Re: Samples on Web pages

[Jason Wynia <jwynia -at- AGRIS -dot- COM>]

>Just realize that you're publishing
>something that the entire world can access just for the benefit of a very
>limited number of viewers.

But unless you advertise the site in search engines, only that limited
number of viewers know that the site is there.  My site is available through
most search engines, and that's cool with me.  I know that the whole world
is not going to access it. Last week, that amounted to about 12 unique
impressions.  I know that I ran into more than 12 people in person, who I'd
rather they didn't follow me home.  However, I know that most of them were
looking in a professional way.


> My personal advice is that such a site should not contain any personal
> information, such as your phone number or address. (There are
> unscrupulous
> folks who seek such information so they can exploit you in
> some way.)

The sad truth is that regardless of whether or not you put that info up, if
you spend any amount of time on the Internet, that info is already
available.  If anyone doesn't believe me, take an hour or so and see what
you can find connected to your name.  If you are reasonably active in STC or
civic organizations, given papers or interviews, written any article that
indicates what region of the country you live in etc. you have given more
than enough info for someone to find you. I know that I've mentioned what
state I live in.  With no other information, you could find my phone #
whether it's on my online resume or not.  Unless you have an unlisted number
or live as a hermit, there is more information available about you than
you'd probably like.

I know someone who, for a graduate journalism class, had to pick a car and
get as much of the public info as possible on the owner and send it to that
person.  It was unbelievable what you can find.

I see no reason why the public nature of a web site should cause a real
problem.  I put up samples (the current ones need another round of edits),
and don't care who reads them.  My value as a good writer comes from my
head, not my samples.  Those who would "steal" my samples are not the people
I'd like to work for anyway.  Since the electronic versions cost me nothing
to distribute, I'm not out anything.  I do make sure that any of the
comments that should go along with a sample are visible before downloading
them.  We had discussed the desire to actually talk about our samples when a
potential employer reads them.  A web site is a prime opportunity to do just
that.

If interested, my treatment of samples is at
http://home.earthlink.net/~jwynia in my writing section.

J Wynia
Writing Geek/Pixel Pusher
http://home.earthlink.net/~jwynia

 From ??? -at- ??? Sun Jan 00 00:00:00 0000=