Today on Mysteries of the Universe

[arcanetrivia]

Why do people bother to follow fics on FFN that are marked "Complete"? (or equivalent on AO3, showing complete chapters like "1/1" instead of "1/?" or "1/10") Do they just not notice? Are they hoping that someday, somehow, the author might decide to continue the fic, even if it's a shortish one-shot that was written three years ago? (Actually more like pushing five, but the date actually on the fic in question on FFN is only three since I deleted and reposted a while back. It has its proper date on AO3.)

Comments

[akatnamedeaster.livejournal.com]

Beats me since that happens on my finished stuff all the time. Maybe it's some people's odd way of bookmarking things.

[arcanetrivia]

They faved it as well as followed it, though. Weird.

[akatnamedeaster.livejournal.com]

Subtle prod to get you to write more?

[arcanetrivia]

Yeah, that's totally a thing that's going to happen.

eta: But I mean seriously... if the author thinks it's complete already, what's "more" to write?

[akatnamedeaster.livejournal.com]

I dunno, but people can be odd and maybe when they do that it's their way of saying they wish you would write more of anything. It's the only thing I can come up with since I encounter the same thing with subscriptions on AO3.

[stgulik.livejournal.com]

"Follow" is the way I flag a fic to read later. If I really like it and know I will want to read it over and over, I then "favorite" it. Same holds true for following vs. favoriting authors. You do what you have to, in order to survive in this crazy mixed-up internet.

[arcanetrivia]

Aah, the problems of an author and a reader don't amount to a hill of beans...