The Joy of Getting Reader Feedback #IWSG

The IWSG question of the month for May: Has any of your readers ever responded to your writing in a way you didn't expect?

Whenever a reader responds--a good review, a fan email, a smile, a quiet thanks--I'm always surprised. Why? Because it means my writing touched someone enough that they went out of their way to let me know. It's easy to think you write in a vacuum, even when you're getting good sales. The stories go out, but percentage-wise, it's rare for anything to come back in terms of a response. Good, bad, or otherwise.

The time that surprised me the most was at a book festival. I was sitting around with other, better known authors, and a random person came up to the group and looked straight at me. 

"I know you," he said. 

I scrambled to place where I might've known him. At work? At school? At church? Nothing triggered.

"You wrote [insert novelette in an anthology that's now out of print--the same one I ended up rewriting and turning into the novella, Well of Ash]. I loved it!"

I kind of blinked at him. How on Earth did he recognize me? Turned out, he was a quiet follower of my blog and social media. This was an actual fan.They exist!

Don't think I've ever been more blown away.

So, if you love a writer's work, please let them know. We can live off that happiness for years to come ;)

Have you ever let an author know how much you loved their work? Have you ever been surprised by a reader's response?

 

This post was written for the IWSG. Every first Wednesday of the month, members post on their blogs about their writing insecurities or offer some encouragement to others. If you are new to the IWSG or want to learn more, then please go HERE.

The Reason Behind Choice of Genre #IWSG

Today is the official release of Well of Ash, a YA fantasy novella. 

I have a special treat for you. For a limited time, you can get a free copy of the novella. Get your free copy here. 

If the whispers call your name, run! 

Seventeen-year-old Ashina has more in common with an untamed fire lizard than the people who are supposed to be her new family. After running away, she’s drawn to the city’s mysterious Great Well. No one knows who built them across the world or why. To linger near makes the skin crawl and the mind drift in nightmares. And yet this one calls to Ash in whispers that pull her closer. 

Despite the warnings from a handsome stranger with gorgeous eyes, Ash searches for answers in dangerous places. Soon she’s caught in a tangle of peculiar events she can’t explain or escape. When both her sanity and life are threatened, she realizes she has more to lose than she thought. Ash must find the answers before she loses everything she holds dear. 

If you like dragons, magic, and a fierce heroine with a wounded heart, then you’ll love Well of Ash, a YA Fantasy novella by Elle Cardy. Jump in today to unravel the secrets. 

If you’d like to support me by buying a copy, then it’s also available on Amazon for Kindle and Paperback. 

If you don’t have a kindle, you can download the free kindle app for your phone, tablet and/or computer. 

A quick shout out to some supporters. Please visit their blogs and say hi from me:

Jemi Fraser, Diane Burton, Tyrean Martinson, C. Lee McKenzie, Ronel Janse van Vuuren.

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The optional IWSG question of the month: Why do you write what you write? 

As Elle Cardy, I write young adult epic fantasy. I also write scifi short stories and anything that has speculative elements. My fiction will always have something otherworldly and unusual. It will always have fierce female leads. And it will always have some kind of mystery that needs unraveling mixed in with high stakes. Why? Because that’s what I love to read. 

I prefer stories that are set in other worlds, or stories with otherworldly elements. 

Stories that are quick and easy to read. 

Stories with heroic acts and lots of heart. 

Stories that show people overcoming impossible odds. 

Stories that aren’t bogged down in politics or court intrigue. 

Stories that aren’t weighed by complex worldbuilding that has nothing to do with the plot or characters. (But I do love intriguing worlds) 

Stories that open the door to imagination and adventure. 

Why do you read or write certain stories? 

 Please mark Well of Ash "To-Read" on Goodreads. Every little bit helps.