This is my expression.

30s F, here to talk, here to share, here to vent (sporadically). Asks open! We all need a space for it. Side-blog.

[chocolatespiceandcoffee]

Some people have the courage to (secret) bookmark, but not the courage to kudos or comment on the exact same fic. Y'all staying out there breaking my writers heart. 🥹

[chocolatespiceandcoffee]

Please don't be one of those authors that is a complete Snob. And I don't say this lightly. It's okay if you don't like another author's work (we can't like every piece of writing or style of writing), on a ship that doesn't have a huge amount of writers in the fandom in the first place. So it's okay if your tastes are genuinely different.

But when you know for a fact that an author has read works of yours and has thought it is good. Yet refuses to leave a single kudos ever, let alone a comment (comments take effort and I don't expect it even though it is nice). Yet, they expect every kudos and every comment.

This is not a competition. We should be encouraging each other. So it sucks when you leave a comment on another author's work (more than once, because I like to encourage people and give credit where it is due) and it is reciprocated with - "Thanks." but every other response they give to other people is much longer with so much warmth and gratitude.

Or when you genuinely say you wish you could write even nearly a tenth as good as them - and they respond with "I'm sure you're a good writer too."

Anyway, just needed a bit of a vent. I wish we could be encouraging each other and lifting each other up, instead of whatever this is. I honestly don't even know what this is.

[chocolatespiceandcoffee]

Sometimes, it's a little disheartening writing for a niche pairing.

Don't get me wrong, I thoroughly enjoy it. This ship is WHY I started writing in the first place. It's what got me STARTED. And I love it more than I ever thought I would.

But, when there's very little feedback and interaction, it does get you a little down sometimes. And, you wonder if you should continue. (I know, I know. Write because you enjoy it. And I do! But there's still a little part that needs that feedback. I am new and I can honestly say, I don't know if my writing is any good until someone else says it is decent enough to read - someone please tell meeeee)

But also, I WANT TO KNOW YOUR THOUGHTS. HOW YOU FEEL! I WANT TO CONSUME THEM! — CAN YOU RELATE TO THE CHARACTERS, THE STORY, THE EMOTIONS? IS THERE ANYTHING IN THERE THAT MAKES YOU GO "YES!". IS THERE ANYTHING IN THERE THAT MAKES YOU GO "NOOOO".

THEN, I remember the 2 very loyal and wonderful and lovely and brilliant fans of the ship I write about, that DO give me feedback and encouragement and the most wonderful comments. And it fills me with immense WARMTH and the want and motivation to write again. Thank you from the bottom of my heart.

And this is why as much as I want to give up sometimes. The two of you make it hard for me to.

Anyone else in a similar position or can relate to their interest/writing being a little niche? Or needing that feedback/interaction as you write? No? Just me??

[chocolatespiceandcoffee]

I've recently come to realize that I have not appreciated KUDOS enough. Don't get me wrong, I've always loved getting kudos, but I've always held getting comments in higher esteem (I wait with bated breath for these). I still do (because it truly helps me know what the audience is thinking and feeling and it's extremely encouraging).

But I recently received a lot of comments on one of my Fics, and not a lot of kudos. And it's shaken me up more than I expected. It's affected me to the point where I've realized what a greedy little monster I have become. I WANT THE COMMENTS! BUT GIVE ME THE KUDOS TOOOO!

But truly! getting KUDOS is really an undervalued form of appreciation, as I have now come to realize.

And now, now I am extremely grateful for both. I have for the lack of a better word, been humbled.

Has anyone else felt this? No? Just me??