Don’t Like, Don’t Read

Don’t like? Don’t read. Or face the shame. Send bad comments via message or Submit.

[possumsinatrenchcoat]

Friendly reminder that you can just not comment on things. Especially when you’re a man commenting on wlw art

[boydykedoctor]

ao3 comments will be like “i like this line of your fic” and my reply will be like “fantastic thank you here’s my entire thought process about how i ended up with that particular line and also an outline for another fic i have and fifteen resources i used to research 1980s politics” and nobody asked for that chill

[yokothetypo]

i asked for that

[lizardlicks]

No we 100% asked for that.

[spacecasehobbit]

Definitely asked for that, and also here’s the other three dozen lines from your fic that I liked and the outline for the fic they inspired me to write plus some extra character meta that at this point is only tangentially related to your fic but was definitely inspired by those 1980s politics resources and -

[greenjudy]

Yep.

[saathi1013]

This is literally how I made most of my fandom besties.

[sweetiepie08]

Listen…

Fic Commenters: If you ever want to make a comment going on depth about a part of a fic that stood out to you, but think “does the author really want to read all this?” The answer is YES! YES WE DO WANT TO READ ALL THAT!!!!

Fic authors: If you ever see a comment that makes you want to explain your thought process behind your writing, and you think “does the commenter really want to read all this?” The answer is YES! YES WE DO WANT TO READ ALL THAT!!!

[pixiemage]

Please, for the love of god, please don’t be this person. No matter how long it’s been since an update, no matter how many unfinished stories are sitting on their account, no matter what - do not be this person.

Not only is it insanely rude, but you also do more damage than you think be being such a self-entitled ass about something someone created for free and for fun. “This author” can see what you say.

RIP decency indeed.

[mondengel-deactivated20231111]

I was literally about to post a chapter once and got a snide comment similar to this - not addressing other readers, just me - and decided to keep the rest of the story to myself. It’s still there. I could post it anytime. But I’m not going to.

I also got a glowing compliment on a fic and went into a flurry of writing, suddenly inspired, then by happenstance got a nasty, impatient comment on that same fic a few days and moved onto writing a different fic that didn’t have that associated annoyance.

Like. I am writing for fun. For me. I reread and enjoy my fics all the time because they’re exactly the story I want to read. I get the same enjoyment out of a fic wither or not anyone else ever sees it or knows it exists.

I’m sharing it for fun too.

I’m not going to share if sharing isn’t fun.

[pixiemage]

I’m not going to share if sharing isn’t fun.

[vmures]

I once got a comment on a fic that just read RIP with my username. It’s really fucking demotivating. Maybe the work will end up abandoned, maybe it won’t, but don’t fucking leave this sort of shit on a fic. It’s more likely to prevent any future updates than encourage them. Authors are not vending machines. You can not shake us and force the story out (believe us, many of us have tried doing this to ourselves because we want to finish the story but sometimes life and other shit gets in the way).

[nellie-oleson]

why are people like this

like am i supposed to apologize?

[nellie-oleson]

same person commenting on different author. like what the fuck. do not do this.

[badcommentshaming]

And here we have a repeat offender…

[thebaconsandwichofregret]

OMG THIS! I posted an update literally last night and when I woke up this morning I had FIVE "when are you going to update?" Comments on it. And I'm like "I *did* update! You're literally *reading it*!"

I wish these rude ass readers would understand that this behaviour actually makes me take *longer* to post the next chapter because they suck all the fun out of it.

If you want more from a fic then copy and paste a line you liked into the comments and be like "this bit was so good!" Or even just write "love it!" But "More! Now! Right now! More! Where is it? I want it now!" is just going to make people abandon work.

[nellie-oleson]

why are people like this

like am i supposed to apologize?

[nellie-oleson]

same person commenting on different author. like what the fuck. do not do this.

[badcommentshaming]

And here we have a repeat offender…

[badcommentshaming]

Bonus:

Transcript:

Reply #1

Hey, this is a really nice free story and all, but maybe you could write faster to keep with my personal schedule. I sure wouldn't want to have to wait any longer than 2 or three days for an update. so if you could do that, i'd really appreciate it. I know i could have filtered out WIPs, but then i thought, why not just be an asshole? That's way more fun. Ayway, fun story!

Reply #2

Also, you know what else I've been thinking. I'm not sure i like this setting. Do you think you could just change this whole thing to be more of a modern coffee shop AU? That would be great. Thanks, Nellie

Reply #3

just one more thing. when you do update, make sure it's on a Saturday afternoon so I don't have to wait to read it. Actually, if you could email me before you post, I can let you know if the timing is good. I have some ideas for the next chapter too. I'll send them to you so you can work them in. Quickly, of course. Because I don't want to be inconvenienced or anything.

[nellie-oleson]

why are people like this

like am i supposed to apologize?

[nellie-oleson]

same person commenting on different author. like what the fuck. do not do this.

[badcommentshaming]

And here we have a repeat offender…

[badcommentshaming]

Got a mean fic comment? Vent here.

Got a mean fic comment? Submit a post or send a message with the comment so we can shame it publicly.

Bad Comment Shaming is meant to be an outlet for those negative feelings that mean comments elicit. Let us encourage you, share the pain, and change collective commenting behavior.

A few rules:

1. Send (or link to) a screenshot. If you haven’t already, BCS will edit out the commenter’s name or any identifying info.

2. Don’t include anything that could identify the commenter. As much as we want to shame the comment, we don’t want to bring the full force of the internet down on the person making the comment. The punishment should fit the crime, and as crappy as leaving mean comments is, it doesn’t warrant the scorched earth approach.

We’ll refine these rules as we go, but for now, that’s it!

[badcommentshaming]

Bad comment text being shamed:

First, the end? Already?

Wow.

Second... “You seem perplexed?”. That line was jarring for me. Maybe pensive fits better?

Heroic reply from another reader text:

First, your comment? Really?

Wow.

Second... This whole response was jarring for me. Maybe rude fits better?

[legsdemandias]

Commenting fanfiction is the easiest thing in the world once you start doing it. 

[legsdemandias]

I leave a comment on every single fic I read. Sometimes when I read published books I go and leave a comment somewhere the author can find it. Granted, I literally majored in ‘leaving comments on fics’ (English Education), but once you start doing it it just becomes second nature. Now you’re gonna go to the Ozymandias school of leaving comments: 

Problem: I can’t leave kudos again.

Beginner: This is a second/third/fourth Kudos

Advanced: This is my second/third/fortieth time reading this, I still love it so much. Here are a few new things I noticed. I like the way you personally do x, y, z compared to other authors I’ve read (in this ship/genre/fandom).

Problem: I don’t know what to say :(

Beginner: Just list what you did to read this fic. “I stayed up late reading this”, “I read this on a crowded train”, “this kept me company while sick”. 

Advanced: X,Y,Z parts made me get butterflies, and I had a physical reaction to this part of the story, I squealed outloud when characters did x,y,z. I blushed at this part. I laughed out loud here. Whatever. 

Problem: I’m embarrassed to leave a comment (what if I annoy the author?)

Beginner: Short answer: you won’t EVER annoy the author (unless you’re needlessly mean) But to start, be generic, you don’t have to spill your soul in the comments section. “I liked this” “I enjoyed reading this” “nice fic”.

Advanced: This really meant a lot to me that you wrote this. This is something I feel like I’ve always wanted to read. This fic hit me in all the right places. Etc. 

Problem: I don’t know how to express myself/my experience 

Beginner: My beginners go to is to highlight a line, put that in your comment and say “i liked this” or to identify basic emotions you had while reading and comment those “this made me happy” “this part made me sad” “i almost cried” “you made me laugh”  Advanced: “Highlighted line” This line made me smile because it has to do with character development/it’s really romantic/it’s so unique/it’s moving. Sometimes I don’t highlight a line at all, I just talk about the stuff I’ve noticed were unique to the fic. “I love the way you did this particular thing with this character”. 

[toybeluga]

This? This is an amazing post. This is the Captain Awkward of commenting posts—it addresses all your fears directly and gives you actionable scripts for each one.

[angel-deux-writes]

Please, tell me more about canon jamie

[bethanyactually]

@badcommentshaming

[badcommentshaming]

[relenafanel]

Hi Fam, this isn’t in response to something specific but I wanted to take a second to encourage all of you re: commenting, not in a ‘you should definitely do it’ way but in a ‘don’t worry so much about what we all think’ way.

It’s ok if your comment repeats something someone else says. You don’t need to be fresh or bring anything new to comments, we’re always just grateful to get them and love your genuine enthusiasm.

It’s ok if your comment is just ‘extra kudos’. We know you love us and want to give us extra love but might not feel up to commenting now.

It’s ok if your comment is in another language. We all have Google translate to get the gist. If you’re tired or overwhelmed or don’t feel confident in English we understand.

It’s ok if your comment is a keysmash or reaction gif. We’ll laugh and know you mean it as a compliment.

It’s ok if you promise a longer comment later and then never do. We all live busy lives and understand, no need to duck the next time we make metaphorical eye contact.

It’s ok if you write us the longest comment ever. We don’t think it’s a bother, it’s actually really, really amazing.

It’s ok if you’re too anxious to comment at all. Being social is hard and some of us feel just as anxious about being social on the internet as we do irl.

Whatever your commenting habits are just know that we love you and think you’re awesome for taking the time to read our fics.  Yes, we do love getting them, but not at the sake of causing you stress.

[saltoftheao3]

"Lurkers/silent readers" who only break the silence to demand updates because "they're tired of waiting" because they want to consume your content with such entitlement without actually reviewing the story are the worst. Also I wish there was a platform that doesn't allow you to read further in a multichapter fic without leaving a review every 2 chapters or so that isn't just "update"

(God this answer is MONTHS late, i'm so sorry :( )

Yeah, with you on the first part. Even if some may not be aware of common reviewing etiquette, it comes off as crazy entitled to "demand" updates if you've never had any interaction with the writer. I'd try to ignore that.

In regards to the "locked" website feature... this doesn't sound like a good idea to me (even disregarding how hard it'd be to program on the technical level). Would it really bring readers to engage with the fanfic on a different level? Or would they be deterred by a social norm that makes them feel pressured? I genuinely doubt it'd have many benefits.

Thoughts, dear followers?

[sybilius]

Yeah, I'm with @salt-of-the-ao3 .

Listen, I'm a fic writer. I get it. Watching your hit count climb with no real engagement sucks.

But also, I'm a fic reader. I'm a fic reader who reviews . And that takes significant effort that I don't have the energy for all the time.

Writing fic is a lot of effort and labor, and I get that writers want to see some return on their efforts, something that makes it all worth it. But writing reviews also takes substantial effort, depending on the length and quality of the review in question. Creating barriers to reading fic based on review quality is just going to lead to fewer people reading fanfic. I know because when I read fic, a lot of the time I ask myself: "do I have the energy to review right now?". If the answer is no, I don't read.

Maybe you think this is the better outcome, someone sticking to their principles and always reviewing rather than reading fic "without paying". But personally I'd rather my fic bring no-pressure joy to many people, than have it be an ordeal of expectations to engage with.

[saltoftheao3]

I'm the same, to the point I have to remind myself that i'm ALLOWED to just leave a short "this was cute!" comment, and I agree. That kind of feature would probably make me feel more guilty and pressured than I already do.

(My go-to author's note nowadays is "I appreciate all comments, nevermind how short" and I hope it removes some of that pressure from my readers, at least.)

Urgh yes you're right that would suck so much, and it'd be a pretty unavoidable development.

Thank you for saying that, I like to think so! If this blog and the discussions that started on it got even just a handful of fanfic writers to feel more happy and proud of their work and got a handful of readers to interact with writers more, then we've accomplished something meaningful, I dare say.

[ao3commentoftheday]

I've been seeing a lot of asks from people nervous about commenting. I've been making a concentrated effort over the last few months to leave more comments and thought people might like a guide on how to start. I read something and try to find 2-5 things to comment on from the story. I work better with specifics, but a shot guide - 1 thing that is extra-canon and one thing that relates back to canon. "I love how A was able to escape earlier than they did in canon. And I can so see B doing that."

Thanks for sharing your tips, anon!

Let’s see if anyone else has ideas for how to write a comment. What’s your best comment-writing tip?

[dayanna-hatter]

@ao3commentoftheday my comment writing tip is to set it up as to create a conversation with the writer. I also will sometimes describe what is happening around me that has been influenced by how much I love a story. (Like: I love this so much! Now to go finish that paper thats due today. Can’t wait for more. Or: Love this! I was laughing so hard it woke up the half deaf boyfriend so we reread it so he could enjoy this amazingness)

[ao3commentoftheday]

The types of comments you get on fanfiction

Bonus: any combination of the above

[star-anise]

Transcript under the readmore:

Keep reading

[badcommentshaming]

Got a mean fic comment? Vent here.

Got a mean fic comment? Submit a post or send a message with the comment so we can shame it publicly.

Bad Comment Shaming is meant to be an outlet for those negative feelings that mean comments elicit. Let us encourage you, share the pain, and change collective commenting behavior.

A few rules:

1. Send (or link to) a screenshot. If you haven’t already, BCS will edit out the commenter’s name or any identifying info.

2. Don’t include anything that could identify the commenter. As much as we want to shame the comment, we don’t want to bring the full force of the internet down on the person making the comment. The punishment should fit the crime, and as crappy as leaving mean comments is, it doesn’t warrant the scorched earth approach.

We’ll refine these rules as we go, but for now, that’s it!

[ao3commentoftheday]

idk the 'write for yourself' advice is so hypocritical. we all write for ourselves. what ppl mean is 'post for yourself' and that's a contradiction bc the second you put something out there you're doing it to get some kind of feedback. im not trying to attack anyone or guiltrip ppl but i think that distinction is often lost and imo thats bad

When people tell writers to “write for yourself” it’s basically just shorthand. What they mean when they say that is some combination of the following:

don’t change your story to suit other people

be okay with not getting any feedback on your work

let yourself be a bad writer - you’ll learn from it (and maybe even enjoy it)

write that self-indulgent fic that only you want to read - you want to read it

don’t let comments or lack thereof affect your perception of your writing ability

It can basically all be summed up by saying “give fewer fucks what other people think”. Easier said than done, but still valid advice. 

[fancytrinkets]

When I say “I try to write for myself” I mean exactly this: If I can’t find a way to uncouple the completely normal desire for feedback from the way I measure my own worth as a writer, then I am setting myself up for a painful spiral of negative feelings. I think it’s better when I don’t do that.

So I strive to write and post for myself, for the way it makes me feel to put my words out there, and for the good interactions it might bring, but that I am not owed.

Nobody owes me feedback. I owe myself kindness.

[ao3commentoftheday]

reasons why people don’t comment on fics

an incomplete list based on observations via this blog

enjoyed the fic but didn’t have anything to say

worried that a general “I love this!” wasn’t a good enough comment

not a native speaker of the author’s language

so overcome by emotions after reading that words were impossible

reading on a device where commenting is difficult

intended to come back later and didn’t

intends to come back later and hasn’t yet

doesn’t have an AO3 account (+ doesn’t know about the guest option or isn’t comfortable using it)

was going to say something but another reader already commented it

not enough mental/emotional energy to try to craft a ‘good enough’ comment

worry about bothering the author

shy / social anxiety

reading fic before bed and fall asleep

reading fic while sick and in a haze

interrupted while reading the fic and thought they finished it/commented but whoops!

didn’t like the fic / didn’t finish reading

[ao3commentoftheday]

Just to be clear, this was in no way meant to be a call-out post on readers. It was intended to explain to writers that there are dozens of reasons why people don’t/can’t comment. Writers tend to assume commenting is a binary: if you like the fic, you comment and if you don’t, you don’t. I wanted to show that there’s a lot more to it than that.