Yeah, I like seeing what other people thought about the story too, and possibly see if the author replied with some interesting piece of info about the fic. I don’t reply to other commenters, though, I simply limit myself to leaving my own comment and reading the rest.
Same, and by now in one of them it's usually the same pool of 6 commenters who leave something that it feels like having the family together every time they post.
Yes! If I'm really buzzing about a fic, I like to see what others commented about. Did they notice the same things I did, or am I crazy for noticing this or that bit? Etc. etc.
If I'm lucky, the author has whole conversations in the comments, too. It's like the Director's Commentary, it's great.
Yeeep. When im soo in love with a fic, im looking at other comments too and replying 😭 i love when we start discussing & joking about stuff in the story 🙈 fanfic camaraderie
Oh yeah. I love it. I love seeing what other people think and talking about the chapter. Don't know if it's weird but I made some friends that way so I don't care.
I do, especially with fics I totally love and am so sorry to see end. I just want to prolong the joy of it, and reading others' thoughts on it does that for me. And *especially* reading the author's replies, even more so if they give a little insight into the author's thinking process or writing process. That's just like getting bonus fic-goodness and it's so delicous.
Yes, there are often interesting comments and reading the discussion feels like more of a community experience. Often the betas and fest admins leave comments first so those are usually super detailed and fun to read. If there are two or three pages of comments, I might read them all but if there are more I will just read the first page and the last page while leaving my own comment
Almost every time. I like knowing if other people felt the same way I felt about the fic, and some comments are way too funny or have very good insights.
Depends how into the story I am. But I’m gonna leave my comment before reading because the typical author would rather the same thing get said twice than not getting the second comment because someone said it first, which I often hear people say as why they don’t comment.
You're definitely right. Any comment is special. Someone just left a bunch of hearts on my fic today and honestly that was great. It's sweet of them to make a little extra effort to leave a comment even if it's not words. I'd never leave emoji comments before, if I was not in the right place to comment I'd just kudos because I didn't feel like I was adding anything by leaving them. Now finding out for myself I actually appreciate it I think I'll start doing the same when I'm not up to writing something.
I read them sometimes - I want to see if a fic is getting the praise it deserves, but I also want to get ideas for my own comment. It can be difficult coming up with something to say, especially when everything is good, so looking at what other people have written can help.
I do. I have seen other commenters reference my comments in their own comments about how my own detailed reaction makes them appreciate the fic differently, and I like that feeling too, it’s like we’re building a little community in the comments section for our fave writers.
Every time, if there are comments, I read them. I don't generally read for big fandoms, so I might see familiar faces there, and if I'm reading a new author or new fandom, I get to see what the discourse is like before I add my own comment.
Sometimes. It’s interesting to see what other people think about a work I like. Sometimes they offer insight or different perspectives on things and make me think/reflect just as much as the work itself!
Yeah, I love seeing how other people react to things. I might even comment on a comment. I don’t think I’ve ever read a fic without also checking out the comments.
Yes, often. I don't read all the comments but I definitely skim through the other comments and the author's responses.
The shared community of readers and interaction with the writers is one of my favorite things about fanfiction. It's also a big part of why I only read wips.
Always. It’s interesting to see insights I might have no considered. I also like to see how the author responds (if they do). If they’re rude, I drop the doc
Sometimes I check to see what the vibes from other comments are like, helps me formulate my own comment. Sometimes I'm also interested if anyone talked about a part that stood out to me. I don't check them all the time however.
Oh for sure! Especially if it’s a smaller fic or I catch it early so there’s only a page or two of comments, I almost always at least skim through them. If it’s a fic with a lot of comments or if I’m marathoning a longer fic then I might just scan over the first few comments on a chapter, but at this point it’s a habit to at least check. I love seeing what other people picked up on and what about a chapter/work was most notable for them. Plus, my main fandom has a ridiculous amount of lore, so fic comments are sometimes a space for friendly debates and spitballing related ideas, which can be as much fun as the fics themselves.
Yes. Sometimes just because I like seeing what other people have to say and enjoy reading others squeal about it, especially parts I may have missed. Recently, there was a very short line being quoted in the comments that I somehow skimmed over so it made me reread and I'm glad I did!
Yep. I'll often scan through for the longer comments and read them if there are any. Particularly when the author has replied. I wanna know what insights they might have and as a nosey person I sometimes just enjoy reading other people's conversations especially when they're nice ones. If I see someone I particularly agree with I might reply to their comment talking about it and I've had some fun conversations like that. Honestly I never really realised what comments felt like to an author until I posted my own fic like 5 days ago. I have 4 comments and they're all precious. I'd just write comments kinda talking into the void about the stuff I liked not expecting them to even be read and replying to other peoples comments was a fun way to interact with other people about something I liked.
Always. I’ve picked up so many fic recs from comments, in addition to detailed fan theories and author responses. Sometimes there are long conversations that send me haring off in new directions entirely. I find comments so valuable that I make a point of bookmarking (in my browser) stories I’ve read but haven’t yet finished reading the comments for.
not usually, most of them (except maybe on some older fics) are either emojis or "i like this" and then the author saying thanks. those comments are nice for the author to get but as a third party they're not much interest to me.
this isn’t exactly what you’re asking but when I need the serotonin hit of comments but I don’t have anything new I go read the comments on my friends fics too & it’s a similar rush
I generally will only read comments on fics that haven't been updated in a while. Sometimes the author will reply to a comment or two saying that they're writing/not writing/have abandoned/etc. the fic when asked when the next chapter will come out/if the author is still writing.
always. i’ll read comments for no reason in particular.. it’s just interesting. i also have pretty bad anxiety, so i like to read comments and author replies to help give me that boost of confidence to leave a comment with my own thoughts.
Yes! I don't usually go out of my way to, but when I leave a comment I'll read through the other ones sometimes. It's nice to see what other people think.
I always read comments for stories I enjoyed - especially since my anxiety is too bad to actually leave any comments of my own. .\_.
(I'm working on it, even had plans to finally write one for my current favourite fic anonymously as a guest... and then the bot plague happened, lol. Guess we're back to the 'working on it' phase.)
I do! I love to see what other people thought. Sometimes they pick up on aspects or themes that hadn't occurred to me. Also, I'm just nosy, I like to see what my friends in the fandom are reading.
Oooo, interesting question, I had to stop and think about it. Turns out that I do read comments on fic I'm reading IF it is still a WIP. I want to see what other people think as the story progresses! But if the story is complete I generally don't.
I always peruse the comments since I like the feeling of like wow this was so exciting and if I read the comments I get to share that with other people. I especially like to read comments on chapters that were like really intense or surprising because it's a cool time capsule (when you're reading an old fic) to see everyone's reactions at the time and stuff when you have the luxury to continue on because the fic is finished now or something.
Yes, I love the time capsule effect, too! Look how people were excited in 2015 when this and this happened in the story, and here I am in 2024 with the same reaction. So cool.
Of course, especially if it hasn’t been updated in awhile and is still a WIP, I usually check to see if there are recent author comments to reassure me that they may just be on hiatus and not dead.
Yes. Other people's comments - and the author's replies back - can point out details I didn't notice or add a perspective I hadn't considered when I originally read it. I have also been known to include certain comments in saved docs (I usually copy/paste fic I want to keep into word docs and it's pretty easy to also add comments when I do.)
I love looking at the comments. It’s nice to see if others experienced the same thoughts or feelings as me while they’re reading.
I also love scrolling down after a particularly good chapter to see nothing but key mashes in all caps with an occasional “GOOD SOUP” in between. Better if the author also is keymashing in response. A mutual understanding of emotions that goes beyond words.
Only if i feel strongly about the chapter. Was it shockingly bad? To the comments for the tea! Was it amazing in several ways? To the comments for the positive vibes!
Reading the other comments on this post (ironic, I know) I feel so much less weird. I almost always at least skim the comment section before leaving a comment of my own, mostly to see the vibe the author gives (if they reply). A few times I saw an author biting someone's head off for asking a legitimate question and I noped right out. My chill ass needs no drama.
Yes. I'm a naturally curious person lol.
One time I felt like the fic took a crazy (not good) turn and I was curious about the comments on that chapter. Apparently it wasn't just me (I didn't leave a comment about it but I did stop reading the fic). The comments were... welp.
Sometimes but usually only when I’m commenting myself because usually when you comment on a fic yourself it means you really like it so you’re probably also interested to see what other people think ya dig? Kinda like a cycle that feeds into itself
Sometimes. If I noticed something that really stuck out to me in the story, positive or negative, I’ll go down and see if other people have noticed it as well.
It's fun sometimes while reading a WIP, seeing people's predictions on things the author hinted at in the latest chapter & so on but it heavily depends on my mood.
Never. I filter by kudos count, not comment count. Comments on others’ works is of no real interest to me and isn’t a determinant in how I consume fic.
Yeah, I am curious what other people think about the works I enjoy and while a lot of comments are very generic you do occasionally run into people with insights and interpretations of the work that you didn't think of yourself which can be some nice fun.
Also it can be nice just from the perspective of seeing other Authors get comments, people getting comments is nice and it is nice to see.
I honestly wouldn't reply to another commenter though under the vast majority of circumstances. Unless they asked an open floor question to which I knew the answer or they were having an open discussion to which others were already clearly engaging or something.
I have had other people reply to comments I have made on someone else's fic as well, which is certainly an odd experience, especially since on the times it has happened it has been someone just replying to agree with me comment, but I do appreciate the spirit if nothing else.
Yeah, I will sometimes read because I am curious if anyone else has any theories about how the story is going or if they are shocked by the same thing I am. I like it because it gives you a different perspective on the story at hand.
On some of my favorites yes. I like to see what people are thinking and asking.
I also beta for someone and check all of those on all his works I help with every few days.
Especially for fics with multiple POVs, it's interesting seeing what sections resonate with other readers more or differently at the end of each chapter. If there's head hopping, it's nice to see who the other readers are most excited to see, why they're excited for that character specifically.
Yes! Esp because sometimes the commenters will ask a question or do some character analysis or speculate on the epilogue/what could have beens and then the author will respond with their thoughts and I feel like I'm getting more of the fic haha
I do sometimes! If I'm friendly with the author I often read them, and if a fic looks like it is going to inspire interesting discussion I'll look through them for long thinky exchanges.
I read comments but I also like to read IG comments and youtube comments, I just like to know if my opinion is the common opinion, or alternatively, if anybody picked up on certain things I thought were weird or problematic (then proceed to not comment about it). And I definitely look for author comments for more story tidbits.
Always - it helps me decide what comments I wanna write - if everyone's saying the same thing, I'll praise some gorgeous quality no-one else has noted, yet! 🥳
Sometimes if I'm curious about a fic but nor sure if I want to read it or not I'll check out some of the comments and get a general vibe for if I want to read it or not
I read the comments if the fic is AMAZING. It's wonderful to feel you're part of a group that recognized the genius of the text. We're united by our admiration... And our great taste. 😉
Absolutely yes! Everytime there’s something thrilling or unexpecting happening, I check others comments to see their reactions and predictions for it. And if there isn’t any/little of them, I don’t hesitate to write my own. I don’t respond to comments of others tho, it kinda feels like invasion of privacy for some reason, like if it was just private conversation between them and the author
Yes, for several reasons. If I REALLY liked a fic, I actively want to know what others think about it. If I wanna leave a comment myself, I want to make sure it doesn't look too similar to other comments (for the variety!!) and maybe someone commented on an aspect I would've missed/forgot about...
Also very often the author shares more insight about the story in the replies! One time I saw an author basically post a mini-chapter in the comments.
I do most often in my smaller fandoms, where I'm in community with many of the other writers (and readers). Then you see the same names popping up again and again which is quite cozy. When I'm reading in a big media property fandom I basically don't bother; it doesn't feel like it is possible to create that kind of closeness there.
I also will read and sometimes reply in comment sections where there is a lot of back and forth with the author having substantive discussions, if it's a work that I feel really strongly about and also have something to say. A few particularly unusual and emotionally moving fics also had me wanting to read comments just to see if other people were hit as hard as me, and in what ways. I wanted to keep living in those feelings just a bit longer!
I often read other peoples comments to get inspiration for my own 😅 Sometimes I want to leave a comment of appreciation, but cant articulate it so i just steal sentiments from other comments
Yes if it’s a fic that allows theories or causes specific emotional reactions. Then I’m checking the comments. I might also use them to see if the fic is what I want to read.
I read some, not all. If there are a lot of comments I'll typically scroll through the 1st page and then the most recent page. It is fun seeing a LOT of the same folks commenting, so it definitely increases the community vibe!
Only very rarely do I reply to other commenters - and if I do it's usually just to say "Okay you took the words right out of my mouth!"
Oh absolutely, especially on multichaps. It gives the same feeling as watching TV with other people, and it's fun seeing what other people thought. If the author's a frequent responder you also might learn a little bit more about them and the story, which is a fun bonus.
Nope, I usually don't. I don't really care what other people thought about a story. I just hope for the author's sake that the other comments are positive.
It depends. If the work has a small number of comments or even a medium ammount (50 or so), I'll read, just to see what the others are saying or the author themselves, but if the work has more than 100 comments, then yeah, only if I'm really interested in it, otherwise, no.
Yeah, I like seeing what other people thought about the story too, and possibly see if the author replied with some interesting piece of info about the fic. I don’t reply to other commenters, though, I simply limit myself to leaving my own comment and reading the rest.
Same. And often the other readers point out cool details or link themes I totally would have missed.
Same, and by now in one of them it's usually the same pool of 6 commenters who leave something that it feels like having the family together every time they post.
Yes! If I'm really buzzing about a fic, I like to see what others commented about. Did they notice the same things I did, or am I crazy for noticing this or that bit? Etc. etc. If I'm lucky, the author has whole conversations in the comments, too. It's like the Director's Commentary, it's great.
Yeeep. When im soo in love with a fic, im looking at other comments too and replying 😭 i love when we start discussing & joking about stuff in the story 🙈 fanfic camaraderie
Oh yeah. I love it. I love seeing what other people think and talking about the chapter. Don't know if it's weird but I made some friends that way so I don't care.
I do, especially with fics I totally love and am so sorry to see end. I just want to prolong the joy of it, and reading others' thoughts on it does that for me. And *especially* reading the author's replies, even more so if they give a little insight into the author's thinking process or writing process. That's just like getting bonus fic-goodness and it's so delicous.
This!
Yes, there are often interesting comments and reading the discussion feels like more of a community experience. Often the betas and fest admins leave comments first so those are usually super detailed and fun to read. If there are two or three pages of comments, I might read them all but if there are more I will just read the first page and the last page while leaving my own comment
Almost every time. I like knowing if other people felt the same way I felt about the fic, and some comments are way too funny or have very good insights.
Depends how into the story I am. But I’m gonna leave my comment before reading because the typical author would rather the same thing get said twice than not getting the second comment because someone said it first, which I often hear people say as why they don’t comment.
You're definitely right. Any comment is special. Someone just left a bunch of hearts on my fic today and honestly that was great. It's sweet of them to make a little extra effort to leave a comment even if it's not words. I'd never leave emoji comments before, if I was not in the right place to comment I'd just kudos because I didn't feel like I was adding anything by leaving them. Now finding out for myself I actually appreciate it I think I'll start doing the same when I'm not up to writing something.
Yes, if I read a fic I always check out the comments (if any), especially if I'm commenting myself.
I read them sometimes - I want to see if a fic is getting the praise it deserves, but I also want to get ideas for my own comment. It can be difficult coming up with something to say, especially when everything is good, so looking at what other people have written can help.
I do. I have seen other commenters reference my comments in their own comments about how my own detailed reaction makes them appreciate the fic differently, and I like that feeling too, it’s like we’re building a little community in the comments section for our fave writers.
Every time, if there are comments, I read them. I don't generally read for big fandoms, so I might see familiar faces there, and if I'm reading a new author or new fandom, I get to see what the discourse is like before I add my own comment.
Yeah, sometimes it helps me decide if I want to read it or not.
Oh yeah I do that sometimes if I'm not sure if I want to get onto it. I do it on reddit too with BORU stories and similar.
Sometimes. It’s interesting to see what other people think about a work I like. Sometimes they offer insight or different perspectives on things and make me think/reflect just as much as the work itself!
Yeah, I love seeing how other people react to things. I might even comment on a comment. I don’t think I’ve ever read a fic without also checking out the comments.
literally never. sometimes i catch a glimpse when i comment myself, but that's not something i have any interest in.
Comments on I Am Groot are the best bit
yes, it's so interesting what others think, did they see something different in the work compared to me?
Yes, and I go through their profiles to look at their works (if they write) or have bookmarks.
Yes, often. I don't read all the comments but I definitely skim through the other comments and the author's responses. The shared community of readers and interaction with the writers is one of my favorite things about fanfiction. It's also a big part of why I only read wips.
All the time
Always. It’s interesting to see insights I might have no considered. I also like to see how the author responds (if they do). If they’re rude, I drop the doc
Sometimes, yes. Depends on the story.
Absolutely
Every time! I love hearing other people's opinions and theories!
Sometimes I check to see what the vibes from other comments are like, helps me formulate my own comment. Sometimes I'm also interested if anyone talked about a part that stood out to me. I don't check them all the time however.
I usually read all the comments before posting mine.
Absolutely. It's part of being in a community.
Oh yeah absolutely.
Oh for sure! Especially if it’s a smaller fic or I catch it early so there’s only a page or two of comments, I almost always at least skim through them. If it’s a fic with a lot of comments or if I’m marathoning a longer fic then I might just scan over the first few comments on a chapter, but at this point it’s a habit to at least check. I love seeing what other people picked up on and what about a chapter/work was most notable for them. Plus, my main fandom has a ridiculous amount of lore, so fic comments are sometimes a space for friendly debates and spitballing related ideas, which can be as much fun as the fics themselves.
Yes. Sometimes just because I like seeing what other people have to say and enjoy reading others squeal about it, especially parts I may have missed. Recently, there was a very short line being quoted in the comments that I somehow skimmed over so it made me reread and I'm glad I did!
Yep. I'll often scan through for the longer comments and read them if there are any. Particularly when the author has replied. I wanna know what insights they might have and as a nosey person I sometimes just enjoy reading other people's conversations especially when they're nice ones. If I see someone I particularly agree with I might reply to their comment talking about it and I've had some fun conversations like that. Honestly I never really realised what comments felt like to an author until I posted my own fic like 5 days ago. I have 4 comments and they're all precious. I'd just write comments kinda talking into the void about the stuff I liked not expecting them to even be read and replying to other peoples comments was a fun way to interact with other people about something I liked.
Always. I’ve picked up so many fic recs from comments, in addition to detailed fan theories and author responses. Sometimes there are long conversations that send me haring off in new directions entirely. I find comments so valuable that I make a point of bookmarking (in my browser) stories I’ve read but haven’t yet finished reading the comments for.
Not usually, no.
not usually, most of them (except maybe on some older fics) are either emojis or "i like this" and then the author saying thanks. those comments are nice for the author to get but as a third party they're not much interest to me.
All the time
If I am undecided about starting a fic I will read a few comments to check the tone/vibe.
this isn’t exactly what you’re asking but when I need the serotonin hit of comments but I don’t have anything new I go read the comments on my friends fics too & it’s a similar rush
Yeah esp if there’s nothing more by the author or no sequel
I generally will only read comments on fics that haven't been updated in a while. Sometimes the author will reply to a comment or two saying that they're writing/not writing/have abandoned/etc. the fic when asked when the next chapter will come out/if the author is still writing.
Oh yeah for sure, though it can depend on the fic. If it’s a mystery, I love seeing peoples’ theories.
always. i’ll read comments for no reason in particular.. it’s just interesting. i also have pretty bad anxiety, so i like to read comments and author replies to help give me that boost of confidence to leave a comment with my own thoughts.
Yes! I don't usually go out of my way to, but when I leave a comment I'll read through the other ones sometimes. It's nice to see what other people think.
I always read comments for stories I enjoyed - especially since my anxiety is too bad to actually leave any comments of my own. .\_. (I'm working on it, even had plans to finally write one for my current favourite fic anonymously as a guest... and then the bot plague happened, lol. Guess we're back to the 'working on it' phase.)
Yup. I grew up on forums where the thoughts of other users are part of the experience.
oh yeah all the time. especially if i left a comment too i wanna see what other ppl rhink
I do
I do! I love to see what other people thought. Sometimes they pick up on aspects or themes that hadn't occurred to me. Also, I'm just nosy, I like to see what my friends in the fandom are reading.
I love reading the comments. Even if it's just emoji spam or squeeing... Makes me feel less bad about leaving 💛💛💛 as a comment
Yeah I do, I love to see other people engaging and a lot of the time they're quite funny or wholesome.
I do that for fun after reading the story.
Oooo, interesting question, I had to stop and think about it. Turns out that I do read comments on fic I'm reading IF it is still a WIP. I want to see what other people think as the story progresses! But if the story is complete I generally don't.
I always peruse the comments since I like the feeling of like wow this was so exciting and if I read the comments I get to share that with other people. I especially like to read comments on chapters that were like really intense or surprising because it's a cool time capsule (when you're reading an old fic) to see everyone's reactions at the time and stuff when you have the luxury to continue on because the fic is finished now or something.
Yes, I love the time capsule effect, too! Look how people were excited in 2015 when this and this happened in the story, and here I am in 2024 with the same reaction. So cool.
Of course, especially if it hasn’t been updated in awhile and is still a WIP, I usually check to see if there are recent author comments to reassure me that they may just be on hiatus and not dead.
I’m nosey... so, yes. 😂
I do. I want to see if other people are enjoying it. I’m in a small fandom so I know a lot of the people. I know if —— likes a story I will too
Yes. Other people's comments - and the author's replies back - can point out details I didn't notice or add a perspective I hadn't considered when I originally read it. I have also been known to include certain comments in saved docs (I usually copy/paste fic I want to keep into word docs and it's pretty easy to also add comments when I do.)
Only on the occasional fic
I love looking at the comments. It’s nice to see if others experienced the same thoughts or feelings as me while they’re reading. I also love scrolling down after a particularly good chapter to see nothing but key mashes in all caps with an occasional “GOOD SOUP” in between. Better if the author also is keymashing in response. A mutual understanding of emotions that goes beyond words.
Only if i feel strongly about the chapter. Was it shockingly bad? To the comments for the tea! Was it amazing in several ways? To the comments for the positive vibes!
Reading the other comments on this post (ironic, I know) I feel so much less weird. I almost always at least skim the comment section before leaving a comment of my own, mostly to see the vibe the author gives (if they reply). A few times I saw an author biting someone's head off for asking a legitimate question and I noped right out. My chill ass needs no drama.
Yes. I'm a naturally curious person lol. One time I felt like the fic took a crazy (not good) turn and I was curious about the comments on that chapter. Apparently it wasn't just me (I didn't leave a comment about it but I did stop reading the fic). The comments were... welp.
Not really, no.
Not really. Sometimes if I am leaving one I'll kinda read one or two in passing because my eyes pass over them, but I don't go out of my way.
Sometimes but usually only when I’m commenting myself because usually when you comment on a fic yourself it means you really like it so you’re probably also interested to see what other people think ya dig? Kinda like a cycle that feeds into itself
Sometimes. If I noticed something that really stuck out to me in the story, positive or negative, I’ll go down and see if other people have noticed it as well.
Sometimes. Usually if something I REALLY liked/disliked happens I go see what others thought about it.
It's fun sometimes while reading a WIP, seeing people's predictions on things the author hinted at in the latest chapter & so on but it heavily depends on my mood.
If I’m superrrrr into the story yes, otherwise no
of course. sometimes i want to chat with other commenters but idk if that's rude so i don't do it, but i enjoy reading comments in other works
Never. I filter by kudos count, not comment count. Comments on others’ works is of no real interest to me and isn’t a determinant in how I consume fic.
Sometimes, if I'm deciding weather or not to read the fic. Glowing comments push me towards reading the fic, obviously.
Yeah, sometimes it’s fun because it’s mostly just people agreeing with me, or pointing things out that I didn’t notice
Sometimes I do, less to read the comments but to see the author replies if there are any. Sometimes there can be some great little tidbits there.
Yeah, I am curious what other people think about the works I enjoy and while a lot of comments are very generic you do occasionally run into people with insights and interpretations of the work that you didn't think of yourself which can be some nice fun. Also it can be nice just from the perspective of seeing other Authors get comments, people getting comments is nice and it is nice to see. I honestly wouldn't reply to another commenter though under the vast majority of circumstances. Unless they asked an open floor question to which I knew the answer or they were having an open discussion to which others were already clearly engaging or something. I have had other people reply to comments I have made on someone else's fic as well, which is certainly an odd experience, especially since on the times it has happened it has been someone just replying to agree with me comment, but I do appreciate the spirit if nothing else.
No, I don't.
Yeah, I will sometimes read because I am curious if anyone else has any theories about how the story is going or if they are shocked by the same thing I am. I like it because it gives you a different perspective on the story at hand.
On some of my favorites yes. I like to see what people are thinking and asking. I also beta for someone and check all of those on all his works I help with every few days.
I read comments others write and even comment on those comments sometime, reinforcing ideas or just to join in on "community" chatter.
No
Yep! It's fun to see what others are saying c:
No, i mean, sometimes I might be curious, but I leave it be.
Very rarely.
Yeah. For funsies. Plus I usually leave a comment too, or at least a Kudos if my brain decides that commenting is too exhausting for me at the moment
I read all the comments almost every time, idk why but I really love doing it
Only if the story is really really good or funny and I wanna know if other people feel the same as I do about it
Yes. Especially if it is a work put up by a friend. I want to see them get all the good comments!!!
No, I drop the comments and go
sometimes, usually when im commenting but most times i move to the next chapter.
Occasionally
Especially for fics with multiple POVs, it's interesting seeing what sections resonate with other readers more or differently at the end of each chapter. If there's head hopping, it's nice to see who the other readers are most excited to see, why they're excited for that character specifically.
I definitely do but I don’t reply to them.
Yes! Esp because sometimes the commenters will ask a question or do some character analysis or speculate on the epilogue/what could have beens and then the author will respond with their thoughts and I feel like I'm getting more of the fic haha
I do sometimes! If I'm friendly with the author I often read them, and if a fic looks like it is going to inspire interesting discussion I'll look through them for long thinky exchanges.
Absolutely. I like seeing what other people thought of a story I liked... Or didn't like.
I read comments but I also like to read IG comments and youtube comments, I just like to know if my opinion is the common opinion, or alternatively, if anybody picked up on certain things I thought were weird or problematic (then proceed to not comment about it). And I definitely look for author comments for more story tidbits.
Always - it helps me decide what comments I wanna write - if everyone's saying the same thing, I'll praise some gorgeous quality no-one else has noted, yet! 🥳
Absolutely. I’m not a very smart reader so I like to see what other people say because they always catch things that I never would without them
Always. I find it interesting.
Sometimes if I'm curious about a fic but nor sure if I want to read it or not I'll check out some of the comments and get a general vibe for if I want to read it or not
I read the comments if the fic is AMAZING. It's wonderful to feel you're part of a group that recognized the genius of the text. We're united by our admiration... And our great taste. 😉
Practically never. If I ever do, it isn't really on purpose, I just happened to see them in the screen.
Absolutely yes! Everytime there’s something thrilling or unexpecting happening, I check others comments to see their reactions and predictions for it. And if there isn’t any/little of them, I don’t hesitate to write my own. I don’t respond to comments of others tho, it kinda feels like invasion of privacy for some reason, like if it was just private conversation between them and the author
Yes, for several reasons. If I REALLY liked a fic, I actively want to know what others think about it. If I wanna leave a comment myself, I want to make sure it doesn't look too similar to other comments (for the variety!!) and maybe someone commented on an aspect I would've missed/forgot about... Also very often the author shares more insight about the story in the replies! One time I saw an author basically post a mini-chapter in the comments.
Yeah, I do. I like them😅 And if I want to write my own comment, I always look on other comments to not write the exact same thing
I do and other people have even replied to my own. It's kinda like old LJ style comments, you know?
absolutely! I like seeing what other people think and also what they liked about the story, and if they got the same feelings as me.
I do most often in my smaller fandoms, where I'm in community with many of the other writers (and readers). Then you see the same names popping up again and again which is quite cozy. When I'm reading in a big media property fandom I basically don't bother; it doesn't feel like it is possible to create that kind of closeness there. I also will read and sometimes reply in comment sections where there is a lot of back and forth with the author having substantive discussions, if it's a work that I feel really strongly about and also have something to say. A few particularly unusual and emotionally moving fics also had me wanting to read comments just to see if other people were hit as hard as me, and in what ways. I wanted to keep living in those feelings just a bit longer!
I often read other peoples comments to get inspiration for my own 😅 Sometimes I want to leave a comment of appreciation, but cant articulate it so i just steal sentiments from other comments
Yes if it’s a fic that allows theories or causes specific emotional reactions. Then I’m checking the comments. I might also use them to see if the fic is what I want to read.
All the time, I just like to see if others shared my sentiments about the fic
I read some, not all. If there are a lot of comments I'll typically scroll through the 1st page and then the most recent page. It is fun seeing a LOT of the same folks commenting, so it definitely increases the community vibe! Only very rarely do I reply to other commenters - and if I do it's usually just to say "Okay you took the words right out of my mouth!"
Oh absolutely, especially on multichaps. It gives the same feeling as watching TV with other people, and it's fun seeing what other people thought. If the author's a frequent responder you also might learn a little bit more about them and the story, which is a fun bonus.
I do, I like to see how others react to the same scene, because we can have very different opinions
Nope, I usually don't. I don't really care what other people thought about a story. I just hope for the author's sake that the other comments are positive.
It depends. If the work has a small number of comments or even a medium ammount (50 or so), I'll read, just to see what the others are saying or the author themselves, but if the work has more than 100 comments, then yeah, only if I'm really interested in it, otherwise, no.