I tried writing a web-fiction as a cope. Nearly 4 years later, I'm beginning to lose motivation

[disillusioned]

I've been using writing as a cope for the last several years but I'm increasingly beginning to question how good of a cope it really is. I started releasing a web series a few months ago and while it hasn't exploded or anything it's been decently received. Still, the numbers I'm pulling are minuscule compared to the site's most successful stories.

But that's not really what blackpilled me.

What blackpilled me was doing research on what actually makes stories successful.

Put simply, your story will struggle A LOT of it doesn't check at least one of these boxes:

-Harem fantasy
-LitRPG (extremely popular genre on the internet for some reason even though you virtually never see it irl)
-Fantasy with magic (preferably with a magical girl protagonist)
-Mindless escapist fantasy that doesn't take itself seriously

Because I'm blackpilled my series is dark af and doesn't subscribe to the Good Vs Evil trope at all. It also has many themes that aren't very common (or at least not my portrayal of them). The reception itself hasn't been bad (currently as 4.5/5 star rating on average) but the actual number of readers interested isn't very large (barely 20 followers after publishing about 1 third the story so far).

I haven't given up or anything and will finish the story, but I'm still finding myself increasingly discouraged. Is this what being a writer really is? Just pandering to normie idiots and their low IQ delusions and fantasies? I mean I didn't expect my story to become like massively popular because of the blackpilled themes but this is just sad.

EDIT: Oh, and I completely forgot to mention the possibility of AI making writers redundant eventually, at which point I won't be the only coping artist jfl.

 

[MrGlutton]

nobody cares though

 

[PLA1092]

Post link

I know that feeling. Years ago I used to write stories on an erotic website. It had some positive reviews, but most of the readers did not like the fact that my female protagonists would always get raped in the stories.

Gigabased

 

[Deleted member 21345]

Same also have ideas for a fantasy with little motivation

Your series might not be the next lotr but if you're good you could gain a cult following

Malazan series is notoriously difficult for readers and autistic leading to wide controversy but the author has a decent web presence and a cult following

 

[Aladin]

Sounds pretty shitty ngl.

 

[disillusioned]

Malazan series is notoriously difficult for readers and autistic leading to wide controversy but the author has a decent web presence and a cult following

elab on the controversy.

 

[Bojack]

Chit son at least you got some viewership nigguh be grateful bigguh

 

[disillusioned]

Chit son at least you got some viewership nigguh be grateful bigguh

brb is followed by 20 people Vs the tens of thousands some neckbeard obtained through his juvenile litrpg harem fantasy epic.

 

[Bojack]

brb is followed by 20 people Vs the tens of thousands some neckbeard obtained through his juvenile litrpg harem fantasy epic.

20 is still good tbh, I bet if I wrote some chit. I wouldn't get anybody reading it. Just change your blackpilled story to some norm shit and maybe more ppl will read it idk mane

 

[MoggerGaston]

You are mistaking the lack of popularity for your writing with quality.

If popularity is what you are after, your writing is probably not even your biggest problem right now. Even if your writing doesn't follow the popular trends.
It's the way you are marketing it.

 

[Deleted member 21345]

elab on the controversy.

The series starts en media res and drops tons of lore sperg terms without explanation

The author wrote it as though the reader is already versed in the world

You constantly jump POVs. Sometimes jump contintents

Needless to say it's hard to understand and alot of people drop it and say it's horrible

Imo its a great series and worth the hassle if you're a fantasy buff

 

[Krakowski]

Link it

 

[disillusioned]

20 is still good tbh, I bet if I wrote some chit. I wouldn't get anybody reading it. Just change your blackpilled story to some norm shit and maybe more ppl will read it idk mane

Some geek did the numbers on average story stats for the site, and according to him the medium number of followers for a story is 4. That's just the medium mind you, meaning that a full half of stories actually have fewer than 4 followers. If you make it to 100 or more, you're in the top 20%. At top 5% you've got thousands. It's basically no different than the Incels Vs Normies Vs Chads. My story has basically normie tier stats, which is to say it could be worse but is still pretty pathetic overall.

You are mistaking the lack of popularity for your writing with quality.

If popularity is what you are after, your writing is probably not even your biggest problem right now. Even if your writing doesn't follow the popular trends.
It's the way you are marketing it.

I already knew that you can't have a very popular story without stuffing it full of bluepill tropes, but 20 followers a third into the story is still pretty pathetic imo. Maybe it will get better I dunno.

Link it

I'd rather not since I want my writing identity and blackpill identity to remain separate.

The series starts en media res and drops tons of lore sperg terms without explanation

The author wrote it as though the reader is already versed in the world

You constantly jump POVs. Sometimes jump contintents

Needless to say it's hard to understand and alot of people drop it and say it's horrible

Imo its a great series and worth the hassle if you're a fantasy buff

Tbh that does sound like genuinely shitty writing jfl. It's the sort of beginner mistakes I'd make when I first started almost 4 years ago.

 

[MoggerGaston]

I already knew that you can't have a very popular story without stuffing it full of bluepill tropes, but 20 followers a third into the story is still pretty pathetic imo. Maybe it will get better I dunno.

How have you marketed your story so far and how do you think that your marketing compares with your more popular competition?

not talking at all about the quality/content of your writing here.

 

[Deleted member 21345]

Some geek did the numbers on average story stats for the site, and according to him the medium number of followers for a story is 4. That's just the medium mind you, meaning that a full half of stories actually have fewer than 4 followers. If you make it to 100 or more, you're in the top 20%. At top 5% you've got thousands. It's basically no different than the Incels Vs Normies Vs Chads. My story has basically normie tier stats, which is to say it could be worse but is still pretty pathetic overall.


I already knew that you can't have a very popular story without stuffing it full of bluepill tropes, but 20 followers a third into the story is still pretty pathetic imo. Maybe it will get better I dunno.

I'd rather not since I want my writing identity and blackpill identity to remain separate.

Tbh that does sound like genuinely shitty writing jfl. It's the sort of beginner mistakes I'd make when I first started almost 4 years ago.

I hated the first book initially most people do but once you get into it, it really is worth it. The author was an archeologist and it's been described as an archeological writing style