Peg Herring's Blog - Posts Tagged "praise"
Keep Those Cards and Letters Coming
Writing is a solitary occupation. We write what pleases us and then, sometimes timidly, sometimes not, we show it to the world. Often the world returns it with a brief comment, "Not for us" or "Not interested" or simply "No."
What keeps a writer going is someone, somewhere, who likes her work. For some, it's friends and family, although that isn't enough to get published. Still, some spend thousands of dollars to show their work to the world because Mom says it's really good.
For those of us who get beyond that, there is the business of publishing. Here the rewards come from sales, from reviews, and from fans. Fans should not be shy about telling writers that they like their work.
In a week that was downright awful, my sanity (whatever of it I still hold) was aided by two fans. At an artists' show on Saturday, a man told the director of the show how much he loved my books. She, bless her, brought him to me and had him repeat the praise. That same day I received a long letter from a fan, detailling everything she liked about two of my books. Honestly, it was like water to a drowing woman.
So when you read a book you like, find the author online and tell him or her so. Be brief but specific. Do it no matter how big the author is. Unsolicited praise is the best, and we love it when you say exactly what we've done that tickles your fancy.
What keeps a writer going is someone, somewhere, who likes her work. For some, it's friends and family, although that isn't enough to get published. Still, some spend thousands of dollars to show their work to the world because Mom says it's really good.
For those of us who get beyond that, there is the business of publishing. Here the rewards come from sales, from reviews, and from fans. Fans should not be shy about telling writers that they like their work.
In a week that was downright awful, my sanity (whatever of it I still hold) was aided by two fans. At an artists' show on Saturday, a man told the director of the show how much he loved my books. She, bless her, brought him to me and had him repeat the praise. That same day I received a long letter from a fan, detailling everything she liked about two of my books. Honestly, it was like water to a drowing woman.
So when you read a book you like, find the author online and tell him or her so. Be brief but specific. Do it no matter how big the author is. Unsolicited praise is the best, and we love it when you say exactly what we've done that tickles your fancy.
