On Being Well-Known

When (or if) a person becomes well-known, or famous, they may face new duties they hadn’t considered previously. And there isn’t really any training in how to handle these duties, because each well-known person may be well known for different reasons, and in different ways.

Everyone, though should know what is a good thing to do, and really, that’s what all of us should think on, famous or not. The better known a person is, the more responsibilities they may have put on them, like it or not, but they may also have more money, and can afford to off load some of those responsibilities.

This would certainly take off some of their pressure, but there will always be some tasks only one person can do, and if you’re that person, you owe it to everyone to do your best. You owe it to yourself too, of course, and nobody gains good things for being infamous, rather than famous. Infamy may bring notice, but not in a good way.

If I go into my local town, many people will say hello Carolyn to me, and I’ll say hello back. I’ll name them if I do know their name, but often I won’t know. I’ve been closely involved in this town for over ten years, as the editor of the local newsletter, and many townspeople know me in that role.

Some of them also know I am a writer and poet. Is this fame, am I famous? No, I don’t think so – in that town, I may be well known, but calling ‘famous’ is going too far. I am known in other places too, in my role as poet and writer, as President of my writing group, where I lead the way to some events that are become more and more ‘known’.

Being well known gives a person a bit of an audience, a range of others who will listen to what you say. Certainly, my most recent writerly ‘thing’ being the judge of a poetry competition came about because I was known as a poet who knew what she was doing, regarding poetry, to the relevant person.

I am very small biscuits though, on the ‘famous writer’ list of people to talk about, or listen to. I would get a publicist, if I had the money to pay for one, but if I could get the money to pay for one, I would have proved I was capable of doing the job myself, and my Methodist mind set would tell me I shouldn’t pay money for it, if I could do it myself … It’s a bit like the old ‘which came first the chicken or the egg’ story …

Things happen when they happen, I will continue with my writing, my blogging, attending/running/being involved with poetry and writing things. It’s what I do, it’s what writers do – we write and if we are good enough or lucky enough, we may finally write the ‘big thing’ that makes us famous!

Do I dream of fame? Oh yes, fame, requests to speak at events, having opportunities to sell and sign my books, these are on my list of things I’d like more of. Will it happen though? Who knows, all I can do is keep on writing, become better at putting the word out about who I am and what I do. Being well known is gratifying, being famous, oh, yes, that would be great!