What the f....?

[hmpf]

Okay... apparently I have a fan. Proof: http://thawrecka.sphosting.com/recs/r-hp.html

I am thrilled. No, really, I am. I used to believe no one but one or two people I'd basically begged to had read that story. And I've only been recced twice before in my life (once for that selfsame story above, and once, way back when, for Sometimes We Believe, in HL fandom), so I'm naturally very excited now.

But why the f... do people not see the necessity of telling authors that they're being recced? I mean, hey... yeah, I know, I don't always give feedback either, so that's cool... but putting a link up on your website and writing:

"This is heartbreaking Sirius/Remus set during OotP that actually makes me cry. It really gives the sense of the past pressing in on them, and the whole thing is so true to canon."

is quite something different. I'd like to *know* when someone does that! Not that I *mind* being recced, hell no... But I want to know when I make people cry! Call me self-centred, call me obsessed with fame, call me pathetic, call me whatever you like - but frell, *tell* me when I make you cry!!!!!!!! (Maybe just call me a sadist. *g*)

Hezmana.

Anyway... thank you, whoever you are. I do appreciate it. I feel loved. I would feel even more loved if you'd told me, but hey...

Heh... based on the amount and quality of feedback that is my most popular story by far. How ironic - my greatest success happened in a fandom I don't usually write. *g*

(Edited to add: There may seem to be a contradiction here, since I claimed, above, that no one but a few people I had begged to read it had read that story. It's true, I have had more feedback for other stories. However, those were posted to boards, and on boards you generally get a lot more feedback than you get for stuff on your own website. This is literally my only story that has managed not only to get feedback but to get recommended with *zero* publicity from my side. Wow.)

Edited to add: I think to celebrate my first appearance on a recs page (the other recs were informal ones on lists and on LJ) I will finally revise the story according to ballyharnon's very kind beta tomorrow. There are a few things in there that should be corrected...

Comments

[jazzymegster.livejournal.com]

*huggles Hmpf*

That's so cool! All the people who say they're my fans, are my friends, which basically means I probably bullied them into reading my stuff...lol!

That's lovely. Hope you get some more! (And you can count me as one, for sure, cause you come up with brilliant arguments for stuff, for one).

^_^

Oh yes, the old 'feedback from friends' problem... ;-)

[hmpf.livejournal.com]

I feel your pain. Most of my feedback comes from friends, too.

[(Anonymous)]

> But why the f... do people not see the necessity of telling authors
> that they're being recced?

I don't know, but it's the usual case. I don't notify authors, either, when I recommend them. And it doesn't bother me if someone recommends my stuff without telling me. As long as s/he sets a link to my site rather than copying my stuff, I will find out about who recommends me how and where when I evaluate my server log files. I think that's actually part of the fun of having stuff up on the web: browsing your log files and finding out who links to you.

MSB

If that is the usual case...

[hmpf.livejournal.com]

I find that rather sad. Many people do not have the opportunity to see log files of their websites - think of all those people with free webspace providers. They will never find out if you rec them. And if they're insecure (as I am, as a writer), they will miss a boost to their writer's ego that might help keep them motivated and make them happy. Now, I know you shouldn't write to get feedback, you should write for yourself. But it's undeniable that getting feedback *does* give you a boost, even if you are mainly writing for yourself. We're only human; we want to feel loved, and we need to be told, occasionally, that what we're doing is good. Also, critical feedback - rare as it is - may help you grow as a writer (but of course that does not really apply to recs, as they mostly just say 'I like what you're doing.)
As I said, I don't always give feedback, either. But if I rec someone, I tell them.

Re: If that is the usual case...

[(Anonymous)]

> But it's undeniable that getting feedback *does* give you a boost,
> even if you are mainly writing for yourself. We're only human; we want
> to feel loved, and we need to be told, occasionally,

I wholeheartedly agree. It always makes me very happy when I receive just a small thank you mail. That's why I also take the time to write small thank you mails myself when I like something very much.
However, I would feel odd if I mailed someone to tell him/her that I set a link to his/her site. I don't really know why that is. Maybe it is because I've never (IIRC) received such a mail myself. I do receive personal feedback of the kind "Thank you for making ... available. I like it very much." but I don't remember ever getting a mail like "Hi. I'd just like to tell you that I'm linking to your site."
Linking is part of the Internet and most people do it without thinking (Don't think. Link! :-). For instance I link to the site for the viewer IrfanView on my artwork page, a very good program that I recommend every time when someone asks for an image viewer for Windows. Still, it has never occurred to me to write the author to tell him about the fact that I link his site.

MSB

p.s.: Good think this discussion came along. Seems the IrfanView link on my site has been broken for a long time. Shame on me :-)

Well, there's a difference between a link and a recommendation, to me.

[hmpf.livejournal.com]

And also a difference between a link to a big corporate site (like, e.g., theonering.net) or a site providing some program or service, and a small personal site. I always tell the latter that I link to them, because it's a way of giving feedback, and they are probably interested to know that I think their site interesting.

And a recommendation... well, a recommendation is basically feedback - if you go to the trouble of tying up why you like a certain story, does it really take so much more time to cut and paste what you typed into an e-mail and send it to the author to give them a - sometimes much needed - ego boost? ;-)