What’s in a Name?

The writers group that I run, the Arlington Writers Group, recently had a discussion about the writer's online presence. We discussed social media, websites, blogs, Twitter, and more. Members who are well entrenched in the online world, such as Michael J. Sullivan and Jamie Todd Rubin, argued that in today's world, writers need to have an online platform.

Some members looked upon this discussion with a gimlet eye: "this all seems like a big pain in the butt," one member decried.

Personally, I fall somewhere between. I understand how a platform to communicate directly with fans and potential fans would be a valuable tool to the published, or about to be published, author. But I'm not exactly there yet; my YA novel sits in its 17^th trimester. So do I need an online presence?

I would like potential freelance writing clients to see samples of my work, and I make those available here and on my company website, but really, do potential clients want to read me waxing poetic about my quest to find the perfect egg roll, or why nobody seems able to actually stop at stop signs anymore, or which car brand has the most inconsiderate, self-centered drivers? Perhaps, but I sometimes have a hard time seeing it. As a result, I censor myself, refusing to subject the world to my ravings. I feel better about myself, until I come across excessive cyber navel-gazing and then I wonder, "well why not me? I can gaze into the heart of my navel as good as any of them!"

And so I resolved to give myself more of an online presence. I'll stop neglecting this blog that I started several years ago; however, I will try not to post for posting's sake. And then I got really inspired. What if I carry my YA novel to term finally, or labor is finally induced by my writing friends who constantly try to dose me with mental Pitocin? What then of my online presence, my platform?

Perhaps I should purchase a domain name for a future website with my name. I know there is a commercial photographer named Michael Klein. I also share my name with a journalist with the Philadelphia Inquirer. Middle initial? Nah, I'm not crazy about that. First of all, I don't really want to be "Michael L. Klein." Seems silly. Also, when writing it in a url, all those tall letters blend together and confusion will surely ensue.

I thought for a moment about writing out my full name, sure "Michael" and "Klein" are not very unique names, but "Lawrence" as a middle name? Come on, that's got to improve my odds of distinctiveness. But no. Google quickly introduced me to Michael Lawrence Klein, who, though several years older than me, almost shares my birthday.

And if Wikipedia is to be believed, this MLK is quite an achiever. Born in London, he is the Laura H. Carnell Professor of Science and Director of the Institute for Computational Molecular Science in the College of Science and Technology at Temple University. Prior to Temple, we held a prestigious chair at U of P. And our research into computational chemistry, particularly statistical mechanics, intermolecular interactions, and modeling of condensed phases and biophysical systems – whatever that is – is among the most highly cited in the field, (take THAT, other scientist people!) In 1999, we were honored with the Aneesur Rahman prize. And as you all know, that is the highest honor given by the American Physical Society for work in computational physics.

The good news is Dr. Klein does NOT own a website with our name, so I may yet be able to use my full name in a web address. Then again, I'd hate to mislead all those computational chemists and global fans of intermolecular interaction. Maybe www.michael-lawrence-klein_but-not-the-Aneesure-Rahman-prize-winning-chemist.com? A little clunky. I'll think of something.