Let’s talk about the time it takes to write fanfiction, because, my friends, it takes a whole helluva a lot of time to write 50k words, to edit all those words, to rewrite, to have someone beta if you’re so lucky. If you can average 500 words an hour (some can do more, some can do less and bless them for keeping at it), that’s 100 hours of work you put into writing JUST THE FIRST DRAFT. Even if you can do 1000 words an hour, that’s still 50 hours of work. That’s a full time job plus some. Then there’s the editing. The rewrites. The waiting on someone to beta (because they have a life too, donchaknow). Then more editing because maybe you should move that scene there, and maybe you should add some smut (and oh gawd you’ve started posting the first chapters and your few loyal followers are nudging you for smut so where is that gonna go?) Oh and let’s not forget about research. Time spent putting yourself on some watchlist because you want to be sure you get blood splatters right and what do hallucinogens really feel like and what’s the Portuguese word for potato and is that really the word or is Google translate lying to me so who do I know that speaks Portuguese…
Not everyone has that kind of time. Not everyone has that sort of sustainable energy. For a few kudos, even fewer comments, and maybe a nice note in a bookmark? Yeah. I sincerely hope, OP, that you leave extremely nice and cheering comments on all the fic you read, otherwise fuck you. If you’re not willing to cheer on writers, then sit down.
And how dare HOW DARE you suggest that fanfic writers don’t improve? I’ve watched my own writing improve. I’ve watched the writing of my friends improve. I’ve followed authors for years and note with glee how much better they are than a year or two ago. And even if someone *doesn’t* improve, so what? They’re still putting something out there. They are brave enough to publish something that means *so much* to them, something that burns in their heart so strongly they have to put it down in physical form.
