On fic Readers and Writers
There seems to be this shift in the fanfic reader/writer dynamic lately.
People say readers have become more "entitled", rarely commenting and when they do, it's often that they leave a simple "More!" or "When will this be updated? It's been X days/weeks." The thing is, those types of readers have always existed. They're nothing new, they've been around since the days Fanfiction.net was thriving. Yet it seems to me that writers weren't nearly as bothered about it back then. (And yes, I get how disheartening it can be to get a notification for a comment only to find out that it's a simple "(Please) update!!". Yes it is rude, but some people act like readers who leave comments like that killed their family and burnt their house down. Like they can't disengage themselves from just not taking a random person's words that seriously.)
The same goes for the comments who say: "Hey, btw I didn't like the ending/didn't like that you left this unfinished so I started writing an alternative ending/continuation myself". Those have also always existed, I'm pretty sure.
I guess the new addition would be the comments accusing the writing of being AI.
Anyhow, if you think readers have become more entitled, you know what? So have writers.
As someone who has been writing fanfiction for about a decade, I am so tired of seeing the "fanfic is a gift!" or "Never be rude to fanfic writers! They are sharing their unpaid labor with you for free!"
Well, first of all, you shouldn't be rude to anyone, that's a given. But "unpaid labor"? Seriously? No one is forcing writers to write. They write because they like to, because writing is a hobby for them - not a job that needs to be paid in any way.
Some people like to act high and mighty just because they posted something they had fun writing for some reason.
"Fanfic writers don't owe you anything!!" Okay? What do you mean "owe"? By this logic, readers don't "owe" you anything either. However, every writer (or 99,9% of writers) care about and strive for engagement. That thing that readers provide?
And don't get me started on the "writers only write for fun". Yes, obviously. But writing is one part of the fun. The other is the joy of people reading your story and telling you their thoughts on it. If you weren't looking for readers and thus for engagement, you wouldn't be posting your fic in the first place. I do think you are purposefully turning a blind eye on your intentions if you believe otherwise.
Anyway, TLDR: I think we've lost the plot somewhere. We have forgotten that fanfic is in fact a two-way relationship. Neither the reader nor the writer have or should have power over the other. It's a mutually beneficial exchange. Readers that aren't respectful don't get any more fanfic to read. Writers that aren't respectful don't get an audience.
amandla
theartofmadeline
titsay
2087
ellievsbear
