Comments Are Important!

1000 Hours of Writing: Hours 260 - 300

One of  my favourite aspects about writing is the response from my readership. I deprive so much joy from a simple "Well done," and "I loved this fluff so much." There is a special kind of joy when someone says that this is their first comment they ever posted but they just had to.

So you'd think that since I know how happy a comment can make me, that I'd be a comment slut, and at least leave a smiley on each post and fic that I read and even slightly liked. I have to admit that this is not exactly true. I try to comment on each piece that I slightly like, and yet, sometimes I am convinced that the comment is unwanted anyway. What a load of rubbish!

I hadn't realized that this was such rubbish until I scrolled lazily through Ao3 and somehow I had ended up reading a story that was a year old now. It was fluff, a bit simple in some places, but lovely and just the warm hug that you'd need before going bed. I decided that since I enjoyed it and it met all my fluff needs that I should leave a comment.

What was I supposed to say? It wasn't even something I'd usually read, and I was a tad tired, but I had really enjoyed it and it made me squee. Hence I opted for a rather simple "This was so cute :)" Then I went to bed.

I hadn't even expected a reply. The next morning when I woke up the author had replied. And what a reply! They were over the hill, excited that finally someone had left a comment. A moment later they were telling me about what had prompted the story.

It just shows how important comments are, even a simple comment can cheer someone. It is always important to remember that people spend a lot of time writing these things, and then comes the editing. Most of the time they offer the work for free, not only on Ao3 but also in blogging!

Now I have been in both position: as the comment sender, and the comment receiver. So I always walk the line between "Oh good, it's so awkward to comment on that" and "why does nobody comment on this? 😭"

So if you liked someone's work, and think even for a moment "hmm, nice." Then leave a comment! 

"But what should I put into it?! It's not even useful!" I hear you cry.

While an essay on why this post is great is the knees of the bees, it is not a must. A simple comment "this was great" or "cute" even a list of heart emojis is enough. Trust me!

"But my comment looks awkward?!" you sob.

It doesn't! It is lovely, and the author is going to be delighted. Their work has made you squee, or it was helpful. There is nothing awkward about that. You just show them that they did a good job.

"But ... but ... how much is too much?" you add quietly.

Nothing! There is no too much. You can add all the smileys you want, and all the lovely words. If you fancy it you can share their work on Twitter if you want, and add a comment on each chapter. Add hearts.

"Oh, okay. What if I am commenting too late?" you wonder.

This really doesn't matter. The author is still going to be around, and will enjoy that old work is getting recognition and is still being read. There is no too late when it comes to commenting. If someone doesn't want their work to be read any more, they tend take it down.

Always remember: Comments are like food for an author. They keep them going and tell them that they're on the right track, or that they have done a good job. It's a plus for the reader as well: lovely comments encourage the writer to share more of their work, so you have more things to read. Best of all it only takes a moment to leave a short comment.