Can you talk about the most interesting thing a fan has ever done when they met you?
I’m always shocked when someone recognizes me. I always think they are confusing me for someone else! But one of the most memorable instances was at a panel I was on about women in comics. After the panel, a father and daughter (around the age of 13) came up to me; the dad told me that his daughter was a fan of my blog and it made her feel like she wasn’t alone. That there were other geek girls like her in the world. I was so moved I almost cried. I still get emotional thinking about it.
Unbeknownst to people who aren’t hardcore fans of yours, you run a pretty on-point Tumblr titled Straight Outta Gotham. How did that idea formulate and what are the pros and cons to running multiple sites?
Straight Outta Gotham is so much fun! I’ve always heard these geeky rap lyrics in songs and they would make me happy. I felt like the rapper was speaking a secret language that I understood. I always wanted to do something with these lyrics and of course my head always goes to comics. I wanted to illustrate the lyrics like a comic. But alas! I am no artist, but I can make GIFs and memes. So Straight Outta Gotham was born.
The pro of multiple sites is that I get to do more things that I like. Girl Gone Geek is like a personification of myself. Straight Outta Gotham is where I can mash up the two cultures I love, hip-hop and geek. They usually exist separately, but I hope Straight Outta Gotham shows people the similarities geek and hip-hop culture have. I also hope it makes them laugh. Geek Girl Brunch is like a geek sisterhood where we get to hang out, create friendships in a safe space.
Time is the biggest issue I’ve faced having multiple sites, and probably will face for a while. As the years go by I add more projects to my list so it gets harder to find the time to work on all of them. But I love them all, so even though I spend a whole lot of time on these sites, I’m always happy to do it. It’s essential for your side projects to be fueled by passion so they never feel like a job.
How has the cultivation of your content with Girl Gone Geek influenced others in the blogosphere? Do you see yourself as an influencer or tastemaker of nerd/geek culture?
I suppose by definition I am an influencer, but I’m so severely in denial about the impact my blog has unless it smacks me in the face. I think it’s partly due to Girl Gone Geek existing online. Most of my interactions with my readers are online, so when I meet people in real life I’m always shocked. It’s a different experience seeing hits on a blog or your follower count than meeting someone who is a genuine fan in real life. It’s unbelievably moving and means the world to me.
Read how Rowser hopes to improve on geek culture on the next page…