Would You Want Your Favorite Author To Read A Book You Wrote

[RussetDivinity]

I'd be unlikely to send my book to any of my favorite authors, partly because some are dead and partly because I wouldn't want to take up too much of their time. However, if they were to pick up the book off a shelf or have it recommended to them, I'd love the chance to have my book read by someone whose writing I admire. If they were to tell me how they felt about it, that would be even better.

[moderntimes]

Russet (and others)...

Some here seem to be separating themselves from well-known authors. And indeed, some are aloof and unapproachable, and are famous celebs who are isolated from the general public. But most writers are "real" people who go on book release tours and are quite accessible. Many of these personable writers, for example, maintain an active website or Facebook presence and are always chatting with fans.

If your own writing is similar to that favored author (such as similar genres) then you might try to establish a connection. I did this with a very well known mystery author whose modern-day American private detective books are classics. As a private detective author myself, I got in touch with him to ask him a legitimate question. I also was at the time doing book & movie reviews for the local newspaper and shared with him a sarcastic review I'd written about a particularly awful mystery "thriller", about which this well known author got a huge laugh.

Anyway, we established a real correspondence. Later, when my first novel was sold, he graciously provided a review, which really helped boost sales.

Point being, don't place well known writers on too much of a pedestal. Most of them (there are of course a few jerks) are approachable. And are therefore potential "allies" and resources. And many of them would be very happy to read your book.

This of course means not that you've simply finished a novel, but that your book's been sold to publisher and is in print (or about to be), which establishes that critical "professional" aspect of your being a "real" author. But if your book's in print (not self-published!) then yes, a famous author might indeed be happy to read that book and provide comment, maybe even a cover blurb, as did the famous author for my first novel.

Therefore, don't sit in a corner by the stove and dream of things. Instead, do them!

[chrystal_vaughan]

I would love to have Stephen King, or Dean Koontz, or Thomas Harris read my latest book. Mostly, I'd like to get their input on what I did right (write haha) and what I need to work on. It would be awesome to have that kind of mentorship, in my opinion.

[moderntimes]

Good luck on Thomas Harris. He's a bit of a recluse, rarely gives interviews, never tours, is otherwise not much approachable. Koontz I know nothing about personally. And King is a huge corporation by now, he the CEO.

Of the few authors I've met, one has been Cormac McCarthy (author of Blood Meridian, Child of God, The Road, No Country for Old Men). I knew him very slightly in El Paso, found him to be a brilliant and congenial man. This was of course before he gained national prominence.

[Erich_gray]

Yes I would, but then I have many favorite authors. If I had a choice, I would say I would like to have Margaret Weis or Tracey Hickman review what I am writing as well as David Eddings or Stephen Lawhead. Hmmmm.. The list can go on and on..

[clmartz]

I have enough anxiety having people I know read my writing--to have my favorite author even so much as glance at it would send me into a full fledged panic attack!

[Erich_gray]

Clmartz, I do agree with you there. If it came down to reality, I would be shaking like a leaf if one of my favorite authors wanted to review something I was writing.

Erich

[Alden Loveshade]

I've been blessed to have some of my favorite authors read my work. But it was a long time before I got comfortable enough to ask. I kept in mind, "This is just one person's opinion."

[ALynnPowers]

That would be so scary! But I would go for it, I think, if I had the chance to get a famous author to read it. I think they would be courteous enough to just not say anything if they didn't like it, but if they did like it, they would give it good ratings and then it could become famous as well! Possible? Maybe?

[hpsecrets99]

I would be absolutely terrified to give something of mine to my favorite author! I think I would mostly feel not worthy. But if the opportunity ever came up, I think it would be great!

[Courtney Whittamore]

I would be nervous about it, but ultimately if I had the opportunity of any of my favorite authors to read my writing then I would most definitely suck it up and let them read it, telling them in advance to tell me their real opinions: no holds bard. They have already achieved the success that I am aiming for, and are also sympathetic to the process, specifically the aspect of the initial sharing of your work. It is a very personal thing to be a writer; you put your heart and soul into your work. To have that piece of you rejected is a very personal feeling. So knowing that, I think they would provide the kind of criticism that could be harsh, but would also show you how to make your writing successful. That is the most invaluable kind of feedback you can get.

[amybo82]

I think I would hate for David Sedaris to read my stories! He would probably laugh at them and then write an amazingly funny story about how terrible mine are. Or maybe he would love them and try to steal them for his next book. Who knows!?

[MichaelMcManus]

I have one book that I would like my favorite author to read. He might like it. I am afraid he would find my other books a bit trivial. Unfortunately, it will never happen, because he has left this plain.

[stoppoppingtheP]

I think that I would be too embarrassed to let anybody who is so established to read my scribbles. I even get embarrassed to let my family read what I have written.

[LivreAmour217]

I am a total chicken, and I would probably not even think about sending anything I wrote to my favorite author. I would be wwaaaayyyyy too embarrassed if I found out that she didn't like it!

But then again, what if she did like it? Quite the dilemma!