In 
“Making a Literary Life,” Carolyn See suggests a campaign of writing one letter of praise or appreciation to a writer every day. She envisions white envelopes crisscrossing in the sky like sailboats of praise to solitary writers. Or something like that. I’m paraphrasing. But isn’t is a wonderful idea? I believe the rewards are great, even if only one out of five or ten authors ever respond to you.
Last year, I emailed author Lisa Selin Davis to tell her I’d been recommending her book, “Belly,” to people in my MFA program for studying characterization and voice. She wrote back to me that she’d been tossing around the idea of writing another book, but hadn’t acted yet, and my praise got her thinking that she needs to act on her idea. My friend Ann wrote to Joanna Briscoe to praise her novel “Sleep with Me,” and Ms. Briscoe responded that she’s been struggling with a manuscript, and Ann’s words were the encouragement she needed to keep going. Today, MFA candidate Paul Kirsch blogs about letters to writers he’s written, one to Stephen King, that resulted in a response from his secretary that included a lecture transcript with recommended reading, and another to his favorite short story author, that resulted in a correspondence in which the author is sending him a book.
Paul believes writing such letters has a potential ripple effect that can’t be measured, and I agree. Many authors, years after their novel or stories are published, wonder if their work is still being read, and if it’s still inspiring anyone. Since having an impact on readers is what we aspire to as writers, I urge you to send a letter to another writer or two (more, please, if you’re inspired!) to let them know how their work has influenced you. Instead sailing envelopes through the air, we’ll more likely zing emails through cyberspace, but I believe the effort will have the same positive effect.
Postscript: I wrote to Marcy Dermansky telling her how much I loved Bad Marie. She thanked me, and put me on her mailing list. I was pleased to get a note from her that she’s now taking editing clients. Well, I became one of her clients, and I couldn’t be happier because the novel she helped me with, In the Context of Love, is published.
I always liked that advice from Carolyn See and have written a few authors myself, even sent most of the letters I’d written, but have only ever heard back from one, Ms. See, herself, who was very kind. I think I might start writing authors again, but perhaps just an open letter posted on my blog. I get tired of writing book reviews all the time and sometimes just want to say that I liked a book and tell how it helped me get me through the day or some other inconsequential thing. Thanks for reminding me about this cool idea.
You’re welcome, Tim! Maybe what you might consider inconsequential isn’t really? Thanks for stopping by. I just read your essay in Sweet and found it uplifting. I have three grown children. It hasn’t been easy.