Hi!
Good to meet you.
I'm glad you're here. The FoLCs on these message boards are very welcoming and supportive. I find it amazing that a television show that first aired over twenty years ago still has so many fans and authors who find new stories to tell.
I used to be one of you. I think I lurked for over two years before posting my first word of feedback. I can't remember why I didn't post earlier. There were a lot of people who gave regular and detailed feedback, so maybe I didn't think I had much to contribute - that a quick sentence letting the author know that I liked the story wasn't good enough.
But then I wrote my first story. The feedback I received was wonderful - it made me feel wonderful. I had spent a month writing that relatively short story, and couldn't believe that so many people liked what I had written. It made me feel like every minute of my time had been worthwhile. I knew that those readers appreciated me.
Speaking as someone who has written and posted stories, it's very easy to doubt that people are reading and enjoying them. My mom always told me that "If you don't have anything nice to say, don't say anything at all." So when I see lots of views on one of my stories, but get very few pieces of feedback, I can't help but have lingering doubts about readers' reactions, and those doubts plague me for days on end. I suspect other authors feel the same way.
Over on the archive, it says, "We don't pay fanfic writers for the stories they give us, but we can show our appreciation by sending them feedback. It's important to let authors know we value their efforts!" I thought I'd highlight that quote for people today. The next time you read and enjoy a story that's posted on the boards, take an extra minute to say something nice to the author in the feedback thread. I know they'd all value it, and that might encourage them to keep writing more.
Sincerely, Susan aka Groobie
