Woe! It’s Wednesday: The Lost Art of Connecting

 

For several years now, I've been writing "charming notes," (thanks to Carolyn See's Making a Literary Life) to authors, editors, and/or agents whose work touches me. 

Some days I spend more time looking for a snail mail address that might reach them than I do writing the note. Today I gave up who I was going to write to simply because she was impossible to contact except electronically.

I did a search for a mega-best selling author instead and BAM! there it was: a PO Box! Yippee!! I could write my note instead of wandering aimlessly in cyberspace.

I often think that one of these days I’m going to run out of writers or editors or agents but so far it hasn’t happened, even though I’ve been doing this for years. Not every day, as Ms. See recommends. In fact, I pretty much skipped 2011 but I’ve been back at it the last month or so.

I’ve received some lovely responses, a book or two, and the quiet satisfaction of having sent something nice out into the ether.

Alexander McCall Smith made my day with his snail mail letter sent to me in response. Same with Sophie Kinsella, Claire Cook, Dean Koontz, and Kristan Higgins. Margaret Maron. Beverly Cleary. I could keep going …

The one person I haven’t yet written to is … yep, Carolyn See.

I wanted to have some months of notes behind me before I added her to my list of notes mailed. And she says you must write on nice stationery with your name engraved or printed on it. I’ve had some made, but now I’m out and I’m just writing on any (nice quality) card I can find.  Then I put it off again because it will feel like an ending instead of a beginning.

But that’s silly. Right? Right.

She’ll be tomorrow’s note. If I can scrape up one more good quality card or sheet of paper.