Moving away from the topic of deVailer but onto a semi-related problem plaguing the fandom is what type of fics people consume?
Or, lemme rephrase that. The STATUS of the fics people consume.
Guys, you can’t wait until a fic is finished in order to give it support. I mean…theres nothing stopping you from doing so physically, however as someone who is friends with a writer who has poured her heart and soul into a fic where years and years of plotting and writing have gone into it, only to promote it and have it shoved back in her face that they’ll read it when its finished, I can see just how upsetting this kind if system is.
I’ve pushed this message before just like I will keep adamently pushing it, but I think that fanfic writers who are in the process of writing their chaptered stories need the MOST support. Now, I’m not saying that this means that finished works don’t deserve any love and support. Thats far from what I’m saying because we should CONSTANTLY be engaging with current writers, current artists, WIPs and drabbles and drafts and finished pieces and doodles and ask-blogs and comics. If we don’t our fandom, to put it simply, is going to die.
My message here, though, is to say that its very easy to enjoy finished writing. Its easy to get into it, to binge, to enjoy and then be done with it. And its hard to get into WIPs because each update leaves a new cliffhanger, each update may not come as often as we want it to, and with each update comes the very real possibility of a writer not wishing to continue a fic. But you know what is a surefire way to combat a lot of those fears?
By SUPPORTING THE WRITER! Writing is hard! Writing is a struggle! I consider myself a borderline writer from my USUK side of the fandom bc of how hard it is for me to get motivation to open up a word doc. So to all you people out there, USUK fans or not, who are constantly typing away at those keyboards and producing new things, I want to say that I appreciate you so much. You deserve more likes, reblogs, comments, kudos, favorites, etc., and for every one of those that a finished work gets I believe a work in progress should get the same.
Its so heartbreaking to see how the motivation to continue writing leaves these writers due to the lack of interraction with their works because people would rather read something finished than something still currently being produced. This is why people leave the fandom, guys. Everytime a creator sees you interract with their creations, I 100% assure you they are more motivated to continue what it is they’re doing. They do this for free, and not only do they do it for themselves but they do it in hopes that other people will get enjoyment out of what it is they took time to produce. But if theres no feedback, if it looks like nobody is enjoying their work…its easy to see how the “why bother?” mentality may sink in and harden them to the fandom.
To sort of end things I guess, I’m going to reccomend a few writers that I know from MY little USUK/UKUS niche who still have ongoing works that I urge you to check out. Please feel free to reblog and add more writers/stories to this post; I’m always looking for new people to support.
@rantingfangirl ’s Cross-Life is an EXTREMELY well-written UKUS fic clocking in at about 15 (gloriously long) chapters. Here is the description:
“Given the choice to change his ways or face the consequences, Arthur is propelled from urban England to the American suburbs, putting up with all the drama, pettiness, and idiots that go with it.”
Its slow-burn, enemies-to-friends-to-lovers, and has all the delicious drama that comes with any punk-ass British kid in a cold and unloving household. Highly, HIGHLY reccomend checking this one out.
@gallifreyanlibertea ’s I Took My Hater Out On a Date is a witty YouTuber AU in which fan’s attempts at bringing Gamer!Alfred and Reaction-er(?)!Arthur evolves into good-natured publicity stunts, and maybe more? Mana is a very talented writer so if you haven’t already read their work pleaaaase do. Its so, so good.
@not-aph-england actually has 3 that I’d like to reccomend! The first seems to be a smaller but still chaptered fic called Royal Sh*t! Here is the description:
“Peasant Arthur meets Prince Alfred on Tinder. But of course it’s just a catfish. Or is it?” It’s cute, its witty, its everything you’d expect from a Tinder-sprouted romance.
The next is Plan B, an Omegaverse fic:
“Arthur Kirkland’s plan A was to graduate, find a good job, buy his dream house and, yeah, why not?, eventually get married. Unfortunately, once he got pregnant, this plan became a distant dream. He had to replan his life, and now, with a daughter, his Plan B includes making the best with what he has and, definitely, staying away from alphas.”
Last but not least is actually a collaboration RP-turned-fic with @mayumisatosan (I believe) called Life Goes On:
“Alfred and Arthur met at a social event and quickly realized they are quite compatible with each other. What makes their story complicated is the fact that the social event in question was a dinner party exclusively for widows. Oh, and the fact that Arthur is expecting a baby from his deceased mate.”
Finally, this list wouldn’t be complete without the mention of a good friend and writer who, I believe, goes underappreciated in all aspects- even in terms of her finished writings.
@drones-of-innocence ’s The Messenger is a fic three years in the making with plenty of plotting done in advance:
“When Heaven and Hell clash in a pointless war, the wish for a utopia stems from the middle. But since diplomacy would never work, a spy would have to be sent in, one to be a demon but to retain everything that makes him an angel. But what if in the middle of the war, the spy learnt of what’s really happening? What would he do to stop the supremacy and dominion? Angel Demon AU, USUK”
Last but not least, please tell your writers how much you appreciate them. They do this as a labor of love in hopes of making people happy. They truly deserve more support and encouragement because they are what keeps the ever-changing Hetalia fandom active.
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