Open letter

[kat_lair]

Dear Fanfic Author,

If you are not going to bother answering comments, then I'm not going to bother with leaving you one, no matter how much I liked your fic. And no, I'm not talking about comments a few days old that you just haven't gotten around to yet. I'm talking about comments that were left several months ago and haven't been acknowledged with even a simple 'thank you'. Also, if it's clear that you're only answering comments left by your in-crowd or other so-called BNFs, then I will be doubley disinclined to acknowledge your fic in any way. Because nothing gets up my nose faster than that sort of high-school elitism and if that makes me a petty bitch then so be it. You can take your entitlement issues and 5 pages of unanswered comments and fuck off.

Ask me if I care,
Kat

Comments

[krazykipper.livejournal.com]

That's just rude. Seriously. You should always thank commenters. Specially if you've got 5 pages. I get excited if I get 10 comments.

Just bitchslap her. ;p

[pushkin666.livejournal.com]

bitchslapping is always good.

[kat-lair.livejournal.com]

Unfortunately there are quite a many authors like this. My palm would grow numb quickly... But yeah, even a simple 'thank you' is better than nothing.

[delicatelight.livejournal.com]

I hate that. I'm not great about answering comments sometimes, but I always answer fic comments. Someone has taken the time to tell you that they enjoyed what you created, the very least you can do is give a simple "thank you."

[kat-lair.livejournal.com]

I will always answer all comments on my posts, fic or not. Sometimes with a few days delay but I will do it. And I agree with your point whole-heartedly. In an unlikely scenario that person would both get 10 pages of comments AND be super-duper busy at the same time, it takes 1 minute to edit the post to leave a general "thank you everyone, will get back to you soon" message at the bottom of the page or something.

[pushkin666.livejournal.com]

that's really bloody rude. if people take the time out to comment, even if it's just a "i liked that" then it's should be responded to.

that sort of thing really irritates me. and yeah I'm with kip. bitchslapping is always a useful tool. :-)

[kat-lair.livejournal.com]

Waste of a good slap, to be honest. But yeah, omg authors like this get on my tits, hence the venting. I'm gonna go take some calm pills now and hopefully be in better mood tomorrow.

[pushkin666.livejournal.com]

well yeah. there are of course better things you could do with a good slap *g*

[kat-lair.livejournal.com]

Someone's been icon hunting... Very pretty :)

I shall go and put together my new tidy rail. Excitement.

[pushkin666.livejournal.com]

yes I wanted some spring ones *g*

You mean your clothes get hung up. wheeee. Don't be putting porn on this one. Hee!

[kat-lair.livejournal.com]

Tidy rails are up! Yes there were two, we now have one in the office for jackets - hurrah!

Have been distracted by reading this (http://charlottelennox.livejournal.com/887.html) - an incredible true story of the how crazy HP fandom actually got. I knew about in general way, but not to this detail, fascinating read.

You know that P-word you banned me from using (no, not penis)? Well, you'll be pleased to know that none of that sort has happened today.

...I'm hungry. What to do, what to do...

[pushkin666.livejournal.com]

Excellent on the rails and that's so good on one in the office for jackets. Kittens no longer able to lie all over them :-)

I have saved the HP fandom read and yes they are a very crazy fandom.

Good. Very pleased on none of that going on.

Hungry ... what to do ... well I would suggest food :-)

Go make yourself something woman and hello Jon. See some bandom people can do beards well. Are you listening Andy!

[maboheme.livejournal.com]

I've been wanting to leave a letter like this for ages to some fanfic writers. Right on. <3

Truly one of my biggest pet peeves in fandom, lol.

[kat-lair.livejournal.com]

Amen, sister. Any author, fanfic or otherwise, acting like they are somehow entitled to good reviews (which i think not bothering to answer comments sort of implicitly implies) gets on my tits like very little else. Talent is nothing without some fucking humility.

[fictionalfaerie.livejournal.com]

I TOTALLY AGREE WITH YOU.
Nothing irks me more than someone who wants comments, but doesn't acknowledge me.
I may take a few days or a week or something to reply if I'm busy when I get a comment- fic or regular post- but I always, ALWAYS go back and reply, and the notification doesn't get archived in my email until I do reply- it stays waiting in my inbox until I deal with it.

[kat-lair.livejournal.com]

It's the entitlement issues. Which I want to roll up and shove where the sun don't shine. But yeah, I'm with you on answering all comments on my journal/posts. Someone takes the time to communicate with me, the very least I can do is somehow acknowledge that. Like you I leave the notifs in my inbox until I've answered the comment in question.

Argh, venting! Lol, my flist must think I'm on drugs tonight...

[jadziadrgnrdr.livejournal.com]

Yeah I hate that too. I used to never leave comments when I read but then I started to feel bad because the least I could do was give a thanks for being entertained for free but when someone only answers select comments or none at all I'm like "Well that's one last person I have to comment on." >:(

[kat-lair.livejournal.com]

I don't always comment, but I try to do. If I really like the fic and have the time, then yes. Also, I will comment for authors that are friends more than those that aren't, that's just natural. But I don't expect my comment to get some special treatment over others because of that.

[darkentwisted.livejournal.com]

I live for comments!
Good or bad I take them all.

[kat-lair.livejournal.com]

Feedback is fanfic author's only payment. The least you can do is say 'thank you'. Honestly, some people are just too full of themselves.

[iniq.livejournal.com]

Word.


Of course, someone can just forget to answer one, but when it's every comment on every chapter, it's a bit ridiculous. And those will be the ones who apologize for spamming your flist with posting a multi chapter story... when they could just alter the fucking date and have just the master post appear on their flist. The irony. So smart, so self-centered, such good writers, such big morons...

[kat-lair.livejournal.com]

*nods* Or my personal "favourite": The fic writers that go "if I don't get at least x-number of comments I won't continue this". Oh bo-fucking-hoo.

Like I said above: talent is worth shit all without some humility.

[twofourteen.livejournal.com]

Ugh. I hate that. I can understand if real life attacks and they don't get the last few comments, but I hate when there are pages and pages and… nothing. :(

[kat-lair.livejournal.com]

Yes I'm sure there are exceptional circumstances when Author posts a fic only to have her entire house destroyed in a freak accident while a particularly strong solar-flare disables all network connections in the entire county... Okay, okay, I'm being a sarcastic bitch but what I'm trying to say that you can pretty much tell when someone is on unexpected hiatus because of RL stuff and when someone is just lazy and ill-mannered.

[twofourteen.livejournal.com]

Oh, I know what you mean. A lot of people argue that like, you can only say "Thank you" so many ways. And like, I get that. But still ACKNOWLEDGING the feedback. I know in some cases people have just been like, flummoxed with feedback and just were like "A HUGE GENERAL THANK YOU!!" which I can appreciate all the same.

[kat-lair.livejournal.com]

*nods* Yeah, that's absolutely fine. It takes too minutes to edit the post with "thank you everyone blah blah blah" if you really are too swamped to deal with comments individually.

[entangled-now.livejournal.com]

I agree, it always seems rude to me when there are pages and pages of comments, and not even a thank you to be seen. I was taught that if someone says something nice, or even helps you by pointing out something you missed, you should always say 'thank you.'

[kat-lair.livejournal.com]

Well exactly. I'm constantly amazed and grateful that people want to talk to me, take the time to comment on my fics or general posts. That sort of connections should not be taken for granted.

[entangled-now.livejournal.com]

Exactly, I feel like that too! And I've met so many amazing people on the internet inside little comment boxes.

[kat-lair.livejournal.com]

No doubt about the fact that some of my best friends I've met right here on LJ.

[sateenmusta.livejournal.com]

ugh, I hate that. I try to answer all of the comments I get because I want the readers to know their commenting is really being appreciated, y'know? Also, like you said, that kind of high school bullshit elitism just irks the shit out of me. D:

[kat-lair.livejournal.com]

Every comment on a fic is a gift, not something I think I'm entitled to. The fact that someone takes a time to leave a review means a lot to me and I want to tell them than. And yeah, I had no patience for the "in-crowd" people when I was in high school, I certainly don't now.

[deansam67.livejournal.com]

I kinda want to hump you for making this post. Just sayin'!

There's nothing worse....

(Not that I'm perfect, but I get to back to people eventually ♥)

[kat-lair.livejournal.com]

*extends booted leg* hump away :D

This really is one of my pet peeves. And there's a difference between being busy (and letting people know you're busy and getting to comments eventually) and just ignoring comments...