#keysmashes and short comments also feel wrong

[foxstens]

leaving comments on fics feels good :')

but i also worry if they're adequate :'(

[the-starryknight]

Hi you! You seem like such a nice and lovely person and the way you lift people up in this fandom is fantastic. Your recs and comments makes the fandom a brighter place 🤩 how do you have the time and energy for it? Is there anything that makes you nope out of a fic or some tropes you just don’t read? I want to be able to read more but I’m such a picky reader, do you have any tips? Have a lovely day and take care 💕

Hi anon! Thank you for coming into my ask box to say such nice things <3 I love being a part of fandom and doing what I can to be active and supportive wherever possible.

So you have a few questions here -- let me do what I can to answer them. And this got long, LOL, so under the cut it goes.

Also, these are just my opinions, and I'm no more an expert than you are yourself, anon. So if you, or anyone else has thoughts to share, I'd love to hear them!

Firstly - how do I have time and energy? Well, I know I won't always, for one. Right now, being part of fandom like this fills my creative and social batteries. I spend a lot of time on my computer as-is, so having the hubbub of fandom in the background is really comforting when I can't be sitting at a cafe or tucked up in the corner of the library.

I also find that, in the really hard times, looking for kindness brings me hope. So getting to be part of fandom and getting to spread a little bit of kindness during what has been an incredibly difficult year has given me energy and hope when I really needed it.

(Also, I am endlessly exhausted by capitalism and the state of our world, and I believe that fandom as I practice it is inherently anticapitalist & centered on building community so that uh... has also been a solace. Obv this isn't the only place I practice & engage in these values but it is important to me that it is a part of it.)

Re: being a "picky reader," you're not. Do I have things that make me nope out of a fic? Are there tags I avoid? Pet peeves that make me stop reading in the middle of something I'm otherwise enjoying? Pairings I'll never read? Formatting things that put me off? Absolutely. I don't think that makes me a picky reader, I think that makes me very normal.

Plus, when I don't have time to read as much as I do right now, I want to prioritize the things that I'm going to enjoy.

If you *want* to read more, it might be worth considering what things you want to be picky about -- what are your hard no's, those squicks and triggers you NEED to avoid? Are there short works by friends that don't contain those? Maybe try some of sitp-recs' gorgeous lists too, if you're looking for recs you can really trust!

Another piece of trying to be less choosey about your reading (and again, I don't think you need to be less choosey!) is to try to read differently. When I'm coming off a week where I have done a LOT of beta reading, my fic reading experience is very different. I find myself getting stuck on grammar in ways I wouldn't if I'd just spent ages reading for fun.

When I read a fic that I want to read that isn't necessarily something I love -- for whatever reason -- I try to read for things I do like about it to drown out the picky parts of my brain that want to try to edit.

To me, reading can be an act of community-building, because we're sharing in the same art. Sometimes my reason for reading is to connect with someone, regardless of my thoughts about their words. Talking to authors about what they've made can be a way to meet them & engage with them, and that's a big part of fandom for me, the words themselves aside.

Also, reader burnout is totally a thing! If you're struggling with reading, that could also be a part of it. Take a step back, relax, and take some pressure off of yourself. Time and space to read will come.

Anyway, that brings me to one other part of your question: comments and recs. I've said before that I think anyone can rec fics! Same goes for comments.

While I'm at it, a quick aside -- you're under no obligation to leave comments. If all you can do is reblog, or leave a kudos, or even neither, that is okay. That is okay! I know we all love comments and reblogs. I know they're important for boosting and sharing things. But it is okay to not do those things. You're not doing fandom wrong by not doing them or not being able to do them.

Also, comments with just a keysmash, or a string of emojis, or "omg i loved this" are all really lovely comments. I'm grateful for each of these I receive.

Ok, ramble aside. Here's my basic comment formula:

Something like "I really loved this story."

2-5 things I specifically liked about the fic (characterizations, a specific line, a detail I enjoyed, something else)

Some closing line: "Looking forward to the next chapter" "I'm excited to read more of what you write" "This is a special fic for me because..." "Thank you very much for sharing this piece" depending on what's relevant and what I feel

That's it! I also really love "how to praise writers and influence fics," a lovely post about commenting.

[naughtynutboy]

i feel like no matter how hard i try or how well things might be going, i'll never be able to sustain an online fandom presence for more than a few months tops before i relapse back into my cycle of not doing anything. this blog is a perfect example of that and i hate it to my core

don't get me wrong, i love this blog and everyone who decided to follow it as well as the sanders sides fandom as a whole, this whole thing has brought me the most amount of joy from an online space i have ever had in my 10+ years of being on the internet. but i feel like i just don't deserve it, you know?

back in the Glory Days of this blog, absolutely! in that short period of june/july/august of 2019 where i was drawing fanart nearly every day, getting involved in the fandom, talking to people, making friends and just generally Living It Up, it was genuinely one of the best periods of my life

i've had terrible social anxiety for as long as i can remember and you would think the anonymity of the internet would alleviate some of that, but nope, not for me! i've always dreamed of being a part of a community and having a circle of online friends to talk to but i was always too scared to actually reach out and do it. until i made this blog, and i actually started talking to some people! it was amazing! i couldn't believe i missed out on all of that and just stood to the sidelines for most of my life! it was the most positivity i've ever gotten for any of my artwork as well, and i still look back on some of my posts to see all the sweet comments and keysmashes in the notes when i need uplifting

but now i feel like i just threw all of that away and i'll never be able to get back to that point in my life. i know everyone gets burnt out and taking breaks is okay, but my issue isn't burn-out. i just switch interests so fast that i can't possibly keep a consistent prescence in pretty much anything

i can pin-point the exact moment when this blog went down-hill and that was when school started up for me in the fall. i was surprised i even managed to last the whole summer, and as soon as school started i could just Feel my interest in sanders sides slipping from me. i didn't want it to go, i wanted sooo bad for it to stay so i could keep posting, keep drawing, keep talking to fandom friends because those are all things that i love to do. but it was like my mind just forgot about all of that and next thing i know i didn't draw anything for nearly 6 months.

i still have unanswered asks in my inbox from when i was taking drawing requests to celebrate 1,000 followers. in fact, i think i only answered/drew one in total. that shit HAUNTS me to this day and i feel so bad. i know they are free requests and i don't have to draw anything if i don't want to, and hell i'm sure a majority of those people who sent requests have forgotten by now or would be totally understanding, but it's a pattern for me. this has happened so many times in my life with things i'm interested in to the point that i don't even know what i'm actually passionate about. i don't know if i actually even like to draw or if it's just a passing hyperfixation that shows up every once in a while. i don't know if i like to write or if i was just hyperfixated on writing for a brief time in the past.

i just want to be active. i don't want this blog to end up like my mineblr. i want to be a Cool Blog with Funny Jokes And Quips that you see on your dash everyday because i follow so many other blogs like that that i look up to. i don't want to be an abandoned ass blog with 1,000+ followers that just goes to waste because my stupid little peanut brain has all the attention span of a goldfish and all the motivation of a rock. i have so many ideas for things to draw, things to write, and i know i can do it because i've done it before and it felt so good. but i know it will all come crashing down in a few months when i inevitably lose interest and then stop posting. how do i stop that from happening.

idk but here's my closing thoughts: i'm sorry for being inconsistent in pretty much everything i do, i'm sorry for all the things i get excited about and commit myself to doing that never get done, and i'm sorry for going inactive for months at a time. this started off not sad but now im sad because i just keep remembering how shit was last summer and how i want that again. also sorry to anyone i've ever talked to one-on-one that i just stopped talking to, i remember all of you and feel really bad for constantly going off the radar. maybe this summer it'll be better but who can say anymore

[annerb-fic]

Anyway. What I really want to know as I am new to tumblr despite reading fanfic for years)is do you prefer to hear from your readers in the form of reviews, an ‘ask’ or a message? I mean after I read your stories I am always desperate to tell you how much I love them but then no idea what is preferred by authors. And what is the difference between an ask and a message! As you can see today is a slow day as I am clearly overthinking these things. I just wondered if there is a sort of etiquette?

First, let me be very clear that hearing from readers in anyformat is amazing. Whether that is comments on a fic, an ask, a message, areply to a post, a short sentence in a bookmark description, a DM in twitter,or even indecipherable keysmashing via carrier pigeon. It is all adored andappreciated.

Second, I feel the need to state that I still feel like Ihave no idea what the rules are on tumblr or the proper etiquette. And Ioverthink it all the damn time! So all I can do is tell you how I approach thesethings, but please take it with a grain of salt. (and please let me know ifI’ve got something wrong)

Comments – What’s great about comments (particularly at A03)is that they are easy to keep track of and easy to respond to. I can go back tothem whenever I like, all of them nicely anchored to the particularstory/chapter, unlike asks or messages or posts that can be hard to get back toagain if I want to re-read nice things someone said when I need a pick-me-up orto climb back out of writer doubt hell. (Even worse when it’s an ask that isanswered privately, as I no longer have any record of what was said, unless Iam completely using tumblr wrong.)

Asks – Asks are great because I can often respond tosomething more in-depth and then be able to share it with other readers whomight be interested, who would find it harder to find in a comment thread. Idon’t spontaneously fic in comment boxes often, but I have been known to in askresponses. Asks can also be a bit more instantaneous and spontaneous.  Like sometimes people just shout at me in asksbefore they’ve even read the story/chapter, or might yell about somethinghalfway through or at any point in the story, and that is so cool. It makes mejust cackle with joy sometimes, and you rarely get those sorts of things in ficcomments. My only thing about asks is that I sometimes stress about posting toomany, or even being clear if a non-anonymous ask should be responded topublicly or privately. I would never want to post something publicly that the personasking would have rather had private. Which, I would hope they would say that,but I still worry about it sometimes.

Messages – I do use messaging, and have no problem withpeople reaching out to me that way. I know it probably feels a bit more invasiveor intimate (lord knows I feel that when I contemplate sending a message tosomeone I don’t know well yet). It’s a great place for a more privateconversation, though I realize some people have messaging turned off. I haven’tyet had a bad experience with messaging, so I’m going to keep it open until Ido, I suppose. So it’s definitely a nice way to have more privateconversations, but again, not easy to get back to or revisit. Especially if westart going off about headcanons. ;)

Really, any (or ALL! ;) of these are great. I’m kind ofjoking about the ALL, but I do feel I should say that sometimes people arelike, “I’m sorry to bother you” or “I’m sure you’re tired of hearing from me”and I can only assure you THAT IS NEVER THE CASE. I’m a self-obsessed writer, Icould never get tired of talking about my stories or these characters, as isprobably already obvious.

Any kind of response is adored, and from my point of view, Iwould hope readers don’t stress about reaching out to me in any way they feelcomfortable with. And if you don’t feel comfortable reaching out in any way, Irespect that too! I just want y’all to enjoy what I produce in any way thatmakes sense for you.

[writelively]

So you’re nervous about leaving comments on stories!

(From someone who has written over 150 stories online.)

First I’m going to give some tips for people with anxiety or those who are just nervous about offending a writer! You can skip this though and go straight to the second part if you like. 

The second part (look for the 2′s) will be actual comments that you can copy and paste into the comment section of any story!

Something is better than not commenting at all, I promise!

I get it, it’s hard to come up with things to say that sound genuine and won’t waste the writers time. Well, the good news is: Comments take seconds to read and if you’re not being nasty, it’s never a waste of time!

Yay!

So I can write a short comment and they won’t be upset?

I don’t know about other writers, but (very) short comments are almost all I ever get. And they still make me smile and my heart flutter. Comments are what drive me as a writer! Short ones still make me happy, so don’t worry about it, if that’s all you can manage!

Isn’t it a bit shallow to ‘write for comments’?

What else am I writing for, buddy? I am writing for the fandom, not just myself! I write because there’s a sense of community and it’s fun to talk about the things I love and to make people feel !!~EMOTIONS~!! is the best feeling I get with my writing! It’s what has made this hobby take up so much of my life for a decade and a half.

But what if I want to give constructive criticism? 

Will the person be okay with that? Good question. One good way of telling if they’ll be okay with what you say is: Did they ask any sort of question in the author’s notes? If they did, they are definitely trying to hear your voice, so don’t be afraid to speak your mind!

If you want to give advice or say something that bothered you about a fic, you can say 2 positive things before the negative comment and 1 positive comment to wrap it up. This way, they have lots to be happy about and are more likely to take your negative comment as good natured.

IE:  “Wow, your characterization is so on point! I loved the way you described Frodo’s eyes! I didn’t feel like the fight scene with Legolas really fit the tone of the story, but the part when he rests his head on Gimli’s shoulder was both adorable and hilarious!”  

As a writer, a comment like this would tickle me to death! I would literally go back immediately and reread the parts you talked about. (Ok, I’ve never written LoTR fanfics, but you get my point.)

But I’m not that good with specific writer things like ‘tone’ or ‘characterization’?

Also fine! How about this:

IE: “More of those kisses and cuddles plz! :D Ahh Captain Kirk was so cute! The story could use more dialogue, but I love all the fluff!”

Totally okay to use emojis, keysmashing and text talk. They just further show how you’re feeling and we LOVE that!

But I hated it, disagreed with its content, the pairing, etc? 

Time to read something else, buddy! It’s not worth the stress on your body to give attention to something you hate. If someone was passionate enough about something to write about it, you won’t change any minds. Give your attention and passion to what you love and support the writers who write your interests! It’s better for everyone. I’ve been in fandoms for 15 years now and I can tell you that you will NOT be changing anyone’s mind. For yourself, move on.

I only felt ‘meh’ about this story, do I still have to comment?

Depends! Did you read the entire thing? If you did and still aren’t super ‘into’ it, but also didn’t hate it, maybe just write a simple single line like the ones I have listed below. If it was SO meh, that you actually regret reading it, don’t comment negatively. It could be a new writer and we don’t want to discourage new writers from writing!  You could leave constructive criticism like above, or something small like below.

This writer is clearly very popular / the story already has comments.

Before you decide that a writer has ‘too many comments’ or ‘too many notes’ remember that on sites like Ao3, replies and replies to replies count as ‘comments’. If the writer replies to most of the comments, the number is going to look like it’s double what it actually is. And we always appreciate every comment!  On tumblr, ‘liking’ something counts as a note. Reblogging with out tags or comments also counts as a note, but it’s better than just a like. 

Remember, we love attention. We love to hear what you have to say. I’ve never seen a writer put in their bottom notes ‘Please don’t comment, I don’t care.’

If something has 400 comments or is super old and you think that the author probably won’t care, it doesn’t hurt to write something small! Just give it a shot! Even if they don’t reply, they still might see it.

I see people commenting on my work from 10 years ago and though I barely remember the fandom, it still makes me giggle. I love it!

But in the end, the judgement call on whether or not you’ll comment is yours to make.

I want something to happen in a later chapter, can I tell you that?

You can, but do not demand or expect that someone will steer the story line off where they were going for you. You may want to word in a way that makes it seem like you HOPE it will happen, rather than you ASKING for it to happen.

IE:

NOT this:  Please let them kiss in the next chapter!!  DO this:  Aaaahhh, I hope they kiss, the tension is killing me! NOT this: Make Harry ask Luna to the dance. DO this:  Luna keeps staring at Harry, and he keeps noticing. I see what you’re doing thereeee~ SIDE NOTE: Demanding any sort of smut/kinks/AUs/pairings/etc that the writer might be uncomfortable with and haven’t been brought up in the story is probably not okay. If you want to make a request like that, make sure the writer is OK with requests and if they are, request a completely different story.   

If you’re worried a request might freak them out, try and do a little research. 

Remember, tons and tons of teens and kids (underagers) write fanfics. Many of them may be writing things that are above their age grade. If you accidentally read one of these, just back away and don’t interact. It is illegal.

If you ARE a minor writing things like smut, remember: It’s still illegal. If you have any more questions about this, feel free to ask. But remember, always keep it SFW when you’re talking to an adult. If an adult knows you are underage and still wants to talk to you about / show you / RP smut and the like, back away. That is predatory and real kids AND teens have gotten hurt in this way.

OKAY! If you have more comments or suggestions, feel free to reblog and add them!   Now for the copy and past part of our topic here!

222222222222222222222222222222222222222222

PART 2: COPY AND PASTE COMMENTS!!

Simple one-liners that you can use and reuse when you’re too nervous to write something yourself! Like I said above, writers will love anything! Just pick one (or more if you like) comment from below that you like, copy and paste it into the comment box on other sites or put it in your tags or ‘reply’s on tumblr! 

No need to mention you used the list AND you can customize them as much as you like!

Many of these are based on comments I have received in the past, that have made me smile! I am not adding numbers, so that they are easier to copy and paste. Feel free to save this in your drafts, if you want easy access in the future!

Here we go:

This is really cute and I would love it if you continued.

This is really good! I like this idea. If you are still thinking about updating it I would be excited to see this story progress.

Awesome :D really hoping you'll continue

This was sweet and I would very much like to read more!

I can’t wait to hear more about __________ !

Love this so much!

Very interesting start. I look forward to reading the next chapter.

I'm already hooked... It's very well written :D

I was already hooked by the summary and I was ready for more by the end of the chapter. 

To put it quite simply I loved it, and I hope you write more chapters.

This is really interesting, you have yourself a new fan. Update soon? 

I can't wait to see where you go with this story!

OHMYGOD YESYESYES

HOW CAN YOU LEAVE US WITH A CLIFFHANGER LIKE THAT?! 

_______ was my favorite line. love it.

You write beautifully, I love how you describe emotions!

This is interesting! I would like to see how you could make your short story ideas into a full story.

I like the character's interactions with each other, very interesting dynamics.

Ohh, please, update soon. Seems interesting and cool.

This looks very promising! 

You kept me on the edge of the seat, but sadly it ended!

Will you update this? I wouldn't mind reading more of this!

I'm into this story already! Please update soon! :)

I started to read this out of curiosity, kinda thinking 'What? This can't possibly work!' and the next few minutes of my life were spent squeeing in joy.

You have converted me into a shipper!

UGH THE PAIN! You’re so evil, my heart hurts! (And I love it!)

I just started reading this as a sort of masochistic dare with myself... Dammit, why does this pairing just... work? 

You're gonna turn me into a shipper, I swear to God.

I beginning to love this couple and it's all your fault!

Thank you, this is really cute!

I freaking love this pairing and it sucks that it isn’t more popular! Thanks for adding to it!

This was fun to read!

They are such an adorable couple

So few views?! That’s just wrong, this was so awesome!

Hmmm well now I kinda like this pairing...

I like this, it's sweet :') think you should continue it!

I would very much be interested in reading more if you were willing to write it. I like your set up in this chapter.

I would like to read more

S’good! And cute!

Brilliant! Please post more soon!

I can hardly wait for an update! :)

The way the characters are written is fantastic and believable, keep it up!

By any chance are you going to continue with this fic? It's quite good.

I hope your thinking of continuing this! I seriously love it!

This is honestly one of the best _________ stories that I’ve ever read.

Your stories are pretty good I must say, but this one really sticks out at me.

I beg you to continue your story if you have more to tell!

Should you post more I will definitely read your updates.

Please post more, I NEED to know what happens!

ASKLDJHS LKJFHKJSFLF ALSKD JC

alsdjalksjhdkja chd aksjdh alksjhd

hjasfg;aoiuhfiwlfidsaifu

hhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh;;;

The part with ______________ was really clever!

Oh, no no no! You can't leave it like this! It will haunt me forever!

Love this story! Even though the chapters were short, your story had a lot in it!

It was never lacking mystery and had me on edge waiting for the next chapter.

Wow... what's going to happen? *_*

I love it and I hate it, it’s so awesome, but it hurts and I hate it and I love it. WHY.

ok. I wasn't expecting that. That was really really really sad....

I  cant believe you ended it that way!

GREAT FIC! I LOVE IT! PLEASE UPDATE SOON 

MORE! MORE! MORE!...Ahem... sorry... I absolutely loved it. Please write more!

The little sinister things are what intrigue us to move onward. So keep writing! I'll be waiting for the next chapter with anticipation!

I think it was an adorable chapter, maybe a little OOC, but still cute nonetheless. :)

Wow, what an unexpected ending!

gah this is beautiful ❤

I love everything you write!

Holy shit dude yes

Everything. Literally everything about this. Just... yes. 

I love this, it’s really good!

You’re a fantastic writer.

I can’t believe you were nervous to post this! I’m so glad you did.

Bravo!!

Bless you man. This is lovely!

The characters, the set up, the descriptions, the dialogue... All of it was perfect!

You write them exactly as I see them! Thank you!

Characterization was perfect, holy crap.

DUUUUUUUUDE!!!!!! 

Great now I’m all bothered~

*wipes away sweat* wow that was hot

*wipes away a tear* oh my god....

Such good content to stumble upon, thank you for writing and sharing!

HELL YEAH!!

HELL YEAH?!

Woah. Just... woah.

My heart is shattered :’(

Holy shit that’s gonna keep me up at night....

Excuse me while I go find a shoulder to cry on!

I need a hug after that!

THANK YOU!

That is all I have time for today. I may add more in the future and you can always feel free to add some if you like too! 

THANK YOU AND REMEMBER TO ENJOY ADDING COMMENTS BECAUSE YOU MAKE WRITERS DAYS, WEEKS AND SOMETIMES IT CAN MAKE A LITERAL WORLD OF DIFFERENCE FOR US!

END NOTE: I wrote this up because I see a lot of posts from writers talking about how hurt they are that no one bothers to comment and people retorting that they’re too nervous to post. So I made this to make it easy!      99.99% OF WRITERS WILL LOVE YOU FOR COMMENTS!

Writers can’t do commissions like artists can, so this is the best way to support us! (Yes, I understand commissions are POSSIBLE, but it’s very difficult and in most of the instances I’ve seen people try it, someone is always disappointed. Most of us just want you to talk to us!)