i see a lot of posts about how to leave quick and easy comments if you are shy abt leaving comments which is great!! but if you want to leave a more substantial comment than a couple emojis (which are great don’t get me wrong!!) here is my formula for leaving a substantial comment that generally helps me hit all the parts of the fic i want to comment on:
- start with a couple sentences of my general feelings about the fic, usually pulling out plot points or character beats that got me in my feelings. “i love this fic so much, here are the feelings i felt about the characters/plot! these plot points really got me good! i felt this way bc this part nailed me in the chest!”
- pulling out my favorite thing the author did and explaining why it was my favorite. often this is more over-aching – for example, maybe i really loved the tension in the fic or i loved the author’s attention to detail. just something very specific about the fic that i really enjoyed and wanted to call attention to as something the author did really well
- pulling out a specific line i really enjoyed and talking about why i enjoyed it. maybe it made me laugh, maybe i had to go lie down on the floor after reading it, maybe it got me in my feelings. “but!!” you say, “i enjoyed so many lines, i couldn’t possibly choose just one!!!” you can do all those lines if you have energy and are moved to do so! or you can (as i often do), scroll around until you find a line you have something to say about! often there are fics in which i loved many lines, but i only have so much time and energy in my life and i personally(!!) try to leave commentary that isn’t just keysmashes, so i look for a line that i have something to say about clearly, even if it’s just, “it made me laugh for this reason.”
- finish by thanking the author for writing and posting. this isn’t for everyone! it’s just something i like to do bc i think it takes a lot of courage to post your fic when you’re never really guaranteed the response you want! obvs most writers are writing TO post, but for me i always like to say thanks for being brave enough to post so i can enjoy the author’s hard work
that’s my formula! of course there are always variations in each comment, but i try to hit all four of these points when i want to leave a substantial comment. this is again, strictly what i developed for myself and is by no means me telling you that this is how to leave a good comment!! all comments are great and as a writer, i’m glad for all of them, every single one. but i see a lot of posts on this site about how to leave “easy” comments, but not a lot about how to leave more substantial comments. so i thought i would share. hope this helps :D