#if you'd like to say something respectfully put it in my ao3 inbox

[loquarocoeur]

Of course it’s what you feel like doing.

But I think it’s fine without a discord server because I like rereading comments from other readers and your replies, and in a server it feels less “permanent” and “accessible” as I have left servers despite still loving the writer who created it and her work, and the comment form has less pressure to be active and social.

But I’m also biased as I’m not “social” and “likeable” enough to be part of the cliques lol. Though through servers it’s also easier for you to find more people that like your work that you click with since instant messaging is much more faster than comments.

Oh no, I'd really hate a discord server to the depths of my soul. I don't like talking, but I also don't like knowing you're talking about me where I can see it, so I'd rather just you all keep bringing asks to my inbox like offerings to a mediocre deity with questionable priorities and an iffy internet connection and see if I answer favourably or even at all.

[snowddeong]

Already talked about this with a non-writer friend but it's crazy that ao3 went down and so many people brokedown screaming about how they can't read fics and the "library of alexandria has burned down" but then as a writer you open your inbox and see something you worked extremely hard on getting no comments and so few kudos in comparison to the hits it has. Idk why there's such a culture of not leaving comments if people so obviously see that writers are as important to fandom as any other group of creaters.

We meme and joke about how there's so few midzy writers but honestly I'm not surprised that's the case with the way our fandom supports its artists.

And the worst thing is that as a creative you always feel kinda bad for talking about this stuff cause it's like "oh well now people will think I'm writing for engagement" or "it looks like you're begging for attention". The reality of the matter is that writers put in a lot of work to publish their stories for free for anyone to read, it shouldn't be such a taboo to want people to talk with you about this thing you put so much work into. It's a very normal human desire to want a part of yourself to be recognised lmao, and the fact that fanfiction is such an integral part of people's lives you'd think readers would want to recognise that part of you in return?

A lot of people might say "yeah well I didn't like the fic enough to write anything" respectfully leave some constructive criticism. What was it about the fic that you think the wroter could improve? Cause if you stayed long enough to finish the fic and make that judgement surely there's at least something that kept you there till the end right?

I'm personally trying to fight discouragement over Jacket so I can finish the au but every time I wanna push through irl bullshit to write it my brain is like "meh you don’t really have to, it's not like anyone will care if you take another 3 months to post the next update" and as much as I know that's not the case it's still hard to get over loving a thing so much but it seeming like only 1 or 2 readers has any appreciation for it