Hello and welcome to our gift exchange! Not a strange question at all, no need to apologise 😉 Don’t be nervous, it’s all for fun!

I totally get where you’re coming from tho, we are definitely experiencing a surge of talent in the fandom, and it’s been wonderful to see such great response to #InktoberVC! 

(^Claudia would totes join if she could, but she wouldn’t draw anything for the Louis/Armand ship lol)

From what I’ve seen over the years, ppl participating in the @vcsecretgifts exchange are happy to get any gift at all that relates to their prompt 😀 Even the best fanartists and writers talk about needing improvement in their work, and they know that we all have to start somewhere ^______^

Personally, I feel like the concept of a fic can make it great even if the writing style needs improvement, and similarly, I feel like great dialogue in a fan comic can elevate a piece even if the drawing itself needs improvement. I actually prefer to buy commissioned fanart in black & white bc I don’t always feel like a more “finished” look with color is necessarily better. There are some beautiful WIPs that stand up without being “finished”!

It’s all subjective, too, what I think is a “good” drawing or fic and what someone else thinks is “good,” but I prefer to think of all of it as being different styles. Some ppl dislike Jackson Pollock bc they see his art as splatter paint only (and therefore, totally unskilled), some ppl dislike Photorealistic painting for being too much like a photograph, despite the fact that it takes an enormous amount of skill.

We have ppl who participate who are unable to write or draw, but they are music buffs and make excellent playlists of songs for the characters/ships, or there are fans who do aesthetic photo sets, etc. Everyone participating is doing it more for the fun of giving a gift and receiving one, rather than one-upmanship. 

(While some gifts do get more notes/reblogs/comments than others, well, I feel like the only comments that really matter are from the specific recipient, so it’s very important to show gratitude for the gift you’re given no matter what it is! Bc smne made it for you!)

All the gifts on that blog are for all of us; it’s true for me that I’m more likely to actually MAKE a fanwork when there’s a deadline and someone(s) expecting it, so I think that’s what it’s more about ;D

Btw last chance to join! Sign ups close at 11:59 pm CST!

http://vcsecretgifts.tumblr.com/submit