This. I know I would not pick up your story for that simple reason, I would see the AI synopsis and move away.
Would my story do better here than on RR?
- Thread starter joefl70
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WriterTrek
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Where did I say or even imply that teenagers love to read?
I mean, some do, but I still don't get how we got from my comment to this one. Are teenagers even a significant percentage of places like RR?
Juia_Darkcrest
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Hi everybody!
Nice to join the community :D
I'm sharing a novel on RoyalRoad. Been 7 months or so. No ads. Just shoutouts. I have a small community around it, but I started wondering if it's really the right platform all along. RoyalRoad is heavily built on LitRPG and Power fantasies, and I honestly have no idea about ScribbleHub. I read here in the forums that it can be be better for character-driven stories and niches and that's exactly the kind of story I'm writing.
On RoyalRoad, I recently got a review from a dude who left a 3.5/5 ( not bad ) but he dropped the novel because the main character is too innocent for his taste. I wrote the protagonist not for a self-insert narrative ( which is what LitRPGs and Power fantasies do ), but I tried to write him realistically— a kid in an overwhelming world trying not to break. Thanks to this review, I believe maybe I'm reaching out to the wrong audience?
I'm not after trends or anything. This is something I wrote with passion, care and love. A hobby. My first and final story. The win for me is a niche connecting with the characters, looking forward to the next chapter, joining a discord server I created.
Here is the synopsis.
Among streets ruled by hunger and fear, hope comes from the most unexpected hands: a child’s.
Thirteen-year-old Alex is torn from his quiet village by his uncle—Dominick, a feared mob enforcer known as the Undertaker. To protect his parents, Alex is thrown into Portenzo City: a ruthless place where corruption, violence, and power rule.
As he stumbles through the underworld, the boy meets other kids like him: Dante, his partner in crime; Noor, a violinist with secrets; and the Wolves, a street gang who fight for each other because no one else will.
How long before survival demands he lets his innocence go?
This is a slow-burn, psychological coming-of-age story about identity, loyalty, and survival—where fists, wit, and found family mean the difference between life and death.
What to Expect:
Story is finished—Just needs polishing on the initial drafts
? Young kids as the heart of the story
? Themes of tragedy, poverty, child labor, and life in crime-ridden, corrupt cities
? Found family, deep bonds, bromance, brotherhood, and sweet children romance
Slow-burn, character-driven storytelling with mystery and plot twists and flashbacks to explore each character's past
? Martial arts, gritty fights, and street gang clashes
? Politics and strategic games
What NOT to Expect:
Inspirations: World Masterpiece Theater Animes
Chapters word count: 2k-4k
Despite many of the previous comments saying you are basically shooting yourself in the foot since a lot of readers like what you don't have, you lose nothing by trying here. There are plenty of works on here that have found success that don't focus on your 'X's' either.
So give it a go, you have nothing to lose and readers to gain.
writerwolf359
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Finding readers is a numbers game. If your story doesn’t do well on one site, stop actively publishing there and refer readers to a site it’s doing well on. If someone comes across it and likes it enough, they’ll follow you to the other site.
For myself, my (admittedly niche) story didn’t land on RR, but is doing fine here.
For myself, my (admittedly niche) story didn’t land on RR, but is doing fine here.