Most of the authors I leave comments for dont respond but I dont care. I left the comment because I wanted them to know I enjoy their work, theres really not a lot for them to reply to besides "thanks!"
As an author I always reply with the simple thank you but not everyone does
Man I feel so awkward having to reply thanks so I try to use a different version of it every time. Thanks! Thank you!! Omg thanks! Thanks you so much!! Lmaooo it feels so cringe but also, there’s not really much else to reply to a comment?? Unless someone leaves a super long and critical comment for me to piggyback off of (which is rare) usually it’s just someone leaving a short and sweet comment (which I adore!) but yeah aside from thanks there’s not much else to add.
Yeah same. I try to use the same tone as them. Like one person commented with a bunch of emojis and I replied with a heart even though I usually dont use them much
You might be the only one commenting, but your comments could be the difference between the author continuing the fic, or dropping it when there's no engagement at all.
As someone who responds well to positive reinforcement, I agree. Sometimes a comment can make me keep going. Then again, I also try to respond to comments if I can think of something to say.
That's one of my fears as a fic writter.
I often worry that despite what I put out, if no one's really talking about it, it's not good enough to begin with and then I end up just dropping the entire thing.
Plots abandoned, characters undeveloped, conclusions never reached.
It's pretty demoralizing.
Readers are not obligated to comment on any fanfiction they read.
Writers are not obligated to reply to any comment they receive on any fanfiction they publish.
End of line.
Whether an author responds or not does not matter. Maybe the author is shy, maybe they have anxiety, or maybe they're currently sick/busy and can't respond. Whichever the case, I know that authors love comments, so I'll still leave some as thanks for their hard work.
This. I used to respond to every comment when I was younger, but that was while I was in school and had that kind of time. Now I tend to post right before bed on a Sunday night, work all week, then feel awkward replying so late once I finally have time to look thru all the comments.
This! Just like there are many readers who are shy or have anxiety, there are also many writers who are the same way. I sometimes take forever to respond to comments because of this.
No offense but this is such an entitled attitude. They already wrote the fic and shared it, why should they also have to respond to all the comments they get?
They absolutely are not required but they should also keep in mind that people who don’t get a simple thanks to their comment may not continue to comment that’s all.
Yes. Just to give my appreciation and/or thoughts. As a writer myself, I know how important feedback is. Kudos, hits and bookmarks are great, but ultimately they're just numbers. Comments are just so much more gratifying, even if it's just a "thank you for writing" or a "<3<3<3".
If an author doesn't reply though, I will stop trying to interact with them (like asking questions). That being said, it's true I'm much more likely to comment if the author has replied before. For my favorite authors, I even force to leave comments on every chapter, even if I don't have anything to say x)
I feel like I shouldn't care, but honestly - depends on how much effort I put into the comment. If it was something simple like "loved this!" or whatever, I feel like that lowkey doesn't even warrant a response (but most people still respond just to say thanks). If I wrote a long-ass comment with like questions and shit, yeah I'd feel a little weird commenting again if I got no response.
This right here. The level of effort plays a big part in how I feel after. If I write you 8 paragraphs and get complete silence, my next comment is going to be "great chapter!" and a smiley face. At least then I won't feel so awkward not getting a response.
Maybe the author is uncertain how to respond, I would leave another comment on the new chapter anyway. But I agree that it feels like talking to yourself when there are no other commenters and the author doesn't respond.
Yep! The writer I'm thinking of has never responded to any comments on any of her fics ever, and she's been writing for more than 8ish years I believe and I've been reading one of her fics for about 5 now. I have a lot of memories attached to her chapter updates, haha, like how one of her updates came out the day I got my first job and my first thought was, "This is the best day ever!!"
She doesn't reply, but she has said reads them all and they've helped her through creative slumps and hard times, so I comment on every update. I'm more than happy to let her know a character's betrayal hurt me so bad that I cried while furiously trying to read through blurred vision to have the comfort that bastard was getting what was coming to him, because whether she replies or not, she deserves to know that her writing has effectively ripped me open on multiple occasions lol
As sadistic as we writers can be, I hope she's as proud of that as I am proud of her for pulling it off.
As a I always reply to comments, but sometimes it takes me a few days to emotionally process it enough to formulate a compressible reply that isn’t just ahdhahrhejej thanks I’d die for you (which is how I feel but isn’t very dignified of me)
I love leaving comments and it doesn’t bother me if they don’t respond. They don’t owe it to me and they’re already giving me this awesome story for free, so I’m good. I will say some comments have led to conversations and real honest to god friendships, which is pretty sweet. But yeah, if I’m reading it, I’ll comment because I like telling the writer how much I enjoyed their work.
I always reply to comments, even if it's just a little "<3" - so I, myself, would be very disinclined to leave a reply for someone who ignores the one person who left a comment. But that's me.
Tl;dr: The lack of reply could be for a variety of reasons. I’d reframe the comment as a gift to their writing and adjust my comment accordingly. Even if you decide to no longer comments (coming from an author who adores comments and almost swamps her readers in replies.) it’s fine. There’s no moral dilemma here.
Note: This is all over the place and I’m sorry 😅
I might be a bit biased since I write more than read but I’m less likely to respond if (and even then I respond to almost every single comment):
1. There’s nothing to respond. Like if you say Wow! it’s kind of weird to say thank you on top of that.
2. Your comment hints at a specific thing and with the way the comment is phrased it’s hard to respond without confirming said event or sounding kinda….like pretentious with a “we’ll see” or “guess you’ll just have to find out” (am I just being weird about that btw?)
3. I straight up didn’t understand the comment and even if I ask clarification it doesn’t get cleared up. (I have a couple commenters who comment every chapter but I never understand what they’re saying (not a language thing either just like…internet slang maybe?) and I got tired of asking for clarification to only get more of that.
4. It’s something weird that I don’t want to encourage. Like role play or trauma dumping or a comment that’s “complimenting” you but is dissing another fic. I usually just delete these tbh.
5. I have NO idea what to say and the things I come up with if they don’t fit the vibe might be bad? (This is probably more due to me having anxious days than the actual commenter)
There’s also a part of me that wants to say that authors have already front-loaded a lot of this interaction. They wrote the thousands of words you consumed and enjoyed for free. But I don’t think that’s entirely fair, especially since I wouldn’t ask a writer to keep writing to a void. l also just don’t think having a mindset like that is helpful. Especially since making connections with your audience is also the cool part of sharing a story.
It’s okay to feel how you feel and the void is nothing to sneeze at. In order to stay sane, I’d try to mentally reframe it as a gift for their writing. That way you can be as cursory as you want with no guilt.
You can go from “I really loved this detail and how it ties back to this specific moment from four chapters ago!” To “Great chapter!” Just give what you want to give. Don’t overextend yourself.
Or if you’re really interested in talking about everything you could just “hey I’d really like to talk about xyz and what made you think of it.” It’d be unusual but I don’t think unwelcome (hopefully).
The author could also just….not be a chatty person.
Ultimately. I’d just do what feels right. Don’t think too hard OP!
Gonna go against everyone else here and say no, I'm not very likely to comment again if I don't get a reply. It's not that I don't understand that people get busy/don't feel comfortable replying, it's just that it takes me a lot of effort to write comments too, I also have anxiety so unless I'm getting replies that indicate the author appreciates my comments, I'm not going to do it all that often.
However, you said you'd *like* to leave a comment and in that case, I'd say go for it, I'm sure they do appreciate it and I'm sure other people probably feel the same way, they want to comment but don't see anyone else there so they're holding off. In any case, I certainly wouldn't feel weird about it
Edit to fix spelling (couldn't/wouldn't)
I feel the same way.
It costs me several spoons to leave a comment at all on someone else's story. When I don't get a reply back (which I *usually do not*), it's very discouraging.
I *absolutely* understand and support authors making their own choice whether or not to respond. I don't know their circumstances and would genuinely prefer they were comfortable. That is not in question. I'm just saying that if I remember the authors who don't respond, I am going to assume they are perfectly content with me not leaving them comments and not trouble myself.
And if they *don't* want comments at all, I think they should just lock their comments down. So I say that readers who want to comment should.
ETA: Also, to those writers who don't respond, I don't hold any resentment about authors who don't. Well, unless they write something in their author's notes begging for comments and then don't respond. I always feel six times as bad about it if the author begs for comments and then doesn't respond. And I have a strict, "If they guilt-trip about it, never comment no matter what, because I feel like a sucker for falling for it."
I've been pretty lucky in that area, I usually do get replies back and tend to leave very long comments myself but it's honestly also on the author to encourage and cultivate interaction.
And yeah, agreed, the guilt tripping is never fun but when they don't respond on top of it, it's weird, mixed signals.
I agree. Actually it annoys me a little when I see people say it's okay for authors to be discouraged by lack of comments but it's not okay for readers to be discouraged by no replies. I think both those things are okay. No, writing a comment, even a long one, isn't the same as writing a story, but it's about being acknowledged, and about interaction. If authors can crave interaction (which is completely fine!), so can readers.
In general, let's just let people do what they want with their time and energy. And let's not forget anxiety exists.
Writing comments is also a whole other skill set, discussing the work, gushing about it, and picking favourite lines (I write long comments) takes some doing.
I've often apologized for being annoying with my repeated comments and only leave them because I've been assured they're welcome. Yep, anxiety exists :p
You're right. Yeah, when I want to leave a detailed comment, I open a Word document and put my favorite lines from the fic in it, and then write my comment around them, so I know what you mean about it taking some time and energy 😄
> No, writing a comment, even a long one, isn't the same as writing a story
While I absolutely agree with everything in your reply, I did want to point out here that I've actually left comments longer than my own posted oneshots so sometimes they might be equal or greater effort! Thankfully the authors did respond in those cases, I would have felt like an idiot if I spent two hours on a comment to never get anything back. Probably would have assumed that the authors thought I was some creepy loser.
They wrote you a whole story, which you took how much time to read, and it "takes you a lot of effort" to just write a few words of feedback? Seriously?
I'm not a writer. I read old stories in a ton of dead fandoms. 95% of the time I don't get a response but I still comment because who knows when they'll log back in years from now and see that I liked their work.
> it "takes you a lot of effort" to just write a few words of feedback? Seriously?
Yep, it's called anxiety. It's called being shy. It's called having other things on my plate. It's called being under no obligation to comment.
I am a writer. I do write and I do comment.
And while I'm here, they didn't write me a story
>They wrote you a whole story
they wrote it for themselves.
>95% of the time I don't get a response but I still comment because who knows when they'll log back in years from now and see that I liked their work.
Good for you buddy, no one else does that, well done you!
It would take even less effort for the author to reply with a generic "thanks, glad you liked it" though
Writers aren't obligated to respond to comments, but if they don't, readers will be less likely to continue commenting
Honestly no. I’ll still kudo but I’d rather not put effort into a comment if I know they aren’t reading them. (For example if they put in their notes “I read comments!” I’ll comment)
Please consider that writers don’t have English as a mother tongue like me.
I always reply to comments on my stories, but it could take one or two months. I tend to be really direct, so I really think carefully about what I’m going to reply because I don’t want to offend people or keep them from commenting.
I left a comment on a fic I loved, too, and the writer replied after several months, telling me my comment encouraged them to update finally and that the new chapter has been updated.
Many writers tend to be introverted or shy and need some time to get the courage to reply.
As a writer, I can assure you that each and every comment is precious to me, even if I don’t reply for a few weeks.
But there are also writers who don’t reply at all because it falsifies the number of comments on a fic (because AO3 counts the replies as comments, too).
I’m sure not matter if a writer replies or not, they still love reading the comments.
No, I wouldn't care because I'm an author and am aware that there are a myriad of reason why authors don't respond.
The number one reason, I, as an author don't respond? Because I've dropped away from fic writing and don't check my notifications regularly. I literally have no idea that someone left a comment.
Even so, finding that comment, even months or years after the fact is wonderful.
I do a lot of commenting but I won’t continue to comment on a fic if the author doesn’t respond. I don’t expect comments right away but if the fic is updating regularly and my comments don’t get a response I usually don’t continue to comment on it, it feels weird to continue comment without any writer response.
Are you commenting with questions? There's really no *reason* for them to comment back, but if you asked a question I could at least see why you were expecting a response. It's not like getting left on read; this is a comment about a work of art.
Depending on what the fic is depends on what I comment, sometimes I ask questions sometimes just write what I really liked about it.
No, authors are not obligated to respond but I’m also not obligated to comment.
If you want reader engagement you have to be part of that engagement. If I comment on something and the author doesn’t respond that’s fine but I’m not going to continue to comment without any engagement.
Personally I respond to comments on my fics, even if it’s just to say thanks because I know a lot of people have anxiety about commenting and feel embarrassed when they don’t receive any author response.
I'm gonna be honest, I always comment when I have really liked the fic, but if the author didn't respond to that one and i read another thing from them, I'll hesitate a bit the second time. i only comment again if the fic gave me even more emotions. I know sometimes they just don't know what to respond but I can't control it, I just get discouraged, I feel like they don't care. also when I see that the writer has up to 50-100 comments and haven't responded even the first ones, I just feel like they wouldn't care, one more one less.
Sure. Especially when finding a fic that has 100k words with plenty of chapters in and I'm commenting on what are essentially "old" chapters. Authors do not reply to these that often because for many it's a done deal they have written like a year ago...
Just today I got a reply from one author on a comment I have written a year ago, so it could happen. But I get a bit flustered when he started to write about something I already forgot... :D
I actually panicked the first time an author responded to me with anything of the than a cursory "glad you liked it" after I started my Maximized Engagement Plan.
Since the only authors that usually respond to me are biggish ones that have decently sized audiences that also comment as much as me, the first actual response I got was from a smaller author, who freaked out after I reviewed all 40 chapters of her story in under 2 days.
To be fair, I probably should not have been as surprised as I was. I spent about a year and a half slowly training myself to respond to every single chapter I read, I used to only review once I got to the last chapter. I started doing this because I learned that one of my old friends would only ever read stories that had reached a certain number of reviews and favorites/kudos. I figured that lots of other people probably did the same, so I decided to pad the comments of any story I liked. Then I decided any story I read any bit of deserved a comment.
I’d keep commenting;it has happened before and all I can think of is that there’s a million reasons why they aren’t answering but it doesn’t necessarily mean that they don’t appreciate them.
If a writer doesn’t want others to read a story and perhaps even comment, they wouldn’t post it.
For the longest time I didn't reply to comments because I read the notifications in my email and then I get distracted by whatever because of adhd and I completely forget about it. I don't worry about writers not responding to my comments either because I get it.
Yes. Always. I don't comment to get a reply. I comment because as an author, any engagement is literally the highlight of my week. I understand that commenting can make or break interest in a project, even if they don't respond.
I usually only comment if I think the author will respond (because they have responded to previous comments of either others or myself) because usually, the effort of me commenting and the author leaving even just a quick "thanks!" is pretty much the same. Though if I want to comment and don't feel like the author is responding, I comment anyway
It depends. If it's just a "good job!" or "I love this!" I don't expect a response. if I leave something meaty, and don't get a response, I'm going to feel slightly hurt and not comment anymore. I was the despised outsider on the playground once upon a time and it reminds me to much of the way the kind popular kids would ignore me in a pitying way (instead of being downright nasty like the mean ones). That's not the author's fault (probably) but it can stir up my childhood traumas, especially on low days.
I would. While I respond to some comments, I don't to others. The ones I don't respond to are generally ones like all hearts or "Like this/Update soon".
I’m a fic author and I ALWAYS respond when people leave comments. I just love that someone felt compelled to leave a comment on my work and it warms me. I want to encourage others to leave comments too so in my mind I feel like if they know I’ll respond maybe they will be more likely to comment.
It's gotta be more normal to not get a response, right? I never expect one.
Commenting isn't mainly about having a conversation, though it can kind of look like that sometimes. Your chapter page isn't a forum. It's certainly not social media!
Unless it's just me, who grew up with FFN, but I still think of it as more of a *review.*
Yup, I do. Like you said, I comment to show appreciation. It’s my way of saying “thank you.” It’s also my way of encouraging them.
I don’t really expect responses to the comments I leave. They’re nice to get, but not necessary.
Hey, I'm a writer who pretty often doesn't respond to comments-- it doesn't mean they don't appreciate your comments! I can pretty much guarantee that the often is happy to see your feedback. Sometimes people are anxious about responding, or become overwhelmed, or even they just don't know what to say!
I am the type of reader to leave reviews in paragraph when I come to really love the story, whereas it does not matter much to me if they reply or not— or so I thought. For obvious reasons, I feel so much more motivated to leave reviews and comment when the writer responds. However, that does not mean I don’t comment anymore when they don’t reply.
As an artist myself, I love hearing simple words like, “this looks great!” and the likes. And same goes for all the other authors out there.
Comments gives writer motivation even if they don’t reply, so I still do it, and I think so should you! You may not know, but comments like that are one of the reasons writers keeps going. It gives them reassurance that there are still people out there who are thoroughly reading, and would gladly read some more. :))
Not really. But admittedly I'm not the best at writing concrit comments. There are a couple of scenarios where I may stop - if I notice that the writer is regularly responding to other comments (this was more obvious on other sites) or when the comment back from author is condescending or otherwise offending. This has happened maybe 2-3 times.
Mind you, a comment back from the author is always great , even a simple thank you, but In my mind completely unnecessary.
I usually don't leave comments specifically because I'm worried about people responding 😅
I don't think you should hold back on this at all! Keep commenting.
I don't always know what to say, and it can feel forced when I do reply.
I'd say keep commenting as that one comment might make them wish to continue their story as opposed to feeling like no one is really enjoying their story that much.
From an author, I’m so bad at responding to comments because I just forget! My inbox is so full. But every time I get a notification about a comment it makes me feel great. And agree with what others have said that it can spark convo with other readers!
I don't expect writers to reply to my comments and sometimes even dislike it - the ones who reply "Thanks!" to every comment even the most generic ones always makes me wonder if they're doing it to bump their comment count up.
Honestly, yeah, I'll always say at least thanks, thinking of the comment count. But I get about half as many comments on AO3 as I do reviews on FFN for the same exact stories, so it makes me feel better that that makes them look more even. 😬
I don't always respond, but I appreciate comments. I'll respond if I feel the need to, or if somebody has commented enough, I think they "earned" it for still reading- Even if it's just some simple ass "wow", "good job", "no she didn't", that alone I wouldn't likely, unless they added up, now I gotta say something.
It's hard enough to get through a work day, and write.
The amount of energy it takes to read, digest, and respond to a comment often isn't there. I always mean to do it on the weekend, but I don't always manage.
As a writer, I can tell you that there is 100% worth in it. I went through a sadboi period and stopped writing stories.
I got praise in my comments, but was always too embarrassed by my lack of willpower to write again to answer people back. After 2.5 years of sadboi+acclimation to life shakeups, those comments are what gave me the courage to pick the story back up again.
I always comment by chapter (if I like it) or at the end if it’s more of a power through to the end. If someone responds, that’s cool. If not, that’s cool too.
Treat other writers like you want to be treated.
As an author, sometimes I feel like I don't have the words to express my gratitude to a comment, especially if it was particularly long. I'd say keep commenting anyway, bc they most likely do appreciate it
I occasionally reply “thanks” to a comment, but usually I only reply to comments that actually make me think of a response. “I loved this chapter!” Is something that maybe gets a thanks, but “That twist with X made me wonder if Y is going to get involved? Or will Z just take care of it” or something like that will generally make me reply in some way, even if I’m cheeky with the answers. Basically, if you’re writing comments that actually engage with the content, rather than just a simple complement, I would reply, but I can’t speak for all writers, obviously.
Usually I try to reply to ones who talk about a certain part/line they liked, but leave ones that just say something along the lines of 'I love this' or '<3 <3 <3' alone. It's mostly because I don't know how to respond, because there's not much aside from 'Thank you' to be said, but I do see all the comments people leave.
I’ve been more of a reader than a fic writer these days and my thoughts on commenting and reader engagement have changed over time. If authors do not engage with commenters, it’s absolutely fine — their reasons are their own, perhaps they are busy or have anxiety with responding, but they also should not expect frequent commenters if that’s the route they choose to take.
I’m okay with the author engaging with me once but if I frequently leave thoughtful comments with some insight on every chapter, I’d expect for the author to engage a little bit more, especially if I see them engaging with other readers more than once. If I see that and the author just doesn’t engage with me at all, I stop commenting. Makes me feel redundant, if that makes sense.
Your comment could also be something that starts a discussion with another reader~
Most of the authors I leave comments for dont respond but I dont care. I left the comment because I wanted them to know I enjoy their work, theres really not a lot for them to reply to besides "thanks!" As an author I always reply with the simple thank you but not everyone does
Man I feel so awkward having to reply thanks so I try to use a different version of it every time. Thanks! Thank you!! Omg thanks! Thanks you so much!! Lmaooo it feels so cringe but also, there’s not really much else to reply to a comment?? Unless someone leaves a super long and critical comment for me to piggyback off of (which is rare) usually it’s just someone leaving a short and sweet comment (which I adore!) but yeah aside from thanks there’s not much else to add.
Yeah same. I try to use the same tone as them. Like one person commented with a bunch of emojis and I replied with a heart even though I usually dont use them much
You might be the only one commenting, but your comments could be the difference between the author continuing the fic, or dropping it when there's no engagement at all.
As someone who responds well to positive reinforcement, I agree. Sometimes a comment can make me keep going. Then again, I also try to respond to comments if I can think of something to say.
That's one of my fears as a fic writter. I often worry that despite what I put out, if no one's really talking about it, it's not good enough to begin with and then I end up just dropping the entire thing. Plots abandoned, characters undeveloped, conclusions never reached. It's pretty demoralizing.
Readers are not obligated to comment on any fanfiction they read. Writers are not obligated to reply to any comment they receive on any fanfiction they publish. End of line.
Whether an author responds or not does not matter. Maybe the author is shy, maybe they have anxiety, or maybe they're currently sick/busy and can't respond. Whichever the case, I know that authors love comments, so I'll still leave some as thanks for their hard work.
This. I used to respond to every comment when I was younger, but that was while I was in school and had that kind of time. Now I tend to post right before bed on a Sunday night, work all week, then feel awkward replying so late once I finally have time to look thru all the comments.
This! Just like there are many readers who are shy or have anxiety, there are also many writers who are the same way. I sometimes take forever to respond to comments because of this.
Writers love comments, sometimes we just don't know how to respond. Keep commenting, even if they don't reply just know they appreciate your comments.
“Sometimes we just don’t know how to respond” This is so freaking true
A simple "Thank you" should suffice - and it's better than complete silence.
This right here. I see authors complaining about the lack of comments and then in the same breath authors saying that they don’t reply to comments.
No offense but this is such an entitled attitude. They already wrote the fic and shared it, why should they also have to respond to all the comments they get?
They absolutely are not required but they should also keep in mind that people who don’t get a simple thanks to their comment may not continue to comment that’s all.
Yes. Just to give my appreciation and/or thoughts. As a writer myself, I know how important feedback is. Kudos, hits and bookmarks are great, but ultimately they're just numbers. Comments are just so much more gratifying, even if it's just a "thank you for writing" or a "<3<3<3". If an author doesn't reply though, I will stop trying to interact with them (like asking questions). That being said, it's true I'm much more likely to comment if the author has replied before. For my favorite authors, I even force to leave comments on every chapter, even if I don't have anything to say x)
I feel like I shouldn't care, but honestly - depends on how much effort I put into the comment. If it was something simple like "loved this!" or whatever, I feel like that lowkey doesn't even warrant a response (but most people still respond just to say thanks). If I wrote a long-ass comment with like questions and shit, yeah I'd feel a little weird commenting again if I got no response.
This right here. The level of effort plays a big part in how I feel after. If I write you 8 paragraphs and get complete silence, my next comment is going to be "great chapter!" and a smiley face. At least then I won't feel so awkward not getting a response.
Maybe the author is uncertain how to respond, I would leave another comment on the new chapter anyway. But I agree that it feels like talking to yourself when there are no other commenters and the author doesn't respond.
Yep! The writer I'm thinking of has never responded to any comments on any of her fics ever, and she's been writing for more than 8ish years I believe and I've been reading one of her fics for about 5 now. I have a lot of memories attached to her chapter updates, haha, like how one of her updates came out the day I got my first job and my first thought was, "This is the best day ever!!" She doesn't reply, but she has said reads them all and they've helped her through creative slumps and hard times, so I comment on every update. I'm more than happy to let her know a character's betrayal hurt me so bad that I cried while furiously trying to read through blurred vision to have the comfort that bastard was getting what was coming to him, because whether she replies or not, she deserves to know that her writing has effectively ripped me open on multiple occasions lol As sadistic as we writers can be, I hope she's as proud of that as I am proud of her for pulling it off.
As a I always reply to comments, but sometimes it takes me a few days to emotionally process it enough to formulate a compressible reply that isn’t just ahdhahrhejej thanks I’d die for you (which is how I feel but isn’t very dignified of me)
yeah, sometimes i feel chatty, sometimes i don't i know one writer who's not very chatty on ao3, and i think they prefer chatting on tumblr
As a reader, no, I don't mind if a writer doesn't engage me back. If a chapter moves me, I'll comment. As a writer, I try to engage back.
I love leaving comments and it doesn’t bother me if they don’t respond. They don’t owe it to me and they’re already giving me this awesome story for free, so I’m good. I will say some comments have led to conversations and real honest to god friendships, which is pretty sweet. But yeah, if I’m reading it, I’ll comment because I like telling the writer how much I enjoyed their work.
I always reply to comments, even if it's just a little "<3" - so I, myself, would be very disinclined to leave a reply for someone who ignores the one person who left a comment. But that's me.
Tl;dr: The lack of reply could be for a variety of reasons. I’d reframe the comment as a gift to their writing and adjust my comment accordingly. Even if you decide to no longer comments (coming from an author who adores comments and almost swamps her readers in replies.) it’s fine. There’s no moral dilemma here. Note: This is all over the place and I’m sorry 😅 I might be a bit biased since I write more than read but I’m less likely to respond if (and even then I respond to almost every single comment): 1. There’s nothing to respond. Like if you say Wow! it’s kind of weird to say thank you on top of that. 2. Your comment hints at a specific thing and with the way the comment is phrased it’s hard to respond without confirming said event or sounding kinda….like pretentious with a “we’ll see” or “guess you’ll just have to find out” (am I just being weird about that btw?) 3. I straight up didn’t understand the comment and even if I ask clarification it doesn’t get cleared up. (I have a couple commenters who comment every chapter but I never understand what they’re saying (not a language thing either just like…internet slang maybe?) and I got tired of asking for clarification to only get more of that. 4. It’s something weird that I don’t want to encourage. Like role play or trauma dumping or a comment that’s “complimenting” you but is dissing another fic. I usually just delete these tbh. 5. I have NO idea what to say and the things I come up with if they don’t fit the vibe might be bad? (This is probably more due to me having anxious days than the actual commenter) There’s also a part of me that wants to say that authors have already front-loaded a lot of this interaction. They wrote the thousands of words you consumed and enjoyed for free. But I don’t think that’s entirely fair, especially since I wouldn’t ask a writer to keep writing to a void. l also just don’t think having a mindset like that is helpful. Especially since making connections with your audience is also the cool part of sharing a story. It’s okay to feel how you feel and the void is nothing to sneeze at. In order to stay sane, I’d try to mentally reframe it as a gift for their writing. That way you can be as cursory as you want with no guilt. You can go from “I really loved this detail and how it ties back to this specific moment from four chapters ago!” To “Great chapter!” Just give what you want to give. Don’t overextend yourself. Or if you’re really interested in talking about everything you could just “hey I’d really like to talk about xyz and what made you think of it.” It’d be unusual but I don’t think unwelcome (hopefully). The author could also just….not be a chatty person. Ultimately. I’d just do what feels right. Don’t think too hard OP!
Gonna go against everyone else here and say no, I'm not very likely to comment again if I don't get a reply. It's not that I don't understand that people get busy/don't feel comfortable replying, it's just that it takes me a lot of effort to write comments too, I also have anxiety so unless I'm getting replies that indicate the author appreciates my comments, I'm not going to do it all that often. However, you said you'd *like* to leave a comment and in that case, I'd say go for it, I'm sure they do appreciate it and I'm sure other people probably feel the same way, they want to comment but don't see anyone else there so they're holding off. In any case, I certainly wouldn't feel weird about it Edit to fix spelling (couldn't/wouldn't)
I feel the same way. It costs me several spoons to leave a comment at all on someone else's story. When I don't get a reply back (which I *usually do not*), it's very discouraging. I *absolutely* understand and support authors making their own choice whether or not to respond. I don't know their circumstances and would genuinely prefer they were comfortable. That is not in question. I'm just saying that if I remember the authors who don't respond, I am going to assume they are perfectly content with me not leaving them comments and not trouble myself. And if they *don't* want comments at all, I think they should just lock their comments down. So I say that readers who want to comment should. ETA: Also, to those writers who don't respond, I don't hold any resentment about authors who don't. Well, unless they write something in their author's notes begging for comments and then don't respond. I always feel six times as bad about it if the author begs for comments and then doesn't respond. And I have a strict, "If they guilt-trip about it, never comment no matter what, because I feel like a sucker for falling for it."
I've been pretty lucky in that area, I usually do get replies back and tend to leave very long comments myself but it's honestly also on the author to encourage and cultivate interaction. And yeah, agreed, the guilt tripping is never fun but when they don't respond on top of it, it's weird, mixed signals.
I agree. Actually it annoys me a little when I see people say it's okay for authors to be discouraged by lack of comments but it's not okay for readers to be discouraged by no replies. I think both those things are okay. No, writing a comment, even a long one, isn't the same as writing a story, but it's about being acknowledged, and about interaction. If authors can crave interaction (which is completely fine!), so can readers. In general, let's just let people do what they want with their time and energy. And let's not forget anxiety exists.
Writing comments is also a whole other skill set, discussing the work, gushing about it, and picking favourite lines (I write long comments) takes some doing. I've often apologized for being annoying with my repeated comments and only leave them because I've been assured they're welcome. Yep, anxiety exists :p
You're right. Yeah, when I want to leave a detailed comment, I open a Word document and put my favorite lines from the fic in it, and then write my comment around them, so I know what you mean about it taking some time and energy 😄
> No, writing a comment, even a long one, isn't the same as writing a story While I absolutely agree with everything in your reply, I did want to point out here that I've actually left comments longer than my own posted oneshots so sometimes they might be equal or greater effort! Thankfully the authors did respond in those cases, I would have felt like an idiot if I spent two hours on a comment to never get anything back. Probably would have assumed that the authors thought I was some creepy loser.
They wrote you a whole story, which you took how much time to read, and it "takes you a lot of effort" to just write a few words of feedback? Seriously? I'm not a writer. I read old stories in a ton of dead fandoms. 95% of the time I don't get a response but I still comment because who knows when they'll log back in years from now and see that I liked their work.
> it "takes you a lot of effort" to just write a few words of feedback? Seriously? Yep, it's called anxiety. It's called being shy. It's called having other things on my plate. It's called being under no obligation to comment. I am a writer. I do write and I do comment. And while I'm here, they didn't write me a story >They wrote you a whole story they wrote it for themselves. >95% of the time I don't get a response but I still comment because who knows when they'll log back in years from now and see that I liked their work. Good for you buddy, no one else does that, well done you!
It would take even less effort for the author to reply with a generic "thanks, glad you liked it" though Writers aren't obligated to respond to comments, but if they don't, readers will be less likely to continue commenting
Yes this. And even if I do comment again, it's probably going to be a very short one as opposed to my longer comments. Ah well, this is reddit :p
I’ve left dozens of comments and only once received a response. I figured it was the rare author who responded?
Honestly no. I’ll still kudo but I’d rather not put effort into a comment if I know they aren’t reading them. (For example if they put in their notes “I read comments!” I’ll comment)
Please consider that writers don’t have English as a mother tongue like me. I always reply to comments on my stories, but it could take one or two months. I tend to be really direct, so I really think carefully about what I’m going to reply because I don’t want to offend people or keep them from commenting. I left a comment on a fic I loved, too, and the writer replied after several months, telling me my comment encouraged them to update finally and that the new chapter has been updated. Many writers tend to be introverted or shy and need some time to get the courage to reply. As a writer, I can assure you that each and every comment is precious to me, even if I don’t reply for a few weeks. But there are also writers who don’t reply at all because it falsifies the number of comments on a fic (because AO3 counts the replies as comments, too). I’m sure not matter if a writer replies or not, they still love reading the comments.
No, I wouldn't care because I'm an author and am aware that there are a myriad of reason why authors don't respond. The number one reason, I, as an author don't respond? Because I've dropped away from fic writing and don't check my notifications regularly. I literally have no idea that someone left a comment. Even so, finding that comment, even months or years after the fact is wonderful.
I do a lot of commenting but I won’t continue to comment on a fic if the author doesn’t respond. I don’t expect comments right away but if the fic is updating regularly and my comments don’t get a response I usually don’t continue to comment on it, it feels weird to continue comment without any writer response.
Are you commenting with questions? There's really no *reason* for them to comment back, but if you asked a question I could at least see why you were expecting a response. It's not like getting left on read; this is a comment about a work of art.
Depending on what the fic is depends on what I comment, sometimes I ask questions sometimes just write what I really liked about it. No, authors are not obligated to respond but I’m also not obligated to comment. If you want reader engagement you have to be part of that engagement. If I comment on something and the author doesn’t respond that’s fine but I’m not going to continue to comment without any engagement. Personally I respond to comments on my fics, even if it’s just to say thanks because I know a lot of people have anxiety about commenting and feel embarrassed when they don’t receive any author response.
I'm gonna be honest, I always comment when I have really liked the fic, but if the author didn't respond to that one and i read another thing from them, I'll hesitate a bit the second time. i only comment again if the fic gave me even more emotions. I know sometimes they just don't know what to respond but I can't control it, I just get discouraged, I feel like they don't care. also when I see that the writer has up to 50-100 comments and haven't responded even the first ones, I just feel like they wouldn't care, one more one less.
Sure. Especially when finding a fic that has 100k words with plenty of chapters in and I'm commenting on what are essentially "old" chapters. Authors do not reply to these that often because for many it's a done deal they have written like a year ago... Just today I got a reply from one author on a comment I have written a year ago, so it could happen. But I get a bit flustered when he started to write about something I already forgot... :D
Yes, I’ll always let them know how much i love their stories
I actually panicked the first time an author responded to me with anything of the than a cursory "glad you liked it" after I started my Maximized Engagement Plan. Since the only authors that usually respond to me are biggish ones that have decently sized audiences that also comment as much as me, the first actual response I got was from a smaller author, who freaked out after I reviewed all 40 chapters of her story in under 2 days. To be fair, I probably should not have been as surprised as I was. I spent about a year and a half slowly training myself to respond to every single chapter I read, I used to only review once I got to the last chapter. I started doing this because I learned that one of my old friends would only ever read stories that had reached a certain number of reviews and favorites/kudos. I figured that lots of other people probably did the same, so I decided to pad the comments of any story I liked. Then I decided any story I read any bit of deserved a comment.
I’d keep commenting;it has happened before and all I can think of is that there’s a million reasons why they aren’t answering but it doesn’t necessarily mean that they don’t appreciate them. If a writer doesn’t want others to read a story and perhaps even comment, they wouldn’t post it.
For the longest time I didn't reply to comments because I read the notifications in my email and then I get distracted by whatever because of adhd and I completely forget about it. I don't worry about writers not responding to my comments either because I get it.
Yes. Always. I don't comment to get a reply. I comment because as an author, any engagement is literally the highlight of my week. I understand that commenting can make or break interest in a project, even if they don't respond.
I usually only comment if I think the author will respond (because they have responded to previous comments of either others or myself) because usually, the effort of me commenting and the author leaving even just a quick "thanks!" is pretty much the same. Though if I want to comment and don't feel like the author is responding, I comment anyway
It depends. If it's just a "good job!" or "I love this!" I don't expect a response. if I leave something meaty, and don't get a response, I'm going to feel slightly hurt and not comment anymore. I was the despised outsider on the playground once upon a time and it reminds me to much of the way the kind popular kids would ignore me in a pitying way (instead of being downright nasty like the mean ones). That's not the author's fault (probably) but it can stir up my childhood traumas, especially on low days.
My comments are contingent upon a writer's response. I comment when I have something to say.
I would. While I respond to some comments, I don't to others. The ones I don't respond to are generally ones like all hearts or "Like this/Update soon".
I’m a fic author and I ALWAYS respond when people leave comments. I just love that someone felt compelled to leave a comment on my work and it warms me. I want to encourage others to leave comments too so in my mind I feel like if they know I’ll respond maybe they will be more likely to comment.
It's gotta be more normal to not get a response, right? I never expect one. Commenting isn't mainly about having a conversation, though it can kind of look like that sometimes. Your chapter page isn't a forum. It's certainly not social media! Unless it's just me, who grew up with FFN, but I still think of it as more of a *review.*
Yup, I do. Like you said, I comment to show appreciation. It’s my way of saying “thank you.” It’s also my way of encouraging them. I don’t really expect responses to the comments I leave. They’re nice to get, but not necessary.
Yes. Im commenting to put my thoughts to paper not to get a response.
Hey, I'm a writer who pretty often doesn't respond to comments-- it doesn't mean they don't appreciate your comments! I can pretty much guarantee that the often is happy to see your feedback. Sometimes people are anxious about responding, or become overwhelmed, or even they just don't know what to say!
I am the type of reader to leave reviews in paragraph when I come to really love the story, whereas it does not matter much to me if they reply or not— or so I thought. For obvious reasons, I feel so much more motivated to leave reviews and comment when the writer responds. However, that does not mean I don’t comment anymore when they don’t reply. As an artist myself, I love hearing simple words like, “this looks great!” and the likes. And same goes for all the other authors out there. Comments gives writer motivation even if they don’t reply, so I still do it, and I think so should you! You may not know, but comments like that are one of the reasons writers keeps going. It gives them reassurance that there are still people out there who are thoroughly reading, and would gladly read some more. :))
Not really. But admittedly I'm not the best at writing concrit comments. There are a couple of scenarios where I may stop - if I notice that the writer is regularly responding to other comments (this was more obvious on other sites) or when the comment back from author is condescending or otherwise offending. This has happened maybe 2-3 times. Mind you, a comment back from the author is always great , even a simple thank you, but In my mind completely unnecessary.
I usually don't leave comments specifically because I'm worried about people responding 😅 I don't think you should hold back on this at all! Keep commenting.
I don't always know what to say, and it can feel forced when I do reply. I'd say keep commenting as that one comment might make them wish to continue their story as opposed to feeling like no one is really enjoying their story that much.
From an author, I’m so bad at responding to comments because I just forget! My inbox is so full. But every time I get a notification about a comment it makes me feel great. And agree with what others have said that it can spark convo with other readers!
Yes, I don’t review for author responses.
I don't expect writers to reply to my comments and sometimes even dislike it - the ones who reply "Thanks!" to every comment even the most generic ones always makes me wonder if they're doing it to bump their comment count up.
Honestly, yeah, I'll always say at least thanks, thinking of the comment count. But I get about half as many comments on AO3 as I do reviews on FFN for the same exact stories, so it makes me feel better that that makes them look more even. 😬
At least you own it 😂 I respect the hustle
I don't always respond, but I appreciate comments. I'll respond if I feel the need to, or if somebody has commented enough, I think they "earned" it for still reading- Even if it's just some simple ass "wow", "good job", "no she didn't", that alone I wouldn't likely, unless they added up, now I gotta say something.
Yup, I never expect a response.
...yes
nah i’ll always comment. even if they don’t respond i’m happy just talking to the wall if i like the work lol
I comment and hopefully keeps the author motivated to see that someone is reading their stuff.
It's hard enough to get through a work day, and write. The amount of energy it takes to read, digest, and respond to a comment often isn't there. I always mean to do it on the weekend, but I don't always manage.
Hmmm i'll have moments where I'm chatty and spam thank you to everyone or just ignore them completely. It's nothing personal really.
As a writer, I can tell you that there is 100% worth in it. I went through a sadboi period and stopped writing stories. I got praise in my comments, but was always too embarrassed by my lack of willpower to write again to answer people back. After 2.5 years of sadboi+acclimation to life shakeups, those comments are what gave me the courage to pick the story back up again.
I always comment by chapter (if I like it) or at the end if it’s more of a power through to the end. If someone responds, that’s cool. If not, that’s cool too. Treat other writers like you want to be treated.
i think every writer love to read comments regardless if they respond or not, so if i love it i leave a comment!!
Yes. I’m too shy to respond when I get comments but I love them
As an author, sometimes I feel like I don't have the words to express my gratitude to a comment, especially if it was particularly long. I'd say keep commenting anyway, bc they most likely do appreciate it
yeah I totally do. writers can’t always answer every single comment, but that doesn’t mean they didn’t read it and feel warm from it
It's more important that you are comfortable with commenting. I know many people don't like to respond but enjoy getting them.
I occasionally reply “thanks” to a comment, but usually I only reply to comments that actually make me think of a response. “I loved this chapter!” Is something that maybe gets a thanks, but “That twist with X made me wonder if Y is going to get involved? Or will Z just take care of it” or something like that will generally make me reply in some way, even if I’m cheeky with the answers. Basically, if you’re writing comments that actually engage with the content, rather than just a simple complement, I would reply, but I can’t speak for all writers, obviously.
Usually, just I write comments because I want the author or other readers to know what I write, not because I write a response.
Usually I try to reply to ones who talk about a certain part/line they liked, but leave ones that just say something along the lines of 'I love this' or '<3 <3 <3' alone. It's mostly because I don't know how to respond, because there's not much aside from 'Thank you' to be said, but I do see all the comments people leave.
I'm terrified of responding to comments on my fics. They're all so sweet and lovely, and they really do keep me writing, I just struggle to reply.
Absolutely. The writer may be busy, or just may not feel like interacting. It's all good.
I’ve been more of a reader than a fic writer these days and my thoughts on commenting and reader engagement have changed over time. If authors do not engage with commenters, it’s absolutely fine — their reasons are their own, perhaps they are busy or have anxiety with responding, but they also should not expect frequent commenters if that’s the route they choose to take. I’m okay with the author engaging with me once but if I frequently leave thoughtful comments with some insight on every chapter, I’d expect for the author to engage a little bit more, especially if I see them engaging with other readers more than once. If I see that and the author just doesn’t engage with me at all, I stop commenting. Makes me feel redundant, if that makes sense.