Why Alter Egos Are Useful for Builders
The identity trap
When you start publishing work under your own name, something subtle happens. You begin to optimize for consistency. Your projects need to "make sense" together. Your writing needs to align with your professional brand. Every public artifact becomes part of a portfolio that future employers, clients, or collaborators might judge.
This is the identity trap, and it kills experimentation.
A door with a different name on it
An alter ego is simply a different door. Behind it, you can:
- Start over without baggage — no prior expectations, no existing audience to disappoint
- Experiment freely — publish a Rust CLI tool on Monday and a meditation app on Friday
- Separate concerns — keep your day-job reputation clean while exploring wild ideas at night
This isn't a new concept. Writers have used pen names for centuries. Musicians create side projects. Graffiti artists work under tags. The alter ego is a tool for creative freedom.
It's not about deception
There's an important distinction between an alter ego and a fake identity. An alter ego is a creative framework. You're still responsible for what you publish. You still stand behind your work. You're just choosing which name goes on the door.
The best practice is transparency: disclose that it's a pseudonym, provide a way to reach the real person if needed, and don't use the alter ego to mislead or manipulate.
Practical benefits for software builders
Lower stakes shipping
When you're building under an alter ego, the stakes feel lower. And lower stakes mean you ship more. You don't agonize over whether a side project is "good enough" for your GitHub profile. You just put it out there.
Creative range
Your real-name identity tends to narrow over time. You become "the React person" or "the DevOps person." An alter ego lets you be a generalist without confusing your professional narrative.
Better writing
Writing under a different name can unlock a different voice. You might be more honest, more playful, more willing to explore ideas you're not sure about yet. The slight distance from your "real" self creates room for intellectual risk-taking.
How to do it well
If you're considering an alter ego for your creative or building work:
- Choose a name that resonates — it should feel like someone you'd want to be, not just a random handle
- Be transparent — have a clear disclosure somewhere on your site
- Keep it consistent — use the same name across platforms so people can follow your work
- Don't overthink it — the alter ego is a tool, not a performance. Start building and the identity will develop naturally.
The real question
The question isn't "should I use an alter ego?" It's "what would I build if no one knew it was me?"
That answer — the thing you'd make if reputation and professional consequences didn't exist — is probably the most interesting work you could be doing. An alter ego just makes it easier to start.