Two things new in this New Year:
My blog template is now very minimalist.
AND
I thought to myself: What's the point of having a blog about writing a book if no-one knows who I am?
I had my reasons for using a nom de plume and not all of them were yellow-bellied ones either. Far from being ashamed of being a writer, I'll happily shout it from the rooftops if I didn't fear straightjacketing by the whitecoats. But I was concerned about prospective employers googling my name and flinching at the number of school night hangovers I've lovingly recounted.
And being so...well, naked, everyone being able to find me, read about me and comment on my thoughts without my hellojed bulletproof vest. Previously I would find out if friends and acquaintances were positive about my new lifestyle before I gave them the blog address. But now all someone has to do is stick my name in a search engine and have a pop at my life.
But it's necessary to grow several new coats of skin to be a great writer, so that the criticism I must receive to succeed will merely lightly knock rather than stop my confidence stone dead. Part of the process is by standing by my work.
So I've outed myself. As you can see by my profile, my name is Yvonne Reilly. I'm a writer.
(Now, that wasn't so bad was it?)
Tuesday, January 01, 2008
Outed
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15 comments:
Well done!
It is strange to have your name out there isn't it.
Hope everything goes well with the book!
Yay, you're back! It's kinda nice having your name out there--even if it's a little nerve wracking--isn't it? Cheers to a new year!
(p.s. Having thought of you as 'hellojed' all this time, it's strange to see your real name, but you have a beautiful name. :)
hello, yvonne!
a brave and intelligent post. glad to have you back.
using your real name isn't that scary; i've been doing it all along.
Oooh, it's earlyin the morning and I thought 'Yvonne? Yvonne? Who the hell is Yvonne? Why is she on my favourite feeds when I don't know an Yvonne?' I was verily confused... and it's you! Hellojed. I'll try very hard to call you by your name, but you're, well, you're Hellojed, aren't you?
JJx
Happy New Year.
Now that's great achievement to be able to call yourself proudly a WRITER.
You have a nice name, familiar to those we have over here. Sounds more french than English/Irish though!
I long for the moment to out myself.
Anyway, all the best and plenty of success.
My name is Yvonne and I am a writer.
That rocks. You are very brave - does that mean you're going to give up hangovers now then?
Great that you're getting stuck into the writing again.
Huzzah!
Alix, thanks!
Angie, it's really nice to have done it. And thank you for being so nice about my name!
Laurie, it isn't as scarey as I thought, quite freeing actually.
JJ, happy New Year to you too and I don't mind being called Hellojed, it's my name too in a weird way...
Alfaking, thank you and you're right, Yvonne is French but Reilly is Irish.
Jen, give up hangovers?!? Thanks for the support!
Fab! A lovely, intelligent post. 'Part of the process is standing by my work.' I think you have much to be proud of and stand by happily.
I'm ok using my first name but surname... Oooh - I'm a 'fraidy cat :-)
Jen, thank you so much! Using your first name isn't fraidy cat at all.
well done yvonne. I'm like JJ I'll think of you as hellojed for some time yet. My brian is a bit slow to change!
I love how lots of us have changed our blog layouts and such like to start the new year!
Helen, I know what you mean, it's taking me a while to get used to not being hellojed anymore!
New Year - new template. It's like a spring clean.
Nice to 'meet' you Yvonne! Good to have you back blogging.
It certainly does seem to be the time of year for blog changes and of course writing resolutions...
Happy New Year Yvonne. Its great to see you back and blogging.
Hi Yvonne, that sentence sounds so strong, I bet you felt good writing it.
Well done, good for you Yvonne!
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