#like did I really need to understand how racist you are against baela targaryen in your bitchy comment?

[emilykaldwen]

Are fanfic authors desperate for comments. Yes, we are. There is nothing worse than shouting into the void.

But when you comment on a fic, think twice about your comment. If you are only expressing your dislike, then that is not a good comment to leave. Because you know what an unhappy comment signals? I am so upset by something in this chapter/story I have absolutely nothing nice to say and I need to focus on nitpicking/expressing my character or plot dislike.

I cannot tell you how many times I've seen my friends receive comments and when the commenter replied back to the author go 'I wouldn't be here if I didn't like the story!' or 'No I really like it!' Did you? Because nothing in your comments had indicated anything about enjoying the story.

A good rule is 'Hey, I really loved these specific thing and here's why' and if your paragraph of dislike is LARGER than your 'I liked this' portion of the comment, maybe switch that. Because this isn't a youtube comment section, this isn't debate class, nor is it Goodreads.

It's an author on the other side of the screen doing something intensive that brings THEM joy, and they share to connect in that joy with others. And you just wrote a paragraph (or sometimes more!) telling them what you didn't like with nothing about the things you have been enjoying. How is anyone meant to take that as anything but you not liking their story so much you needed to yell it at them.

When an author receives a bunch of comments of people complaining about things, you know what that leads to? people not finishing their story. Because why would they if all they ever receive are unhappy people in their comment sections.

This is why telling people you liked their work is important.

[this is not about my comment section, this is about what I've been seeing in other comment sections and it's been leaving me utterly flabbergasted like what the hell my dudes???]