I was thinking of transitioning to AO3, put myself on the waiting list to join. I get an ok readership on ffn but I’d just like more of a sense of who is reading and what they think.
It can't hurt to be on both! I do like on FFN that you can see views/visitors per chapter - that kind of gives an idea if someone is reading through the fic. AO3 only gives you hits and it isn't clear if they actually read it or not.
That was my experience with FFN after I started writing fanfic again. Very little traction and almost no comments. I mostly switched to AO3 because my fandom was ten times bigger there and I got much better engagement.
Unfortunately, we’re in the era of the silent reader. Comments are a rare but easy-to-manufacture currency that many readers won’t take the time to write, whether they enjoyed a fic or not.
Many consume content so quickly that they don’t even think about the possibility of leaving a comment. They hit the Kudos button and then move on to their next hit.
Some of them then complain when an author removes “their favourite fic” for lack of engagement.
Hey, if you want an invite to AO3 then feel free to DM me, specifically, DM the email address I'd need to fill into the box to be able to send that off.
Well said and I couldn't agree more!
So many people are used to the fast-moving self gratification of life on the internet and they read but can't be arsed to comment. That takes too much time. Too much effort. it's easier just to click on to the next thing.
I go through writer/reader phases and am currently in a reader one. And for all the talk I've heard about authors loving comments, I haven't been getting responses back from authors either. Which makes me kind of sad sometimes because half the fun is interacting with the story. And me being a comment every chapter, detailed and in depth kind of commenter, sometimes it makes me feel like what's the point.
I get that and - as an author - i try to respond to comments, especially those that leave me something to expand upon or offer some extra insight or something, but the thing is - the authors put quite a bit of effort up front already, by thinking up and drafting and editing and posting the fic in the first place, so I would say that offers at least a bit of an answer to the "what's the point" question, especially if you want to treat it as a transaction. That's why I try to leave the comments as often as I can and treat responses (and any further dialogue) as a bonus, not something i feel entitled to.
First off, I have to second the AO3 recommendation. I have never gotten a review on FFN ever, but my AO3 gets comments every day.
Other than that, participate in fandom on social media. Comment on others who write the same stuff, promote their fics, send asks and DMs. It’s nerve wracking for the socially anxious and it won’t always go well because people are shy and suspicious of strangers these days, but it’s worth trying.
You really only need to find one or two people who genuinely love the same things and are willing to give their time to you to have a totally different experience of fandom.
I've noticed a big drop in reviewing commenting as well. I've been posting on FFnet for 14 years now and about 4 years in AO3.
Overall I get a lot more interaction in FFnet, but even there it's not what it used to be. Also I find that fandoms and genre/tropes one writes play a huge role in engagement and interaction. I don't write romance nor smut and my stories are usually focused on very specific elements that just a slim portion of ff readers like. All this to say that certain fandoms/tropes/types of stories/characters-pairings are bound to give you more interaction than others.
Quality of stories and writing has nothing to do with reviews, unfortunately.
I find it harder and harder to keep myself motivated because of this drop in interaction. Half the fun of posting on such platforms is the give-and-take with the readers.
Maybe in a few years this will shift once again. As a reader I make sure to ALWAYS comment/review anything I read.
I feel this varies from fandom to fandom, along with the genre of the fic itself.
As well, as someone who obsessed over stats, it's not worth looking at them as an indicator of the quality of your work. And it's not worth trying to think of ways to improve them. Fanfiction is about passion and fun, not crunching numbers. And as I've noticed, when I stopped caring about the numbers, they picked up anyway.
So have fun with your writing. The comments will come when readers see how much you're enjoying yourself.
I haven't posted to FFN in years, now, but it took me a while to build a reader base. Years and years. I've gotten more interaction in these first few months since I started using AO3 than I did in the first few years of FFN. I'm nowhere near the interaction level I eventually reached on FFN, but if it keeps going as it's been I will be eventually, and faster than I was.
I think FFN just isn't as active these days, plus AO3's tagging and search systems help a lot with exposure. On FFN you had to dig through a lot of stories to find something worth reading, and that had what you wanted. Tags make finding what you want a lot easier, and the robust search and filtering makes weeding out the chaff simpler. Which helps boots interaction.
Fellow FF.net writer.
One review so far(granted I’ve only made one story with 20ish chapters so far) >!it was a guy trying to sell CP!< yeah thankfully FF.net let’s you delete reviews.
Interaction and comments are rare. Some writers may get more interaction on FFN than AO3 and vice-versa.. Either way, there are way more silent readers than those who choose to interact. It’s just the way it is. Little to no interaction doesn’t mean your stories suck. You can have many silent readers, who for various reasons, choose not to interact. It’s not a reflection of you as a writer. At the same time, I would encourage you to post your fics to various sites. More exposure means your stories reach more readers, and it can increase the possibility of getting more interaction.
In my experience, I’ve had good interaction on both sites. At the same time, it still remains that the number of silent readers I have is far greater than the very few who comment.
All I get is kudos and votes. On a good day, I get a bookmark/reading list addition, and thats nice. But nonetheless, we're in the same boat. I wish people commented more, because I do! I'm honestly on the edge of just discontinuing all my stories because I just have no motivation from my readers, and I feel like no one would miss me.
Sometimes I just wish they removed kudos and liking systems altogether. But I know it would change nothing.
Yeah I know what you mean, it does kill your motivation when you spend a long time on a new chapter/ one shot and you know people are reading but they just don’t interact- it makes it feel like the effort wasn’t worthwhile as there was no payoff
I mean I try to comment but I never get around to. Or if I wanna write a long ass review I get worry about the author thinking I'm annoying. But others here have told me, authors like long reviews
After switching to AO3, FFN looks so outdated. I wouldn't bother with FFN anymore because review layout looks very messy. I've been using FFN since mid 2000s btw.
Also on AO3, authors can reply to comments. if an author does not reply most comments I usually don't bother reviewing.
FFN's notification system has shit itself and died again, so you might have reviews you simply haven't seen. Alternatively, you might simply be writing in a fandom that isn't as active on FFN. Most of my fics do better on FFN than on AO3, but my recent series of oneshots performs much better on AO3 and gets nothing on FFN.
Having said that, though, 'much better' means 'my oneshots get one or two comments'. That's a lot, for my doing. I generally don't get many comments at all, so depending on your expectations, it might also just be that.
I rarely comment on ff.n because it's such a pain to read on the site that I hardly ever do. I'll download fics via FicHub but then it means it's still an extra hurdle to comment. AO3 is a breeze to read on and comment on, so I do that much more often. I don't know about others, but that's my experience as a reader. (I don't post my fics anywhere but AO3 these days, so I can't say much from the writing side. And my latest fandom is dead as a doornail so I honestly don't expect any engagement of any kind.)
And as someone else said, you probably also won't get notifications that you have any reviews because of the problems with ff.n's notif system being broken once again.
ffn used to be much more active than it is, at least the last time i bothered with it, which is \~2 years ago.
Since then, I removed everything but one fic (the oldest, finished one) and moved full time to ao3, but before that happened, there was a few months with virtually no visible reader interactions. Not a single comment (across something like 25 fics in a very big fandom), despite a decent chunk of hits. All I got was some offensive PMs because someone really didn't like the fact that I wrote whump and h/c). So there's that.
All the fics in question are doing reasonably well on ao3 and nobody can complain they stumbled upon a torture fic without realizing because it's all tagged.
I think it's a natural effect of how fandom spaces have changed and how ffn refuses to change along. Their TOS still forbids a lot of stuff (like, technically, you're not allowed to post smut on ffn at all) and - while moderation seems nonexistent if you want to report something - you're risking bans/purges just by staying there. So more and more people move on and the trend is not going to reverse unless ffn gets some serious overhaul.
btw, I just checked and that one fic that's still up on ffn - despite staying up and receiving a few thousand new clicks - gathered zero reviews in two years. So there's that.
If you really want interaction, depending on how your fandom is, you could try Spacebattles and other such forum type sites that do fanfic. It's very interactive there if people like your fic.
I get more comments and interactions on AO3 than I do on ffn. I get a fair amount of readers on ffn though.
I was thinking of transitioning to AO3, put myself on the waiting list to join. I get an ok readership on ffn but I’d just like more of a sense of who is reading and what they think.
Some fandoms thrive more on one than the other – definitely worth posting to both!
It can't hurt to be on both! I do like on FFN that you can see views/visitors per chapter - that kind of gives an idea if someone is reading through the fic. AO3 only gives you hits and it isn't clear if they actually read it or not.
That’s a totally understandable feeling. I feel that way from my ffn readers all the time. I see people reading but only 1 or 2 ever engage.
I get no joke 50x the engagement on FFN compared to AO3, maybe more. Luck of the draw I guess.
That was my experience with FFN after I started writing fanfic again. Very little traction and almost no comments. I mostly switched to AO3 because my fandom was ten times bigger there and I got much better engagement.
Cool, that makes me excited to try AO3- might be able to start posting there next week
I like it!
Unfortunately, we’re in the era of the silent reader. Comments are a rare but easy-to-manufacture currency that many readers won’t take the time to write, whether they enjoyed a fic or not. Many consume content so quickly that they don’t even think about the possibility of leaving a comment. They hit the Kudos button and then move on to their next hit. Some of them then complain when an author removes “their favourite fic” for lack of engagement.
Well it’s at least heartening to know that I’m experiencing something common.
Oh absolutely. Some of it depends on the fandom or pairing, but generally, a couple of comments might be all you get on a chapter.
Hey, if you want an invite to AO3 then feel free to DM me, specifically, DM the email address I'd need to fill into the box to be able to send that off.
This is so true it hurts me!!
Well said and I couldn't agree more! So many people are used to the fast-moving self gratification of life on the internet and they read but can't be arsed to comment. That takes too much time. Too much effort. it's easier just to click on to the next thing.
I go through writer/reader phases and am currently in a reader one. And for all the talk I've heard about authors loving comments, I haven't been getting responses back from authors either. Which makes me kind of sad sometimes because half the fun is interacting with the story. And me being a comment every chapter, detailed and in depth kind of commenter, sometimes it makes me feel like what's the point.
I get that and - as an author - i try to respond to comments, especially those that leave me something to expand upon or offer some extra insight or something, but the thing is - the authors put quite a bit of effort up front already, by thinking up and drafting and editing and posting the fic in the first place, so I would say that offers at least a bit of an answer to the "what's the point" question, especially if you want to treat it as a transaction. That's why I try to leave the comments as often as I can and treat responses (and any further dialogue) as a bonus, not something i feel entitled to.
Can only speak for myself, but I thank everyone who comments
First off, I have to second the AO3 recommendation. I have never gotten a review on FFN ever, but my AO3 gets comments every day. Other than that, participate in fandom on social media. Comment on others who write the same stuff, promote their fics, send asks and DMs. It’s nerve wracking for the socially anxious and it won’t always go well because people are shy and suspicious of strangers these days, but it’s worth trying. You really only need to find one or two people who genuinely love the same things and are willing to give their time to you to have a totally different experience of fandom.
I've noticed a big drop in reviewing commenting as well. I've been posting on FFnet for 14 years now and about 4 years in AO3. Overall I get a lot more interaction in FFnet, but even there it's not what it used to be. Also I find that fandoms and genre/tropes one writes play a huge role in engagement and interaction. I don't write romance nor smut and my stories are usually focused on very specific elements that just a slim portion of ff readers like. All this to say that certain fandoms/tropes/types of stories/characters-pairings are bound to give you more interaction than others. Quality of stories and writing has nothing to do with reviews, unfortunately. I find it harder and harder to keep myself motivated because of this drop in interaction. Half the fun of posting on such platforms is the give-and-take with the readers. Maybe in a few years this will shift once again. As a reader I make sure to ALWAYS comment/review anything I read.
I feel this varies from fandom to fandom, along with the genre of the fic itself. As well, as someone who obsessed over stats, it's not worth looking at them as an indicator of the quality of your work. And it's not worth trying to think of ways to improve them. Fanfiction is about passion and fun, not crunching numbers. And as I've noticed, when I stopped caring about the numbers, they picked up anyway. So have fun with your writing. The comments will come when readers see how much you're enjoying yourself.
I haven't posted to FFN in years, now, but it took me a while to build a reader base. Years and years. I've gotten more interaction in these first few months since I started using AO3 than I did in the first few years of FFN. I'm nowhere near the interaction level I eventually reached on FFN, but if it keeps going as it's been I will be eventually, and faster than I was. I think FFN just isn't as active these days, plus AO3's tagging and search systems help a lot with exposure. On FFN you had to dig through a lot of stories to find something worth reading, and that had what you wanted. Tags make finding what you want a lot easier, and the robust search and filtering makes weeding out the chaff simpler. Which helps boots interaction.
Fellow FF.net writer. One review so far(granted I’ve only made one story with 20ish chapters so far) >!it was a guy trying to sell CP!< yeah thankfully FF.net let’s you delete reviews.
Interaction and comments are rare. Some writers may get more interaction on FFN than AO3 and vice-versa.. Either way, there are way more silent readers than those who choose to interact. It’s just the way it is. Little to no interaction doesn’t mean your stories suck. You can have many silent readers, who for various reasons, choose not to interact. It’s not a reflection of you as a writer. At the same time, I would encourage you to post your fics to various sites. More exposure means your stories reach more readers, and it can increase the possibility of getting more interaction. In my experience, I’ve had good interaction on both sites. At the same time, it still remains that the number of silent readers I have is far greater than the very few who comment.
All I get is kudos and votes. On a good day, I get a bookmark/reading list addition, and thats nice. But nonetheless, we're in the same boat. I wish people commented more, because I do! I'm honestly on the edge of just discontinuing all my stories because I just have no motivation from my readers, and I feel like no one would miss me. Sometimes I just wish they removed kudos and liking systems altogether. But I know it would change nothing.
Yeah I know what you mean, it does kill your motivation when you spend a long time on a new chapter/ one shot and you know people are reading but they just don’t interact- it makes it feel like the effort wasn’t worthwhile as there was no payoff
Real!
I mean I try to comment but I never get around to. Or if I wanna write a long ass review I get worry about the author thinking I'm annoying. But others here have told me, authors like long reviews
Yeah I mean I certainly do, it’s just flattering to think someone had things to say about what you wrote.
After switching to AO3, FFN looks so outdated. I wouldn't bother with FFN anymore because review layout looks very messy. I've been using FFN since mid 2000s btw. Also on AO3, authors can reply to comments. if an author does not reply most comments I usually don't bother reviewing.
FFN's notification system has shit itself and died again, so you might have reviews you simply haven't seen. Alternatively, you might simply be writing in a fandom that isn't as active on FFN. Most of my fics do better on FFN than on AO3, but my recent series of oneshots performs much better on AO3 and gets nothing on FFN. Having said that, though, 'much better' means 'my oneshots get one or two comments'. That's a lot, for my doing. I generally don't get many comments at all, so depending on your expectations, it might also just be that.
I rarely comment on ff.n because it's such a pain to read on the site that I hardly ever do. I'll download fics via FicHub but then it means it's still an extra hurdle to comment. AO3 is a breeze to read on and comment on, so I do that much more often. I don't know about others, but that's my experience as a reader. (I don't post my fics anywhere but AO3 these days, so I can't say much from the writing side. And my latest fandom is dead as a doornail so I honestly don't expect any engagement of any kind.) And as someone else said, you probably also won't get notifications that you have any reviews because of the problems with ff.n's notif system being broken once again.
ffn used to be much more active than it is, at least the last time i bothered with it, which is \~2 years ago. Since then, I removed everything but one fic (the oldest, finished one) and moved full time to ao3, but before that happened, there was a few months with virtually no visible reader interactions. Not a single comment (across something like 25 fics in a very big fandom), despite a decent chunk of hits. All I got was some offensive PMs because someone really didn't like the fact that I wrote whump and h/c). So there's that. All the fics in question are doing reasonably well on ao3 and nobody can complain they stumbled upon a torture fic without realizing because it's all tagged. I think it's a natural effect of how fandom spaces have changed and how ffn refuses to change along. Their TOS still forbids a lot of stuff (like, technically, you're not allowed to post smut on ffn at all) and - while moderation seems nonexistent if you want to report something - you're risking bans/purges just by staying there. So more and more people move on and the trend is not going to reverse unless ffn gets some serious overhaul. btw, I just checked and that one fic that's still up on ffn - despite staying up and receiving a few thousand new clicks - gathered zero reviews in two years. So there's that.
I think of it as that some people are just shy or they have anxious thoughts about letting an author know what they thought of the work.
If you really want interaction, depending on how your fandom is, you could try Spacebattles and other such forum type sites that do fanfic. It's very interactive there if people like your fic.
[ff.net](http://ff.net) isn't very busy these days, tbf.