows? But the thing is, none of these people know me, and I guess I like it that way. They can comment on this person, this "author"--that they will never meet. If I knew then what I know now, I would have taken a pen name throughout my career.
But friends and relatives? I imagine them combing my books for hints of my real life and things they know about me. It feels strangely naked. I don't go to therapy--but my books are sometimes therapeutic. But would you really want people reading your shrink's notes?
So, am I the only one who feels this way? Is it hard to share your work with friends and family? Or are strangers worse? If you're unpubbed, do you have no problem entering a contest, but don't want your mom to read your work?
Curious minds want to know.
Labels: sharing your writing
posted by Erica Orloff at 6:46 AM
18 Comments:
Not the only one...
I'd much prefer strangers read. First, because they don't know me and wouldn't have a clue which bits--big or small-- are actually based on bits of me or my life.
And second, ultimately, as much as I'd like to please all of the people--impossible I know--if a stranger is displeased it is strictly the book, whereas if you displease someone who knows you there's always that connection for them to perhaps think, "Hmm, I thought you were smarter/funnier/more insightful...whatever" Not just the book, YOU.
Lainey:
Wow--a "couch"-worthy analysis, Girlfriend. I've always been very secure in my intellect--and I read intense things in my private life. No fiction, mostly physics and astronomy and philosophy books. And though I write dark (The Roofer) and even political (Invisible Girl), I ALSO write light comedy, which somehow, to some people, is . . . whatever . . . fluff. And sometimes people in my real life don't get why I write comedy (what? you don't think I'm funny in real life?). So yeah, I think there's this "judgment" thing, no matter how subtle.
E
I think the author who calls himself John Twelve Hawks did it right. Supposedly, even his agent and editor don't know who he is.
When I was in college, one of my English professors won an award for his collection of stories. I asked him how all that fame and fortune felt. "The fortune amounts to five hundred dollars for groceries I wouldn't have otherwise had; the fame we can do without," he said.
I concur.
I'm thinking seriously about using a pen name. The people closest to me will know the books are mine, and those are the only ones that matter to me. I don't need fame. Just a paycheck. :)
Jude:
Twelve Hawks, though, presented himself as Native American--and recent investigative pieces proved that (I am 99% sure) to be false. So that's a different category. I think people who invent a persona to sell commit a form of fraud. You can't "steal" a history as an oppressed race and use that as a sales tool for yourself, IMHO. I have had many African-American characters, and wrote in the first-person voice of a bi-racial woman, BUT I didn't "sell" myself as some false version of that by inventing a biography pretending to be black.
That point aside . . . I totally hear you. I thought it would be neat to have my name out there, but on hindsight, I don't like it all that much and a pen name would be better. BUT, that said, I think my dad digs my name being on the cover. :-)
E
I didn't know that about Twelve Hawks. I really don't know anything about him or his work. I just happened across the name the other day when I Googled Jason Kaufman. ;)
No, I would never take on an ethnic name as a sales tool. I agree that's wrong.
I might, however, use my porn star name (the name of my first pet and the first street I lived on).
How does Trixie Peachtree grab ya? ;)
Jude:
That name is SO WRONG.
:-)
E
If you write for the critics (i.e. writing to please the audience) then no one will like it.
If you write the story you want to write then you will at least please yourself, and if you do it well enough, other readers as well.
That said, I do not cringe from friends and family reading anything I write. I write what I write because that is what I have to write.
Of course, since I have never submitted to a publisher or an agent I can keep fairly staunch in my opinions about this :)
For now, I'll just be happy if people just read it. If they like it, great. If not, I'll defend their right to not like it as heavily as I would otherwise.
Oh, and Jude... my pornstar name (according to your rules) would be Duck Union. I think your's is better :)
Yours would make a good title though, Ewoh. Beastiality flick. I know. How gross is that?
I wonder if Erica will tell us hers...
ewoh:
That's a great attitude . . . I write what I have to write, too. And you can't please everyone . . . I try to remind myself of that. I don't always succeed, I have to tell you.
E
Jude and Ewoh:
Buttons Grayplace
Ain't winnin' any prizes, I can tell you.
E
LOL! I like it.
NOW SHOWING
Inbox, starring Duck Union, Buttons Grayplace, and Trixie Peachtree. It all started with some harmless emails...
Wait a minute.
With a name like that, I'll have to be a trannie or something. Sorry, but those days are over for me. ;)
Jude:
That was enough to make me vomit. ;-)
E
P.S. Though you know I have a massive crush on trannie, Eddie Izzard.
Well, it all brings a whole new meaning to "Strangely Naked." :)
Jude:
See my new post.
:-)
E
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