How much do you justify to your readers?

[CountVanBadger]

If one of your readers continuously brings up a problem they have with your story (and it's not an objective criticism like typos or plotholes) how many times do you try to justify it to them before you just say that maybe they should find something else to read? I've got one reader on RR who seems to be enjoying XNPC, but really hates how it will occasionally have flashback chapters. I've tried explaining that they're necessary to the story, but...

Them: "Every time you write a flashback, I want to stop reading."
Me: "Don't worry, it'll be back to the main story soon."
Them: "But I don't care about what happened a decade ago! I want to know what's happening now!"
Me: "There are important things happening in the flashbacks that will affect the present day story."
Them: "Maybe you should take some time off to rewrite the book so that information is included in the real story."
Me: "The flashbacks are a fun way to explore the characters' backstories and how they got where they are in the present day."
Them: "Then you need to rewrite it so that the story actually starts a decade ago, then timeskip to the present day."
Me: "I like revealing the past a little bit at a time, kinda like how Brandon Sanderson does it in the Stormlight books."
Them: "A book should never have more than one flashback, and it should never last for more than one chapter!"

 

[LiteraryWho]

Tbh, you should probably just block/mute the guy. It's okay to have boundaries.

 

[CountVanBadger]

Tbh, you should probably just block/mute the guy. It's okay to have boundaries.

I've thought about it, but he's one of the few readers who actually bothers to comment. And most of the stuff he says is positive. It's just that he gets really snippy when the flashbacks come around.

 

[ArchlordZero]

I'll just reply once, and when they start to get annoying, I'll just ghost them.

...This is how I message a girl too lol

 

[TheKillingAlice]

If one of your readers continuously brings up a problem they have with your story (and it's not an objective criticism like typos or plotholes) how many times do you try to justify it to them before you just say that maybe they should find something else to read? I've got one reader on RR who seems to be enjoying XNPC, but really hates how it will occasionally have flashback chapters. I've tried explaining that they're necessary to the story, but...

Them: "Every time you write a flashback, I want to stop reading."
Me: "Don't worry, it'll be back to the main story soon."
Them: "But I don't care about what happened a decade ago! I want to know what's happening now!"
Me: "There are important things happening in the flashbacks that will affect the present day story."
Them: "Maybe you should take some time off to rewrite the book so that information is included in the real story."
Me: "The flashbacks are a fun way to explore the characters' backstories and how they got where they are in the present day."
Them: "Then you need to rewrite it so that the story actually starts a decade ago, then timeskip to the present day."
Me: "I like revealing the past a little bit at a time, kinda like how Brandon Sanderson does it in the Stormlight books."
Them: "A book should never have more than one flashback, and it should never last for more than one chapter!"

That's hard to tell. I used to have one reader here on SH, who always took exception to a certain part of my story, regarding the MC's family.
I tried explaining why things aren't as they seem from the get-go, but vaguely explaining things with little spoilers turned out sounding weird, because it apparently seemed as if I contradicted myself. It came to the point where I explained it, thought it wasn't exactly a big twist or reveal, in a spoiler, because it was hard talking around it, while trying to make him understand why this one thing will not happen in this story.
I mean, in the end, I could have just let it go and said "keep reading and figure it out", but that was because I hadn't written anything substantial in years, and it made me anxious, for no reason at all.
In the end, I believe it makes sense to just explain something in a concise manner exactly one time and when they say it again, they can simply return to your last reply and read it again.

 

[E.Z.KAI]

If one of your readers continuously brings up a problem they have with your story (and it's not an objective criticism like typos or plotholes) how many times do you try to justify it to them before you just say that maybe they should find something else to read? I've got one reader on RR who seems to be enjoying XNPC, but really hates how it will occasionally have flashback chapters. I've tried explaining that they're necessary to the story, but...

Them: "Every time you write a flashback, I want to stop reading."
Me: "Don't worry, it'll be back to the main story soon."
Them: "But I don't care about what happened a decade ago! I want to know what's happening now!"
Me: "There are important things happening in the flashbacks that will affect the present day story."
Them: "Maybe you should take some time off to rewrite the book so that information is included in the real story."
Me: "The flashbacks are a fun way to explore the characters' backstories and how they got where they are in the present day."
Them: "Then you need to rewrite it so that the story actually starts a decade ago, then timeskip to the present day."
Me: "I like revealing the past a little bit at a time, kinda like how Brandon Sanderson does it in the Stormlight books."
Them: "A book should never have more than one flashback, and it should never last for more than one chapter!"

Don't let that person get in your head! It could influence your writing, and that would be bad. Not because the story becomes worse, but because you’re going to feel like it's not completely your oen story anymor.

 

[Little-Moon]

If one of your readers continuously brings up a problem they have with your story (and it's not an objective criticism like typos or plotholes) how many times do you try to justify it to them before you just say that maybe they should find something else to read? I've got one reader on RR who seems to be enjoying XNPC, but really hates how it will occasionally have flashback chapters. I've tried explaining that they're necessary to the story, but...

Them: "Every time you write a flashback, I want to stop reading."
Me: "Don't worry, it'll be back to the main story soon."
Them: "But I don't care about what happened a decade ago! I want to know what's happening now!"
Me: "There are important things happening in the flashbacks that will affect the present day story."
Them: "Maybe you should take some time off to rewrite the book so that information is included in the real story."
Me: "The flashbacks are a fun way to explore the characters' backstories and how they got where they are in the present day."
Them: "Then you need to rewrite it so that the story actually starts a decade ago, then timeskip to the present day."
Me: "I like revealing the past a little bit at a time, kinda like how Brandon Sanderson does it in the Stormlight books."
Them: "A book should never have more than one flashback, and it should never last for more than one chapter!"

....you justified once, explained and that is what I would leave it at. Your story your decision at the end of the day.

Rspond to him when he gives any other form of feedback and ignore, or aknowlege but do not answer whenever the flashback thing comes up again. You already told them, and when they come to bother you about it tell them that you explained your core reasons before.

 

[Corty]

Typos? I fix them.

Plot arguments?

I argue them. Even if they are wrong, I still argue, because racking up comments pushes me further up on the activity ladder. Stats are stats, baby!

If you go to the activity rankings https://www.scribblehub.com/series-ranking/?sort=3&order=1 then you will most likely find one or more of my books there.

 

[DarkCosmos]

If one of your readers continuously brings up a problem they have with your story (and it's not an objective criticism like typos or plotholes) how many times do you try to justify it to them before you just say that maybe they should find something else to read? I've got one reader on RR who seems to be enjoying XNPC, but really hates how it will occasionally have flashback chapters. I've tried explaining that they're necessary to the story, but...

Them: "Every time you write a flashback, I want to stop reading."
Me: "Don't worry, it'll be back to the main story soon."
Them: "But I don't care about what happened a decade ago! I want to know what's happening now!"
Me: "There are important things happening in the flashbacks that will affect the present day story."
Them: "Maybe you should take some time off to rewrite the book so that information is included in the real story."
Me: "The flashbacks are a fun way to explore the characters' backstories and how they got where they are in the present day."
Them: "Then you need to rewrite it so that the story actually starts a decade ago, then timeskip to the present day."
Me: "I like revealing the past a little bit at a time, kinda like how Brandon Sanderson does it in the Stormlight books."
Them: "A book should never have more than one flashback, and it should never last for more than one chapter!"

Honestly, at that point, I’d just lean into the joke and specifically warn him whenever a flashback chapter is coming. Something like “Brace yourself, flashback incoming.”

Who knows, if the reader sticks around despite constantly complaining about them, they might secretly be more invested than they realize. Sometimes the loudest complainers are also the most dedicated followers.

 

[MFontana]

If one of your readers continuously brings up a problem they have with your story (and it's not an objective criticism like typos or plotholes) how many times do you try to justify it to them before you just say that maybe they should find something else to read? I've got one reader on RR who seems to be enjoying XNPC, but really hates how it will occasionally have flashback chapters. I've tried explaining that they're necessary to the story, but...

Them: "Every time you write a flashback, I want to stop reading."
Me: "Don't worry, it'll be back to the main story soon."
Them: "But I don't care about what happened a decade ago! I want to know what's happening now!"
Me: "There are important things happening in the flashbacks that will affect the present day story."
Them: "Maybe you should take some time off to rewrite the book so that information is included in the real story."
Me: "The flashbacks are a fun way to explore the characters' backstories and how they got where they are in the present day."
Them: "Then you need to rewrite it so that the story actually starts a decade ago, then timeskip to the present day."
Me: "I like revealing the past a little bit at a time, kinda like how Brandon Sanderson does it in the Stormlight books."
Them: "A book should never have more than one flashback, and it should never last for more than one chapter!"

I don't try to "justify" what I write. To anyone. For anyone.
"The story is my story. I'm its author, and I'm exercising my right to write it how I want to."
That is my general mentality when it comes to my work. There will be people who won't like it. There will be people who love it. I'm writing for the enjoyment of those who love my work, and the rest is just noise.

And for what its worth, this statement of there's is objectively wrong.

Them: "A book should never have more than one flashback, and it should never last for more than one chapter!"

A book should have as many flashbacks as the author has deemed narratively necessary to the story.
And for the evidence to support this, allow me to direct your attention to Erin M. Evans' The Usurper series (Empire of Exiles, Relics of Ruin, and whatever her third book, not released yet as far as I know, is titled).
The series features a vast number of flashbacks that aren't even character flashbacks. They're flashbacks to events that happened a fairly long time before the actual narrative is unfolding in the present, but each and every one of them is vital to the events of the narrative in the present.

 

[CountVanBadger]

And for the evidence to support this, allow me to direct your attention to Erin M. Evans' The Usurper series

Or, like I said, the Stormlight series. Each book retells the night of Gavalar's assassination from a different character's POV, and then one of the main characters' backstory gets revealed through chapter-long flashbacks that are interspersed with the "real" story throughout the entire book.

 

[MFontana]

Or, like I said, the Stormlight series. Each book retells the night of Gavalar's assassination from a different character's POV, and then one of the main characters' backstory gets revealed through chapter-long flashbacks that are interspersed with the "real" story throughout the entire book.

Another great pick.
You've also given me some inspiration for Duskfall as well.
I've had the characters already lightly discussing their time with Alethia, but adding in an actual flashback here and there to some of those adventures could really add a few more interesting layers for the readers to deconstruct and explore. Each one could show the same events, except from a different character's perspective, since its their memories, not what 'actually happened'.

 

[CountVanBadger]

And for the record, I can take criticism. After the reception the first round of flashback chapters got, I realized it was probably best to get them over with as quickly as possible. The current flashback was originally five or six regular sized chapters, but I merged them together into three long chapters so that we could get back to the present day faster. They're still necessary to the story, but at least now (most of) my readers won't get antsy wait more than half a month for it to end.

 

[Tetrahedron]

If one of your readers continuously brings up a problem they have with your story (and it's not an objective criticism like typos or plotholes) how many times do you try to justify it to them before you just say that maybe they should find something else to read? I've got one reader on RR who seems to be enjoying XNPC, but really hates how it will occasionally have flashback chapters. I've tried explaining that they're necessary to the story, but...

Them: "Every time you write a flashback, I want to stop reading."
Me: "Don't worry, it'll be back to the main story soon."
Them: "But I don't care about what happened a decade ago! I want to know what's happening now!"
Me: "There are important things happening in the flashbacks that will affect the present day story."
Them: "Maybe you should take some time off to rewrite the book so that information is included in the real story."
Me: "The flashbacks are a fun way to explore the characters' backstories and how they got where they are in the present day."
Them: "Then you need to rewrite it so that the story actually starts a decade ago, then timeskip to the present day."
Me: "I like revealing the past a little bit at a time, kinda like how Brandon Sanderson does it in the Stormlight books."
Them: "A book should never have more than one flashback, and it should never last for more than one chapter!"

I'd say they see a structural issue within the way you write, and, if I have to guess what they say to your work, it may come off with inconsistent pacing of the plot itself.

I haven't read your work for now, but from my surface level analysis on their criticism, you might encounter someone who only wants to see the plot moving forward and not the back and forth pacing.

 

[CharlesEBrown]

If one of your readers continuously brings up a problem they have with your story (and it's not an objective criticism like typos or plotholes) how many times do you try to justify it to them before you just say that maybe they should find something else to read? I've got one reader on RR who seems to be enjoying XNPC, but really hates how it will occasionally have flashback chapters. I've tried explaining that they're necessary to the story, but...

Them: "Every time you write a flashback, I want to stop reading."
Me: "Don't worry, it'll be back to the main story soon."
Them: "But I don't care about what happened a decade ago! I want to know what's happening now!"
Me: "There are important things happening in the flashbacks that will affect the present day story."
Them: "Maybe you should take some time off to rewrite the book so that information is included in the real story."
Me: "The flashbacks are a fun way to explore the characters' backstories and how they got where they are in the present day."
Them: "Then you need to rewrite it so that the story actually starts a decade ago, then timeskip to the present day."
Me: "I like revealing the past a little bit at a time, kinda like how Brandon Sanderson does it in the Stormlight books."
Them: "A book should never have more than one flashback, and it should never last for more than one chapter!"

Had a reader make a few requests for me to kill off a support character. As I have plans for that character, I dropped a few vague hints as to why I couldn't.
At one point, they even said that if I didn't get rid of him, they'd have to stop reading. That was when I flat out said I had plans for the character and would be sorry to lose a reader over him but he stays, at least for the first (now first and second, though he has a far smaller role) book... Reader then jumped a few chapters ahead to see how the main story arc with that character ended, came back and said "I think I see where you're going and will stick around for a while, But I still don't like the guy."
That just meant I did the job right... :D