Kudos on A03

[landrews]

How can I have a fic with over 4000 hits and no kudos? In fact I have several with thousands of hits and like, three kudos. Unless something is utter shite, I leave kudos :-/ Are peeps really so inclined not to be the first or one of only a few? Do they see there aren't many on the fic, so they don't want to stick their name on there even if they

Comments

[simplyn2deep]

I've learned the hard way to wait until a story is complete before leaving kudos because it may start out wonderful then become utter shit and I regret leaving kudos.

Other times, the story can be poorly written, but I still enjoy it so I will leave a kudo.

But mainly I stick to giving kudos to completed fics that I enjoy

[landrews]

Hey! :hugsyou: I've been blazing on a final rewrite to enter my novel in the FL Writers Assoc contest by the deadline this weekend, but at some point everyday I skim my flist. I'm so sorry that your dad went in for something somewhat simple and is now coming home in the care of hospice. I know that is very hard.
I commend you for trying to stay optimistic AND practical and continuing to do what you have to do by honoring your commitment to the voting precinct, your interviews, and jury duty, although transportation is a huge issue and you have other duties being thrust upon you. I admire you so much. I just know that once you are employed, you'll be seen for the gem you are and that employer will never want to let you go!
Thank you SOOO much for taking the time to beta the one_million_words Hawaii Five-0 Round Robin. :HUGS: I hope I get to meet you when we make it out to LA again one day :-)

[simplyn2deep]

Thank you so much for your kind words! I hope we're able to meet if you make is out here, too.

[larienelengasse]

Trying to understand how readers might respond seems like an exercise in frustration. It seems like there is no discernible pattern to how a reader might react. I mean, the kudos function is great in that it gives readers who are reluctant or uncomfortable composing a comment a way to respond, but then as your friend says, some folks take their kudos quite seriously and wait until a fic is finished.

Personally, I'll leave a kudo to something that's a WIP. If I stop being interested along the way, then that's fine. I reserve comments for the end and for those stories that I really love.

To me, comments are gold. If someone takes the time to actually compose a response, even if it's only one sentence saying they liked it, then I'm pleased as punch. As for hits, I don't even pay attention, because those folks could just be browsing by and never even read the fic.

[landrews]

It is! I was just cruising my stats since I noticed my top hit by far is a tiny Angel fic about Cordelia. I realize a lot of peeps pop in and out without reading. But my second one is a tiny Saving Grace fic with 4000 hits and no kudos. In its lifetime, this fic ever only recieved one comment, but it was a doozy of a compliment and made writing it totally worthwhile :-) Actually I have at least ten fics that have only ever received a single comment, but like you said, that's still wonderful :-) It just amazes me how many drive-bys there on all my completed work at AO3 without even a kudo, which takes all of a tenth of a second, let long comments. I have very, very few comments over there at all. Makes me wonder if there's really only say, twenty peeps in fandom and we all cruise a lot through fics we've read before, looking desperately for something new, lolol. Because granted, all but a couple of my fics went up at LJ first and some of them are years and years old. But I thought there'd be some fresh input once I finally got around

[perpetual]

I joined AO3 just for archival purposes, so whenever I get any kind of reaction to a story I see it as a bonus. Still, it's always frustrating to not have your fiction even acknowledged.

What fandoms are you writing for? Is there a big difference in which ones get feedback? I only write Buffyverse so I can't make comparisons - I've really kind of accepted lately that I'm writing for a dying fandom.

[larienelengasse]

This point about fandom is a good one. My Star Trek reboot fic has gotten more attention than anything else I've written and posted on AO3, including stuff in the Supernatural fandom.

[perpetual]

Huh - I thought Supernatural was the #1 active fandom to be writing for (along with TVD), but I guess I'm behind the times again. There are probably hot fandoms I never even considered.

[queeberquabbler]

I know exactly how you feel. I work so hard on my stories and then barely get any comments on them, no matter where I post! And yet utter crap stories get hundreds of comments. I will never, ever understand it :-P

[phantom_queen]

Weird I never think to leave kudos. I either leave a comment or no comment but I never think about Kudos. Ill try to start doing that more.