Go Write Some FanMail

Escushion · Post by **Escushion** » Sun Nov 27, 2005 8:21 am

I remember a while back, Ian of RPG World had a newspost telling people to just write a fanmail to one of their favorite webcomic authors--not necessarily him

--because it's nice to get something like that.

A lot of us enjoy a lot of webcomics, but how often do we get off our lazy asses to write an E-mail of appreciation? Not as often as we should. I usually just post on the forum, but how much effort does that take?

So I think it'd be cool to initiate a little push in the right direction. All of us write 3 fanmails today, to different authors. They can be your favorites or just ones you like; the most popular webcomics or ones nobody's ever heard of. Just write three, and you might brighten up a webcomic author's day. I'm off to write mine now.

Ymmot · Post by **Ymmot** » Sun Nov 27, 2005 10:45 am

I appreciate nothing! I am negative nay sayer man!

but seriously this is a damn fine idea...spread around some of that holiday lovin' to your favorite writer/cartoonist.

bonus points for sexy polaroids!

Rkolter · Post by **Rkolter** » Sun Nov 27, 2005 11:45 am

Dear McDuffies,

Why haven't you written back? It seems like it's been such a long time since I heard from you. The pictures I took of you through your bedroom window are starting to fade, and ever since I left those messages on your answering machine, you haven't kept your window shades open. Is this how you treat me after all we've been through together? It's like you're stabbing me in the heart and ripping out my spleen. I'll show you... ohhhh yes, yes I will. Ohhh... I can't stay mad at you. Come on, my sweet cat, write back. Tell us who you love.

your secret admirer.

Ymmot · Post by **Ymmot** » Sun Nov 27, 2005 11:51 am

rkolter wrote: Scary stuff written to Mcduffies.

that there just scored all sorts of points on the creepy meter.

Hooray for fan mail day!

LibertyCabbage · Post by **LibertyCabbage** » Sun Nov 27, 2005 11:58 am

i'm fairly responsive to the comics i read but i will do some fan mail today anyways!

Starline · Post by **Starline** » Sun Nov 27, 2005 12:34 pm

Or, you can draw fanart for them.

That cheers artists up too.
(I did. You never know, they might draw something back for you.)

McDuffies · Post by **McDuffies** » Sun Nov 27, 2005 1:39 pm

Well, to be serious for a moment, I don't think that it's a good thing, forcing yourself to send fan letters just for the same of sending three mails a day. It's insincere and, frankly, I think it's ridiculous. Waiting next to your mailbox for something to come up even more.

rkolter wrote:Dear McDuffies,

Why haven't you written back? It seems like it's been such a long time since I heard from you. The pictures I took of you through your bedroom window are starting to fade, and ever since I left those messages on your answering machine, you haven't kept your window shades open. Is this how you treat me after all we've been through together? It's like you're stabbing me in the heart and ripping out my spleen. I'll show you... ohhhh yes, yes I will. Ohhh... I can't stay mad at you. Come on, my sweet cat, write back. Tell us who you love.

your secret admirer.

Now see, that was sincere.

Ryuko · Post by **Ryuko** » Sun Nov 27, 2005 1:43 pm

It's not about forcing it, it's about tangibly appreciating the atrists you already like.

Escushion · Post by **Escushion** » Sun Nov 27, 2005 1:58 pm

Exactly. It's a matter of writing to those you like enough to send fanmail to, but just haven't done so. If you feel like it's forcing yourself, then that's missing the point. This is a thread of motivation, not guilting or forcing.

McDuffies · Post by **McDuffies** » Sun Nov 27, 2005 2:10 pm

Well if you felt like writing, wouldn't you write it by now?

Ryuko · Post by **Ryuko** » Sun Nov 27, 2005 2:18 pm

Sometimes it just doesn't come to you that you can. If you regularly read a comic and like it, you might just not have sent a fanmail, it might not have occurred to you. I usually do though, so I dunno who I'd send mail to.

Starline · Post by **Starline** » Sun Nov 27, 2005 2:27 pm

mcDuffies wrote:Well if you felt like writing, wouldn't you write it by now?

Ah. He has a point.

Escushion · Post by **Escushion** » Sun Nov 27, 2005 2:28 pm

And again, Ryuko has it before I do.

I don't really see this as a morally complex topic

.

EDIT: Alright fine Star, if I must get into it further...

Maybe I didn't word this correctly. Maybe what appears to be my initial post really says "GO WRITE TO WEBCOMIC AUTHORS OR YOU'LL CONTRACT HEMMEROIDS! EXTREME ONES!" If this is what my post really says, please let me know so that I'll be aware that I don't know how to read.

But on the chance that my post actually does say what I think it says: This is just a matter of getting to it. There are plenty of webcomic authors I like and whom I like the work of. I just don't bother writing them to tell them about it. There's no reason I don't, I just don't. I don't even consider it.

This is a thread about considering it. And then, after you've spent hours and hours weighing the positives and negatives of this decision, perhaps actually writing something to them. The point of the thread is to point out that yes, you can write something nice to someone, they probably won't mind, and you're letting your opinion of their work be known to them.

This is only insincere dependent on the attitude of the person reading the thread. If the person reads the topic and says "Uggh, well okay, I guess. Geez, what a pain in the ass. I gotta' write fanmail to people and arrgh, it's such a hassle", then don't do it. Doing so then would be sincere. But if the person reads the topic and says "Hey, y'know, I do like this one author's comic, and I wanna' tell 'em that. Maybe it'll brighten up their day and let them know their work is appreciated at least by me", then do it. That's sincere, it's just that the topic was a catalyst.

If you're still sour over it, then blame Ian Jones. That's what I always do.

Beyonder_alpha · Post by **Beyonder_alpha** » Sun Nov 27, 2005 4:08 pm

starline wrote:they might draw something back for you.)

That candi's bad for my teeth :grins:

Sincerely · Post by **Sincerely** » Sun Nov 27, 2005 5:46 pm

It sounds kind of weird, posting a statement like this on a message board but: I'm really shy. I have a lot of trouble drawing attention to myself. My participation on a (this) message board is accomplished through pure force of will and done only with the understanding that I am least likely to be noticed this way. Sending fanmail is so beyond my current scope.

Honestly, it terrifies me.

Escushion · Post by **Escushion** » Sun Nov 27, 2005 6:13 pm

sincerely wrote:It sounds kind of weird, posting a statement like this on a message board but: I'm really shy. I have a lot of trouble drawing attention to myself. My participation on a (this) message board is accomplished through pure force of will and done only with the understanding that I am least likely to be noticed this way. Sending fanmail is so beyond my current scope.

Honestly, it terrifies me.

I'd never have guessed that, because you're really active here.

Sincerely · Post by **Sincerely** » Sun Nov 27, 2005 6:21 pm

Er. Yeah. Confront your fears and all that.

Escushion · Post by **Escushion** » Sun Nov 27, 2005 6:26 pm

Which I think is the right idea. So, keep posting.

Sincerely · Post by **Sincerely** » Sun Nov 27, 2005 6:27 pm

I'm trying to get to 200 right now. I wanna be a Simple Gene.

Escushion · Post by **Escushion** » Sun Nov 27, 2005 6:30 pm

I think 200 is still Expensive Customer.