(no subject)

[xaara]

So this is mostly directed to those of you who write/read fic. I was just poking through the internet on my semi-annual trawl to make sure no one had stolen my fic and passed it off under another name or conversely attributed something I hadn't written to me, both of which have happened.

I found a couple of things I'd written on recs lists from people who hadn't commented on the fics themselves. Which, don't get me wrong, is cool. I mean, intellectually, I know that a lot more people read a fic than comment on it, but it's always nice to see that substantiated by real evidence. Also: um, they're recs.

Still, they made me curious. Because I thought I'd feel weird about recommending a fic without having commented on it, but then I looked back over my records and in one-on-one recommendations (Hey, XXXX, I think you'd like this fic here), a lot of the fics that I tout at length are fics I *cough*havenotcommentedon*cough*. Same goes for a lot of what's in my memories and bookmarks. I have a to-comment queue a mile long and I doubt I'm ever going to catch up.

I think this had a point when I started writing. I think it was something along the lines of, is there a particular relationship between what you comment on and what you rec? Or are the two processes, as they seem to be for me and at least a few other people, completely unrelated?

Comments

[quellefromage.livejournal.com]

is there a particular relationship between what you comment on and what you rec? Or are the two processes, as they seem to be for me and at least a few other people, completely unrelated?

Good morning.*grin* I should be doing 50 other things, but I can't seem to tear myself away from the computer. Ah well.

I've been trying to comment more often. I read lots of stuff, and if I make it through without stopping, much, I'll try to give a quick thanks to the author. If I really like it, I do a little longer comment, with the parts I particularly enjoyed. If the fic has me doing handsprings and thinking about it long after I've read it, I'll rec it. But, my recs mean nothing, really. I don't have a large flist, and it mainly goes out into the ether, but I feel like I ought to commemorate stuff that really moves me in my LJ.

I also do personal recs to a few folks that I know well, if I find something that fits into one of their kinks.

What I've been really bad at is commenting when I see a ton of comments already in place. I know that it shouldn't matter, but it feels like, oh, this is covered, I can move on. That, I'm working on because I know that there can't be too many people telling you that they loved your work. That never gets old.

[xaara.livejournal.com]

Excellent--there are other people out there as terrible about commenting as I am. I mean to comment, I promise. Maybe I should start doing the "Liked it, thanks" thing more often, because usually when I try commenting, I end up writing at least a few paragraphs about what I liked and why and by the time I'm done I've spent an extra half-hour with the piece. Which isn't bad, but which I don't have time for, really.

What I've been really bad at is commenting when I see a ton of comments already in place. I know that it shouldn't matter, but it feels like, oh, this is covered, I can move on.

Hehe, I definitely do that to some degree. But you're right about the fact that there's no such thing as too many comments.

Commenting more should be my new-school-year's resolution.

[ravenclaw-devi.livejournal.com]

I generally try to comment on everything I read and liked, even if it's just "Devi likes," so anything I like enough to rec is usually something I've also commented on.

[xaara.livejournal.com]

You are a better woman than I. ;)

That's become one of my goals for the near future--commenting on things I read and like even if it's just one line recording my enjoyment.