29.03.2013 09:22

How To Create an Author Persona You Can Live With

Authors, whether we use a pen name, airbrush our pictures or try to go 'eau naturalle', we are all guilty of editing the version of ourselves that we show the public. I say 'guilty' but there's really no shame in it. Everybody has many editions of themselves, from the mild mannered parent we show our children to the foul mouthed hooligan we become at a football match. Being an author is no different. It is simply not desirable to tell your readers that you pick your nose and that poor reviews reduce you to a jabbering wreck lying in an empty bathtub screaming 'Why?'

You are the biggest advertisement for your work, so show your public appearance the same care and attention that you'd show a double page spread in a national newspaper or a two minute slot during prime time TV. I'm not advocating fabrication, just careful filtering.

Certain qualities are desirable, if not crucial, to any amiable author persona. Before you even start deciding whether your 'author ego' will be into gardening or tropical fish, you need to master the basics building blocks.

Manners

An author must be polite no matter how prickly you might be in other walks of life. If you engage in internet discussions you will know that conversations often get heated. Even if you're an outspoken hothead who challenges injustice wherever it lies, you need to learn the skill of gracefully bowing out before you call somebody a conniving cock weasel. You might get away with it, but your author reputation is much more fragile. However, maintaining a polite facade in the face of rudeness is hard to keep up. Find ways to cope like cathartic sports or private rants.

My recommendation: Keep a private exercise book handy to scribble down what you really think.

The Humility / Pride Tightrope

All author egos must be able to pull off both humility and pride. It can be tricky to work out which suit to play when and you'll find yourself exhausted if you don't know the game. As a general rule, show humility by accepting feedback and asking for help, and show pride when telling people about finished work. Nobody will buy your book if you tell people that it could be a big pile of pants. Similarly, if you put yourself on a pedestal, readers will find you unrelateable and may consequently avoid your work.

My recommendation: Emulate the authors you find most pleasant.

That's the basics sorted, now down to the specifics.

Pen names

When you're starting out, it can be tempting to write under your own name - that way your friends and family will recognise your books. However, when you decide whether to use your real name, you need to consider the possibility of fame and how much of your real life you would be comfortable sharing with strangers. It can be damaging changing the name you write under half way through your career. If you use your real name then it will be relatively easy for people to find out about you online, whereas, if you use a pen name, you can more readily control what media is and isn't related to your books. There's no point seeming mild mannered if there are public photos tagged with '[your name] murdering a squirrel.'

My recommendation: Use a pen name.

Photographs

Do you plan to upload any author photographs? This is an advantageous but not compulsory move. Readers like to feel connected to an author and it's surprising how effective one two dimensional portrait can be. On the other hand, does your face match the genre(s) you write in? If you're a seventy year old man with facial hair then uploading a photo could undermine readers' faith in your young adult romance novels. Also, a photo will associate you with your real identity. The more professional the photo, the more professional you will seem so if your best snap involves red eye, your friend's ear and your arm reaching out to hold the camera, then you should avoid associating portraits with your work.

My recommendation: Use a photo but take one especially for promotion.

Romance and Sexuality

One big question is whether to allow your relationship status and sexuality into the public domain. Many authors prefer not to mention their romantic lives whatever their mating preferences. Intimate relationships are a personal matter and sharing details about your dating activities really blurs the line between self and the author ego. If you aren't strictly straight then consider if there is anybody in your life that you could never come out to. If the answer is yes, then giving your author a sexuality will either jeopardise that privacy or involve dishonesty, which could backfire in the long run. Also, some readers might jump to conclusions and assume that a lesbian writes lesbian books. This could not only pigeon hole you but squeeze you into the wrong bird-sized compartment.

My recommendation: Never mention your romantic life except in a very general sense.

Family

Talking about your family can make you look personable. However, first consider whether or not your family want you to share details about their lives. Similarly, sharing details of your happy life is one thing, but sometimes divorce, death and random spousal emigrations can take even the most secure people by surprise. Once you've announced that you have a husband, people might ask you about him and if he's run off to Australia with your sister, you won't necessarily wish to discuss him further.

My recommendation: Mention family but don't go into detail.

Health Issues

You may think that sharing health issues shows your human side. However, it can make you unnecessarily vulnerable especially if it's a condition that's misunderstood. If you want to pioneer for awareness, discuss health themes in your work or give honest explanations in certain situations, then being open about medical issues may be right for you, but first think about the long term implications.

My recommendation: Never share beyond your personal comfort zone.

Occupations

If you're lucky then you'll be one of the few authors who can make a living from writing. However, the chances are that you also have a day job. Sometimes revealing your occupation can add interest to your author persona but being a stripper might not add value to a children's author. Conversely, a teacher who writes erotica may not be welcomed by parents. Always check whether your employer is happy to be associated with your writing career and don't share anything that may jeopardise your employment until you are sure that your next book really will smash the charts.

My recommendation: Just say you're an author and let people assume you're successful enough to earn a living from writing.

Hobbies and Interests

If your only interests are downloading porn and staring at paint drying, then you may find yourself struggling to complete a short biography. Readers like to know a little about what an author gets up to in their spare time, because it makes them feel a connection. The extent to which your author persona must represent your underlying character is open to interpretation. Calling your annual cycle ride 'A keen interest in mountain biking' would not be the biggest act of deceit in the publishing world.

My recommendation: Highlight the hobbies you have that best fit your author persona.

Dealing With Slip-ups

Once something's in the public domain, it is almost impossible to retrieve it. Trying to censor information can draw attention to it. So, if you make a fool of yourself on a forum or accidentally get tagged vandalising an ambulance, it is better to work on strengthening other parts of your author persona and releasing photos of you doing constructive things than post a blog called 'That's not me with the spray can'.

My recommendation: Stay away from emergency vehicles and aerosol paint.

Living With Your Author Persona

Once you've developed your author ego, you may interact with other author egos and build meaningful relationships with other edited versions of real people. You may also encounter the reader persona and the reviewer persona. Just don't forget who you really are because everybody needs time to run down the street dressed as a chicken, sound off at a numpty or indulge in whatever guilty pleasures will never grace the face of a bestselling author.

My recommendation: Always think long term.

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