I have a serious question for all the blogistanis.
I am currently talking to a publisher and some magazines about my writing and am torn between keeping my blog handle ‘Baraka’ and using my birth name.
Although some of my friends and family do read this blog, it is under the condition that they do not share my identity with anyone they pass it on to.
The reasons I like my pen name are four-fold:
1. The meaning of baraka (blessing) is a reminder of the intentionality and awareness that should suffuse my writing and , hopefully, living.
2.My nafs (ego/self) doesn’t need any more attention than I already give it
3. I cherish my privacy
4. I want to maintain a separation between my personal and professional writing. So if a human rights org Googles my name they will come up with a list of my professional papers, but not my personal struggles with illness. (Quite important as far as potential employer discrimination goes.)
However, Basil and GQ both feel pseudonyms come across as highly suspicious, indicating that someone has something to hide, that they’re ashamed of what they’ve written, and that one can become all nafs-y even with an alter ego.
I love writing and am not ashamed of what I write. But if that is the prevailing opinion then maybe I should reconsider. Either way I need to make a decision soon.
I know that there are bloggers who write in the duniya (world) as well as blogistan so I’d love it if you could share some insights on why you chose your name over a nom de plume or vice versa, if you think it’s even possible to maintain that separation after awhile, and anything else you may think is helpful.
Thanks!
26 comments
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March 27, 2006 at 4:48 am
Shabana
Well, clearly I use my name. BUT I acknowledge there are pros & cons to this.
a. Using my name means I can’t say everything I want to.
b. Weirdos get a hold of my name.
c. If I get a real job soon, I kinda don’t want my colleagues reading my blog.
d. It’s kinda nafs-y.
Pros:
a. Chors can’t steal my stuff.
b. It’s more “real.”
c. I can connect with more people. (I think).
d. It’s less complicated.
e. Ahh it’s tough enough keeping any secrets in this day & age. It’d be too stressful to have a “takhallus.”
Good luck with your decision … and I look forward to your beautiful publications.
March 27, 2006 at 5:30 am
Dil-E-Nadaan
Lately I have been angry at myself for putting my entire name on my blog. Nine out of ten things are things which I can not write about publically, so I find myself posting less and less. Furthermore, in a time of my life where I am constantly interviewing for jobs I feel like my blog has been used against me, and I know many potential employers have read it. If you are in a pretty politically charged career, you might want to think twice about using your own name. But then, the downside, of course, is when you are trying to keep your blog/writings anonymous its hard to share it with people you care about most without giving yourself away.
March 27, 2006 at 5:33 am
Aisha
I write and publish once in a while Baraka and my blog is semi-amonymous in the sense that I use kashif’s last name since I didnt legally take his name. I also write about my family and use names, etc. but I kept it semi anonymous b/c when I look for jobs etc I dont want employers typing in my real name and finding this considernig as of now aisha iqbal yeilds my blog.. it’d be a little weird if my real name yeilded mine too… you know? I also do it because it gives me a semblance of privacy… just from crazy potential stalkers:) as most of my friends and family read my blog and I dont write anything I’m ashamed to admit in real life just like you….so I dont find it really conflicting but I also dont mention my blog when I submit queries… Maybe I should, I dont know? Are you planning to?
Hope that helped? not sure if it did
March 27, 2006 at 5:42 am
Granny
My silly, but true, answer. I use my full name in some cases because I didn’t know any better. Now of course I do. I use granny on blogger but everyone who reads regularly knows my full name and city. One visitor even googled me (and found me right where I said I was).
It doesn’t bother me. Anyone who really wished to do me harm could find me easily enough no matter what I called myself.
March 27, 2006 at 6:54 am
sume
Ohhh, I struggled with this one as some of my writing began to be published outside my blog. I needed a pen name for so many reasons, they out-weighed anything else. Privacy, anonymity from wackos and the fact that my other-half wanted no association with my writing whatsoever for reasons of his own. If it’d been just me by myself or if he’d had no objections, I proabably would have used my real name.
I compromised on Sumeia Williams because I liked the contrast. It’s a real name Sumeia being my Muslim name and Williams being my maiden name. I also like its versatility; sume, mei, meia. Who knows, I might even legally change it in the future. Since then, everything I submit is under that name. I figure it’s like Mark Twain or heh, Madonna. If I ever do by some miracle become famous and don’t change it legally, I’ll still use Sumeia but would eventually give up my real name.
Good luck on your decision and with the publishing!
March 27, 2006 at 7:28 am
Abdul-Halim V.
Yeah, I definitely think that using a pen name has unique advantages. In reality Abdul-Halim is really just a pen name. It affords a certain amount of freedom. (Unfortunately, it is limited by the fact that some people close to me know it’s me writing) But yeah, in retrospect I kind of wish that I had been more careful about my other online activities. I wonder now what it will be like looking for a job.
March 27, 2006 at 8:33 am
abd
as-salaam alaykum. add my vote to the alias column. for privacy, for nafs and for creative license. i’d definitely keep the alias online, even if you publish under your real name. if at the end of the day the distinction isn’t sustainable, you can drop the pen name then.
ps. abd is an alias. my name is really baraka.
March 27, 2006 at 9:08 am
skarim
i personally think you should go w/sticking w/baraka.
altho i don’t know your full name or much about you (and yes, i am curious about it sometimes, just b/c i’d totally love to hear what kind of activities you do as i think i have some similar interests in the same sectors as you do – noticed you worked at sahil) i do think that with you having your nom de plume, you can be so much more expressive w/out having to worry about who is reading it/judging you for who you are. more importantly, i think people will develop a profile of you/your interests through your name without attaching a name to it – making sure that i’A your opinions/viewpoints aren’t rejected: i do agree w/nermeen and shabana in this aspect.
most important – i feel – is the whole nafs-y issue. i guess i always have my battles with this, so i’m always super cautious about feeding the nafs too much . . . and at the end of the day, the ones who you truly want to share with that its you writing will know anyway, right? which is always better i’A – b/c i think it’s the strangers in our lives who sometimes feed our nafs the most, often b/c they don’t know our weaknesses/faults (as do those close to us), and so anything they say can get to our heads . . .
having said all this, congrats on i’A i’A getting published – i can’t *wait* to read more. may many many readers i’A benefit from your writings.
March 27, 2006 at 10:47 am
Um Mahtab
Salam Alaykum
Before i comment, i want to say that i don’t mean to sound preachy.
Privacy is just a touchy issue for me, so i feel strongly about it. Here’s my humble opinion:
I think it’s always good to be careful when using your real name. For a random someone to google you up casually and come up with your most intimate, heartfelt writings about illness is a bit much. Things could be taken out of context, distorted, who knows. Privacy can be like words. You know that old saying, once words come out of the mouth, you can’t take them back. So likewise, once privacy is gone it can be difficult to have it back again. Regardless of your name, your honesty and personal integrity shine through unmistakeably clear in your writing. Maybe i sound vague when i say that, but it’s soooo true.
All that said, i’m thrilled to hear that you’re in the talks for getting published.
Allah Bless you always, sister.
March 27, 2006 at 1:43 pm
Aisha
Oh I forgot to add, nafs wise– I dont know how that would help or harm since a rose by any other name is just as sweet isnt it? Whatever name you go by the heart mind and soul powering it is you.
March 27, 2006 at 3:00 pm
Granny
Off the topic but I just went back and read your green parrot post. Wonderful. In all the years I lived there I never actually saw them. How lucky for you.
March 27, 2006 at 3:38 pm
Tiel Aisha Ansari
Hmmm… Tiel Aisha Ansari is the name I was given when I took bayat. I use that name for any and everything associated with blogging & poetry as a way of acknowledging the Source. But it isn’t exactly a pseudonym, since Tiel is my legal first name and always has been, and is unusual enough that people would probably guess it’s me even though the rest of the name is different.
March 27, 2006 at 3:44 pm
wayfarer
I write for a magazine and i do book reviews for a newspaper. I use my real name for both. I don’t use my real name on my blog because i don’t want my personal view/opinions being associated with unrelated writing. If i wrote a book, i’d publish it under my real name as well.
Congrats on getting published! I so want to go to the realm of books…
March 27, 2006 at 5:36 pm
Umm Zaid
Salaam ‘Alaikum
As far as the issue goes, I’d say the big concern would be two-fold: potential employment discrimination b/c of the writing about your illness — they Google you after you send in the resume, find out, and can concoct a reason “Oh the position’s been filled.” (Not that you’d want to work for people like that, but…)
The second reason is the “doocing.” A potential employer might be concerned if they find out you have a blog read by a variety of people, and that could mean that you don’t get hired b/c they’re afraid you’ll write about them on one of your blogs. I’ve heard this is already becoming a problem for people — human resources searching for blogs by employees or potential hirees, and that influencing the hiring process.
March 27, 2006 at 9:02 pm
Shabina
I’m with Wayfarer on this. A pen name for a blog is one thing, but if you’re going to published, your real name would definitely up the credibility and trust factor.
Looking forward to telling all my friends I know a celebrity
shabs
March 27, 2006 at 10:36 pm
Racje;
What an exciting problem to have!
I blog under my RL name, mostly because I hope someday to publish books about Judaism and I figure I might as well start establishing a body of work now. Because I put my name on my blogging, I take it more seriously, like my “real” writing (journalism and poetry).
There are obviously drawbacks to revealing one’s name online. There are jerks on the internet and sometimes it bothers me that they know who I am. But on the whole that has not been a problem for me, thank heavens, so I hope it will not be a problem for you either!
March 28, 2006 at 12:51 am
Hajar
Congrats on the fact that you’re on the road to being a published writer!
In my opinion it would be better to use your real name on professional work; because that would make it harder for someone to plagarize or forge your work (I think).
By the way, I compiled a little post on my blog, just for you.
March 28, 2006 at 11:16 am
luckyfatima
wow what a difficult decision. u could publish with your real name but just keep your blog baraka cuz even though the psycho nosies could dig around and find out who you are, the average people who just visit your blog and love reading what you write would never know the published name was u.
March 28, 2006 at 12:28 pm
Abu Sinan
I use my real name and it has been used against me. If I had to do it over again I would use a fake name.
March 28, 2006 at 11:47 pm
Leila M.
rockin you! Well, I’d pick my real name, but I’m not a private person. In the end, the Q is what you feel most comfortable with and what you’ll be writing about (what WILL you be writing about, eh??? I wanna knoww)
March 29, 2006 at 2:12 pm
Aisha
Fir Kee Faysla kitha ay?
March 29, 2006 at 4:07 pm
cncz
salam alaikoum and congrats…I am with wayfarer. But it depends on if what you submit for publishing comes from the blog, I guess.
One of the reasons I do not use my real name on the blog is because there are about sixty people in the world with my husband’s last name, and I know I am one of two Americans and the only convert in the bunch. I am also the first person on google if you google this name, which most employers do these days. If I ever published, I would probably lean towards using my maiden name. Maybe you could do like that? real name with maiden for one and real name with married for the other.
March 29, 2006 at 9:37 pm
Baraka
Salaam all!
Thank you thank you thank you for your sincere advice – I really appreciate it!
After a lot of reflection I think I am going to go with my married name, since I used my maiden name in my human rights work.
I actually never changed my name to Basil’s but I feel it makes more sense than making one up. It maintains a balance between openness and privacy.
Thanks so much again, this was incredibly helpful!
Warmly,
Baraka
March 29, 2006 at 9:46 pm
Aisha
Yay youre doing what I did
I’m telling you when people do searches for Aisha Iqbal it’s fine. But if people were searching for Aisha _____ it woud kinda freak me out. This is truly best of both worlds 
Does this mean you’r estarting a new blog btw?
March 29, 2006 at 9:57 pm
Baraka
Salaam dear,
I still have kind of mixed feelings about it..I like my maiden name a lot and am the only one of my American & Pakistani friends who did not take on my husband’s name at marriage. My sisters didn’t either, it’s kind of a cool family tradition.
But on the other hand, it’s a way of honroing my connection to Basil and it being recognizable to those who do know us, while being private from Googling employers.
I won’t be starting a new blog, though some pieces of this blog will hopefully be published in some form or another!
Lotsa love,
Baraka
April 1, 2006 at 8:25 am
luckyfatima
hmmm, funny u say that about not taking hubby’s name. my husband was freaked out that i didn’t want to take his name. he really really thought it was weird that i didn’t want to. i still don’t get it. once i published something, i used his name hyphenated more so his family would be happy cuz i knew they would see it.
it is not sunnah, not done by Arabs, and not done all over pakistan, just by the british- influenced educated English speaking elites i guess.
heh heh i should freak everyone out and change my last name to Begum or Bano or Khanum! see what my husband and his family think of that!!!