Fanfic doesn't have to be "good"
Since going through another Goodreads debacle and thinking about reviewing fics, and the amount of criticism of fics I've seen on tiktok recently... I have a few other things I need to say on this topic and entitlement in fandom:
I'm going to say this for the people in the back, and maybe I'm talking to a brick wall, but it is not ever okay to speak negatively about fics in public spaces. It doesn't matter how big or untouchable the author or fic might seem, or alternatively, how small, or how old the work is. That was written by a normal person for fun, with no monetary gain and zero compensation. You have no right to speak on it negatively.
Firstly, everyone has personal opinions and likes, and SECONDLY FANFIC DOESN'T HAVE TO BE GOOD. This might sound controversial, and yes so many fics are actual works of art. I've seen so much talent and labor of love in fandom I'm in awe, but there's no standard fanfic is required to meet. There's no quality threshold, there's no amount of effort you're required to put into it.
If you keep shitting on fics, you're going to scare people away from writing for fear that they're going to write something "bad" or that falls under your criticisms. A lot of fic authors have no formal or professional writing experience or education. And they don't need to! Because this is fanfic, and if it was all professional they'd be in publishing.
So stop shitting on fics, not only is it rude, but you're not owed anything!! You're not owed well-edited, typo-less fics, you're not owed hundreds of thousands of words, you're not owed the characterizations and headcanons you like, you're not owed regular updates or completed works. You have no entitlement or right to any of those things.
You are not owed anything, and you're scaring people away from fanfic and fandom with your negativity and hatefulness. We do this for fun, and it stops being fun when you have to deal with people being cruel, disrespecting you and your work, posting it places you explicitly request they not, pestering you, being rude or entitled, etc, etc. I've had to file an actual copyright claim before over fucking fanfic, and it's moments like that where you have to wonder wtf is happening and why you're doing all this. The climate in fandom has become so entitled and if we keep conducting ourselves this way, we're going to scare people away, and you'll have even less content.
So just remember fic is free and a hobby, and you have no right to demand anything of it.
titsay
vaporwave
dededos
gummygunk
germansingergirl
izzy806
andulkaphoto
