The Prom Bet AU (TPB + TSoF) now has 20 thousand hits and I just wanted to jump back on here to say thank you. I know I’ve disappeared (for like the fifth time) and I’m sorry about that, and honestly I cannot say for sure that I will update again. I really don’t see that I will. Nothing major, it’s just that I’m in college so I’m hella busy, and I simply don’t love Heathers like I used to. I won’t speak for Ryan here but I know they have said the same thing, we’ve just moved on to different things. The Prom Bet hitting this mind-blowing milestone of course did mean that I had to at least say something and express my appreciation. Twenty thousand people is a number I cant even comprehend (well, I was never very good at maths to be fair) and it doesn’t feel real. I have never thought of it as an iconic work per se, just another chansaw fanfic. However, I think it truly dawned on me when someone said it was in the fandom-agreed list of the most famous heathers fics of all time. That was what blew me away. Some silly little story I wrote, 2 years after the ‘peak’ of the Heathers fandom, which I never thought would be a big thing in the slightest, is famous? And then the number really hit me and I realised just how crazy this all was. This also did unfortunately mean I felt bad for the way it has been left. I regretted writing TSoF in a way because I felt like just leaving it as TPB sufficed perfectly, and now I’ve added this random half-assed, unneeded sequel that was left unfinished after a measly 2 chapters that added nothing substantial? To be honest, I just now want to focus on the positives and not worry about what I have and haven’t done. Since 2018, I have been reading your Heathers stories. Since 2019, I have been writing my Heathers stories. The past 4 years in this fandom have been a blast, and yes I’ve left a few times and randomly reappeared, only to silently fade away again. However, I wouldn’t change a thing. It warms my heart that The Prom Bet has had such an impact, and that so many of you consider it to be so prestigious. I’m not sure I agree, as there are some killer fics out there! Nonetheless, thank you. Keep writing, keep doing what you’re doing. I know there perhaps aren’t as many fics as there used to be, and they don’t get as many hits these days, and that can be discouraging. I know that. But somewhere out there, there are still tens, if not hundreds, maybe even thousands of people who wait patiently for the things *you* create. When you start thinking of the numbers as people, that’s when it gets crazy. And that is when you realise what an incredible thing you are doing here: creating wonderful art for others with no monetary reward, just simply because you love it. As Veronica would probably say, that’s beautiful. So thank you for 20,000 hits on The Prom Bet AU and about 40,000 hits across my 6 fics (Jesus Christ) . Thank you for these 4 years. This isn’t (another 💀) goodbye post really, just a “thanks, I’ll see you whenever I see you” post. Always remember the joy you are bringing to people’s lives. Don’t stop doing what you love for anyone’s sake. Writing is hella hard but you got this.
