Fic Talk > General Discussion
Question of the day part 6
RokofAges75:
Does anyone find they're just less motivated to actually post chapters when there's hardly anyone reading them or begging for updates? I find I can hang on to updates longer and even hoard a few chapters with stories that I know no one's waiting on the edge of their seat for, whereas with the more popular ones, I feel compelled to update ASAP.
mare:
Ah, the withholding chapters until you review me threat. I used to see that a lot when I first started reading and writing fanfic to the point that I thought that was just the normal thing to do. I think 99% of us have moved on from that mind set, but then there's that 1% who never really ventured out of that old school way of thinking.
I don't ever see anyone doing that at all but then again, I'm also just going by what and who I currently am reading and none of them do that. I think there's a difference between saying "Hey I'd love some feedback!" And "If you don't review I'm not posting!" The first one is kind of saying I want to know what you think of my stuff so I can improve or at least figure out what people like or dislike about it. The other one is just pompous, assuming there are a billion people reading your story and that's it's so great that if you don't get an update on it, you might possibly die. Those people don't even want 'feedback' they just want to hear how incredible they are! Which is why when people do that and you are nice enough to leave them 'feedback' make it real and tell them what they are doing wrong!
I do really think feedback is an essential way to keep fanfic going strong and I do understand why people get disillusioned when they don't get it, especially when it's something they're really proud of. I also know that to say we write for ourselves is all well and good but I think the second sentence of that overused term should be but I post it for the readers and the reactions I'll get.
If all we really cared about was writing for ourselves then there would be no reason to post it on the Internet for people to read and people wouldn't be checking read counts or be discouraged about number or lack of reviews. I know I get bummed if something I've worked really hard on gets no response and it does make me not as excited to write on it.
When I used to write so much that I had a ton of chapters waiting to post, I always still posted them whether I got reviews or not. For me though, if I am writing on something that I feel like is barely being read, I don't try so hard to update it. The sequel to Protect and Serve was a perfect example of that. It's not like I had the chapters done and was like "Well screw you! I'm not posting another thing until you review!" But instead more like "Why even bother finishing it because I don't care, I already know how it ends in my mind. If they don't' want to read it, I don't have to write it" lol <-- I think in that story's case though, people bugged me relentlessly to write it and for updates but when I started those people disappeared. That is one of my pet peeves! When people bug you endlessly for an update and then don't even bother to review. It's as annoying as people who don't respond to their reviews.
Wow, tangents abound lol sorry this is so long and blabbery!
mare:
--- Quote from: RokofAges75 on August 20, 2012, 06:08:08 AM ---I will never get people like that. Why not just sign up for an account and favorite the stories you're reading so you'll know when they're updated and can leave reviews? Requesting that the author notify you personally when they update is just lazy and self-centered, and then to not even review after reading is downright douchey!
--- End quote ---
I agree with this 100%
FrickingKaos:
Yeah I agree, if they want to know when I have updated they should get an account and get the email notifications. I do that with stories I'm reading. I also favorite authors so I know when they post something new.
I will admit that I do lose interest when nobody has reviewed something I was excited to write, it isn't about the review count but I just want to know how people liked it. That's why I lost interest in one of my romance stories, nobody was asking for updates or seemed excited, so I stopped writing it. If a story seems to be doing well, I'm more motivated to write on it.
Carter-Orange:
--- Quote from: Rose on August 19, 2012, 10:43:00 PM ---How do you guys feel about authors try to "punish" their readers if they don't review?
--- End quote ---
I don't agree with it at all! In fact, it's a peeve of mine. I used to see it over on another site I used to visit and it made me not want to read or review.
If the writer were to put something like 'feedback would be great', then that shows they actually care what the reader thinks. But to put things like 'No updates until I get 20 reviews' or something like that would just make me think they have a huge ego, lol.
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