How to Make an Author Happy

A lot of things make an author happy...
  • a good writing day
  • an interested publisher
  • a helpful but not brutal editor
I could go on, but at the top of the list is positive reader feedback. We want to be appreciated. Heck, we want our books to be loved.

Most authors work alone, at least for the writing part. By necessity we try to ignore all distractions including non-critical family interaction. Read the acknowledgements of the authors you enjoy. Whoever else they thank, most of them will express heart-felt gratitude to their family for being so patient and supportive.

 Family members and friends can be a wonderful support, but they aren't usually the people authors write for. We enjoy their pats on our backs, but what we really crave is our readers' applause. There are two ways we "hear" that applause: book reviews and fan mail.

Fan mail prompted this post.
Really enjoyed this book. Keeps you guessing when someone is going to find out about Marley being a girl,the characters are strong the story is strong, grabbing onto your imagination. I didn't want to stop reading until I found out how the story ended.
Loretta Webb
This is the kind of mail that really makes my day. I hope Loretta also posts this on Amazon. A good review sells books. That's the other reason we love them so much. Review = Sales = Coffee so we can keep writing. (Well, that's how it works for me.)

 So, do your favourite authors a solid and review the books you enjoyed. You'll make their day and you might make the difference between a medium brewed coffee and an extra large espresso beverage next time they're in their local coffee shop.