Hey Yana, Take Off That Mask Already!

Do I really want to lose my reputation as the ‘masked writer?’ 😉

I could give you a roundabout answer as to why I wear a mask but I prefer to be straightforward and to the point — I like to keep my personal life and writing life separate ergo I wear a mask.

Many write an about me story and go into great detail about who they are and what they hope to achieve on this platform. Oftentimes, that becomes their best-performing article in their body of work.

Why is that?

Perhaps it is because people are curious about the person behind the writer so to speak.

And yet, I have read several writers talk about how they can’t seem to attract the same level of curiosity or generate similar interest for their other posts as they did with their about me stories.

Does that point to the fact that maybe a writer should be more like an onion?

By that I mean, should we leave it up to the readers to peel back the layers in order to get to the core? To follow the clues to get to the heart of a writer without letting it all just hang out in one post?

You see, I could say I am this and that, and all of that but at the end of the day it is about being able to hold my reader’s interest as a writer and I’d rather they get to know me through my writing than a traditional bio.

In other words, I let my writing do the talking. That way readers can make the decision for themselves as to whether they perceive it as relatable, honest, passionate, offering value or not.

And I’m happy to report that a little mystery and intrigue never hurt — at least in my experience.

Nevertheless, I have written a few about me-style articles. The first one written a year ago is a humor-style one about the assumptions people make about me, especially my ethnicity — White, Black, half & half, Indian, European, Asian — you name it.

🦋What is with this curiosity about my ethnicity?

🦋The second about me, for the column I previously hosted, was written in more of a playful tone and talked about my affinity for languages (I grew up in different countries spanning three continents) and my penchant for music of the 50s and 60s.

🦋The last one, which is more formal, was written for a book collab with the Dancing Elephant Press which talks about how I am committed to raising awareness for causes that are close to my heart.

So basically who am I or how do I want to introduce myself?

I am Juliyana. I am a writer.🦋

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