As an author, I hear lots of comments and questions over and over again. My least favorite is when I say I’m a writer/author/novelist and the person I’m talking to says, “Oh,” then changes the subject.

But there are several things I LOVE to hear so I thought I’d share them in case we ever meet and you need a conversation starter.

1. I love books! – Yes, there should be an exclamation point there. I don’t even need to know which books you love, the fact that you might read something I’ve written is enough for me.
2. I love your books. – This actually happened to me once. Someone I’d never met and who doesn’t even know my mother walked up to me at an event and said she loved my books. I wanted to hug her.
3. Do you have a card or flyer? – Why yes. Yes I do. Please take one or two–share them with your friends. I also have bookmarks and postcards and you can make me very happy by taking some.
4. Where can I buy your book? – You probably don’t even plan to buy one–just finding out that they’re available at major, on-line retailers as well as the local Christian bookstore and sometimes even the local independent bookstore is enough.
5. I post reviews of the books I read. – Ah, you are an author’s favorite. It’s lovely when someone reads, but it’s even nicer when they offer others a little encouragement to read as well, which is exactly what reviews do.
6. I reviewed your book. – And I don’t even mind if it wasn’t such a great review. The fact that you took time to share your thoughts about something I wrote is priceless. If you did say something nice, well all the better!
7. I really liked ________ (name of character). – This is like telling me you met one of my family members and were really impressed. When you say you identified with one of my characters I get lovely, warm fluttery feelings around my heart.
8. I can’t wait for your next book! – One caveat, if you ask when it’s coming out and it seems like a long way off, don’t act discouraged. I’m already afraid you’re going to forget about my books in between times, and I’ll be tempted to hand you an unedited manuscript just to keep you engaged. This would be bad for both of us.
9. How’s Thistle? – Okay, this barely has anything to do with writing, although Thistle does often sleep at my feet while I write. I just like to talk about my dog. Here’s a picture of her lounging.
10. Your book made me think about ____________ (forgiveness, faith, love, family, my calling, etc.). – Pretty much every author is trying to convey something through story. When the words I write make you ponder some aspect of your life, well, that’s the whole point really. And when you tell me about it–then I remember why I write.