Other writers tell me about these bushel baskets delivered at the front door. If I've gotten 50 letters over the last 18 years, I'd be surprised.
Sentiment: POSITIVE
I get a lot of letters from people.
Letters actually work. Even the top dog himself takes time every day to read 10 letters that are picked out by staff. I can tell you that every official that I've ever worked with will tell you about the letters they get and what they mean.
What I tend to get from America is very enthusiastic letters and e-mail from librarians and schoolteachers, the gatekeepers, though I hesitate to use that word. I've never been a huge seller.
In old age we are like a batch of letters that someone has sent. We are no longer in the past, we have arrived.
The mail amazes me. I sometimes get these letters that are ten pages, and handwritten, from women pouring their hearts out and, for security reasons, I can only respond with a headshot and 'Dear so and so, be good. WM.' It never feels like enough.
Aside from sales, the letters from readers have been primarily positive.
One serious drawback about letters is that, in order to get them, one must send some out. When it comes to the mail, I feel it is better to receive than to give.
I used to get an awful lot of letters, and they have almost all gone. I used to answer nearly all of them.
I used to get, like, 2,000 letters a week at one point.
Letters are expectation packaged in an envelope.