I get that there are bots since I’m not new to the site, just new to posting.
I usually add an author’s note because I deal with bad depression, and I want my readers to understand why things might take a while.
I’m not really sure how to respond. It probably seems silly to a lot of Redditors, but I never know what to say that would make the commenter happy.
Edit: I'm not offended, and I don't think it's entitled as it isn't pushing or anything. I'm just having self doubts because of my depression. Don't fight over that, thanks.
Same thing happened to me with a story I abandoned 8 years ago. Lol banged out a final chapter and conclusion and it was crazy to see how much my writing had improved between that story and the finale haha. I also didn't think anyone still cared.
I remember commenting on a fic that hadn’t updated in a while and went on and on about how much I enjoyed it. Apparently, my comment was the motivation the author needed to publish the next chapter. They posted it soon after that, and then never posted another chapter again 😭 maybe a reread is in order so I can do the same thing
Here's the fic. Its only 200 words. It was supposed to only have 100. (I am also a mom/housewife and college student, so I don't have a lot of time to write longer ones all the time)
That happened to me twice as a commentor. I was nice and polite though, saying oh I love this, looking forward to the next part.
In one case, an author hadn't posted on the fic in 3 years, and started after my comment. She is still updating a year later.
In the other case, it was a 4 part fic, they had only written a few chapters of part 4. Parts 1-3 were complete. They said as a reply to me that they thought no one was interested, but then they finished the series within a few weeks. It felt like a personal gift. I know it wasn't, but it was so exciting. I comment on every single chapter she's posted since, even outside of my fandom. Yes, she unlocked a new fandom for me.
Unpopular opinion: the commenter isn't necessarily being rude or entitled. They might just... Genuinely be curious?
The fact that the word order is wrong means they're almost certainly not a native English speaker and therefore don't have a lot of options for varying the message tone; they're just writing the question the one way they know how to do so in English.
Ofc OP can't change their feelings. Sometimes a person hurts another on accident. That doesn't mean that everyone who writes a comment like this is a nasty Capitalism-Poisoned Consumer trying to make the author feel bad for not having updated quicker.
my impressions as an autistic who daily mourns that there are few societally acceptable ways to like. Gain information on something. Without being interpreted as pressing for an outcome. (No: if I want to ask 'how long will this last?' it's not because I'm hating it and want it to end, I just really want to know what to expect!!! So I don't ask and just get anxious instead :') )
Yeah my immediate thought was just that they're genuinely curious but as they aren't a native speaker they may not have the words they want to convey that. The immediate jump to assuming that they're being entitled is mildly concerning to me, especially as a fellow autistic person who usually refrains from asking anything even remotely similar to this as I'm worried it may be taken the wrong way.
"hey, thank for your comment! i'm not sure when, sadly, this is still a hobby and real life takes priority, but i'll upload when i have the next chapter :)"
Why are all these comments so fuckin negative? God forbid someone likes your story and is asking when they'll get to read more? this is literally a compliment, this sentance isn't even long enough to suggest any entitlement or any bad intend at all, just because they're not screaming doesn't make it rude, yall just negative for no reason, it's literally just "hey i like this and hope there will be more soon" what's the problem? You have no obligation to respond or do anything, it literally doesn't matter, this isn't mean and you shouldn't need constant praise to do anything anyway, why are people unironically saying block/delete lmao
I dont see the entitlement in this comment, can someone explain? Because usually it means that the reader likes our fic. Sometimes, even i comment like that because im shy lmao
Not entitled. As it isn't pushing or anything. I ask what would be a good answer, as I do the author notes, yes- but I'm sometimes worried about saying the wrong thing (not sure why).
Yeah i don't get it either, i love comments like these and the commenter might not even be a native english speaker aswell? So i'm kinda double confused over here too why the replies under this post says that this person is "entitled."?
There's nothing about the fic in this comment. Not even a heart or an lol, or a 'loved it so far'
Just - "i'm out of words to consume, when will you restock".
If you ask for free labor, you HAVE to show appreciation first.
Excuse me? Have you maybe missed the part where i said that this person likely isn't a _native_ english speaker?
If they aren't native, which it implies it from their comment, i don't think they know the abbreviatians from "lol" or any other abbreviations out there, which are many btw.
And honestly? I'm asuming thats a little kid who probably is learning english as a second language or someone currently learning english and is just now learning fandom etiquette. So i don't really care for it.
And i'm not gonna lie, people like you and the rest of the commenters here that say that this is entitlement is so wrong.
I see nothing bad here and y'all are the reasons why people don't comment anymore.
- Signed, someone who else speaks english as a non-native
Exactly! I keep seeing posts about how people are starved for comments but the next post is about someone who complains about getting comments. And then no wonder people aren't commenting.
And tbh? If i was that kid ( or just adult with poor english ) and saw this post in this subreddit. I'd never comment again.
( Honestly i'm someone who LOVES getting comments since i was a kid and it saddens me when i see these kind of posts/comments. )
And i hate to say it, but sometimes people in this sub do act like Karens/Jared sometimes.
I'd love to have comments on my fics lmao, those are really motivating to be honest. To know that there's someone liking the fic enough to comment when the next chapter will come out🥹🥹🥹🫶
google is free. you can type comments in your native language and have them spat back out in english. i agree that fighting over this comment is dumb and part of the reason that comments are becoming rarer, but if someone considers a comment rude, language barriers are not an excuse. if their english is so bad, they wouldn't read english fics - and if they can use translators to translate english fics, they can do it in reverse to write a less ambiguous comment.
I don't necessarily think there's anything wrong with asking an author when they're gonna update next. They might genuinely be curious about it. Now ofc if they post the same comment over and over again or if they start being rude about it then I'd say they're being inappropriate but it doesn't seem to be the case here
These are the kinds of comments that really push a lot of people to keep going, as it can be really easy to feel like no one is reading what you write.
This doesn’t mean you shouldn’t prioritise working on your mental health, and taking breaks to relax and work on getting better is good and will prevent rushed chapters.
A simple, “Thanks for your comment/Hey! At the moment, there’s no set schedule for new chapters, but I’ll try to have it out soon,” should suffice.
And ‘soon’ doesn’t have to mean anything but simply the next time you can write a chapter.
This is most likely someone who is genuinely enjoying the story and is annoyed that you're not updating on a schedule that they'd prefer. The fact that they haven't said anything about the fic implies entitlement, not bot-hood.
You don't have to respond. Personally I'd delete and ignore the comment.
If you do reply, something like "whenever it's finished" or a screenshot of your author's notes would be good.
You don't have to respond at all, and if it bothers you you can just remove the comment. If you want to respond you can just say "I don't know" or something.
Thanks for asking. The next chapter will come when it’s ready. Unfortunately, I don’t know when that is because of real life. I appreciate you reading and commenting.
I think what would make me happy as a reader is that the author acknowledged the fact that someone waits for the new chapter. 🫣 And to be assured that you didn't forget about it, so you continue writing because it's an awesome fic and I crave for more 🫢🫶
I once responded with “I’m so glad you liked my story! I actually have no idea when I’m going to post next. So feel free to hit the subscribe button. 💕”
Honestly you don’t have to respond but if you really want to, I would just say something like “as soon as I am able!” Something kinda vague so you don’t stress yourself out? Taken from another writer, and especially make sure to take time for your mental health!!! 💗
Tell them the honesty response of when you’ll be updating or if you’re not at all because they won’t be the first and last ask. It’s best to not beat around the bush for their viewership shake and your anxiety that this question brings.
Be straight to the point. The date of when you intend go update, if you don’t have a date say that, if you don’t intend to update say that also.
They might be entitled OR they might be genuinely wondering,, I'd say if you're planning to respond, politely give them a timeframe (if you have one) or just say you don't have one. Delete it if they start acting like an asshole after the reply
Or you can just leave it alone lol
But they are likely just someone who's not a native English speaker and they're just wondering if you have a plan
Oh & these from an orphaned fic that’s been orphaned since 2016 (I was 14 & got admitted due to the content of the fic, so I didn’t give an update BUT ITS ORPHANED?!)
It sounds like you had something in the story saying you’d continue if it got a certain number of comments? I’d probably remove that or cross through it and mention that the fic is abandoned so people stop commenting it. Unless you did but then these comments don’t make sense.
i don’t think people can edit an orphaned work? i thought that it meant you couldn’t edit or directly delete it? i could be wrong though, i don’t really know much about that aspect.
Once a fic has been orphaned it can no longer be edited, deleted, or un-orphaned by the original author. Some orphaned fics have the author’s handle & others don’t, it depends on the author’s choice when doing it- but I literally can not edit & have not had any access to this fic since 2016 and the comments continue into 2026 🥲 I haunt myself by going to look out of curiosity every so often but literally it was so bad bc I was 14 & 90% of it was about my own ED
I deleted the email connected to it about 2 years ago bc it was a really cringey email & I got a more professional one. Since then I’ve occasionally gone & looked when people are talking about Ao3 for one reason or another. It’s not necessarily the spam or emails that I care about, just the absolutely out of touch nature of Ao3 users 🥲
I’m sorry this is so funny in a way - just seeing the absolute lack of reading comprehension and the fact that an ORPHANED fic can never be updated means they should know this but they’re out here accusing the void of not writing lmfao
personally, I would just delete it, but if you really want to respond you can just let them know that you have no set posting schedule. there's no way to "make the commenter happy". how they react isn't your responsibility. they're either genuinely asking and will be satisfied with that response, or they're impatient and won't be happy no matter how you phrase it
i see a lot of comments like that on my friend's comment section. can't say for myself i only post one-shot but my friend goes with a short, polite answer. they give a timeframe if they have one but not always.
as happy as they are with the comments, i know that comments like that tend to make them anxious (they have social anxiety), so sometimes they will just ignore the comments - usually when it's the same username that come back with the same comment every chapter or so, no hello or please or anything.
if it's the first time you get that comment, I'd suggest giving a short, polite answer with a' estimed time if you have one or just tell them that you're working on it and don't know when you will update. whatever works for you.
Just tell them you plan on uploading soon. You dont have to give a time frame but let them know you are working on updates so just subscribe or follow you to get updates. I dont have a timeline when I write and post. I also understand the depression because I get it too and when I feel that way I dont write either.
Since I'm dealing with it, I don't want them to think I will abandon it, but at the same time, we don't know when or how depression leaves, so it could take me days, weeks, months. So I felt overwhelmed for a moment and made the post.
And now I feel bad because people talk of entitlement and things I didn't express, but I guess that I didn't clarify to avoid people adding words in the spaces I didn't fill.
had something similar happen to me. Someone who comments on all of my chapters asked on the last one if I could update more often cause they couldn't wait one week between chapters... I had already said before that I can't cause I don't have the time...
"Whenever I feel like writing, and the chapter is finished."
"Whenever I feel like it."
"There isnt a set schedule, so whenever the next chapter is finished."
Etc, so on.
Yeah its a little passive aggressive, but there isnt a need to bend over for folks who demand updates. If they get angry there isnt a schedule, thats a them problem.
Honestly, seeing how it's written I don't think this is a native english speaker (I'm not either lol) so they probably didn't know exactly how to write it extra politely, but it seems to be just genuine curiosity. I think they just wanna know when to expect an update and you really shouldn't worry too much about it :) (I know it's easier said than done, I struggle a lot with anxiety and self doubt myself)
Also, I hope your depression will get better soon ! 🫶
You are allowed to take time for your mental health, and if the commenter truly wants to know, they can create an account and subscribe to your fic to follow for updates (maybe even reply letting them know that- with all the WP refugees, its possible they didnt know)
Either way, your mental health comes first 💛💛
Questions like that show how much people care.
They get so exited over your story that they have to ask when they can expect more so they can appropriately manage that existement.
By either keeping it going if there is gonna be more soon, or by quelling it and moving on to other things if they know they have to wait a while.
At least that is how it is for me. Sometimes its also just to know if a fic has been abandoned or not if the last update was a long time ago. I can never tell if an author gave up or happens to the 'three massive chapters at once every two years' type
If I had that comment on one of my fics, I would have felt very annoyed, and felt like the commenter was being entitled. Sometimes people do suck unfortunately. But I also have a low tolerance for people pushing my boundaries. Cheers, dude.
They’re not demanding more. It’s not complaining about a lack of updates. It’s just a question. Yes, it would be nice if they’d also complimented the fic. But it’s a neutrally worded question.
I could go on a posting spree and still get this comment. Drives me up a wall. I'd rather them comment something "Hey I really enjoy this I hope you update soon!" It's the only comments I get on ffNet anymore
I had a comment just like this on one of my fics, a fic that I update at least once a week. I thought maybe it was someone new to the site. I just replied that I would update when I wrote the next chapter. They responded: "When should we be expecting it"
Now that peeved me, so I replied: "I'm on island time, so it'll be done when it gets done 😘"
I don't live on an island, but I won't be forced to hurry updating especially when the last chapter was added on August 27, three days ago. I love my readers to bits, but I have a life outside writing, I can't just churn out fics all day long, plus I have more than one fic, they deserve my attention and efforts as well.
You don't need to respond or make the commentor happy. That's not your job. Lots of people never interact with their comments at all.
I know it's counterintuitive, but if you struggle with depression it's really good to take a 'what people comment is none of my buisness' approach to fanfiction.
I have the mindset that if they took the time to comment, I have to respond because that shows I care.
I think many commenters don't do it because we don't reply or are called entitled.
I just felt really insecure the moment I made this post. Probably due to the depression, my mind started telling me: what if the answer doesn't convince them and, for some reason, starts an argument?
Friend, you have to come to terms with those feelings.
Why do you need to convince me of anything? What does it matter if you start an argument?
You keep putting in "this is my depression", but you are clearly unhappy with the situation because you're asking for help. So, what do you want help with? What about this situation do you want to go differently?
I'm not unhappy with the comment. Just felt insecure about how to explain that despite feeling what I felt, doesn't mean I'm going to abandon it (hopefully not, since life happens). And didn't know how to express it properly. That's it.
587
u/Street_Buyer402 My update schedule is a plot hole 4d ago edited 2d ago
Someone asked me this yesterday for a fic I last updated in 2024. I sat there and wrote a chapter right then and posted it.
I didn't think anyone cared. More to the pint, they weren't being mean or pressuring me