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I already put tragedy and weak minded protagonist. What else can I do?

How about adding the premise of what to expect on your story, just like I did? It minimized the attraction of edgy readers for me.

Hmm, guess I can add how pathetic the MC is on the summary. Not sure how to word it so people won't get the wrong idea though.

I only said that there would be both sad moments and heartwarming moments. Nothing about the MC there. The title should have clued them in though.

Sadly, I do want to be popular as well. I've abandoned stories before that don't have enough attention according to my taste.

But I want to be popular from writing something I like. Because I can't spend what must have been hundreds of hours writing 500k words just to write something I'm not fond with.

Though I guess I can try writing a revenge isekai story instead with an edgier MC. But if it were me, I would make the MC suffer for longer than in your average revenge isekai. How long did it take for Shield Hero to get his revenge on Myne? Didn't take very long compared to the rest of the story. I don't even know what they do after that.

You can still be popular with writing your own, however, it would take time.

Hah, time. It's almost a full year since I started writing.

When the story ends, that's it. It will just get buried under other stories forever.

Unless, it makes a mark on your readers, which definitely won't happen if you pander to them.

Take a look at Mushoku Tensei. When it came out first, it was criticized due to Rudeus' character.

But then, it's one of the best isekais out there. Imagine if the author gave up and pandered.

When it came out first, it was criticized due to Rudeus' character.

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Hmm, that's news to me.

All I can say, is, the thing that I keep in my mind. I'm writing MY story, not anyone else's.
Now.. distinguishing between good criticism and just reader preference, is a whole other thing.

As much as some things bug me, especially comments on Lilith's intelligence, I decided,
if I don't think it's good or useful criticism for me, I'm going to keep doing what I want.

Yeah, I've read Mushoku Tensei before Shield Bro, and a lot of readers before criticized Rudeus' character, and the slow pace of the story, especially on the early parts.

It's really kind of disturbing to receive comments regarding your character's intelligence. Kuro also received feedback on his way of thinking, but then, what can I do? My culture (in which, Kuro's values are based) is different from the audience's culture.

Interesting. I never heard about it.

I think the main criticisms I've heard was about the ending, how Rudy is kind of a dick, how his wives don't get much screentime once they get married (getting left behind on plot outings since they're pregnant), and some side story stuff like with how his son gets it on with his half-sister when he's like 10 years old or something.

Ah, that's news to me, since I last binge-read Mushoku Tensei @ Baka-Tsuki way back in 2016 (or is it 2017?). Well, in any case, there you go. Even the 'established' names in the certain genres had been criticized because of their 'deviating' aspects; likewise, you have two options: write what you want and gamble on your work, or write what they want, and risk your story being forgotten after some time has passed.

Remember, Shield Bro got criticized because of its apparent 'poor treatment of women'. Mushoku Tensei was criticized for its 'slow-paced plot' and 'dick MC'. Arifureta is being panned because it's a 'wish-fulfillment' story disguised as isekai. Konosuba was criticized for its apparent 'non-sensical, over-comedic' plot.

But also consider, these stories made names for themselves.

So long post made short, I guess it's better that your work gets popular in its own merit, than to ride in another story's success. Not only would you write a work that you can call 'your own', it's also enjoyable, and there's the chance to make a distinct name for yourself.

Enduring popularity takes time, and maturity, as to the example shown by the novel, 'The Great Gatsby'. Remember that its author considered that work of his as a failure, and it only got popular after he died.

For the meantime, do what you can do to improve your work. Fix the inconsistencies, rationalize your scenes and characters' actions, make your characters believable...something along those lines.

I actually first read it around that time as well.

Funnily enough, I would agree with all those four criticisms. Rudy is a dick early on and he doesn't really get called out on it. And the author is pretty fine with cheating, to the point of blaming the woman for being jealous. Shield Hero is big on the slaves thing, not to mention the punishment of bad guy is in poor taste. And Arifureta is laughably edgy.