Ramblings @batzmaru65 - Tumblr Blog

Ao3 does not need an algorithm, you're just lazy

Ao3 does not need a 1-5 star rating system, you just want to bring down authors writing for FREE

Ao3 does not need automatic censorship, it is an archive, therefore anything can be posted

Writing or reading about something illegal does not mean the author nor the reader condones it, if that were true, you could never read a story involving anything negative

Purity culture is ruining fan culture and you all are fucking annoying

ao3commentoftheday

I'm sure I'm not the only one who was (or is!) proud of being a bookworm. When I was a kid/teen, I loved the fact that I'd get a dozen books for my birthday and have them all read inside of a week. I loved reading and I loved stories and everyone knew it.

It was a core part of how I constructed my identity, alongside being a Star Trek fan and being sarcastic. If you asked 15-year-old ao3cotd to describe herself, I'm positive being "a voracious reader" would probably be in the top 3 things I listed.

When I see that post about people on tiktok claiming that they only read 100K (or longer) fics, I just see it as the current version of "I got 12 books for my birthday and I read them all in a week." It's people who strongly identify as readers (specifically fanfic readers) bragging about their ability to read.

It doesn't feel like the prevailing opinion to me. It also doesn't feel like something that's necessarily true. Even people who love epic length stories will dip into shorter stuff now and again, just like people who prefer shorter stories will read something longer if the summary and tags look appealing to them.

All of this is just to say, don't worry too much about other people's preferences. You know what you like, and that's what's important.

mountainsoftreatos

"Would anyone want to read --" Listen, imma stop you right there. Yes. YES, someone would want to read that. You write that weird little fucked up story. Or that domestic little slice of life story. That drabble or that 300k monster.

I promise someone wants to read it.

transformativeworks

To the people in the OTW Tumblr Inbox asking about how the OTW is responding to the American Election.

This is a separate post (and not a response to a specific message) because we all need to see it.

Folks have been asking Support (through the form) as well as the other social media mods, and we have now been given the following to tell you.

We are continuing to closely monitor political developments that may affect AO3 and the OTW as a whole. First, we want to assure you that there are several factors that tend to protect AO3 and its users from legal risks and challenges. These include that we are a non-profit, do not host images, do not use algorithms to promote or advertise content to users, are not aimed at children, and collect very little user data. The results of the 2024 U.S. election are deeply concerning, but the OTW remains committed to providing an inclusive space for fannish expression and will continue to fight for fans' free expression, both in court and through legislative efforts, in the U.S. and worldwide. We have seen that fans are a powerful force for promoting free expression, and we will continue to inform people about opportunities for their voices to be heard. If a bill is likely to be passed in the future that could impact our ability to provide services, our legal team will be prepared to offer updates, guidance, and legal support to our users. Fans are not alone in this fight. Both the American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU) (https://www.aclu.org/news/civil-liberties/the-aclu-is-fighting-back-against-trump ) and the Electronic Frontier Foundation (EFF) (https://www.eff.org/deeplinks/2024/11/2024-us-election-over-eff-ready-whats-next ) made preparations for this outcome and have developed strategies to combat anticipated efforts to curtail online freedoms. We urge our users to support these organizations and others as they fight for your rights and ours.

<3 Mod Remi

introvertsnation

bardofavon

not to be controversial bc I know this is like…not in line with shifting opinions on fanfic comment culture but if there’s a glaring typo in my work I will NOT be offended by pointing it out. if ao3 fucks up the formatting…I will also not be offended by having this pointed out…

‘looking forward to the next update’ and ‘I hope you update soon!’ are different vibes than a demand, and should be read in good faith because a reader is finding their way to tell you how much they love it. I will not be mad at this.

‘I don’t usually like this ship but this fic made me feel something’ is also incredibly high praise. I’m not going to get mad at this.

even ‘I love this fic but I’m curious about why you made [x] choice’ is just another way a reader is engaging in and putting thought into your work.

I just feel like a lot of authors take any comment that’s not perfectly articulated glowing praise in the exact manner they’re hoping to receive it in bad faith.

fic engagement has been dropping across the board over the last several years, and yes it’s frustrating but it isn’t as though I can’t see how it happens. comment anxiety can be a real thing. the last thing anyone wants to do is offend an author they love, and that means sometimes people default to silence.

idk where I’m going with this I guess aside from saying unless a comment is outright attacking me I’m never going to get mad at it, and I think a lot of authors should feel the same way. ESPECIALLY TYPOS PLZ GOD POINT OUT MY TYPOS.

permdaydreamer

This is for the people who didn’t party in their teens and twenties. For the people who didn’t have that “coming of age” movie experience with shenanigans and revelations. This is for the people who mostly keep to themselves. Who maybe prefer things to be quieter and gentler. This is for the people who don’t feel like they belong in a culture that values loud parties and flashing lights. I see you. And you are valid.

memeuplift

aurielledawn

Murderbot wrote this.

tenpintsof-sundrop

-> people stealing, binding and selling fics on Etsy, risking everything that AO3 has built since the Anne Rice lawsuits

-> AI scraping being everywhere and Gen Z seeing nothing wrong with using AI to "help" fanfiction or outright "write it" for them, while older fanfic authors have struggled for years to perfect the style you love

-> comments being down across the board and consumption culture being at an all time high. a fic gets 800 notes practically overnight and doesn't get a single comment (and sometimes I literally have to beg for comments/feedback on my fics when I know that hundreds of people are reading them)

-> me, grinding my teeth while pouring my heart and soul into a 40k fic that I know will be forgotten by fandom in a month or could possibly be stolen to be sold as a "novel": I do this because I love this. I do this because I love this. I do this because it's my passion. I don't want to quit doing something that I love so much.

allthingswhumpyandangsty

kudos and hits do not indicate the quality of the fic, by the way.

I’ve read so many fics, that aren’t as popular, that are so professionally written that I immediately know the authors even know the characters better than their original creators, respectfully. and so many of those fics made me cry and I’ve always come back to reread them because they’re that good, even if they don’t reach many people. they’re literally in my heart and I even think about them during the day because they’re that special to me.

the bottom line: the number of kudos and hits do not represent whether the work is good or bad.

and if you’re an author, don’t let it discourage you if you think your works don’t get enough hits or kudos.

sometimes the best fics that have ever been written are like a rare treasure, not many people will find them, but I promise you, those who do will cherish them very dearly ♡