True for authors too. Sometimes a story just dies on you and no amount of defibrillation is going to bring it back.
Considering fanfic writers do it for free and usually for fun, I'd broadly say the etiquette is tread very carefully indeed. The impact is going to vary widely between authors because of personality, but generally I'd err on the side of not asking to be safe.
An author will update or they won't. They probably haven't literally forgotten a story exists, and either they're feeling like writing it or they're not.
Re: What's the etiquette on asking an author for an update?
True for authors too. Sometimes a story just dies on you and no amount of defibrillation is going to bring it back.
Considering fanfic writers do it for free and usually for fun, I'd broadly say the etiquette is tread very carefully indeed. The impact is going to vary widely between authors because of personality, but generally I'd err on the side of not asking to be safe.
An author will update or they won't. They probably haven't literally forgotten a story exists, and either they're feeling like writing it or they're not.