I want to expand on this a tad bit. I’ve only written 1 1/2 thread fics (I’m GOING to finish that one ok?), but I enjoy reading them a lot.

However, like 95% of the time they *are* slightly different than fic on AO3. Not less, just different. 1/ https://twitter.com/vorewangji/status/1308763180143763457

The format changes them of course. You typically don’t have the detailed scene or clothing descriptions. Internal thoughts and emotions are shortened. Back story is generally glossed over or not addressed.

Threadfic format, to me, gives the author sort of... permission? To be a bit looser. To experiment. But also because of the character and tweet limits it generally forces them to be much more economical.

So threadfic tends to be more bare bones than AO3 fic.

Again, this is not a BAD thing. It’s simply a difference in style and tools.

Comparing them is like comparing an impressionist painting to baroque art. Both use paint, they can even cover the same subject. But they’re different. Still art.

Example -

To me most (not all!) threadfic is like “Impression Sunrise” by Monet. You get the outlines, impression of the world. But only the important things are focused on. The colors and emotions are super important as well.

https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Impression,_Sunrise

Whereas most (not all!) AO3 fic is like “Seaport at Sunset” by Claude Lorrain. Same basic subject, MUCH more detailed. The details mute the emotional impact slightly, but also magnify it in a longer time frame.

https://www.wikiart.org/en/claude-lorrain/seaport-at-sunset-1639

Both of these are objectively art. They both take skill and passion, a fundamental understanding of the subject as well as an idea and goal on what the artist wants the impact to be for the reader.

But they’re not the same.

I think readers who reply with “someone write this” are absolutely missing the point that someone DID. I agree with the OP on that.

But also... idk to me it’s a double edged compliment. Yes, by tweeting it I legit wrote it. It’s an art form in its own right.

But also, the reader wants to breathe it in more. They want to live in it a while longer, which frankly says a lot about the threadfic writer’s skills.

Idk where I’m necessarily going with this other than -

I think it’s maybe something worth talking more about. I think fic readers understand there is a difference in style between fic and original trad published work. Note here I said style and not quality.

Fic is its own art form, with its own conventions and expectations.

Threadfic is a sub-style. As is the more experimental fic and ethereal work that authors like @annulareye are exploring.

I don’t necessarily think a reader wishing that a threadfic would be expanded and elaborated on into an A03 fic is a bad thing. But....

...it is an indication that reader doesn’t necessarily understand it’s a stylistic choice of an art form and not a truncated or lesser piece of work.

This thread brought to you by too many art history classes, too much coffee + not enough sleep, and procrastination at work.