Frerard Iero-Way

There's a lot of discussion on the topic of leaving comments on fics; Writers want them, readers aren't sure what to say in them, and a small army of dedicated blogs are doing their best to ensure every fic gets at least one!

This post will focus on the existing numbers, but if you'd like to engage with the action towards reducing the number of fics with no comments, have a look at the following blogs: @nomorezerocomments @safics-with-0-comments @justleaveacommentfest @letsmakecommentingfun

Top Fics With Most Comments:

(Listing top 20 instead of the usual top 10 because of the unusual distribution of fandoms! It's a fascinating spread)

Strawberry and Blueberry Jam by U.nderZeWeather (Voltron) Last Updated on: 2-Aug-22 Chapters: 323/? Comments: 49,891

Chained by War and Love by Lady_Nature (The Tudors) Last Updated on: 2-Aug-25 Chapters: 123/145 Comments: 45,476

All the Young Dudes by MsKingBean89 (Harry Potter) Finished on: 12-Nov-18 Chapters: 188/188 Comments: 44,520

http://ao3.org/works/41675805 Carlos from MarvelandZeldaFan's Children of the Heroes by KR5 (Linked Universe) Posted on: 13-Sep-22 Chapters: 1/1 <(note: this is art) Comments: 43,808 <(note: practically ALL those were contained within a singular thread between the author and the giftee, where the later messages took an old-tumblr spaghetti-style look xD)

Next Big Thing by earlgreytea68 (Inception) Last Updated on: 11-Jul-15 Chapters: 231/? Comments: 43,705

Forgetting About Stolas Ars Goetia by Marirock (Hazbin Hotel) Last Updated on: 28-Aug-25 Chapters: 66/? Comments: 42,130

Meet-Tired by SimpleSoupsandAppleTarts (The Untamed) Last Updated on: 30-Aug-25 Chapters: 1,431/? Comments: 40,308

1796 Broadway by rainproof, teaberryblue (Avengers) Finished on: 19-Sep-14 Chapters: 708/708 Comments: 37,483

Crimson Rivers by bizarrestars (Harry Potter) Finished on: 14-Feb-23 Chapters: 75/75 Comments: 36,300

Hidden Scenario - [Dramatis Personae] by Anonymous (Omniscient Reader) Last Updated on: 29-Aug-25 Chapters: 259/? Comments: 31,445

Viridian: The Green Guide by Clouds (BNHA) Finished on: 7-Aug-21 Chapters: 120/120 Comments: 30,743

A Thing Of Vikings by athingofvikings (How to Train Your Dragon) Last Updated on: 6-Oct-24 Chapters: 165/? Comments: 29,818

Mystery of Prince Atsushi by orphan_account (Original Work) Last Updated on: 25-Sep-23 Chapters: 1/? Comments: 28,634 <(note: practically all of those are contained within a single thread where the author roleplays with guest(s) under various nicknames)

Entirely Out of Spite by Bgtea (Genshin Impact) Finished on: 21-Aug-25 Chapters: 46/46 Comments: 28,495

The Grand Unified Theory of Shěn Qīngqiū: Qi Refining by 00janeblonde (SVSSS) Finished on: 10-Jul-24 Chapters: 501/501 Comments: 28,246

there's blood on your lies by HopeStoryteller (Pokemon) Finished on: 23-Feb-25 Chapters: 242/242 Comments: 27,893

Only the Divine's favorite fall in love... by ArklynVanilla (Cookie Run) Finished on: 1-Dec-23 Chapters: 16/16 Comments: 27,821

If You Had This Time Again by dls (Marvel) Finished on: 22-Mar-19 Chapters: 100/100 Comments: 27,004

One for All and Eight for the Ninth by griffinguy24 (BNHA) Last Updated on: 13-Feb-25 Chapters: 78/? Comments: 26,079

Dearly beloved by Sophia96 (Yuri!!! on Ice) Last Updated on: 21-Apr-25 Chapters: 458/? Comments: 25,836

Number of fics within comments brackets

>20k comments: 29 fics 10-20k comments: 145 fics 5-10k comments: 763 fics 1-5k comments: 22,331 fics 500-1k comments: 44,530 fics 100-500 comments: 411,943 fics 50-100 comments: 512,539 fics 10-50 comments: 3,645,944 fics 1-9 comments: 7,062,924 fics <1 comments: 3,888,557 fics

Nearly half (45.4%) of all AO3 fics have between 1-9 comments!

Vast majority (93.8%) of all AO3 fics have under 50 comments!

Sims 1

Sims 2

Sims 3

Sims 4

Sims Medieval

Here is also all non-PC sims games. As well as links to a variety of emulators:

PS2

PS3

XBOX

XBOX 360

PSP

DS

Wii

GameCube

Game Boy Advance/Other emulator

Stop backing up my fucking files.

Stop asking me to back up my fucking files.

Stop taking my fucking files off my fucking computer.

I don't want a fucking reminder in three fucking days. Let me fucking say no.

Here's a text tutorial to get rid of that shit on Windows 11.

Here's a video tutorial to get rid of that shit on Windows 10.

Here's a video tutorial to get rid of that shit on Windows 11.

Absolute beginner adult ballet series (fabulous beginning teacher)

40 piano lessons for beginners (some of the best explanations for piano I’ve ever seen)

Excellent basic crochet video series

Basic knitting (probably the best how to knit video out there)

Pre-Free Figure Skate Levels A-D guides and practice activities (each video builds up with exercises to the actual moves!)

How to draw character faces video (very funny, surprisingly instructive?)

Another drawing character faces video

Literally my favorite art pose hack

Tutorial of how to make a whole ass Stardew Valley esque farming game in Gamemaker Studios 2??

Introduction to flying small aircrafts

French/Dutch/Fishtail braiding

Playing the guitar for beginners (well paced and excellent instructor)

Playing the violin for beginners (really good practical tips mixed in)

Color theory in digital art (not of the children’s hospital variety)

Retake classes you hated but now there’s zero stakes:

Calculus 1 (full semester class)

Learn basic statistics (free textbook)

Introduction to college physics (free textbook)

Introduction to accounting (free textbook)

Learn a language:

Ancient Greek

Latin

Spanish

German

Japanese (grammar guide) (for dummies)

French

Cooking with flavor bootcamp (used what I learned in this a LOT this year)

Beekeeping 101

Learn Interior Design from the British Academy of Interior Design (free to audit course - just choose the free option when you register)

Video on learning to read music that actually helped me??

How to use and sew with a sewing machine

How to ride a bike (listen. some of us never learned, and that's okay.)

How to cornrow-braid hair (I have it on good authority that this video is a godsend for doing your baby niece's black hair)

Making mead at home (I actually did this last summer and it was SO good)

How to garden

Basics of snowboarding (proceed with caution)

How to draw for people who (think they) suck at art (I know this website looks like a 2003 monstrosity, but the tutorials are excellent)

Pixel art for beginners so you can make the next great indie game

Go (back) to school

Introduction to Astronomy (high school course - free textbook w/ practice problems)

Principals of Economics (high school course - free textbook w/ practice problems)

Introduction to philosophy (free college course)

Computer science basics (full-semester Harvard course free online)

Learn a language

Japanese for Dummies (link fix from 2022)

Ukrainian

Portuguese (Brazil)

American Sign Language (as somebody who works with Deaf people professionally, I also strongly advise you to read up on Deaf/HoH culture and history!)

Chinese (Mandarin, Simplified)

Beginner-oriented video on how to sail

This guy has so many videos on baking different types of bread. SO very many.

Coding in Python - one of the most flexible and adaptable high-level programming languages out there - explained through projects making video games

Learn to swim! (for adult learners. I don’t care if you live in Kansas or Mali or wherever. LEARN TO SWIM.)

Learn how quantum mechanics works. Then read some more about it

[Learn about quantum mechanics again, but in a more advanced engineering/mathematics class. Then read more about the math and physics of it]

Poetry Handbook, by Mary Oliver

Something I learned this year: how to sew a quilt (Here’s a very easy beginning pattern that looks amazing and can be done with pre-cut fabric!)

How to hit the ball in softball

Tutorial video on what is under the hood of most (gas) cars + weird engine sounds and what they mean

Full beginner mechanics technical training, if you want to go more in depth

Playlist on how car engine physics work if you want to go ultra in depth

Lecture series on architecture design through study of buildings

How (American income) taxes & tax law work (choose “audit course” at checkout for free class)

Pickleball for beginners (so you can finally join your neighbor/friend/distant cousin who is always insisting you join their team)

+ Para-Pickleball for beginners (for mobility aid users!)

School is so much more fun when there’s no tests:

American Law - Contracts

Shakespeare’s Life and Plays

Fairy Tales: Meanings, Messages, and Morals

Modern Poetry

World History [Part 1, Part 2]

Learn a language:

Arabic + Resource Guide compiled from Reddit (includes info on different dialects)

Chinese (Cantonese) (audio)

Urdu (frequently recommended course on Reddit) + Resource Guide

The people claiming to be horrified by the violence are not to be taken seriously, because they were happy as clams to keep letting Brian Thompson drop bodies. They don't actually give a shit that someone died, they're just worried the poors might get healthcare.

FOOD

Find your nearest food bank or mission, for food

grocery stores with free samples, bakeries + stores with day-old bread

different fast food outlets have cheaper food and will generally let you hang out for a while.

some dollar stores carry food like cans of beans or fruit

SHELTER

Sleeping at beaches during the day is a good way to avoid suspicion and harassment

sleep with your bag strapped to you, so someone can’t steal it

Some churches offer short term residence

Find your nearest homeless shelter

Look for places that are open to the public

A large dumpster near a wall can often be moved so that flipping up the lids creates an angled shelter to stay dry

HYGIENE

A membership to the YMCA is usually only 10$, which has a shower, and sometimes laundry machines and lockers.

Public libraries have bathrooms you can use

Dollar stores carry low-end soaps and deodorant etc.

Wet wipes are all purpose and a life saver

Local beaches, go for a quick swim

Some truck stops have showers you can pay for

Staying clean is the best way to prevent disease, and potentially get a job to get back on your feet

Pack 7 pairs of socks/undies, 2 outfits, and one hooded rain jacket

OTHER

first aid kit

 sunscreen

 a travel alarm clock or watch

 mylar emergency blanket

 a backpack is a must

 downgrade your cellphone to a pay as you go with top-up cards

 sleeping bag

 travel kit of toothbrush, hair brush/comb, mirror

 swiss army knife

Both options are great.

Because the thing is, when bigots pick fights, they are 100% counting on you to get louder than them. Or meaner. They want you to react emotionally and provide fodder for their 'You're Too Emotionally Immature To Understand' cannon.

What they aren't expecting you to do is say one of the following phrases in a polite, concerned tone:

Are you okay?

That's not the kind of language I was raised to use with others.

Do you need a moment to think on why that wasn't acceptable?

This is no way to engage in intelligent conversation. Please try that again in a kinder tone if you'd like this to continue. (I really like this one because it lets you turn their public-shame rhetoric around)

For those of you who'd are spiteful and/or dealing with Fundamentalists/Evangelicals/generally shitty Christians:

What's happening in your life to cause you this much anger? I can't imagine hurting so badly that I need to hurt other people.

Who taught you it was acceptable to treat other people this way? Certainly not the Jesus I remember.

Whatever happened to 'judge not lest ye be judged'?

If I talked like that in front of my parents or grandparents I would be ashamed.

I think there's something you need to pray on before we try and have this conversation.

And my all time favorite:

"It sounds to me like there are some seriously dark and angry forces at work in your heart."

(Nothing stops a Christian bigot in their tracks faster than implying the Devil is causing their bigotry. But you MUST be calm, polite, and gentle with your tone and wording. It is absolutely fair to twist the rules and play them at their own game, but you gotta play hard.)

i say this with so much love and adoration in my heart. what the fuck is that