I'm complaining about an AO3 comment again

[potentiality_26]

So I've been posting a chapter fic over on AO3, and someone just commented basically asking what was going to happen next, and I have no idea what to do with it.  Like, they didn't say they were enjoying the story (they didn't say anything about it at all really) they just said they were wondering if this one thing was going to happen.

Again, I have no idea what to do with this.  Normally when a comment guesses at what's going to happen next there's like... at least a drop of enthusiasm for the story itself?  And that way if the writer doesn't want to give the plot away they can say I guess you'll have to wait and see ;) or something- but again nothing about this comment suggests that they even like it at all.

And I could answer their question.  Like I haven't built elements of it all that much yet because they haven't been relevant to the plot so far, but in every way that is relevent to the plot I have been telegraphing that that thing is going to happen pretty hard, so like... I wouldn't lose anything, I just... I feel like there's some kind of etiquette here, or at least there should be.  If you want the whole story immediately just wait until it's done.  That's no skin off my nose.  Otherwise maybe try to sit back and enjoy the ride.  Seriously what response are they hoping for?  "Yeah, you got me.  That's exactly what's going to happen.  I guess we can all go home."

I know it seems like I'm saying no one should ever ask if something is going to happen in a fic.  I'm not saying that, usually it's fine.  There's just a nice way to do it and a way that's only going to box the writer into a corner and this was definitely the latter.


As per usual I have no idea what to say now.
   

Comments

[daria234.livejournal.com]

LOL some people on ao3 have no idea how to comment on fics.

Sometimes there are comments like "do a sequel" and that's all they say. Like not even that they liked it, but just an order to do more. Or "You should write another chapter where such and such happens."

As a curmudgeon, I'd like to blame tumblr.

But I don't know why they say things like this.

For this comment, I think it's fine to just say "I hope to have the next chapter up in the next couple of weeks :) "

or something like that

[potentiality-26.livejournal.com]

True.

I've never had a comment like those, but I know they happen. It's crazy how entitled some people are.

That's a good idea. I probably will say something like that :)

[ride-4ever.livejournal.com]

IDEK what a commenter is trying to accomplish with a comment like that. I would tell them something "you'll find out in a while".

[potentiality-26.livejournal.com]

It's weird, right? I mean do they actually expect me to tell them the plot?

I'll probably end up saying something like that, yeah. Thank you!

[a-phoenixdragon.livejournal.com]

That's just...really??

I would be totally stumped, too. I mean...really??

*Sigh*

*HUGS*

[potentiality-26.livejournal.com]

IKR?

*hugs*