Fanfiction culture has become an incredibly toxic place for me over the last few years, and it’s really started to hit me this year how bad it really is. I’ve watched creator after creator delete their tumblrs, delete their fics, delete entire worlds they’ve come up with, all because of factors that are far too prevalent among fans etc.
I’ve helped friends deal with, and dealt with myself, situations where fics are re-posted, with or without credit but never with permission, seen fics with there names changed and passed off as the work of another author for another fandom as if that will prevent them from being caught, and I’ve watched as slowly, slowly creators just stopped putting up a fight because what’s the point.
I’ve watched authors be attacked for not updating on time, or for being too sick (mentally, physically, etc.) to write any more of their recent fic, seen fans demand a sequel that the author doesn’t even want to write as if it’s owed to them.
I’ve seen fans steal copies of people’s works and re-post them when the creator chooses to delete, defending themselves by saying it’s their favorite fic and they didn’t want to lose “ownership” over it, but that right there is the problem in itself.
Fanfiction writers don’t get paid to write you fics. They have lives, and school, and sometimes even jobs that they have to deal with every single day to make sure that they can live the life they want to live. They come home at night, and they choose to spend their free time writing fanfiction for themselves and the world to enjoy, but they don’t get paid for this. They don’t get piad, and they be no means have to write anything, let alone what you demand of them.
And it’s heartbreaking really, because I’m watching my friends get broken down by demands for more more more, and I watch them cry over the fact that it isn’t even encouragement or supportive comments - it’s just a constant barrage of where are you, why haven’t you done this, i want an update, i hate waiting, and it’s tearing us apart.
I hardly see supportive feedback anymore. When it’s there, it’s wonderful and amazing and reminds me why I love to write so much, but unfortunately in life, the bad eclipses’s the good, and it’s discouraging. It’s so discouraging that I’ve watched amazing creator after amazing creator given up and delete, and I’m tired.
I am so, so tired of hating myself and my writing because all it brings me is grief - why didn’t you do this, this would have been better, you should have reversed the roles, this trope is so old
you haven’t updated in two months, why did you start posting if you weren’t going to finish
being ace is unfair to the other character, he should be more understanding of his partners needs
We, as fanfiction writers, put these fics out there for you to enjoy, but we also do it for ourselves, and I’m tired of being underappreciated and harassed
If you don’t want your favorite fanfictions deleted, support the author
If you want an author to update, remind them how much you love their fic, but understand that life can be hard
If you don’t enjoy something personally, remember that an authors writing decisions are not based on you
In the new year, I hope to see more of my friends and myself appreciated rather than torn down for all the work that we do, because I know I’m not the only one suffering from the actions of our fans
