Let’s Talk Bookish is a weekly meme, hosted by Rukky @ Eternity Books & Dani @ Literary Lion, where we discuss certain topics, share our opinions, and spread the love by visiting each other’s posts. It’s supposed to be posted on Friday, but being on time is hard and it’s better late than never.
This week’s topic is: do you use an online persona for book blogging?
I think it should be more than obvious that the answer for me is a resounding no. I mean, you can’t fake this kind of random, disorganized chaos. Not unless you were a professional, and what a waste of your talent that would be! Nope, this is 100% me, baby. Okay, 95% me, 5% whatever random thought has captured my brain for the day. But still mostly me. That’s pretty good.
I’ll be honest, though, and say that I struggled really hard in the beginning to find my own voice and decide how I wanted to present myself on this blog.
Mostly because I followed some really big bloggers and absolutely loved their style, so of course I wanted to emulate them. Hint: it’s really hard, nigh on impossible, to do if that’s not genuinely who you are. It’s a shame, really, because they’re awesome and I want to be awesome. In the end, I learned that really, just being yourself is the best thing you can do for your blog, so that’s kind of what I did. Sorry, not sorry. Maybe a little sorry. Y’all deserve someone cooler, yet here we are.
To persona or not to persona
Even though I ultimately went with just doing my own random thing here, personas can work really well for people for a number of reasons, and there are so many legitimate, good reasons for choosing to use a person. Such as:
- Anonymity. Maybe you don’t want people to know about who you are in real life. Maybe you want to keep the two separate. Perfectly reasonable decision.
- A chance to reinvent yourself. Maybe you’ve been shoehorned into a certain role in your real life, but inventing a persona gives you a chance to change that role and present yourself in a different, and potentially even more genuine, way.
- Social anxiety. Communicating is hard. People want you to, like, talk and … stuff. I get it. It might be easier to do so if you can distance yourself from it in a way.
Why I talk about myself on this blog
I mean … other than the fact that I’m obviously a super interesting person and y’all should want to know about me? Well, that’s obviously not true. My life has reached astronomic portions of sameness at this point, but still. There are reasons.
- Because I am a person, too! Allegedly. As far as you know. Not some sentient AI or anything like that, of course. Despite my obsession with them. Anyway, people like people. Also allegedly. I mean, people also like Murderbots, and if I had my choice, I’d be one of those … but alas, here we are.
- Since I’m a person, we can relate on a personal level! Probably, anyway. A solid maybe. As it turns out, a lot of the things that I go through are things that other people go through. Imagine that, right? I love being able to commiserate with others about things, both good and bad.
- I always intended for this blog to be a social space, which means I want interaction and dialogue. That’s really hard to accomplish if I only ever talk about books and nothing else and never inject myself into anything. Which pffft, like that would ever happen. Me, stay out of things? Ha! I want people to feel like I’m approachable and that they can chat with me, because that’s a large portion of why I’m here.
- It’s no fun yelling about books into an endless void with no personal context. It may surprise you to know that books are full of people. And written by people. And read by people. Sometimes also cats and dogs, specifically for social media, but mostly people. So why would you take people out of that equation? Yes, this is a book blog, but it’s my book blog, and I’ll talk about myself if I want to, darn it!
- Books don’t exist in a vacuum. Who we are is important to how we talk about books. It’s why reading is so subjective and why everyone likes different books. We all bring something different to the table. If you know a little about me, and you think you’re similar, you might be more inclined to pick up books that I like, because our personalities mesh. Or, you know, maybe vice versa
ya dark fantasy hating weirdo. Book reviews are just as much about who we are as they are about the book. Maybe, I would argue, even more so.
10 fun facts readers should know about me
- I work in a library, which is pretty much my dream job. It’ll officially be a year at the end of next month, and I absolutely love it. Way more than I even thought I would. There’s always new things coming up and going on, and I have my hands in a little of everything. Libraries were so important to me as a kid that I just love every aspect of making sure it stays an important place for the community.
- I also write books, and my first one will be published in 2021. I still can’t talk too much about this yet, but soon! I’m so excited for it, since it’s the culmination of a lifelong dream of mine. I just can’t wait to share it with you all!
- I’m being held hostage by a lot of animals. The count is currently 4 indoor dogs, 3 indoor cats, and 3 outdoor cats. They sort of found us, and we couldn’t just let them starve, now could we? The last one showed up a few weeks ago and has made herself comfortable. Oh, and as of a few nights ago, two baby raccoons, apparently? Which are so stinking cute.
- I am a super awkward bookwyrm who is really trying to get this “human” thing down already. I’ve been told I don’t come off as awkward, but I assure you, no matter how I appear, just underneath the surface, I’m a nervous wreck running around screaming and flailing. I get nervous just emailing authors, always afraid to say the wrong thing. I try. Does trying count? I feel like it should.
- Once upon a time, I could speak English, French, and Spanish, along with a little American Sign Language. Of course, I haven’t used it in soooo long that my skills are pitifully rusty. I really need to work on the Spanish again, though, and have been considering reacquainting myself with the language again so I can regain fluency.
- I met my husband in kindergarten. I mean, he wasn’t my husband back then. He was the annoying boy that sat next to me in class. And then he was the cute kid on the bus, and I was the annoying girl that gave him a stupid nickname that scarred him for life. Well, he didn’t know that at the time. He thought it was someone else who started it. Oops? He didn’t realize until we were already married, SO I WIN.
- I’m absolute trash for any books with dragons and/or talking swords. It’s honestly probably the fastest way to get me to read a book. I just can’t resist!
- I almost exclusively read fantasy, of pretty much any kind. I make a concerted effort, several times a year, to make sure I branch out to other genres. I’d say it’s still 95% fantasy, though, and even when I read other genres, it’s often blended with fantasy and/or paranormal. What can I say? The world is boring. Fantasy makes things more interesting.
- I like my romance problematic and slightly homicidal. I want my characters’ relationship status to be “it’s complicated,” please. Sure, every now and then I do the clean, sweet romance that melts your heart and soul. But for the most part, I want the romance to be fought for, to be hard-won, and to sometimes make you question whether it’ll end in murder or marriage.
- I don’t blog hop as often as I should, because my time is super limited right now, but I see people’s posts still and read them and hope they all know that they matter. Number of comments, likes, followers do not make a blogger. Yes, they’re nice, and I know that urge and desire the same as the next person. And yes, pretty much everyone needs that reminder from time to time. I think bloggers forget sometimes how many people read their posts and not interact, and it’s not anything they’re doing wrong. It’s just … life. Life is hard and busy and dragging us under any chance it gets. Don’t let it. Your voice matters. Your blog matters. Keep your head up.
I studied ASL in high school for a little while but I know I’ve lost a good chunk of it. I’ve been using duolingo to refresh my French and Japanese skills and learn some Swedish and Welsh while I’m at it. It’s a fun and useful app! 🙂
Oooh, thanks for the tip! I might have to grab that. I’ve been trying to think more in French and Spanish, but unfortunately, I end up defaulting to French. I have no idea what it is, but that’s what comes more naturally to me, even though I studied Spanish longer. I think Duolingo might help refresh my Spanish skills, since the more I stretch them recently, the easier I realize I remember things. :3
Amazing post Sammie, I agree with everything you said and right from the start I knew I wanted to make my blog personal and inject my personality into it. People may think I’m crazy but oh well, it makes it fun doesn’t it? 🤣 And OHHHHHH, so excited to learn more about this book! 😃
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Thank you! I’m glad that it was clear for you. 🙂 All the fun ones are crazy, so at least you’re in good company. 😉 How boring would it be if we were all perfectly sane? Pffft. Overrated.
Great post. Getting that ‘human’ thing down is so true. I think this is something we all may wonder about from time to time. And, yes, it can be awkward.
I enjoy your blog’s fresh perspective, your friendly voice, and how authentic your blog feels. Authenticity always keeps people coming back – keep up the good work and blog on!
I’m distinctly getting the impression that being human is so overrated. xD
Thank you so much! I sure do try, at least. <3
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congratulations on your book!
Thank you so much!
I feel like I’m a mix of both. I use a pen name, but I’m still myself. I’ve shared details about myself and my life, just with a fun writer name.
Ren Strange recently posted…Book Meme: WWW Wednesday (#4)
I think using a pen name is smart, especially for your safety and such.
It took me a while to find my blogging voice too but I absolutely love it now 🙂 My blog is totally and unapologetically mine and there’s just something so beautiful about having that distinction. I really love how you make your posts personal 🙂
It’s absolutely adorable that you’ve known your husband that long! I don’t know if I would’ve been able to keep the nickname thing a secret that long, that’s pretty epic 😀
Thank you. I think you’re so right! Even if it takes some time to get there, there’s nothing quite like knowing that your blog is truly you.
I mean, to be fair, I didn’t KNOW that it scarred him that much, nor did I know that he blamed someone else for it. It wasn’t until we happened to be discussion something about the bus when he mentioned that and I was like … oh. Honey. Remember that I love you, yeah? xD I shouldn’t have told him, because now he brings it up randomly in conversation when he thinks I’m winning.
Those are lovely facts. You seem like somebody I would sit on a park bench with and who would get mad if I tried taking off with one of your dogs. Seriously, you sound like somebody I would like to have as a real-time friend. 🙂
I have to admit, I’m not sure how much of my posting is real. I mean, who am I really? Am I the person that I am on the blog? I think everybody has those aspects of their personality that are different at different occasions? Am I the same person with my siblings as I am with my parents? Am I the same person at the office as I am with my friends? I don’t think so. That’s why I think I’m also a little different on my blog.
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Thank you. <3 I'm also totally the type of person that would be sitting on a park bench randomly LOL. I mean, you could tryyyy to walk off with one of my dogs, and I would just laugh, because woe to the fool! Not counting the one that's become aggressive in his middle age for whatever reason, there's the old man who's slippery as a fish and can slip out of pretty much anything and run off and eventually find his way home. And then there's the good girl who's mostly blind and mostly deaf, which is fine because she never listened anyway, and she for sure isn't going to do now, since she just does whatever she wants and takes you along for the ride. xD And then there's the young one, who's the queen of the house and ridiculously mouthy because she's half Husky.
I think people present themselves differently depending on the context, and that's always been the case. You'll always interact with different people differently. In a way, I think blogging is a little more freeing, because I don't have to think about my facial expressions or body language and what that might be saying, and I can just more readily be myself.
I adore your ten random facts. Congrats on the book release upcoming! That is amazing. Also, I would LOVE to work in a library. Pretty much my dream life. Why did I not realize that when I was younger before all my college bills?
Thank you so much! I used to dream of working in a library when I was really little, but I went on to chase other dreams, so it’s kind of funny that I ended up in a library after all. I sort of fell into it, but in a way, it’s absolutely perfect, and I’m so glad my life’s led me here! But yeah, I hear you. Then again, if I hadn’t already had a bachelor’s degree, even if it’s one that I’m not using, I’d be in trouble now haha.
I think finding your voice is SO important when you do a book review and it’s hard even when you’re writing as yourself! I still struggle a bit trying to find my voice.
“Books don’t exist in a vacuum. Who we are is important to how we talk about books. ” This point really stuck me because you’re right. Who you are is so important in how you view books. I love books about conventions because I associate them with a lot of joy and nostalgia. If I didn’t I might find those books boring. I like books that have characters I can identify with because they are like me, that means I tend to skew to books with female protagonists. Who you are affects what you read a lot!
I can’t believe you work in a library! That must be a dream, I work in a vet’s office currently but sometimes I fantasize about going back to school and trying my hand at being a librarian. I also have started working on a story I want to query to publishers – so maybe I’ll have that in common with you someday!
“I like my romance problematic and slightly homicidal.” I have never identified so quickly with a sentence in my life. I love my sweet, respectful boyfriend in real life but in fiction I’m all about the JDs and anyone who might kill me as soon as kiss me. It’s spicy.
Dani @ Literary Lion recently posted…Do You Use an Online Persona for Blogging? | Let’s Talk Bookish
Fantastic post, I related a lot to this! I am more confident talking on line, but otherwise my persona is pretty much exactly the same as I am in ‘real life. The same when I am at work. If I was to give a tip two other bloggers, I would say be yourself. I also loved reading all the facts about you!
Great post! I get anxiety when I just think of trying to create a different persona online. It would be hard to keep that up. 😉
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Wow, I love all of your reasons and fun facts! And omg same, I am still trying to get this “human” thing down, especially in regards to social interaction. Blogging might be about one of my most social activities, whoops (covid is really degrading my social skills. Not that I had much to begin with, but still haha)
And yes yes yes to all your reading preferences at the end. Lol, can you draw up a book recommendation post for us solely of books involving talking swords? I feel like I’ve only come across that trope once, and could most definitely use more of it in my life 😉
Also loved your last bullet point–I also need to blog hop more and I definitely needed to hear that reminder <3
I’m not sure I ever had social skills, not even before COVID. xD But thank goodness for blogging.
Ugh, you know, I wish I could. I’ll have to look more into that, because I need to read more books with that trope. I think I’d have, maybe, five or something? It’s not a super common trope, even if it’s one of my favorites. I might have to research it a bit more before doing a post. 😉
Baha yes, thank goodness for blogging!
And 5 is still a decent amount! The only book I believe I’ve seen talking swords in was the Mythos Academy Series by Jennifer Estep (which I remember loving, but is probs actually a cringey early 2010s YA series so I’m not sure I recommend it). But yesssss, a post completely dedicated to the talking swords trope would be amazing!
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Yeah, they’re not as common as they should be. I’m not even sure why not, because talking swords are clearly where it’s at?
Another great post, Sammie. Like you, I love reading your posts but don’t blog hop as often as I should. Sometimes, I just don’t know what to say.
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Yeah, that can be hard sometimes, too! Especially with book reviews. I enjoy reading them, but sometimes it’s hard to come up with a comment to add to the conversation.
Love this! I remember when I found out that some people’s blogging personas weren’t like… their real stuff, and it blew my mind because I am really naive apparently 😂 And just a little while after I started blogging, that whole stalkergate thing was going on, so I was like “huh well that may have been a good life choice for those people after all!” but for me, I couldn’t. I am just… not private? Idk if that is a good thing or a bad thing or just a thing, but that is just how I am. Not that I am word vomiting every personal thought I have, but I don’t feel comfortable keeping huge things buried down, you know? But I totally respect people who DO want to keep their stuff private, of course!
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I think I was naive when I started, too. I can understand why people have personas, but I couldn’t keep it up. My mind doesn’t have that sort of separation haha.
Exactly! I don’t share *everything* on this blog, for obvious reasons. There are things about my personal life I don’t feel like everyone needs (or even wants) to read. But I share probably more than I should. xD I can totally understand why people would want to keep things private, too!
Yes hello Sammie. I love how you share yourself. I think we get a good sense of who you are without you putting everything right out there. While I understand the anonymity, I do gravitate more towards bloggers that share themselves . And that doesn’t have to be a name or photo but just their personality shines through.
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[…] Reads! ⌘ Sci-Fi Month is back this November! ⌘ Sammie from The Bookwyrm’s Den talks about why she gets personal on her blog. ⌘ Brenna from Paws and Paperbacks talks about content warnings. ⌘ Books by Proxy shared some […]