Archive of Our Own meandering thoughts...

[marguerite_26]

I am so in love with AO3.

I'm an LJ-girl, don't get me wrong. I post the odd thought on twitter, do most of my talking with friends through email, and I jump into chats when the moon is blue ... but LJ is my home. First thing I check in the morning, last thing at night and all that. It's how I find out what is happening in your lives, and in fandom.

LJ is where I decide what to read.

But when I actually go to read it? I do a dance of joy when I see it's on A03. The formatting is perfect for reading on the Playbook and since we got one for my birthday, I have taken it to bed every night with a list of fics to get through.

On the flip side, I have never been a person to archive anywhere but LJ. Too much work (especially hex files, where I found the proofing process painful and mortifying, and so many archive were too specific about pairings, or ratings) and I'm not great at keeping up with comments on LJ, let alone anywhere else. anyway... I've been uploading a fic a day to A03. It's been painless... just a few clicks while I'm having my morning coffee. [Arthur/Merlin fics are almost done, just finishing off my other pairings and I'll start the daunting task of my HP fics ---- btw, if you have a fic of mine that you'd like to see uploaded earlier, rather than later, let me know.]

The other interesting thing about A03 is seeing what is popular on there vs on LJ. I'm not sure why... but a there is definitely a difference which is really ... idek... refreshing? to see a fic that you thought bombed do much better with a different set of readers. Basically, kudos are better than chocolate.

Anyway... I'm rambling. but just... YAY!!! A03 ... please to be putting your fic there. <3


eta: I sent a request to A03 for some invite codes, but if you have some you are willing to share, you comment here. it looks like a few people are looking for some.

Comments

[lilyginny27.livejournal.com]

I don't have fic to put there, but I have to agree on preferring to read there. Ever since Lj changed the font on most of its layouts I found reading a lot of stories here [that aren't in S2 layout] really painful on my eyes. But yes, I do tend to choose WHAT to read here. I have my Flist open practically 24/7.

I will admit, I don't have an acct there tho so I never comment. I know, I'm horrible. I try to make up for it when I see the same user here on Lj, though.

[kitty_fic]

OMG me too. I really love LJ. I've beeen here too long and I'm totally spoiled and I found the idea of archiving my fics anywhere else kinda scary so I have not done that at all yet. But AO3 looks easy and friendly and I've been thinking of uploading my things there too. I really like the kudos system too <3

[fuzzytomato02.livejournal.com]

I LOVE AO3! It's so much easier to read than lj and it is also much easier to post there! And I agree. One of my fics that no one read when I finished it years ago has a ton of kudos over there. AO3 is a lot less fail than lj lately too. The one thing is, I'm horrible at answering comments over there. I need to get better at that.

[dysonrules.livejournal.com]

I've been slowly loading things on there, but the ff.net to AO3 process doesn't always work. I think a couple of my longer fics have fucked up chapters. I have most of my oneshots moved over. My major complaint is that it doesn't have an option to alphabetize or view them in any order other than how you've uploaded them. It's getting to be a bitch for me to tell what is there and what isn't. I think I might add some "collections" such as "oneshots" or whatnot so I can group them better and see what's there.

It's great when you have a handful of fics, but when you have over a hundred it can be a mess.

(And yeah, my Merlin fics are WAY more popular than my HP fics there. So strange!)

[marguerite-26.livejournal.com]

You should get an account! :)

If I read on LJ, I have to change the LJ layout to 'my style' - (This particular layout works very nicely on a tablet, so thank God for that!)

You can leave 'guest' kudos without and account, though. So feel free to click that button if you like something it's VERY appreciated. (But like you, I do actually save most of my commenting for LJ on the stuff I like)

[marguerite-26.livejournal.com]

A03 is very easy for loading from LJ. Well.. I mean it still take a few minutes each fic, and you need to get your tags and warnings straight so. It's not like 'instant' but I'm in no rush. I'll get them all up there eventually.

So basically... GET AN ACCOUNT!!! :D

[marguerite-26.livejournal.com]

One of my fics that no one read when I finished it years ago has a ton of kudos over there.
:D :D

Isn't that lovely? A lot of times LJ popularity of fic is based on timing more than anything. Like a simple Modern AU PWP posted at just when people are in the mood, or an episode coda that hits the spot... they can get flooded with comments.

But the reverse is true. A similar quality fic posted when lj is quiet and people are busy or distract with ~something else... it just falls under the radar.

So it is great to see something like that get 'renewed love' on A03. :D

[marguerite-26.livejournal.com]

I'm just grateful I'm not nearly as prolific as you. ;)

I can imagine with no ways of sorting... *meep*

I have three different masterlists on LJ. (Merlin stuff, H/D stuff, non-H/D HP stuff) --- I can't imagine the list being just in upload order. :/

SOUNDS LIKE CHAOS!!!

[mijeli.livejournal.com]

I love that AO3 lets you download fic as e-book files.. that's so handy :))

(However, I might not create one for myself, because I'm a lazy daisy. At least not anytime soon. Er, sorry? :D ♥)

[marguerite-26.livejournal.com]

<3

I respect laziness. ;)

[planejane.livejournal.com]

I definitely find the kinkier stuff gets a lot more measurable attention over there. I expect people are reading it on LJ but might not want to comment. The anon kudos ftw!

[jelazakazone.livejournal.com]

I've started trying to remember to leave links back to LJ entries from AO3 because someone said she preferred to leave comments on LJ. If that will facilitate feedback, I'm happy to do it.

Also, I feel like different people are finding my stuff on AO3 than LJ. I'm happy to just to know that people have looked at stuff I've written.

[lullabylily.livejournal.com]

I feel the same way about LJ; first thing I check in the morning, last thing I check before bed.

But ever since I got a Kindle (last week, yay!), AO3 has been nothing short of heaven. The formatting really is perfect. I don't have an account there, so I haven't been able to post or comment, but I'd love to get started there (do you know who I can ask for an invite code?).

[meredyth-13.livejournal.com]

When I had fic up I found AO3 to be a lovely, easy to use archive to post to, and it's definitely excellent for reading (not to mention the WONDERFUL ereader download options, as I save off fic I love, and now have a tablet with various ereader apps on it). The Kudos (and blog style comment/reply setup) are also brilliant.

Where I have found it to be less awesome is in finding new fic to read - the search facilities are still clumsy, and the results never really seem to match what I'm seeking. It was one area where the old skyehawke site was handy - it had a 'most popular' listing in each fandom, and also a 'latest posted' by fandom. If AO3 have these, I haven't found them yet.

So it's DW (and in part, LJ) for keeping an eye on peeps and finding recs, but yes, I also go YAYE if the fic rec'd is on AO3. :)

[kitty_fic]

Yes, I have an account for reading and commenting already it's just a matter of starting to upload my stuff.

Glad to hear it's an easy progress and only takes a few minutes :D

[marguerite-26.livejournal.com]

ah! that would explain some things... the one fic that has gotten the most attention (and unexpected attention, for sure) has the most kinky tags.

:D

bunch of pervs over there. LOL.

[linnet-melody.livejournal.com]

I think astolat has some! Send her your email addy in a PM, she should be able to hook you up!

[gmth.livejournal.com]

I have zero interest in AO3. I have a few fics over there due to Yuletide and experimenting with it as an archive, but probably won't be posting there anymore. The problem with AO3 is there is no feedback there. Kudos are nice and all, but even those are thin on the ground. I have no incentive to post there. It's great that people can download stuff on their e-readers or whatever, but I get nothing out of it if they never come back to comment or kudos. So screw it.

[marguerite-26.livejournal.com]

But ever since I got a Kindle (last week, yay!)AO3 has been nothing short of heaven.
\o/


(do you know who I can ask for an invite code?).

I just updated this post asking people to offer if they have some. I've requested some from A03 but haven't got any yet.

[marguerite-26.livejournal.com]

hmm... I wonder if it depends on the fandom? A few comments above Cheryl mentioned that HP stuff doesn't get much love, where as Merlin stuff gets lots.

I haven't tried uploading any HP fics yet but was surprised at the number of kudos on my Merlin fics because I was told to expect crickets.

Okay... now I need to upload something comparable in HP just to see.

fwiw, I read on A03, and leave the comment on LJ. (I'm ass backwards that way)

[gmth.livejournal.com]

Well, I have fics posted in three different fandoms over there. Hit counts and feedback are abysmal compared to the same fics when I posted them to ff.net and LJ. From where I sit, the benefits and advantages to AO3 are all for the reader and not for the writer.

[rufflefeather.livejournal.com]

I'm on the waiting list for an account because I'd like to put my longer fics and this years BB there. I think it said mid-april or something, I'm not sure.

[xsmoonshine.livejournal.com]

I have a couple of invite codes. Who wants them?

[marguerite-26.livejournal.com]

*points up to rufflefeather*

[marguerite-26.livejournal.com]

*points down to xmoonshine*

let's get you crazy kids together.