Help me please.

MasFaqih

Normal White Cat | Fluffy | Can bite really hard
Joined
Apr 10, 2024
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Well, I haven't been writing lately cause some accident with my phone, I really want to write again,but am afraid of my reader expectations even to the point of disregarding their comment about my work, am not even brave enough to read it,what do I need to get up from this,do I just need to stop give a damn about them and not let their expectations affect my motivation to write?,I am in dismay right now,it really affect me mentally,hope someone can give me suggestions about this.
 

Theirl

...---...
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May 14, 2021
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415
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ask for someone else post it for you? like your father or someone u trust
 

Irl_Rat

Balls
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Feb 24, 2021
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Well, I haven't been writing lately cause some accident with my phone, I really want to write again,but am afraid of my reader expectations even to the point of disregarding their comment about my work, am not even brave enough to read it,what do I need to get up from this,do I just need to stop give a damn about them and not let their expectations affect my motivation to write?,I am in dismay right now,it really affect me mentally,hope someone can give me suggestions about this.
Develop narcissistic tendencies. This actually does works, just mind the other ramifications.
 
D

Deleted member 166076

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I completely understand where you're coming from. I've probably had at least a hundred negative comments in the last two years from people. Oftentimes they're a few people leaving dozens of comments overnight and then I wake up and end up feeling overwhelmed by it all. Why they can't just go read something else if they don't like my work, I'll never know.

I use a few methods to deal with this sort of thing, but nothing is foolproof. First, don't be afraid to block people. You don't have to give them warnings, you don't have to engage with them, just block them. Also delete the offensive comments if you can because that will make it less likely for others to leave similar comments dogpiling on you via their original comments. If someone calls you out as being overly defensive or someone makes a second / third account and admits it to you, block them without reading any further. This is for your mental health, which comes first. Nothing about free speech or whatever else is a valid reason.

The second is to turn off comments on chapters older than 2 weeks on any of the sites you post to that allow for that. I know RR does, but don't think this site does. That will make it so trolls who are jealous of your success or whatever else can't comment as easily so they're less likely to comment at all. Some will still make it through, but the important thing is you'll be reducing the chances of it happening.

Finally, and this isn't one I personally employ, consider writing the whole story before posting it. I've found that creating some distance between my work makes it easier. I can't give up on writing it thinking it's a bad idea if it's already finished being written. I also end up knowing my quality of writing has increased by leaps and bounds since I started writing any of my finished work. It will continue to improve in the future as well so long as I keep at it. The comments calling my work trash when it's clearly just not for them might still sting, but it's easier when I've personally moved on from writing and being attached to the story.

I know some people around here will say my methods are cowardly. That authors should have a thicker skin if they're going to post their work online. However, I don't care what they think. I know my limits and I know there are literally hundreds of people who enjoy my work. I can't fix my injured psyche as easily as I can employ these methods and no one should have to give up on writing because other people are bad apples.
 

PancakesWitch

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Hmm, just write for yourself, you should stop giving a damn but still check the comments and try to find what could be helpful for you. But even then, always prioritize your own happiness and entertainment instead of your readers. This is the only true way to not have Author's Block.
 

melchi

What is a custom title?
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Sites with no comments are a thing too. Back in the day people would webnovel from blogs for example. Though the visibility is bad. But that is the trade off take royal road, people there are harsh but it gets the best visibility and views.
 

ChronicSleeper

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Aug 23, 2023
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Well, I haven't been writing lately cause some accident with my phone, I really want to write again,but am afraid of my reader expectations even to the point of disregarding their comment about my work, am not even brave enough to read it,what do I need to get up from this,do I just need to stop give a damn about them and not let their expectations affect my motivation to write?,I am in dismay right now,it really affect me mentally,hope someone can give me suggestions about this.
Try to read comments with some friends, joke around a bit, and release the tension between you and the reader. You can't keep running from the comments forever when you want to write, and unless you quit and purge it from your memory, make the task of reading the comments a light-hearted and fun exercise with some friends, and don't take it too seriously. (this is a personal opinion!)
 

ArtBusterBeeze

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Feb 15, 2024
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47
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You should write to meet your own expectations rather than other's expectations. If you want to tell your story a certain way, then do it the way you want to do it.
 

TheEldritchGod

A Cloud Of Pure Spite And Eyes
Joined
Dec 15, 2021
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Well, I haven't been writing lately cause some accident with my phone, I really want to write again,but am afraid of my reader expectations even to the point of disregarding their comment about my work, am not even brave enough to read it,what do I need to get up from this,do I just need to stop give a damn about them and not let their expectations affect my motivation to write?,I am in dismay right now,it really affect me mentally,hope someone can give me suggestions about this.
Why do you write?
 
D

Deleted member 166076

Guest
Narcissistic is actually the ones who can't take criticism become they care so much.

The problem here is actually closer to the reality of it to begin with. XD

The definition of narcissism is "a personality trait or mental health condition that can cause people to be extremely self-involved and disregard the needs of others. People with narcissistic tendencies may have an exaggerated sense of self-importance, a need for constant admiration, and a lack of empathy for others."

Caring too much about what others think of you doesn't make you narcissistic. It's actually pretty normal to care about what others think of you, but having a low sense of self-worth and care for oneself can certainly exacerbate the issue. Feeling like you aren't worthwhile and judging your worth based on others opinions kind of just sounds closer to the opposite of being extremely self-involved and disregarding the needs of others thus the opposite of narcissism.
 

Daitengu

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Mar 11, 2019
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I think you're gonna have to learn the four main lessons of content creation.

1. It's impossible to please everyone. People have different tastes and are all in different stages of life.

2. Audience comes and goes.

3. Chase the fad, or chase self fulfillment. Sometimes that aligns, most of the time it doesn't.

4. The Internet is full of haters and apologies are worthless. So you'll have to learn to filter the trash comments for the constructive ones.
 

Sylver

Writer/Lover of Monster Girl Smut Content <3
Joined
Oct 11, 2023
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532
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Receiving comments can have its ups and downs. I'm personally a bit miffed cuz I'm soon to complete one year of writing on this website with scarce comments and followers. I can't say I relate to your situation but I can understand it.

Do you feel confident about the vision and/or direction of your story? Do you have an end goal for your work? If you don't, I would advise you to place your story on hold and brainstorm about where your story is going from the chapter you left off.

There is a saying, "No such thing as bad publicity." That is to say, even a negative comment is still a comment. It can encourage more feedback from other readers, and if their comment has some merit you could apply it to your work. For example, maybe they're pointing out a flaw or plot hole that you overlooked.

Of course, those comments are on a case by case basis. You'll likely see negative comments that are simplistic and to the point, saying "this book sucks" or something subjective that lacks context or supporting details for you to work with. For that, understand that you can write the perfect story with the perfect ratings and still find people who hate your work. Furthermore, people have different tastes and interests, some might just lose interest because of the direction the story took that they disagree with, and that's fine.

In summary, figure out where you want your story to go and how to end it. Take advantage of helpful criticism of your work, don't let hateful comments dissuade you from your work, and pace yourself. If you can't write for personal reasons, take some time off and post an update or comment to let your fans know what's going on.
 

Seaspecter

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Just keep writing and don't worry about the haters. Even the most niche stories will find an audience, trust me I speak from experience.
 
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