The Karma Bank
The importance of being a good literary citizen
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In thinking about my experience as a literary citizen during this “encore career” phase of my life, I’ve been considering the concept of karma. A dear friend who’s a bona fide Buddhist priest told me, “A moment of anger can erase an eon of good karma.” Many other moral and spiritual traditions have their own ways of defining karma. In my own Catholic upbringing, we were taught to treat others the way we want to be treated (a.k.a. “the golden rule”). It seems so simple, and yet so many problems in our world can be traced back to people acting exactly the opposite way.
Season 3 of The White Lotus, set in Thailand, took a shallow, entertaining dive into Buddhism and provided some spectacular examples of the downside of karma. Here are a couple of recent stories, a bit closer to home:
New Orleanians delighted in some “instant karma” (a.k.a. #FAFO) when a Bubble Party broke out to protest a cranky neighbor who complained that a local bar’s festive bubbles were dropping onto his Porsche.
The spectacular demise of the Nottaway Plantation Resort/Wedding Venue/Slave Labor Camp was a “reap what you sow” (a.k.a. #WhatGoesAroundComesAround) moment that Maurice Carlos Ruffin wrote about in Time Magazine.
But what about the upside of karma? From my career in public affairs, I know that the time to introduce yourself to people who might make a difference (e.g., reporters, community activists, policy-makers) is long before you need something from them. It’s not about a quid pro quo; it’s about building relationships of trust and respect, with sincerity, humility, and generosity.
The same principles apply to authors. Some aspiring authors feel daunted by the concept of being a good literary citizen (I see you, my introvert friends), so I boil it down to this: make deposits into the karma bank. Here are a few suggestions:
Get to know your local independent bookstores—buy books from them, introduce yourself to the owners and booksellers, get on their mailing lists for events.
Go to readings, open mic nights, book festivals, and literary conferences, where you can make friends with readers and other writers.
Reach out to librarians and library program directors. They’re always looking for authors to give talks. Our libraries need our support now more than ever.
Attend writing workshops—deepen your understanding of craft and meet fellow writers. Check for online workshops or local literary organizations, many of which offer free or low-cost help.
Start or join a writers’ group to build community and gain support. Your fellow writers will read your drafts with a much-needed critical eye and will cheer you on.
Follow writers you admire on social media, read their blogs and Substack newsletters, listen to their podcasts. Comment and engage with them and other readers.
Be generous to other writers with praise, support, time, and recommendations.
It’s a long game. Start making those deposits into the karma bank now. Someday it’ll be your turn to make a withdrawal.
And not only does supporting others pay into the karma bank, but you reap the immediate reward/karma benefit of feeling good when you do it! A little effort, a big reward -- I put that in the category of win-win, and there aren't a lot of those around :)
I am so proud of you and of the voice you are developing!