Fan Mail

I get a fair amount of fan mail, enough that I don’t get back to most people. I’m more than a little sorry about that, and hope that all of you who send questions, enthusiasms, and remonstrations can understand.

It’s not that I don’t love you, it’s that you outnumber me.

But every once in a while comes a letter that is a bit different. This one from Annalisa in Colorado says things that lots of you have said, except with an unexpected twist at the end. I thought that maybe the rest of you might enjoy it.

Picture two girls, both pretty in their own way, but self-conscious to the point of believing themselves ugly. One girl is me; the other is Tally in Uglies. Tally and I both live in a world where there are pretty people, like models and movie stars, who make us feel ugly by their perfection. Tally believed that her eyes were too close together, her nose squashed, and her hair frizzy. Except for my long hair, I also used to believe I was ugly. After reading your book, I realized that true beauty is a result of our actions and not our face. You book moved me to act.

When I read Uglies, I could totally relate to Tally. I could tell she was a risk taker. I, too, wanted to take risks. Tally risks everything by journeying to the Smoke but realizes that friendship is more important than beauty. When she thinks, “If only people were smarter, evolved enough to treat everyone the same even if they looked different. Looked ugly,” (p97) I was moved. Tally got me thinking more about others than myself. I had seen pictures of girls with cancer who were bald, and realized I had no right to complain.

Around the time I finished your book, I decided to be a risk taker like Tally. I cut off eleven inches of hair, donating it to Locks of Love to make wigs for cancer patients who might believe they are ugly because of their baldness. This action made me feel beautiful inside despite losing one of my best features. I realized what David meant when he told Tally, “What you do, the way you think, makes you beautiful” (279).

Tally taught me about sacrificing to help others and the importance of inner beauty. After meeting Tally, I hold my chin a little higher and stand a little straighter, because I know I am pretty, no matter what anybody says and no matter how short my hair is. Thanks you for teaching me what beauty really is, and for inspiring the confidence inside me.

So you can probably see why I wanted to share that. Hearing from you guys—all of you—really is one of the best things about this job.

I’m looking forward to seeing tons of you on the upcoming tour.

Locks of Love lives here, by the way.

119 thoughts on “Fan Mail

  1. Scott, that is so inspiring. I am really glad to hear that you are having this affect on teen girls. I know it rang true with me when I read your books. I admire your efforts and your writing.

  2. that is so sweet. now I want to donate. but i dont have enough hair. maybe ill grow it out just so i can give some. you no what? im gonna go find a bunch of clothes i dont need and give them to charity. rite now.

    -Lizzy-wa OUT! πŸ™‚

  3. inspiring. my mom donated her hair to locks of love a year or so ago.
    and dude, i think that’s the second time i got first comment.
    i think that mustwhat the coolest part of being an author would be–having all these crazy fan people. i mean, i bother my friends constantly by raving about what i’m writing. it would be nice to do that, but with people who actually care.
    then again, o doubt i’d be really good with masses of fans. i mean, my unoffical motto is “people suck.”
    it’s cuz i’m an optomist.

  4. hhmm…i have several mottos:
    karma. give something, get something.
    read. it helps build strong bones.
    be wierd. life’s too short.
    there’s several others, but the wierd one is my favorite.

    -Lizzy-wa OUT! πŸ™‚

  5. I donated 10 inches of my hair to Locks of Love 2 years ago in 6th grade. My hair looked like a mushroom, but it was an amazing experience, and even fun!

  6. Oh my gosh, that is so awesome. I would totally love to do Locks of Love, but my hair’s not long enough. πŸ™ I am growing it out, and I am so going to donate. I just don’t know where though.

    Great story, Scott. Great story.

  7. I have donated my hair to locks of love 3 times now and i think it is so fawsome that uglies got other people to do it too.

  8. that is wonderful!!! the book also moved me!! and i am so proud of her for doing that….my friend also donated her hair to locks of love.

  9. Wow! That’s so sweet *chorus of awww’s*
    I wish I could have long hair, but this summer I grew my hair out not even to my elbow, and it gave me a headache to tie it up because it like weighed me down, so I doubt I’d make it to 11 inches.

    It must feel great to inspire people like that! =]

  10. Aww. That’s really touching. I love that people can take this much from your books, Scott. It shows that not all teenagers are as spoiled and arrogant as movies and TV shows can make us out to be.
    Over the summer, I had ten inches taken off and donated. When I returned to school, I found that four of my friends had also decided to give their hair. It was amazing to find that we had all independently and simultaneously decided that it was time to help others.

  11. thats a really moving story and its so true the way society can make you feel so “ugly”, and its amazing that a book can rewire everything the we have been taught since we were born

  12. wow Haddy-la, you donated 18 inches?!?!! thats fool. 7 of my friends have donated within the last 2 months. one of my friends is thinking she mite, but i dont think she will. shes 12 and has never cut her hair in her life. it almost reaches her knees!

    -Lizzy-wa OUT! πŸ˜›

  13. =D
    I cut 16 inches of my hair and gave it to “Locks of Love” when I was in 5th grade. I was so proud of myself.

    Wow Scott good job in helping the confidence in girls.
    =]

  14. That’s so sweeeet. Awwwww. I wish I had enough courage to do that.

    Also, I’m reading One For Sorrow. It’s really good so far.

  15. thats so amazing. i donated too, but i want to do more. i wish the world wasnt so focused on how you look, cus it just makes living in this place so hard. cause you never look like your ‘supposed’ to look like. basically, it sucks.

  16. how inspiring!

    I am SO going to donate hair to locks of love… when it grows out. it’s pretty short right now.
    I’ve always wanted to do stuff to help people with cancer and stuff. when I die i want my organs to be donated (that sounds kinda gross).
    i wish there was something i could do right now to help…

  17. wow that is so cool! i wish my writing could hav that effect on people. that girl is pretty great too. honestly i never thought of your books like that. but that is an amazing moral that i guess i just didnt see. WAY TO GO ANNALISA! (and of course u 2 scott-la)

  18. o and of course i would donate to locks of love but i would like to keep SOME of my hair and there isnt much of it.sorry.

  19. oh ya, what times are you gonna be in chicago??? i REALLY want to go see u there but my chances of getting out of school are ZERO and even after school are pretty low… (i live about 2 hours from the city so….)

  20. Scott,

    Your books were amazing when I finished one I made my mom buy me the next one! I ended up finishing the whole trilogyin one week! I got so emotional after what happend in Specials. Why does Tally always blame herself, some times it was Shay’s fault, or Dr. Cable. I had to read the book for a report, and I never ever, ever, wanted to read the book. (It looked really weird. No offense.)I was realy truly glad that I read Uglies though. There is this song by Yellowcard and it’s cald Empty Apartment, and it reminds me of the things that Tally and David did together when they were a couple in Uglies and how Tally changes when she meets Zane. I cry every time I listen to it.

    I loved how you saw the world in a coulpe of years. Who knows we might turn out like that if we’re not careful enough, and more considerate of what we do. I know that since I’ve read the book I look at how the world differently. (Like I rewired my thoughts and opinions.)

    I have some questions though. I know that if authors leave you hanging by a string when the book is done,(Like you did to me and I would know I’ve written two books of my own)that the book was amazing, but why don’t you write one more book (it can be short)explaing what happens with Tally and David when they are in the wild, and waht happens with the rest of the world. It would clear up alot of my questions. Also, what made you want to write Extras? I read the preveiw in Specials, and it didn’t make since.

    I realy hope you could answer my questions (even email it to me)Can’t wait to red the rest of your books!

    Lila-wa

  21. from what i’ve heard, extras sort of is that book. tally and david are supposed to show up at some point possibly, but it’s narrated by a girl from japan called aya fuse, and it takes place a little while after specials ended.
    does that help answerw any of ur questions?
    also, have u read any of scott’s other books? they’re all great, but different from uglies.

    one of the best things is how uglies, peeps and midnighters are all great books, but they’re in almost different styles and about such different stuff.

  22. whoa…moving. very, very, moving.

    think about it, just knowing that you have the power to completely change the way people see themselves (for the better), must feel wonderful.

    congratulations, Scott, and congratulations, Annalisa!

    i donated my hair to locks of love when i was in seventh grade. the woman said it’d be 10 but it ended up being 15. but oh well, its growing out now and i plan to do it again once it’s long enough.

    and after i got it cut, i discovered that my hair is curly! yeah i guess the 15 inches weighed more than i thought…

  23. hey guys…if you go to the locks of love link, you can buy three different locks of love bears. $10 each. 10% of the money goes to locks of love! since my hairs to short to donate, i just bought 10 bears! im gonna give them to my friends!

    -Lizzy-wa OUT! πŸ˜›

  24. That girl must have moxie coming out of her ears. I could never do something like that- I’m about the biggest non-risk taker on Earth. Plus, my hair isn’t near long enough. πŸ˜›

    Don’t you just love when people ask what the book you’re reading is about?

    So today, I’m sitting in the living room reading the last few pages on The Last Days.
    Dad: What’s that book about? It looks interesting.
    Me: Hmm? Oh, it’s about the zombie apocalypse.
    Dad: What?
    Me: And how we’re all going to be infected by vampiric parasites. Kind of like another Bubonic Plague.
    Dad: *stares*

    It was so fawesome.

  25. Wow. I never think about books like that! Go…everyone!

    Last time I donated my hair, it was @ Relay for Life (which is outside). The lady thought she could do it, but then the wind picked up…The next Monday, everyone thought I was a guy from just seeing my hair, because I had the same cut as all of them! =) It’s not long enough to donate again yet, but maybe I will and just get a buzz cut. I could dye it purple or something!

    Lizzy-wa, you are, like, rich! A hundred dollars worth of teddy bears? Just wondering, wouldn’t it be easier to just donate money directly? No pile of bears, at least.

  26. haha Bethany i went to a Relay for Life too! it was so much fun, i did it w/ my girl scout troop (yes, i’m in 9th grade and still in girl scouts. college applications, people!) and we didn’t sleep until 4:30 a.m…and then had to get up at 5 a.m. it was an awesome experience though, we do it every year.

  27. oh, and because i just NOW remembered to mention it: i changed my name-linky-thingie!

    well my school had a dance this past saturday and i had a really good conversation w/ one of my friends about this one artist (and now he’s gonna bug me till i get her 2nd CD, even though i have 5 songs from it on my iPod), and ever since then i’ve had her songs stuck in my head, so i figured it was time to bid adieu to the goo goo dolls (temporarily)…

    check it out!

  28. hey lila-wa its so awesome to have u joining us. but just one thing that you seemed to hav missed: the book doesnt take place in a couple of years. it takes place like 300 years in the future. anyway like no offense or anything. ROCK ON YALL!!
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  29. That’s so cool! I wish I had her guts. I cut 6 inches off and donated it, but 6 inches isn’t whole lot. I’m going to try to grow my hair out really long and donate it.
    Reading Uglies has really helped my self-esteem. I cried at the end of Specials and I was furious when Zane and Tally were going out. I absolutely love your books.

  30. i have read the whole trilogy twice, and i cry everytime i read specials. why does tally blame herself for zanes death? it wasnt her fault. it wasnt anyones fault. it you were to blame someone, blame dr cable for attacking diego. i hope extras will have the same impact as the other books had (i also cried when i read midnighters blue noon, why did she have to stay in the blue time?) well i really should do my homework

  31. Amy-la, if that happens, count me in!
    and no Bethany-wa, im not rich, but when i find something i like, i empty out my savings acount. for example, i have preordered 4 copies of EXTRAS online, and one at borders. im keeping two, and im not sure what to do with the others. and by the way…what’s wrong with a giant pile of teddy bears? half my room is buried in beanie babies and stuffed animals! woooo! go stuffing!

    -Lizzy-wa OUT! πŸ˜›

    ps…WELCOME WELCOME WELCOME LILY-WA!!! please stay! none of the other newbies have shown up since the first couple of days. *sniff sniff*

    -Lizzy-wa OUT! πŸ˜› (again)

  32. Taylor:

    its cool that you are still in girl scouts. i was in girl scouts until i was a senior. Then we separated because everyone was leaving for college. its good for college app.s and scholarship app.s also!

    Kate

  33. HELP!!! I have an author study and I cant choose an author.

    I can’t do Scott πŸ™ cause ive read all his in print books and I dont have time to order the our of print ones. πŸ™

    P.s. i have all ready read Stephenie Meyer’s masterpieces πŸ™‚

  34. Oh and the author needs to have written 3 or more books. I have already read all Justine’s books and Ive already written down Maureen Johnson and Darren Shan.

  35. John Green! oh, wait, he’s only written two.

    do Maureen then! she’s awesome.

    but one question: why can’t you do scott? i didn’t really understand your first post…we’ve never done an author study

  36. o sorry i meant *raises eyebrow* (just one eyebrow)
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  37. Im in 9th grade and I’ve been in girlscouts since 2nd grade. I like running the camps for all the little girls. THEY R SO CUTE! there is nothing wrong with being a girlscout!

  38. hooray for past-elementary school girl scouts! HUZZAH! haha lol.

    boredness…oh but today i found out that i made my school’s senior select chorus! you don’t HAVE to be in 12th grade to get in it or anything, it’s just for anyone in grades 9 to 12 who want to try out.

    yeah i don’t know why i chose to first share this with a bunch of people i’ve never met before…i guess b/c there’s no one (besides me) at my house right now so i had no one else to tell. lol. ok that wasn’t really funny but i felt the need to add an “lol.”

    ok i’ll stop now.

  39. Lizzy-wa, of course there’s nothing wrong with it! Teddy bears are fun, that just seemed like a lot, so I was curious- but I guess everyone has a right to all of the identical teddy bears they want, right?

    Addie-wa, if you like vampire books, do Amelia Atwater Rhodes! Or, if you can do adult books, how bout Neil Gaiman? Gaiman’s my favorite author, next to Scott and John Green. Or, hey- what about Justine? Good excuse to finish reading her trilogy, right?

    Well, good job, Taylor! congratulating strangers is fun, so that’s why you posted, of course!

  40. HEY BETHANY! YOUR NEW! WOOOO! WELCOME WELCOME WELCOME!!! πŸ˜›
    and if not gonna keep all of them, only 3, then give the rest to friends! go friendship!
    i did girl scouts in 2nd grade, and i would still be doing them now in 7th grade, but my mom didnt like selling cookies, and she didnt want to do it again. how unhappy-making! two bad huh?
    and as for the authors…GARTH NIX! OR JERRY SPINELLI! yeah, jerry spinellies better! wooo! he wrote STARGIRL! thats one of my fav non-sci-fi-fantasy books! woooo!

    -Lizzy-wa OUT! πŸ˜›

  41. Taylor, I can’t do my author study on Scott because Ive read all his in print books. My teacher has made the rule that your not allowed to choose authors that you have already read all their books. The reason for this rule is that Along with the Biography, Quotes, Timeline, and fast facts you need to do summaries, character anilizations, reviews, and all that jazz on three books. Books you have recently read.

    Im mad thought because I could just read them over agian but nooooooooooo.

    btw you need three choices and Maureen is already on my list πŸ™‚

  42. Hey. Thanks for the nice comments! DYK that i won a state contest w/ that letter? Not nationals, though. Its called letters about literature. They have awesome prizes!

    Annnalisa

  43. I’m not new, actually, just a lurker who occasionally posts. I dunno why I decided to post multiple times here. But now I feel special, so thanks!

    Annalisa, does that meant that you’ll be at the National Book Festival? Or at least your letter will be? Or was it a couple years ago?

  44. it was the past year, but i have never really heard of the national book festival (I’m dumb like that). But I won 50$ to target in honor of winning!

  45. I also got a savings bond (??) the national winners got better things, like meeting the author or something. Go to letters about literature.com to seee what authors people wrote to. Anyway, I decided to send my letter to scott because he deserves to read it.

  46. now that was moving.

    sad how I never get the point of books until someone smacks me right in the face screaming “DUH”…I guess I just enjoy the plots and characters too much πŸ™‚

    But that’s awesome.

  47. along with the others, i was moved by your book “uglies” as well. it showed to me what true love really is. Your book had me crying every night i had read it. The last question i thought to myself is who was crying more, me or tally? πŸ™‚

  48. Hmm, is Serafina still posting on this thread?

    I read, like, the 1st 5 comments and then scrolled all the way down here.

    Anyway, I was re-reading Pretties with the part with Andrew Simpson Smith (I was about to just abbreviate and write his initials but then realized that would be very, very awkward – LOL!!) and I got a great story idea, I’ve started writing it, thanks Scott =)

  49. Actually, about the whole blame-Dr. Cable-for-attacking-Diego thing… I think the Specials have the right idea. I love the Uglies trilogy because it portrays how the “Rusties” (us) fell to their doom, and I think us humans are doomed. We multiply, pollute, and destroy pretty much everything in our way… (that’s stereotyping mankind btw, not everyone is like this, but if you look at it in general). I think that cities should be like this. With people’s minds changed so that they are peaceful. Being brainwashed into thinking “pretty is good” is only a small price to pay if it means the world is saved from humanity. (That was my “deep” speech of the day…)

  50. And by the way Scott-sama – my friends and I love all the technology. Toothbrush pill? Genius! I love hoverboards, interface rings, eyescreens, and the “hole in the wall.” And recyclers, “generic carbon dioxide-suckers” (imitation trees) basically everything that saves the world from pollution.

  51. I should probably donate my curls one of these days.. maybe it’ll grow out straight!! ahhh that would be fun. haha probably not. just a dream since i was four… strai

  52. WELCOME ANNALISA!!! really? you got $50?! and…a savings bond…? ok…
    and i agree with ya Zee-la! GO EARTH! but really how they said Tally shouldn’t blame herself. she should. it IS her fault after all. Shay-la is two blame two, but not as much. Dr.Cable is two blame two, but still, not as much. yepyepeyep. not to sound all mean and evil or anything, but i wasnt totally depressed when Zane died. somewhere deep inside my mind, i was actually kinda happy. sorry goin all anti-Zane there. just tellin the truth.

    -Lizzy-wa OUT! πŸ˜›

  53. The writing contest was for the Library of Congress called “Letters About Literature” where kids in grades 4-12 write a letter “to” an author of a book that has changed their life or their way of thinking. As a teacher, I LOVE this contest because judges look for letters that reveal the child’s voice, not the perfectly polished ones a parent helped write. Annalisa on her own decided actually to mail her letter to Scott after she won. Scott, you have positive influence–a big responsibility, but you use it well! Thanks

  54. wow that was like really true
    i felt the same way
    and funnily enough i also donated 12 inches of hair to locks of love
    but my reason was definatley not that deep

  55. hey zee-sensei i get what ur saying about the specials and all (ur “deep speech of the day”). i think its just so sad that if we do hav a brain we just naturally use it to destroy everything. we can either save the world or save our brains. we are almost physically incapable of having both. its really sad if u ask me. not that everyone is like that but there are enough people in the world like that (maybe without even realizing it). anyways, theres MY “deep speech of the day”.

  56. yes. soon the world will melt, die, and die again. we should start this brain surge thing soon before its two late! yepyepyep. or at least make it illeagle to throw away paper instead of recycling! yepyepyep.

    -Liizy-wa OUT! πŸ˜›

  57. I really love your books I read the uglies in 1 week! And I just got the pretties! I love your books! I am a total fan!

    Ashley-wa πŸ™‚

  58. After reading all the blogs I think that WOW you inspired alot of people and imagine the impact if all teen girls read this book:) wow wow wow wow I am going to go read now! I am on page 135 of the uglies!

  59. Lizzy- Wa I think you are wrong about the brain surge! It is not only wrong but wow how could you think that? But I do like the law you made up!!!!

    πŸ™‚ Ashley- wa

  60. soooo…what book should i do for this years contest? i dont think im allowed to do scott again. Im thinking maybe anne frank? any suggestions?

  61. So do you think that maybe one day in the future it will be like the uglies trioligy or do you think not?

    Ashley-wa

  62. That is AMAZING. It must feel great to know that you have inspired her and probably so many other people. Being an aspiring writer (note the word aspiring D= ), I would love to make a difference in people’s lives…
    Kudos to Annalisa!

  63. Jessi-La~
    I like your blog! It is a very good piont of view! And I agree strongly with you about loving to make a difference on a lot of peoples lives!

    Annalisa-wa~
    what do you mean a moving book?

    πŸ™‚ Ashley-wa (feet)

  64. hey can you plz help me Mr.Scott i really need help for this book report due this wendsday (sept. 26) and today is the 23rd and this is kind f a major grade but nobody knew about it and my friend was just like Γ’β‚¬Λœnatalia you have to do this its not due next month its due this month!Ò€ℒ and i need to know why you write(?) and what you usually write about(how people can change i think), plus genres you prefer(i think that one is fiction or realistic fiction?).
    ANYBODY HELP!!!!!!!!!! please!
    thank you!

    ps scott, I love your books when i read uglies for the first time i couldnt put it down and since i am a REALLY fast reader i finished it in about 1 hour!

  65. wow, these are the best 3 books I have ever read.. I can’t wait for the next book to come out (extras) But once I finish that book, I am going to read the Midnighters series. These books have made me REALLY think about what true beauty is..

    amanda Ò˜»

  66. You do realize a slew of mail is going to come in now, with “I donated to Locks of Love too!” printed somewhere in the letters.

  67. Natalie-Wa~
    Scott probably writes because of proving a point! I mean And just for the joy of writting!

    Ashley-Wa (feet) :p

  68. I finally yeterday finished the Pretties and now today I am reading the Specials! I think that the best one of them all is the Uglies!! I can’t wait for the Extras to come out! Hey if you could Scott or any one else tell me when the Extras is available in Utah, that would be superly great!!!

    Thank-You So Much,
    Pretty Name: Ashley-Wa
    Ugly Name: Feet
    (special cercomestances)

  69. what padThai???? tell meh i cant figure it out!!! i know spagbol means spagehtti and bolonga but what is padthai???

  70. Scott-La~
    please tell me how I can contact you I really want to meet you or even a phone call whould be nice please Scott-la you are so cool and I am your number one fan I can tell you that right now!!!! I just wish you could come to utah me and my friend Olivia-Wa would love it!!! Please make my one dream come true it would be cool if you came when ever but it would be icy if you came on my birthday (dec. 4th) Just please keep in mind I am your number one fan! Please e-mail me!

    ~Ashley-wa
    (feet)
    pepper1228@hotmail.com

  71. Scott Sensei~
    I might be able to fly to brooklyn new york for your appreences I really hope I can I wish you would come to utah it would make me sooooo happy!

    Ashley-wa
    p.s. PLEASE e-mail me! pepper1228@hotmail.com

  72. Scott-La~
    I am your number one fan and all I want you to do Is come to utah!!!!!

    I love your books so much I have about 50 more pages of the extras please scott or Mr.Westerfeld please please please come to utah or e-mail me at pepper1228@hotmail.com!!!

  73. Scott-La~
    I am your number one fan and all I want you to do Is come to utah!!!!!

    I love your books so much I have about 50 more pages of the extras please scott or Mr.Westerfeld please please please come to utah or e-mail me at pepper1228@hotmail.com !!!

  74. Hey Scott-La~
    I have finished the Extras (2 weeks ago)
    please come to utah!
    You Rock Don’t turn pretty,
    Ashley-Wa

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