Imagine you have a coworker who likes to bake. Every week, they bring in a batch of delicious, homemade cookies and leave them in the break room. Next to the plate of cookies is a sign, “If you like my cookies, could you please just leave me a note and tell me what you like about them? The more feedback you leave about what you like, the more incentive I have to bake.” A hundred coworkers walk by and take a cookie. One person leaves a note. “Great cookies! Bake some more soon!”
The next week, once again there are cookies in the break room with the same sign. Once again a hundred people take a cookie and only one person leaves a note. “Nice! More soon!”
Week Three- Once again, a hundred people take a cookie. No one leaves a note.
Week Four- One hundred people take a cookie. No note.
Week Five- There are no cookies. Someone leaves a note. “Where are the cookies? I loved them. Please, please bake some cookies.”
Week Six- There are no cookies. Ten people leave notes. “I miss your cookies. They were my favorites. I loved the chocolate chips. My friend really liked the way you had almonds in the cranberry ones.”
Week Seven- Motivated by the wonderful notes, the baking coworker stays up late to bake the best batch of cookies they have ever made. That week, a hundred people take a cookie. No one leaves a note.
The co-worker gives up baking for their colleagues.
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Please, if you like the fan fiction that you are reading, let your authors know. Stories are abandoned for a myriad of reasons, but it is very, very hard to stay motivated when you receive no positive feedback. If there is a story that you like, whether it is a completed one or a work in progress, please leave an up-lifting comment or review. By doing so, you’re providing that writer with motivation to spend their time and energy creating more stories for you.
And that way, you both win!
Ok, I’ve had some sweet feedback recently, so I don’t want to give the wrong impression, but I have been there with stories, and I know that this is a big issue for writers of fanfic. So, I’m reblogging.
If you like the cookies, say so. If you didn’t like the cookies, also say so, but be fair, and be gentle. Criticism can be super helpful, and can help us develop as people and writers, but cutting comments do nothing but cause angst, fear and doubt. Support the people who write you yummy fictional cookies.
It literally takes no time at all (ok, commenting from mobile is really annoying sometimes, I realise!) but it means the absolute world to see comments and find out what in particular you liked (like the chocolate chips, cranberries, the little phrases, moments that felt good to read..). Same goes for fan art of course. And original writing. In fact, all creative outpourings!
Archive Of Our Own has the Kudos option, which is fantastic. But fifty kudos and one comment can make an author wonder if anyone really cares. Especially if the only review is to correct typos without any feedback on content, for example. Which is nice, but can be rude. Many authors crosspost to AO3 from Fanfiction dot net, and if readers already left reviews on FFnet, it can be tiresome or repetitive to also comment on AO3. But it actually does matter. Writers love comments, even if they repeat themselves.
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A Glitch Named Anti 