How to show appreciation to fic writers ❤️
At a time when we are constantly having AI slop pushed in our faces, I think it’s more important than ever to show your appreciation for people who create for free and for fun. If you want human-made creations, you have to treat the creators like humans!
Comments/interaction really are what makes putting your work out there feel worth it. So I encourage you to interact when you can with any fics you enjoy. I know that new people are discovering fanfic everyday (heated rivalry especially has been growing like crazy!) and may be unsure about fandom etiquette or simply not have an idea of what to comment, so I wanted to offer this little guide.
Here are some specific ideas if you feel unsure what to say, starting from lower to higher effort. I can basically guarantee every one of these will bring immense joy to an author (especially on a fic with few comments).
Emojis (I often just do ❤️❤️❤️❤️ but 😭🥰🥹🥵 or anything showing how you feel works!)
You can keep it short and sweet. “Loved this!” “So good!” “Great writing!” “I wish I could leave more kudos” “Chef’s kiss” etc.
A gif or photo reaction (instructions)
Thank the author for writing and sharing their talent
Say how the fic made you feel. Did it make you emotional? Are you angry or sad or happy or turned on? Sharing physical reactions is especially great. Did you laugh or cry or scream into your pillow? It’s so special to hear from a reader the impact you had as an author. (To be clear, do not comment if you are genuinely angry at the author, but “this character made me so mad” or “I’m so mad at you for making me feel so much” are great)
Say how you found the fic, such as from a rec list, a rec from a friend, or someone discussing it on social media. Very special to know people are talking about your writing!
Share a funny joke or thought you had while reading
Feel free to get aggressive or hyperbolic. I love to say shit like “just stab me next time” on an angst fic or “you are actually so evil for writing this, I love you”. You can add a /pos (signifies your meaning is positive) if you are ever nervous you are too aggressive
Always let an author know if you’re rereading. Such a good compliment. Definitely let them know if this is a fic you regularly think about
Pretty much anything you like about the fic! The writing, the characterization, the plot, the imagery, the themes, whatever you enjoyed! People love compliments!
Reference the source material. Remember these are fandom friends! We all love the same characters/media and it’s always fun to bond over that! You can say how you wish this is how it had gone in canon, how everyone felt very in character, make a joke, etc.
Quote your favorite lines and say why you liked them/how it made you feel/that it was your favorite line. Such specific compliments are so special and really are a special reminder to authors that someone is genuinely reading and enjoying what they wrote. You can even use an extension for a floating comment box so you can comment as you read the fic! (I personally just use two separate browsers on my phone when I want to do this, but the extension would def be more efficient lol)
Expand on the universe. Share what you like to imagine happens next in the AU. Who knows, you might even inspire a follow up chapter (I’ve had this happen!)
Say what you think was going on during the fic in the background. Feel free to make guesses or ask questions. Most authors love to talk about the background info that didn’t make the final cut. You can also make guesses for what will happen next on a WIP
Share a way the fic has personally inspired you or was relatable or helped you in some form. This can be that it helped cheer you up on a bad day or that it brought you comfort/catharsis for your real life. I’ve cried over comments that said my writing helped them heal or work through their own emotional issues. Truly I don’t think there is any better feeling than knowing your writing positively impacted somebody. So if any fic has ever positively impacted you, let the author know!!
Which fics to comment on?
All fics will appreciate comments, but be aware that some fics can only be commented on if you have an account (pls join the waitlist for an ao3 account if you haven’t yet!). Some fics will say that comments need to be approved first, but don’t be put off by this. The author is just filtering for hate or bots, and still would love a comment.
You also can leave comments on tumblr fics, or leave a compliment in the tags (reblogs are always appreciated)
Don’t stop yourself from commenting on anonymous fics—the author can still read and reply to comments! This is not the case for fics from orphan_accounts, but still feel free to leave a comment
If you don’t feel confident in your skills for the language of the fic, you can still comment in your native language. The author can always use Google Translate, and it can be extra special knowing someone read your fic even though it wasn’t in their first language
How else to show appreciation?
Want to do more than just comment? Here’s some more ideas
Send the author a private message or ask about the fic if they linked their social media
Recommend the fic on social media or in a discord or to a friend (with a friendly reminder to comment). Make sure to tag the author if possible
Add the fic to a collection on ao3. You can either invite the work to be posted to the collection, which the author will have to approve, or bookmark it to a collection, which will not notify the author
Reblog/share if the author made a post for their fic on social media, and leave a compliment in the tags/comments/replies
Offer to beta for the author. I would only ever do this if the author explicitly stated that they don’t have a beta and if you’re actually willing to make that commitment. This can be a fun way to connect with the author and get involved in their process. Plus you get to read their writing first!
Translate or audio record (podfic) the fic! Ask for an author’s permission first for this one, but this is a way to make their writing more accessible to others!
Write about the fic. AO3 has an option to mark your fic as “inspired by” another fic for a reason! You can write something based in the universe or just simply something you came up with while reading the fic. Or post about it online, start a discussion about the fic or share headcanons for the specific AU!
Make art based on the fic. This doesn’t have to be a drawing (although that is obviously amazing). Moodboards, gifsets, covers, memes, or any other visual medium is great! (But do not use AI!!!!!!! The point is that the fic inspired you to create something). Make sure to tag the author or leave them a comment so they can see it
Like I said, almost any comment will be appreciated. The only exceptions I will note are:
Do not offer criticism unless solicited, and always keep it constructive
Do not demand updates. Keep in mind that “I’m so excited for the next chapter” or “I could read another 100k of this” are likely appreciated. “Update!” or “is this abandoned” are not.
Do not use AI in any capacity for any of this please. Not for writing comments or creating artwork or anything of that nature. Many authors are staunchly opposed to AI and would find this disrespectful
Don’t accuse people of AI. Even if you are 99% sure, just exit out of the fic. We do not need to be spreading negativity
Anyway, I have no idea if anyone will find this helpful, but if it inspires even one person to start leaving comments on fics or otherwise interact more in fandom, I’ll be happy 😊
