nuraicha: (Jaffar)
nuraicha ([personal profile] nuraicha) wrote2015-04-30 07:15 pm

On fanfiction and feedback

Hello!

Today I stumbled across this post on Tumblr and I thought some of you would be interested in reading it. It's about the importance of leaving feedback to the writers so they can know people are reading and liking/disliking their stories. It's mainly applied to Tumblr (and frankly, I've tried Tumblr as a fic platform and I think it's *awful* for interacting with the writer, so I can't understand why this post has been made in the first place because, if I wrote something like this, the first thing would be: read/write in platforms that allow you/the reader to have easy means of giving you feedback... But well, that's another matter alltogether), but it has several points that I agree with and I find interesting. I especially like the point about specific feedback; yes please! There isn't anything better that knowing *exactly* what worked for each reader. Of course, you can't ask each reader to give you a complete and thorough analysis on your style (god knows I don't do that as often as I would like) but, if there's something you really liked and want to talk about, do it!

However, on the specific feedback matter I don't agree with this line: "Want to influence our next fic? Tell us what you liked about this one and I bet you it will keep showing up!". That sounded to me like if you *have to* write the things as your readers like them. Yes of course, many things can influence in your writing, but just by telling me "I loved X thing" doesn't mean I have to include it the next fic if I don't think it worked. After all, it's our story, isn't it? We can't be complete slaves of our readers.

And now I want to quote the last paragraph fully:

"We can’t do this writing thing without you guys. So thank you so much! Without readers, we’re just talking to ourselves. We love and appreciate you for reading- but we need to know you’re doing it. We need feedback like we need air. Don’t let your favorite writers suffocate! :)"

Opinions and thoughts? I would like to see what my flist thinks of this. And yes, I know I have like tons of messages in my inbox and some are comments here in my LJ that I have to reply, and some PMs, and *hides in shame* I'll get to them, I promise. I'm so sorry for being so absent and not coming back to you at all, but I usually check LJ on my phone and I don't like writing there, so I always tell myself to wait until I get to the laptop to reply to things and... Not enough time to do so. That's the reason why I mostly just read fics (and not many, sorry MS friends) and leave very short comments, because 95% of times I'm on the phone. I'm really sorry, but as you know I graduate in June *maniac laughter of horror* and I'm SO stressed.

Hope you are all okay x

[identity profile] nuraicha.livejournal.com 2015-09-27 08:30 pm (UTC)(link)
especially if they've read something with such sparkling prose that it makes them feel like they can't even string a decent sentence together in comparison This used to be me! I remember when I started reading fics in English, I barely commented because I was scared shitless of my grammar and spelling, and I often added a PS explaining I was learning English and apologising for my mistakes. I can't even remember how I felt when I first commented something by you, but I bet I was even more scared than with other authors, because you were one of my favourites. And when I started with "Ghazal"? Oh man, that was really difficult for me, I felt like a toddler typing! Thanks God I was brave enough to comment, or I wouldn't have met you <3

[identity profile] snowgrouse.livejournal.com 2015-09-28 08:06 am (UTC)(link)
I'm so very glad you did <3 That's a really good example of what commenting can bring--wonderful friendships you would never have had otherwise :3