When I started blogging in November of 2006, I used an avatar because I wanted to give my readers an idea of what I look like, but I wasn't totally sure I should use a photograph. Mostly because I was new to blogging and unsure of how much personal information I could safely disclose (more on that in another post).
Over time, I got comfortable with using a photo, but I still liked my cartoon alter ego. She's sophisticated and a little sassy: just the persona I wanted to cultivate at the time. As my little brother once put it, "Sue, I hate to say this, but your cartoon self is kinda hot." He immediately added a disclaimer: "Don't get the wrong idea."
But, as my readership (and my freelance writing business) has grown, I've started to think about cultivating a more professional persona. The cartoon IS kind of girly, and since many of my new readers are male, I don't want to turn any of them away. I was chatting with my designer about updating the blog when I got an email from fellow freelancer Michelle Rafter, who wanted to use this blog as an example in her blog post about avatars. I'm flattered, of course, but I do think it's time for a change. So, next week, stay tuned for a whole new look. Enjoy the long weekend!