The Thrill of Being Cited

Please forgive today's bit of academic nerdiness, but bear with me: it IS related to writing and reading! As one who came late to academic publishing, I was -- and still am -- probably particularly susceptible to being pleased, even thrilled, when my own publications (journal articles, books, book chapters) started being cited in other scholars' work. Other scholars' mention of one's work in their articles and books is a bit of recognition that means a lot academically, professionally, and personally. Most of all, it is a sign that all the work of writing, revising, submitting, more revising, sometimes getting rejected, still more revising, and finally getting one's writing published is actually validated by others' saying they have read it and found it worth mentioning as support for their own work. Or to boil it down to its basics, and in very non-academic language: People are reading my work! Hurray! People think it is worth mentioning in their publications! It feels great! (I know I am not the only one who feels this way; colleagues/friends have told me they feel the same.)