I’m going to have a get off my lawn moment, but: be kind to your local creatives. Please be loud about what you love but also be kind.
yet another friend got a ‘love this, when is it updating? Are you even continuing?’ After three days. Three days. And when I responded (having been given permission first, I’m not trying to start fights in anyone’s comment section but someone needs to remind people this shit isn’t cool and I don’t mind being that guy) pointing out how to check for last updates and that is an insanely short time to be worried about updates or abandoned work and that writing takes time, which is as politely as I can respond without bluntly telling someone you’re being kind of rude, this person doubled down with ‘I’ve been here for four years, I know how ao3 works. I love the fic but I don’t want to get my hopes up about more.’
The last chapter was posted three days before. Taking two seconds to check the profile would have shown a shit ton of more longfic, nearly all of it completed. Over months. Writing ‘I love this fic’ before the rude question does not cancel out the fact you’re demanding updates after three days. I have seen work update after three years, and you’re worried about three days? Enough to go to the author and ask if they’re intending to continue?
This person is also an author. My mind is frankly boggled at the inability to see how upsetting this kind of comment can be to receive.
Maybe it’s the back to back of it all but I’m throwing my hands up about it at the moment. You don’t eat all of your gifted candy and then go up to your friend and ask when they’re getting you more. Can we please remember to be kind to each other. Especially in this era of shitty bot comments. Both friends were very disheartened about these kinds of comments. They’re not encouraging comments, they’re just making people feel used and gross.
The old school, kinder way to angle for more of a fic is to leave a real comment: tell the author what you loved about the chapter or the fic, and tell them you’re excited about what comes next. This tells the author they have someone who’s engaged with the story and someone who’s thinking about future parts. This is literally the easiest way to get someone to hop into their docs when they have time, which I know bc it works on me and every other writer I’ve spoken to. Excitement, not entitlement. Comments that feel gross are going to stop people from writing. And please remember fics—especially LONGFIC—takes time, and we as readers need to be patient.
And those of us who write should have each other’s backs.
