coaltide | Coal All The Way

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2019

Coal All The Way

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Afraid that your comment will be taken the wrong way? Angsting over how to craft the perfect comment, either to express your deeply held squee or to obey the Cult of Nice without wasting too much energy on the coal you just opened?

Post in this thread and let us commiserate / 'help' ;)

How to comment when you want to be known as an amazing commenter but you didn't really like the fic and know you might get matched with that author again?

As someone who's been in this position before: whatever you do, don't strain yourself and fake enthusiasm.

Even if lying through your teeth and trying to come up with nice things to say won't elevate your disappointment and make you resent the gift more than you already do (spoiler: it likely will!), the author will take your enthusiasm as encouragement and may actively try to get matched with you again, and then you'll be at the same place again next exchange.

If the fic looks like a well-meant, but failed effort, leave a short, polite thank you note. If the fic looks like spitefic, hit that reject button and wash your hands on it.

Thank them for writing [thing, trope, etc]. If there is something you like about the plot, mention that. If are any lines you like -- a moment the feels in character, a good turn of phrase, a striking image -- pull those out and mention what you like about those in particular. But don't make it sound like more than it is ("this line is so in character!" vs. "you really nailed [character], this line is a great example." The latter is saved for people who nail the character all the way through, not for the one line that actually felt IC.)

But don't squee. Don't say you loved it our even liked it if you don't.

Also, if you want to be known as a good commentor, go read widely in the collection and leave squeeing comments on the fics you DO love.

What the two coalies above me said, and also: in future exchanges, you can ask the mods not to match you to this writer again. You don't even have to explain why beyond saying you'd prefer not to have them writing your gifts anymore. Many (most?) mods will do it, unless you are the only possible recip the writer could match to, and that's unlikely to happen often or at all.

Also you can't stop the writer from treating you, but that presumes they would treat anyone at all, and then that they'd treat you, and then you can just say "thanks for writing me this treat" and be done.

I posted it a short while ago already, but I am THRILLED with what I received and I am worried that I just come off as Cult of Nice! hopefully it comes across because I mentioned some particular aspects I liked. for some reason, I lose the ability to articulate that stuff well enough when genuinely enthused. :(

Two questions!

Is it rude to leave a long comment before the recip has commented?

Do authors normally wait to respond to comments until anon period over?

Apologies for Not Knowing Things.

There are schools of thought about commenting before the recip, I don't know what the consensus is, but I don't think it's rude. I comment when I read it regardless, because I can't trust myself to go back later. And it'll probably make the author's day to get a comment from you, especially such an enthusiastic one.

You can respond to comments anytime. Your reply will be anonymous until reveals. (Years ago, you had to wait or be deanoned, before the AO3, but now respond at will!)

It's not rude! More comments are always good!

Some do, some don't. It really depends on the author.

Not rude. Comment whenever you want. I usually comment right then after I read it.

Some authors wait, some don't. It doesn't matter. You will show up as anon if you reply now while logged in.

How would it be rude? And no.

In addition to what coalies said above: you have no way of knowing how long the recip will take or if they even will comment. Waiting for the recip to comment would mean someone who wrote for a non-commenter never getting comments, which would be sad.

+ infinity

No, it's not rude at all. Just comment as you usually do. I've had people leave longer comments on my gift than I do, because they do the quote + squee thing while I tend to do more 'summary of what I liked' style comments, and I don't think anyone came out of those instances unhappy. I actually feel bad when my gifts *don't* get much attention from people other than me.

A lot of authors do wait to respond until anon period is over. Then the e-mail notification contains their author name, and sometimes people will follow that link to see what else the author has written. I don't do that for all the fic I comment on, but if it left a deep impression on me, I like the reminder to go check out that particular author.

The recip may never comment at all so if you want to leave a comment, please do, I'm sure the author will appreciate it.

Since you are new, I'll give you the context of why some people wait.

Some people don't want to upstage the recip. This is a YMMV thing. IMO the recip is being ridiculous if they are petty about those things, because commenting first is in their control. They should be here when the archive opens if they care that much.

The other reason is this: there are awkward situations where you may comment positively on a fic that later has wank. Could be a heeroluva situation where you say fic is hot that ends up being a very contentious lightening rod/the DNW 2nd POV The Pilgrimage fic where the author said "I know you don't like 2nd POV but it was the only way I could write it" and people in the comments fell over themselves to reassure the author 2nd POV was great (which coal was rightfully WTF at Yuletiders coddling and giving asspats to someone who clearly knew they were breaking a DNW) which was NAGL in general.

Most people aren't going to wank over you being in the comments saying nice things about a wanky fic unless you start defending the author/recip in there too (like gay bashing dragon bystanders) but if it would personally make YOU feel bad to +1 a fic that ruined someone's Yuletide, that would be a reason to have proof the recip enjoyed it before you gave your stamp. "Lots of people liked it so I don't want to complain...." is also a reason some Stockholm Syndrome recips quietly accept DNW fic instead of going to the mods.

People will reply with "why would you even care" and "anyone that holds it against you before you even knew is an asshole". If you don't care it doesn't matter. I'm letting you know so that you don't get caught in wank/feel bad for not realizing this is a thing that happens to bystanders in wank.

Re: Comment Clinic

(Anonymous) - 2019-12-26 02:59 (UTC) - Expand

Re: Comment Clinic

(Anonymous) - 2019-12-26 03:09 (UTC) - Expand

Re: Comment Clinic

(Anonymous) - 2019-12-26 03:02 (UTC) - Expand

Re: Comment Clinic

(Anonymous) - 2019-12-26 03:05 (UTC) - Expand

Re: Comment Clinic

(Anonymous) - 2019-12-28 01:53 (UTC) - Expand

Re: Comment Clinic

(Anonymous) - 2019-12-28 02:07 (UTC) - Expand

I don't know if I'll be able to write up comments for all my gifts tonight. What's better, posting what I got done now and do the rest tomorrow, or wait until tomorrow and post them all at once?

I feel like there are obvious downsides to both, so I can't decide.

I wish I had this problem!! How many gifts?!

Post them as you do them. People will understand you couldn't read and reply to everything at once.

I draft them and then post them all at once when they're all ready. Most authors are chill, but there are enough who get weird about not getting a comment when another author has one that I think it's better. Also, it makes it easier to keep things consistent (when I am trying to do that; I don't keep the comments on a drabble and a 10K gift consistent, for example).

Post on the fics as you get them done, especially if they're being posted in wordcount order or something objective. I'm in the "I gave the longest fic so I have to wait the longest for a comment" position with my recip and it's really no big deal.

Coalies can be neurotic but as long as you come back to finish commenting tomorrow, your author will be fine.

How do I handle commenting a multi-chapter gift? This is the first time I've ever gotten one before, for Yuletide or anything else, and I'm totally at a loss as to how to convey my appreciation. I read it all in one sitting, but should I go back and leave comments on all of the chapters in succession? Or is that too much?

If I was the author I'd love to get a comment on each chapter.

My approach to long multi-chapter works has generally been to comment on each chapter with my thoughts, like my reactions to cliffhangers, theories on what'll happen next, favorite quotes. Then, on the last chapter, give a longer comment about my overall feelings on the fic, the plot, pacing, world-building, etc.

Re: Comment Clinic

(Anonymous) - 2019-12-26 17:26 (UTC) - Expand

Do it however you want, coalie. I'd probably leave one comment at the end, but if you're moved to comment on each chapter, by all means. Lots of people read chapter fic in one file anyway, so it doesn't really matter.

Either option is fine! If you have something to say after each chapter, by all means go chapter-by-chapter, but it's also fine to leave one comment at the end.

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