Commenting

(Anonymous) 2019-12-26 03:19 am (UTC)(link)
Jesus fuck do I ever suck at it. Got this lovely long ship fic here lovingly tailored for me and I can't think of a single thing to say about it that doesn't make me cringe right out of my skin.

So yeah, if there's a coalie out there who wrote rarepare fic for a historical/fantasy canon, brace yourself for the bin fire of my appreciation and know that I thought your fic was the tits.

Re: Commenting

(Anonymous) 2019-12-26 03:25 am (UTC)(link)
Might it be... around 7000 words?

Re: Commenting

(Anonymous) 2019-12-26 03:32 am (UTC)(link)
Almost exactly 6000 and with one horrible comment freshly posted. But I'm sure yours is great too!

...Time to leave a steaming turd of a comment on the lovingly crafted treat I got I guess...

Re: Commenting

(Anonymous) 2019-12-26 03:41 am (UTC)(link)
I think we tend to overthink comments. Thank your author and say what you liked about the fic. You don't need to be extra effusive or quote lines back if that isn't your style.

Genuinely just curious, why does everything you try to write for the comment make you cringe?

Re: Commenting

(Anonymous) 2019-12-26 03:47 am (UTC)(link)
Any attempt I make at expressing enthusiasm reads hysterically over the top, but as soon as I try to wind it back in I'm suddenly in the land of patronizing critique. I know there's a middle ground between OMG! BEST FIC EVER! and 'congratulations on your competent characterization' but damned if I can hit it.

Re: Commenting

(Anonymous) 2019-12-26 03:53 am (UTC)(link)
"congratulations on your competent characterization"

PLEASE COMMENT THIS ON MY FICS I LOVE IT

Re: Commenting

(Anonymous) 2019-12-26 03:53 am (UTC)(link)
SA
Let it be known I am equally awkward when receiving gifts in real life, and there's people out there who have had to put up with this in person, god help them.

Re: Commenting

(Anonymous) 2019-12-26 04:19 am (UTC)(link)
OTOH quoting lines and gushing about those lines was what finally got me leaving long comments when previously I couldn't. Would recommend.

Re: Commenting

(Anonymous) 2019-12-26 04:35 am (UTC)(link)
I was in the same boat (I don't usually comment because I have a hard time coming up with something other than "This is great!" and that feels weaksauce as hell, but like. It's Yuletide, I gotta.), so what I did was write down my reactions as I went - bits I liked, moments of great characterisation, lines that were really good. I didn't actually want to post that, it felt too flaily, but it gave me a good basis to do like... an itemised list of Hey This Fic Is Great, Here's Why.

Re: Commenting

(Anonymous) 2019-12-26 04:38 am (UTC)(link)
When I get stuck, an itemized list can be a big help for me. I'll even literally make most of the comment a bulleted list of things I love. Then I don't feel like I have to worry about, like, sentence transitions between the different items.

Re: Commenting

(Anonymous) 2019-12-26 05:39 am (UTC)(link)
Man I would kill for a flaily list like that! I think that's a good idea to help get the gears turning for comments, coalie.

Re: Commenting

(Anonymous) 2019-12-27 01:23 am (UTC)(link)
I'd love to get "your fic was the tits" as a comment, coalie

Re: Commenting

(Anonymous) 2019-12-27 03:56 pm (UTC)(link)
Honestly, coalie, just say, "What a lovely long ship fic lovingly tailored for me, I love it so much that I can't think of a single thing to say that wouldn't make me cringe right out of my skin that's how much I love it, your fic is the tits, thank you so much," maybe add a keyboard smash or a heart emoticon or something, and I think you're good. Of course I prefer to receive thousands of words of adoration and adulation, but short of that, having a recip tell me they like it so much they don't know what to say is a pretty good feeling, too.