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[kiss_me_cassie]

Good god, there is something to be said for being such a little fannish fish. The one I'm finding most relevant right now is that I don't get bad feedback on my fic. Not because all (or even most!) of my fic is good, but because if someone stumbles upon it and doesn't like it, they just delete it or move on. I'm not worth even putting a bad review

Comments

[celeste9]

As someone who wrote an exchange fic that didn't get acknowledged, I can confirm that it feels crappy. :(

[kiss_me_cassie]

That really totally sucks. :(

I'm sorry that your recipient was an ass. I can't even imagine dissing someone who wrote something SPECIFICALLY FOR YOU. It's so rude!

[celeste9]

I just keep thinking it must have been horrible? Like, why can't I see what was so wrong with it? It's really bumming me out, and I spent a lot of time on it, and I actually went out of my way to try to write something they would like, totally out of my comfort zone, and it feels crappy knowing they either hated it or felt 'meh' enough to not even say thank you. On the other hand, maybe I hit on a DNW, but in my defense, they didn't leave me a dear author letter and I don't know them so how could I possibly know their DNWs? It's not like I filled it with non-con and a bunch of other common dislikes.

[alphaflyer]

*HUGS*

I really don't understand why people join exchanges, which by their nature are social/reciprocal, and then don't even say thank you. I had one say nothing for 4 weeks once, until she was prodded by the mods; another left a comment that said "hey, I don't have time to read this right now", and then nothing for a month, but at least she apologized that she'd 'forgotten' at that stage. I get not being able to read right then and there (happened to me in the "friends" exchange) but I left a note, and then read the story as soon as work was over. (It was AWESOME.) Basic courtesy, folks... Basic courtesy.

[meatball42]

See, this is my issue right now because my fic was remixed and, while it's a good story, I don't see how it is a remix of mine at all, so I'm not really sure what to say in response. To me remixes aren't like exchanges where it's a gift, I sort of see it as a fan work divorced from the original in the same way that fanfics in general are divorced from the canon, so I can't even say thank you without feeling like it's a lie, and I don't like lying. So I don't know how to respond at all. Am I obliged to lie to someone who didn't, in my mind, fulfill the challenge at all, just on the basis of being a sunshine person? What do you think I should do?

[kiss_me_cassie]

Ok, so I guess I didn't really think of that, but I don't think leaving a bad review is good form either? That's the same as "let me tell you all the ways this is wrong" which, unless there's a clear request for concrit, isn't really a good thing to do.

Otoh, I get what you're saying about not wanting to lie either. In the case of a remix, perhaps it IS better just to not reply at all. IDK! Ack, conflicted feelings!

Although on exchanges, I really do think a polite "Thanks for writing this" is needed. They tried. Just because they didn't exactly didn't hit the mark doesn't mean they didn't TRY. Huh.

[meatball42]

I certainly don't leave bad reviews. If I don't like a story, I just won't comment, unless they ask for concrit. And I actually feel kind of awkward, like, they wrote a good story, just doesn't really seem like a remix? unless I'm missing it? in which case maybe it's obvious and I seem rude for not loving it?

And on exchanges, I will say thank you if they tried to fill one of my requests even if it didn't work out too well or I didn't like it, because of course I will, but to be honest I have left a few unreviewed where it really did not look like they tried. I've had people say things like 'your prompts were so inspiring!' and go on to write nothing from any prompt, so, like. At that point?