#maybe i'll start that venting blog where writers can just complain and flame

[longlivefeedback]

hi. so i’m just gonna get right to the point here:

writing is basically the only thing i’m good at. like i’m ok at other stuff, but writing is the only think i’m really actually good at, and it just means so much to me. anyway, not the point. the point is, i put my heart and soul into my writing, and i get so excited whenever i get to publish a new story. but then it doesn’t get nearly as much exposure as i would’ve liked, like maybe only 100 hits or so. and it’s not even kudos or comments that bother me—don’t get me wrong, i love comments and kudos as much as the next person—it’s just that i worked so hard to create something that i wanted to share, and then no one ever reads it. and i’ll use some lines and scenes that i’ll really really like, and then i can’t use it again because i’ve already used it, but i feel like i’ve wasted it on something no one even bothered to read. and it’s just really disappointing that i put so much into something that pretty much no one even noticed

sorry for ranting or if that whole spiel made me sound like an ass, i just wanted to know if you had any advice for me.

Hello, Anon!

It made my heart go "Awww" to read that you are able to indulge in something you feel so passionate about! Good for you and I hope you have many many more years of reaping joy from the act of writing ❤

In terms of advice, see if any of these are useful:

Join a writing group. These are people who are focused on writing as a craft. They do not have to be fans of the same fandom as you and may not consider themselves "fans" of anything at all. The type of feedback you will receive might be different (i.e. they probably can't gush with you about how well your fanfic referenced canon), but they should still be able to opine on your writing in terms of plot, prose, pacing, characterization, etc. It is also more likely that they will be able to give you (or at least easier to set the expectation and ask for) more critical feedback that's focused on improving your writing as a skill. It's something to consider if that's a type of feedback that you're interested in.

Get a beta/enabler/irl friend to give you feedback. This way, you're getting some feedback at least. Be bold in your ask. Be specific in your ask. Point out the bits you really want to share and ask them what they think. Talk about it with them. Satisfy that itch to scream and share and be proud of yourself!

Ask for feedback in private. This can be from the people mentioned in 1 and 2 above, but the key here is the setting. Do not wait until you've posted to AO3/ffn/wattpad. The infrastructure of these sites are not necessarily made for receiving in-depth feedback or conversations that would be best held in private, such as criticism. So, if you are looking for prolonged conversation, I suggest seeking feedback on a different platform e.g. tumblr DMs, discord, gdoc comments, and etc.

Engage and look for feedback in different communities with a different feedback culture and etiquette. I am too young to have experienced LiveJournal and fandom culture in that format, but I believe Dreamwidth is its (spiritual) successor and from what I've heard, it is more discussion and forum based vs posts with character limits/walls of texts that feel like you're yelling into the void.

Send in a snippet of your work to me and I'll review it. It's something I offered this anon, and I have no idea how this will go, but if you want someone to give you positive feedback on a piece of your work, submit a phrase/paragraph that you are particularly proud of and I will tell you what I think of it.

I hope you find these helpful. Maybe we just need a venting blog......