Have You Been Attacked by Your Readers for Creative Decisions?

[HouseOfUkiro]

I read this one book that had a good idea that was as close to original as it could get.

The author made the MC do something bad. Really bad no motivational logic behind it. The readers flamed him. I mean I was on my way to the comments section with a torch myself. When I saw the heat he was getting I felt bad. I still dropped it cause I couldn’t trust his vision for the story and the way he wrote.


He’s successful and all, got a following and subscriptions but damn he messed up and damn he got cooked.

Has that happened to you?

 

[L1aei]

I read this one book that had a good idea that was as close to original as it could get.

The author made the MC do something bad. Really bad no motivational logic behind it. The readers flamed him. I mean I was on my way to the comments section with a torch myself. When I saw the heat he was getting I felt bad. I still dropped it cause I couldn’t trust his vision for the story and the way he wrote.


He’s successful and all, got a following and subscriptions but damn he messed up and damn he got cooked.

Has that happened to you?

Wish I knew. The only comments I have received on my stories have been from people who register and vanish in a single day; bots.

 

[CinnaSloth]

I was on wattpad. I've had book's ratings bombed by random people, including an ex who constantly made new accounts to flag me for no reason at all. And it wasn't because we broke up, she dumped me to go out with "a friend". She was just an evil B. but beyond that, I've also had accounts get banned for reasons that were false and not true. (also wattpad). Few of my books would get better readership than others, and they'd get angry because their books would happen to be similar. Which, that's kind of the point of going with popular styles at the time. If vampires are popular, and someone writes a vampire novel, it doesn't necessarily mean, you copied them just because you also wrote about vampires... Idk.. people are dumb. but Here it's mostly just the scammer a-holes that annoy me. getting 1 starred because I refuse to hire them for art.. But that's just my luck.
==========
I should add.. that's why I don't go with what's popular. or why I just write nonsense. (to answer your creative decision part)

 

[HouseOfUkiro]

Wish I knew. The only comments I have received on my stories have been from people who register and vanish in a single day; bots.

Lol you’d take hateful readers over bots?

 

[L1aei]

Lol you’d take hateful readers over bots?

Yes, if their hate is justified, I would at least know what needs improvement like clarity. If I wasn't transparent over the motivation to rationalize the character's actions, that's my fault.

 

[HouseOfUkiro]

I was on wattpad. I've had book's ratings bombed by random people, including an ex who constantly made new accounts to flag me for no reason at all. And it wasn't because we broke up, she dumped me to go out with "a friend". She was just an evil B. but beyond that, I've also had accounts get banned for reasons that were false and not true. (also wattpad). Few of my books would get better readership than others, and they'd get angry because their books would happen to be similar. Which, that's kind of the point of going with popular styles at the time. If vampires are popular, and someone writes a vampire novel, it doesn't necessarily mean, you copied them just because you also wrote about vampires... Idk.. people are dumb. but Here it's mostly just the scammer a-holes that annoy me. getting 1 starred because I refuse to hire them for art.. But that's just my luck.
==========
I should add.. that's why I don't go with what's popular. or why I just write nonsense. (to answer your creative decision part)

Damn. That’s heavy. ? Literally sounds like the beginning of a novel.

I got an inbox about character design for my MC. I didn’t respond ?️??️

Yes, if their hate is justified, I would at least know what needs improvement like clarity. If I wasn't transparent over the motivation to rationalize the character's actions, that's my fault.

You’re leveled headed I’ll give you that.

 

[AliceMoonvale]

Can't say I've ever experienced that, but I've seen similar situations a long time ago on fictionpress.
Kids used to get real pressed if characters weren't portrayed correctly over time. Something like, head-canon gatekeeping? Idk

Also, I think getting any comments is neat, regardless if positive or not. (unless it's just pure bashing or bots)
Means someone cared enough to say something; they had varying levels of engagement to do so.

 

[whitesculptor]

I was on wattpad. I've had book's ratings bombed by random people, including an ex who constantly made new accounts to flag me for no reason at all. And it wasn't because we broke up, she dumped me to go out with "a friend". She was just an evil B. but beyond that, I've also had accounts get banned for reasons that were false and not true. (also wattpad). Few of my books would get better readership than others, and they'd get angry because their books would happen to be similar. Which, that's kind of the point of going with popular styles at the time. If vampires are popular, and someone writes a vampire novel, it doesn't necessarily mean, you copied them just because you also wrote about vampires... Idk.. people are dumb. but Here it's mostly just the scammer a-holes that annoy me. getting 1 starred because I refuse to hire them for art.. But that's just my luck.
==========
I should add.. that's why I don't go with what's popular. or why I just write nonsense. (to answer your creative decision part)

1 star cuz you didn't hire them. Now that's a new one.
If they had any skill at all, they'd already have customers.
Plenty of websites like Etsy for that.
If they're desperate for money get a job.
Like wtf.
Sorry to hear that happened to you and don't back down from what you enjoy.

I read this one book that had a good idea that was as close to original as it could get.

The author made the MC do something bad. Really bad no motivational logic behind it. The readers flamed him. I mean I was on my way to the comments section with a torch myself. When I saw the heat he was getting I felt bad. I still dropped it cause I couldn’t trust his vision for the story and the way he wrote.


He’s successful and all, got a following and subscriptions but damn he messed up and damn he got cooked.

Has that happened to you?

You got me curious, where's the sauce

 

[Xcalibur_Xc]

Oh yeah. Back when I started here on SH, got review bomb and trolled by a group. Let's just say, I was climbing rankings in multiple fanfic categories and that's when it started. They spam 1 star reviews and then keep editing and rage bating with alt accounts. I was a noob and fell into the trap. Then they would edit their reviews to troll even more. But now, I stopped caring. I was like fk you kids, I hold multiple top rankings with thousands of readers and a few 1 star bark won't stop me.

 

[CinnaSloth]

Can't say I've ever experienced that, but I've seen similar situations a long time ago on fictionpress.
Kids used to get real pressed if characters weren't portrayed correctly over time. Something like, head-canon gatekeeping? Idk

Also, I think getting any comments is neat, regardless if positive or not. (unless it's just pure bashing or bots)
Means someone cared enough to say something; they had varying levels of engagement to do so.

I remember they did that a lot with One piece characters and One punch man.
They literally forced the author to rewrite the entire ending of one punch because they didn't want to acknowledge the original.

1 star cuz you didn't hire them. Now that's a new one.
If they had any skill at all, they'd already have customers.
Plenty of websites like Etsy for that.
If they're desperate for money get a job.
Like wtf.
Sorry to hear that happened to you and don't back down from what you enjoy.

I like it here on SH. People are genuinely much nicer
except the bots and scammers, but they suck no matter where you go.
People on wattpad though are toxic af
and people on Ao3 are incredibly defensive on what you upload... it's crazy.

 

[HouseOfUkiro]

Can't say I've ever experienced that, but I've seen similar situations a long time ago on fictionpress.
Kids used to get real pressed if characters weren't portrayed correctly over time. Something like, head-canon gatekeeping? Idk

Also, I think getting any comments is neat, regardless if positive or not. (unless it's just pure bashing or bots)
Means someone cared enough to say something; they had varying levels of engagement to do so.

Head-canon gatekeeping sounds craze. Tbh it sounded like you made that word up. Fandoms are a double-edged sword.

1 star cuz you didn't hire them. Now that's a new one.
If they had any skill at all, they'd already have customers.
Plenty of websites like Etsy for that.
If they're desperate for money get a job.
Like wtf.
Sorry to hear that happened to you and don't back down from what you enjoy.

You got me curious, where's the sauce

It was on RR, a while back I forgot the name. I’ll look for it. It was about a guy who could make soul clones of himself that could possess bodies from other worlds and bring back abilities when that body expires.

Tbh I think the author blundered cause a handful of people kept making the same alternative suggestions. Didn’t break his fan base though.

Oh yeah. Back when I started here on SH, got review bomb and trolled by a group. Let's just say, I was climbing rankings in multiple fanfic categories and that's when it started. They spam 1 star reviews and then keep editing and rage bating with alt accounts. I was a noob and fell into the trap. Then they would edit their reviews to troll even more. But now, I stopped caring. I was like fk you kids, I hold multiple top rankings with thousands of readers and a few 1 star bark won't stop me.

Gotta ignore trolling the moment you notice it. Too many e-vampires out here. Nice work keeping the rankings ⭐️

I remember they did that a lot with One piece characters and One punch man.
They literally forced the author to rewrite the entire ending of one punch because they didn't want to acknowledge the original.


I like it here on SH. People are genuinely much nicer
except the bots and scammers, but they suck no matter where you go.
People on wattpad though are toxic af
and people on Ao3 are incredibly defensive on what you upload... it's crazy.

I have to agree with you on that one. Every platform has its goblin infestation but SH comes with good activity in the forums.

 

[AliceMoonvale]

Head-canon gatekeeping sounds craze. Tbh it sounded like you made that word up. Fandoms are a double-edged sword.

It was on RR, a while back I forgot the name. I’ll look for it. It was about a guy who could make soul clones of himself that could possess bodies from other worlds and bring back abilities when that body expires.

Tbh I think the author blundered cause a handful of people kept making the same alternative suggestions. Didn’t break his fan base though.

Gotta ignore trolling the moment you notice it. Too many e-vampires out here. Nice work keeping the rankings ⭐️

Well, you're in for a fun read. Look up head-canon gatekeeping, it's some wild shit, lemme tell 'ya.
The one I see the most in like popular anime or w/e, is people trying to headcanon gatekeep characters they believe as 'gay coded'.
Google all this when you get the chance, you'll learn some cool, new, fucky things. its very common.

 

[HouseOfUkiro]

Well, you're in for a fun read. Look up head-canon gatekeeping, it's some wild shit, lemme tell 'ya.
The one I see the most in like popular anime or w/e, is people trying to headcanon gatekeep characters they believe as 'gay coded'.
Google all this when you get the chance, you'll learn some cool, new, fucky things. its very common.

Ah I see. Is it a real thing though, fantasizing about two guys hitting it off?

 

[AliceMoonvale]

Ah I see. Is it a real thing though, fantasizing about two guys hitting it off?

Yup. And some people don't know that metrosexual exists, or just dudes who aren't super manly. lmao

 

[HouseOfUkiro]

Yup. And some people don't know that metrosexual exists, or just dudes who aren't super manly. lmao

An army of like 4000 people who think your MC is gay has to be stressful ??

 

[AliceMoonvale]

An army of like 4000 people who think your MC is gay has to be stressful ??

There are still people who fight over SpongeBob's sexuality.

 

[penjied]

Use readers' suggestions with caution, and stick to your original creative ideas.

 

[Hans.Trondheim]

I read this one book that had a good idea that was as close to original as it could get.

The author made the MC do something bad. Really bad no motivational logic behind it. The readers flamed him. I mean I was on my way to the comments section with a torch myself. When I saw the heat he was getting I felt bad. I still dropped it cause I couldn’t trust his vision for the story and the way he wrote.


He’s successful and all, got a following and subscriptions but damn he messed up and damn he got cooked.

Has that happened to you?

When I was early in posting my work (laye 2020), readers torched me for creative and cultural decisions, especially Westerners who think the world revolves around them. (Like that American guy who believes ALL teenagers will get promiscuious once the opportunity present itself, or that Aussie guy from HoneyFeed who thinks airborne landings are impossible in a fictional place with flying beastmen)

Once the pandemic passed and many went back to being busy bodies irl, the criticisms also mellowed up to the point that it disappeared. It was replaced by AI scammers, though.

 

[DaelyxLenAuphydas]

A bit. Mostly complaining about the presence of genderless characters. Definitely get more irritating jackasses than I can shake a stick at any time I go to writing forums or discords, but those people just like complaining they don't actually read any of the story, so they dont really qualify as being attacked by my readers.

 

[Wanderrae]

Yes, mainly on RoyalRoad. God knows you can't satisfy anyone there. I do love Pyrrhic victories, passive protagonists in the first arc, and complex, toxic relationships. I get that not many people like it. On ScribbleHub, it's fine. Someone says, "Hey, I don't like this part," then they skim over it, move on, or drop it. On RoyalRoad, it's a whole parade. I have to hear about secret kinks I apparently have that I wasn't even aware of. People say I'm somehow making political statements when I'm just writing a corrupt government. They tell me there are too many love interests or too few. It sent me on a tangent, and I changed my story around eight times just to appeal to every new critic. In the end, I ended up burned out with a Frankenstein mess. I will listen to critique and opinions, but I cannot tolerate someone trying to make creative decisions for me. So, yeah, I killed my story for that reason, gonna rewrite it with the actual non-compromised vision I have.

Please everyone, and you'll please no one.