[ SECRET POST #2749 ]

[case]

⌈ Secret Post #2749 ⌋

Warning: Some secrets are NOT worksafe and may contain SPOILERS.

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Notes:

Secrets Left to Post: 03 pages, 073 secrets from Secret Submission Post #393.
Secrets Not Posted: [ 0 - broken links ], [ 0 - not!secrets ], [ 1 - not!fandom ], [ 0 - too big ], [ 0 - repeat ].
Current Secret Submissions Post: here.
Suggestions, comments, and concerns should go here.

Comments

[fscom]

12. http://i.imgur.com/H85YZpN.jpg

I don't really get it, either.

[(Anonymous)]

People seem to think that being bad at something (or thinking that they're bad at something) means they don't have to do it. That's kind of weird, to be honest. If someone gave me a present and I just snatched it and walked away, everyone would think I was an asshat. Saying, "Oh, I'm bad at saying 'thank you'" wouldn't cut it, because I'm (allegedly) an adult.

[(Anonymous)]

Eh, at this point, I've just given up on reading fanfic all together. Too much expectation.

[(Anonymous)]

Repeat after me: People are not obligated to leave reviews, and that's okay.

[(Anonymous)]

Well, there's a hidden assumption, which is that just saying "That was a good fic thank you good I liked" is pointless and at best the same as a kudos.

Which I know some people don't agree with, because we've talked about this before, but it's not exactly crazy and wrong either.

[fingalsanteater]

Sure, comments are nice, BUT NO ONE IS OBLIGATED TO LEAVE FEEDBACK.

[(Anonymous)]

*grabs popcorn and a lawn chair* I've braced myself for the blowback on this thread. There are a lot of people out there who react in hilariously over the top angry ways because they just can't* type "I enjoyed this, thank you!" in a comment box and click enter.


* It's impossible, I tell you! And how dare you suggest it's within my abilities!

[sdk]

Why would someone who didn't like comments post their fic in a place where comments are enabled? I've never heard of this though. Have authors really pitched a fit over getting comments?

But otherwise, uh, yeah, there are always going to be lurkers and there are always going to be people who get too anxious or can't leave a review. Sometimes after I've read something that is really mindblowingly good, I can't leave a comment straight away because I'm too overwhelmed and don't know how to express my reaction at that moment. (I do try to come back later and leave a proper comment). Anyway, you can't get upset about this stuff. There are plenty of reasons why someone doesn't comment and some of those reasons are understandable and some aren't but...in the end, it's just not going to change.

[(Anonymous)]

Before Ao3 (in the days of FF.net and LJ), I never left comments. I still rarely leave comments on fics (I generally only leave a comment when the author asks about ideas for sequels, what do readers want to see, etc). Is it lazy? Yes. I don't want have to write "Good job." or "Good fic." or "Great fic." on every fic I read.

So, thank god for the kudos system. If it was not for that, I'd be doing the same I did for FF and LJ. Bookmarking it and moving on.

[littlestbirds]

are we really introducing social obligations to passively reading text on the internet? that seems like a doomed enterprise. How about this instead:
a month ago I reread a fluffy favourite of mine, and left a comment with nothing more than "I noticed it's been a year since you posted this and thought you should know I still love it and came back to it because it makes me happy!"
and a few days later she posted a sequel, just because a comment from a stranger reminded her of how much she liked that series as well. I used to stress out about comments but I'm glad I leave them now. It's my tiny contribution to the things I enjoy!

[rubbertea]

i don't comment on fics and rarely give kudos because i don't want people to know what i read. not because i'm paranoid, or something like that; i just want to keep this kind of thing private.

[(Anonymous)]

I don't leave reviews because I don't like thinking about a person being behind the stories I like, and also because I'm lazy. I don't expect reviews because I expect other people are lazy. I'm mostly just confused by the idea that it's a huge insult to not leave reviews.

[(Anonymous)]

I'm pretty sure a lot of people are just reading fanfic to relax and have fun and aren't there for the 'obligation' to leave feedback on every single thing they read. Not to mention, fandom is supposed to be fun but it can get incredibly tedious to repeatedly write "I liked this" just because you have to say something.

Besides, people pay money to read books everyday and aren't obligated to review them, so why should you have to for fic? I get that some writers want feedback, but not everyone has much more to say than that they liked it. And if the author is just watching the hit count rise and accruing resentment at the disproportionately small number of comments I think they should step back and take a breather from it for awhile.

I know of one author who flounced and deleted all their fics because of that, but I don't think it ever occurred to them that the high hit count was because their fics were good and people who'd already read (including those who reviewed) them were re-reading between updates.

[(Anonymous)]

ok. i don't leave reviews because i fucking don't want to. satisfied?

[(Anonymous)]

I leave reviews if something really, truly sticks with me. But otherwise, I consume too much in a day to leave feedback on everything. And most of it's just gonna be 'that was nice.' And yeah I could try harder to think of something but it's just gonna be a fancier version of 'that was nice. I liked x.'

And before anyone asks: Yes, I write fanfiction. But I don't really care if people reply. And I think that while reviews are wonderful to receive, no one is obligated to read or write them. If it was actual published work no one would expect you to write to the author, and yeah it's easier online but... I don't know I just don't think it's a big deal? I don't write for validation, I write so this bullshit will get out of my head.

What it boils down to is... I disagree but I can't really articulate why? Sorry.

[(Anonymous)]

I'm over being disappointed at the lack of feedback, because it will soon lead to a lack of me bothering to post what I write.

[(Anonymous)]

idk about other people but I don't leave comments not because I don't know what to say but because I have nothing to say. There is a distinction. it doesn't mean the fic is bad - or good, for that matter. there's a lot of things in life I consume and partake of for which I have no comment in response.

[(Anonymous)]

Unless it's a damn good fic or it's in a super small fandom where I know it won't get much attention, I just can't be bothered. If all I have to say is basically 'I liked this', kudos is good enough (and that goes the other way too - when I receive kudos I take it as someone saying 'Good job!' or whatever). No one is entitled to receive reviews, and readers are not obligated to give them.

[(Anonymous)]

Readers don't owe authors reviews, any more than writers owe readers fic.

[(Anonymous)]

This is the internet, people read or they don't, they leave feedback or they don't. They aren't obligated to do either. Be happy with the feedback that you DO get, and stop acting like readers OWE you comments because you put your writing or art out there.

[(Anonymous)]

Except that the readers aren't obligated to do jack shit.

As a fanartist, myself, it's the same thing. Sure, feedback would be nice, but it's not an expectation. Not even when I spend 20 - 30 hours on a single piece.

Unless something is a gift to a specific recipient (in which case, only that recipient should feel like they must say something), no one owes you anything. Get over yourself.

Also, I see mention of "positive feedback" in this secret over and over again, but absolutely no call for criticism.
So I'm thinking this is just a cry for ass kissery.
No thank you.

[(Anonymous)]

You're right, it's not because I can't do it. It's just that, most of the time, I don't want to, and I suspect this is true for... everybody. In the real world, people are gracious when it benefits them and rude as fuck when it doesn't, so I expect nothing less from fandom.

[(Anonymous)]

Sounds like someone's butthurt about the lack of comments on their fic.

[dinogrrl]

The more I see an author or artist complain about people not leaving reviews, the less likely I am to leave a review, and the less likely I am to read more of that person's work in the future. Something about people demanding attention has always left a bad taste in my mouth.

I believe in quality over quantity, even in leaving comments. I've been on the receiving end of short, pointless comments on everything I've done on a site and that gets really old really fast. I would like to spare others that aggravation if I can.

[elaminator]

I love leaving comments but sometimes I'm just too lazy, or decide to come back later when I have more time (or aren't overwhelmed, if the fic was “Omg, so good!”) then forget. (It isn't a great excuse, but it's the truth.)

So I like that kudos exist. Maybe some people don't like them, but at least there's an alternative?

So yea, comments are great and I think most authors would appreciate them even if the comment isn't incredibly unique or long, but I also understand that not everyone feels like leaving them. (Now if the fic is a gift, you should probably at least thank the writer even if you aren't a huge fan of the result. But that's different.)