Just...no.
ETA 2: Well, okay, again. Hello people from all over the Internet. I have covered some things in my ETA down there at the bottom but here is the most important thing: I am not saying you, or anyone else, HAVE to do anything. But if you want to make writers I know feel good this is what you CAN do. Obviously, from the amount of attention and "YES THIS" the post has received, many other authors also would appreciate being treated in this way. However, I did not write this post as a requirement for fandom nor did I expect anyone other than my small flist to be reading it. That is the audience it was intended for, so please stop lecturing me on how I should stop telling people what they can and cannot do because, I do not know how to make it any clearer, that is not what this post was about!
As a bamboozler, I tend to hang out with a lot of really talented fic writers (and artists!). As a commenter on the fics (and art!) that they post, and as someone who is generally having a chat with them after they have posted, I have picked up on a few things that I think every fic commenter should know. I'm going to share some of these thoughts with you now. You're welcome.
1. Just fucking comment. No, seriously. Do it. If you read the story, say something. "I loved this!" <-----Awesome. If an author doesn't appreciate that, well, I don't even know. I've never met one that didn't like that. Not that hard. Takes like three seconds. DO IT! Also, now that AOO or whatever it's called is live, people can see how many times a story has been viewed. If you can see 100 people have clicked on your story and no one has commented without feeling a little sad, you should bottle and sell that because you are a fucking unicorn.
2. Do not comment to another person's comment and then NOT COMMENT ON THE STORY IN ANY WAY! That is so rude. I can't even believe I have to even say that. It's like walking into a person's party, eating their food and then saying "I was only here to talk to that person over there, your house is so boring. BYE!" You don't necessarily have to make a separate comment if, say, you are agreeing with that other person. But seriously. ACKNOWLEDGE THE STORY!
3. Same goes for commenting to the post itself and not mentioning the story. "I love that icon" IS NOT AN APPROPRIATE COMMENT TO A PERSON'S STORY! "I have a question about blah unrelated thing!" IS NOT AN APPROPRIATE COMMENT TO A PERSON'S STORY! You can add those things. AFTER YOU COMMENT ON THE STORY! Comment. On. The. Story.
4. Read the room! Yes, I know there are authors out there that love constructive criticism mixed in with positive comments. I've never actually talked with one, but I guess they exist? If you have eight paragraphs to share about how the history is wrong in a story or how x could never work with y or whatever, take a moment and, if you really feel like you need to share, especially with someone you don't know well, consider emailing them your treatise on How You Could Do It Better. Because, really, that person just worked very hard on the story and most likely had it beta'd or is posting it because they love it and they just right in that moment want to hear that you love it too. Personally, I think it's a good rule that unless the author explicitly states that they love ALL FEEDBACK, you should probably think before you break their adorable little hearts, okay?
5. Last but not least? COMMENT ON THE FUCKING STORY! DO IT! DO IT DO IT DO IT!
Ahem. Okay, so, authors (and artists!) of mine, what have I missed? What do commenters do that really pisses you off? Unless it is something *I* do, then SHUT IT! :D
The Morning After ETA: Hello, 100+ people I have never met before! Welcome to my journal! I just want to clarify a few quick things, as when I posted this, I had no idea it would get this much attention!
a. When I wrote this, it was basically "here is how the authors on my flist like to be treated, from my own personal experience talking to them!" The fact that it resonates with other people is awesome but it wasn't supposed to be some sort of YOU MUST DO THIS for the entirety of fandom. I just want the people I know and like to be treated this way. Your mileage may vary!
b. No, I do not comment on everything I read. Sometimes, I hate the story. Or perhaps I know the author does not like me and even a positive comment from me is not welcome. Or I am also at times petty so I don't comment on stories written by jerkfaces. Or sometimes it is Sunday at noon and I just don't feel like it. No one is perfect. And no one is required by law to leave nice comments. My only point was that when you do, it probably makes the other person happy. I just think that's something we all ought to remember.
c. Ironically, this is the most comments I have ever received on anything I have said ever. And also I am probably not going to reply to every comment to this post! However, I think it's great that I stirred up some discussion and, in the end, if one person drops a nice comment when maybe they wouldn't have before they read this, I'll be a happy girl.
As a bamboozler, I tend to hang out with a lot of really talented fic writers (and artists!). As a commenter on the fics (and art!) that they post, and as someone who is generally having a chat with them after they have posted, I have picked up on a few things that I think every fic commenter should know. I'm going to share some of these thoughts with you now. You're welcome.
1. Just fucking comment. No, seriously. Do it. If you read the story, say something. "I loved this!" <-----Awesome. If an author doesn't appreciate that, well, I don't even know. I've never met one that didn't like that. Not that hard. Takes like three seconds. DO IT! Also, now that AOO or whatever it's called is live, people can see how many times a story has been viewed. If you can see 100 people have clicked on your story and no one has commented without feeling a little sad, you should bottle and sell that because you are a fucking unicorn.
2. Do not comment to another person's comment and then NOT COMMENT ON THE STORY IN ANY WAY! That is so rude. I can't even believe I have to even say that. It's like walking into a person's party, eating their food and then saying "I was only here to talk to that person over there, your house is so boring. BYE!" You don't necessarily have to make a separate comment if, say, you are agreeing with that other person. But seriously. ACKNOWLEDGE THE STORY!
3. Same goes for commenting to the post itself and not mentioning the story. "I love that icon" IS NOT AN APPROPRIATE COMMENT TO A PERSON'S STORY! "I have a question about blah unrelated thing!" IS NOT AN APPROPRIATE COMMENT TO A PERSON'S STORY! You can add those things. AFTER YOU COMMENT ON THE STORY! Comment. On. The. Story.
4. Read the room! Yes, I know there are authors out there that love constructive criticism mixed in with positive comments. I've never actually talked with one, but I guess they exist? If you have eight paragraphs to share about how the history is wrong in a story or how x could never work with y or whatever, take a moment and, if you really feel like you need to share, especially with someone you don't know well, consider emailing them your treatise on How You Could Do It Better. Because, really, that person just worked very hard on the story and most likely had it beta'd or is posting it because they love it and they just right in that moment want to hear that you love it too. Personally, I think it's a good rule that unless the author explicitly states that they love ALL FEEDBACK, you should probably think before you break their adorable little hearts, okay?
5. Last but not least? COMMENT ON THE FUCKING STORY! DO IT! DO IT DO IT DO IT!
Ahem. Okay, so, authors (and artists!) of mine, what have I missed? What do commenters do that really pisses you off? Unless it is something *I* do, then SHUT IT! :D
The Morning After ETA: Hello, 100+ people I have never met before! Welcome to my journal! I just want to clarify a few quick things, as when I posted this, I had no idea it would get this much attention!
a. When I wrote this, it was basically "here is how the authors on my flist like to be treated, from my own personal experience talking to them!" The fact that it resonates with other people is awesome but it wasn't supposed to be some sort of YOU MUST DO THIS for the entirety of fandom. I just want the people I know and like to be treated this way. Your mileage may vary!
b. No, I do not comment on everything I read. Sometimes, I hate the story. Or perhaps I know the author does not like me and even a positive comment from me is not welcome. Or I am also at times petty so I don't comment on stories written by jerkfaces. Or sometimes it is Sunday at noon and I just don't feel like it. No one is perfect. And no one is required by law to leave nice comments. My only point was that when you do, it probably makes the other person happy. I just think that's something we all ought to remember.
c. Ironically, this is the most comments I have ever received on anything I have said ever. And also I am probably not going to reply to every comment to this post! However, I think it's great that I stirred up some discussion and, in the end, if one person drops a nice comment when maybe they wouldn't have before they read this, I'll be a happy girl.