fandomsecrets | [ SECRET POST #2993 ]

[ SECRET POST #2993 ]

⌈ Secret Post #2993 ⌋

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

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Notes:

Secrets Left to Post: 05 pages, 123 secrets from Secret Submission Post #428.
Secrets Not Posted: [ 0 - broken links ], [ 0 - not!secrets ], [ 1 - not!fandom ], [ 0 - too big ], [ 0 - repeat ], [ 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 26 27 28 29 30 - pretty sure these are all the same spammer anon trying to win the non-existent "weirdest fandomsecret/sex fantasy" award. There are more I missed, and some that went up yesterday. If one of these is not the same anon, please PM me ].
Current Secret Submissions Post: here.
Suggestions, comments, and concerns should go here.

Flat | Top-Level Comments Only

Do you read them? Do you use them? Are yours long or short?

Do you like meta in A/N or citations/translations/funny stories/thank yous/etc.?

Almost always skip them over, unless it's a fic I really like.

I'll read them.

I only occasionally use them to explain something necessary.

I don't want meta in A/N. I just want stuff the author thinks is necessary for reading the story or maybe a comment on why they wrote the story or for who.

I read them, I like them, and sometimes I have short ones for my fic.

I try to keep mine short. If I haven't said it in my story, it probably doesn't belong in the "extra" material either. (I don't usually do phrases in foreign languages though - those translations are always handy in A/Ns so I don't have to wander to Google translate.)

I think it might be a hold-over from my college days but I do cite stuff in my A/N and give a little meta relevant to my choices in the fic. Also, my source material has a scholarly connection so I'm used to having stuff documented while reading it.

I may go a little overboard though.

Re: Author's Notes

(Anonymous) - 2015-03-15 21:18 (UTC) - Expand

Re: Author's Notes

(Anonymous) - 2015-03-15 21:27 (UTC) - Expand

Re: Author's Notes

(Anonymous) - 2015-03-15 21:43 (UTC) - Expand

I usually read the short ones. I keep mine pretty short, thanking my beta and thanking the reviewers.

I used to hate when people would name their muses and then talk to them. This was a big thing way back when in the Harry Potter fandom.

Re: Author's Notes

othellia - 2015-03-15 21:21 (UTC) - Expand

I both read them and use them, so long as they're within reason. I usually use them to expound on tags or warn in someway, so they're useful. I don't see the point of author's notes that are like character roleplay.

Re: Author's Notes

(Anonymous) - 2015-03-15 21:33 (UTC) - Expand

I don't read them. A story should stand on its own without the author having to prop it up with notes or their own interp of how things work. If they want it so bad, put it in the story.

On the other hand, as long as they keep it right to the end and don't try and jam an author's note in the middle of the text (lol, just want you to know this totally happens /AN) where it just jars you straight out of the story then I suppose they are okay. Really only two authors ever got away with author's notes though, the late JRRT and the late Terry Pratchett.

Re: Author's Notes

(Anonymous) - 2015-03-15 21:34 (UTC) - Expand

I try to use them thinly and generally only at the end of a full fanfic work, because I'm often blending a lot of little Marvel comic-universe details into the cinematic universe. I used to work in a comic shop, so it's sort of hard-wired into me to explain some stuff in case someone might be interested in the original stories. I try to not overdo it or get, like, pretentious or anything about it.

Do you think certain fandoms are a better fit for detailed author notes?

Like, comic fandoms to explain which continuities you've merged together or Tolkien/myths to explain which version of a character/story you're using.

If so, which fandoms do you think get a pass for longer A/Ns?

Re: RELATED QUESTION

cenobitic_anchorite - 2015-03-15 21:43 (UTC) - Expand

Re: RELATED QUESTION

(Anonymous) - 2015-03-15 22:00 (UTC) - Expand

Re: RELATED QUESTION

philstar22 - 2015-03-15 22:12 (UTC) - Expand

Re: RELATED QUESTION

othellia - 2015-03-15 22:38 (UTC) - Expand

I usually read them. Sometimes I feel that the information in them isn't really relevant (detailing every tiny reference, even ones that aren't really relevant to the plot).

I usually include them when I'm writing stuff with a historical setting. Sometimes it's a very brief (two or three sentences) run-down of the event. Sometimes it'll have links to sources I used for information, or mention of book titles in case the reader is curious about it and wants to read more.

Sometimes if the fic was inspired by something else (a prompt, a conversation on an anonmeme, etc) I'll link to that.

I'll use very short ones at the beginning of a fic if I'm especially paranoid that someone's going to rant about the content despite the warnings being in place in the ratings/summary etc. Kind of one last "You're sure you want to keep reading this, right? Sure sure? 100% sure? Even though it's got this stuff in it? Totally sure? Okay then," to cover my ass. Other than that, if I have to explain something in A/Ns then I haven't done a very good job of explaining it in the fic, so if I ever feel the need to use one it's a sign I need to go over the fic/chapter again.

Long ones that individually reply to every single review on the previous chapter make me glaze over.

Depends on what the A/N is about, but I usually at least skim them.

If it's elaboration on details in the fic that aren't relevant to it - i.e. explaining technical or historical details that were mentioned in passing in the fic - then I usually enjoy and read them.

If it's information about warnings, or certain interpretations to keep in mind (i.e. a lot of fics I read require regular author reminders that the narrator is not to be trusted), then I'll skim them.

Anything else, and it basically depends on the author.

Ironically, my own are usually on the long side, but if there's anything "relevant" (i.e. certain warnings, a notice that I'll be a while in updating, etc.), I'll bold it or underline it or something so people can get the important information and skip the rest. Said 'rest' is usually me snarking about real life and/or the next chapter or whatever, so I don't format it at all so it's easy to skip over or ignore if the reader doesn't care.

Why wouldn't you read them? If you're going to read a fic by this author, what about author's notes is a "No"?

Is this about porn?

Yeah, because sometimes I feel like they can give a good indication whether or not I'll enjoy the fic.

I write short author's notes to cite a source or explain something that might not be clear (like, "this fic is set after book 15" or "I've decided to ignore season 4, so this is a divergence from season 3"). I thank people in them, as well. I consider those types of author's notes normal and acceptable.

Translations are always good.

Short meta can be fine for explaining characterization, and it might be something I'd do. Long meta, well. Post a link to your tumblr in the notes and if I'm interested, I might click. I don't want to see a long-ass note at the bottom of the fic I'm reading.

I read something with a political rant in the author's notes that almost ruined the fic for me the author day. (what was even worse was the author's feelings on the subject where already evident in the story.) If the notes are childish complaints and such, it can completely ruin a fic for me. If it's there, I'll typically read it automatically, so it's hard for me to just skip over it.

I use them to explain things like "Hey , something's been going on in my life and that's why I'm taking a while" and to thank people for reviews.

I just put in warnings and, when applicable, the name of my beta and/or the name of the person the fic was a gift for/the fest or exchange it was written for. If I'm writing a canon divergent story or something I might write in exactly where the fic splits off from canon, but that's typically obvious from both the summary and the fic itself so it just depends. I tend to think that if I need to explain anything beyond that, then I haven't done a very good job writing the fic, and I don't want to seem patronizing or arrogant by going on about all the research I did.

I don't really care about the content of other people's A/Ns as long as they don't start roleplaying with the characters or individually thanking each of their hundred reviewers in them. I skim over personal chatter notes though.

I do use them if there's a somewhat obscure reference in the fic or if the fic links to another fic the reader might not have already read. i try to keep them short.

I read them if they're short.

I do write them, I guess because as I'm curious about other people's creative process I assume that people are curious about mine.

If they're really long and involved, I'll toss most of them under a cut in my DW, then drop a link to the post at the end of my short in-fic A/N (which generally is where I thank betas and SMEs.)

I only use them to show love for my beta, thank the readers, and welcome them to return.

I tend to glance over them, if they're short, I might read them, but I can't stand when people start acting like the characters they're writing about are in the note with them, or if they start going way off tangent.

I appreciate translation notes, references, etc. at the bottom of the chapter/fic, so nothing is spoiled. I don't usually read them, but for the sake of curiosity, it's good to have there.

I glance over it, if it's more than a sentence and I'm not friends with the author I skip it

I mostly ignore them, except when they involve meta. One poet I follow gives links explaining tons of tech, psychology, and such behind her work, including little pics of the characters. It helps that she puts her notes at the bottom, where they're easy to skip.

I do the same thing, but try to keep them short.

--Rogan

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