Encouragement is Food for the Writer

Around August of last year a few of my teachers wanted to read my book, so two of them bought a copy and one... kind of borrowed one...but hasn't given it back or mentioned it since. Anyways back to the point that I will eventually make. I brought a copy of my book to school today to reread some parts so as not to screw up the second installment and I guess it jogged my science teachers (she bought the book) memory, because she said, "I read your book! It was WONDERFUL!" (she gets enthusiastic sometimes and enunciates some words). She said she could not wait for the second installment... before asking if there WAS a second installment. And there is! But it just surprises me, because last week my great aunt Linda (Aunt? Great aunt? She's my grandfather's sister) brought up the subject as well. She was just as enthusiastic about it and mention another woman she knew that wrote a book and it was about her life relating to the Bible. Aunt Linda continued to say, "There are feel good books, like hers, and then there are thrilling, exciting books like yours. I personally kind of preferred the thrill."
It is encouraging to me as a writer and as a young adult to see even the fewest of people excited for my trilogy. I keep telling my mom that they're probably just being nice, but the more people who comment nice things, the more belief I have that maybe it's not so bad.
Another thing I was happy about was when I was talking to my Aunt Linda she asked how I come up with the story.
"Do you just look at people and places, just how-how do you come up with this stuff?"
If you're a fellow writer, you know how hard it is to explain yourself without sounding weird or creepy. Some people I DO look at and think, wow, that guy would be a hot fictional character. But mostly it's the "how" and the "what if" that inspire the written word. The questions are the driving force behind every story. Then again, people watching inspires me too. Haha. Way to be creepy, huh?
But I do have to give credit where it is do... Writing is a hard thing to keep up and when people get excited about your writing, it gets you excited as well.
So if you are a fellow author:
Come on! You can get it done! If you think no one will read it, you're wrong! Because I want to read it.
If you're a pedestrian:
Encourage the written word! Always compliment! If you want them to work harder, critique, but do it in a complimental way.
Together... we got this guys.

With Love, SKW