Read on Twitter
AO3's recent lag and the effect it's got on the fics made me think. I haven't noticed before how many hits and comments I get come from subscribers. And while I love all of you to hell and back, I started to wonder how many people in the fandom actually read new fics.
The topic of disparity in reception between artists and writers aside (because it's been discussed so many times and still will be in the future), it can't be denied that fics one of the huge foundations of any fandom. Where do people go when they're done with canon content? To--
search for fics on AO3. And I get it, sorting by kudos is a good way to start, but ignoring new stories makes the fandom stagnate. In every fandom I've been, there are fics that are rightfully popular and those that happened to be by coincidence. There are also gems with little--
to no traction that make me weep both from joy at how good they are and sadness at how they could possibly be overlooked like this. But you won't see them on rec lists or in people's posts full of praises, because they don't come up in the first 3 pages sorted by kudos.
Today, a reader left me a comment that begins with "I usually don't comment on fics". I'm happy that you decided to break your rule for me, dear reader, but I wonder how many people do the same and why. Did someone make their comments feel unwanted in the past? Were they--
ridiculed for their English or something? Do they think that words of encouragement mean nothing to the writers? I can't say anything for sure about other people, but I do cherish every nice thing my readers ever told me. I've got a folder dedicated to those nice things.
Even if you don't have anything else to say but "Thanks for the story/update!" or "I loved this!", try doing it. It means we're not screaming into the void without it screaming back at us. Give stories outside of rec lists and the first 3 pages sorted by kudos a try. Especially--
if they're new. The worst that could happen is not liking something, but you also might find a gem that will stay with you for the rest of your life.
That alone should be worth the effort.
That alone should be worth the effort.
