#also i highly suggest making an ao3 account if u havent already

[lunarmoves]

Sobbing, screaming and throwing up cause half of the fic's you recommended haven't updated for a very long time or are discontinued 😭 I'm so scared to start any of them cause I can't handle a cliff hanger 😞

- (^⁠_⁠^) anon

aww that is understandable. you can filter by complete works in ao3, you just have to go down to 'completion status' in filters. however... i implore you to think about it this way:

there are entire stories you are missing out on when you avoid reading something that isn't complete! those incomplete and discontinued fics deserve just as much of a chance as the complete ones. they are just as important and they are always worth it in the end. even if the author may not finish it, i think having read something is better than having not read it at all, you know? because there could be one of the best plot points or scenes or interactions in that fic that you'll never get to read elsewhere.

being scared of cliffhangers is valid! i've found that they tend to dull with time, which makes them more manageable. in the end, a fic you read with a cliffhanger will get pushed to the back of your mind with the everydays of life. and it's always nice to speculate with the author via comments/asks! that kind of fandom interaction is integral to keeping art alive. and even if there is a cliffhanger in a fic, i think everything that comes before it is always worth the read.

and also--just because a fic has not been updated in a long time, does not mean it's discontinued or never will have another update again! it doesn't matter if it's been months or years. i've seen authors update after ages, myself included! you just never know. a comment also goes a long way. sometimes authors just need a push of inspo or motivation! i've read so many stories about readers leaving comments on fics that haven't been updated, the author seeing said comments, and then updating bc it gave them a push of motivation!

so don't be scared to read those incomplete/discontinued fics. they matter just as much!