buffyann23 replied to your post “i’ve finally compiled my thoughts on the various asks i received and...”
I agree with all that you've said here. I have my own WIP's that I try to work on when I can but I also find it discouraging to want to continue writing when the story rarely receives any feedback.
yes, it can be so discouraging. thanks for reading and i am glad it resonated with you. i was hoping some other authors would find my thoughts to be of some value.
“i’ve finally compiled my thoughts on the various asks i received and...”
As a reader one thing that encourages me to read a WIP are authors notes on each chapter. If I know you're busy and can't update for a while or your schedule has changed then I'm more likely to stick around. Same if you abandon it and leave an AN on the last chapter saying so then I appreciate that too so I know not to expect or ask for more. I'll even skip to the last chapter of a WIP to see if there's an AN mentioning anything just so I have a heads up. :-)
oh, yeah, i do think communication is vital. one of the unique things about fanfic compared to the rest of the world of literature is certainly the opportunity for readers to leave real time feedback, but on the flipside, another is the opportunity (and perhaps responsibility) for authors to keep their readers informed on the fic’s progress.
personally i use both the ao3 a/n function and additional tumblr posts to keep readers of my wips informed, whether it’s that i’m falling behind on my usual schedule, will have to take a break soon, or (regrettably) if i’m setting a fic on the shelf indefinitely. i've always thought it’s only fair to return the respect of loyal readership by letting readers know what to expect in the future (or what not to expect).
