Identity and Performance of Authorship

Drawing on theoretical frameworks from Goffman, Butler, and Foucault, this chapter explores how authors navigate the complex relationship between their personal identities, their roles as author brands, and the cultural landscapes they inhabit. By focussing on the performative nature of identity, this chapter highlights the fluid and constructed aspects influenced by social norms, cultural expectations, and technological affordances of social media platforms. By analysing survey data, interviews, and social media interactions (on X), we see how authors utilise repetition and ritual in their online performances, engaging with real and imagined audiences to solidify their roles as authors.