[ SECRET POST #2874 ]

[case]

⌈ Secret Post #2874 ⌋

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

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Notes:

Secrets Left to Post: 03 pages, 074 secrets from Secret Submission Post #411.
Secrets Not Posted: [ 0 - broken links ], [ 0 - not!secrets ], [ 0 - not!fandom ], [ 0 - too big ], [ 0 - repeat ], [ 4 - random images ].
Current Secret Submissions Post: here.
Suggestions, comments, and concerns should go here.

Comments

[fscom]

02. http://i.imgur.com/jZqEtmE.png

[(Anonymous)]

you're fine

i'm sorry we have a bunch of controlling weirdoes here

as long as you don't come off as a controlling weirdo, i don't think your readers will make assumptions

[diet_poison]

I think as long as you don't say shit like "I won't post until I get 10 reviews!" you're fine.

Readers understand that writers have RL responsibilities and are completely used to it.

[elaminator]

Agreed. I wouldn't expect that people are automatically judging you and thinking you must be holding your fic 'hostage' just because you don't update quickly. Lots of people understand that authors have lives. (And the ones that don't should. I'm impatient at times too, but there's nothing to be done about it.)

Also, I wish your mother a speedy recovery!

[a_potato]

Yup, I agree. What people generally object to is authors declaring that they're withholding updates unless or until readers do something.

OP, what's happening in your life is more important than your fic, and I guarantee that your readers aren't judging or assuming this about you. Don't sweat it.

Also, hope things get better -- for your mother and for you.

[(Anonymous)]

Yes, this.

Shit happens in life, and people are generally understanding of that.

[nayance]

I think you think that people think about you a lot more than they do.

[dahli]

I hope your mom is doing better, OP.

Also at least you're not like those people who post who hold updates like they are holding hostages at a bank.

"I WILL NOT RELEASE AN UPDATE UNTIL I HAVE FIVE REVIEWS AND AN HELICOPTER! /FIRES AT THE CEILING"

[(Anonymous)]

I'm in a similar situation - doesn't help that my fics have so reviews, it would actually be understandable. However, mostly my flist reads it and I like to think they have a better opinion of me than that (plus they know things have been going on) - and hopefully it's the same for you.

OP

[(Anonymous)]

*hugs anon* Stay strong.

I keep my RL private, so no, even most of my flist doesn't know. I just saw a bunch of commentors saying that they "secretly" hold back updates, and it made me feel like now I have something else to worry about.

Re: OP

[(Anonymous)]

Nayrt

The only people who'll make that assumption are people likely to actually think that way, and I think those people are pretty preoccupied with themselves.

[kallanda_lee]

Just do what you're doing, OP.

Firstly you don't owe anyone anything. Secondly, even when I was in college, I couldn't poop out prose at the staggering speed some fanfic authors do. Some people just take longer to write things.

[(Anonymous)]

If a WIP doesn't update, I usually just assume real life is getting in the way, or the writer just got bored with it/lost interest.

[(Anonymous)]

I'm in a similar situation, I think.

I have real-life issues that I never spoke about online simply because I came online to get away from that stuff. When it spills over and means I can't update as often or otherwise makes me want to withdraw from fandom or general socializing, I feel that if I say anything about it now then it only makes me look like I'm attention-seeking or making excuses for being lazy.

I explain privately if someone's very persistent about demanding updates (because that sort of thing only exacerbates the original issue for me and creates a vicious cycle) and actually people have been very understanding, but it still makes me a bit uncomfortable. I'd hope that readers would respect the fact that if I'm not updating freqently there's a reason behind it, but I also realize that I've never explained what that reason is. It just feels a bit weird trying to justify real-life issues to fanfic readers, tbh. If I had anything to update then I'd update.

[dinogrrl]

I've sometimes, unintentionally, gone a good year or more between updates on some of my fic and art. Real life happens. I just tell people that I haven't forgotten my fanworks, and I update when I can, and I've never had anyone get mad at me for it. At least not to my face :p.

[nightscale]

Unless the author writes specifically that they're holding out for more reviews I'll just presume that rl things are keeping them from updating frequently, or they're just not all that fast at writing(which I'll never begrudge anyone for because everyone writes at different speeds).

[(Anonymous)]

Don't worry about it, Anon. You just write at your own pace.

[queerwolf]

Most people realize you're a real person with a real life and that it takes precedent. As others have said, as long as you're not saying you're withholding chapters for comments, I think you're fine.

[(Anonymous)]

I think your okay anon. Most of us will assume that RL must have gotten in the way (it happens to the best of us).

[(Anonymous)]

You have family and responsibilities, OP, just like I do.

The very last thing you should be worrying about is whether fandom thinks you're withholding anything. I miss writing and posting, and my one or two WIPs have been languishing for years, but my kids will only be the age they are this one time, and I can't shirk their needs for the high of feedback.

So keep on keeping on.

[(Anonymous)]

Even if you were purposefully withholding updates, people would likely never suspect a thing. Don't worry about it, dude. Life happens.

[(Anonymous)]

Fandom has made me paranoid about revealing any of my real life issues, not because I think that my personal privacy will be invaded, but because of exactly this, OP. I fear that I won't be believed and will be accused of causing drama/stirring up sympathy.

The shit some writers/artists get when they have to delay updates because they or their loved ones are ill/in hospital is beyond appalling. It's even worse when the delays happen often. Hello, people, have you heard of chronic, unpredictable illnesses?

I hate seeing others dogpiled when all they've ever done is provide free content to entitled dirtbags.

I agree, it sucks, OP. You're not being unduly cautious to worry about this, unfortunately.

[comma_chameleon]

If you're worried, maybe put a disclaimer in your profile/stickied at the top explaining that you only update sporadically/etc?

That way anyone coming into a WIP can choose to wait until it's finished if they want in case they don't want to be left hanging for an unspecified amount of time?

[(Anonymous)]

This is what I do. It seems like updating WIPs once a week is the standard in my fandom, and I would never be able to keep up with that pace, but still want to post as I go...so on my recent WIP I made sure to make a note at the beginning of the fic saying that there is no updating schedule, and that updates will be posted when they're ready. That way, readers can make an informed decision about when to read it, and I have like 75% less anxiety about letting people down if the next chapter is taking forever for whatever reason.

[(Anonymous)]

As a person who reads a lot of fanfiction, some of which won't update for half a year at a time, it's fine. I always assume that someone has a life that they need to take care of (or that they're burnt out on the story).

Real life comes first. As long as you're not manipulating your audience, you have no reason to feel bad.