tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2725342624231517088.post4954912079665960930..comments2023-10-30T15:13:22.680+00:00Comments on Strictly Writing: Is There Anybody There? - Guest Blog by Rosy ThorntonDThttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11803989273524731892noreply@blogger.comBlogger16125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2725342624231517088.post-39643472559755962412009-01-31T00:19:00.000+00:002009-01-31T00:19:00.000+00:00What a great idea!matric 1980What a great idea!<BR/><BR/>matric 1980Emerging Writerhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/06539530495238043923noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2725342624231517088.post-41930662596465814832009-01-28T11:50:00.000+00:002009-01-28T11:50:00.000+00:00"Is it wrong to admit that when I feel shitty I ge..."Is it wrong to admit that when I feel shitty I get that email out and read it over? ;)"<BR/><BR/>No. I have a little file called 'Cheerer-uppers' of a cherry-picked selection of that kind of thing, for those awful, sinking-stomached, have-I-got-it-all-horribly-wrong, three-in-the-morning horrors.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2725342624231517088.post-87883170166535846392009-01-28T06:39:00.000+00:002009-01-28T06:39:00.000+00:00I felt like a schoolgirl when I wrote fan-mail to ...I felt like a schoolgirl when I wrote fan-mail to Jaclyn Moriarty, but luckily she writes for teenagers anyway :) The most tongue-tied I've ever been was trying to tell Kate Grenville how much I loved her work. But you're right, Rosy, as readers we should do this more often. I recently had a very generous email from a fellow teen author about my book, and I didn't stop grinning for hours. Is it wrong to admit that when I feel shitty I get that email out and read it over? ;)E.G.https://www.blogger.com/profile/04739450222683170149noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2725342624231517088.post-80392626794762491252009-01-27T18:54:00.000+00:002009-01-27T18:54:00.000+00:00Great post, Rosy. And you're so right: most of the...Great post, Rosy. And you're so right: most of the time it feels as if you're standing on a mountain-top, singing (or whispering, or screaming) into the wind. I think the reason I'm even more moved by the PLR figures for Large Print loans is because it's small enough, and the group who'll be reading it are specific enough, that it begins to be possible to imagine them as Real People.<BR/><BR/>Sadly, the two most special and personal messages I've had (much too personal to quote here), and wanted to respond to, both ended up with my replies being bounced, though I tried every way I knew. Alison, in NZ at the time but hailing from NW United States, please do get in touch again about TMOL: your mail made me cry...<BR/><BR/>There's a great story that Jeremy Isaacs tells, of being a new young producer, making The World At War, and still not quite believing his own cheek in having persuaded Sir Laurence Olivier to do the voice over. And on the first day of recording Olivier was absolutely terrible. And on the second. Eventually Isaacs rang Olivier's agent, who said, 'Have you tried telling him he's wonderful?' Isaacs said, 'How can I tell HIM he's wonderful.' And the agent said, 'Well, he won't be any good till you do.' So he did, and he was... <BR/><BR/>We all need to know we're being heard.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2725342624231517088.post-71982624896422901302009-01-27T11:36:00.000+00:002009-01-27T11:36:00.000+00:00Lovely post, Rosy. I'm always writing to people t...Lovely post, Rosy. I'm always writing to people to tell them how much I love their stuff. I once went up to Sir Ian McKellan and had a lovely chat with him about how much I'd enjoyed his Richard. He seemed genuinely delighted. Funny how we assume these people already know how we love their stuff, but unless we tell them they won't.Geraldine Ryanhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/01575892095296317266noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2725342624231517088.post-72630111881929728062009-01-27T11:16:00.000+00:002009-01-27T11:16:00.000+00:00Thanks for your comments, everyone.I suspect all w...Thanks for your comments, everyone.<BR/><BR/>I suspect all writers are secret approval junkies - sad but true!Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2725342624231517088.post-35612398699393255782009-01-27T10:07:00.000+00:002009-01-27T10:07:00.000+00:00A wonderfully warm and wise post. Thank you, Rosy!...A wonderfully warm and wise post. Thank you, Rosy!<BR/><BR/>I've contacted authors when it's been easy (ie via websites) to tell them I've loved their book, and once did it face to face. I took a writing course run by Maggie Gee and had just read a fabulous book by her. Plucked up courage to tell her how much I'd enjoyed it, feeling a bit shy about it. But she was so delighted, it made me realise that even highly successful and prominent writers need to hear praise and know they've touched someone.<BR/>Great post and has made me think about doing this more often.Caroline Greenhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/04708248040141519582noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2725342624231517088.post-81969126847733836752009-01-27T10:06:00.000+00:002009-01-27T10:06:00.000+00:00Rosy - what a great post!I'm not 'famous' either b...Rosy - what a great post!I'm not 'famous' either but I do receive some messages and emails from readers. Like you say, each one is precious. <BR/><BR/>Caroline - I think there can be few writers who don't enjoy a message from a reader. The vast majority of us don't get that many so go ahead and write. Your words might just save a fed-up author from throwing their current book on the fire (or the cyber equivalent.)Phillipahttps://www.blogger.com/profile/06327571607067476569noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2725342624231517088.post-28389375782502355692009-01-27T09:34:00.000+00:002009-01-27T09:34:00.000+00:00Lovely heartwarming post Rosy!I hope the letters y...Lovely heartwarming post Rosy!<BR/><BR/>I hope the letters you received were...ahem...'More Than Love Letters' :) ;) !!Gillian McDadehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/02758782108258244355noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2725342624231517088.post-20216735288650285982009-01-27T06:37:00.000+00:002009-01-27T06:37:00.000+00:00I agree, MOB. One of the great things about writin...I agree, MOB. One of the great things about writing on the net - blogging, fanfic - is that it gives the authors immediate feedback.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2725342624231517088.post-77253799272558448792009-01-27T01:34:00.000+00:002009-01-27T01:34:00.000+00:00Feedback - oxygen for the writer's soul! That is ...Feedback - oxygen for the writer's soul! That is the nice thing about blogging - you get pretty good feedback even from the horrid trolls that don't like your work!menopausaloldbag (MOB)https://www.blogger.com/profile/04320287770097378027noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2725342624231517088.post-3286621510972675072009-01-26T23:42:00.000+00:002009-01-26T23:42:00.000+00:00How lovely to have those letters. Makes me really,...How lovely to have those letters. Makes me really, really want to receive some after my books come out (strangely it's not something I've really thought about before. Scary Amazon reviews - yes. Lovely letters - no. But that probably says a lot about me!). Did you write back? <BR/><BR/>I've never written a letter or email to an author but now I feel guilty about not contacted Lisa Jewell after something she wrote in "Vince and Joy" really resounded with me. I assumed she'd probably get loads of letters so decided not to bother. Hmmm....CL Taylorhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/04650291635298634215noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2725342624231517088.post-79838910029614693842009-01-26T22:23:00.000+00:002009-01-26T22:23:00.000+00:00So true, Rosy - whether published or unpublished. ...So true, Rosy - whether published or unpublished. Julia Cameron describes having no response as 'dropping pennies down an empty well' and it's sooo disheartening. I guess a longing for response is hardwired into our souls from the moment we're born and everyone (hopefully) coos over us...<BR/>SusiexAnonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2725342624231517088.post-59965100262712956072009-01-26T21:13:00.000+00:002009-01-26T21:13:00.000+00:00What a lovely post! I so often enjoy reading a boo...What a lovely post! I so often enjoy reading a book and wish I could tell the writer how great it was ... but then I think he or she probably hasn't got time to listen to a saddo like me, who might be a potential stalker. <BR/><BR/>And yet ... if someone comments on my blog I'm thrilled, and if anyone emails me through my website I'm doubly thrilled.<BR/><BR/>If I ever get an actual fan letter when my book is out, I'll be in raptures!Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2725342624231517088.post-84650716384822003012009-01-26T20:41:00.000+00:002009-01-26T20:41:00.000+00:00That's soooo true. Those rare words of appreciatio...That's soooo true. Those rare words of appreciation are like jewels in a rather bleak desert ...<BR/><BR/>AxxxAnne Brookehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/03982495677389302410noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2725342624231517088.post-64925066435340274052009-01-26T20:28:00.000+00:002009-01-26T20:28:00.000+00:00How lovely for you to receive those letters, Rosy....How lovely for you to receive those letters, Rosy.<BR/><BR/>Great post - i'll certainly think about this next time I finish a book I love.<BR/><BR/>xAdministratorhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/13894920115299109640noreply@blogger.com