How to Leave Feedback on Fanfic
Since people were interested in how to leave detailed comments, here they are! Remember that even an I loved this will make a creator's day!
You are welcome to use this as a resource or ignore it, reblog it or send us an Ask if you'd like some specific help or ideas for writing a comment!
Contributed by @flightsfancy1
Table of Contents:
How to leave Feedback on Fanfic: Best Practices
What is a good comment? / What is a bad comment?
Basic/Intermediate/Advanced Feedback for Fanfic
Additional Reading
How to Leave Feedback on Fanfic: Best Practices
Fanfic feedback can be anything from “SQUEEEEEE!” to “FLAIL!” to insightful literary analysis. Most authors would say any (positive) response is better than nothing, so even if all you can manage is an emoji, kudos, or ‘like’, do it!
However, if you want to leave more meaningful feedback, the section below offers feedback options geared at different levels of engagement. If you’re new to offering feedback, start with something basic and work your way up!
What is a good comment? / What is a bad comment?
There’s a section below on comment types and different ‘levels’ of feedback, but really: any positive comment is a good comment. Basic feedback (brief comments to let the author know you read and enjoyed the story) is just as ‘good’ as extended commentary, and much, much better than not commenting at all.
However, a “bad” comment is anything that is critical of the story and/or the author’s choices. Again, if you disliked something about the story, you should not tell the author (unless specifically requested).
Also, comments like, “Please post the next chapter!” or “Can’t wait for the update!” can sound flattering, but they do sometimes cause a writer extra stress, guilt and anxiety if they aren’t able to continue the story right away, or have been slower to update. While you can always let an author know you’re enjoying their work and want to read more, please avoid demanding an update (especially if the story has not been updated in several months).
Remember: posting thoughtful in-depth reviews of chapters without asking for updates is far more likely to inspire and fuel a writer than just asking for “MORE!”
Feedback Options: Basic, Intermediate, Advanced
Basic Feedback
Brief comments are always appreciated. Examples: "❤" or “Loved this!” or “Thanks for writing!”
A specific comment about one element you liked. Just pointing out something you enjoyed about the story is a great form of feedback. Examples: “I love the way you wrote Character X.” or “Your idea about ____ was really cool!”
Quote/highlight something in the story that stood out to you. It might be your favourite sentence, the line of dialogue that made you laugh, or an event that you’ll probably be thinking about tomorrow. Examples: "“Geralt felt some hidden faultline in his heart crack open, releasing all the fear and tension he’d been carrying for the years they’d spent apart.” ← This was a good line! It made me feel happy/sad/etc."
Tell the author why you enjoyed the story: was it the plot? The steamy sex scene? The picture the author painted in your mind? What inspired you to comment in the first place? Examples: "I loved this story because you really made me feel like I was in the Kaer Morhen hot springs. I loved the description of the old keep and its isolated mountain location!"
Intermediate Feedback:
Comment on the writer’s style or storytelling approach (specify why you like it):
Examples: “Your writing is so descriptive/compelling/unique: you use such interesting vocabulary and really draw from a range of experiences to make your characters come alive!”
Identify specific literary elements (metaphors, allusions, intertextual references, all the stuff your English teacher desperately hopes you remember!) Examples: “I loved your metaphor about love being a rock slide, and alluded to it again when Character X felt like they were buried under “an avalanche of love” in the last chapter."
Share your interpretation of the story’s theme (what lesson did the characters learn?) Examples: "The central conflict between destiny and free will was reflected in Geralt’s decision in that last chapter to “love Jaskier because he wanted to please himself, for once.” I thought that was interesting because of his first line of dialogue in the story, when he explains that Witchers are “fated” to walk the Path and always be alone."
Advanced Feedback:
Go beyond basic observations about the characters/storytelling devices and try to articulate what you think the story is trying to say, and how it goes about saying it.
Offer a more in-depth analysis of the theme, tone or structure of the story, with some quotes to illustrate ‘how’ and ‘what’ ties the section back to the greater whole.
Bring in the meta: how did the writer incorporate or resist certain fan tropes, characterizations or common metaphors? How does the story’s version of the characters/setting/plot match up with canon?
What if I don’t know anything about writing? Or if I’m not familiar with the canon or character? Can I still comment?
Yes, absolutely! You do not need to be an expert to join in and comment on a fic! Even if you’re not a writer yourself, you are more than qualified (as a reader!) to explain what you liked, or how the story made you feel. Your feedback doesn’t have to be lengthy or too technical: any opinion you have, as long as it’s positive, will be welcomed by the author.
Additional Reading:
LLF Comment Project by @longlivefeedback
Your Guide To Reviews by @tsunderesasuke
“Can I Say This?” Culture, Comments, and Concern by @longlivefeedback
A Brief Guide to Supporting Authors by @longlivefeedback
Commenting on Fanfic: A How-to Guide by @littlethingwithfeathers
Some ideas for leaving good AO3 feedback by @bettsfic
Helpful 'Comment Starters' For Leaving Comments on Fics by @obversa
A Homestuck’s Guide to Fanfic Commenting Etiquette by @mercurialmalcontent
101 Comment Starters by @dawnfelagund