I am going to be reading at a couple of events in June. (Stay tuned. Details to follow.) I recently saw the poster for Noir at the Bar at Kew & Willow Books, and my name appeared as “Jill Block”, without my middle initial. I stared at it. Did it matter? Minutes ticked by. Did I care? Should I care? The person organizing the event is busy, way busier, I am sure, than I am. Besides, would anyone besides me even notice? The poster looked great. I was truly honored to be included. Who cares about a middle initial, right?
Wrong. That was imposter syndrome talking. That was me feeling unworthy. That was me not wanting to be difficult. I have published multiple short stories and a novel under my name – Jill D. Block. If I have a brand – if I am going to have a brand – this is it.
I sent an email to the organizer. I was apologetic, certainly more apologetic than was warranted. (It’s not as if he had carved the poster out of stone and was going to have to start over with a fresh slab.) I explained that even though I’d first started out using my middle initial just because it looked lawyerly, at this point I seem to be committed to it.
He changed the poster. It took him about a minute and a half.
