PSA: Stop Asking if People Would be Interested in a Story

[MasterY001]

Every time it's someone's birthday, I'll send this.

And yes, a premise is only the start when it comes to writing. The execution is way more important in the end.

 

[Tyranomaster]

Every time it's someone's birthday, I'll send this.

And yes, a premise is only the start when it comes to writing. The execution is way more important in the end.

 

[Focamocco]

I don't think this is a big deal. It's people's freedom to ask things. If you are asked and you don't want to help, just be direct and reject. Or if the question is put on the forum, you can just ignore it. As long as it's not breaking the rules, I don't see why I should stop people from doing stuff. Well, unless they push you over and over.

 

[K_Jira]

First of all, happy birthday

In regards to the topic, personally, since this is a forum, i fully expect people to want to ask for opinions like that (one reason or another) and i'm fine with it as long as it doesn't break any forum rules (to be honest, i, myself don't remember all the details). I don't think there's that many that it overwhelms the forum thread overall discussions.

Still, i get what you mean. Though on the other hand, i can understand why those authors would want to test the water, seek validation, or maybe promote their novel as well. Most likely, it's because they don't have anyone irl to help give them opinions, validations, and or critics. Since this is a forum where authors gather, they don't think there's anything wrong in asking such things.

But I do like SHF that discusses many other things in comparison to other writing forums and i don't want that to change.

My advise for those author:

Rather than asking something vague about whether or not someone will be interested in a story premise, try to write it first, publish a couple of chapters, and jump into feedback threads (or tempokai's roast thread if you have a steel, fearless heart). You can also make a thread asking what you can improve, whether or not you're bringing the plot to an interesting direction, and anything else you need improvement with. You can even review/feedback swap with other authors who shares your interest to get one.

You can't do any of that without a story to begin with.

Your writing itself is more important than the idea and do have fun. If you got stuck on worrying whether or not the idea will sell/popular, it'll only be a stone dam for your ideas.

Thank you for coming to the ted talk of someone who has a lot of free time in their hands

 

[Leti]

Thank you for listening to my birthday PSA. Please stop asking people if they would read a hypothetical story. Just write it, then ask people to read what you've already written. Success comes from practice.

Happy birthday! Wish granted! Now they ask people if they would give feedback to a hypothetical story!

Advertising the story before it is even written is putting a cart in front of the horse, but unfortunately, there isn't any better option.

Presales.

 

[CharlesEBrown]

I personally don't think it is kind to allow them to not engage honestly with their own work. Every author has more ideas than they have time to write. Not writing is wasting your potential as an author, and waiting for feedback to write is wasting that time you could spend writing.

There have been a *few* threads in this general genre of "would you be interested" where the individual says they've already written x amount. Those people deserve kindness. They're doing the work.

I think it is a fair comparison to say that it isn't kind to tell a child who won't eat vegies that it is ok to keep asking questions about how each vegetable tastes, rather than trying them.

It is also possible if they're testing the waters not about what TO write, but about where to post it when/if they do (or if they actually have) written it...

 

[Tyranomaster]

I don't think this is a big deal. It's people's freedom to ask things. If you are asked and you don't want to help, just be direct and reject. Or if the question is put on the forum, you can just ignore it. As long as it's not breaking the rules, I don't see why I should stop people from doing stuff. Well, unless they push you over and over.

The content of my post is the reasons why they shouldn't for their own sake, not mine. I usually skim their posts, then ignore, because I am a very picky reader. The reasons they shouldn't aren't because it's annoying, but because it is detrimental to them as potential authors.

First of all, happy birthday

In regards to the topic, personally, since this is a forum, i fully expect people to want to ask for opinions like that (one reason or another) and i'm fine with it as long as it doesn't break any forum rules (to be honest, i, myself don't remember all the details). I don't think there's that many that it overwhelms the forum thread overall discussions.

Still, i get what you mean. Though on the other hand, i can understand why those authors would want to test the water, seek validation, or maybe promote their novel as well. Most likely, it's because they don't have anyone irl to help give them opinions, validations, and or critics. Since this is a forum where authors gather, they don't think there's anything wrong in asking such things.

But I do like SHF that discusses many other things in comparison to other writing forums and i don't want that to change.

My advise for those author:

Rather than asking something vague about whether or not someone will be interested in a story premise, try to write it first, publish a couple of chapters, and jump into feedback threads (or tempokai's roast thread if you have a steel, fearless heart). You can also make a thread asking what you can improve, whether or not you're bringing the plot to an interesting direction, and anything else you need improvement with. You can even review/feedback swap with other authors who shares your interest to get one.

You can't do any of that without a story to begin with.

Your writing itself is more important than the idea and do have fun. If you got stuck on worrying whether or not the idea will sell/popular, it'll only be a stone dam for your ideas.

Thank you for coming to the ted talk of someone who has a lot of free time in their hands

Thank you for the birthday wishes. The purpose I intended was that it is detrimental to them, not others. They can ask the question if they want, but I believe that it tends to harm them to do so, much like asking reddit for financial advice.

Their reasons they want to ask are valid, but the results will be detrimental, largely because they are going to get biased replies and are asking the wrong questions.

If I went to reddit and asked them if I could make money by opening a business that sells skis, their answers would be all over the place. It'd be worse if I neglected to also mention I live 1000 miles from the mountains and am a terrible salesperson.

A hypothetical ski business could succeed and they do, but I lack the knowledge to ask the right question as to whether my particular ski business could succeed because I failed to provide necessary context. Someone could ask me the right questions to get the details, but they also could not.

 

[K_Jira]

Thank you for the birthday wishes. The purpose I intended was that it is detrimental to them, not others. They can ask the question if they want, but I believe that it tends to harm them to do so, much like asking reddit for financial advice.

Their reasons they want to ask are valid, but the results will be detrimental, largely because they are going to get biased replies and are asking the wrong questions.

If I went to reddit and asked them if I could make money by opening a business that sells skis, their answers would be all over the place. It'd be worse if I neglected to also mention I live 1000 miles from the mountains and am a terrible salesperson.

A hypothetical ski business could succeed and they do, but I lack the knowledge to ask the right question as to whether my particular ski business could succeed because I failed to provide necessary context. Someone could ask me the right questions to get the details, but they also could not.

Ah i see. Im sorry for the misunderstanding

Yes, i agree. In the end, they need exp to ask the right question and to gain exp, they need to actually actualized the idea.

And the only answer to do this is:

Carefully.

 

[Leti]

Carefully.

Use condoms!

 

[Deleted member 266]

The reasons they shouldn't aren't because it's annoying, but because it is detrimental to them as potential authors.

Which is fine, and I mean you can always just reply to their thread if you want to help them.

But to do this this way to open with.

Not only is this a plague upon the forums

Maybe that's a poor way to open.

It does make it feel more like a lynching than friendly advice, regardless of the validity of it all.

Reminds me of the crusades with the...

for their own sake, not mine

Happy Cake Day BTW.

 

[Anonjohn20]

It does make it feel more like a lynching than friendly advice, regardless of the validity of it all.

It's not a lynching unless the crowd gets involved. We must help Tyranomaster.

 

[Rookieqw]

Happy birthday!

 

[Macha]

Happy cake day, u/Tyranomaster!

It wouldn't be so bad if they only asked. But then they used LLM to write the story and ask for feedback when all they do is think of a story idea leaving the butler to do the rest

 

[SternenklarenRitter]

I think its a good thing if prospective authors are curious about their possible audience. Are they asking questions effectively? Well, no. But that's just a normal part of being a new author. Let them be newbies and figure out how better to ask for advice at their own pace; don't bash them just because you think their questions aren't worth your time.

 

[JayMark]

Would ya'll be interested in readin' my story?

 

[Anonjohn20]

Would ya'll be interested in readin' my story?

Imma be real with you, my bovine friend. It needs more smut. LOL JK

 

[TASTYLEADPAINT]

Trying a veggie takes seconds. Writing a story can take years.

No it doesn't. My most popular story went from concept to posted first chapter in 2 days. You don't need to write the full thing maybe 4 or so chapters to find out:

A: whether or not you actually like writing a story

B: if it has an audience. Even a small one of like 10 or so people

 

[Deleted member 85769]

You're here too? Happy birthday!

 

[beast_regards]

Presales.

So, if we could have pre-sales threads, why not the advertisement forum section?

 

[Leti]

So, if we could have pre-sales threads, why not the advertisement forum section?

Use the feature requests section and request to add the advertisement forum section.