Have You Been Attacked by Your Readers for Creative Decisions?

[Envylope]

Yes, certainly. Also, I get commenters that get mad about what other commenters say. Some commenters act like the comments of readers are how the author feels.

Anyway, I don't really care if people drop. It's only frustrating if people that drop say they drop. Brother, I do not need to know you are dropping. Some readers are very self important and act like I will change the story. There are ways to give the author feedback that are not cringe.

 

[HouseOfUkiro]

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

Goddam nothing is safe ? What threw me for a bender was discovering Winnie the Pooh is female ?

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.

Jeez man! How did you handle it? Didn’t the criticism affect your writing? Or had you already banked chapters when you started posting ?

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.

Yeah they’re definitely goblins. It would be another story if you made them believe one thing and then revealed later on that they’re gender less.

Yes, certainly. Also, I get commenters that get mad about what other commenters say. Some commenters act like the comments of readers are how the author feels.

Anyway, I don't really care if people drop. It's only frustrating if people that drop say they drop. Brother, I do not need to know you are dropping. Some readers are very self important and act like I will change the story. There are ways to give the author feedback that are not cringe.

Lol we don’t negotiate with terrorists. Good on you for standing your ground? I also think we should be respectful in the comments.

 

[Envylope]

Goddam nothing is safe ? What threw me for a bender was discovering Winnie the Pooh is female ?

Winnie-the-Pooh is male.

 

[HouseOfUkiro]

Winnie-the-Pooh is male.

That’s what I think too. What I believe…

 

[Envylope]

That’s what I think too. What I believe…

 

[radiocake]

not really an author (at least a published author) but sometimes a creative decision could also be a shit decision. When writing something you intend to be successful you should take into account the reason why an audience reads the story (escapism yada yada, unfulfilled dreams yada yada, wet fantasies yada yada) and generally having the focus (the MAIN character) of your story do something very unlikable is categorized as a shit idea if you want a succesfull story.

There is a difference between what the author likes and what the reader likes. Readers can be very vocal and mean when they dont like something.

Goddam nothing is safe ? What threw me for a bender was discovering Winnie the Pooh is female ?

Winnie-the-Pooh is male.

Winnie the pooh is a stuffed animal. but is often reffered to as male. despite the insipration being a a female bear.

 

[Envylope]

Winnie the pooh is a stuffed animal. but is often reffered to as male. despite the insipration being a a female bear.

How is this your first message after being here since 2021? You were sitting on this Winnie knowledge for 4 years and had to use it at the opportune moment!

 

[radiocake]

How is this your first message after being here since 2021? You were sitting on this Winnie knowledge for 4 years and had to use it at the opportune moment!

Im not really a poster more of a lurker. But I am delirious from an cold right now so I think I might be suffering from brain damage. Like, the kind of brain damage where your entire personality changes and you can suddenly play piano.

 

[HouseOfUkiro]

How is this your first message after being here since 2021? You were sitting on this Winnie knowledge for 4 years and had to use it at the opportune moment!

not really an author (at least a published author) but sometimes a creative decision could also be a shit decision. When writing something you intend to be successful you should take into account the reason why an audience reads the story (escapism yada yada, unfulfilled dreams yada yada, wet fantasies yada yada) and generally having the focus (the MAIN character) of your story do something very unlikable is categorized as a shit idea if you want a succesfull story.

There is a difference between what the author likes and what the reader likes. Readers can be very vocal and mean when they dont like something.




Winnie the pooh is a stuffed animal. but is often reffered to as male. despite the insipration being a a female bear.

“There is a difference between what the author likes and what the reader likes.”

True. It’s a balancing act. I’m one of those readers but I try to be polite when giving feedback.

How is this your first message after being here since 2021? You were sitting on this Winnie knowledge for 4 years and had to use it at the opportune moment!

You’re that friend that accidentally spills secrets ?

 

[radiocake]

True. It’s a balancing act. I’m one of those readers but I try to be polite when giving feedback.

For sure. There is a reason why I am a lurker and not a poster. If I don't like something in a story to such an extend I would quietly leave. No need to hurt someones feelings.

 

[CharlesEBrown]

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

Well he IS a sponge. Granted, one named Bob but still a sponge...

 

[FRWriter]

Yes, countless times! Mostly on Webnovel, where insults and callouts are just the norm.
I've also been called a transphone because I've included a certain character in my HxH fanfic that got killed but continues to exist as a Nen spirit. Anyway, that character is male and only possesses female characters, so he got called a pervert by another character. Apparently, that word is enough to brand me a transphone.

 

[Valmond]

I’ve encountered many ranges of peeps. It is what it is. If they drop it, that’s on them. If they complain about something, it is almost always impatience. I cannot do anything about that.

If it is a protagonist’s decision, then they are out of luck. I do not compromise, I commit.

So naturally, there is some that no matter what. I won’t be able to reach, and that is fine.

I am someone who writes what he feels like writing, and so transition it the best way I can.

There were peeps who tried to change the way I write, peeps who hated that some characters were lesbians. The quality never changed, hell, it got better.

Note, for every person who blew a fuse somewhere along the line. There were quite a bit others that had no issues and liked it.

I just try not to bother with it. I mean, I eventually did piss off some more when I decided to monetize my stuff.

That was more of a decision made, because I figured if I am gonna be treated terribly, might as well get paid for it.

Jokes aside, it was also to filter out those bunch. Which meant I could experiment with new ideas in a quiet space.

Just know, no matter what you do. You’ll get the unwanted.

 

[HouseOfUkiro]

Yes, countless times! Mostly on Webnovel, where insults and callouts are just the norm.
I've also been called a transphone because I've included a certain character in my HxH fanfic that got killed but continues to exist as a Nen spirit. Anyway, that character is male and only possesses female characters, so he got called a pervert by another character. Apparently, that word is enough to brand me a transphone.

Lol do you like playing with fire?

I’ve encountered many ranges of peeps. It is what it is. If they drop it, that’s on them. If they complain about something, it is almost always impatience. I cannot do anything about that.

If it is a protagonist’s decision, then they are out of luck. I do not compromise, I commit.

So naturally, there is some that no matter what. I won’t be able to reach, and that is fine.

I am someone who writes what he feels like writing, and so transition it the best way I can.

There were peeps who tried to change the way I write, peeps who hated that some characters were lesbians. The quality never changed, hell, it got better.

Note, for every person who blew a fuse somewhere along the line. There were quite a bit others that had no issues and liked it.

I just try not to bother with it. I mean, I eventually did piss off some more when I decided to monetize my stuff.

That was more of a decision made, because I figured if I am gonna be treated terribly, might as well get paid for it.

Jokes aside, it was also to filter out those bunch. Which meant I could experiment with new ideas in a quiet space.

Just know, no matter what you do. You’ll get the unwanted.

You have to find ways of filtering out the goblins somehow. Glad you successfully monetized ???

 

[Valmond]

You have to find ways of filtering out the goblins somehow. Glad you successfully monetized ???

That’s all that can be done. I just saw it this way, why bother putting out my best effort if the majority will remain silent, and the ones who speak are insufferable?

Might as well try to make something out of my writing.

 

[WhimsicalLantern]

Not attacked per se, but in one of my recent novels (Refactoring Tim), there was a certain chapter where two characters in a relationship made a series of choices that left multiple readers unhappy enough to announce in comments that they were quitting the novel.

It sucked. I felt like shit, knowing that they were so unhappy with the direction of my characters that they were quitting reading.

At the same time, I also tried to look for the positive. They cared about the characters. They weren't happy with the way the direction I'd chosen for the characters because they'd established enough of a connection that they became invested in them, and didn't think my choice was the best for the MC.

In the future, I'll try to do better explaining the character's view and decision making, so that readers won't feel upset about a choice, but I know I won't always be perfect and I'll do something that they're upset about. It hurts quite a lot to read the negative feedback, especially when they're so thoughtful about it - it's not just a "this sucks" but an actual well-reasoned perspective on why they don't like my choices.

 

[HungrySheep]

Yes, mainly on RoyalRoad.

 

[FRWriter]

Really? Mods are pretty strict; if you get insulted/attacked, you can report them, and the posts get taken down swiftly.
Even non-justified Reviews can be deleted relatively easily.
Can you elaborate?

 

[Anonjohn20]

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.

It's been 2+ years, and you're still mad about Mattzem and calling everyone who doesn't believe he's a fake account one of your trolls? You even admitted to contacting the admins to complain about him. Yes, he's kind of a dick for following you here from Webnovel. No, disliking your story on two sites doesn't mean he's a troll with many alt accounts; he's just a guy who dislikes lots of things.

Anyways, I'm glad you found thousands of readers. Your story has found an audience; you can let Mattzem go now.

Really? Mods are pretty strict; if you get insulted/attacked, you can report them, and the posts get taken down swiftly.
Even non-justified Reviews can be deleted relatively easily.
Can you elaborate?

This is true.

EDIT: Any review that doesn't focus on the story can easily get taken down.

 

[melchi]

This is just my opinion but.

1.) Your novel is _____
2.) You are ____

are completely different. We live in a free country and people can complain about my rainbow bright x my little pony shipping as disgusting. That's them. It is fine. But it is only an attack when it is about the author and not what they wrote.