Such a shame that pictures have to look this way :<
DID YOU KNOW that you're allowed to feel sad?? Yes! That's right. Even if you're the always optimistic and happy person in the group you CAN feel sad! "But what will people think?" you might ask. Well... they will manage. Seriously, it's not a joke.
If you let yourself feel sad (REAL sad, not suppressing and hiding your emotions), after 2, maybe 3 days you'll feel your energy returning, together with the happy mood :>
ANOTHER FUN FACT: You can feel sad WITHOUT knowing the reason! It's completely fine to be "just" sad. It's the same as feeling happy for no reason. So, if anyone asks "why are you sad?", you can answer "I don't know, I just feel sad" and it's a perfectly adequate and true answer, if you don't know the reason!
Are you frustrated you can't leave second kudos on AO3? or third kudos? or whatever-who's-counting kudos?
Well, have I got the html for you!
Plop any of these in a comment (by copy&pasting the code) to make an author's day and show your appreciation!
Second kudos: <img src="https://i.ibb.co/tHMjbb6/second-kudos.png" alt="second kudos">
Third kudos: <img src="https://i.ibb.co/52bggQH/third-kudos.png" alt="third kudos">
nth kudos: <img src="https://i.ibb.co/6y7qGtC/nth-kudos.png" alt="nth kudos">
yet another kudos: <img src="https://i.ibb.co/wKtcj0s/yet-another-kudos.png" alt="yet another kudos">
It will look something like this (and will be transparent with white outline on dark backgrounds):
Feel free to spread and use these as much as you like! (and if you have ideas for other variations, let me know ✌️)
Then(no ref) vs Now(with ref)
Approx. 4 year gap
lesbian
gay
bisexual
transgender
queer
pansexual
demisexual
ace
hopeless romantics
cis-men
cis-women
non binary folks
the whole spectrum etc…
follow everyone who reblogs ;)
I just entered one of the biggest fandom simply because I liked some minor character from it
Do I know any other characters? No
Will I care to learn who the other characters are? Also no
I'm only here for my baby ♡
By the way, fanfiction isn't the place for reviews or criticism.
When you're a published author, it's like you're preparing a meal in a food competition. You expect a rating and to be told what worked and what didn't to improve your craft and embark on your career.
When you're a fanfiction author, it's like taking some of your free time to enjoy the process of baking cookies and then offering them to someone to be kind.
If you take a cookie from the plate, you don't spit it out and tell them it sucked.
Unless the writer asks for your opinion, you can keep it to yourself.
Adding this to clarify, and you don't have to agree with this by any means, I cannot force you to, but the reason Ao3 and Fanfiction isn't the space for criticism and ratings...is that it is a fan space created by fans for fans.
It isn't school.
It is a space where people with the same interests can congregate and enjoy the same fandom.
When you think about commenting on an fanfic authors fics, don't think if it as fishing around in your pocket to give them a compliment.
Compliments are nice. Most everyone likes compliments.
"I like your character development."
"You paint wonderful imagry."
Those are comments that are compliments. Speaking for myself as a fanfic writer they're nice, but they're not what my fan heart craves.
I want engagement with my readers.
The best comments I get aren't talking about my skill as a writer, but what just happened in the story because you and I (the reader) are already fans of the world created.
Comments like:
"NOOOOOOOO!"
"Did she actually just do that?"
"EXCUSE me?!?!"
None of these comments are compliments and none are critical. They are emotionally aligned with the story. They are engaged and with this engagement we create a little community in this tiny little space we get to call ours.
I cannot stop people from saying cruel things, but I can inform those people of the "dangers" so to speak when people treat fandom spaces like Ao3 as if it's Goodreads.
Writers, who write for themselves and offer it to you out of kindness, can decide that if people are just going to spit out their cookies they don't need to post about them anymore and that is how fandom spaces die.
If you don't like the flavor of cookie they made, or you're allergic to one of its ingredients...don't eat the cookie. Put it back for someone else to enjoy and then go find the flavor you do like.