Neil Gaiman

The one who wrote Coraline, and co-wrote the book of Good Omens and made the TV show, also the Sandman comics writer and co-creator who made the Sandman TV show. Quite nice really.

Archive You can ask things here. Sometimes I answer. It is possible that I have already answered your question.

April 12th, 2022 at 7:10PM

mamalaw1021 asked:

You've gotten some very antagonistic asks, seemingly moreso recently, and your responses when they come through are always tactful and gracious and patient and I just want to thank you for that. I've watched other authors I follow snap at fans in real time and it's always left me hesitant to continue interacting with the author's page and other fans. I've never worried about the space you've created here not feeling safe or even, dare I say, gentle and the vast majority of fans continue to foster that atmosphere. I hope you know that it's very appreciated.

When I start to answer something and realise I’m getting grumpy, I just save it into drafts, telling myself I’ll go back and fix it, and then never get around to looking at the things sitting in drafts. And I try not to answer when I’m tired or upset about other things – that’s when I’m liable to say something unhelpful.

And I try to assume the best of people. When people are rude, it’s sometimes because they are young and know no better, or they don’t realise there’s a real person on the other side of the Ask. And that doesn’t mean they aren’t asking a real question that doesn’t deserve to be answered with civility and as much kindness as I can muster. I get enough apologetic messages on the asks of the “Five years ago I sent you a mean message and I can’t believe I sent it and I’m really sorry” kind, all for things I’d probably forgotten twenty seconds after I read them, that I’d never want to make it worse for anyone.