Open Mic or Open Mike?

One of the things that drive me nuts about the established writing publications is how slow they are in catching up with the times. Take Writers Digest, for example:

You know those events where people are handed a microphone, typically in a coffee shop, to share their poetry, stories, music, whatever? What are they called again? Oh, yeah... Open Mics!

Somewhere down the line, though, the editorial staff at WD decided that the use of "Mic" didn't work. They chose to use "Mike" instead. It's a device, WD, not a person.

Maybe they made this decision to avoid any confusion as to the pronunciation. I remember having this exact editorial discussion when I was editor-in-chief of my university's eZine. We opted for the use of "mic" because, well, that's the truncated form of "microphone."

Get in touch with language again, WD and the like! It is alive and shaped by the masses; follow their lead, not your own.

BTW - I love Writers Digest. They offer great advice for all aspects of writing, and have even begun to embrace the online world as a credible avenue for writers.