#commenting etiquette

[echo-bleu]

Fanfic writers, I'm wondering at one point of commenting etiquette:

How do you feel about comments saying that your fic has given the commenter an idea/inspired them a fic of their own/prompted them to write something or solve a plot point in their own fic?

I mostly gauge etiquette by what I personally appreciate in comments or not (no concrit or unsollicitated advice, etc) but I'm not sure if opinions are divided on this one.

Feel free to elaborate in the tags!

#second go #forgot to set the duration #fanfiction #ao3 #archive of our own #fanfic #fanfic writing #comments #commenting etiquette #ao3 comments #echo's ramblings

[batbirdies]

So my dear ao3 commenters.

I love you. You are dear to all of our writerly hearts. We appreciate all that you do in encouraging our work! Especially when not everyone chooses to comment for various reasons (and no judgement from me personally I am not about guilting people into stuff)

But I have one request to make to all commenting-kind.

Please PLEASE I BEG YOU. If you are leaving a comment on something you enjoyed. Please EXPLICITLY say something positive about it. “I enjoyed this.” “Looking forward to reading more” “loved this” it can be utterly simple but it needs to be explicit.

I have seen many authors (and experienced myself) receive comments with a tone that is neutral at best and struggle with being able to tell if the person even liked it.

Worse yet, I have also seen people leave comments with character analysis that is overtly negative, as in, disagreeing with the character’s actions. Which by itself with no contextual “I enjoyed reading this character be an asshole” it just comes across like you are complaining about the writing or that you didn’t like how this character was written. Which is obviously not what you’re going for if you liked the fic.

Also please never ever ever leave a comment that is literally just pointing out a typo and nothing else. I personally don’t mind getting typo corrections (though be careful many authors do not like it) I would be seriously annoyed if someone felt the urge to comment because they had to correct me but apparently had no equal urge to say anything nice.

So please try to be explicitly clear about your enjoyment of a fic when leaving a comment. It also makes it much easier for the author to reply when they know you actually liked it. Please don’t assume we will know you enjoyed it because you are commenting, we get shitty asshole comments too.

So yes, tldr: please explicitly state you liked a fic in some fashion when commenting on it. Writers are not mind readers and deciphering tone in text has always been difficult.

#fanfic #ao3 #commenting etiquette

[i-like-turkey]

AO3 was slow, so I went looking for the status update. Found this scorching take. My sympathies to all the authors who write for this person’s fandoms.

This isn’t English class. Quickest way to get an author to stop writing is to give them negative feedback or even what you consider “constructive criticism.” You never have to comment. Hitting the back button is quick and easy.

Caveat because this is the internet where nuance is impossible and people refuse to fill in the lines: Some authors aren’t bothered by negative reviews. Some may welcome constructive criticism. But only do that if the author says it’s ok.

#ao3 comments #archive of our own #commenting etiquette #fanfiction #bad Twitter takes

[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.

#ao3 #commenting etiquette #it goes both ways #not everyone is out to get you #not everyone knows what’s going on in your life #fsbc #fsbc library #The Librarian is just trying to help #I’ve seen a heap of snarky comment replies lately and it breaks my heart that these people probably won’t comment again #comment comment comment #please always comment #please be kind about it #everyone deserves kindness

[otaku6337]

Why???

Why do people think this is how fandom and creation works???

(hopefully that’s legible lol - a comment saying “Otaku6337. Hi. I have a question, namely, would you be able to write a short story bnha x Avatar (James C’s film) according to my idea. Or bnha x (SpyxFamily) according to my idea”)

Okay so first thing - they didn’t even say please. Which is just straight-up rude.

But second, and main thing - why? 

I haven’t mentioned that I take ideas, or requests, or anything of the sort. They commented on a bnha fic, but I’ve never written for SpyxFamily or Avatar. It takes exactly two clicks to see the list of my posted fandoms.

They didn’t call me by my “name” - by which I mean that anyone who knows me online, or who reads my author’s notes, or my comments, would know that I don’t go by my full username in comments and convos. 

They didn’t say anything about the fic that they commented on (I’m 98% sure they didn’t read it, partic as it was my most recently updated fic), they didn’t say anything about any of my writing, and honestly I wouldn’t be surprised if they’ve sent this comment to half a dozen other authors, or will do, and they didn’t even have the veiled courtesy to be a suck-up about it.

I don’t mind, generally, when readers of mine ask if I’ll write so-and-so for them. Normally it’s a semi-regular, and I’m quite happy to just say “sounds cool but, sorry, I don’t take requests!” and that’s that. Nobody is annoyed, or offended, or rude, it’s all cordial. No skin off of anybody’s nose, even if I generally don’t think people should be asking things of authors who haven’t offered to take requests. ‘Cause, you know, they haven’t been rude, and I generally have a bit of a “don’t ask don’t get” attitude myself.

But this. I can’t.

They’re a guest (I love guest readers but there’s nothing there to trust when it comes to things like this), they ask for crossovers when A - I haven’t got any crossovers posted and B - I haven’t written for either of the other fandoms, and they have done nothing but say “would you write according to my idea”.

Why should I?

Why can’t people write the fics they want to see in the world (talent is no damn excuse, we all start off with slightly questionable skill), or at least seek out people who actively take requests/commissions?

Why do they think they have the right to even ask? I write fics and post them publicly - I’m not performing a public service at the public’s request. I’m creating my art and choosing to share it. Now I have to choose between deleting, replying, or ignoring them. Even if I do reply and do it politely, they’re not going to like any of the results.

Why do people expect this shit? Why should I, based off of almost nothing, not even knowing if there’s a reason they’re asking me specifically, or what any of the details are (I understand not wanting to share ideas in a public space but they haven’t even mentioned characters or broad tropes), want to put my time into hearing them out in detail, let alone then spending hours of my life writing this for them.

I write for others sometimes. I’m planning on writing for others soon in fact - for my two best friends. For Christmas. I’m choosing, on my own whims, to spend hours of my life writing for two people that I adore. It’s worth it. I know they will enjoy it, even more than that I know that they’ll appreciate it.

The entitled tone of this comment makes it look like they see me as a vending machine. Like they press some buttons and their perfect fic magically appears.

Not like I’m a person who spends their minimal free time doing something I love for myself, and for my readers that I know will appreciate my effort and ideas and passion.

No part of me believes that this person would truly appreciate what I could ever write for them. They might be grateful on the surface level, maybe.

But, well, they didn’t even say please.

Don’t be this person.

#I left their username in cause it's a basic guest name #not identifiable #but I mean really #I don't get why this is a valid way to interact in fandom space #it's the entitlement for me #authors are artists not your vending machine #this person is only one example of many #it's not always this exact problem but it's a pretty good example #fandom etiquette #fandom manners #ao3 #commenting #fanfiction #fic writing #ao3 manners #ao3 etiquette #commenting etiquette #don't be this person #writing vent #fandom vent #fandom rambles

[comment-exchange]

Hi, thanks for running this exchange! It’s such a good project. In response to your questions on commenting etiquette, especially about concrit: I “grew up” in a fandom where concrit was normal and expected. I had much better engagement with my stories then than I do now, even though I was in a small fandom and most of what I wrote as a teenager was pretty bad. These days I have a lot of readership/kudos, but almost no-one comments, which makes fandom really lonely.

I think anxiety about commenting correctly is part of it. I saw someone leave a thoughtful, enthusiastic two-paragraph comment on a fic recently, and also (accurately) pointed out a single easy to fix typo. Not only the author but several of her friends piled in to belittle and humiliate this person for daring to criticise. Even after the commenter apologised, they continued to level personal abuse. That author is a Big Name Fan in my fandom, so it probably won’t affect people engaging with their stories - but it’s difficult to see it and not think “is this why so few people comment on my fic now?” I am actually going to stop writing for that fandom once I’ve finished my current WIP because it’s like shouting into a void.

The only type of comment that was considered bad manners in my old fandom was flaming. Long comments, short comments, nitpicking, “can’t wait to see what’s next!” etc - that was all fine. Personally, I’d much rather we still had that culture rather than a precise set of rules. If people want to opt out of a certain type of comment they can specify in their author’s note - rather than the current situation, where people are so worried about commenting correctly that they don’t do so at all, and that’s detrimental to fandom community. (And yes, I’ve sent this on anon because I’m worried about *that* author - who had hitherto ignored me - sending her friends after my own fic!)

Really interesting questions and I look forward to seeing people’s responses!

I'm very sorry you're having such a bad experience with the comment culture in that fandom. Thank you for sharing your experience and your opinions on comments, hopefully it will help someone to remember that commenting etiquette isn't a one way street and both the commenter and the author need to be kind.

For anyone looking to help find a balance between not commenting/not getting comments and giving/getting the wrong kind of comments, whatever that might look like, check out @longlivefeedback.

#commenting etiquette #anonymous #comment exchange #commenting culture #comments #how to comment

[evolvingchaoswitch]

If anyone sees a reply to an old comment you made, I'm trying to respond back to any that I missed to keep a good back and forth going. This goes for my ao3 peeps as well.

#ao3 fanfic #commenting etiquette #tumblr comments #I love people that comment and I want them to know that!

[inksinger]

Friendly Reminder

Do not go into the comments of a fic and all about the update status of a different fic. I cannot think of a single ficcer alive who wants to see a comment on Fic B that consists entirely of "any chance Fic A will get an update".

Unless comments are turned off, ask about updates in the comments of the fic you're wondering about, and ONLY there. Don't be obnoxious and ask about it, for example, in the comments of a new project the ficcer just posted last week.

#ao3 #a3o #archive of our own #fanfiction #fanfic #commenting etiquette #remember we're sharing stuff with you for free #and also seriously don't pester for updates in the comments of unrelated fics #like my god #typing 'this fic sucks and I'm only interested in the one I'm asking about' would almost be better

[burnishedvictory]

I don’t follow you I just stumble across this repost but what’s the point of leaving comments/feedback if 99% of the time they never get a reply and/or the author ends up ghosting the story 💀 nobody forces anyone to put out the work they do but most of the time the energy that y’all want is mostly never returned.

Hi Anon!

I assume this is in response to my reblog of the post asking people to leave their comments on AO3. (For anyone who missed it, it's here: https://www.tumblr.com/burnishedvictory/739351436811534336)

Several things:

The point of leaving comments/feedback is to tell the author you liked whatever it was you just read. The energy you're returning is the work they put into writing the fic you just read. If the author replies, that's a bonus, but not something I personally ever expect.

Some things to know about fics where the author doesn't reply to comments regularly:

There's about a 99% chance that the author read your comment and loved it. I don't know of any authors who don't love comments.

(Specifically, nice comments. Given that you felt it was okay to anonymously message someone you don't even follow such a blunt message, I feel the need to clarify this. No one wants critique, unless they've specifically asked for it. We do this for fun. If you don't like a fic, the back button is right there. Also, don't ask the author if/when they're going to finish an unfinished story. That annoys a lot of writers. (Not me, personally, but I have many writer friends who it really really annoys.))

Back to discussing fics where the author doesn't reply to comments! In my case, I have ADHD. For whatever reason, writing fic is something that my ADHD lets me do easily, but replying to comments is not. I would love to reply and still intend to, but then another day passes when I haven't actually done it. But my lack of replies doesn't mean I don't cherish each and every comment I get. I keep them in a separate folder and reread them regularly. I'd like to do that with all the comments I get, including not on AO3, but I am just not that organized (see: ADHD), so those comments get lost (which is exactly the point the post you're referring to was making).

I'm also chronically ill, and only have so much functioning time in my day. Other people work full time jobs, raise kids, etc. It becomes a question of priorities - do you want us to work on fics, or reply to comments? Sometimes we can't do both.

Finally, if you read the post you're referencing carefully, it's asking for people who are already leaving feedback in some way to (also) leave it as an AO3 comment. If you're leaving praise in a tag or a bookmark, throw it into a comment on the fic! If you're chatting about a fic positively with your friends, copy and paste the chat into the AO3 comments. (I'll even clarify this one - personally, if people private messaged me a chat like that, I'd be over the moon. I know there are privacy concerns with a chat like that, so you might not want to comment on AO3 with that specific thing. Very fair! But, like I said above, a chat sent to me like this would probably vanish into my memory, as I'm not organized enough to add it to my comments folder. It would be a very good memory, but not easily convenient to reread.)

For you, dear anon, if getting a response and the author finishing the story is that important to you, then I recommend only commenting on completed fics where the author replies regularly. No one forces you to comment, even on fics that you enjoyed that the author spent hours and hours working on. They are free for your enjoyment.

But consider how much energy you're bringing to the table to encourage the authors whose fics you love. Maybe your comment will encourage the author to open the file on a story that's been back burnered. Or if you tell an author about a specific part you loved, maybe that thing will show up in future fics.

Or, maybe, there will never be any indication that the writer even read your comment. But in that case, maybe the writer will get your comment and smile. Maybe they'll tell their friends and family about the lovely comment they got. Maybe your comment will make their day. And maybe you'll never get specifically rewarded for your comment, but you will put positive energy into the world, and who knows where that will lead.

#ask #AO3 #commenting etiquette

[smile-2-be-happy]

I would like to enter a new term into the fanfic vocabulary:

S&G

Meaning: Spelling and Grammar. For use when pointing out typing or language errors in a text. Tone should always be helpful with the intent to provide information, never irritated.

For example:

Just a small S&G note: you've spelt this name two different ways 😁

OR

A little S&G, you want to use "" to denote speech in English, not -

OR

S&G criticism only plz

#fanfiction #ao3 comments #commenting etiquette #S&Gs are the only criticism that pretty much everyone welcomes on their fics #so it'd be nice to have a term for it #or at least a shortening

[meggie-stardust]

I know a ton of people have said this before but for the love everything PLEASE stop treating AO3 like instagram. It is NOT cringe to comment on an old story. It’s an archive old stories are still meant to be found and read. Please think about interacting with the fic you read: at least kudos if you read it, a comment would be ideal. The authors will be over the moon. I guarantee you not a single author is going to ask why someone is commenting on an older fic.

#fandom etiquette #kudos and comments #ao3

[farenmaddox]

real, genuine question

When you, a reader, leave comments on a fic, do you expect the author to reply? If “expect” is perhaps the wrong word... do you enjoy it when they do? Am I going overboard by replying to everybody who comments on my stuff and making them all uncomfortable?

I have been out of fandom for a minute and don’t know the current etiquette.

... surely it’s not just that I’m overthinking this. Surely not. I have never in my life.

#answer is most likely: #nobody cares faren #fanfic etiquette #faren's comment section series

[i-like-turkey]

Woke up to find this reply to one of my shitposts that blew up for some odd reason

smdh

Only word for people like this is asshole. They genuinely think they should get to say whatever the fuck they want, whenever they want regardless of the impact it may have on other people.

#fanfic stuff #commenting etiquette #get out of here with that implicit consent garbage #that's not the culture of fanfic #and never has been #you're an asshole #end of story #ok time to log off and write for the rest of the day

[beescake]

Sorry for the spam (^o^;) I just really like your blog

no need to apologize ayy!

in this corner we welcome all forms of enjoyment, regardless of whether you're a

happy to have yall here w me,

headin into homestuck 2024 :^)

#was debating if sollux truly was lurker type but then i rmbr'd him quietly reading all of karkat's memos for a good laugh HAHAHAHAAH #ask #aleemie #homestuck #karkat vantas #sollux captor #solkat #2024 #vioart #but o. regarding the etiquette learned frm other socmed #spamming here is safe+good! it does not harm the op by shadowbanning like instagram #and its not 💀 like twitter where ur likes/following are permanently set to public #ur tumblr experience is within ur control it can be as free/empty/curated as u want!! #((tho ofc i do encourage rbing for ppl who've been hoping to start that habit!! #s'cool to slowly work ur way up from the extra special posts that hv lingered longest in ur heart and quietly build ur cache trove :-) #for example back when i was struggling to rt on a new twt acc i just started setting nonsense criteria for myself LOL #like “breaking this void is scary holy fuck ok i shall start by rting posts w brownish/reddish clrs bcs its inspo vibes for my art” #and gradually after a while of deliberate sharing i gained more confidence to share a larger variety of posts that make me feel things!!!! #no more training wheels i may be scared but i love loving more!!!! #same goes for engaging w fics too it takes energy to think of how to comment and thats ok‚ do ur best to explore what works for u!!!! #take screenshots of ur fave paragraphs & start annotating in gallery/notes app if that helps!!!! #also tumblr's customizable queue means u can stack posts and bolt hgehehe. my preferred form of existing on the net))

[otaku6337]

Genuine Q on AO3 Comments

So out of very genuine curiosity, because I know my feelings and the feelings of several of my friends, and some of what I’ve read from others on Tumblr-

When you get a comment on your works, and it’s overall nice or at least neutral, but there’s a “there were some things I didn’t like” or “but it was too xyz for me” or “although I didn’t enjoy with how xyz was done” or even “the thing that bothers me most” -

Does that overtake the rest of the comment for you? There’s no right or wrong answer, I don’t want anyone fighting or shaming each other in the replies (assuming I get that many responses lol), but I’m very genuinely curious. Does it give a sour taste to the rest of the comment, does it not matter to you when the rest of the comment is nice, does it make you angry, or amuse you, or something else entirely?

How do you react, based on however you feel? Ignore, delete, reply, tell them off, agree with them, all of that sort of jazz?

#fic writing #ao3 #comments #fandom etiquette #ao3 etiquette #fandom manners #ao3 manners #commenting etiquette #curiosity #writing questions #fic writing question

[sofiadragon]

Hey fanfiction loving friend!

AO3 has the ability to turn off comments, moderate comments, restrict comments to logged in users only, or let anyone comment on your story. Most other fanfiction hosting websites do not allow comments to be turned off and in the case of some (wattpad) highly encourage comments even on individual paragraphs.

Over on reddit, someone said it is an unwritten rule of fanfiction that you should never leave a negative or critical comment on a story. This was countered most strongly by many arguments. Despite many people asserting that their stance was the one truth and that there was no debate on the topic - there was a lot of debate about what criticism even is and where the line should be for if giving concrit is alright.

So give this some thought:

If you have tea to spill, examples or an argument you want to make, please do. I have some that go both ways, but I'm going to wait for a few responses so I don't pre-empt the results. I'm not going to vote myself for a while, either, so I won't know which way the poll is leaning when I do pour my tea. I tried to cover all the flavors of debate I've seen in the many "definitive" posts I have read here and on reddit. Please reblog for a wider sample!

#fanfiction discourse #fan fiction #fanfiction #fan work #fan etiquette #commentary #fanfiction.net #ao3 author #ao3 reader #ao3feed #ao3 #wattpad comments #comments on fanfic #looking for constructive criticism #constructive criticism #concrit welcome #concrit not welcome #concrit