If writers only wrote for money 95% of us would quit.  Yes, sad but true is the statistic that tells us 5% of the authors out there are making 95% of the money.  Why do the rest of us do it?  It has to be for love.  Love of the creative process?  Maybe, but in my opinion that isn’t enough, either.  Would we be happy just writing our stories and letting them sit in our desk drawers?  I wouldn’t. 

So what is it?  Do we write for the love of our publishers?  Hell no.  I may be wrong, but I think I’ve noticed a trend of money making the world go around and that includes the publishing industry.  My publisher might love me if I made her a rich woman, but I’m not in that 5% yet…so no.  I’m not one of the fortunate authors “singled out” for special treatment because I could afford to put my boss in a yacht.

So where are we getting our love from?  Simple.  Readers.  Who else have no obligation to love us, but do, simply because we shared something we created and they loved it? Readers, reviewers, fans…call them what you will, that’s who keeps us going.    

I received a fan letter two days after Love Cuffs was released. I recently asked the reader if I could share her letter and she gave me an enthusiastic ‘yes,’ so here it is.

Unsolicited fan letter

Hi; I just finished reading Love Cuffs and wanted you and your writing partner Dalton Diaz to know how much I enjoyed it.  It was just about the most entertaining and funny story I’ve read to date; certainly up there with the likes of Amarinda Jones who also writes humorous erotic fiction (a favorite Authoress of mine).  I almost didn’t read it Love Cuffs either and boy, would I have missed out on one fabulous tale.  I normally don’t read stores written in the first-person and that is what almost kept me from reading Love Cuffs BUT thankfully the subject of the story attracted me and I dove-in!

It’s a wonderfully humorous story and I loved it from beginning to end.  You (Ashlyn) and Dalton did a fantastic writing job and I’ll be looking for more of your stories in the future.  I did notice that there are already stories out by you and I’ll be checking into those shortly. 

Thank you for such a find story.  It’s always a pleasure to find new favorite writers. 

Take care.

Colleen

Goleta, CA

Thank you, Colleen. It’s words like yours that keep us putting our words together in semi-coherent ways for the love of it, and you make it worth everything we go through to share the love with you.  I don’t know where I’d be without kind words from my readers.  There are so many people out there ready to tear you down without blinking, but a letter like this can make all the difference in my day, week, month and career! 

So when we’re not making as much money as we know we’re worth, what makes up for it?  You do, readers!  You do.

Ash