It’s an easy habit to fall out of, though. You’ve got that right.

So thank you for the timely reminder!

Just wanted to say that this post reminded me that I need to pull that plug, too. I’ve been caught up in all of the social networking stuff and have really noticed a dip in productivity because of it. Thanks for the words of wisdom.

Martel

As for harboring contempt for the audience — be it loyal readers or aspirants — I think you more or less nailed it. Success is not “zero sum.” Imagine if the many successful authors out there — I found your blog via Dean Wesley Smith’s twitter — took a dump on every person who attempted to ask a question. The publishing world is already a tough place to work and compete. If all the successful folk were hostile to all the want-to-be-successful folk… What an ugly place publishing would be!

I’m fortunate to have had several working professionals who, over the years, were patient and kind and encouraging. You’re 100% correct. That effort on their part has earned them my enduring loyalty, and now that I’m starting to sell, I intend to “pay forward” in a similar fashion. It takes far less effort — for far greater dividend — to offer kindness and a good word, than to be rude or otherwise treat someone poorly.

Dean Koontz is one of my favourite writers and unlike some people he hasn’t forgotten what it’s like starting out. I don’t think is malicious most of the time, just that people are so wrapped up in themselves they just forget to remember what it was like before they were rich and famous.

Or is that me refusing to believe some people out there can be bloody horrible?

Robert J. Sawyer spoke at a recent conference and told us of his experience with Robert A. Heinlein. When asked, “How can I ever pay you back?” he responded, “You’ll never pay me back. Just pay it forward.”

Recently I bought a book and fell so in love I sent the author an email. It was short. I said I was writing, unpublished, and that I simply loved the journey of his story. I didn’t expect a response. A month later I got an email that was really wonderful, and short.

A week ago many (80+) writer blogger pals did a “pay if forward” blogfest where we all wrote a review of a book that we thought deserved ten stars. I emailed him again, told him I was going to review his book, and asked if I could mail him my copy to sign so I could give it away to a follower. He agreed and also commented on the post.

Thing one: I might not have chosen that book if he hadn’t delighted me with that email.

Thing two: I have 270+ followers on my blog. Not a whole lot, but several of them spoke of buying the book right away, and one even came back to comment she’d bought the book and was sitting at a coffee house reading and enjoying it!

His name is Kenneth Harvey and I’ll buy every single book he writes from now on. Proof positive of your post today.

Thanks!

A couple years ago there was an anomalous happening in my career, and I received several thousand e-mails/letters in a matter of a few days. Now that’s far from the reality of my commercial value, but it happened, and I spent over a year responding to each and every one of them. It triggered carpal tunnel in me, four operations, and I still struggle with it today. If I had it to do over again, I’d be more sensible about it, but you can do that with an honest explanation in a semi-form letter or e-mail coupled with a few unique lines of encouragement to each specific person. And you’re right, Dean Koontz is an amazing guy with his generosity of time. Moreover, he hand writes many of his letters. I kidded him one time about that, calling him an old-school gentleman for his correspondence habits, and he wrote back much amused and saying that he didn’t hand write out of protocol but rather because he did a lot of his correspondence on the hoof — standing in line at the bank, waiting in a doctor’s office, etc.

And here’s another dimension to the forward myopia you mention. I think people who succeed on the Fame-and-Fortune level sometimes get so single-mindedly focused on driving for more of it that they never discover the benefits of getting off the competitive highway. Almost everything I value has come to me because I took a detour. E.g. a couple years ago a new writer contacted me with a request, and in the ensuing correspondence it came out that she thought she had written me a few years before and I had not responded. Because I am essentially anal-retentive about such follow-throughs, I actually had copies of that correspondence, and she had mistaken me for someone else. Now, I have not only discovered that she is one of the most exquisitely promising writers out there, but we have become fast friends and she has added immeasurably to my writing. The best roads in life are inevitably detours…

– Sully