I love seeing those long flaily comments, too. Right away I know that someone's read my story and connected with it and is still thinking about the characters even after the story has ended. It's immensely flattering and yay-making, and I sometimes save these kinds of comments so I can go back and read them again on days when I need an ego boost.
But I didn't write any of the stories I've written expecting that readers would leave me this kind of feedback (or ANY kind of feedback) after I posted. I don't think that's what "gift economy" means. My definition of the term is kind of the opposite of that, in fact: in a gift economy, we do and make things with NO expectation of getting anything in specific return. Like, I write and edit and labour over stories before I post them because I love the show/source and I love the fandom at large and writing is the thing I have to give. Somebody else might mod a community or record podfic or write software or make macros or, yes, leave feedback-- but they aren't giving these things directly back to me in exchange for my fic. They're giving them to the fandom, out of their own genuine love and desire to give what they have to give.
For me, by definition, there is no obligation in a gift economy. I give what I give freely, out of love, and I get to enjoy the gifts of those around me freely, without expectation, and voila, the fandom flourishes. If you start sticking price tags on things -- even if the price you're asking isn't monetary -- the whole endeavour falls apart. We've seen that played out many times already. Don't you think?
no subject
But I didn't write any of the stories I've written expecting that readers would leave me this kind of feedback (or ANY kind of feedback) after I posted. I don't think that's what "gift economy" means. My definition of the term is kind of the opposite of that, in fact: in a gift economy, we do and make things with NO expectation of getting anything in specific return. Like, I write and edit and labour over stories before I post them because I love the show/source and I love the fandom at large and writing is the thing I have to give. Somebody else might mod a community or record podfic or write software or make macros or, yes, leave feedback-- but they aren't giving these things directly back to me in exchange for my fic. They're giving them to the fandom, out of their own genuine love and desire to give what they have to give.
For me, by definition, there is no obligation in a gift economy. I give what I give freely, out of love, and I get to enjoy the gifts of those around me freely, without expectation, and voila, the fandom flourishes. If you start sticking price tags on things -- even if the price you're asking isn't monetary -- the whole endeavour falls apart. We've seen that played out many times already. Don't you think?