As a writer, it really makes my day to hear from my readers. Truly, it’s a wonderful thing to open an email and read that someone was touched by something I’ve written.
I also know how important it is for readers to hear back from their favorite authors. I remember sending an email to one of my favorite authors—Barbara Delinsky. I’d just finished her book, The Secret Between Us, and loved it and thought I should tell her so. So I sent her an email, never expecting to hear back from her, she was a bestselling author, so I understood that she would be very busy. Imagine my surprise when I received an email back! What really touched me is that she ended the email with, (and I’m paraphrasing) “Be careful this weekend, it looks like rain is heading your way.” I was blown away by that—that little detail meant so much to me. The fact that she would think to include that in her email made it feel very personal.
I always take the time to respond to anyone who contacts me. A young lady contacted me last week, and it took longer for me to get back to her because I caught a wicked stomach bug, but I did respond back to her.
So even though this post applies to writers, truly it applies to everyone. If someone takes the time out of their busy schedule and writes you a letter, respond. Did someone buy you a wonderful gift recently? Send them a thank you card. (And not a thank you text, email, or phone call, send them a real card!) Did someone who lives long-distance make the effort to give you a phone call? Call them back. The point is, respond to people when they reach out to you. Your response, as simple as it can be, could make a difference in someone’s life.
