Ask! Tell!

[Dorien Grey]

Almost every writer I know works his/her tail off trying to court new readers (and to keep current readers interested and coming back for more). Most writers have websites, and I've always thought the fact that "web" is part of the word is, albeit unintentional, prophetic. While it may be an unflattering image, writers spin their websites with the sole intention of catching readers.

My webmaster and I are always trying to come up with new ways to have vistors come by, and as a matter of fact, the site has just undergone a total makeover. I'd be pleased if you would stop by http://www.doriengrey.net and let me know what you think of it.

Yet for all our efforts, the only real way we have of knowing how successful those efforts are is when we get some sort of direct feedback. And feedback is a rare commodity, indeed.

For some reason, readers seem to be intimidated by writers. "I'm just a reader" is a phrase I've heard countless times, and it always sends me into paroxysms of frustration. "No!" I keep saying: "you're not 'just a reader', you're the reason we write! Without you, we might just as well be talking to ourselves."

So just how does a writer encourage a reader to let him/her know what they think of the writer's work or various forms of outreach?

So please, if you are a reader, take a moment to drop a note to the writers whose work you enjoy. And if you're a writer, don't hesitate to ask your readers what they think...it's the only sure way of knowing.

More later, you can be sure.

Dorien