Fandom Wank - Blog Posts

Reasons people may decline to comment or kudos on fanfiction they enjoyed:

They consider comments and kudos transactional compensation to the author, and they don't feel that the work was good enough to deserve compensation, or they don't believe they owe compensation to fan authors in general.

They consider comments and kudos as feedback, and they don't feel that the author wants or needs feedback from them.

However, comments and kudos aren't compensation, and they aren't even necessarily feedback either.

Comments and kudos for fan authors are:

encouragement to keep writing

reciprocation of a bid for connection

interaction with your community

confirmation that they're not the only one interested in their story

Please don't consider comments, or especially kudos, purely transactional or purely a form of feedback. Comments and kudos are a way to show authors in your community that you're glad they're there.

Authors aren't "entitled" to kudos or comments, but readers aren't "entitled" to fic, either.

Fanfiction is a community, and when an author repeatedly reaches out to their community for connection only to receive silence in return it is very discouraging and can result in the author withdrawing from the community altogether.

Boy do I get the feeling

"why can't they just be friends?" but not in the homophobic way, in the "the fandom claims a show/book/movie that has open queer characters and relationships is queerbaiting because their favorite ship isn't canon and I'm sick and tired of it" way

Black fans in fandom: Listen, we really don't want to see fanart and fanfics of our beloved Black characters being cucked, mutilated, tortured, dehumanised, and sidelined, because it's legitimately detrimental to our community. It tolerates racism further; we all want you guys to stop. Many of you are incredibly microaggressive, so please hold yourselves accountable for that.

Half of Non-Black fans (who are ironically pro-fic, and anti-harassment despite the fact it goes against their principles): Are you guys saying fandom shouldn't write and draw taboo themes? I'm sorry for the anti-Blackness you experience daily, but this is what fiction is about; I don't want to acknowledge the racism in our spaces because it challenges us. It evokes our guilt that we haven't expanded our idea of a "safe space" for your community because we're exhaustingly race-blind. I mean, it doesn't mean I'm racist, though! I have mutuals who are people of colour, but it just coincidentally happens they are non-Black! I specifically fancy them to have the same values as us, so we don't have to address how harmful the racism has been. It's just "fiction." Your favourite characters aren't real.

AO3 Top Relationships Bracket- Round 2 Side 1

This poll is a celebration of fandom history; we're aware that there are certain issues with many of the listed pairings and sources, but they are a part of that history. Please do not take this as an endorsement, and refrain from harassment.