[ SECRET POST #2350 ]

[case]

⌈ Secret Post #2350 ⌋

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

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Notes:

Secrets Left to Post: 06 pages, 135 secrets from Secret Submission Post #336.
Secrets Not Posted: [ 0 - broken links ], [ 1 2 3 - not!secrets ], [ 0 - not!fandom ], [ 0 - too big ], [ 0 - repeat ].
Current Secret Submissions Post: here.
Suggestions, comments, and concerns should go here.

Comments

[fscom]

07. http://i.imgur.com/gPO9cTf.jpg

[forgottenjester]

Wait... but if you're the most popular and you don't think you deserve it wouldn't it be good then for you to leave comments on their work to promote them?

I don't know. I feel like I'm missing something here. Is there fandom etiquette I'm unaware of?

[dimestoresaint]

That's what I was thinking. If OP is really such a BNF, then they're in a position to help out the writers they think really deserve it.

[(Anonymous)]

They don't read the fic at all, is the thing, because of the guilt and (i'm guessing?) anxiety associated with it.

But I gotta agree that the other authors would probably be pretty stoked to get a comment from you, OP, if you do ever decide to read any!

[forgottenjester]

Oh! I missed that. But if they don't read the fic how in the world do they know the other writers are better than them? That sounds like low self-esteem talking.

[likeadeuce]

But it seems like not reading also makes them feel guilty and anxious?

[(Anonymous)]

IOW they are thoroughly self-centered. Charming.

[likeadeuce]

I was wondering this too. If you're a BNF, whether you wanted that or not, it seems like you could use that status to rec and promote the work of other writers or at the very least they'd be happy to get comments from you. I don't think anybody should feel obligated to read fic in the fandoms they write in, but this seems like an odd reason not to do it.

[(Anonymous)]

To play the devil's advocate, if it's a one-website/comm fandom, unfortunately that may not make much of a difference. They might be just reading fics for the fandom BNFs, unfortunately. :/ But it's still worth a try.

[forgottenjester]

Oh, so like they're all BNFs? Or...? I don't think I follow. I'm sorry I'm slow today.

[(Anonymous)]

If other people like your work they'll probably love what you have to recommend.

[(Anonymous)]

I agree with this. If an author I like mentions a fic they really enjoyed, nine times out of ten I'll at least check it out.

[writerserenyty]

I wouldn't feel bad; I mean, they probably like your fic for a reason. You don't necessarily have to like a fic for the writing strength; I know some of my favorite fics might not be written AS well, but have ideas/characterization that I find appealing.

Still, if you feel bad, write reviews on the fics you find to be better, and recommend them.

[poisonenvy]

Some of my favourite novels have weak writing and are still awesome (see also: Harry Potter. Especially the Philosopher's Stone.)

[(Anonymous)]

a++ humblebrag

[(Anonymous)]

I wouldn't feel bad anon. I write for some small fandoms and while I'm not the most popular, I'm decently known to current readers. That said, I have maybe two authors I pay attention to and for the most part I don't really go looking for fic (part of it is time, part of it is that I write the fic I want to read, so I save myself the time of going to find a fic that fits my particular head scenario LOL).

It is what it is. People can only participate in fandom so much :P

[elaminator]

But how do you know for sure that those other writers are better than you if you don't read their fic? If you've read some in the past and stopped when you realized this I guess I understand. Still, different tastes and all that; obviously someone likes your work or you wouldn't be so popular.

(I agree with what others have said about commenting on some of those other stories. If you don't think you can stomach it that's okay, but if you ever feel like reading some of them I bet the authors would love a comment or rec from you.)

OP

[(Anonymous)]

yes, I should have clarified: I used to read fics in my fandom, but when I realized that almost all of them were lightyears ahead of me in skill, I stopped :\

[(Anonymous)]

Well, at least you're not the type of BNF who doesn't read other people's fic because you think yours is the best and the rest of them are beneath you. Those ones are the worst.

[(Anonymous)]

You could make a rec list that mentions all the writers you think are better than you.

Transcript

[(Anonymous)]

Background is a black and white picture of a typist with an old-fashioned typewriter.

Text: I write for a small fandom (small enough that a relevant pic would give me away) and I never read or comment on others' fics.

Not because I don't like them.

But because somehow I have become one of the most popular...actually, THE most popular writer in the fandom, and I know the other writers working in that fandom are actually far more talented. Reading their work makes me feel so guilty...

[(Anonymous)]

There's a difference between a talent for writing and a talent for writing what a lot of people want to read. You might have the latter, and that's a talent too, so don't beat yourself up for entertaining the fandom you're in. It sounds like you might be just comparing yourself too harshly to others.

[(Anonymous)]

this is a really good point. I know we tend to talk shit about popular writers for not creating works of great literary value, but they obviously have a talent for entertainment. It's not the same talent as writers who create masterpieces but it's a talent nonetheless.

[netbug009]

"There's a difference between a talent for writing and a talent for writing what a lot of people want to read"

I don't see how there is? I mean, writing is communication. If you're trying to communicate humor, drama, or entertainment and succeed, isn't that good writing?

[netbug009]

Well, aside from the great suggestions already offered, here's one more: Learn from those writers. In fact, when you find somebody who writes better than you, backing off is the WORST thing you can do. Read their work, enjoy, and figure out why you enjoy it. That's how you improve your own work. :)