#you owe it to yourself AND your readers to spellcheck and proofread (step away from it for a day or so before doing so)

[duckuwu]

so, obviously, I grew up (fandom wise) in a different time. fics were posted on message boards / email lists, and it was a little community. constructive criticism was common/expected/appreciated, along with comments as to what people enjoyed. this generally followed through to livejournal. in fact, commenting on each other's writing was a way of making friends and spitballing ideas for new works. it was also generally very easy to find a beta (often people would ask to be someone's beta, because they wanted sneak peeks before anyone else / wanted to be part of that process).

I've just been wondering...

Well, it's just that I think that things are much more difficult today? The current structure of the internet, and everything being for profit...it's not really conducive to discussion, constructive communication, easily finding people to share with? Especially with everyone going into their private discords... (Friend locked livejournals, and membership only lists was a thing, but for the most part it was to protect us from being sued (by a.rice or others).

And I guess I'm just wondering where people who are new to writing / fandom mechanics / etc are supposed to go to get the courage to post their work, find people to beta their work, gain the confidence to handle constructive criticism? As much as I love AO3, the comments can be as scary as that of a popular YouTube video.

I want anyone and everyone who has a story to tell to write it. I believe the next best story is just waiting on you to write it.

I know I have hard fic opinions (I won't read incomplete fics (unless it's Lynne because, really, but don't tell her I said that), I absolutely loathe unhappy endings, I think character/reader fics are a big nope, I basically can only read on AO3 because I've got a skin that helps my eyes... etc), BUT those are just my preferences. There's people out there who will like what you're writing, there's people who are out there waiting for you to write the thing you want to write because it's exactly what they've been hoping to read.

I especially have so much love and respect to all you folks out there writing in a language that is not your native language. That takes so much courage, and strength. I have a hard enough time writing (and speaking, let's be real) in my own language, I certainly wouldn't be able to do it in another one. I'm telling you, personally, I don't back out of reading a fic when I notice that it's written by someone who doesn't have English as their primary.

Writing is scary, and that's without writers block. Which is why I constantly talk about needing a beta or betas, some sort of proofreader. You know what does make me turn away from a fic? When I see an author's note to the effect of "not beta'd we die like men". I'm grateful for every single one of the betas I've ever had, I learned so much from them, they helped me and my stories grow and be better. And I get that the "die like men" thing is a meme, but it's still a toxic mindset.

Which is why I'm wondering how new to fandom people are supposed to find people to help them in this isolating and clique based culture that the internet currently is. Is there a betas r us Tumblr?

Maybe it isn't an issue and I'm just being a fandom grandma, worrying too much about the kiddos doing well.