This is the last installment of the Power of Words series. I thought it would be appropriate to end it with a discussion on the content we put on the internet.
Gone are the days when only politicians needed to worry about their pasts. With the influx of internet communities, more and more people are learning to regret something they may have posted on a whim, possibly believing that it would stay between them and their closest friends.
Well, sad to say, but your closest friends now include every single person with access to the internet. And it should not surprise us that prospective employers, agents, publishers, etc. now use the internet to determine the character of a potential employee or client. If you choose to post about your drunken orgy weekends, you better be prepared to suffer the consequences. No one wants to put in time and effort working with a person who might prove to be unreliable.
And nowadays the author needs to be sold just as much as his/her novel. Think about how you create likeable characters--this is the same way you should go about your life. Writing is a career, not a hobby, so be careful about anything you put on the internet. You don't want to ruin your career before it even begins.
Don't forget to check in for Monday's Myths!
~Emily White
Thanks, Lydia!
ReplyDeleteYeah, isn't it lovely to think of some creepy guy in his mom's basement looking at whatever picture you posted of yourself or your family? Eek!
But seriously, I have heard of so many people who have posted inappropriate things on the internet never once assuming that it might cost them a job. All information out there is just one click away. You can google anyone's name and their myspace page (if they have one) is at the top of the list. Just something to think about.