fandomsecrets | [ SECRET POST #6602 ]

[ SECRET POST #6602 ]

⌈ Secret Post #6602 ⌋

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

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Notes:

Secrets Left to Post: 02 pages, 37 secrets from Secret Submission Post #944.
Secrets Not Posted: [ 0 - broken links ], [ 0 - not!secrets ], [ 0 - not!fandom ], [ 0 - too big ], [ 0 - repeat ].
Current Secret Submissions Post: here.
Suggestions, comments, and concerns should go here.

Flat | Top-Level Comments Only

I don't buy it when people say "don't worry about not getting comments, write for yourself". No one likes feeling rejected. Come on.

I think that depends on your perspective, and on what you consider "feeling rejected." I have a bajillion ideas in my head and many of them will be written without audience input.

If you have a FEAR of being rejected over a fic, that's completely understandable. But I don't think you should let that keep you from writing the story you envision, whether or not you post it.

I've recently seen a lot of expression of the idea of "why write if you're not going to post/share it?" which honestly baffles me. But maybe OP is of that school of thought - they don't write for themselves they write for 'likes' or comments so getting none is a rejection. It seems like a sad way to be creative.

Depends entirely on mindset though. If you write something because you wanted to write it and post it for people to read if they want and turns out other people don't want to, who cares? You can only be "rejected" if you were trying to get "accepted" in the first place.

I can cook an awesome for myself because I enjoy eating it. If posting pics of it to social media gets comments then that's nice, but not the point, and not getting any comments wouldn't be a rejection. The point was to eat, and that got accomplished.

*awesome meal

Not OP

I'm sorry, I'm giggling at the typo anyway

OP - For me, it's like cooking a dinner and inviting everyone over, but only one person shows up.

It's more like setting up a random table in a public space and having nobody stop to eat.

AYRT

Right, so for you, you make things with the intent to share it to others. If you cannot make things for just yourself, then stating that part upfront should stop people giving you advice you are unable to take.

But for me and it seems several other responders here, we make things with the intent to enjoy it for ourselves and if someone stops by that's nice but not expected, and no one showing up isn't a rejection because nobody in particular was sent an invite. What don't you buy about that? Idgi.

Or maybe, just MAYBE don't give an advice when it's pretty much obvious that you have an absolutely different goals with people who want feedback.

-I am sad that people do not like my work
-Don't be sad

You sound like this.

No? We are all responding to OP saying they "don't buy" something. Unless they mean something completely different from the generally understood meaning of "not buying something," it means they don't believe the advice they are given.

Saying I don't understand this advice, or this advice doesn't apply to me, is different from "not believing this advice can be true for others" which is what was stated.

That's why so many people are explaining how it can be true.

I am sorry for being hasty, I am just really tired of this advice and how every time when you are sad that you don't have feedback, people just pop up saying "I am doing it for myself". Good for you, I guess.

Tbf I also don't buy it as an advice, because people who do for themselves just do it. They do not need external validation. And people who need external validation aren't able to do something just for themselves. At least at this point of their life. So this advice seems cruel and unnecessary.

nayrt

Okay then. How about useful advice?

If you think that getting zero comments on a fic you posted equates to being rejected, then get therapy for your abandonment issues and stop complaining to the rest of the community as though we are somehow obligated to give you feedback because you are incapable of dealing with a less-than-ideal result for your work.

Is that harsh? I don't care. None of us fic writers is owed feedback. If you can't deal with that, then that is a you problem.

If your motivation to write is fueled by external validation alone, then do your research and find a group that will constantly feed you. Fandom can sometimes give you what you want, but it's not your caretaker.

AYRT
... okay?
Actually I didn't ask for advice and I am not OP. And I've made my choice — fandom doesn't owe me and I do not owe fandom. I spend my time in communities that have feedback and communication and I do not spend time in communities that don't, this is quite simple.
But I am just really tired of people being high and mighty about not needing feedback.
Also people allowed to be frustrated about their fandom experience in FANDOM SECRET community

AYRT

If someone writes "I know other people write for themselves but I can't do that. Feedback is what motivates me to write, and not getting any feedback feels like rejection to me" I don't think anyone would be replying this way.

The thing is OP said they don't buy "write for yourself" because it's either invalid advice for everyone or everyone is lying about writing for themselves, and "nobody likes being rejected" as though it's some obvious fact that no comments = rejection for everyone. That's why everyone's trying to explain that isn't true, and the advice is valid for some who may be able to change their perspective.

People generally don't just say random things. We reply to what OP said. lol

I don't see no comments as a rejection though.

Maybe if after years I didn’t have any comments on a fic I might notice and be like, guess no one liked this one. But I don’t write with an audience in mind. I write what comes to me and then share it in case someone else might like it. I honestly can’t imagine writing just to get pats on the back.

I kinda wonder sometimes what determines this divide between “I follow the muse” and “I want validation.” Is it a generational thing? Class? Nationality/culture thing?

Yeah, this is me too. I write because I have an idea in my head that won't go away until I get it out on paper. Sometimes I post it for other people to read and enjoy if they want. Sometimes I share it with my BFF from the same fandom but no one else. Sometimes I don't do anything with it at all other than keep it on my HD to enjoy reading when I feel like it.

If other people enjoy it, great, but that isn't why I wrote it.

This.
Yes, some people write for themselves as you can see in the comments, and enjoy doing it. Good for them.
But if person cares about feedback and comments this advice isn't fucking helping.

For example I draw for myself, but I finish and upload my art for feedback. In the end I've stopped making fanart, especially for popular fandoms (I always went unnoticed in big fandoms) because it has been disheartening.

Except saying "this advice isn't helpful for me" isn't the same thing is "I don't buy this advice, nobody likes being rejected"?

It may be OP mis-speaking or misusing slang, but the reason so many people are explaining why it can be true and valid advice is because according to the original statement, OP doesn't seem to believe it can be valid for anyone.

It isn't advice, it is people explaining to OP who said they didn't believe there was another way to think about fanfic/art other than "no comments=rejection" and that people only write for an audience of others.

99% of my fic is drawerfic, and iirc the longest thing I ever posted got zero comments (I was new to posting anything and fucked up the formatting so it was a wall o' text.)

I write for myself; it's cool if other people like it, but if not, it's not a rejection. Plus, as a serious serial lurker myself, I know for a fact that people read and enjoy things without commenting on them, because I spent almost two decades lurking online without commenting on anything ever, even stuff I loved.

Flat | Top-Level Comments Only

[ SECRET POST #6602 ]

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