Save a fanfic writer, leave comments on old fics
There is this a peculiar set of reasons and biases when it comes to NOT commenting on AO3.
They are all false, but here they are:
Do not comment on old fics
Do not comment on each chapter of a multichapter
Do not comment if the author left the fandom
Do not comment if the author doesn’t respond to comments
It can be summoned up as DO NOT ACT LIKE YOU ENJOYED THE WORK AND YOU LIKE THE AUTHOR.
It comes from the idea, that if you leave a comment on my old work, or leave too many comments, I will think you are strange, clingy, and gross.
Readers are imagining it as commenting on an old Facebook photo — only your granny and creepy strangers do that.
That is not the case with AO3.
Writers put their works there for long-term storage, and we expect, wish, and hope that you will like our works and tell us about it.
This all very interesting, not, but why should I care?
This has awful consequences. Fanfic authors feel constant pressure to create more and crippling fear of being forgotten, useless, and being literally kicked away from fandom.
I’m online friends with a few great fandom authors, who wrote storied with thousands of kudos, but ALL of them at some point expressed this fear. Very talented people told me, “I’m not sure if I should have ‘writer’ in my bio. I didn’t post anything new in the last half of a year.”
Some young or entitled readers might say, “Hm, well, they are right. They should create MORE to be relevant. Isn’t that a good thing to push authors to write more?”
For better or worse, life doesn’t work like that. We are talking about real people, who go to real schools, have real jobs, families, and all the other important things outside the fandom. Some of them might push to create more from that fear, but most would only get more frustrated and depressed about the whole fanfic writing.
So, please, if you like the work comment on it.
Even if it’s old, even if it’s a multichapter, even if the author doesn’t have time and energy to interact. Especially in all those cases.
Encourage your authors, and show them your support.
UPD:
my previous post How to start writing comments
explanation about fics from 70s by olderthannetfic. Thank you so much for it.
I will add - especially if it’s a multichapter!! Think of it this way: each chapter of a multichapter is (broadly speaking) about as long as your standard oneshot, which you probably wouldn’t think twice about commenting on if you’re a commenting type. We go through the same process of writing and editing it for posting, but with the added labor of worldbuilding, reconciling plot points, and trying to make sure it’s all cohesive and coherent.
I 10000000000000% assure you - if you think it’s weird to comment on every chapter of a multichapter, please don’t. Fic authors are so immensely grateful for any comments left in good faith, but especially on a multichapter it’s so lifegiving to hear from an audience chapter to chapter!* Even more so if you’re a long time reader/commenter - I also 5000000000000% assure you that we know your name, and that seeing it pop up makes us vibrate with excitement, bc you’re still here! and we’re so so so excited to see what you have to say this time!
*this includes comments on completed fics!
