Outgrowing your Identity

Who would you be if you weren't a writer anymore?

Take a look at your social media profiles. What is your “identity?” Since you hang out in my corner of the internet, it’s probably a writer. Maybe an artist. And a reader. Maybe a specific type of reader: LitRPG, Horror freak, Dark Romance girlie… something like that.

I’m wondering how you would identify yourself if you suddenly couldn’t be that anymore? What would your social media tagline be then?

Instead of Kristin McTiernan: Author, Editor, Ghostwriter, would I instead go with Kristin McTiernan… red-headed person? Kansas resident? It’s hard to say, honestly.

I ask because of the Cait Corraine debacle. Her whole life had been centered on being a fantasy writer. Due to her own actions, that identity became toxic and it looks like it’s not a viable option for her anymore. So I asked Twitter what they would do in her shoes. Do you try again? Or… try again under a new name, starting from scratch?

Most everyone said start over with a new name and do the work. Fair enough.

But what if she c…