A Note On Pseudonyms

[redbrunja]

 nimblnymph  was commenting about sexism in language, and it got me thinking about usernames. Specifically, (and I know I have people on my flist who do this and I don't mean to be insulting, this is totally just my opinion) how much I hate it when people use some part of a character's name in their username.

You know.

Mrs_Hatake

I_heart_hakkai.

Anything with Snape or Severus.

Even more subtle references: blooming_sakura or whatever cause me to twitch.

First, I always wonder how long you are going to like that character enough that you want them to be the most visible part of how you present yourself online. Secondly, I make the assumption that you are fourteen and feel the need to wave around your fictional boyfriend or (also fairly common) your OTP like a banner. I also (despite knowing really excellent writers who do this, and often aren't writing about the character referenced in their handle) assume that your fanfic is not worth my time.

Comments

[rashaka.livejournal.com]

I think my perception on this has changed over the course of a few years with LJ. When I first started here, a lot of people I made "friends" with were people who moved en masse from the Crumbling Walls Spuffy forum, where I was one of several mods for a while. BTVS was my first real online immersive fandom experience. I didn't really have that bias against character names in usernames that you describe above, although I admit I have certainly of dash of that cynicism now. The only thoughts I had about it for a long while was, for one, the feeling that it was hard to tell other online fans apart or know them as memorable because their names were too simple or interchangeable. The other was an undefined sense that it was not creative enough to satisfy me as an expressive creative writing-minded person. (eek, the grammar of that sentence.)

But there are writers I've had on my flist and still do who have some variation of "spike" or "buffy" or a combo in their username that I've known for a long time and whose fanworks I seek out and enjoy. They are removed from the taint in my eyes.

However, in newer fandoms...I feel like the marriage of LJ+ff.net as growing bastions of fandom are deeply, deeply established now, and as such, any new fandom is hugely influenced by the structure and mores of Fandom as a whole. In that way, I do think's its a very noob thing these days to pick a character name in your username. (though I'd totally let blooming_sakura pass on metaphorical grounds, if cheesy.)Fandom has been Fandom online for a while now, and everyone knows that original names are more memorable, get more attention, and linger. Many of us are also into multiple simultaneous fandoms instead of just mired in one, and thus feel less compelled to be defined by one particular fandom.

If I see someone named "tonystarktoy" or "zukofanlover" or "sheldonsmistress" I'm going to assume you're new to fandom and this is still something you're learning. I'm also probably going to have low expectations and assume your fanfic is a growing process. You haven't figured out how big the sandbox is, or what place in it you want to occupy. If, however, I see someone named "methos_kid" I'm going to assume that the fan is probably not a teenager, and has been around for long enough to keep the name of a fandom 10 years old and still be cool with it. That person I wouldn't have a problem reading.

[hungrytiger11.livejournal.com]

or one, the feeling that it was hard to tell other online fans apart or know them as memorable because their names were too simple or interchangeable. The other was an undefined sense that it was not creative enough to satisfy me as an expressive creative writing-minded person.

What you wrote here...this, is exactly it. I can't keep the people straight when they do things like this! And, well, it is not super creative. While usernames are not like tattoos (you can always change or remove one), they are sort of things you have for a while and that give a first impression. You want to be remembered at least and when meeting someone online I like to know more about them than just a shipping preference or character-love.

Of course, that said, my handle's from a book (picked way before any venturing into fandom), but then again, except for my Yuletide gift I've never seen anything written about The Hungry Tiger in fandom.... I feel a little sheepish then saying much of anything!

[redbrunja.livejournal.com]

The only thoughts I had about it for a long while was, for one, the feeling that it was hard to tell other online fans apart or know them as memorable because their names were too simple or interchangeable. The other was an undefined sense that it was not creative enough to satisfy me as an expressive creative writing-minded person. (eek, the grammar of that sentence.)

Both of those are really good points.

If I see someone named "tonystarktoy" or "zukofanlover" or "sheldonsmistress" I'm going to assume you're new to fandom and this is still something you're learning. I'm also probably going to have low expectations and assume your fanfic is a growing process.

Yeah, that seems like a safe assumption.

Although I'm not sure I'd give them a pass if they went oldschool like methos_kid - it still seems like a very young thing to do.