u/Big_Exchange_2812

Okay, so this might be a little complicated and I’m sorry if this isn’t the place to have this discussion. I just (literally just) finished a romantasy book i absolutely loved and went to read some reviews, bc once i finish something i love i like seeing discussion about it. I’m not sure if i should say exactly what book this is to risk bringing attention to bad reviews, but I’m just gonna say its from a big five, and seems pretty popular. I loved the plot, the world building, and the really nuanced character dynamics that unfolded in the book. Ive read one of this authors books before, and loved that one too, so i plan to dive into more of their backlog into the future.

My real problem is: i go into the reviews, and see endless hate about things that make no genuine sense to me? There are people ranting about how the story is instalust, when the characters didn’t even get intimate until the LAST THIRTY PAGES. there are people complaining about not enough spice, but also too much. There are people complaining about the characters being vapid and emotionally empty, but also people complaining about the characters struggles being ‘too much’. There’s people complaining about how there’s absolutely zero plot, but the plot was straight up most of the story. Do these readers not understand what plot is? The plot is the attempted assassination storyline, kidnapping, and escape? It’s like most of the story?

I genuinely don’t get this. These all seem like prolific readers, but it genuinely confuses me to see people talk about books this way. It genuinely feels like a bunch of people who didn’t even read the book, or who are making up problems with it in bad faith.

There are people in the comments acting like this is a ‘shallow’ romantasy with nothing but romance, and thats not it at all? (And I’m not dogging on more romance first books, I’m just referring to how people in the reviews are talking about it). Im just genuinely confused, and i feel like these people are reading with their eyes AND ears shut and just aren’t paying attention, and then blaming the author for the fact they didn’t pay attention.

Maybe its because I’m autistic, but i genuinely don’t understand how people who say they love these types of books go into them and then absolutely miss every point and review the book not even REALIZING they’re missing the point. I understand that reading is subjective and all that, and i don’t care if people don’t LIKE a book. But people are talking about this book as if it’s completely different from what it actually is. Wdym there’s no plot? Wdym its insta lust? Wdym nothing happens? Wdym the pacing is slow? Genuinely, do some people not understand any of the words coming out of their own mouths when they leave reviews?

This is a genuine question. I just want to hear other peoples thoughts on this. I don’t understand how people who love the same genre see books SO DIFFERENTLY.

Jude Elias Carter wants one thing: to erase the crushing debt that is slowly destroying his life.

But in (blank) City in 24XX, where every movement is tracked and every identity is owned by the system, escape is nearly impossible. Jude has already tried everything to stay afloat—smuggling, theft, and jobs on the illegal networks that scrape the bottom of society—but none of it has been enough. When a debt collectors attempts to recover assets escalates and threatens the life of his ailing little sister, Jude is forced into a final option he never wanted: the one job in the underground that is either a myth or a death sentence.

Corin is a name whispered through the lowest layers of (blank) City’s underground economy. They’re sometimes spoken of as a savior, sometimes as a monster, and sometimes as proof the system itself has cracks. No one agrees if Corin is real, but everyone agrees on one thing: a bounty exists for their death, and it is large enough to erase any debt and buy a clean escape from the system entirely.

It should be the perfect job to save Jude and his sister. The only problem is that Corin cannot be killed.

As Jude struggles through a series of failed assassination attempts that go unpunished and increasingly defy logic, he becomes more entangled in Corin’s existence, and the reality of their suffering immortality. When Jude finally draws the attention of the entity responsible for enforcing Corin’s eternal life, he is forced into an impossible choice: secure the safest possible future for himself and his sister by walking away, or risk everything to stand against a dark, possessive force that refuses to let Corin die.

(Untitled) is a 100,000-word romantic sci-fi fantasy about immortality, grief, and survival under total surveillance. It will appeal to fans of the intense queer relationships in Dark Rise, the class division and systemic tension of Arcane, and the dark, transactional magical systems of Ninth House.

This is still in the first draft so some aspects are left unnamed for now! I tend to do my query writing early on in revisions bc it helps me narrow down what the true point of the story is. Please let me know what is or isnt unclear here! Thanks

Im not looking for general advice on stakes or how to structure a heist- I’m looking for detailed thought on what you personally think makes one feel good to you!

When you read or watch a heist, or even just think about them, whats the one thing you think would really make the story hit for you? Is it something with the characters, the planning phase, or the focus (mark) of the heist itself? In a fantasy setting, do you enjoy it when magic plays a role in a heist? Or do you prefer a more classic skill set?

Is there anything commonly written in a heist story that, when you see it, makes you want to put it down and stop right away?

Specific thoughts! Im not going to directly take anyones ideas, i already have my project fleshed out. I just want to see if theres anything i might be missing or should avoid that I’m not thinking about!

THIS IS NOT MEDICAL ADVICE I AM NOT LOOKING FOR MEDICAL ADVICE. I AM DIAGNOSED IN MY PROBLEM AND AM TREATING IT BUT I WANT TO DISCUSS WRITING STUFF TO SEE IF ANY OTHER WRITERS RELATE!

hi ya’ll. I have the unfortunate situation of being both a writer and an artist, and within the last couple years i developed muscle injuries in both arms as well as some other arm problems. Due to my living situation, i cannot do the thing where you speak and the program picks up your words for you. I wear a brace on my dominant arm at all time and most of the time that helps limit the pain, but im just wondering if there are any other writers who are struggling with similar things, and how they feel it affects their life?

Essentially my hand and fingers go numb when over used, all the way up my arm, and i get deep blue bruises on the backs of my hands between the tendons. Unfortunately not much i can do to fix it.

Are there any other writers here who are struggling with similar injuries? Have you found ways to keep writing despite the problem? Hand writing is out of the question (my hands are too weak most days to write even a few words legibly), but i can usually type for a few hours a day. Drawing is actually a lot less straining than writing is, maybe bc my hands have just built up use for that too much.

Does it affect your mental state about your writing, if youre in a similar situation? If you found out you may have to quit writing completely due to something like this, would you try to keep writing? Are there any methods other than audio transcribing that people use to help deal with this? (For context i have four roommates in a very nosy house with no real privacy. And in a few months im moving to where i will be sharing essentially a dorm room, so no real privacy for that there either.)

Thanks!

MODS PLEASE DONT DELETE THIS POST THIS IS WRITING SPECIFIC PLEASE

Im going to be careful in my wording on this post because i know some people on this thread can get prickly.

Im going to preface that i’m not a ‘new’ writer, but also not an expert. My writing is very flawed, and im just asking for a discussion on this. I genuinely (not lying) wrote 600,000 words last year in drafts and personal projects unrelated to my goals for traditional publishing.

I know a huge part of the answer to this will be ‘draft first, edit later’, but I’ve tried solving this problem this way many times. But its a habit so engrained in me that its just annoying me at this point, and i need some thoughts on if there’s a way for me to fix it.

The problem? Filler language.

‘He saw that’, ‘he felt this’ ‘just’ etc etc etc. not just that, but i tend to over explain every single description i write. Im constantly couching my own language to make sure readers understand.

Its not just a writing problem. I DO THIS WHEN I SPEAK. i talk this way, and type this way in messages with friends, and its HORRIBLE in my writing. I genuinely think part of this is an autism thing, but i know it causes major problems in my writing. But finishing a draft and seeing that every single line needs to be changed because of this kind of language makes me INSANE!!! I need to think of methods to help myself work this out of my system. Simply ‘writing more’ doesn’t fix it, and neither does just getting more feedback. I know I’m doing it! I just don’t see how bad it is in the moment, because everything feels ‘necessary’ as i write it.

It’s probably in every sentence in this post and i cant even see it as I’m writing! If i had to edit this post to be able to post it without it being noticed i would rather just throw it in the trash.

Does anyone else have this problem so intensely? And any ideas how to slowly fade this filtering out of my thought process? Genuinely willing to try any insane, stupid idea.

Thanks!