top of page

The amount of spam reviews I've gotten on my fanfics over the years has grown exponentially. Most of it is of the variety of those who just want to get a person off of AO3 as a site and onto Discord or something of that nature, but it is definitely getting ridiculous.


I'm not sure if this is a new add to AO3, but they've now started to ask for emails for guest reviews. I noticed it when I was absently browsing on my phone (I do not log into my phone to any site unless absolutely necessary due to security concerns). But here's to hoping that at least it curbs some of the spam.


It's also one of the reasons why my email nor any way to contact me can be found on my main website. I hate to say it - it's to prevent scammers and spammers from emailing the living crap out of me. I'm also a very private person and like to keep my author work outside of my actual day job. The only way one could theoretically engage with me is to engage in either leaving an Amazon review (which I cannot reply), or to reach out through my fanfiction.


That said - it's also a toss up if I'll reply regarding my books. I tend to leave the books alone since they were a passion project and I like sharing knowledge and history with fans.


I did get a hilarious review on Book 3 - Traitors though. Someone left an Amazon review that said the narrative regarding Peggy Shippan did not "jive" with what is known. Obviously, said person did not understand that I wrote it in a specific POV who did not know until waaaaaaaay after the fact (or in hindsight) about Peggy Shippan's Loyalist leanings. Even Washington and his staff did not know and were taken in by Peggy's act in the initial few days.


(TURN: Washington's Spies likes to posit that perhaps Tallmadge suspected and/or knew, but there is evidence in his letters post-Arnold defection to friends that he did not. His memoirs suggest that he eventually did realize that Shippan deceived a lot of people.)


Anyways, I digress. Fanfiction and spam reviews. I've been working on an old fandom of mine - Stargate Atlantis. SGA and SG1 can be a whole post in of itself. But mainly I disliked Seasons 4 and 5 of SGA primarily because of what the writers did to certain characters and bringing in others. (Love Sam Carter on SG1, disliked Sam Carter on SGA.) Currently back in a bit of a writer's block on my 1st book for the 3rd Light Dragoons, but I'm hoping maybe writing some scifi military-style fics would help goose it a bit. We shall see.


I do aim to post some more Celebrating 250 posts soon.

First off, welcome people who are abandoning Wattpad for AO3 due to their new censorship requirements regarding mature/explicit fics.


There are many posts, Tiktoks and tumblr related things regarding how to navigate AO3, but please note - THERE IS NO APP FOR AO3. It is one of the chief reasons why AO3 is pro-everything and what some might consider "problematic" things. The main rule of thumb for AO3: Don't like, don't read.


AO3 is a non-profit with servers that are owned by OTW and OTW alone. This makes the place free for every single type of content including ones that are banned from Wattpad. Remember: Don't like, don't read.


Reporting fics that do not violate the TOS in an effort to get them banned will not get you anywhere. Reporting that people are problematic and should not be writing this stuff is censorship. (You can go back to Wattpad if that's the case.)


AO3 is one of the best places to read freely and choose freely. You want to be confined to your happy place - great, use the tag and filter system. I repeat: Don't like, don't read.


Click off of it and move on. No need to send nasty comments, dox people and all of those fun stuff.


Enjoy your stay!

© 2023 by The Book Lover. Proudly created with Wix.com

bottom of page