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Fanfic Readers - Blog Posts
I need you to understand that when I say "comments are appreciated!" I mean that I will reply to every one of them. I mean that an email with an ao3 notification has a higher priority than a message from my mother. I mean that I will have entire discussions in the comment section if you're up for it. Message me on tumblr and I will have the same discussions on an even more unhinged level. I will dissect entire personalities and ships and fictional political structures and worldbuilding with you. I will become your new best friend. You already ARE my new best friend. At the last battle, I would raise Anduril and say "For my ao3 readers" while a single tears rolls down my cheek, and dive into the fray. I would upload from beyond the grave if someone asked about the next chapter
i've never seen anything more accurate in my life- i'll be sitting there writing, trying to cover up every plot-hole, smooth out every detail i can find, make everything make sense to my picky brain all while trying to fight the demons of the world building past what i can control, thinking that 'does this make sense to the reader? oh no- this will be so confusing to them-' meanwhile said lovely reader- chilling while reading it all the way through accepting every flaw they see and not giving a fuck if it makes sense because 'my favorite's are once again going through shit and i now must read all of it'
...sometimes i forget what's it's like to be a reader when writing... XD
thank you for listening to my mad ramble XD <3
To the person behind me on the bus, craning their head to stare at my phone screen in disbelief: yeah asshole that’s right, I AM reading wild kratts fanfiction right now. Yeah I’m a fully grown adult and yeah I have the entire internet at my fingertips and what I want to do right now is read this almost-100k-word-count Chris/Zach unfinished slowburn and you know what?? Its fucking fantastic!!! What do you have to say to that huh
Guysss chapter 5 of Skyborn is out!! Check it out!!
Never related to something so hard...
It's taunting me. Oh but don't you remember? You already left a kudos! :)
Like it's actually my concerned friend and not something that plagues my mind. That I can only contribute 1 measly kudos to the fic I've just read.
The absolute art that's been made public at just the right time for me to consume and mull over and over inside my head for hours and hours on end.
Yeah, I can only give this masterpiece, 1 kudos when it deserves so so SO MUCH MORE?!?!
SACRILEGE!!!!!!!!
Then again.....
When all our singular kudos come together. It resembles a fraction of what we as individuals are trying to tell the author(s).
That, we love your work and hope to see more of what your little brain has cooked up again in the future. :)
So I guess I can't be too angered after all
the :) AO3 gives you after telling you you’ve already left kudos on a particular fic is my archenemy because what do you mean :) ? what do you mean I’ve already left kudos here? have you read my favorite author’s work? look me in the eyes and tell me one kudos is enough. I’d give them a thousand kudos and my kidney plus my firstborn. what do you mean I can only give them one kudos??????
Writers, never forget this: readers bring your stories to life.
If a reader comes back - acknowledge it. That means your words meant something.
If they tell you they liked something - acknowledge it. That connection deserves more than silence or a on emoji.
If they share that they didn’t like something - acknowledge that too. It takes courage to speak honestly.
Don’t ignore your readers. Don’t dismiss their thoughts with angry or vague response.
And above all, don’t attack them in your notes or your blog for simply engaging.
You don’t have to agree with every opinion, but if someone took the time to read your work, feel something, and reach out - you owe them basic respect.
Because without readers, stories are just words on a screen. Readers are the heartbeat of a fandom. Treat them like it.
