When I was a fledgling writer, I read that Isaac Asimov replied to every reader letter he ever received. (This was before Email. Yes, I am that old.) And I resolved that I wanted to be like him.
Over the years, I flatter myself that I kept up pretty well, even with the email. Like Asimov, I limited my responses to the first letter from any reader. I could not establish regular correspondence with anyone but I did want to let readers know they had been heard.
But now I can't. And it makes me sad.
Lately, my email has been flooded with 8 to 10 letters a day. They start out like reader email. They talk about the specific titles, and mention that they like the political intrigue or the character development. But then, some of the immediately offer to promote my books, for money, in various ways. Promises of increased orders, podcasts, you name it. Those ones I now see as AI generated and delete right away.
But I end up feeling like a sucker when it really looks like something from a reader, and I send a note saying, 'Hey, thanks for the positive feedback, and letters like yours keep me writing,' etc.
And the next day or in a few hours, I get an email back about how that reader is going to promote my books for me and help me reach a wider audience and so on. And I realize I've been suckered again.
So. With reluctance, regret and sadness, I will no longer be writing back to reader emails. I'll read them and hope they are real. But my hands are too worn out and sore for me to waste keyboard strokes replying to bots, AI and people hoping to provide for pay a service I simply don't need.
I am way behind on replying to real mail from readers. I have about 6 on the corner of my desk. I will be trying to get to them! Thanks for your patience.
I am saddened that AI, which could be doing so much good in the world, is instead clogging up my email box and blocking real reader mail.
