#reader comments

I wanted to say sorry for how slow I’ve been with updates lately.

I know — we shouldn’t write for comments. But I’m also going to be honest and say that comments really do encourage me, and seeing them drop off so much took a bigger bite out of my motivation than I wanted it to.

It’s not about numbers in a cold way. It’s more like... writing into silence for too long starts to mess with your head a little.

Especially when I’m juggling 5 WIPs like the world’s least stable circus act 😭

That said — I am trying to write more frequently from now on. Yes, I know I have said that before KSJDKJSD. But I mean it. I miss being here more consistently, I miss posting more, and I miss screaming with you all about these stories while they’re still actively ruining my life in real time.

I'm trying to get the next chapter of Treasure to Me finished to publish for you. Hopefully you'll like it. Almost no one will read it, I know that. But hopefully you'll like it. 💛

I'm hoping to continue to write additions for the modern fics as I'm able. I shared a modern summery piece for yeehawgust that was written as a wip for my modern fic, To Share a Smile. Here it is. You might've caught it already, but if not, hopefully you like it and it can help tide you over a bit for the modern-setting works.

I'm really, deeply grateful to know you've enjoyed what I've published enough to reread it and are looking forward to new chapters of my writing. It genuinely means a lot to me. It would also mean so, so much to me, put me over the moon, if you could be there once it's published to share your thoughts in a comment on the work and let me know what it meant to you. That is the sort of thing that gives us writers the life-giving fuel to keep us going and keep us writing. 💗

I appreciate you more than I can say. Thank you so much for reaching out to let me know you see my writing and enjoy it.

Kind regards,

You all really outdid yourselves, and the writing is really inspiring to me! A young writer who hopes to one day join in on projects like this one! Again, I just wanted to say thank you for sharing it with us. It's really put a smile on my face, and helped me find an aesthetic I really love.

Oh! And I dunno if anyone has said this, but while reading I really do get the Bloodborne/From software feel from it. The dark fantasy/horror aspect of the blight has pulled me in even more!! It's so so good, and I love Solivaga so much!!^^

~Belle

We all love fanfic - the escape, the emotional connection, the joy, the pain, the pleasure it brings us - and all that wouldn't be possible without authors pouring out their hearts and minds (and often their guts) onto the screen for us to read - but so often, out of shyness or awkwardness or for a hundred other reasons, we don't tell them how much their fics mean to us, or even simply that we've enjoyed them.

Recently, I've been making a real effort to comment more. As a writer, I know how much it means, and I realised that as a reader I was letting shyness get in the way of giving others what I would love to receive, so I've upped my game.

And I want to share how awesome it's been.

Sometimes, it's a simple exchange, just a one-off interaction, a simple 'I loved this, thank you' and no more. But on a couple of occasions recently, I've ended up having full conversations with authors across chapters, discussing their ideas and characters and plots in more detail - and let me tell you, that is so much fun!

The thing is, that author who wrote that fic that hits all your sweet spots - they're into the same stuff you are - so actually it's a really efficient way of getting talking to people you'll have something in common with, and of having something to talk about (the fic!) - and although it doesn't always, sometimes the conversation just builds from there.

In one case, this has been on a fic series that the author began 2 1/2 years ago, and I've been commenting as I've (rabidly) devoured the whole thing - and I know this point is made a lot, but it always bears repeating - the author was thrilled to know that someone new had found it and was loving it! We're enjoying my journey together, and now they're reading my fics and doing the same, and honestly I've got the biggest grin on my face as I see the notifications being flung back and forth and about six different conversation threads at any one time getting tangled between us! It's awesome!

In the other case, it was on an ongoing fic, and I had the pleasure of seeing how the author reacted to the things their readers (myself included) were most responsive to, giving us more of the things we liked. The number of later chapters on which my comments became 'you could have written this for me' - delicious! Again, we've had some great back and forth, they've read some of my fics, and now we're bouncing fresh ideas around together. It's awesome!

I have social anxiety, and even behind a username I feel self-conscious putting myself out there - but honestly, it's so worth the little twinge of fear, because sometimes great things come from it. So whether it's a simple 'extra kudos', a heart, an 'I loved this!', or a more in-depth analysis of the bits you liked best - next time you really enjoy a fic, leave a comment. What's the worst that could happen? (Clue - the answer is quite literally nothing, and the best that could happen is you make a friend!)

In all seriousness, I lost sleep binging your fic. It's so well written and the characters feel so alive. The way you write stays true to the personalities of the original undertale characters, fleshes out your own original characters that makes the audience care about them, and it seems like every single event is important in some way. I have never read a fic that made me unable to function at work so badly... please happy ending whEN 😭😭😭

(I love your work so much you're awesome)

Aw man, there is no way "I'm sorry to bother you" and "I read 661k words of your writing in three days and you totally wrecked me" belong in the same sentence 😂 Every author loves to be bothered with comments like that!