Authors, brands, audiences, thank-yous

I think it’s safe to say that the highlight of my 20-minute appearance at SXSW Interactive on Saturday was the part where I wasn’t talking: Specifically, the questions from some audience members at the end, and conversations with others afterward.

In particular I’m still pondering a question I don’t think I managed to answer very well, from a young woman who wondered what I thought about — paraphrasing here of course — how the whole “personal brand” phenomenon has affected writing & journalism. This is a case where I think I have trouble saying anything definitive, not because I haven’t thought about it before, but rather because I think about it a lot.

I mean, let’s face it, the whole point of my being there was to promote not just a book but, in effect, myself. To say that I’m ambivalent about this process would be a wild understatement. I definitely think that many successful authors become brands (or “personalities”) of a sort, and possibly even that becoming something like a brand is almost required at this point; on the other hand, I cling to the idea that this doesn’t necessarily mean that the actual work completely takes a back seat to promotion.

I actually wanted to ask my questioner what she thought, but couldn’t start a conversation up from the stage, and didn’t have a chance to when I was off.

Anyway, just wanted to say thanks to those who turned up and said hello and asked interesting questions and said interesting things.

Actually, speaking of those who turned up…

Audience: SXSW Interactive / R. Walker.

This audience pic might be the first in a series, we’ll see. A few months ago, E brought to my attention a series by photographer Tim Davis called My Audience. I loved it — and immediately wanted to steal the idea!

To make my ripoff seem at least vaguely different — or possibly even as an homage — I thought I’d add the element of asking audience members to obscure their faces. That way I will ideally end up with a collection of images of audiences who appear to have something to hide, which I find amusing. Also: no release forms necessary.

(This may not turn out to be the first in a series, because I’m dropping a line to Davis and giving him the opportunity to say: Knock it off. Which he certainly would have the right to do.)

Anyway I was pretty pleased that everybody played along. So: thanks again.