Rants, Stories, and Etc.

Chapter Forty-One: Picky Authors

Before I start, I want to say that this is just a personal opinion and I don't have any particular people in mind while writing this, but more and more it seems to be a problem in the stories I'm reading on Wattpad.

You're probably wondering what I'm talking about.  Well, it's Wattpad authors.  More specifically, their problem with their readers.

I get sooo annoyed when I read a really great story, and I LOVE it, and if I am not too caught up in the story I even leave a really nice comment.  And then at the end of one chapter, there's an author's note.

Dear Readers,

You need to stop leaving comments telling me when to update.  I'm really busy and under stress and I update on my own time and not when you ******* tell me too.  Sending me PM's saying "I will kill you if don't update" don't change anything so ******* stop it!  

And they go on about being busy and stop leaving them comments telling them to update because they hate it and they are thinking of taking their story down if this continues, or maybe they reply to you in a rude manner.

There's other types of these notes too.

Hello everyone.  Stop commenting about how much you don't like my main character.  This is my character and I'm writing for me and not for you and I'll do whatever I want to and you need to respect that because I take time out of my day to update a new chapter so you can enjoy it.  If you don't enjoy my chapters you don't have to read my story, but don't take it out on my main character.  Yes, she swears and is rough.  But that's just the way she is.  These comments are mean and upsetting and my story will be on hold as I change some things so you can understand the main character better.  Bye.

So basically, stop telling them when to update and don't insult their characters.  But that's understandable!  

So then Kayla, what's so annoying about these authors?

The annoying thing is that they get a mean comment or two and take it out on all their readers.  The ones who shower praises on them and their stories, and the ones who don't even leave comments, the ones who criticize, and the ones who actually deserve to be taken down a peg or two because they were jerks in their comments.  

Half of the authors on Wattpad jump for joy if they manage to get one comment in their stories (me included), but lots of them get hundreds of comments per chapter, good and bad, and then scold their readers and commenters for asking them to update, or saying something about their character.

If you don't appreciate something someone has said, talk directly to that person.  PM them possibly, with something like this.

I don't appreciate the comment you left me.  It was mean and if you have a problem with my story you should stop reading it because it wasn't written for you, it was written because I enjoy writing stories.  Nothing about my story is going to change from the way I envision it and since you don't like that way I suggest you stop reading my story.

Something like that.  Or if you feel the need to make the fact that they hate your story public, at least include a user name.  Maybe you won't do that simply because you would like to spare them from hate or embarrassment.  But when I read a story and the author adds an A/N at the end of the chapter saying that the comments aren't nice, or are stressing them out, I automatically freak out and assume I've been mean in my comments without meaning it.  

If you don't want to put a user name, at least let your nice commenters know you don't mean them.  

Dear Haters,

Please stop leaving me mean comments.  Etc, etc, blah blah, etc.

Specify who you're talking too.  Because if you're leaving notes that start like this:

YOU GUYS NEED TO STOP LEAVING ME HATE COMMENTS I DON'T LIKE IT AND IT NEEDS TO STOP.  IT IS NOT HELPING AND I WILL TAKE DOWN THE STORY IF IT DOESN'T CHANGE.

You'll probably start losing a lot of readers.  I've stopped reading stories just because I can't stand the author constantly whining about the comments they get.

Guys, if you're getting comments at all you're doing something right.  Even if they are rude, at least the people took a minute out of their day to type a response to your story.

I have been on Wattpad for nearly a year.  I have gotten only a few comments per chapter, the few chapters I get a comment on.  Half of the comment counts on my stories are just me replying to someone's comment.

I would love to get as much comments as those authors who complain.  Whether they are good comments or bad, I would take them as long as I could know people are reading my stories.

Now, I don't know why these picky authors joined Wattpad.  I'm going to assume it's because they enjoy writing, maybe want to be an author for real, maybe want to publish a book.  If that's the case, I don't think it's going to happen.  You probably won't be an author.  Because if you can't take a few insults from the readers on Wattpad, what about all the big books critics and editors and other big shots in the real world?  One bad thing from them and at the rate you're going you'll either murder them for pressuring you, or you'll break down crying because they didn't like something you wrote.

Keep trying though.  There are mean people all over the world.  Maybe one day you'll even learn how to ignore them.  Or if you don't like to ignore them, then you'll be able to look them in the eyes.... and stick your tongue out at them.

So that's why those authors on Wattpad bother me.  They get so much votes and comments and readers, but instead of leaving author's notes that say 

Thanks so much for reading and commenting and voting for my story, I love you guys!

They get all dramatic and let themselves believe the words of one ignorant little reader.  And then they ignore all the nice things they have and try to clean up the stain that one reader left, all while spreading it and making it a bigger mess.

So yeah, that annoys me.

Wow Kayla, judgemental much?  You don't know what they're going through.

Yeah, I know.  So if you have some good reason to be complaining, then I'm sorry.  I sincerely apologize for everything I've said in this chapter.  But more likely than not you just enjoy complaining.  And so it's my turn for an author's note.

Please stop complaining.  Please stop taking it out on your readers.  Please just ignore what they say, or do something about it one-on-one.  But don't let it all out in an author's note.  Because you'll just get more hate for it eventually, and then everything will start all over.  So please just stop.

Kayla