I apologize if I offend you for being a silent reader. That is not my intention. I love all the stories I read.

But know that if I don't comment, it's because I am reading over 100 actively updated stories. Sometimes I can't keep up with the updates, if they're updated rather frequently. Or, I intentionally don't read it for a couple of updates so that I can go back and read it again from the start. I tend to do that a lot because sometimes life will throw curveballs and I'm still battling clinical depression.

I also tend to leave comments much like those that authors hate getting. You know the ones. The ones where the commenter demands that the author updates quickly or demands something of the author. I hated getting those when I used to write. I'm gonna tell you something about me.

I have Epilepsy, ADD and clinical depression. I'm also a total introvert, though if you know me in real life, you would think otherwise. The epilepsy is not the worst thing to happen to me. Yeah, it makes me even more forgetful than I already am, but I've been able to live my life just fine with it. The ADD is more behavioral and would be something more that you would have to see in real life. The depression is more emotional for me.

Before I was diagnosed with clinical depression, I was actually pretty okay. I least I thought so. But, as the years have worn on, the depression became harder to battle (it still is to this day). I was 16 years old, emotionally abused by my father and a bit suicidal. I wasn't slitting my wrists, but I did think about my death daily.

What does this have to do with me commenting on stories? Everything. I used to write Harry Potter fanfiction. I even wrote some anime and tv show fanfics too. I always left something constructive in the comments I would leave. But after I was diagnosed with depression, I starting shutting myself off to everybody. Even the authors I would leave comments for. I have done this for the last 8 years, mostly to protect myself. It was because of my father and his emotional abuse. I try to push myself to comment on every story, at least once a chapter, or every 2nd or 3rd chapter.

What I hope you guys take away from this is that when I do comment, I will try to leave constructive critism as well as insane fangirl screaming.

I truly do love and appreciate all the hard-working authors who bring forward such amazing stories.

~Jen