A quick Snowflake Challenge post

[dolorosa_12]

I'm dealing with the dual challenges of a non-functioning fridge, and problems with the boiler (ah, the joys of home ownership), so I'm kind of short on brain space at the moment. For this reason, today's response to the snowflake_challenge prompt will be fairly short. The prompt in question is:

In your own space, celebrate a personal win from the past year: it can be a list of fanworks you're especially proud of, a gift of your time to the community, a quality or skill you cultivated in yourself, something you generally feel went well.



This might sound weird, but I'm proud of my comments and conversation in the spaces that I care about.

I don't think this is a new skill developed in 2021, but it's certainly a skill I maintained. I commented on every fic I read, and made a particular point of leaving comments on a large number of works in the Yuletide and Madness collections. In addition, I think I did a good job of contributing to and sustaining a good comment culture in my corner of Dreamwidth. It's important to me to have online fannish spaces where conversations move more slowly, and where people have the space to take a breath and come back to threads when they feel ready and interested, rather than diving into an overwhelming stream of real-time conversation, and I like to think that I've continued to do my part in making that happen.

Comments

[mesotablar]

This is great! Comments are so powerful, they can inspire and connect and create more discussion.
Commenting on every work you read is an amazing achievement!

[dolorosa_12]

Thank you! I try to treat the fanfic I read the way I would like my own fanfic to be treated, so that means comments!

[kingstoken]

Commenters give life to fic writers, thank you for that.

[dolorosa_12]

Thank you! I try to treat the fanfic I read the way I would like my own fanfic to be treated, so that means comments!

[forestofglory]

That's so much commenting! Commenting on fic is *work* and it feels like some posts urging people to comment more don't get that

[dolorosa_12]

I agree with you — it is work — but in general I try to treat the fanfic I read the way I'd like my own fanfic to be treated, and if I don't feel up to writing a comment, I tend to put the fic aside until I'm feeling more able to do so.

[mithun]

I think contributing to keeping discussions alive is a very valuable accomplishment. I totally agree with what you said about the importance of slower-moving fandom spaces.

[dolorosa_12]

I'm glad you agree! And yes, slower-moving fandom spaces just feel a lot calmer, and with less pressure to work out your thoughts in real time, in public.

[spikedluv]

How wonderful that you've developed a 'comment culture' for fic and DW. That's so important, so thank you for doing that.

[dolorosa_12]

Thank you so much!

[senmut]

That is a very solid accomplishment to be proud of!

[dolorosa_12]

Thank you!

[corvidology]

My sympathies! ♥ I can tell you're having a bad day as you're responding to the 'sunshine' challenge.

KUDOS for helping to keep comment culture alive!

[dolorosa_12]

Thanks for letting me know! I’ve updated the post.

[goodbyebird]

It is very much noticed and appreciated ♥ I'm glad you're good with acknowledging it about yourself!

[dolorosa_12]

Awww, thank you! I'm glad it's appreciated.

[vriddy]

It's definitely something to be proud of! Comments contribute so much to creating a certain culture, atmosphere, and sense of community.

[dolorosa_12]

Thank you! I figure if I want fandom to be a certain way (longer comments in a slower-moving space, responding to the fic I enjoy), I might as well do what I can to make it that way.

[vriddy]

I think that's all we can do really, try to be the change we want to see, whenever we can! 💙

[schneefink]

That is definitely something to be proud of :)

[dolorosa_12]

Thank you!

[brokenhighways]

It's important to me to have online fannish spaces where conversations move more slowly, and where people have the space to take a breath and come back to threads when they feel ready and interested, rather than diving into an overwhelming stream of real-time conversation

Omg, yes! Everything moves so fast in certain places! It is always nice to be able to take a break and actually pick up where you left off. I'm glad you've been able to do that!

[dolorosa_12]

It really is! I just think it's nice to have spaces where people don't have to do all their thinking and reacting in real time, in public, so I try to do my part to maintain such spaces.

[tsuki_no_bara]

i comment on every fic i finish, so i just want to fist-bump you for sharing that practice. :D it's hard if you read a lot, but so worth it. also props for trying to slow conversations down! it's one of the things i don't like about discord (which i otherwise enjoy) - conversations move really fast and then they're over, and if you miss them, tough luck.

[dolorosa_12]

Fist-bump of fic-commenting solidarity!

it's one of the things i don't like about discord (which i otherwise enjoy) - conversations move really fast and then they're over, and if you miss them, tough luck.

I don't do Discord, but I used to be on IRC back in the day, and the same thing applied. I had time to just hang out constantly in my friends' IRC chatroom when I was a university student (and when most of my friends were as well), but it's harder to carve out the time to participate in fast-moving real-time online conversations when you have a lot of other demands on your time. Slower moving spaces are easier to maintain.

[charlottenewtons]

That's so impressive that you comment on every work you read. I really need to do better with commenting.

[dolorosa_12]

That being said, having this approach to commenting generally means that I'm more selective about what I read, because I want to ensure that it's something that I'm going to feel happy commenting on (and also that I'm reading it at a time when I feel I have the energy to comment).

[chestnut_pod]

I was thoroughly delighted each time I conversed with you in the comments this last year. Thank you <3

[dolorosa_12]

Aww, that's such a kind thing to say! I'm glad you've enjoyed our conversations.