docholligay:

This is a solid question!

Some of it is things you, the reader, can’t change. Fic takes time and investment to read in a way pictures and art don’t, and so there will always be a higher level of engagement with art. Tumblr is image focused and that’s just a reality those of us swimming upstream have to deal with. 

I would say the biggest blow tumblr dealt fic writers was taking replies away. Engagement with my fanfics has gone down CONSIDERABLY, and as a result my output has been shrinking every month, I think this month I wrote…one fic? That was less than 1,000 words. I don’t know if it’s been the same for others. Bringing replies back would help a lot–a lot of people won’t take the time to go to the Disqus replies on your actual post to give you encouragement. 

And some of the fault can be assigned to writers themselves–one of the biggest mistakes I see is fic writers who have themes that are rather difficult to read–if your typeface is small, your background low contrast, etc, most people will not make the effort. I often give up and arrow back. My eyes just can’t handle it. Also, authors! If you don’t have Disqus, get it!!! ANd remind your readers you have it in your story intros. 

But anyhow none of that is helpful. What can you, the reader, do to help tumblr be a better place for fanfic? 

The number one would be to offer a comment. Whether it’s an ask or a disqus comment or a reblog or whatever. No matter how old the story is. There have been times where the one thing that cheered me up was someone saying something about a story I wrote months ago. Let me know things I’ve done are good. I think that goes for every author. Recommend our fics. Reblogs are very common in the art tumblr world, but reblogs are a GIANT compliment for fic writers! It’s not even a thing I would think to ask for because it seems like such a huge favor. 

Remember that we don’t have a way of monetizing our hobby. There’s no such thing as a fanfic commission. (Nor do I, personally, need such an arrangement–the only thing I’ve ever toyed with is doing a fic a day challenge to raise money for charity. I don’t know how other fanfic authors feel about this, however) So what we have is your engagement. I smile every time someone says something as small as, “Oh my god, I love the whole Michiru versus the Olive Garden thing.” I adore when people write the BroTP into their stories because it means something I did stuck with them. I squeal when people sketch stuff based on my work. A tiny call out in a cosplay shoot to something I did makes my day. 

and if you REALLY like something, let them know! College Au only got so much written, and finally finished, because people LOVED it. I intended it as a throwaway. But people reacted, and that made me think it had merit. Two of my favorite AUs (I love AUs) are @dreamshapers-universe Driven AU and @lesbianneptune Remnants of Winter. Whenever something gets published in it, I try to catch it and be EFFUSIVE because I enjoy so much of it and want more. 

Anyway, this was too many words to say, “Fic writers are big sad dramatic puppies who need attention and pets”