Since I seem to get a lot of questions about fandom etiquette, I thought I’d share my personal philosophy for interacting with fic writers.
Imagine you’re in a coffee shop, and you’re sharing a table with a stranger who’s wearing a very-obviously homemade dress. Maybe they seem really confident and excited about it, or maybe they’re a little awkward, like they’re still figuring out how to sew and they’re not totally comfortable, but they’re wearing it anyways because they like it and they worked fucking hard making that dress and they’re proud of it, and they want to share it with the world a little bit, even if it’s just out for coffee.
And let’s say you think the dress is really ugly. You don’t like the style. The fabric is atrocious, and maybe it’s ill-fitting too, and for the life of you, you would never wear that dress yourself. Now, would you start a conversation with that stranger by telling them that you hate their dress? Would you tell that unsuspecting stranger that their dress is ugly and stupid and poorly-made? Would tell them that the dress they worked hard on and are super excited about is unflattering and unstylish, and that they should be ashamed of themselves for making it, letting alone wearing it out in public?
No, you wouldn’t, because you’re not an asshole.
Saying those things to a fic writer is THE.EXACT.SAME.THING. Saying it behind a screen rather than to someone’s face doesn’t make a damn bit of difference. Here’s something someone made for fun, out of love - for the same fucking thing you profess to love - and they have found the courage to share it with the world. And if you think you’re entitled to shit all over it because it’s not your style, you need seriously reassess not only how you interact in fandom, but in the world at large. ©
Хочется подписаться всеми руками, ногами и прочими тентаклями под этим мнением! Да, да и еще раз да!