Thus commences Comment on Neglected Favorite Fics Week

[bironic]

You may recall that on the first day of September I woke up to find some reviews in my inbox of my very first House fic from back in April. Over the past few weeks, I've continued to discover the delight of receiving unexpected comments on various "older" pieces of fanfiction. Someone dropped by just last night to say that one of my stories is one of her favorites of its type; she just hadn't gotten around to leaving a comment. She said (and I hope she doesn't mind if I quote her), "One of these days I'm going to just go around trying to catch up and review all the House fic that I read and liked and failed to review."

Now it's almost the end of the month, and I have a cunning plan for all of us. To bring things full circle and share the joy of surprise feedback with others, I would like to declare the start of

COMMENT ON NEGLECTED FAVORITE FICS WEEK


We all have them: fics we've read and re-read, fics that make us laugh or cry or clench our teeth or squirm (for several reasons), fics with spectacular characterizations or beautiful passages, fics with images we just can't shake—but for whatever reason, we never left a comment on them. Maybe we didn't know what to say, or didn't have time to leave feedback, or felt silly saying something when the story had been up for so long, or didn't bother because there were "so many" other comments already, or didn't know what kind of lasting effect it would have on us, or hit the "back" button after reading because the story was posted somewhere other than LiveJournal. Maybe we keep meaning to but somehow never get around to it.

Well, this is the week to remedy that. From now until next Monday, October 9th (Columbus Day here in the States, Thanksgiving in Canada, I think), I challenge you to go back to some of those stories and leave a comment. Whether it's one fic, or two, or five, or twenty—whether you write a sentence, two sentences, a paragraph, or half a page—tell those authors how much you've enjoyed their work. Use this as an excuse if you feel awkward.

Think of it—if you take a few moments to review one story a day from now till then, you'll have brought a little jolt of unexpected happiness to ten people. Even if you take the time to tell just one person you're still thinking of their story months or years after it was posted, you'll surely be brightening their day. Make someone happy, ease your conscience: everybody wins.

So hop to it, people! And spread the word if you think this is a good idea. There's still lots of time left to get other people involved and make fandom that much of a happier place.


Many thanks to fallen_arazil for the graphic. Feel free to copy text and/or image (no hotlinking, please) or link back here in your journal or comment or wherever else.

Comments

[renoir-girl.livejournal.com]

That is a beautiful idea.

If I were at work (and had a spare hour) I'd make a graphic for you to share for it. Maybe someone else will see this and take the opportunity.

Me, I'm more the author-stalker type. I can't enjoy something without commenting on it and reading more by the same author and commenting on each piece until I'm sure the author wishes I just had some other friends. heh.

But y'know, you have inspired me to go find out what my favorite author is doing these days. *trundles off*

[bironic.livejournal.com]

*brushes off hands* One down, many more to go.

Since joining House fandom last spring and finding out about secondsilk's wonderful policy of commenting on everything she reads, I've tried to make it a point to comment on all the stories I've at least moderately enjoyed. (Am also guilty of some author-stalkage; have been spamming a few of late, but they haven't shoo'd me off yet.) But some inevitably slipped through the cracks, and it'd be nice to catch up.

A graphic is a nice idea! Maybe if no one takes you up on that idea I'll give it a go myself.

[housepiglet.livejournal.com]

Sorry to be coming to this so late in the day, but several things you wrote really struck a chord :) Mainly, the bit about feeling like a stalker for suddenly discovering a great writer, reading everything they've put up and leaving a host of comments: very me :) Also, though, it's such a thrill to get a comment from somebody saying that a fic you've written has touched them in some way.

I now feel better about the fact that I leave comments all the time. I'd actually revised my practice, not wanting to looking like an internet-weirdo, but you've encouraged me to continue :)

(Hmmm... I hope this doesn't look like the ramblings of a stalker! :)

[bironic.livejournal.com]

I'd actually revised my practice, not wanting to looking like an internet-weirdo, but you've encouraged me to continue

*g* Glad to be of service. I say, better to stalk and spam than to enjoy and ignore. Feedback is really all that fanfic writers get for their efforts. Go forth and comment! You have my blessing!

[bironic.livejournal.com]

P.S. Out of curiosity, how'd you find this? Did you see a link in comments to someone's story?

[housepiglet.livejournal.com]

Drat! I meant to say at the time how I got here, but I was in a rush, and now I've forgotten!

Yes, it was a link from somewhere else: something I was reading had a link to this thread. I came to have a look because I misinterpreted the title, and thought that perhaps it was a list of recs for great fics that people had stumbled across.

If I can find the link I'll pop back and tell you where it was :)

[bironic.livejournal.com]

It's all right either way -- I was mostly wondering whether you'd come through from a story, or someone else's post about it, or via my tags.

If you're looking for recs, and you haven't devoured it already, topaz_eyes's list is a House fandom classic. Much more humbly, I offer my personal favorites in my Memories and tags (pretty much mutually exclusive recommendations).

[housepiglet.livejournal.com]

I love Topaz_Eyes's list! I'm about half way through the first one: sheer bliss!

Many thanks for pointing yours out too! I'll go and :mem: it right now :)

[bironic.livejournal.com]

Can you mem someone's memories? I didn't know that.

[housepiglet.livejournal.com]

Doh! My mistake. I was assuming it was a page in its own right, rather than the actual LJ memories page.

Hmmm... now I wonder whether I can mem this thread. I hope I don't actually have to fall back on my brain, here! :)

[renoir-girl.livejournal.com]

hahaha

*yoink!*

[perspi.livejournal.com]

Oooh...an excellent idea!

[bironic.livejournal.com]

Let's hope other people think so too.

[fallen-arazil.livejournal.com]

a little low-rent, but it's ... elegent in it's simplicity? ^_^;;

Sorry ... I can never resist even the slightest excuse to make graphics.

~Djinn

[bironic.livejournal.com]

Thanks! I'm humming Fiona Apple now with that little tagline.

[bironic.livejournal.com]

Oh, I meant to ask: did you save an editable version? Would it be possible to change "Remember" to "Comment on"?

[fallen-arazil.livejournal.com]

Ask and ye shall recieve.

(or, to put it more plainly, I'm easy.)

[bironic.livejournal.com]

Don't worry, I'll only take advantage if you consent.

Mind if I put the image in the main post?

[fallen-arazil.livejournal.com]

Mind? I don't mind at all! It fact, it sort of makes me feel all tingly. ^_^

... it's the tagline that really captures the whole thing, isn't it? I was trying to remember what song put it in my head, and then you mentioned Fiona Apple, and now I can't stop humming it ...

~Djinn

[kohlrimmedeye.livejournal.com]

That's a fantastic idea.

*goes to go and find all the fics she's ever liked*

I may need more than a week...

[bironic.livejournal.com]

Ah, spectactular! Tackle what you can, and if you keep going beyond the week, more power to you.

[bironic.livejournal.com]

Spectacular, even. :)

[i-sanguinity.livejournal.com]

What a spectacular idea! Pity, though....many, many MANY many of my favorites are so old that LJ didn't exist (or was waaaay underground) when they were originally written or posted. *sniffle* So sad...

I've added you to my friends list, btw, precisely because you're liable to do ingenious little things like this post evidences. ;-)

[bironic.livejournal.com]

So you did! Welcome! As you have surely already discovered, I dropped you a couple of comments just now over at "your place." I love your fury at people's idiocy.

A fic doesn't have to be on LJ to qualify for a little late lovin' -- unless we're talking about sites that have long ago disappeared, like the old Geocities neighborhoods or something (I mention those because that's where I first encountered VC fanfic back in the day). Then that is truly sad. *moment of silence*

[i-sanguinity.livejournal.com]

Mmm, fury. Yes, that 'bout sums it up. ;-)

Well, they haven't so much disappeared, as they have migrated, gone underground, and then possibly resurfaced, or possibly not, depending on who you are and who you know. Even then, however, finding good contact info for authors is a beast of a task, at times.

Meh. This is why it pays to have ingenuity.

[bironic.livejournal.com]

Ah, I see. Maybe we should save those for some sort of "Dredge Up Obscure And/Or Old Fanfic For Really Late Commenting Week" later on and focus on the more easily accessible stuff now.

[i-sanguinity.livejournal.com]

Huzzah!

[jadesfire.livejournal.com]

*applauds loudly* Fine plan! I've also decided to finally say hello to people whose journals I enjoy reading but haven't introduced myself to(starting now!) . Only seems polite, after all :D Ah, yet more ways to avoid actual work by telling myself I'm doing something nice for someone else. And to expand my friends list, resulting in yet more time doing things other than Real Life. Can't be bad...

[bironic.livejournal.com]

Hello, no-longer-lurker, and thanks for joining in! What a nice idea, to alert people whose journals you read. I had no idea you hung around these parts. I was actually over at "your place" a week or so ago -- long-ish story; was surfing the friends list of one of the House trolls, as it was ironically a good way to take a peek at the fandom, and the first part of your tryptich caught my eye because your inspirational line came from one of my fics. Thanks to your attribution I traced it back to housefic_pens and now perspi and I are friends too! So thank you, and I do intend to read what you have so far.

[jadesfire.livejournal.com]

I read lots by following friends links (what's a "House troll? Sounds scary...) but had no idea the line was from one of your fics. Glad I can now give credit where it's due! The no-longer-lurking is going well so far (no shouting, no flaming, all good) and I'm even managing to help other people make friends *warm happy feeling* :D

[stephantom.livejournal.com]

d'oh! I missed the week that I partly inspired! Gah, the irony! lol I am now going to make this week my own personal catch-up-on-catching-up-on-neglected-favorites week. :)

[stephantom.livejournal.com]

P.S. Do you mind if I friended you? (Don't feel obligated to friend me back, if you don't want to. My own journal is for the most part full of long, rambling whining about the details of my life.)

[bironic.livejournal.com]

By all means! We've sort of been circling each other lately anyway, haven't we?

[bironic.livejournal.com]

Oh dear! I kept meaning to point you here and then... didn't. I also didn't get to all the stories I like, and will probably still link back here, which you're welcome to do as well. Heh. Oops.