fangirlunderground:

This will be my third Meta Monday on the topic of comments, but this time the focus is less on encouraging comments and more about discouraging them… the unsolicited critical ones, that is. 

And, I know, some fanfic readers hate the idea that you not only must leave comments, but that those comments must be positive. We’ve probably all seen well-intentioned posts asking questions like “how will the author improve?” when (I feel) the better question is “why do I think my feedback will help?”

Some authors welcome concrit, and that’s great! Those authors will make that very clear in their notes, and they’ll probably adore you for your thorough review! But, to everyone else, those helpful suggestions are coming from someone the author has no reason to trust, long after the story is finished, in a public space where everyone can see. At best, your feedback might be a nuisance, but at worst, you could undermine the writer’s confidence — a real person who’s age, experience, primary language, wellbeing, and circumstances you probably know nothing about — and turn them off writing for good.  

After all, the one thing that will always improve writing is practice. If the goal is really to help, isn’t encouragement the best way to go about it? 

Check out these posts for a much more in-depth take on this topic, and make sure to let them know you appreciate their thoughts with likes and reblogs! If you’re someone who is struggling with a negative comment on your writing, I have to recommend two pieces of advice I found on @ao3commentoftheday here and here. 💛

Fandom – Commenting vs. Criticism

5 reasons to ignore unsolicited “constructive” criticism by @gingertodgers, I keep seeing posts about how fanfic writers should be open to unsolicited criticism + how without it we’ll never improve, will eventually die from the lack of oxygen in our happy fandom bubbles, etc. Thing is, that’s bollocks. There is 1 (one) situation where you should listen to unsolicited “constructive” criticism and 5 reasons to ignore it. (Mirror Link)

Fanfic Etiquette by @starknjarvis27, […] You’re not a copy editor. Unless the writer asks for feedback, don’t waste a review nitpicking typos. This is free content, and you’re nobody. Either stop reading the fic or accept people make mistakes and move on. (Mirror Link)

Just don’t (criticize) by @porcupine-girl, […] I just passed by a post about how fic writers should welcome criticism in comments because friends who beta your fic aren’t experts. Setting aside the fact that I could easily have every fic beta’d by English PhDs and professional writers if I wanted (some fandoms are crawling with them)…. you know who really isn’t an expert, in my experience? Random assholes commenting on my fic. (Mirror Link)

So you’re thinking about leaving concrit on a fanfiction… by @dresupi, […] Wait WHAT? Dres…you’re telling me I shouldn’t alert this writer to their grave error in judgement (Or grammar, or characterization, or anything else I deem incorrect in this work they’ve posted out in public for everyone to see?) Yes, imaginary fic commenter. Yes, that’s exactly what I’m telling you. (Mirror Link)

To critique or not to critique (of the unsolicited kind) by @tarysande, […] Unsolicited criticism is not helpful. Maybe you just catch someone off-guard and startle them. At worst, you may totally shatter someone’s self-esteem while they are partaking in a hobby they 100% do for fun—and not in pursuit of some unattainable perfection. (Mirror Link)

[DISCUSSION] Unpopular Opinion – Reflections on a culture of nice in ficdom by @rashaka, @missdaviswrites​, @destinationtoast, et al. […] AO3 is not a workshop. People are not posting multiple drafts hoping to improve and revise. Trust me, even people posting WIPs as they write them are giving you the most polished version of each chapter they can. When they say, “Here is my very best effort. I hope you like it,” they don’t need to hear about what’s wrong with it, especially not in a public place where everyone else can see the criticism. Think of the works on AO3 as finished products, and save your criticism for other environments. (Mirror Link)

Unsolicited Opinions on Fic Criticism by @shinelikethunder​, […] You are not doing random authors a favor by informing them what’s “wrong” with their fic. If you choose to go that route, and to go there with someone who doesn’t have an explicit “con crit welcome” policy, you gotta operate under the assumption that unsolicited negative feedback is a squirm-inducing imposition you’re asking the author to tolerate. (Mirror Link)

Why shouldn’t anyone leave any kind of comments they like on a fic? by @ali-aliska​​ & @reioka​, […] You can leave whatever feedback you want, but why make it negative? Ask who’s benefiting from that because so far, it hasn’t been me. I have a lot of reasons for writing, but my main reason for sharing my work, aside from a communal experience of loving my faves? I’ll be completely honest, it is to get positive feedback that motivates me to write more. Why shouldn’t that be a valid reason? If everything was just about that ephemeral pleasure of creation via writing, I’d write, then close the word doc, move on, and never let my work see the light of day. (Mirror Link)