So what has my back up today? It's writers, published writers, who do not and will not accept friend requests, retweet or link with me because I'm a writer too. Earth to you stuck up writers: I'm a reader as well as a writer.
Here's what happened. I sent a friend request to a writer who has a couple of books out but by no means can be considered a best-selling author. True, her first book sold reasonably well for a self-pubbed work. Her second went under contract to a small press. I have nothing against small presses. I'm published by one I love. So, this woman, yup, it was a female writer, accepted my friend request. Then, she sent me a direct message. And I quote:
"When I accepted your friend request, I thought you were a reader. Upon checking your Facebook pages, I see you are a writer. I don't waste my time with people who aren't likely to buy my books."
She unfriended me. I blocked her. She was right about one thing: I'm unlikely to buy any of her books now. Period.
I mean, really? Really?
I friend every writer and potential reader. I try to pay support forward through retweets and Facebook shares. I believe that every person is a reader, if not of my books, then of someone else's. I'm not perfect but I try to support readers and writers. Doesn't take much.
###
Betsy Ashton is the author of Mad Max, Unintended Consequences, and Uncharted Territory, A Mad Max Mystery, now available at Amazon and Barnes and Noble.
8 comments:
I'm with you on this one, Betsy. Writers do read, and let's face it, not all writers will be authors forever. But they will be readers forever. I predict your "friend" will be one of those because of Karma and a bad attitude.
Before you blocked her, you should have let her have it, Betsy! Unbelievable! Apparently she hasn't gotten the news flash that we're all in this together.
Oh. WOW. That is close to the stupidist thing I've ever heard a fellow writer do (second only to the one who cursed out the reviewer on Goodreads).
Who has time to investigate every friend request to that depth?! I look to try to make sure (1) it's a real person and (2) hopefully not likely to hit me up for money. (Once they do, I unfriend.) :-)
I think you're much better off with "friends" like that.
I mean "without" friends like that. :-)
That's stunning. Most of my friends are other writers. Like you, I try to do everything I can to help them out, and they reciprocate. The only FB friend requests I don't accept are from strange foreign men. I've ended up with some religious nuts, but they're otherwise harmless.
I stopped writing my hero's rant to think for a bit and popped in here only to find your rant. AND one of my pet peeves. People who think writers don't read, are moronic. I think 90% of the readers of my first published book were other readers, who knows, maybe more. Other writers have always supported me and I do the same for them. This poor soul--and I say that kindly, because I'd sooner call her an idiot, but I would never sink so low (give me a sec to climb back up) has no clue how the real publishing world works. I just cannot fathom the absurdity of her behavior. Simply un-freakin'-real.
Unreal, Betsy. All you can do is feel sorry for the woman. She is never going to live up to her own expectations. My author friends are a huge part of my life, writing or otherwise. Waste of time indeed. Her loss. Certainly not yours.
I can't believe that, Betsy. I mean, I believe you, but how can anyone be so stupid? I'm a reader--probably read more than I should (when I should be writing). Good riddance to her.
Post a Comment