Categories > Original > Essay > BLOCK ME!
Over the past five years, rather than writing the stories that haunt every minute of my existence, I’ve been more of a commentary writer, observing internet culture focusing on websites that host fictional stories written by us unpublished-folk while also occasionally posting articles about writing and improving your craft. While my commentary pieces have received praise, a few readers have disagreed with me over the years, mainly in regards to “Reasons I Will Not Give Your Story a Chance,” which you can find here.
I had seen many aspiring writers ask “Why don’t I get readers past the first chapter?” so I answered it by saying first impressions matter when you’re on sites with millions of stories competing for readers’ attention. Readers have to prioritize and read stories that interest them most in their limited time, so if your one shot at making a good first impression is tainted with these “new writer” trends that I have seen written for decades, I would move on to another story if it doesn’t grab me by the end of the first chapter, if you could even tow me that far to begin with. I listed all of these trends that plague stories and why they turn me away, ranging from the cover, the title, summary, tags, and the first chapter.
Of course, not everyone would agree with every single point in my list, but the question was open ended, and these were my opinions on why I would skip stories.
The brave few that have left a comment with their differing opinion from mine saw this piece as disparaging to new writers, stifling their zest for the craft.
This was never meant to help other writers. I answered a question I had often seen in writing forums, and I broke down my answer by listing everything that turns me off of stories and telling readers exactly why they do turn me off. I never stated that writers had to follow my example or their stories were trash, and I never stated that my opinion was the be all and end all of writing stories. All I did was answer a question that wanted opinions.
If writers saw my article as a direct attack towards them, that’s not my fault nor my problem. It just means I probably wouldn’t enjoy reading their stories, so don’t recommend me to read them.
Another person wondered how I find stories at all. I occasionally do, though not so often anymore—mostly due to not having as much time to dedicate to searching for stories or reading in general, not just online media. If I happen to be in a reading mood, but I can’t find anything that interests me, I decide to work on my own projects because I’m not going to sludge through a story that hasn’t held my interest past the title just to please a writer that wants a read past the first chapter.
“But give it a chance!”
To what point? The inciting incident? The first pinch point? The climax? The end? No. I want to read a story that I enjoy or holds my interest from the first page, not until the “good part” shows up. No one is entitled to my time, and that’s all there was to it.
Agree to disagree.
Unfortunately, “agree to disagree” hasn’t been good enough in this new age of online writing culture that has become rampant these latest years. It has become a field of eggshells over a minefield with barbed wire stretched over it with people rewriting the book on social circles and etiquette, what it means to post work online, and how to “properly” engage with works and people.
It has been why, aside from my commentary articles, I haven’t engage much with people directly anymore. In my opinion, what I’ve seen has been a massive disappointment and a fall from what the internet was as a whole: a place for social engagement on a mass scale, trading information and sharing opinions, all of which would never be in 100% agreement. And that was perfectly OK.
Now, engagement has been stifled, and so has my enjoyment of online media because of these dictatorship “should-be’s” and “otherwise you’re an awful person” speeches.
I never claimed to be a saint, nor would I ever strive to be one, and I have given up following these new rules because they are ever changing as are the goal posts. As a way for me to meet you in the middle, I’m going to give you all of the reasons why you should block me because I’m not going to be tiptoeing around people or their feelings anymore. There’s so many of you that I would reach the limit of any website’s block list and still need to block thousands more. So here’s your chance to practice your mantra and “curate your online experience.”
Block me.
I had seen many aspiring writers ask “Why don’t I get readers past the first chapter?” so I answered it by saying first impressions matter when you’re on sites with millions of stories competing for readers’ attention. Readers have to prioritize and read stories that interest them most in their limited time, so if your one shot at making a good first impression is tainted with these “new writer” trends that I have seen written for decades, I would move on to another story if it doesn’t grab me by the end of the first chapter, if you could even tow me that far to begin with. I listed all of these trends that plague stories and why they turn me away, ranging from the cover, the title, summary, tags, and the first chapter.
Of course, not everyone would agree with every single point in my list, but the question was open ended, and these were my opinions on why I would skip stories.
The brave few that have left a comment with their differing opinion from mine saw this piece as disparaging to new writers, stifling their zest for the craft.
Wow that’s just way too harsh. There are a lot of first timers out there who are learning as they go. Instead of being so nasty about it, how about you help them out. I’m pretty sure people have helped you when you needed it. Instead of acting holier than thou, lend a hand.
This was never meant to help other writers. I answered a question I had often seen in writing forums, and I broke down my answer by listing everything that turns me off of stories and telling readers exactly why they do turn me off. I never stated that writers had to follow my example or their stories were trash, and I never stated that my opinion was the be all and end all of writing stories. All I did was answer a question that wanted opinions.
If writers saw my article as a direct attack towards them, that’s not my fault nor my problem. It just means I probably wouldn’t enjoy reading their stories, so don’t recommend me to read them.
Another person wondered how I find stories at all. I occasionally do, though not so often anymore—mostly due to not having as much time to dedicate to searching for stories or reading in general, not just online media. If I happen to be in a reading mood, but I can’t find anything that interests me, I decide to work on my own projects because I’m not going to sludge through a story that hasn’t held my interest past the title just to please a writer that wants a read past the first chapter.
“But give it a chance!”
To what point? The inciting incident? The first pinch point? The climax? The end? No. I want to read a story that I enjoy or holds my interest from the first page, not until the “good part” shows up. No one is entitled to my time, and that’s all there was to it.
Agree to disagree.
Unfortunately, “agree to disagree” hasn’t been good enough in this new age of online writing culture that has become rampant these latest years. It has become a field of eggshells over a minefield with barbed wire stretched over it with people rewriting the book on social circles and etiquette, what it means to post work online, and how to “properly” engage with works and people.
It has been why, aside from my commentary articles, I haven’t engage much with people directly anymore. In my opinion, what I’ve seen has been a massive disappointment and a fall from what the internet was as a whole: a place for social engagement on a mass scale, trading information and sharing opinions, all of which would never be in 100% agreement. And that was perfectly OK.
Now, engagement has been stifled, and so has my enjoyment of online media because of these dictatorship “should-be’s” and “otherwise you’re an awful person” speeches.
I never claimed to be a saint, nor would I ever strive to be one, and I have given up following these new rules because they are ever changing as are the goal posts. As a way for me to meet you in the middle, I’m going to give you all of the reasons why you should block me because I’m not going to be tiptoeing around people or their feelings anymore. There’s so many of you that I would reach the limit of any website’s block list and still need to block thousands more. So here’s your chance to practice your mantra and “curate your online experience.”
Block me.
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