Visibility Makes You More Human

It's nigh impossible to promote writing by creatives who do not want to compromise their privacy. We are all SHY, but visibility makes you slightly more credible and marketable. I started this project for marginalised African writers who might benefit from being showcased to the rest of the continent.

Poster Showing the Advantages of Being Discoverable

More and more creatives are sending me their work who DO NOT WANT to be seen, do not have social media profiles, refuse to do videos et cetera. It makes my role harder. I am a busy mum. I have to do twice the work I should do, just to make those writers seem credible and real.

Writer Hiding Behind a Book

From July 1, 2026, Penned in Rage Journal will no longer accept submissions from writers hiding their real identity, due to the difficulty of marketing their work through social media adverts. I will not accept photographs that are pixilated, altered or doctored to conceal the writer’s face. This means you cannot send me photographs in which you have used props like sunglasses and hats to disguise your features.   

Further, I ask that you please include your social media profiles and/or author websites in your bio. It doesn’t help credibility when a writer calls themselves Darth Vader, Barbie doll or Alien Bob. While those pseudonyms used to be cool, nowadays they make you seem less professional and kind of odd.

With the proliferation of AI-generated content in the creative space, being discoverable and traceable helps your credibility. I am not saying it prevents the use of artificial intelligence to write poetry, stories, essays or create art, I am saying trusted voices are less likely to risk reputational damage by sending outlets AI-content. A creative who is well known may have hundreds of followers that can identify what that creative’s authentic voice sounds like.  

Your readers can distinguish a real authorial voice from a mechanical one.