Why Saying Thank You Goes a Long Way

As a blog tour manager and a public relations consultant, I say a lot of thank you's during my day:

"Thank you for placing my client in the article!"
"Thank you for considering them for your podcast!"
"Thank you for writing your review of that book!"

However, I admit, sometimes I forget. It gets busy. I delay because of other priorities. I say to myself I'll get to it later. And then I don't.

But then, a reminder comes in. And I get an email that says something like this:

"Hi Nicole, 

Did the author read my post? I didn't even get a comment. I spent a lot of time on that post."

A blogger has even asked me to remove them from my list because of this reason. And I feel bad. I wonder, Did I at least leave a comment? And I can't say that I always do, although I try (and I'm getting better at it). 

And sometimes I wonder if I did enough to remind the author to leave comments. Unfortunately, yes, I do. But can't force someone to comment, of course. 

Which is why I decided to write this post.

Whether your expertise or book was shared by Real Simple Magazine or a small blogger that doesn't even own their own domain, a thank you goes a long way.

The funny thing is I also see reporters of established magazines and websites have the same problem. They go a long way for someone and never hear a thank you.

And I'm not sure we always see the benefits of leaving a thank you. And you don't want to say a thank you just because of what you can get out of something.

However, there are things that come from a well-placed thank you. I review books on my blog, and if an author shares a well-thought-out thank you, I'm more likely to review their book again. Or if I get a personal email from them with a thank you, and they invite me to take some next steps (follow them on social media, subscribe to a newsletter, join a review team, etc), I'm far more likely to stay involved.

One of the best things you can do for your book publishing career is a well-placed thank you. No matter what level of the blog, place a thank you. And you know, even if they didn't like your book. No, you don't need to say thank you but try not to get into a snark match with them. That goes a long way too. If you dare, thank them for their honesty.

I just wanted to write this because of my recent experience. Thank you for your time! 

Nicole Pyles is a writer living in Portland, Oregon. When she's not hunting down the right word, she's talking to God, reviewing books on her writing blog, watching movies, hanging out with family, and daydreaming. Her work has been featured in Ripley's Believe it or Not, WOW! Women on Writing, The Voices Project, Sky Island Journal, and Arlington Literary Journal. Her poetry was also featured in the anthology, Dear Leader Tales. Read her musings at WorldofMyImagination.com.

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4 comments Nicole Pyles, saying thank you

The Writer’s End-of-the-Year To Do List

Yes, it’s a To Do list. But it’s a simple To Do list. I mean, I’m the queen of “Just Get ‘Er Done.” Heck, there’s one on the list that you can literally do with your eyes closed. But for now, open your eyes and let’s get started.

Dump ‘Em

This might be my favorite end-of-the-year task, the ruthless emptying of emails in Ye Old Inbox. But here’s why I can afford to be ruthless: I answer all personal and/or business emails in a timely manner. It’s the “extra” emails that I promise myself I’ll get back to…the newsletters, the blog posts, the miscellaneous writing offers... that sit in Ye Old Inbox, gathering virtual dust.

So chances are good, I can live without that information. So can you! Don’t think about it. Don’t waffle back and forth. Don’t wonder if you might have a moment to peruse old emails on New Year’s Eve when you’re sitting in front of the fire with a nice adult beverage. You won’t.

Dump ‘em.


Update ‘Em


Yeah, I know. You always mean to update your links, that personal information, your entire blog. But you haven’t and now it’s the start of a new year. Take an hour or so and tidy up things in your online world.

If you haven’t written a blog post in seven months, then blogging might not be the best online presence for you. Think about a website instead where you can occasionally list news and events. And if you have a website, check your links to make sure they’re still working. Add current information, maybe even a few photos.

Scan your social media sites to see which, if any, work for you. Better to have one presence you enjoy and keep up with regularly than a half dozen where you do nothing. You want people to find you fresh and engaging, not stale and shabby. And where are they going to look? Online.

Update ‘em.


List ‘Em


Here’s where you get to close your eyes—not right this minute, people; you need to read all about goal-setting. But take some quiet time, a walk, or even a long, hot bath, and think about what you’d like to accomplish in the coming year.

And here is the most important thing to consider: Think about what YOU want to achieve. Don’t think about what your writer friend has done, or what that critique group member insists you should do. Where would you like to see your writing career going in 2017?

Got it? Great. Now think about what you need to do to accomplish that goal. Be specific and realistic. If you want an agent, then list at least three actionable goals that will help you achieve that main goal.

You’ll need to list specific goals for each main goal, but the time you put into this task will pay off. So close your eyes and contemplate. Then get to down to business with those goals.

List ‘em.


Send ‘Em


You don’t have to go full formal on thank yous. But the end of the year is a good time to send a quick email, expressing gratitude.

Did you work with an editor? A thank you with an “I’d love to work with you again in 2017” might be just the nudge needed to remind that editor of the great work you’ve done. At the very least, you can ensure that you’ll get an editorial calendar.

Know a writer who was especially helpful to you and your career? Bet he or she would appreciate hearing about your success. You just can’t go wrong with thank yous.

Send ‘em.

And so I'm sending you a big thank you. Thank you for reading, thank you for all the lovely comments you've shared with me, thank you for all the support! Let's do it again in 2017, okay?

~Cathy C. Hall

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14 comments Cathy C. Hall, goal-setting, online presence, organization skills, saying thank you, social media, writer's advice

Saying Thank You To An Author

I’m up to my elbows in homework sheets and webinars and thirty-minute-dare writing—and I’m having a blast!

I’m getting tons of information, from a slew of entertaining authors, across all kinds of genres, from picture books to Young Adult. It’s free, too, courtesy of Kidlit Summer School, organized by a couple of Nerdy Chicks. And ultimately, of course, I’m getting improved writing, which is pretty much invaluable.

So how does one thank all of these dedicated, generous folks? The authors who bring us events like Kidlit Summer School? Or the upcoming Write-on-Con? Or the legions of writers who share their expertise and experience in daily blog posts or weekly free newsletters or free offers of ebooks?

I’ve said it before, but I’ll say it again: If you really want to thank authors, read their books and write a review.

And I’m not even saying you have to buy the books. Check out the book from your local public library. And if you don’t see an author’s book on the shelf, fill out a request for it. Get those librarians’ tongues wagging! (But if you know you’re going to buy the book, then think about pre-ordering it. Pre-sales can really bump up a book’s impact, both with publishers and booksellers!)

When you write your review, post it where it can help the author. Whether you like Amazon or not, it’s a major player in the publishing business, so slap it up there as well as on Goodreads or your favorite online bookshelf. Share the review on your social media.

And if you just aren't comfortable writing a review, then consider sharing a tweet or two—140 characters, that’s all—about why you’re enjoying the book. Did it make you laugh? Bring you to tears? Keep you up all night? That’s the sort of book love that will grab the attention of your followers, and lead them to read the book!

And after you’ve done all that, you’ve spent a grand total of…let’s see. A couple hours? We can afford 90 minutes, right?

See, I’m convinced that most writers are eager to thank all these authors who organize free events and share their writing love. We rack our brains, wondering how we can do something to return their generosity. And all along, the answer is as simple as reading a book.

And then telling everyone how wonderful it is.


~Cathy C. Hall

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10 comments book love, book reviews, Cathy C. Hall, goodreads, Kidlit Summer School, Nerdy Chicks, saying thank you, Write-on-Con

Saying 'Thank you'

by LuAnn Schindler

I wrote my first freelance piece when I was a high school junior. My class attended a career fair and I sat in on the journalism panel. I liked writing. I was good at it. I always knew I inherited the I-love-English gene from my dad, who was my high school English instructor.

The editor of the local newspaper led the group discussion, and we brainstormed story ideas and angles, just like a "big-time" newspaper would develop articles. It was fun and I was hooked. So at the end of the panel, the editor asked me if I would like to write one of the stories I'd mentioned during the discussion. Naturally, I said yes.

After the story was published, the editor sent a personal, handwritten note to me that said thanks for the story and keep up the good work.

I never forgot about the power associated with that thank you note.

When I was editor of a literary magazine, I always wrote a personal thank you note to authors of the stories I selected for publication. It just seemed like the right thing to do. Those writers made my job enjoyable, and I felt lucky to be able to promote their writing talents.

Now, as a freelancer, I think it's important to say thank you to those people who play a part in helping me develop a story. After one of my stories goes to print, I send a thank you postcard to sources I interviewed for the article. I thank them for their time, their expertise, and their stories. I also let them know the publication date, in case they missed it.

Those thank you notes are a good piece of PR. It keeps a writer's name in front of a source. And sometimes, those sources have called or emailed and led me to another story.

Consider the power of a thank you note the next time someone offers a story. It just might lead to more opportunities.

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1 comment LuAnn Schindler, PR, saying thank you, thank you notes