Giving thanks to readers -- where's the appreciation?
As I was making my daily rounds on different sites getting a feel for what's going on in the tech industry, I couldn't help but think of one staggering issue I have always found with writing: rarely do we thank you, the reader.
I normally don't do this kind of writing and I try not to go off topic too often, but I couldn't resist this time around.
As I was making my daily rounds on different sites getting a feel for what's going on in the tech industry, I couldn't help but think of one staggering issue I have always found with writing: rarely do we thank you, the reader.
Take a look back and think of how many articles you have read from any number of writers and try to count how many times you were actually thanked for reading it. Sure, I know it's a little weird and it doesn't make sense to thank a reader every time I write something, but shouldn't you be thanked every now and then for taking time out of your day to read my rants? I think so.
For those of you who don't know my story, I was just like you about a year and a half ago. Believe it or not, my true writing career didn't really begin in earnest until August 2006. Before that, I was a Screen Savers fanatic who thought it would be cool to get into this business. In an attempt to get into writing, I contacted Andy Walker over atCyberwalker to see if I could write for him. He generously brought me aboard and let me make the mistakes you would find in any young writer. From there, I started writing for Ziff-Davis over at Gearlog thanks to a chance conversation with former PC Magazine Editor in Chief, Jim Louderback. Simply put, Jim gave me a shot and I will never forget that. From there, I guess the rest is history.
Today,I have the opportunity to tell the stories that thousands, if not millions of people, really want to know about. And while there's still an awful lot for me to learn and be exposed to, I appreciate everything I have been able to accomplish to this point.
Sometimes writers will claim that they made it in this business because of their superior skill or ability. I'm not so naive. I'm able to enjoy a modicum of success today because of you and that I will never forget. Success in writing is part skill, part luck and mostly readership. Without the latter, we have nothing.
So, thank you. Thank you for reading my work and helping make The Digital Home a mainstay in this dog-eat-dog world. And if you read any of my other stuff for other titles, thank you for reading that as well -- you really don't know how much I appreciate it. That's really all I can say -- thank you.
Now let's get back to work and go home.