I can’t write without a reader. It’s precisely like a kiss—you can’t do it alone.
– John Cheever
Writers give us so much: Why not reach out, today, and try to bring a smile to a writer who has made a difference for you? Why not do it every day?
If you’re reading or recently read a book by a living author, and you enjoyed that book, take to social media and post a picture of you with the book, along with a line or two on what you liked about it or what stood out for you.
Believe it or not, a small gesture like that can really matter to a writer. Here at the Wellstone Center in the Redwoods, we work to celebrate books and writers in different ways, and I am repeatedly amazed how often I make some small gesture of reaching out to writers I don’t know personally and expressing my admiration for their work, only to be greeted with a torrent of gratitude and assurances of “You made my day!”
Every writer, even the kind of writer whose bookstore events attract hundreds, can tell you how lonely and even quixotic the toils of a writer so often feel. Social media is in a way the enemy of every writer, given how it messes with peoples’ ability to maintain a steady focus on any one piece of writing, but it can also be a great tool for letting a writer know you’re glad for what they do.
Posting pictures of yourselves book in hand is a way to honor a given writer, but more broadly you’re honoring reading – and encouraging other people to do the same. Instead of fuming over someone’s social media post about one of many dark, dark trends afoot in this ominously unpredictable year, why not try to put a little positive out there?
Better yet, a short video of you with a book, talking about why you liked it – interesting for your friends and “friends,” and a great way to talk back to a writer. For example, Barnes & Noble book clerks around the country posted videos before Father’s Day in which they held up a book they recommended and talked about why it was a great gift for dads. Talk about a nice gift for a dad – me! Michael, a book clerk in upstate New York, gave as his Father’s Day pick my most recent book. And yes, he made my day!
And to my fellow published authors: You can do it, too! Set an example and encourage others to do the same: Post here in the comments, in your own social-media feeds, or wherever.
Not so long ago we were hearing all sorts of chatter about the death of books, blah blah blah, and then it was all about how e-books would sweep away physical books lickety-split. That hasn’t happened. If you love reading, and love the feel of a good book in your hands, pass that love on and share it with others.
– Steve Kettmann
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