Dienstag, 1. Februar 2011
Nancy Mitford, a close friend of author Evelyn Waugh, had written to him in 1952, asking his advice on how to handle correspondence and requests from readers, admirers and critics. Here is part of his answer (please note paragraph k):
Dearest Nancy
I am not greatly troubled by fans nowadays. Less than one a day on the average. No sour grapes when I say they were an infernal nuisance. I divide them into ...
[ ... a) to i) ... ]
In case of very impudent letters from married women I write to the husband warning him that his wife is attempting to enter into correspondence with strange men.
Oh, and of course
(k) Autograph collectors: no answer.
(l) Indians & Germans asking for free copies of one's books: no answer.
(m) Very rich Americans: polite letter. They are capable of buying 100 copies for Christmas presents.
I think that more or less covers the field.
Love,
E.
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(from THE KS CIRCLE, issue 167)
... link
