Heidi Ruby Miller ([info]ambasadora) wrote,
@ 2007-11-08 10:25:00
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Entry tags:heidi ruby miller, name change poll

Should I Change My LJ Name?
I've been considering changing it to heidirubymiller, and since LJ is offering the name change for $12, I'm thinking now is as good a time as any. But so many people know my journal as ambasadora (I should reach 10,000 hits this year.) that I might lose some readership because they can no longer find me as easily. Granted googling my name will bring anyone to this site, but I'm still hesitant.

That's why I have the poll. If you care to give an opinion one way or the other, it would be much appreciated. Also, any pro or con comments.

Poll #1085140 LJ Name Change
Open to: All, detailed results viewable to: All, participants: 24

Should I change my LJ name?

View Answers

Keep it as ambasadora.
13 (54.2%)

Change it to heidirubymiller.
11 (45.8%)



Thanks,
Heidi

(30 comments) - (Post a new comment)


[info]neo_prodigy
2007-11-08 03:47 pm UTC (link)
To be honest, I see the benefits to both so I know that isn't much help.

In any event, a rose by any other name is still as beautiful and talented whose blog is a delight to read.

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[info]ambasadora
2007-11-08 04:14 pm UTC (link)
You were born with a sugary tongue, weren't you? That was very sweet, if not at all helpful. ;)

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[info]themachinestops
2007-11-08 04:01 pm UTC (link)
If you get a name change, it automatically redirects. So if someone types in ambasadora.livejournal.com, it will "jump" to hrm.lj.com.

Personally I prefer non-actual-name usernames, but that's me and I'm antisocial.

(Reply to this) (Thread)
automatic redirect
[info]ambasadora
2007-11-08 04:17 pm UTC (link)
Niiice!

I did not know that. Score a point for the change the name column.

I know what you mean about having a username that isn't your real name. My real name is splashed over three other blogs and my website already. Score a point for the keep the name column.

*sigh*

(Reply to this) (Parent)

[info]jimhines
2007-11-08 04:19 pm UTC (link)
I changed mine this year, for several reasons.

1 - I'm bad with names. If I go to a con and have to remember both an LJ handle and a real name, my brain explodes.

2 - As a writer, I want people wandering through bookstores to see my books and think, "Oh yeah, I know that guy from his blog. I should buy all of his books and make him famous and wealthy!"

Just my $.02...

(Reply to this) (Thread)

[info]ambasadora
2007-11-08 07:26 pm UTC (link)
Two very valid points, both of which are examples why I was considering the change in the first place.

Thanks, Jim.

(Reply to this) (Parent)(Thread)

[info]markdeniz
2007-11-22 06:17 pm UTC (link)
And I found people wondering who the hell I was yet knowing a certain monkey!

Since I made the change, people have found me easier (and have stopped sending me bananas!).

Happy Thanksgiving by the way!

(Reply to this) (Parent)(Thread)

[info]ambasadora
2007-11-24 05:58 pm UTC (link)
Hmmm...the banana thing wouldn't be so bad, so long as they were still a little green.

:)

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[info]dsmoen
2007-11-08 07:54 pm UTC (link)
I'm with you on the brain exploding thing. I used dsmoen from the get-go because it's the name I write under.

(Reply to this) (Parent)

[info]morbidmusings
2007-11-08 04:41 pm UTC (link)
I'm all for the name change. In fact, I was thinking of doing the same thing. Funky usernames are cute and fun, but I suppose if we want to be taken seriously as professionals, boring birth names is the way to go. And I'll echo the sentiments above, if someone finds me through my LJ and doesn't bother going anywhere else at first, he/she could walk right by a book in the store with my name on it and not realize that's who I am. If you're using your LJ just for fun, that's one thing, but if you want to, if you'll excuse the expression, sell yourself, I'd go with your real name.

I guess I should cough up that $12 too!

~Meg

(Reply to this) (Thread)

[info]ambasadora
2007-11-08 07:28 pm UTC (link)
Meg:

I wonder how many people will take advantage of the name change. My husband is considering it as well. It will be interesting how my friends list will change so far as not recognizing people later.

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[info]black_op
2007-11-08 05:49 pm UTC (link)
Do what you suspect will make you happy. If you aren't sure what will make you happy, keep the current name. Or use the coin flipping trick. Heads is one choice, tails another, best of 7. If the coin comes up x and you catch yourself saying drat, stop flipping and choose y.

(Reply to this) (Thread)

[info]ambasadora
2007-11-08 07:30 pm UTC (link)
"If the coin comes up x and you catch yourself saying drat, stop flipping and choose y."

I like that psychology, showing that most people know what they want already, but are afriad to make that final decision.

You got me thinking now! Thanks.

(Reply to this) (Parent)(Thread)

[info]black_op
2007-11-09 06:13 am UTC (link)
Two small points of correction.

1.People often don't know what they want but they do 'want' what they want and taking the choice out of their hands, even momentarily and hypothetically, can be enough to 'teach' them what they want.
2.You've been thinking for years! It shows up pretty regularly in your writing. Trust me, I'm not the only one who has noticed. :^)

(Reply to this) (Parent)

[info]roughhouser
2007-11-08 06:19 pm UTC (link)
Morbidmusings captured my stance pretty much to a T, but I'll comment anyway: go for the name change for professional reasons. Right now, I'm pretty much using LJ to keep in touch with friends I just don't see enough of for time constraint reasons. At some point, when I have a couple more things out there in the world and think that there might be a chance that someone is actually looking for me on LJ because they saw my name in a book, I'm going to change to my real name.

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[info]ambasadora
2007-11-08 07:38 pm UTC (link)
Houser:

Like you, I started LJ for social purposes, then my entries gradually became more writing-oriented. My time at Seton Hill had much to do with that.

Now, it's pretty much just professional for purposes of networking and promotion.

Good points (even if they were Meg's). I'm joking. :)

Thank you!

(Reply to this) (Parent)

[info]cajun
2007-11-08 10:37 pm UTC (link)
I'm all for unifying a web presence, in fact, I've pondered this myself.

Unlike all of the already stated great reasons to change, here's a reason not to... 5 extra characters to type when logging in. :)

(Reply to this) (Thread)
5 extra characters
[info]ambasadora
2007-11-09 01:42 pm UTC (link)
In our ever-quickening society that battles with decreasing attention spans, that could be a very valid point. ;)

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[info]calico_reaction
2007-11-11 08:39 pm UTC (link)
I'm for the name change for all the reasons people have mentioned and another. Right now, your user name is the name of your thesis novel, yes? Well, you're going to have other novels with different titles, so you don't want your LJ to be associated with just the ONE novel, which is, in the future, what it'll look like.

I've known quite a few authors make this change from fun name to professional. Cherie Priest, Catherynne Valente, and Sean Williams, to name a few.

And yes, when you change your name, you have the option of changing the links so that if someone types in the old one, they'll be directed to the new one. :)

And you've got me curious: how do you measure "hits" for LJ?

(Reply to this) (Thread)

[info]ambasadora
2007-11-13 06:50 pm UTC (link)
Actually, AMBASADORA is more than just the name of my thesis novel, it's part of my online presence in many areas, but I've considered the point, especially as I don't anticipate it ever being released.

As for measuring hits, I have that lovely counter in the corner of my LJ.

Thanks for the input.

(Reply to this) (Parent)(Thread)

[info]devilwrites
2007-11-13 10:24 pm UTC (link)
Oooh, there's a counter!

Wait, you mean you're not trying to sell your thesis? I'm confused...

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[info]ambasadora
2007-11-14 02:49 pm UTC (link)
Try digits.com for the counter.

As for selling my thesis, I did try, Shara. It didn't sell, not the right time, not the right story. Sometimes we have to accept that and move on. I have and am writing in other genres now.

It wasn't a waste of time, by any means. It was the learning experience I needed in the craft and in the business, and I am perfectly fine with realizing that perhaps it was never meant to be the first of my work to be published.

It just wasn't my path, but it's okay because I've gained patience, humility, and confidence since beginning Seton Hill and in the long run, I hope that will help me not just as a writer, but as a person.



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[info]devilwrites
2007-11-14 10:16 pm UTC (link)
I'm sorry to hear you haven't had any luck with it so far, though--and please don't take this the wrong way, since I don't have a clue as to your process in querying for your book--I'm surprised you're shelving it for now. Not that you SHOULDN'T work on other projects, you should definitely do that, but that you'd keep it out there to see if someone might nibble.

However, it may be prudent to hold on to it for a while, because if you publish something else first, people may be more open to your thesis.

Whatever you do, I wish you the best of luck. And I still stand by my opinion for changing the LJ name to your real one. :)

(Reply to this) (Parent)(Thread)

[info]ambasadora
2007-11-15 02:23 pm UTC (link)
Thank you, Shara.

It is still out with several agents and one editor, but I can't bank on it after going through almost 75 agents to date.

Mike Resnick told me to try medium press, so that may be in the future. Until then, I have to forget about it.

(Reply to this) (Parent)(Thread)

[info]devilwrites
2007-11-15 09:49 pm UTC (link)
Whatever you decide, good luck. It's good to focus on different projects while this one is making the rounds anyway. :)

What are you working on currently? Something SF? Fantasy?

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[info]ambasadora
2007-11-15 10:44 pm UTC (link)
I'm revising a mainstream novel with a female anthropologist as the protagonist. It's a throwback to my archaeology/anthropology days. Think Preston and Child meet Janet Evanovich. ;)

I'm also about a third of the way through a Post-WWI fantasy, which I'm hoping to get back to once this novel is revised.

How's your own thesis coming along?

(Reply to this) (Parent)(Thread)

[info]devilwrites
2007-11-16 12:25 am UTC (link)
Your stuff: cool!

My stuff: slow, but I'm working on a second draft. I'm taking an extra term, because the first draft was incoherent, and the number of changes it'd need to make me happy wouldn't have been done by my scheduled graduation date.

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[info]ambasadora
2007-11-16 01:45 pm UTC (link)
I agree it's better not to rush a project. You have to feel good about it regardless of what anyone else thinks. Good luck!

(Reply to this) (Parent)

(Anonymous)
2007-11-12 04:24 am UTC (link)
I think either way is good. But your name does have a lovely flow to it.

db

(Reply to this) (Thread)
flowing name
[info]ambasadora
2007-11-13 06:47 pm UTC (link)
Thanks, Dave.

I guess I have my parents and husband to thank for that. ;)

(Reply to this) (Parent)

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