Having entered the Best Australian Blogs Competition 2014, I debated whether or not to put that big blue logo on the sidebar of this blog. For the purpose of winning the grand prize, I need to promote my blog in every possible way. However, my reluctance derives from a desire to remain unknown, which confirms my belief that I am an introvert.
People, including the renowned authorpreneur Joanna Penn, say that being an introvert is not uncommon for authors. Well, as a writer and translator, I am perhaps doubly introverted. I prefer speaking online than in person, and while writing in the cyberspace, I prefer using a pseudonym than my real name. Like a book, I prefer not to be judged by the cover.
But we all have different Selves within us. When necessary, we can transform into great public speakers and utilize our talents to perform our duties. Such a sense of duty originates from our passion to share, to communicate, which is exactly what writers do. Even on the Web, our voices ring true and clear because we are speaking from our hearts.
When we write for the Internet, for a great diversity of purposes, our writing conveys a sense of our true Self – our spirit, our taste, our style, which are impossible to hide. Particularly as writers, we bare our souls. We bleed out our thoughts and feelings, so that our words can be meaningful to someone out there who needs comfort and inspiration. Even with a pseudonym we cannot hide ourselves.
So, writers, this is the best way to promote ourselves via the Internet. Write what we know, what we believe in, what we care about, and what we love. Convey our true feelings and do so often, so that we can win the trust of our readers. Be responsible and reliable. Don’t say online what you would not say in your real name in real life. Write for our readers as if they are us, and in this act of mutual reading, we grow together.
Image thanks to: “10 Myths about Introverts”
Voices under the Sun 陽光下的聲音 