[ SECRET POST #5373 ]

[case]

⌈ Secret Post #5373 ⌋

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


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Notes:

Secrets Left to Post: 01 pages, 21 secrets from Secret Submission Post #769.
Secrets Not Posted: [ 0 - broken links ], [ 0 - not!secrets ], [ 0 - not!fandom ], [ 0 - too big ], [ 1 - repeat ].
Current Secret Submissions Post: here.
Suggestions, comments, and concerns should go here.

Comments

[(Anonymous)]

(Cozy Werewolf Anon)

There's nothing wrong with you. It's a natural instinct to compare likes, hits, and kudos, especially in this social media age. We, as people, can be naturally competitive. The place where I, personally, draw the line is making it public. Like, I had an ex-friend who constantly made things a competition between us and it got very tiring. Especially if you're doing a hobby to have fun together.

If possible, ignore their stats or turn yours off. If you can, re-frame it in your head no matter the hits or likes or kudos you both get, it is good you are both being read! You have an audience. Yay! While there are general trends in fandoms, you never know what is going to resonate with readers. You could start a new trend! People come back and read your story, so someone wants it, it's making someone's day better outside of you. Focus on what you enjoy on writing for that pairing and why you wrote that story. It was for you and sharing it with others is a gift. What makes you happy to write next about that pairing? What trope is inspiring you?

Then write it. Post it. Get more readers! New ones who will read your old fic. Old ones who will read your new fic because you wrote it.

It's less about competition and more about a community who all feel something was lacking from the canon, just a little different from each other, and so are writing it. And there are bigger and smaller groups who are writing things to fulfill those different needs. You are writing to one need. And they're writing to another. And that's okay. You're doing it right. Now, write. Have fun! Celebrate each other's successes. You wrote a story and posted it. That's a big deal right there. Go you! And go them!

[(Anonymous)]

Oh man, if I had a friend who did that, they'd become an ex-friend in a hurry. I feel like back in LJ's heyday, I was part of a smaller community that felt less competitive, and we all supported each other more. I wanted comments on my fic, obviously, but there were no hits and kudos to compare. I don't remember ever feeling down on my writing, because I always had friends who would say nice things about it -- and I would read theirs and do the same. Now it's hard for me to even read someone else's fic because it makes me feel worse about my own, for no good reason. I wonder why some people choose to read my friend's fic instead of mine, and have even complained that "no one writes this pairing anymore." Um, hello? So, better if I just avoid them and focus on my own writing.

Thank you for the kind words, CWA :) I know you're right. I've always said that I write for me, first and foremost, and if other people like it, it's a bonus. I just don't always remember that. I wish I could also remember that people liking other fics takes nothing away from mine. Just doesn't feel that way sometimes!