My Pledge to You, My Readers 7

It sounds trite and cliché….but I cherish my readers. We write for YOU — the readers in our genre.  We, authors, are here to serve you.  Or at least that’s the way it’s supposed to be.

Readers and fans are like pearls–beautiful, rare, and precious. Readers are the engine that makes the publishing industry go. Without readers, we as writers can’t do what we do. But to retain the value of readers, they need to be cared for, carefully wrapped in velvet, and treated as a treasure.

I PLEDGE TO: 

1.  I PLEDGE TO: Always serve you the reader.
2.  I PLEDGE TO: To try to write what interests you and me.
3.  I PLEDGE TO: The best of my ability to keep my books fresh, original, and different rather than following every trend and trope.
4.  I PLEDGE TO: Remember–always– that you are NOT my minions.  You don’t run errands or promote my books.
5.   I PLEDGE: That your only job is to read my books at your leisure (or not), and (hopefully) enjoy the hell out of them.
6.  I PLEDGE TO: Never require that you sign a contract to receive an advanced reader copy of my books.
7.  I PLEDGE TO: Never require that you sign a contract requiring that you leave a review within three days, or five, or ten (or ever).
8.  I PLEDGE TO: Never BAN you for leaving a review that is “late.”  We all have lives, and books are to enhance your free time– not overtake your free time with deadlines and stringent requirements.
9.  I PLEDGE TO: Never BAN you for leaving a review less than 4 stars
10.  I PLEDGE TO: Never make a list of banned readers or reviewers–EVER!
11.  I PLEDGE TO AUTHORS: I will never tell you that your Newsletter is too small, or that you don’t matter to my blog
12.  I PLEDGE TO AUTHORS: I will never tell you that I won’t take your editorial review because you don’t have a title.
13.  I PLEDGE TO: Never knowingly copy, steal, or imitate another author’s book premise, book title, series title, or brand
14.  I PLEDGE TO:  Never post a reviewers’ one, two, or three-star review on Facebook for public ridicule
15.  I PLEDGE TO:  (and I’m sure I won’t always succeed but I will do my best) Treat everyone with respect and kindness.