5 Things Authors and Writers Wished Readers Knew
I believe I will speak for the majority of writers and authors in this blog. It is by no means a complaint targetted at any particular individual. Instead, I've written this short article for author and writer mental health awareness.
Here are 5 things that your author wouldn't tell you but wished their readers knew.
#1: We are writers, not printers.
We love your enthusiasm for our work. However, each time you pressure us by asking when the next chapter or mass release is coming out, we become severely stressed by all your expectations.
Some of us can write 10,000 words a day but not all of us. We're only humans and need time, space as well as have many real-life responsibilities. We create the fantasy world of books that you read but we don't live in them. It's not possible for us to churn out books like butter.
We are writers, not printers.
Hence, if you really wish to let us know how much you like what we are doing, you can check out my other blog about how to write a review/comment that will make an author love you.
#2: Your opinions can sometimes hurt.
Many readers offer excellent insights on how to make a story better. We appreciate it. However, sometimes, your opinions pass that respectful line and start to hurt our feelings. This happens when you try to direct a writer and often ignore the original idea of the story.
For the sake of ignorant readers, please know that it isn't easy to write a book. Just like how nobody can please everyone in this world, no writer can please every reader. If you find that the book isn't living up to your expectations, leaving silently is better than giving harsh feedback that isn't really necessary. The writer has a mind of their own and the book they write is a gift they wish to share with the world.
If this isn't your cup of tea, find something else that is. There are plenty of books waiting to be read out there with your preferred harem route endings. Stop reading the book that has zero love interest if it isn't your cup of tea and absolutely DO NOT tell the writer it can be better with harems. These are opinions that do not need to be said.
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#3: We are emotionally fragile and unstable.
This is true for many creative people. As art is very subjective. One man's craft can be liked by thousands and the other by only a handful. There is no need to compare the value of different art pieces or books. When you compare one writer to another writer, even if they are friends, often we will be hurt.
If it is a problem with our skills, we appreciate well-worded advice and suggestion to help improve our craft. However, personal writing style, concept and the originality of our ideas are things readers shouldn't try to 'correct'. It's a rejection of who we are as a person and we don't need that. We're already an outcast of regular society, no need to kick a writer when they are down.
#4: We are shy.
Believe it or not, we are shy creatures who live under a rock, fuelled by caffeine. Writers are often crazy in private and among people they know. However, when it comes to interacting with their readers who are technically total strangers, they can be incredibly shy! Sometimes, we won't reply to you because we simply don't know what to say without making it sound like an essay.
Don't be mistaken, we love hearing from you! It doesn't matter if it is a simple thank you or a long spam of emoji hearts. Every comment we receive will be screenshotted like a precious treasure that goes into a special folder with a super secret password on our hard drive. It could be a little stalker-like but trust me, we're just awkward like that.
#5: We need your support!
If you are a reader who has some extra time and is willing to spend them reading or pre-edited chapters to give us valuable feedback as part of our proofreading or beta reading community, we will be eternally grateful!
Every little bit goes a long way. From fan art, cover makers, audiobooks or even fan fiction. We love every bit of support we can get in our community. The tiny army is always recruiting. Your actions speak louder than your words.
Don't be shy to approach the author and let them know that you've created something for them like a fan account for their works that you adore, a song parody, a new Reddit thread or even a fandom wiki! They will appreciate you very much.
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That's all for this blog, I hope you enjoyed it! Let me know in the comments if you agree as a writer or which point surprised you the most as a reader and I'll catch you all next week! Don't forget to subscribe to my Youtube, I'm trying to hit 1,000 subscribers. Also, I do special content for my Patreons so do check that out as well!
