Writing to Writers and Celebrities...

T

tonic

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I was just wondering if anyone has written to their favourite authors or celebrities. If so, who, and what did you get back? I haven't done it, but I've always contemplated it.
 
I'd love to write to Guy Gavriel Kay. I never knew he existed until my friend recommended Tigana to me, and it is the best book I have ever read. Fell in love with his others as well, though I haven't finished reading them all yet. I just feel like my letter would probably fall on deaf ears, since he probably gets TONS of letters... and then I'd be hurt b/c I didn't get a response. Maybe I'll try anyway....
 
Don't know about Kay; I haven't the information from anyone who has. However, most writers -- not all, but most -- love to get fan mail. Some, like Isaac Asimov, even make it a point of answering each and every one, even though that takes tons of their time (with Ike it got to where, in most cases, it was just a line or so, but he responded; this may have ceased with his final illness, I'm not sure, but I know for most of his life he answered every letter he got, unless it was abusive, etc.). I wrote to Michael Moorcock when I was about 15 and got a lovely personal response (granted, I was asking about information on one of his books, but it was a personal response). I've written to others and, in general, got such a response. These days I don't write because I know how precious time is for them; but that's no reason not to write -- just don't expect a quick answer; it may be months, if it comes at all. But I doubt it will fall on deaf ears; it will be a boost to their day, if anything.

Check with some of the writers on the forum, such as Rod or Mark or Teresa, etc., see what their take is on this. And quite a few writers have their own sites where you can e-mail them, too; so you may choose to use that route.
 
I Emailed Barbara Wood and Rick Riodan and got a reply a few days later. I was just hoping to get a response but never thought it to come so quickly. Robert Jordan also answers questions and readers comments posted on his blog.

Wow I've been away for a week and so many new posts to read! Don't you all ever go to sleep?
 
Sleep is for the weak and well fed. I am niether since my husband forgot where the kitchen is and I do not cook unless the kids are home.

Anyways.

I have never written any celebrity. But I promise you all that when my book gets published, turned into a b rated flick on the Sci Fi channel, and you all write me/email me, I will personally respond to every one. Even if it is just, "Hey cool dude."

:D
 
I contacted a few authors by letter a few years back, when asking for publishing advice. I sent out about 20 letters and most weren't replied to, but I did get replies from David Gemmell, Stephen Lawhead, and Gene Wolfe. Also had an email reply from Piers Anthony.

Letters were all sent "care of" to the addresses of the publishing houses.
 
I think most will try to reply, if you are polite and ask honest questions. Many these days have web sites, or you can write care of their publisher.

Over the years I have had advice, help and support from many. Some I wrote to, others I ran into on other forums, some having nothing to do with writing.


Peter Morwood and his wife Diane Duane, for advice and especially, Peter, for prodding me to keep going in the early days. Also tonnes of advice about writing about swords and other pointy weapons.

James Barclay, Janny Wurts and Matt Stover for taking the time to take my questions seriously, both on forums and in emails.

Most especially, Deborah J. Miller, for advice, and actually taking the time in her busy schedule to read some of my work, a great kindness which I can never repay.
 
I have occasional email exchanges with Pete Crowther (PSPublishing) but never bothered with anyone else...
 
Being out on the limits of civilisation, I've written to several of my favorite authors over the years, and had several very pleasant responses (my letters have a tendency to be long). Marion Zimmer Bradley put one of my analyses of Darkover biology in her magasine (for which it had not been prepared; I'd have done a lot more preparation had I even considered the possibility) while Spider Robinson sent me the words of a song he wanted set to music. Several others sent back personal replies, either written or electronic, or standardised (which probably meant they'd never read them)
Over the years only three authors have not responded in any way, and those could well have been lost in the post orifice.;)
 
I've only written two letters to an author. The first was to the late Roger Zelazny (c/o his publishers) saying how much I liked his novel Nine Princes In Amber. He sent a very nice reply and enclosed the second and third books in the series, which I didn't know even existed at that time. I thought it was quite amazing that he should have taken the trouble to do that.

The second letter I sent was again to Roger, thanking him for the books.

I've spoken to John Betancourt and Eric Flint in various online forums and I think quite a lot of authors like to get involved in forums and message boards.
 
I think my most amazing experience with writing an author was T. E. D. Klein; I'd read his The Ceremonies and was tremendously impressed, writing a quite long critique of it, but bemoaning the fact that I'd not been able to find the book which held the original short story which served as the seed for the later novel. Not only did he write me a rather good-size reply to my analysis, going into various points, but he made a copy of that rather scarce book and sent it to me.

As far as John Betancourt: I've not dealt with him as a writer, but have with his involvement with Wildside Press, and he's always been very cordial and helpful. In my experience, the majority of writers are very friendly folk. It's only when you tend to get into the literati that you end up with that kind of snobbishness as a general rule. (And not always there.)
 
There's several authors I've met and corresponded with, several Aussie authors and international writers. Let's not forget we're corresponding with the resident authors on this forum too of course.

I don't tend to make this a major priority but if authors contact me and vice versa and we develop an online relationship of sorts then all well and good...:)
 
My husband has spoken to a few authors, most recently, Kelley Armstrong via email, and George R.R. Martin over the phone (no you can't have his number).

I reckon most authors that have their info out there for the general public to see, don't mind getting letters.
 
On Gollum's point - don't forget that conventions are a great way to meet with and speak to authors - most of which are more than happy to chat with people.
 
I said:
I contacted a few authors by letter a few years back, when asking for publishing advice. I sent out about 20 letters and most weren't replied to, but I did get replies from David Gemmell, Stephen Lawhead, and Gene Wolfe. Also had an email reply from Piers Anthony.

Letters were all sent "care of" to the addresses of the publishing houses.
Click to expand...

Piers Anthony? Wow that is awesome. I have read quite a bit about him, he seems very kind and normal. And Piers is absolutely one of my favorites, he is just frelling out there, you know? lol. Cool to know that someone like Anthony would take the time to reply to lowly aspiring writers like us. Not that I will write him, but knowing that he would reply if I did makes me happy.
 
I cornered Pat Murphy at WorldCon and asked her to come talk to my students--and she did! (I guess that's not writing to her, though . . . )
 
I wrote to Janny Wurts and she was incredibly friendly and generous in her response. She seems like a really nice person.
 
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