since I’m in my reporting and shaming era when it comes to ao3 hate now…
(PurpleSnow, I know you’re sad I blocked you and locked comments on that fic. Maybe that was a sign to stop leaving comments like this. It seems, from your other bookmarks, that you enjoy reading many fics — so maybe give mine a break if they keep making you so upset, yeah?)
Ok so normally I don't post stuff like this, and chances are you've read similar posts like this before and in that case you can skip this post and apologise if you are seeing this kind of post again in the timeline. 😅😅
So, why am I making this post? Well it started out when I first started writing my fic, Family Matters the Most (see pinned post if you wanna read it), and I received an email when I posted chapter five (5).
I know I'm not a great writer, I do it for fun and as a sort of outlet after not doing it for so long and it's great to be creative again. The amount of drafts I have as well for another story's chapters is oof. Posting that story after fixing those draft when the Zelda stories are completed.
Anyway, back to the point. Like anyone else, I post the chapter and be on my way, then I get an email and the words just made my stomach drop.
And the first I thought when I read this was, 'Ouch. Is the fic really that bad?'
Of course I was hurt when I read this, sat on this for a couple of days thinking 'Maybe I should delete it. Who's reading it anyways?'
Then a thought struck me, 'Did I just fall for a Hate Bot comment?'
And sure enough I did! Looking up "Ao3 hate comments" online showed me posts of people receiving the same kind of bot comments as I had received. After that I felt pretty good again, deleted and reported the comment and went on my merry way. Then I started noticing how often I was recieving those bot comments. Like every other chapter I post will result in me getting a Bot comment in a chapter, usually the first chapter.
Now, the picture above shows their general outline. They tear you, the author of the story, down to nothing and make you feel bad about your skills as a writer. Calling the character a self insert for your depression like dude she's going through it, not me. 😂🤣 (Though I do have some personal experiences I like to try and use for good like story writing.)
I had comments like this claiming that the way I wrote it "like a diary is not allowed and Ao3 will delete it unless I do it first." Well I'd like to think that Ao3 will tell me officially themselves if that were to be the case. Otherwise I must be doing a good job conveying the characters and their feelings as intended.
Others told me to end myself and it's garbage and an absolute joke to the fandom so I should leave it, outright just quit writing and there's no shame in just leaving it unfinished as it's long past it's ending time. Also to never come back cause clearly I never interacted with a human being before and know normal social cues. Bladdy bladdy blah.
So if you ever receive comments like this, don't worry about it. It's more than likely a bot that made its way to you and spammed your comment section with such nonsense.
Now I know what you're gonna say. "It's a guest comment. Just delete it and enable Registered Users only."
I have two (2) counter arguments to that. First one (1) being that now they're appearing as Registered Users too. Actual accounts and everything yet when you open their profile, you will see absolutely nothing in there. Recommendation: Block the user and report it and delete the comment. You will know it's a genuine account when they have the same wording as the Guests.
Second argument, why should I? Again, I am getting them one (1) way or another anyway and what if a genuine reader doesn't have an account or is nervous to use their own account to comment? I've been there, it sucks but now I do comment on stories I thoroughly enjoy, trying not to spam every chapter anyway cause I don't like annoying people with the same kind of comments.
Now I just see them as cute and delete them cause sadly, I expect them at this point.
Edit to add: literally as I was writing this, another hate bot appeared:
Which brings me to another kind of bot I encountered, the Praise Bot. Now these ones you gotta be very careful of and I made the mistake of talking to a Bot and then became curious after the second reply.
Here's a recent comment I got:
As you can see, it's a Registered User. Much like a Hate Bot, the Praise Bot will have a basic script of what to say. This time however, this one (1) will try and butter you up before inviting you to chat "somewhere quietly." I did my usual, thanking it for the comment and that it's appreciated but I don't do talks outside the site.
They tried to have me go on Discord and when I said I didn't have it as a test and suggested other sites, they were insistent on Discord. Now as you can see, I am here in Tumblr. I use it for browsing and liking with the occasional comments as well saying "Hey, I updated my Fanfiction and here's a pinned list for my other posts so you don't have to go digging for them."
I have read that someone did unfortunately did fall for this, they talked art details for the stories and then that O.P noticed something was very off and began noticing it was a scam. Thank goodness they didn't get too far but I can't remember if this supposed "art piece" had begun or not.
Unfortunately, many people have fallen for for this particular comment scam. Though I haven't heard of it going any further than them clicking what's really going on and ending contact there.
It might make people paranoid if that's how they write, but a simple change makes your comment come of as one (1) of the real/genuine ones. Example being I use emojis while trying to not also spam it. I ask questions or reference a previous story or chapter. Something relevant to the story and characters.
So unfortunately, Guest or Registered User, I just come to expect bot comments like these now.
But that does make the kudos I get all the more worthwhile and I'm happy for it. Whether here or on Ao3, those likes are truly appreciated and I want to thank you for them! As well as to the occasional comments I get too. You know who you are and I love you all for them. 😍
Remember, a kudos to an author means a whole lot to them more than you know. You don't have to have an account for that either. Many do it as a hobby, like myself, but I am glad people enjoy my stories and seeing the hit number rise too!
Rant over. Apologies this is outside my usual postings and again, to those giving Kudos to my works on Ao3 or here on Tumblr, I had to put my two (2) cents on this and share my experiences with the bots.
Have an awesome day pps, don't let any of the bots put you down and never get disheartened!!
I'm so happy you're calling out all of these rude bookmarks on AO3. Too many people are falling into the mindset that fanfic online is a commodity that they're owed by authors and that when this fanfic doesn't meet this exact expectation that they've made up in their minds, it warrants these type of comments. PSA readers: fanfic is being written FOR FREE, 9.9 times out of 10 as a hobby. It's okay not to like someone's work, but the appropriate response is to scroll past, not be rude.
Thank you! Yeah, I can only call out the particularly egregious examples since I don't want to accidentally shame someone who might not realize what bookmarks are public, etc. But the obvious assholes? Yeah I'll put them on blast.
This week I saw a group of folks rating fics in public bookmarks (ugh, not my favorite but whatever) and then they had the nerve to rate my works lower because they weren't happy endings or 100% happy endings? That pissed me off, the entitlement to a happy ending so much so that you'll rate my fic a 6/10 and that's the only negative. The self-importance of writing such a bookmark publicly, knowing the author will see it, but believing that their followers or friends deserve to hear that opinion more than me, the author, who is suddenly getting rated unwillingly and publicly?
It pisses me off that readers have become so brazen, not realizing that they are contributing to a culture of writing that is slowly decreasing as writers grow less confident or delete their works entirely. Obviously us writers grow thicker skins over time, but it's still humiliating.
I think more ppl need to learn this one and think about this specially and i mean specially on this website, i guess i just don't want to sound mean but that yall got that website on a pedestal and it's annoying to be honest. Im aware i very possibly got moots that use AO3 soo, just leaving this advice.
