u/Kasskinen

Hi everyone,

I've done a lot of research, and I've already seen plenty of posts asking if it's possible to lose weight and build muscle without going to the gym. The answer always seems to be yes.

What I'm looking for are people who have actually done it.

I mean home workouts only (plus things like walking, jogging, or running if you did those), not people who eventually joined a gym.

The reason I'm asking is that a lot of people online promote home workouts, but when I look at their content, they also have a gym membership or regularly train at a gym. That makes it hard to know what results came from home workouts alone.

I'd love to hear from people who stuck with home workouts.

- What was your goal when you started?

- What kind of workouts did you do?

- How long did it take before you noticed results?

- Were you happy with the outcome?

- If you're comfortable sharing, do you have before-and-after photos?

Personally, my goal is to lose weight while building muscle and improve my overall physique. I'd like to build my glutes, legs, and shoulders to create a more balanced look, but I'm also interested in hearing from people whose goals were completely different.

I'm mainly curious about what's realistically achievable with home workouts alone.

Thanks!

I want to write and publish a dystopian fantasy novel, ideally as a web serial.

My main goal isn't making money. I just want people to read it, leave comments, and discuss the story. I'm looking for genuine feedback so I can improve as a writer, and hopefully entertain some people along the way.

The problem is that I haven't found a platform that feels like a good fit.

I considered Wattpad, but it seems heavily focused on romance.

I checked out Inkitt as well, but a lot of the content there seems to be romance, werewolves, and similar genres, which isn't really my area.

I also looked at Royal Road. It has a huge fantasy audience, but most of the popular stories seem to be LitRPG, progression fantasy, or isekai. My novel is closer to traditional fantasy, with dystopian elements.

My impression is that Royal Road can also be difficult to break into unless a story performs well on features such as Rising Stars, though I may be wrong about that.

So where are readers currently finding and discussing fantasy web serials that aren't LitRPG, progression fantasy, or isekai?

If you read web novels yourself, where do you usually read them, and what makes you choose that platform over others?

Has anyone had success building an audience for a more traditional fantasy story with dystopian elements? If so, where did you publish it, and how was the level of reader engagement and feedback?

I know visibility is difficult everywhere, and maybe Royal Road is still my best option, but I'm curious what other writers and readers would recommend.

I want to write and publish a dystopian fantasy novel, ideally as a web serial.

My main goal isn't making money. I just want people to read it, leave comments, and discuss the story. I'm looking for genuine feedback so I can improve as a writer, and hopefully entertain some people along the way.

The problem is that I haven't found a platform that feels like a good fit.

I considered Wattpad, but it seems heavily focused on romance.

I checked out Inkitt as well, but a lot of the content there seems to be romance, werewolves, and similar genres, which isn't really my area.

I also looked at Royal Road. It has a huge fantasy audience, but most of the popular stories seem to be LitRPG, progression fantasy, or isekai. My novel is closer to traditional fantasy, with dystopian elements.

My impression is that Royal Road can also be difficult to break into unless a story performs well on features such as Rising Stars, though I may be wrong about that.

So where are readers currently finding and discussing fantasy web serials that aren't LitRPG, progression fantasy, or isekai?

If you read web novels yourself, where do you usually read them, and what makes you choose that platform over others?

Has anyone had success building an audience for a more traditional fantasy story with dystopian elements? If so, where did you publish it, and how was the level of reader engagement and feedback?

I know visibility is difficult everywhere, and maybe Royal Road is still my best option, but I'm curious what other writers and readers would recommend.

I want to write and publish a dystopian fantasy novel, ideally as a web serial.

My main goal isn't making money. I just want people to read it, leave comments, and discuss the story. I'm looking for genuine feedback so I can improve as a writer, and hopefully entertain some people along the way.

The problem is that I haven't found a platform that feels like a good fit.

I considered Wattpad, but it seems heavily focused on romance.

I checked out Inkitt as well, but a lot of the content there seems to be romance, werewolves, and similar genres, which isn't really my area.

I also looked at Royal Road. It has a huge fantasy audience, but most of the popular stories seem to be LitRPG, progression fantasy, or isekai. My novel is closer to traditional fantasy, with dystopian elements.

My impression is that Royal Road can also be difficult to break into unless a story performs well on features such as Rising Stars, though I may be wrong about that.

So where are readers currently finding and discussing fantasy web serials that aren't LitRPG, progression fantasy, or isekai?

If you read web novels yourself, where do you usually read them, and what makes you choose that platform over others?

Has anyone had success building an audience for a more traditional fantasy story with dystopian elements? If so, where did you publish it, and how was the level of reader engagement and feedback?

I know visibility is difficult everywhere, and maybe Royal Road is still my best option, but I'm curious what other writers and readers would recommend.

I grew up in Germany, where fairy tales were a big part of childhood. We had things like Sonntagsmärchen ("Sunday fairy tales"), fairy tale movies, TV shows, and books everywhere.

That made me curious: do you have a favorite fairy tale?

Starting with me:

- Snow-White and Rose-Red
- Hansel and Gretel
- The Little Match Girl

What are yours?

Edit: Grammar

I grew up in Germany, where fairy tales were a big part of childhood. We had things like Sonntagsmärchen ("Sunday fairy tales"), fairy tale movies, TV shows, and books everywhere.

That made me curious: do you have a favorite fairy tale?

Starting with me:

• Snow-White and Rose-Red
• Hansel and Gretel
• The Little Match Girl

What are yours?

Edit: Grammar

I grew up in Germany, where fairy tales were a big part of childhood. We had things like Sonntagsmärchen ("Sunday fairy tales"), fairy tale movies, TV shows, and books everywhere.

That made me curious: do you have a favorite fairy tale?

Starting with me:

• Snow-White and Rose-Red
• Hansel and Gretel
• The Little Match Girl

What are yours?

Edit: Grammar

I've noticed that many of Royal Road's most popular stories have male protagonists and seem aimed at a predominantly male audience, though there are plenty of exceptions.

That made me curious: when you're looking for a new story, does the protagonist's gender affect whether you'll give it a chance?

If you're a man, what makes you read a female protagonist? If you're a woman, what makes you read a male protagonist?

Are there certain genres, tropes, or character types that make it easier or harder?

Personally, I don't have a strong preference. Genre and execution matter much more to me than the protagonist's gender. What tends to matter more is how characters are portrayed and whether the story feels well written.

What about you?

This post may sound wrong, and you are free to disagree with me. But please hear me out.

I do not mind transgender people. I genuinely do not. If someone feels more comfortable living as another gender, that is their decision.

I also believe transgender people have the right to feel safe. Everyone does, regardless of gender.

The LGBTQ+ community fought for decades for the rights it has today. People were discriminated against, assaulted, imprisoned, and even killed. The progress that exists today came from a lot of struggle and sacrifice.

That is exactly why I do not understand why some people seem so uncomfortable discussing cases where those protections might be exploited.

If these rights and protections were fought for so hard, why does it sometimes feel like people are unwilling to discuss cases where they may be abused?

Before anyone misunderstands me, my issue is not with transgender people.

My issue is with men who exploit systems that were created to protect transgender people.

There have been cases where biological males identified as transgender shortly before prison placement decisions. There have been cases where biological males used access to female spaces to commit crimes against women.

I am not saying these cases are common.

I am not saying they represent transgender people.

I am saying they exist.

What I do not understand is why women are often attacked for pointing this out.

When a woman says she feels uncomfortable or unsafe because she believes a system can be exploited, the discussion often stops being about the person who abused the system and starts being about whether the woman is transphobic.

Why?

Why is the focus suddenly on the woman who raised the concern instead of the man who exploited the system?

And before people say this has nothing to do with sex differences, I think it clearly does.

You do not hear many men complaining about sharing spaces with transgender men.

Most of these debates focus on transgender women.

Whether people like it or not, that is because concerns about violence and sexual offending are usually associated with biological males, not biological females. Crime statistics consistently show that biological males commit violent and sexual crimes at much higher rates than biological females.

And honestly, I understand why the transgender community tends to be open and accepting.

For decades, transgender people were told that they were not who they said they were. They were judged, dismissed, and denied recognition. Because of that history, I understand why many people do not want to question someone's identity or act as if they have the authority to decide who is "really" transgender and who is not.

I genuinely understand that.

What I do not understand is why that sometimes seems to make it difficult to discuss people who may exploit that openness in bad faith.

That does not mean all biological males are dangerous.

That does not mean transgender women are dangerous.

It does explain why some biological women have concerns.

And if biological women are the people most likely to face the consequences when a bad actor exploits the system, then of course biological women are going to be the ones talking about it.

If a biological male exploits a loophole to gain access to a women's prison, shelter, changing room, bathroom, or another female space for harmful reasons, the people most likely to face the direct consequences are the biological women in that space.

That is why I find it strange when some people act as though women should not even be allowed to raise the concern.

That is the part I do not understand.

A man exploits a system.

A woman points out the problem.

And somehow the woman becomes the target of criticism.

Disagree with her if you want.

Explain why you think she is wrong.

But why is she so often treated as the problem instead of the person who abused the system in the first place?

"Everyone dies one day. Everyone. Even wolves. But not books. Not words. Words don't die."

--my son, 3, who is a lot smarter than I am

This is probably no secret, but many readers seem to have preferences when it comes to the gender of a book's protagonist. Not everyone does, of course, but it got me thinking.

So I'm curious: what makes you pick up and enjoy a book with a main character of a different gender than your own?

Do you care at all, or does it depend more on the genre, themes, writing style, or specific tropes?

And if you do find it harder to connect with protagonists of another gender, what causes that? Are there certain portrayals, stereotypes, or tropes that make it difficult?

As for me, I don't have a strong preference. It depends more on the genre and the quality of the story. If I'm reading romance, I might relate more to a female protagonist, but with fantasy, dystopian fiction, science fiction, or adventure, I'm open to anything as long as the concept is interesting and the characters feel well written.

What can put me off isn't the protagonist's gender itself, but certain portrayals. Some books have misogynistic undertones or include sexualized scenes that don't seem to serve the story. That's usually a bigger factor for me than whether the main character is male or female. I've noticed this more often in some books with male protagonists, although it depends heavily on the genre and the author.

What about you?

This is probably no secret, but many readers seem to have preferences when it comes to the gender of a book's protagonist. Not everyone does, of course, but it got me thinking.

So I'm curious: what makes you pick up and enjoy a book with a main character of a different gender than your own?

Do you care at all, or does it depend more on the genre, themes, writing style, or specific tropes?

And if you do find it harder to connect with protagonists of another gender, what causes that? Are there certain portrayals, stereotypes, or tropes that make it difficult?

As for me, I don't have a strong preference. It depends more on the genre and the quality of the story. If I'm reading romance, I might relate more to a female protagonist, but with fantasy, dystopian fiction, science fiction, or adventure, I'm open to anything as long as the concept is interesting and the characters feel well written.

What can put me off isn't the protagonist's gender itself, but certain portrayals. Some books have misogynistic undertones or include sexualized scenes that don't seem to serve the story. That's usually a bigger factor for me than whether the main character is male or female. I've noticed this more often in some books with male protagonists, although it depends heavily on the genre and the author.

What about you?

Maybe you've seen them on social media: a young woman talking about how she doesn't want children, or showing how much she enjoys her life because she doesn't have to worry about childcare, school holidays, or any of the responsibilities that come with raising kids.

But then she appears: the bitter mother with three children who, for some reason, takes it completely personally. She sees it as an attack on motherhood, a nasty attempt by childless women to mock mothers and their choices.

So she leaves an angry comment under the video. Who cares if the childless woman has more free time? She has three expensive blessings at home whose mess she has to clean up every day, and motherhood is the greatest thing that can happen to a woman.

Maybe you've seen that.

Or maybe you haven't, because your algorithm shows you something completely different.

Maybe a mother posts a glimpse of her everyday life. Not a perfectly staged family photo, but something a bit more unfiltered. Maybe her house is messy. Maybe she's talking about a rough day because her child broke a glass. Nothing dramatic. Children can be exhausting, but they're also a source of joy.

Then she arrives: the childless woman.

She sees the post as conservative propaganda. Proof of how much children hold women back. Maybe the father isn't visible in the five-second clip, and that's all she needs. He must be a lazy husband or boyfriend who dumps all the work on her while she slaves away at home. Maybe he's not there at all. Even better. Now the comments can turn into a debate about single motherhood, reproductive rights, patriarchy, and everything else under the sun.

And yes, those are real issues. But sometimes a kid just broke a glass.

Do you see where I'm going with this?

What surprises me is how much of this hostility comes from other women. Both groups complain about being judged, stereotyped, and reduced to caricatures. Yet many people in both groups do the exact same thing to each other.

The hostility isn't one-sided. Social media simply shows us the examples that confirm what we already believe.

If you want children and can afford the responsibility, have them.

If you don't want children, don't have them.

Neither side needs to justify its existence to the other. I'm tired of watching people turn women's personal life choices into some culture war.

Mind your own business.

Anyway, just something I've noticed a lot recently

Before anyone answers: this is a judgment-free thread.

Everyone has different tastes, and nobody should feel the need to defend what they like or dislike.

What's a book that seems universally loved, highly praised, or constantly recommended, but just didn't work for you?

If you want, share why. Was it the characters, the plot, the writing style, the pacing, or something else? Or was it simply not for you?

I'm curious to hear which popular books never clicked for people.

I'll start: Powerless. (Just to clarify, my opinion isn't based on the allegations or the comparisons to Red Queen. I hadn't heard about those at the time, and I've never read Red Queen myself. It simply wasn't the right book for me.)

Before anyone answers: this is a judgment-free thread.

Everyone has different tastes, and nobody should feel the need to defend what they like or dislike.

What's a book that seems universally loved, highly praised, or constantly recommended, but just didn't work for you?

If you want, share why. Was it the characters, the plot, the writing style, the pacing, or something else? Or was it simply not for you?

I'm curious to hear which popular books never clicked for people.

I'll start: Powerless. (Just to clarify, my opinion isn't based on the allegations or the comparisons to Red Queen. I hadn't heard about those at the time, and I've never read Red Queen myself. It simply wasn't the right book for me.)

Before anyone answers: this is a judgment-free thread.

Everyone has different tastes, and nobody should feel the need to defend what they like or dislike.

What's a book that seems universally loved, highly praised, or constantly recommended, but just didn't work for you?

If you want, share why. Was it the characters, the plot, the writing style, the pacing, or something else? Or was it simply not for you?

I'm curious to hear which popular books never clicked for people.

I'll start: Powerless. (Just to clarify, my opinion isn't based on the allegations or the comparisons to Red Queen. I hadn't heard about those at the time, and I've never read Red Queen myself. It simply wasn't the right book for me.)

I'm not American, so I'm asking this from the outside.

A Black American recently told me: "Malcolm X would have been successful without MLK, but MLK wouldn't have been successful without Malcolm X."

Before I could ask what he meant, someone interrupted him and the conversation moved on.

In Europe I learned about Martin Luther King Jr. in school, but I barely heard anything about Malcolm X. In fact, before this conversation, I knew very little about him.

I tried doing some quick research online to understand the statement, but I came away more confused than informed. My impression was that MLK may have been easier for the public and politicians to accept because he promoted nonviolent resistance, while Malcolm X represented a more radical alternative.

I also wondered whether part of it was that societies often praise nonviolence while still using force themselves through police, the military, or other institutions. Because of that, I wondered if MLK's message was easier for the mainstream public to support, while Malcolm X's message was seen as more threatening.

From what I read, I started to interpret the original statement in that way. But I could be completely misunderstanding it, and I'm very open to being corrected.

So, did Malcolm X's presence make MLK look more acceptable to mainstream America? Is that what people usually mean when they say something like this?

I'm not looking to argue for either side. I'm genuinely trying to understand the history and the relationship between these two figures. I'd be interested in hearing from people who know this topic well, including Black Americans who may have a perspective on how Malcolm X and MLK are viewed within their communities.

I'm not American, so I'm asking this from the outside.

A Black American recently told me: "Malcolm X would have been successful without MLK, but MLK wouldn't have been successful without Malcolm X."

Before I could ask what he meant, someone interrupted him and the conversation moved on.

In Germany I learned about Martin Luther King Jr. in school, but I barely heard anything about Malcolm X. In fact, before this conversation, I knew very little about him.

I tried doing some quick research online to understand the statement, but I came away more confused than informed. My impression was that MLK may have been easier for the public and politicians to accept because he promoted nonviolent resistance, while Malcolm X represented a more radical alternative.

I also wondered whether part of it was that societies often praise nonviolence while still using force themselves through police, the military, or other institutions. Because of that, I wondered if MLK's message was easier for the mainstream public to support, while Malcolm X's message was seen as more threatening.

From what I read, I started to interpret the original statement in that way. But I could be completely misunderstanding it, and I'm very open to being corrected.

So, did Malcolm X's presence make MLK look more acceptable to mainstream America? Is that what people usually mean when they say something like this?

I'm not looking to argue for either side. I'm genuinely trying to understand the history and the relationship between these two figures. I'd be interested in hearing from people who know this topic well, including Black Americans who may have a perspective on how Malcolm X and MLK are viewed within their communities.