Wow some people really want me to stop writing that fic altogether yeah? Not only are you all apparently entitled to updates every three days, I should also step the fuck up on the comment replies because it’s not like I need to work or sleep
listen here, assholes. WRITERS OWE YOU NOTHING. THEY WORK THEIR ARSES OFF AND ENJOY AND SUFFER THIS FUCKING HOBBY WHICH THEY THEN SHARE WITH YOU FOR NOTHING.
I WILL EXPLAIN SLOWLY WITH AN EXAMPLE YOU CAN UNDERSTAND.
Imagine a street where a thousand knitters have gathered to knit. They put their stuff on the table, a bazillion garments. They’re there for you to take with you, if you want. You can pick, by the way, nobody makes you get anything. If you want it, it’s there. If not, walk on by.
So imagine you see a sock and think “oh nice” and pick it up to take it with you. What do you do? WHAT DID YOUR MOMMA TEACH YOU TO SAY? Say “Hey, thanks!” — that’s the KUDOS button for you. Now, if you’re minimally polite, and aware of how much thought and work went in every fucking stitch, you can even say something about the colors, the stitching, the design, the finishings. You can say “I like your stuff! Keep knitting!”
The knitter hears you, smiles to themselves, keeps knitting. Working on that fucking second sock you’re waiting for, in the middle of work, life, not feeling great about the design, having second thoughts, suffering from dropped stitches and loss of confidence. They keep knitting.
What you do NOT do? Go poke them. “Hey I said this was really nice, why don’t you say thank you or something? you’re so entitled omg”
ooookay. That knitter whose sock you just took? Is one of the top ones in that street. She gets a bazillion punters. She’s been there like 5 years. She has like 45 nice comments on their knitting (chapter) today alone. They can stop their work to say thank you (again and again and again) or try to find something nice and a bit different to reply to your comment, and sometimes they really feel up to it and have the time to do it, and sometimes they don’t.
In any case, THEY DON’T FUCKING OWE IT TO YOU. THEY DON’T OWE YOU A THING. YOU ALREADY GOT THE FUCKING SOCK.
SO. As a knitter, when someone goes to my inbox with:
a) “when will you finish the next one?”
b) the colors are fucking awful. I feel personally attacked.
d) this would be so much better if you had not done this that and the other
e) your knitting supports abuse/paedophilia/incest go die you piece of shit.
that is an attack. That SURE makes me stop my fucking knitting, lift my eyes from the work, and tell that person what I think of them their manners and their entire worldview. Thank god, it’s not 45 of them, just the odd one, I can make time for that. And I will, so that maybe the next person who picks the fucking sock and is thinking of saying anything remotely like the above, they will know that this shit doesn’t go unanswered in these parts. Taking it lying down it’s BAD FOR MY HEALTH. I SURE FUCKING AM GOING TO MAKE TIME TO REPLY.
BUT THAT’S JUST ME. what would YOU do, person?? do YOU write fic?? at all??
FOR THE RECORD, I try to reply to thoughtful comments, the kind that go beyond “nice update, thanks!” and elaborate a bit, or have questions, or whatever. If I have time. If I’m feeling up to it. It’s not that I feel like I’m above or whatever, it’s just I don’t feel copypasting 40 times “thank you!” will be of much use to anyone. I think people will assume I read that and smiled about it and felt good. I appreciate it. Maybe I should copypaste “thank you!” as many times as it takes, i don’t know. Maybe I am rude and entitled. In any case, that’s the deal. If you don’t like it, nobody fucking makes you pick up my socks.
okay i’m tired. Back to work.
That commenter is not being the person Mr. Rogers knows they could be.
Beltainefaerie's Flights of Fancy 