Thanks for reading! or, A Fanfic Author's Guide To Keeping The Conversation Going
I'm going to start off with a fair amount of introduction here, but this guide is mostly aimed at other writers, who are presumably not put off by long block of texts.
Why write this guide? Mostly because no one else has (that I've seen) (yet.) I've seen no end of guides to writing, and a fair amount on the topic 'how to leave a comment,' but I have yet to see one aimed at replying to reader comments.
Why should we take advice from you? Well, I've been a fanfic author in fan spaces for twentysomethingplus years, and through that time I've seen pretty much every configuration of positive and negative interactions between fans, fan authors, and fan readers that you can imagine. Mostly through trial and error in that time I've worked out my own system of when and how to respond to readers in a way that will make them feel welcomed and encourage them to come back. You can try my methods, or you can develop your own, whatever suits you! But if you've been looking for ways to deepen that connection, and find yourself at a loss, maybe these suggestions will help you.
Why bother to reply to reader comments at all? Because we fanfic authors are (with some exceptions) of the opinion that we're here for community and conversation! A fanfic by itself stands alone; a reader, commenting, has started a conversation. That puts the ball back in our court if we want to keep that conversation going and foster those warm social connections!
Also, it's been my twentysomethingplus years of experience that if you reply to comments, people comment more.
OK, well, I've either convinced you or I haven't. So let's get into some broad principles.
Principle 1: Don't be afraid of repeating yourself.
I've seen this comment repeated a few times: "I feel stupid saying the same thing over and over again, but I don't know what else to say!" Don't worry about that! You are replying to each reader as an individual; they aren't actually part of a hive mind. Very few readers are going to read the entire comment section, and the ones who do are usually dedicated fans who are not here to criticize you! If you get twenty comments that are all some variation on "great story," then don't hesitate to reply twenty times with "glad you liked it!"
(Personally, I have "Thanks for reading!" hotkeyed.)
Along the same line, you can repeat longer responses between commenters if it's relevant -- if more than one reader has asked a similar question, feel free to copy-paste your response from an earlier comment thread rather than typing it all out again. Nobody is plagiarism-checking here.
Principle 2: Match the specificity of the reader's comment.
If all a reader has to say is "great chapter" or "more kudos" or a line of emojis, then a simple thank you is all that's required. If they have more to say, then maybe you have more to say in reply. If they comment on a character's behavior, you can give your own thoughts on blorbo's behavior. If they liked some passage particularly, you can say that you are proud of that passage. If they wail and cry over a sad part, you can offer tissues; if they post a string of LOL's, you can crack another joke. If they went into a mini-essay about blorbo's motivation and how this ties into the canon, then you are being given a blank check to gush about the same! And if they ask a question, then it's probably a good idea to answer it -- even if the answer is "you know what, I didn't even think about that" or "you'll find out later. :)"
(Personally, my stance is that suspense is only for the sake of the reader's enjoyment; if a reader asks a question that would be a spoiler for a later development, I will assume they don't care about suspense and usually answer them truthfully. Your own personal philosophy may vary.)
You gotta manage your own time and spoons but in my opinion, even short comments are worth replying to. It is still an indication that someone engaged with your story and wanted to reach out.
Principle 3: Stay positive.
This is just a principle I keep for as many fannish interactions as possible, really, but the comment sections of your fanfic are not a good place to get into arguments. If a comment is positive, match it with positivity. If a comment mixes positive comments with some kind of cold takes or bummers, you can reply to the positive parts and just ignore the rest. And if a comment is downright nasty, don't get drawn in; it's your AO3-given right as an author to delete or freeze it and go on with your life.
Principle 4: So long as you both want to be here, you can both be here.
I definitely know I've seen, and lived, variations on 'I let the comments pile up unanswered and now it's been months! I'd be mortified to respond to them now!' I won't say it's never ever too late to reply, but I will say that as long as you the writer and they the reader are both active in the same fandom, it's still appropriate to reply. That may be days, weeks, even months after the comment was left. Maybe not years. Case by case.
Also, if it's a chaptered fic, the best time to reply to the comments on the last chapter is right before you post a new chapter -- what better time to remind readers that your story exists? :)
Principle 5: Remember the regulars.
If the same readers regularly comment on chapters or on multiple stories, remember their names and icons and try to get to know them! A regular reader has made an investment in you; it's worth making an investment in them. With regulars, you get the privilege of being a little more informal with them -- you can let down the customer-service level of positivity and vent a few complaints about how much of a fight this chapter gave you, or crack off-color jokes, or the like.
Regulars who leave only very brief comments are still worth cultivating. The more you reply, the more likely it is that they will return and, over time, they may open up to more interaction. I had one regular who commented with a single emoji on every single chapter over the course of several stories and then, on the second to last chapter of my last fic in the fandom, left a long comment about how much my work meant to them.
Well, that's all I can think of for now -- but feel free to ask questions, or add your own two cents on in a reblog!
