#not everyone is out to get you

[fsbc-librarian]

So guys, I’m sorry, but HUGE rant incoming here - turn away now if you don’t want to hear it!

I am the biggest pusher for leaving comments on AO3. Hell, I can even break down 4 different comment types that are all perfectly acceptable for anyone feeling shy or not knowing where to start 🤷‍♀️ but authors, please remember:

YOU ARE NOT ENTITLED TO COMMENTS.

As an author, I know comments are amazing! They give you a kick, they give you fuel, they make you feel wonderful, someone has read your work and loved it!

And I love the authors: you’re giving me stories for FREE and if all it takes to to pay for this is to comment, then HELL YES! I will comment!

But you’re not entitled to my comments. You’re not entitled to anything from anyone. Respect goes both ways.

🔆

For those curious and wondering where to start, these are the four comment types I personally recommend and know that I - and my author friends - love:

Type 1: Hieroglyphics

Where the reader leaves no words, only emojis. Minimum of one (1), up to 1000.

Type 2: Basic

Short and succinct, to the point. Usually lovely, may or may not include emojis . “I loved this!”, “Wow! 🔥”, “Thank you for writing this!”

Type 3: Textbook

Where the reader leaves a three part comment that is literally perfect - compliment for the fic overall, highlight a specific bit, let the author know that you’d love to see more. “This fic is so good! I loved the bit where X fell off the couch! I haven’t stopped laughing 😂 I’d love to see more if you ever decide to revisit this ‘verse!”

Type 4: Derangement

No holds barred. Can be a wall of emojis, a step by step commentary, unintelligible flailing, overuse of the word “wow”, left in a positive manner, and quite possibly involves the theoretical throwing of Australian marsupials. It may or may not involve personal stories, tangents, shopping lists, or reminders for things that are only very distantly related to fanfiction at all.

(It should also be noted that type 4 is the type I use when my friends post work, so the ‘derangement’ descriptor is my own, and is said in good fun.)

🔆

The other side of the commenting coin is for how authors choose to respond to these comments. SO THIS IS FOR THE AUTHORS!

YOU DO NOT HAVE TO REPLY TO COMMENTS!

For those who do want to respond - but maybe you’re a bit lost about what to say - keep reading!

Type one is the easiest to respond to, if you choose to respond. Leave a single emoji in reply, a 💜 or a 🌸. Get fancy with it, and leave 1 emoji for every emoji they’ve left you. Or keep it simple and just say “thanks”.

Type two is also easy to respond to. “Thanks!” or “Thanks for reading!” Chuck out an emoji if you’re feeling fancy!

Type three can be difficult. You can still easily just say “thanks”, or you can stretch it out. “Thanks for reading! I got a laugh out of writing that bit, I'm glad you enjoyed it too! Keep an eye out, I might be tempted to come back!”

Type four is usually fun, because you usually know the person who commented, so you can respond in a manner equally deranged, or you can just send them a heart or other emoji(s) of your choosing 💜.

🔆

However.. maybe there’s something else going on, or this is an old fic, or you’re taking a break from writing and you just don’t feel like commenting.

If that’s the case that’s perfectly fine - you can leave it be. Remember, you don’t have to reply. But if you choose to? Be kind. It costs nothing to be kind, and it keeps newer people in the fandom. Maybe this commenter has just found your 6-year old fic, and didn’t realise how long ago it was written.

If you do want to reply, you can say “thanks for reading! I’m actually taking a break from writing right now, and this fic is so old I'm not likely to write any more for it, but i’m glad you liked it” or “Thanks for reading!”. Hell, you can even leave a heart 💜 or a 🌸 or the old classic 😊.

Don’t forget: commenters and authors alike, we don’t know what anyone else is going through, and most people don’t have multiple platforms, so maybe the person who commented on your work doesn’t know anything about anything you haven’t posted on ao3 in author notes.

🔆

All this to say, kindness goes both ways, let’s all just have a little respect for one another and remember there are people behind the avatars who are, entirely possibly, just trying to be nice and supportive which is exactly what we want our fandom to be.

[0rb0t]

I remember back in 2016 I think it was, there was a friend group (I no longer talk to) that kept assuming I was neurotypical because I never used to say what mental illnesses I had (since I don't see them as a badge of honor, they are just things I live with and cope with daily).

Now that wouldn't be an issue, except, because of their false assumption, they'd use that as a reason why they were allowed to ostracize me, or assume I was ignorant, or assume I was stupid. It basically gave them a free pass to treat me as subhuman, because I guess to them, if I were neurotypical, then I was the scapegoat and/or avatar of all of their suffering at the hands of neurotypical people who've mistreated them.

That's wrong, we know that, right?

We should not be treating any people badly based on the things we assume them to be. Nobody owes you their diagnoses, their identities, their ANYTHING just as a way to avoid being mistreated online by strangers. I think "respect is earned not given" has messed with peoples brains because I don't need to respect you to be decent to you. Decency means I don't mistreat strangers, decency means I block people instead of trying to fight with them in public online spaces.

I respect myself so I am decent to others.

If someone doesn't know something and is using their ignorance to justify mistreating others, that's a whole other thing. And if educating them isn't working, then blocking them or whatever is I believe fine. These things are nuanced, not every situation is the same.

But I am really getting sick of this idea that you have to be open about very personal things (that really you should only be open with and vulnerable about with your friends and not every stranger online) in order to be given any form of decency. No, that's not true.

No person is inherently worth more or less than any other person. "you don't list all your mental illnesses and differences from the 'norm' on your bio, therefore you must be someone who exists to oppress me and therefore I can do whatever I want to you and you can't say anything against it" is not the W you think it could be. I have no reason to be so vulnerable to strangers. We do not know each other, and that's okay, but you aren't entitled to that information.

Even that friend group was more like an acquaintance group at the time-- we were in a group together because we all liked undertale. it didn't make us tightly knit friends. We just had common interests! And I was within my right to tell them to go fuck themselves for being asses to me regarding their assumptions made. They were within their right to disagree with my disagreement LOL

But let's stop with the "you need to list your credentials before you can exist and if your credentials don't give you authority in some form of being oppressed, you are allowed to be bullied or harassed" rhetoric. It's unhelpful, and it actively hinders solidarity.

Plus it encourages people to perform their mental illnesses and such in ways that are "acceptable" for others and screws people up a LOT. I'm not inclined to try to match expectations of any of my "identities", and I'm certainly not inclined to match the expectations complete strangers have of me.

[pangur-and-grim]

I’m too gullible with people. I’ll have encounters and be like “aw they seemed nice ☺️” and then everyone around me will be like NONONONONO THAT WAS THE DEVIL!!!!!!!

[poorly-drawn-mdzs]

The squad of all time has arrived on scene.

[polararts]

They're all friends, wdym. Print preorder? available??

[captainkirkk]

Concept: Peter actually got bitten by a totally normal spider. It's just a coincidence that his mutant powers were awakened around the same time

[ninjasmudge]

thats a red flag narinder, get that crown back while you still can

+ top panel without text below the cut

[adriles]

when we’re done with our overwhelming grief we’ll eat i guess

[chloesimaginationthings]

FNAF movie Vanessa’s thoughts when meeting Abby..

[akanemnon]

Wow, not even 5 seconds in and they're already starting a fight.

FIRST - PREVIOUS - NEXT

MASTERPOST (for the full series / FAQ / reference sheets)

[tariah23]

[valeriapryanikova]

This season, on Hermitcraft...

(speedpaint)

[captainjonnitkessler]

Do you guys notice how when Shawn Fain, president of the United Auto Workers union, started planning a general strike, he did it by a) targeting his messaging towards unions with the ability to safely and effectively strike in large numbers, b) laid out a clear, actionable plan for those unions to follow (setting contracts to all expire at the same time, since many unions cannot strike while under contract), c) is using union contracts to set clear, actionable demands that can be met in order to gauge success and provide an end goal, and d) started organizing FOUR YEARS before the proposed strike date to give people the chance to plan accordingly, because it takes a really freaking long time to get tens of millions of people organized?

You notice how he didn't do it by slapping a message on Twitter saying 'hey nobody go to work on Monday, that'll really show 'em'?

[n0anix]

whatever *domesticates your Carnivàle Lecroux*

[forgotmysword]

Not one person has mentioned marcille’s fucking breath hitch/quiver in the dub. Im literally foaming at the mouth.

[anna-scribbles]

adrien tell ur mom to leave me alone !