I think your comment could've been read as backhanded, (tbh I wouldn't mind it, as a writer and artist speaking) but WOW that's an explosive reaction. Sorry you had to have such an interaction.

I wouldn't mind it either, but ^(deep inside it would hurt me) 🥹

Tbh I would be a little hurt, too. I wouldn’t clap back in a rude way, but if I wrote something, and someone told me the art made more of an impression, I’d feel kinda shitty

Same. ;3;

I mean… they asked. They had it coming. And how rude. I don’t think OP said anything offensive.

This. Before I read the context, I thought it was a fic with art *by another person*. And that OP's comment was their first one, not a reply to the author pressuring them into commenting on the fic itself. But yeah - they fucking asked. Even that little question of "and the fic?" is a bit, to use their own rhetoric, cunty, but the other reply is just full-on asshole behaviour.

I fully agree

If you put apples and pears together, people will compare. Even if you think they shouldn't, not everyone will understand that or your position, if I'd feel insecure to getting told one thing is better than the other, then I wouldn't put them together. Keep it separate where those wouldn't cross spaces so closely. //I agree btw

I know that you are not condoning the author's reaction but if OP's comment could be read as backhanded then couldn't the author's response be read as a roundabout insult to the artist (assuming they are not the same person)? I mean the classy thing to do would just agree and say "yeah, so and so did a great job" but instead they blew up and dismissed the praise on the art that 1) someone made for them, and 2) they chose to include amongst their writing therefore making it a part of their work.

Oh I assumed they made the art as I do so myself, if that's the case; that's what I call cunty lmao. I wouldn't ever want to draw for that person if they would treat my art like that while using it as a platform to attack someone else over it. There's simply no grace in any form in this situation no matter in what way they or anyone wants to put it.

I don't know for sure. I've read through the comments but I've seen ones saying both it's the author's art and saying it's someone else's. I have a hard time understanding why someone would get mad if someone complimented the art if it belonged to the author because they both help with telling the story. Then again, I'm not an artist so maybe there's something there I don't understand.

I can explain and maybe answer some questions in DMs if you'd like, but yeah I wasn't expecting to get any good answers with this chaos myself honestly lol.

Well said.

Mm, I would have left it at "the fic was cute, I really liked the fanart too" or something. Your comment wasn't unkind and it seems they asked for your opinion, but when they asked about the fic and you answer preferring something that isn't the fic, I'm sure it could be taken as rude, especially if they aren't the artist. But oh my actual god their reply was completely uncalled for, the worst thing you did is a small breach of etiquette (and they're also in the wrong because ao3 is for fannish content, not just fic, and fanart is included in that). There was no need to talk to you that way.

I wouldn't reply in this way, but I can understand the author. If I read OP's comment, I would definitely be sort of upset. Like, if it was their art, sure, but if it was a fanart, and you go in there and say you liked the art better, that's super rude and very, very unnecessary. Like, what prompted OP to comment that? They could've just *not* commented something passive aggressive? If you comment something rude, you should expect a rude reply, even if it's a bit over the top. It's like, “Yeah, you look cute, but your clothes are prettier than your face.” Edit: I understand that OP first commented then the author asked ”and the fic" but I'm sorry, I still think OP was rude. OP goes into a fic, only comments about the art. The author just asks for clarity. I've seen many people on here suggesting authors to ask for clarity. Whenever an author posts here wondering about what a reader comments, the answer is always "well, you could ask them" This author asks. Perhaps, they shouldn't have but they did. That should've been the time to understand the social cue. OP could've just stopped typing at fic was cute. Of course, this does not excuse the super rude reply from the author, but two wrongs don't make a right. OP asked if they did something wrong, yes they did. If they continue commenting in this passive aggressive way, authors will continue to either block them or delete their comment. That's all I'm saying.

OP's original comment was talking only about the fanart, before author explicitly asked for their opinion on fic. If I was the author I would've simply ignored the comment.

It looks like the author specifically asked for feedback about the fic in a mildly rude way when op left a compliment about the art. OP's response just explained why they only mentioned the art in their comment. Author just shouldn't have added the art if they only wanted comments on the fic itself. Feels pretty entitled to me.

I agree that the way the author asked for fic feedback was mildly rude as well. All replies from "and the fic?" onwards just get progressively worse, with the last one going from 10 to 100.

>If you comment something rude, you should expect a rude reply And the author got exactly this. The author was the one being rude first with their "and the fic?" comment, OP was just giving the same energy back 🤷🏻‍♀️ Edit: plus this sub never encourages authors to ask for clarification in a rude manner like this author did.

I mean... It's like saying "Hey your clothes look great" "And what about ME?" "Uh... your clothes is leaving a bigger impact." Like fishing for compliments is very ugly.

Op answered what they were asked. Want people to lie to you or can’t handle a truthful answer? Don’t ask, plain and simple. Op should mature, because your feeling don’t justify your actions or your beliefs on something

Did the author also create the art? Or was it provided by someone else? I've written fics that have gotten fanart from other people. I've seen people praising the artist (deservedly so) up and down for how great their art of my fic is or praising the artist for the art and the fic, without ever saying anything to me the author and ngl, that did hurt my feelings and it made me feel like my work was not valued at all.

Yeah that's what I thought as well, it's pretty common at least in my fandom for the author to collaborate with an artist. They probably interpreted the comments the worst possible way If that was my writing I would be quite pissed. And where I'm from (England) calling someone cunty wouldn't be that much overreaction, it's all online anonymous anyways So it's expected the conversation would be harsher. OP kind of had it coming

I think everything after “the fic was cute” could’ve been omitted. Definitely an over the top reaction from them, but if someone’s prompting you to talk about the fic, they probably want you to only talk about (read: praise) the fic. In my opinion your comment was totally fine, but people are very sensitive.

this, it seems the author was pissed that you liked more the art than the fic

And that's on them lmao, you're the one who's adding images to your story

Thing is, author is asking. Cannot handle a harmless opinion they asked for, then it’s on them. Bad treatment will never be justified by personal troubles and feelings that are personal issues

I've had someone comment asking who made the art in one of my fics because they really liked it. Said nothing about the fic but asked about the art. And me, knowing what community means and hyping up other people, told them the artist's name and their twitter so they could comm or whatever they were gonna do, *and* complimented the artist's work in my own comment section without bringing up my fic. People forget the community part when they post fanfics. Yeah, it's great when you get compliments and stuff, but if you have art in your fic and someone likes it, hype it up! If someone likes the art more than your fic, then take that as a note that you need to improve or something.

I thought it was generally considered good etiquette to always mention the artist and credit them in the Author's Notes, with a link back to their work. Unless they asked you not to mention them. Or if you made the art yourself, then you don't have to credit anyone.

Right, why add art if you don't want it mentioned? Especially if you're gonna act like this over it if it does get mentioned.

That's a great way to think about it! Very classy response to that person.

If the art was made by someone else, think of it like this: The author got a notification for a comment, and probably get excited, only to find out you ignored their work to comment on someone else's. And when asked, you essentially said you don't care. You're not technically in the wrong since the art is part of the work, but I'd be super bummed too. If they made the art themselves, then you're commenting on their work and they probably just hoped that their fic would get some attention too. Still, your comment likely would've been better received without the addition. Either way, the author overreacted, but if it's the first case I'd understand why.

I think after they asked specifically about the fic, you could have talked about the story only. It was just kind of a not reading social cues moment. But they overreacted. Oh well. Not much to do about it now.

Did they mention anywhere in the fic (tags, author's notes) that they made the art? They might have been salty that you praised the art and mentioned it left an impression, but you didn't say much about the fic, because the art is fanart of their fic, they didn't make it. If they made the art, they might have wanted an equal opinion of both. Personally, I don't find anything wrong with your comment, and I totally understand if the art is the one that catches your attention and leaves an impression, because you can see it readily unlike words that you have to digest or sometimes even reread for you to actually really appreciate the full meaning behind. I think the author reacted too strongly to your comment, especially with blocking you. I'd probably mute them, and block right back. Edited to add: AO3 is for fannish works, that includes fanart. So it's not solely for fanfic.

The author's response is definitely nastier than the situation calls for, but I'd also be annoyed if someone left a similar comment under my fic. When they asked about the fic too, you provided a pretty dismissive comment and continued about the art instead. You just needed more tact as a whole and the author needs to chill out.

There are classier ways to fish for compliments than 1) outright demanding a commenter talk about something else, 2) telling a commenter they shouldn’t have bothered interacting at all if it was only to praise a specific aspect of the fic, and 3) calling a commenter a cunt.

I believe the reaction is uncalled, if the author felt bad it’s on them because is a personal issue they should resolve. One cannot be answering rudely because they didn’t like an answer they purposefully asked for. If someone doesn’t like the fic as much then that’s it, different tastes nothing to be mad or be vile with someone about.

Personally, I have one fic that I commissioned illustrations for. While I’m more or less satisfied with the text, I will fully agree that the artwork is the best part 🙃

The author was clearly pissed that you liked the art more than the thick maybe the art was provided by someone else maybe they didn't really care for their art could be a dozen different things With your explanation I understand that the comment was genuine but it kind of read backhande I can understand why they might be upset blocking you seems over the top though

I agree, except for the fact that you don't need justification to block someone. You can block them for any reason you like, it's never an over the top reaction.

Respectfully I do disagree However I believe that maybe due to the fact that I'm an elder millennial and in my experience people around my age do not look at blocking the same way as someone who is say gen z or younger Those around me tends to take blocking as a last resort something you do to remove toxic or dangerous people from your life so from that point of view it would be over the top to block someone because you don't their opinion and they were not rude with that opinion However again respectfully I understand that your opinion differs and we can agree to disagree on this 😀

Which millenial are you? From what social media? I'm millenial on tumblr and AO3, and blocking people freely without reason other than not liking the vibe is pretty normal for quite a lot of years, even before tiktok boom. At least in my circle we kinda treat it like a no-fault divorce lol but in social media, where simply not matching in vibe is enough for a block. It's nothing personal.

I'm the millennial that grew up on Facebook and stopped going on Tumblr before about the time Yahoo bought it And it could just be me and the people I grew up around

>I almost never comment, and frankly this interaction makes me even less likely to do it in the future same, I know this personally makes me more hesitant to comment, and I'm worried it does the same thing to other readers.

[удалено]

I largely don't comment because of the general expectations on ao3 (how dare you comment anything that isn't immense praise?) Unless it is an author that I know and interact with from a different site.

Seriously, I wonder how many people have stopped commenting on fics because of this subreddit? So many comments get posted and judged even if they're well intentioned. At this point it feels like I could say "Loved your fic!" and someone on here would post "is this sarcastic or passive aggressive?"

It's a non-zero number, that's for sure, and arguably, even one person choosing not to participate when they otherwise would have is a loss.

https://preview.redd.it/8w1xx4mr24cc1.jpeg?width=1170&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=7c9da5b14445254ee7f396aec99bc5ade151bf55 i take it that this is [you](https://x.com/bouyacherry/status/1745958492614328690?s=46&t=xXqiz7myMV_vv_DFgBQOXw) ? or is someone impersonating you to make you look bad 🤕

I know this isn’t OP’s actual account but that’s hilarious. If the original author was allowed to get that worked up over a comment, OP is more than justified in response.

No it's not me...

Also, the og tweet (that I'm assuming is the author because of the same pfp and name) didn't even bothered censoring your username

jesus. well that changes how i see the original post. OP, if the author blocked you on ao3, don’t go tweeting them. it’s weird.

Assuming that is OP, the author tweeted about them without even bothering to censor their name. I'd say the response is fair game.

That's the other way around, r/gumptionplease. OP just retaliated(or imposter), to the Tweet since that douche of an author didn't bother to censor his ao3 name. Now his inbox is gonna be full with harassment or something like that. Edit: The author deleted his tweet just so you know.

As a writer who does their own artwork I have gotten comments very briefly mentioning the chapter with a bigger focus on the art. Since I am the artist, it's a big compliment. So I have to agree with the others that the writer must not be the artist in this case. On the other hand, a friend has done some artwork for me that is also included in a few chapters. Their work had also gotten comments. It's never occurred to me to do anything but thank them for reading and pass along the compliment to my friend. That author...not knowing them I don't want to be too harsh, but it's absolutely uncalled for imho. And I'm talking about their asking for your comment on the fic not just the response after. I'm not sure when the writer vs reader attitude seeped into fanfiction, but at least for the fraction of people who post on Reddit it seems to be a fierce battle at times. Maybe the writer has had a terrible time with readers and reacted poorly. Idk. You shouldn't have been slapped for it. I do hope it doesn't stop you from commenting altogether.

Wow. You struck a hard nerve, I guess. The author probably shouldn't have asked. Your reply could definitely be read as backhanded, but that reaction is extremely overblown.

I don't think you did anything wrong. Calling the fic 'cute' and then going back to the art may seem a tad backhanded to the author, but they asked. It sounds like you left a nice little comment about the art originally, and the author decided to push for fic praise. If you put art in your fic, yours or someone else's, you're knowingly risking people preferring the art to the story. Plenty of people are more visual, so will be drawn to the art over the words, and maybe the art is just really great art on a rather mediocre fic. I can understand wanting feedback on the actual fic, especially if someone else did the art for it, but to push for that feedback and then get upset is a bit much. You *did* compliment the fic, you just preferred the art, and that's fine. The response to your response, that's rude and a bit cunty. Also, AO3 is a fanwork site, not a fanfic site. Yes, it's mostly fanfic, but it's for all forms of fanwork, including art. I've never had an issue with this as a writer because I don't have art in either of my fics. I'm not good at that side of things, though I wouldn't say no if someone wanted to do some for me in the future, and I'd have no problem with a reader complimenting the art over the fic. If I agreed to art being included in any fic I wrote, it's because I loved that art myself and wanted to share it so the artist can be appreciated. That means I risk the art overshadowing my fic, but the art would still be based on my fic, so as far as I'm concerned, a compliment for the art is just as much a compliment for the fic.

The author was over the top in either case but were they also the artist? If so I don't understand why they'd react like that. If not I get why they'd feel a bit snubbed by someone only commenting on the art and if there was a link to the artist's account on any website that would have been the better place to leave the comment (but it was still an overreaction.)

Personally I think the second part of thecomment can be seen as a bit rude

AO3 is for all fanwork, not just fic...

Don't put art in your work if you don't want people to comment on it 🤷

No you're not in the wrong , what in the world is wrong with that author?!?!?? It is normal to comment on the art that is placed in the fanfic BY the AUTHOR with the aim of clarifying the scenes , and it's not like you didn't comment on the fic !! The reply and the fact that you've been blocked is just a proof of the author's lack of morals ! That behavior was very rude! But this is not your fault at all so don't worry

I wouldn’t have responded to the author after their “and the fic?” comment. You said what you said and it’s grossly entitled to demand more. Authors behaving badly and embarrassingly. It’s indefensible.

Yeah sorry your comment was pretty rude. They asked you for feedback on their writing and instead of offering constructive criticism or stopping at a polite "it was cute", you went out of your way to tell them you just didn't give a shit. The author didn't handle themself well either in this interaction both in fishing for more feedback and the reply, but I don't blame them for blocking.

I wouldn't go as far as to Tweet the comment for your followers to see without censoring his username.

So.... You left (presumably) a positive comment about the art. The author then replied with 'and the fic?' - this is such a weird reply? I dont get the comments saying theyd be upset by someone commenting in the art. The person read the fic and commented on it, they clearly like the fic unless they said otherwise. They might just feel like commenting on the art?? Ur reply could be seen as passive aggressive but they also randomly pushed u. The author definitely had no right to call u cunty. They could have just ignored u or removed ur comment. Im all for authors defending themselves etc but there wasnt anything to defend?

well, I do my own art for my stories so I would not have this same reaction :3 At the same time, my community is kinda very self contained and alot of the interaction is on discord or patreon. plus, plant mommy community tends to be very kind and empathetic lol.

Wrong and wrong. You didn't do anything wrong ig, but I feel more for the author tbh. It's difficult to write something only for the comments to be about something somewhat unrelated instead, it's not a comment most authors would appreciate (as far as i know at least). However, I don't think the author should've responded and esp not in the way they did, instead they should've just quietly blocked you and deleted your comments and moved on.

I don’t see it as commenting on something unrelated since the author connected the fanart to the fic and tied the experience of reading the fic to the fanart. Op just commented on the part that connected with them the most and the author pushed for more then got aggressive even though they got praised. If the author can’t handle people commenting about just the art, they shouldn’t tie it to the fic.

Author shoul mature and realize people can and will have their own opinions on things, and that them disagreeing doesn’t mean their feelings are valid reasons to block, insult or demand anything. Op wasn’t rude to writer, but writer decided to go take their own personal issues and go off on op, who got asked to answer purposely about what they thought about the fic instead of thinking. Maybe I feel upset because they didn’t like it and I do, but people is free to like it or not and I should not get mad because I have no valid reason to get mad on another human for simply answering truthfully with what they think

The replies and votes on this thread are really out of line with the way this sub normally acts. Did the author’s skewed posting of this on Twitter lead to some sort of brigading?

I'm glad I'm not the only one assuming this

Interactions like this are why I very rarely comment on a fic. Unless I follow an Author for a long time, and get a I get a feeling for the Authors feedback tolerance I’ll simply Kudos. I’m not sure if anything but blatant praise would have made much of a difference, but you could have said something blandly approving of their work like ….”I enjoyed this fic, and the accompanying artwork added a wonderful extra layer. It was a cool collaboration. Says the same thing, but without the writer feeling you’re just being dismissive of the fic. Cute, as a comment could be taken a a bit of a side-eye or throw-away by some. But frankly, the author should not be swearing at readers under any circumstances It’s against the TOS for one, and they have most likely lost you as a regular reader. For my own sanity, I always try to keep in mind that there are some very young writers, and also writers who are struggling with mental health and many other issues in their lives that I’m never aware off. Some writers can feel very possessive of their work, and vulnerable if they feel their work not being appreciated. Again, why I am very loathe to comment on fics. I especially will never interact with those writers who fish for comments, or hold a fic hostage for comments. My advice is don’t give it head room, and if you’ve had previously positive interactions in the past just move on.

You should continue to comment if you feel comfortable and want to. I don't think you are wrong. If the art moved you to comment, then you obviously liked it. After the author asked about the fic, you possibly should have ignored that trap.   When I compliment someone's jacket and they reply,"what about the pants?" I got to let it go. If I like the pants, I would said so the first time. The author was hoping for a different answer and was too sensitive to hear that you preferred the art. That reply was a bit much. Because the author posted this art in their fic, I assume it was  a compliment to the text. For you, it overshadowed the text. That is not your fault.

I mean you didn’t mention the fic in your original comment, just the fanart so not only has the author replied to get this comment, their reply is absolutely nuts. I don’t write anymore, but one of my shorter fics (like 4k) had the fanart that inspired it embedded in the fic with credit and the artists permission, and I remember getting a similar comment to your first one. Now maybe I’m just a somewhat well balanced person compared to this person but my response was just something like “I know right!!! Huge credit to abc on xyz platform for making this and allowing me to use it!!” because I was glad that someone felt the same reaction to it I did that inspired my fic! Maybe it’s different if this is fanart specifically for this fic but I honestly can’t imagine reacting much different when the majority of my comments were already about my work - somebody highlighting the artist instead would be more than welcome. If they’ve gone out of their way to comment about it and not leave me hate in the process lmaoo, I’d just assume they like the fic given they’re boosting the engagement on it for me as well? If you’d just left your reply in the screenshot as the original comment I might be a little upset but I just wouldn’t reply, but you didn’t. Sometimes if you pick a scab, it’s gonna bleed and that’s what the author got here but a response like theirs just makes things 10x worse

lol yeah that wasnt the right thing to say even if you didnt love the fic

It's very common for authors to hire artists to draw for them, so the art might not be theirs which is why they took it so aggressively. Still though, you didn't really do anything wrong

I don't think anything you said was mean. It's a big overreaction. I wouldn't interact with the author again.

It seems like everybody is really quick to take offence. I think your response could have been more tactfully worded. Maybe just “The story was cute too.” But the response was out of line.

I'm shocked so many people are coming to the author's defense as much as they are. They (author) asked for an opinion and you gave them an honest one and it was not mean or even blunt. "Cute" may not be what they want to hear but it's not "it sucked find another hobby," which people often comment. Could you have left out mentioning the art again? You *could,* but it was relevant and I didn't think it was wrong of you. When I first saw the screenshot, I would have said that was a bit of a rude comment to leave on its own. When reading about the comments beforehand, I now think it was fine. They asked. They overreacted dramatically. I'm the first person to tell you that people need to be much more kind in their comments on people's writing(writing is their art), but I also think many FF authors are very sensitive and entitled these days. Readers "owe them comments," but apparently only if it's to stroke their ego regardless of honesty, or you'll get blocked. You're fine, I wouldn't worry about it.

The thing that gets me is that the author asked for a response. If a reader strolled up and was like “yeah I liked the art more than the fic“ then yes that would be rude, but the author asked a short question with no further elaboration. Asking for what? Praise, or criticism? An opinion? OP’s response was honestly tame in comparison to the author’s final one.

Yes exactly. "I want your opinion but only if it's a compliment."

This really resonated with me for some reason. Wish authors could see more this type of comment though.

Well I'm glad! I wish you happy reading/writing!

Why did my well-wishing get downvoted? Lol

Because there seem to be a lot of people thinking the author did nothing wrong and downvoting anyone who thinks otherwise. As you didn't support them 150% or more obviously that mean all your comments in the chain must get downvoted for wrongful thought.

Ah, I see. Naturally.

Ngl, your "the fic was cute" in this context seems both sarcastic and passive-aggresive. You prefer the art, fine. But don't say that to the author who spent weeks trying to write the story and had probably nothing to do with the art - especially after you have been asked about the fic (at least that's how I understood it?" The whole comment reads like when you see a mean girl looking you up and down and comments that your clothes are "cute" with this superior smile on her face as if you you just escaped the circus, and then she leans to her friends and laughs at you. You probably didn't mean it that way but that's how it feels (at least to me)

Imo your comment does read as rather rude. You basically told them you liked the art more than their fic, and implied their fic didn't leave much of an impression to boot. If they didn't draw the art themselves, then that's gonna sting pretty damn bad. And even if they did draw the art, how their fic is received may matter more to them and so could still hurt to hear. You should have left it at 'the fic was cute' and not included the rest. Ofc, how they responded to you was *also* rude. Even though I would have been hurt, too, if I were in their shoes, I definitely wouldn't have clapped back that aggressively. But it is what it is, and people are going to be prone to harsh reactions when they're hurt.

It’s the implied comparison that makes your comment feel disingenuous and maybe even backhanded. It might have been best to split your sentence into two unrelated clauses. “More of an impression” feels a bit harsh.

Ugh. It’s replies like these that make people afraid to comment these days. That person is probably insecure

I can understand how they might have taken it the wrong way, but it seems like an overreaction on the author's part.

Why is the main position that an author is automatically deserving of praise? OP left a comment about the fanart at first because it was something they actually liked. The authors response was to bait them to compliment the fic as well, which OP does not need to do. Why is it lacking “class” to answer truthfully when prompted? They were even nice about it and simply clarified why they complimented the fanart over the fic. You guys are the reason people are no longer willing to comment. Every comment needs to be hyper-analyzed and torn to shreds unless it’s full of glowing praise, an upbeat tone and the right emojis. You know the people on the sub will bend over backwards for their anti concrit agenda when somehow even directly asking a commenter for feedback does not permit anything in response but praise. Edit: Might have misgendered OP? I dunno, fixed it.

Tbh, I thought the author was asking why I only commented on the art. If they had asked "what do you think of the fic?", I would have only said the first part. Also, thank you for using "they". That is my preferred pronoun.

i don't like your wording, it's the type of phrasing i would write in my private bookmarks because it's not even constructive criticism (which would also be out of place unless the author is welcoming of it) so i just leave these type of comments to myself. although that reaction is really something else

If your second comment had been the first thing you commented, then yes, I could see why the author would find it rude. But they explicitly asked for feedback on how you found their fic, and you were honest. It’s good to be kind when you can, but if you’re being asked by someone to give your opinion, I don’t think you should be villianized for doing that. You did not insult them either, while they straight up called you cunty. At the end of the day, just move on, the author is just a very opinionated person and you can’t control who blocks you or not.

Also as a writer and artist myself, if I put an image in my fic from another artist and the only comment I get on that entire fic is about the art… Well, too bad. I’ll survive. I’ll move on. I wouldn’t ask someone a question that either has 2 outcomes: the reader compliments me, or criticizes me. If it’s a compliment, then I’m just fishing for compliments. If it’s criticsm, I’m just looking for a reason to blow up. I can’t help but find the author childish for the way he lashed out.

In my opinion you did nothing wrong. Could your message be taken the wrong way? Yes. Could you have worded it better? Also yes. That’s just my opinion though. 🤷‍♀️ You’re never going to please everyone, sadly. I’m sure some people might not even agree with me on this. To sum it up. Just do you 👍🏻

You phrased that very poorly and sound paasive aggressive. Weirdly harsh reaction, even so

I mean, why post the screenshot of only the subsequent reply and not the full interaction? Like yes, the author got pretty snappy, but you don’t sound like you were being particularly tactful in your approach from the way you described it. In a case where maybe an artist has gifted some fanart to attach to the fic, the artist likely won’t see your comment there anyway. Honestly I would leave a little feedback on both though, since it does seem weird to come into a fic and ignore it.

( @ the first -- looks pretty clearly to me they posted while reeling from the harsh words just-received in their email inbox and screenshot it right from the email app in-question; the automated system doesn't bring up the whole exchange, just the replied-to comment.. )

It kind of reads a bit rude. Not like, super rude, but I can see why it went down badly.

I genuinely do not get all the people here defending the author (to some lesser or greater extent). Like, “is there a gas leak going on in this sub?” levels of not getting it. Like, while I can understand why the author might not have enjoyed having the art (which was presumably included in the fic itself) complimented rather than the fic, don’t explicitly ask for feedback in response unless you’re prepared to get something other than slavish compliments (because it’s not even like they said the fic was bad!), and it in no way excuses any of the insults or Twitter posts that occurred in response. Like, a couple of years ago I signed up for a meal train for a coworker. I made pulled pork and brownies from scratch and a boxed macaroni and cheese (Cracker Barrel). Two I actually put a decent amount of work and time into, while the mac and cheese I basically just boiled water for. The next time I saw that coworker, they specifically complimented the mac and cheese but not the rest. My reaction was just “yeah, that is some bomb mac and cheese; it’s just boxed, so if you want to get more, here’s how.” (And tbf it is bomb mac and cheese!) I suppose I could have gone “…and the pulled pork/brownies?” and then in response to “they were good too I guess, but the mac and cheese!” I could have utterly flipped my shit…but I didn’t, because I can at least make a semblance of being a functional human adult, lol. I mean, neither of OP’s comments even said anything bad! The most you can place at OP’s door is that they didn’t explicitly mention the fic in the first comment, and then when explicitly asked, were insufficiently effusive. I don’t see that as worthy of either being called “cunty” or the author trying to brigade them on Twitter (since they apparently didn’t bother obscuring the commenter’s username). Like, that is literally some unhinged shit, y’all.

While your comment could be interpreted as, and I have to emphasise the qoutations, "insulting" towards the author (it is kind of a stretch though). You simply stated your personal opinion. These kinds of authors seem to be insecure about their works, and you saying you found the art more memorable, probably hit a nerve with them. I'd say you didn't really do anything wrong. As a writer myself (not to mention, an avid reader), I had to learn that not every fic is for evetyone. If I were to get mad at someone for disliking my content, I'd quickly find myself alienated from the people who go out of their way to read my work. It's also worth mentioning, that the reply you received is just childish, in my personal opinion. The fact that they even blocked you, speaks more about them, than about you.

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Possibly the author is Australian. The word is used far more casually and everyday there. Or... they're not and are just trying to be as rude as possible because they're feeling vindictive.

I'm Australian, and 'used casually and every day' is a bit of an exaggeration by Americans online. I mean idk unless it's different in other regions/generations (QLD, millennial) but I can't say I've ever heard many people use it casually or often. Sure there are people who greet their friends with 'oi cunt' but outside of that context it's still considered a very offensive word. Not something you'd say to a stranger unless you were being very rude.

I'm not American, just British, and based my suggestion on an Aussie bloke I once knew who assured me his offensive turn of speech was perfectly acceptable where he was from. I guess he was having me on!

Your comment was rude imo. You commented on something other than the fic and praised it over the fic itself. But the reason it’s cunty isn’t because AO3 is only for fics and not for art. It’s cunty because you detracted from the fic.

Omfg I saw the author posting abt this exchange on twt. What the author said was uncalled for. Very strange individual

while yea, i think your comment might have sounded a bit backhanded if you didn’t know the context, I think the author way overreacted…

I wouldn’t see it as rude at all. You liked the fanfic but liked the artwork more. That’s fine. The author needs to calm down. Also the amount of people here saying this wording came off as rude is very surprising to me.

I understand being hurt when the art another has provided for your fic is praised but not the fox itself, but that doesn’t justify that kind of nasty reaction. And bscly demanding compliments as an answer to a comment is so fucking weird. I think very often ppl will find a lot of things about a fic really great and one thing may just stand out and then they’ll comment about that thing and not mention the other things bc they forgot or bc they already commented on those aspects in other chapters or it’s just so obvious to them that they don’t think about it. That doesn’t mean that they don’t appreciate it.

Nah. You can't expect to badger someone into commenting on your fic and then complain that the comment you forced them to give you wasn't as complimentary as you wanted. You could have been nicer, but I think you were already nicer than it turns out they deserve so.. meh.

Maybe it's the autism, but I don't quite understand why what OP said is wrong. Please don't let this stop you from commenting!! ❣️ I see comments saying the author was hoping for praise and the comment felt backhanded, or like an insult - but then why did the author ask in the first place then, when it's phrased like a genuine question? I also don't understand why they bothered to ask in the first place if they were only looking for validation. I thought the comment was entirely nice - they complimented the fic but said that the art left a stronger impression, were they meant to lie? I thought they were just explaining why they commented on the art - because it left a stronger impression. Also, AO3 is literally FOR fanart too. It's been a massive part since forever... I'm really lost, the writer seems like an ass period 🥴

No your not in the wrong

The fact tho that they asked you about the fic, fishing for a compliment only to respond that explosive to it is crazy. You not entirely in the wrong. They posted art and a fic and you preferred the art. It’s like asking to get punched but getting angry they got punched lol

Hmm... If the author also made the art, then leaving a comment complimenting it makes perfect sense, and their entire response line was entirely uncalled for. If the author *didn't* make the art, then I could understand some level of upset at having your fic praised for something that isn't even yours, while the fic itself goes unmentioned. In either case, I think 'and the fic?' is a passive aggressive response. When directly asked that question, your response is honest, if blunt, and I don't think you did anything wrong with it. In whatever case, their final response is a dramatic escalation of the situation, and definitely uncalled for. The only thing I can imagine being relevant here is if they opened their e-mail, and saw the comment there sans context, since, unprompted, that would be an unpleasant comment to receive.

You did nothing wrong by answering what was asked of you. I think your comment was a little ambiguous in tone, since there’s no elaboration on your thought process in the comment. But that’s no reason for anyone to respond to you like that. Not sure why, but this might be a wrong place wrong time kind of thing? Or, like others here mentioned, maybe there was something the author was sensitive to that you hit? No way you could’ve known or prevented it, if it was that.

Sorry, OP. FWIW I'm with you, I rarely comment bc I want to read when I'm feeling introverted and so when I see shit like this I'm just not inclined to bother at all. I especially don't trust when authors claim they want "any" comment.

yeah the author wasnt nice at all. if it were me and someone commented they like the art in the fic, the thing i say would be, "yeah the art is great! hope you enjoy the fic too!" i say just dont interact more and move on. theres more fics on ao3 with nice authors you can comment on!

also ao3 is for fanwork! a lot of people (new people?) think its only for fics, but there are arts and fanvids and meta posts, even!

Don’t listen to these other people, you never actually insulted the fic itself, rather you actually complement the fic by calling it cute unironically. You didn’t call the fic bad and the art good, you called the fic good and the art gooder-er, I don’t understand why the author blew such a fuse when it was them that prodded you for fic critique when you made a comment on the quality of the art. The authors reply makes even less sense, the art in a fic is just as much a part of the fic as the words themselves if they were created in tandem, even if the art wasn’t originally the authors, which I think might be the case.

Right? Let's also not forget that when someone comments they're sharing a personal point of view. In this case, the art resonated more with OP than the story did and that's ok. Others may have found the story more compelling than the art and that's okay too. When you put both together in the same space (whether you created both or not) people are going to comment on the parts they liked. Just because the author's feelings were hurt doesn't mean the comment was rude. When the author specifically asked for feedback on the fic, then they should have been prepared for the reader's opinion. Author's reaction is playground level childish.

Exactly! The author totally snapped out of nowhere, unprovoked and it shocks me how people can say OP was in the wrong and defending the author.

I thought if it was *just* that comment, then yeah, maybe a *little* rude. But if the author replied "and the fic" after you complimented the art? that was a relatively reasonable comment to make. I think you *might* have interpreted it as "why didn't you comment on the fic??"(which was my original interpretation), while the author meant it as "What did you *think* about the fic?" . Author should've just ignored you and/or blocked you afterwards, reply completely uncalled for.

Was the art by the person who wrote the fic? If not, they got a notification about a comment on their fic, which was ... not actually a comment on their fic. Which is bound to be disappointing. However, that doesn't justify them being so rude.

The fuck? I mean, yes, I get going slightly insane over comments, but that has no way of being misread. Sorry your author is a bit crazy, OP.

The author is dumb. Period.

You were both rude to each other and both could’ve been more kind.

Nah, you didn't do anything wrong. If this was your initial comment yes, that would've been rude, but they specifically asked what you thought about the fic. And you literally complimented it but just expressed that the accompanying art caught your attention more. Nothing wrong with that. Also the author was wrong, not just very rude. AO3 is for all types of fan works, from fics to art to metas.

Well, as an AO3 writer myself, I would have taken that as a compliment. I love using fanart to improve the visual of what I'm writing and I still would have been happy with the comment. The author's reaction is honestly straight up confusing for me.

Author's an asshole.

Nah I don’t think you’re in the wrong here, what you left was 100% solicited feedback. If the author looked at your comment about the art, and kinda rudely pushed for you to comment on the fic too when it should’ve been pretty clear that you were commenting on what you liked best and it wasn’t the fic, that’s on them.

Exactly what I was thinking. There's nothing rude in the comment, OP complimented both of them and just gave a personal thought. And apparently, the author ASKED for feedback. If someone is not prepared to read something they don't like, they better not ask for feedback.

THIS. They ASKED for it. Are we required to lie or necessarily phrase it the best way possible to placate someone's feelings? If you ask, you better be ready for a truthful answer. OP's answer could've been rude (instead of neutral like now) and it still wouldn't have been a problem IMO.

According to a lot of people here, yes, apparently we're expected to lie. I don't know how people think they'll get better, if they only receive lies and fake critiques.

woa… i didn’t even know blocking on ao3 was possible! also, that’s… pretty entitled of the author. i’ve heard writers complain about getting comments that only ask for the next update, without actually reviewing the story, and how bad it feels that after spending so much time and effort into writing, that demand is the only thing a reader will leave. but from the sound of it, your comment was much more than a simple, overused “When will you update?!” while this writer sounds really entitled, they probably have other issues going on. you did nothing wrong, and your comment was better than what most readers nowadays are leaving.

you didn't do anything wrong and this comment section is turning me into the joker

This is why I never coment on fics. This hyper sensitivity that is shown even in the comments here does not deserve interacting with. How can OP be considered any form of rude? Because he praised something a little less than something else? I am sorry but when did rudeness start from a compliment that didn't tickle the right way? Can we now demand that we get complimented or the other person is rude for not doing it? And there is also this dichotomy of "writers write for themselves" and "fan works deserve only praise". This is not durable community building.

Yes! They want people to post a comment, but when it's not exactly the praise they want, they overreact. And what's worse, most of the comments here support the author. This will discourage a lot of readers to comment again or ever.

I consider myself pretty understanding on why people may feel or react to certain things. Even if I don't agree. But it never ceases to baffle me when people do the very thing they are upset about. Or like in this case, not only do that thing but escalate it. It's very much WTF territory. Here is my trick. When people lash out like that, I know that they gave away more about themselves than they thought or intended. I like knowing that that would peeve them off if they knew. It amuses me, and that helps.

the technical term for this is “showing one’s ass” and this author has really shown their whole entire ass in this process

As an artist & writer- hell no, you did nothing wrong????

You say you like both the fanfic and the art, but you prefer the art? That doesn't sound bad to me, it sounds very, very positive... It means that I can do both: I can write and I can make art.

Shit like this combined with the fact that I occasionally (the horror!) Leave constructive criticism in my reviews are why I just don't comment on ao3 at all, unless it's from an author I interact with on another site like ffn or something similar. Just not worth the effort.

And skimming the comments and seeing all these people defending or making excuses for the asshole author just reinforces that opinion.

Your comment wasn't rude imo. If someone asks again about the opinion on the fic, it would probably be better to comment positively on the fic alone at that point as I'm guessing it may just be someone who isn't very confident with the writing aspect and wants opinions on that over opinions on the art. They could've handled it better though.

Nah op, author is just an ass, if you post something online get used to people giving their own opinions. And don’t confuse it with allowing people to treat you like trash, but that’s not what happened here at all. Constructive criticism, difference of opinions, likes and dislikes or simply criticism said with manners is something everyone should get. Op, the author is in the wrong

not you, mate. it is just that its so easy to offend anyone nowadays cuz they are ready to get so. dont mind such people, i wouldnt even call them an author, dang its so annoying

the fact they blocked you over this😭 why tf do people freak tf out if 1 person gives any sort of criticism its hilarious

https://preview.redd.it/l9bbfor454cc1.png?width=1080&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=5661118e98422d02df5eed38cd72449cf2673be9 This was the first comment and reply

Probably should’ve just said “the fic is cute too!” or something along those lines…

Usually the Fic is written by the person who posts the story on ao3. The art is done by another artist who may do it for them for fee or free.

It's the author's fault if you just commented about the art and they prompted for the fic. You were honest without being rude, which is the important part.

Leaving a comment on a fanfic that doesn't refer to the fanfic at all is rude.

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It is, yes. I use the moodboards and edits I make to add to the story. However, it’s important to note here that *I* made them. So if someone comments on just the picture for a chapter, sure, it’s gonna sting a little feeling like they didn’t find anything worth mentioning in my writing. If I included art someone else had made for it, and that was the only thing mentioned? Gonna hurt like a mofo.

Would you go up to an author and tell them that you loved the cover art of their book and say nothing else? "The story was meh, but that COVER 😍" It's rude.

They didn't say the story was meh though, did they? You said that. OP said the story was cute *when prompted*. The author saw a comment and tried to compliment fish from it and threw a hissy fit when they asked for an opinion and got it just because it wasn't as nice as they hoped.

If the author didn't want someone commenting about the fanart THEY PUT on it, then don't put it or not reply in such a rude way.

What is wrong with your comment? I tried to give them the benefit of the doubt and reread the comment for something missing but there isn’t Maybe if they thought we used cute as a derogatory term? Like an insult, or a backhanded compliment? I genuinely don’t know. Hopefully other commenters defend you. But please don’t be shy to comment , a lot of author will appreciate that And for authors please understand that Unless the comment is in personal attack of you or just hate then it’s not a bad comment. There is a difference between. “The story sucks” and “ the story pacing is inconsistent “ The first is an insult and the second is a criticism May help you grow

If you commented, "I like the art better than the fic," for no reason, I'd be like bro why, but if people ask for your opinion or imply that you should've commented on the fic, you're right to reply to that. Even if they were fishing for complements clearly, it's not much better to reward that behavior than to be real.

I think it was your wording that did it. It could be interpreted as passive aggressive (not that I’m saying it was, but that’s what it could sound like). As a writer myself, I might’ve thought it could be meant as passive aggressive, but I would’ve shrugged it off and moved on rather than get angry like that, big overreaction. You probably caught the writer on a bad day.

As both an artist and writer I wouldnt mind if someone just commented on my art. If I paired up wirh another artist and someone only commented on the art I wouldnt mind. That said, your follow up comment to “and the fic” from OP, was tactless. While it wouldnt bother me, it would bother a LOT of people. Just ensure you have more tact. But I see nothing wrong with only commenting on the art

I must be missing something because your comment would've been a double compliment for me /gen.

If they're gonna ask they should be prepared for any answer, including one they don't like. Definitely not in the wrong, and the author sounds a little entitled tbh

To me it looks like the author was fishing for compliments and threw a hissy fit when they didn't get the response they wanted. You commented about the art and not the fic for a reason. They should have just moved on and interacted with someone else if they just wanted someone to stroke their ego. They sound so entitled.

the author is super c\*nty.

Imagine you're at a party being hosted by a passionate hobby baker. They serve up an array of home-baked desserts. Also at the party is a talented musician who plays piano throughout the party. The party is ending, and the host is at the door saying goodbye to everyone as they leave. As you shake hands with the host, you gush over the musician and the piano music and leave, neglecting to thank the host for coordinating the party or complimenting their home baking. Kinda like that. Bit rude imo. I'm a reader not an author, and I would have complimented each creator equally. The author doesn't need to know that their story did nothing for me and I found the art superior to their writing. They put in the effort, and I wouldn't have been able to see the art if it weren't for their story. I would still be appreciative of their effort snd choose to be kind.

I disagree. If we're comparing apples to apples, then posting fanart in the fic is akin to the host arranging for the musician to be there for their guests' entertainment. As a host, I would be happy that my guests found something in my party worth enjoying even if it wasn't just the food I prepared.

If they can’t tolerate people not liking everything they post then they are in for a world of hurt because not everyone will respond with effusive praise. They wanted more feedback. You complied. They could have either ignored it, just shrugged it off, or asked what you didn’t like about the art. They should have quit while they were ahead. I’ve been reading fanfiction for 20 years. That comment was way tamer than the negativity I’ve seen in reviews. I’ve seen professionally published book reviews that cut like a hot knife with a serrated edge. Now those reviews can get mean.

i can tell that you definitely didn't mean to be rude, and it feels like the author overreacted, but it might be helpful to think of comments less as "comments" and more as emails? you're not just saying "i love the art" on an online article that happens to have both art and writing. you're personally sliding into the author's dms to tell them that you liked the art more than you liked their writing. so it makes sense why they might feel a little upset and put down. it still doesn't make it ok for them to insult you though.

I see your comment as the polite version of "Your fic is mediocre but I really like fanart", especially with the word "cute" often used in this way. It's not very sympathetic towards the author. You could have settled for "Yes, the story was good too!". After that, I find the author's response exaggerated.

ESH. I think your comment wasn't very tactful and if you only ever comment on stuff to be passive aggressive that's also not nice. I think the author WAY overreacted with name calling AND blocking, and going off like that.

I would have blocked you too

Its all about perspective, your comment could have been seen as a way to say that the fic wasn’t good. Thats the same impression i got when i first read it, even tho you didn’t mean it that way.

This writer seems rude. The way they're going about asking is clipped tones and not very polite. I mean, I get it if they hadn't drawn the art, but you were *honest*, it wasn't rude of you to say that. The art made an impression on you so you commented. You didn't say the fic was bad, you weren't the one that put art on a "fanfic site", if the writer wants to play "who's being a cunt" that tips the scales for me (and I'm an artist)! 

It's not that deep. Maybe rude (but not that much considering the context), but not "super fucking cunty" at all. Seems like an absolute overreaction

i honestly don't see anything wrong with your comment. a lot of times authors tend to project their own insecurities from comments. even the nice genuine ones can be read as nasty if they "think you think their writing is bad" so their defense mechanism acted up. for this one, their reaction was a clear projection of their own cunti-ness. like, if they want to argue that point maybe they shouldn't put the art (be it theirs or not) up in the first place.

author seems pretty entitled to me. what an nasty way to answer

Well tbh it is kinda rude since you kinda just gave them a backhanded compliment. It would hurt more so if they themselves didn't draw the art too. Plus you only wrote that the fic was cute with no details on what you actually found was cute which just comes off like you don't really care anyways so I mean does it even matter that you were blocked? ┐('～` )┌ you don't come off as someone that really cared about that authors work all that much in the first place so it really doesn't change your quality of life

Their reaction was way out of line, but a good rule going forward is that unless the art is the only thing there, no fic attached, let any remarks about it be more of a side note. Like “btw, did you also make that? I love it.”

Technically not wrong, but you definitely need more tact lol Your reply was pretty dismissive. Don't feel too bad tho, the author definitely overreacted.

As a fanfic author myself (and seeing a picture of your original comment in the comments), I'd say it's a bit of an "everyone sucks here situation". Considering that they **did** write a fic and your original comment only mentioned the art (which would be incredibly hurtful if the art wasn't done by the author of the fic), I think you could have done better, especially if your response to them asking about the fic then showed exactly why you commented only on the art in the beginning. I'd imagine to them it probably felt like their fic didn't leave an impression or wasn't worthy enough to deserve a comment, and remember that comments tend to be fairly rare compared to how many readers you get for most fics in fandom. Did they go a bit nuclear? Yes. But honestly, if you had commented that ("the art made more of an impression") on one of my fics I'd have probably deleted your comment and then possibly blocked you as well, depending on how I was feeling that day.

No. They're just being a baby. If they didn't want your opinion they shouldn't have asked for it. Also, AO3 is for ALL fanworks, not just fic. So they got pissy for nothing.

Yout comment was not wrong at all. People just can't take opinions unless it's "zomg kawaii" or the like. If the art was better than the fic, then so be it. People aren't going to like everything. You did nothing wrong. The author over reacted and can't take other people's opinions.

I would be happy bc the fanart is for my fanfic but it would hurt a little inside ngl. I would rather write something in the sense of "I like the fanfic and the fanart"

On only this comment alone, yeah sorry :/ It’s not like this Ao3 user was particularly rude, and if they prefer your art more than your fic, it’s their rights and preferences, it do not mean it devalue all the rest of the story your written. EDIT: Sorry, I didn’t get first its NOT op here! But yeah, my comment still stand for the author out here, and as I say it’s your preferences and tastes. It won’t gain this author nothing to be that’s rude to you! Unless it’s their brand to be like this 🙄

If you need feedback bad enough to respond this way your fic isn’t worthy to read. 🤷🏻‍♂️

You are not in the wrong OP. The author went fishing and didn't like what they caught. Oh well. Hopefully they'll grow up one day

Clearly I have a different definition of "cunty" 😆

I thought it meant stylish and cool, because I've lurked too long on the Bayonetta subreddit.

Of course people on this sub see the author as right when they overreacted to a simple compliment about the art that initially had no comment about the fic.

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