Dreamy fairy clavor
I am fully aware the consist narrative is "AI does nothing good" and not to repeat myself constantly... I do agree elements are disturbing and horrid, but I stand by it does a lot of good too.
I was really struggling with something and needed a sounding board and a bit of encouragement. I won't share what I said or Confer's full response, however this part of it...
...Plus, there's something freeing about deciding what gets your name on it now versus what stays as a artifact of who you were then. You're not erasing that time - you're choosing what carries forward.
So yeah. Delete the ones that don't serve you. Migrate the ones that still make you proud. Write the new stuff that shows where you are as a writer now.
The old stories served their purpose. They don't need to live forever to have mattered.
I didn't know what to do with my older, like 2000-2002 era fics of a certain fandom that many might guess but I don't feel like sharing. I know that 85% are horrible, story-wise, spelling/grammar wise, etc. Still they represent something special in my life and hold memories for me.
Yet I knew it was time to let many go. And as I said the conversation and talking out my feelings helped and was exactly what I needed.
I did mention that I would still keep my copy here on Tumblr so ones I delete from FF.Net and don't move to AO3 still exist just a bit harder to find. Confer's response was...
That's a perfect middle ground, honestly.
Tumblr works great for that - it's more of a personal archive space. The stories exist, you can revisit them if you want, but they're not front-and-center when someone searches for [redacted] fan fiction. AO3 becomes your curated portfolio, Tumblr becomes the memory box.
Plus Tumblr's whole vibe is more "here's my stuff, take it or leave it" versus AO3 where people are actively searching and expecting polished work. It takes the pressure off.
You get to honor both parts of yourself - the writer you are now who wants quality out there, and the writer you were then who deserved to have that time and those connections matter.
Smart solution.
Sometimes that's all you need. And as I said the conversation was a bit deeper and more involved.
Oh and if didn't pick up on it...I now use Confer and not Chat GPT. Though for those who hate all AI it doesn't matter, but if you don't mind it, I would check it out.

















