Professional Gratitude

The latest target of Ray Banks's trademark scrutiny is the phrase "Thank you for your kind words":

WHY? Why did I use that line? It's not me, it's nothing like the way what I speak, so WHY? Use that line, and it automatically makes you out to be aloof, but trying to be one of the little people. I am one of the little people, when the fuck did I start acting this way? And who gave me that line in the first place?

I've never really written to authors before. As a breed, they kinda scare me. For all the realities of my own book-writin' thang, there's still a part of me that believes these guys sit in darkened rooms with classical music playing and they absolutely loathe to be interrupted in their work. And when they get an email from the likes of me, they read it, stick it to one side and then name their poor hapless schmuck of a character Raymond and have him chewed on by wild dogs.

Am I crazy? I can't be crazy. I'm fine. Sane. Altogether sorted.

But every time I see "Thank you for your kind words", whether it be in email or online group or comment on a blog, something in my left cheek twitches violently.

To me, the phrase conveys a good mix of gratitude, humility, and professionalism. I prefer it to some authors' practice of deflecting compliments with sarcasm or self-deprecation. When they do this, I'm embarrassed to have said anything at all. I get the sense the author really didn't know what to say to my compliment. In short, we're both embarrassed. No one wants that.

The truly professional, down-to-earth author knows positive reader reaction could just as well be negative reader reaction, and he shouldn't get too caught up in either. "Thank you for your kind words" says to me, "I'm glad you enjoyed this work; I know I'm only as good as my latest and I have a lot more in store."

When people compliment me on my work, I try to keep it in the context of the work:

"I really liked the impact of this scene."
"Yes, it worked out really well."

"I really got into this character."
"So did I. She was a lot of fun to write."

It's the same level of professionalism without the pesky catchphrase.