To my silent readers,
Not sharing your opinion, not leaving stars, kudos, or any kind of support can really disappoint an author. The lack of comments and feedback can be draining.
When an author posts a story on Wattpad or AO3, they’re mainly looking for two things: **criticism** and **opinions**. We don’t mind criticism at all, and we definitely don’t ignore praise. An author publishes their book or story online so they can connect with readers and discuss how the story turned out — what worked well, what didn’t, and how the author presented it.
Showing your support with even a simple emoji can cheer an author up, because they can tell from the emojis that you loved it. Your heartfelt comments and honest opinions can even change an author as a person.
The second thing is criticism. Sometimes a story might not be to your taste, but you still read it anyway. Leaving constructive criticism (or even honest “hate” comments) can actually make an author happy too. I know that sounds weird, because hate comments can also drain authors. But for some, it shows that even if you didn’t like the plot, you still took the time to read it. That effort means a lot. It gives the author a chance to understand different perspectives, argue their point, and improve. To be honest, it can even be kinda fun.
What actually upsets most authors is when the comment section and kudos/stars stay completely blank, while the read count keeps going up. It makes them wonder: *Did they actually like it, or did they just read it and leave?*
So please, be mindful. Your support — no matter how small — really matters.
