Don’t Wait ‘Til It’s Too Late!
The last month or so has seen the passing of a couple of celebrity authors. Sue Grafton, writer of the “alphabet” mystery series, passed away on December 28, 2017. And then popular and influential sci-fi/fantasy author Ursula K. Le Guin died January 22, 2018. Both had a long and strong body of work, and were in their senior years when they died. However, they were mourned by many, and their loss will be felt by fans for a long time.
As I watched people on Twitter share their appreciation and love for these authors and the books they had written, telling how much they had been impacted by their work, a thought crossed my mind:
Did they ever say these things to these authors when they were alive?
I’m not judging. It’s possible many did. Besides, I share the guilt of leaving it too late to tell an author or musician how much their work has inspired me. So I say this to myself as much as to anyone else: don’t wait. Especially today, when many authors have made themselves available on social media, even if they are mega-famous, and you’ll probably never get a reply, drop them an email or a Tweet. Leave a comment on their blog. In some way, communicate to them the things you would say at their passing, only do it while they can still read and be blessed by your words.
No writer is too famous or too popular for recognition. Indeed, for a writer, to know that their work is read and has made an impact on people’s lives, is better than the royalty checks. Whether it’s a celebrity author, or a first-time novelist, or perhaps even a short story writer, if you love their work, let them know!
Too true! It absolutely makes my day when people tell me they’ve enjoyed my work. So I try to let authors that inspire me know how much I appreciate theirs.
Absolutely. I need to be better at doing the same.
Good advice. I’ve sometimes reached out to celebrities I’ve admired — the latest was “Summer of ’42” author Herman Raucher, and his emailed answer was a treat — and just as often, I’ve procrastinated until it was too late. Singer Harry Chapin used to come to my area to perform once a year, around the time of my sister’s birthday. She was a fan of his, so I always meant to take her to one of these concerts as a birthday present. I waited too long, unfortunately, and he died in 1981.
Thanks, Silver Fox. Too bad about Harry Chapin. That would have been a neat opportunity. Oh well, lesson learned.