Some things to say · 3:24pm February 15th
Hey, folks. Forgive me for grousing a bit, but thanks to some financially costly personal matters crossed with recently received negative feedback on Feathered Hearts, my ire is up while my tolerance for taking crap is low. There are some things I really need to get off my chest right now, so getting right to the point:
It seems like every couple months or chapters...
I get fresh comments from readers complaining about adult content in Continuation and Chronicles, whether the themes or just the fact that it's there. And every couple months or chapters, I end up saying the same things all over again (like now):
- Feathered Hearts is set in the Gentlemanverse, which isn't exactly known for purity, chastity, or monogamy.
- As the original Feathered Heart was inspired in large part by the very R-rated war thriller Starship Troopers, I’m doing it in the style of the movie, which means boobs and blood are present in equal measure.
- I have taken great pains to make T-rated versions of each adult chapter available for those who don't like clop.
Typically, I then further note that even in the original Feathered Heart, author and G4Mverse progenitor Demon Eyes Laharl had set up multiple potential love interests for Marco in later chapters (Gilda, Nydia and that eagless he dueled), and even did his own M-rated side story called Feathered Heart: Preening.
But such explanations aren't enough...
For certain readers, some of whom I can't help but note don't comment at all on the story until it's to announce they're no longer following it because they don't like the romance/sex. In other words, they have nothing to say through 38 chapters and half a million words, until they suddenly decide they don't like it and drop a semi-snide comment on the story saying they're leaving.
It's very disrespectful to the author, only speaking up to say you're done with the story—I mean, where was your feedback before this, when you were presumably enjoying it? I'd be much more liable to respect and listen to your opinions if you don't just stay silent until you dump a negative comment on the way out the door. And quite frankly, it's starting to piss me off.
In my view...
I've bent over backwards to accommodate the non-clop readers by making the T-rated chapters, even though they're a lot of additional work to create and maintain. So why am I even bothering, then, if people are still dropping the story over sex despite them?
Those chapters were meant to keep non-clop readers happy by keeping it offscreen and generally only recounted after the fact, and yet I'm still being told that they’re dropping the story because of it. I even got a recent comment saying that they 'hated it when Chris, Tara and Marco spoke in the story,' finding them and the romance to be 'cringe.'
To which I can only say:
Seriously? You know, I've heard plenty of criticisms over this story, both deserved and not. But attacking three of the main characters like that is definitely a new one. And fits squarely in the latter category.
Marco was a huge focus of the original Feathered Heart, second only to Gilda in prominence, and I think I've matched his personality pretty well to what DEL had for him—trouble-prone and mouthy but well-meaning, to say nothing of utterly smitten with Gilda. So if you hate him speaking here, then you would have despised him there, along with the original story itself.
Chris and Tara, by contrast, disappeared almost completely halfway through the original story, and it was a huge focus of mine to make them major characters instead of forgotten ones in this version. I am sure as hell not apologizing for that, and far from making them ‘one-note sex fiends’ I think I've taken great pains to give not just them but everycreature distinct personalities, motivations, and outlooks.
As for the romance? See my bullet points above. If it's not your style and you're here for war porn instead of the literal kind, fine, but that's what the T-rated chapters are for. In short, I've tried hard to accommodate everyone, but it currently feels like it's being thrown back in my face. Though perhaps that's a reminder of a truth I first learned long ago:
It's a simple fact of writing life...
That a) you can't please everyone, and b) the longer a story is, the more its reader retention tends to suffer. I know that and accept it as the price of telling the stories I want to, along with the fact that writing adult content necessarily limits my audience, even when that content is kept offscreen.
But when my sincerely meant efforts to accommodate a certain segment of readers meet with curt dismissal, that doesn't exactly endear them to me. Or to continuing to try placating them. Nevertheless, in an attempt to retain audience, I will make one final effort to do so:
Over the next few weeks...
I will go through all the T-rated content in Continuation and Chronicles to sanitize it further, removing unnecessary innuendoes and all implication of sex *except* where I deem it necessary for the story.
Understand, I don't particularly want to do that, and it will necessarily delay the next regular C&C chapter. But as it appears that the current T-rated chapters are still too much for certain readers even with all the adult content kept offscreen, I will make this one last attempt at accommodation.
And if this doesn't work? Then tough. I'll have done everything I can without compromising the story I'm trying to tell, and I will rebuff further attempts to get me to modify content.
Okay, rant over. I'm sorry if this came across as snippy, but I'm really not in a good mood of late, with multiple issues both personal and professional demanding my attention (and too often, my money.)
So if you take nothing else from this, understand that your author tries very hard and really does want to do right by both readers and the characters in his stories. Respect his efforts and his desire to tell good tales, and remember that since he doesn’t get paid for any of this, what keeps him wanting and willing to write is the feedback he receives.
And no, that doesn’t just mean positive feedback. I am perfectly willing to accept criticism—I’ve already made several major changes and retcons to this story (and many others) based on it. But telling me that you’re through with the story when you never bothered speaking up before is very disrespectful. If you want me to listen, then don’t just stay silent until you get up and heckle on your way out the door.
I know how you feel, people often give me criticisms on my stories, too, but then there are those who don’t like my stories, and don’t even comment and just leave a down vote without telling me why, those people are just trolls who don’t like ponies having disabilities or the issue of disabilities being brought up.
So I understand how you feel when people attack you for writing something they don’t like.
The entitlement some people have on here is unbelievable. You’re doing a service by taking up an incomplete story for the benefit of the readers. The least they could do is quietly disengage if they don’t like the raunchiness in a story universe known for raunchiness and sexual themes. I don’t think you should have to cater to people who have already demonstrated their unreasonable standards and poor attitude for your work.
Some people try to say that they are writing for themselves, and ignore all criticisms. But no one posts a story publicly without it being ment to be read. But on the other hand, it is not possible to please everyone and trying will only result in insanity and burnout.
I personally think you have crafted an excellent story, and like it or not, sensuality is a part of the human experience, as is violence. I'm not one to shy away from stories that include the full range of emotion and experience. You already go above and beyond in providing sanitized versions of certain scenes.
This is only my personal opinion, but I would recommend you don't spend your efforts making changes that you don't feel are needed. You are an excellent author with a lot of loyal readers, you don't need to tie yourself in knots to appease a few entitled complainers.
You are doing a lot more than others, i have a few stories and i don't waste my time with T version for less mature or sensitive readers.
Mad respect for even going so far.
I love the content, rather surprised when people write me Pm's to not spam the comment section, as if writing comments at all is offensive.
Under billion of people on earth and millions of readers, there are always some of
'these kind of readers'.
I usually give at least a token effort once than ignore them.
After all:
I write for myself and my readers enjoying stuff, not because i try to please everyone, especially giving no constructive criticism.
"G3t g00d n00b, learn to write/speak dude, your a sad pervert" etc
is simply sad from people that think themself better and give no effort at all.
Ignore them, they are not worth the paper one would use to wipe their ass with.
Have a great day!
You are awesome and unlike many, you put effort and heart into your writing anything, be it story, blog or comment.
Stay snuggly ♡
As someone who has watched this piece develop from you and your team's skilled hands, metaphorically, don't go back for these intractable individuals. To use a metaphor, if I may...these stories are the loaves of bread you are baking, and folks who don't like gluten in their existence should not dictate a bakers produce, but avoid bakeries entirely.
If you feel these changes are not needed, don't make them.
As you say, you can't please everyone. If they don't like it because they're not willing to read the deliberately modified version? That's on them.
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Did you understand how I felt when you disrespected Social Distancing for having futa in it?
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What the hell are you talking about?
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I absolutely agree with you, but I personally don’t read sex or anything to do with an M rating, but I don’t go around and just down vote those stories without even leaving a comment.
I feel bad you had to write this but I get it. I'm glad to see all the comments have been supportive of everything you've done. Screw the haters, let them strap themselves to the nosecone or GTFO.
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No fights in my comments section, please.
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Ok, sorry, I just wanted to know what they said, and why.
I think I’ll take it to private message.
Turns out some people are just impossible to please.
I'm not entirely a hard-core clopper but some of the people on this site/Fandom act like they're five-year-Olds "eeeeeewwww...kissing" or like they alone are the sole authority on pony and Lauren Faust herself should take lessons from them.
For the umpteenth time, don't expend unnecessary time or energy on the trolls and haters. You are a brilliant pony writer, and you deserve good things.
I can understand why those comments get to you. Personally I don't read Feathered Hearts but that simply means I don't comment on it.
Not read the fic myself but honestly I say, don't go back and sanitasize things further just to please people who already left and won't be coming back. Changing things to try and suit people like that will just lead you nowhere good.
They are gone, won't be back and most likely won't be pleased to begin with and you shouldn't catter to them as like some one else said, trying to please everyone will just lead to insanity and IMO a very poorly done book.
That's my two cents on the matter.
All I have to say is this buck them and carry on good sir carry on👍👍👍👍👍
Honestly don't bend over backwards for people like that they are the kind of people who have nothing else going in their life so what they do is go online and harass other people who have done nothing to them and like you said part of being a writer is knowing that you can't please everyone but please don't despair because of the 5 percent of people who don't like the story simply are looking for a reason to bitch and moan and complain about something that they can easily avoid if they don't like the sex parts they simply then simply don't read it I personally love all feathered hearts stories because gryphon x human stories are not common also I just lost my brother a couple days ago and I have been reading you stories and it has helped me cope with the grief so honestly don't worry about the 5 percent when the other 90 percent likes what you doing and if anyone tells you that otherwise just ignore or tell them to piss off
Don't start changing anything bruh, once you start the complaints will never stop. If folks don't like it, fuk 'em, it's YOUR STORY to tell how you plz. Your doin great in my opinion, looking forward to moar
Nuh, you don't have to change your story any further,especially now that you also have set in stone. Having to force yourself to change whole chapters just because some people have made "criticisms" over some 'Clop' or relationship (which is funny considering for them to read your story they need to have mature content activated) is just ridiculous and redundant. Just write how you want your story and change it whenever YOU feel the need to and not from others.
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exactly what i was saying
The story is great. Don't let the haters get to you.
personally I'm amazed that you enven keep the other (T-rated) version updated
as someone who does not mind clop I actually skip them as M-rated chapters do the work just fine and are of course little longer.
the story was visibly marked at the very start, and if people does not pay attention it is their problem. I understand it is infuriating, especially for the reasons you've said, but I would not even bother making two versions myself - so kudos to you, mate
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especially because you are not paid for this so you don't own anything to this sort of people
I don't think sanitizing older chapters is the right way. But that's just my 2¢
Tbqh i wasn't quite happy with some of the chapters but i read them and just didn't commented.
But i like the direction where it's going now.
Let your work speak for itself. Continue doing the great job we all read your stories to enjoy!
Haters are going to hate, and bending over to please them only gives them the opportunity to fuck you in the ass a little more. Ignore their trifling bullshit, and keep on doing what you've been doing. And if they really just can't handle your work, they're always welcome to go off and write their own version, which I'm sure will flawlessly address every single criticism leveled at your story.
Capitulation to their demands will only embolden them to continue more. They don't like it? Fuck em, they weren't worth the time anyway in that case. Don't change a fucking thing about the story, it's utterly fantastic as is.
I don't comment often and I know that's a bad thing. But...When I do it's because I feel strongly about what I just read. Your work is top tier reading. I'm more of a fan of your Firefly works but it pushed me towards C&C. I have not even tried to read the "tame" side of the story. In my opinion the clop side is the true story line. Please take into account I'm pretty old and I have waded through the "human " experience dealing with both love and violence. Your portrayal of warfare is so very spot on . So I feel you have done a very good job of love and lust. Married for 41 years, five combat tours, and many trips around the sun I feel justified in saying...Stay true to yourself. Trolls, haters, naysayers are just a fact of life. Your efforts to please all is noble but it will crush your spirit. First rule in life "Damn the torpedoes! Full speed ahead!"... You be you! Hold your shield up. Take the arrows and PUSH!
I want to clarify my criticism of your story and touch on some of the points you mentioned.
I loved this story's first couple of chapters; it kept me invested and wanting to read more. However, the point where it started going downhill for me was after the cider chapter. Now, my complaints and opinions aren't that the clop needs sanitization or that the fic shouldn't include any; in fact, I enjoy a bit of that content, which is why I chose to read the M-rated side of the story. My personal gripes with it is that I feel like it's been implemented weakly, and after it started being included more heavily, it made certain characters act in ways that I wouldn't have expected them to, making their actions seem more as excuses to insert clop scenes and make some of the romances feel rushed and very forced instead of actual believable character moments.
Now, as a reader, I think it's perfectly fine that I share my opinion on a story; after all, you posted it on a site with a comment section.
At the end of the day, it's just my opinion; you can choose to be offended by it or take solace in the fact that my opinion is in the minority. I mean no animosity towards you; it's simply how I felt.
As to why I hadn't commented before that post, it's because I had nothing else to comment on; I was satisfied with the story up until the point I decided to post my opinion.
Your friends are surely with you, Aragorn.
Just letting you know that most of us will still be here and reading long after the haters have moved on.
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Yeah, that’s the drawback for being a writer, and sometimes the cost of writing the stories you want to. It happens to all of us in one form or another, and I usually get around it by reminding myself that it takes a while for a story—or a writing style—to find its audience, and to remain appreciative of the one you have.
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Appreciate the well-wishes. My experience is that the strong majority of the fandom are lurkers who don’t comment at all yay or neigh, and that people can dislike even things you consider innocuous in your stories for capricious reasons. It’s the price you pay as a writer, but the simple fact is that dislikes and negative feedback tend to be felt a lot more keenly than positive ones. Just as a single downvote disproportionately affects your story rating, it doesn’t take many bad comments to affect you mentally, even after I’ve been writing this long.
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You said it. And even after a dozen years of writing on this site, I still have to be reminded of that from time to time.
Thanks for recognizing that. And thanks as well for not shying away from the more M-rated stuff, which is the canon version to me.
As you and many others have been giving me the same advice, I’m going to take it under advisement and not waste my time. Appreciate it!
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Thank you!
You won’t hear that from me. I crave comments, even if yours are a bit hard to keep up with and respond to promptly sometimes.
It’s a little harder when you’re the writer, but yeah. Even after twelve years on site and garnering plenty of criticism, some deserved and some not, you’d think I’d be a little more immune to it. But the fact is that since I’m not getting paid for this in money, I have to be paid in feedback, and too much negative feedback is like having my pay docked.
Yeah, that’s always my biggest complaint about some comments and commenters. They either only show up to criticize, or they do so anything but constructively, which doesn’t help me or the story at all.
Thankfully, with a couple notable exceptions, I’ve had very few of those. Those exceptions, however, have made it onto my all-time shit list. I don’t hold many grudges, but I can be persuaded by absolute idiocy to do so.
You too!
Appreciate you saying so, very much. God knows I try.
Been feeling more prickly than snuggly lately, but thanks.
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Appreciate the compliment and the analogy. In this case, I’m not taking the gluten out no matter how much certain people may complain.
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Since you and everyone else seems to be saying that, I won’t be. Thanks for adding your voice to the chorus.
Well, as it turns out, the primary focus of my ire was a commenter who didn’t like how the sex and romance was implemented instead of being opposed to the sex and romance itself. That’s a bit different than what I was originally thinking, but the point remains that I can’t please everybody there, either. I have a chosen a very high-energy implementation of the story, I guess you’d say, and it’s just not going to be to everyone’s liking. Apologies if that’s the case, but I’m not changing my Starship Troopers-like approach to this.
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True, but folks like you have helped me remember that there are plenty more readers that I can. Thanks for that.
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I know you don’t, and that’s fine. I do very much appreciate your feedback on Firefly and Midnight Rising. With regards to the latter, you’ll hopefully be happy to know that the revamped chapter is finally going to prereaders tonight.
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Carrying on! fc00.deviantart.net/fs70/i/2011/167/6/0/rainbow_dash_salute_by_atomicgreymon-d3bo0dx.png
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Thanks! And that’s very true. No matter how hard you try or how much you concede, some people will never be satisfied and will only demand more. I guess I still have to be reminded of that now and again.
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Yep. To which I can only say, “if you think you can do it better, feel free to try.”
Well, I wouldn’t call the commenter a question a troll in this case, but your point is nevertheless taken. I can’t make everybody happy, and I shouldn’t bend over backwards for a few readers who don’t like the way things are going.
Thanks, B3!
Always good to hear that.
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You’re right, of course, and a lot of people on this thread have reminded me of that. Even without having read the story, thanks for adding your voice to the chorus of simple sensibility.
Yep. I don’t want a story written so that it appeals to the lowest common denominator, because that means it won’t appeal to *me*.
I’ll put them in my writing piggy bank. Thanks for responding!
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Well, in fairness, the commenter that set me off wasn’t really a troll; just expressing a criticism I’d heard one too many times by now and thinking of leaving the story over it. In isolation, I wouldn’t have cared that much, but as I got three of them in rapid succession, I’d finally had enough.
The final complaint was more in terms of how the sex and romance was implemented, as it turned out, rather than the fact it was there. But the point holds that I can’t please everyone and shouldn’t try if it means bending over backwards every time someone complains.
Thanks! Yeah, part of my intention in writing this was to fill a neglected niche. Glad it did so for you, too!
Holy shit, dude. I’m so sorry and feel bad that I can only offer you my most heartfelt condolences, along with whatever solace my stories can.
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It really is, now that I think about it. You’d think after a dozen years in the fanfiction business, I would have already learned that.
Thanks, Doc. I will endeavor to do so from here on out.
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Thanks. The vast amount of support and positive feedback I’ve gotten from you and many others on this post helps a lot.
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Thanks!
I will endeavor to do so. In the meantime, keep those trains running!🚂🚃🚃🚃🚃🚃
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Very much appreciated!
In fairness, there’s no ‘demands’ here per se except an expressed distaste for how the sex and/or romance has been implemented, but the point holds that I can’t bend over backwards and compromising my storytelling for that.
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Thanks, mon ami. I have not yet begun to make multiple planned LoTR references in the story, but they’re coming!
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In all honesty, so am I at times.
And that’s fine. it’s supposed to be an either/or proposition; I certainly don’t expect readers to read both versions!
Your kudos are gratefully and humbly accepted. In this case, there were some longtime readers that liked the story but didn’t like clop when I announced its upgrade to M-rated, so I made the change in an effort to keep them. Since it wasn’t fair to them given they started reading when the story wasn’t adult, I still think it was the right thing to do.
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You and many others here, so I’ll accept those two cents and add them to my writing piggy bank.
And that’s fine. I don’t expect everyone to comment every time. Even occasionally makes me happy. I likewise don’t expect every chapter to be a hit with every person, especially for a story as big as this with a large readership.
Cool. I’m glad. Sorry for any earlier chapters that weren’t to your liking. You’ve been a longtime commenter on many of my stories, so I want to keep folks like you happy more than most.
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Yep. If you want something done right, feel free to do it yourself.
Well, in this case, I said at the start I was the best author for this job, and I still believe I am. Criticism of this thing isn’t exactly a new thing, either. There was plenty right from the start that I dealt with and in some cases made changes based on, because I found they had validity. This is not one of those times.
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Welcome, then! Always good to hear from someone new.
I’m very glad to hear that, since I’ve tried from day one to pull readers from there, or push them over from here. I call it cross-pollination, and it’s a big reason why my stories tend to reference each other, like having characters and scenes from Firefly appear in C&C when they went to the Hall of Heroes.
In not just your opinion, but in fact. As the author, I get to state outright that the clop chapters are canon.
Oh?
41 years? Wow. Then I am very honored by your readership, sir, and thank you for your service. Your opinion as a seasoned and perhaps grizzled old combat vet means a great deal to me. It’s always a pleasure to meet another older brony. I definitely don’t think I’ve been around as long as you if you’ve been hitched for four decades, but I might not be too far behind, either.
Sir, yes sir! Well, okay, I don’t actually know if you were an officer... still, your words are greatly appreciated, and thank you very much for speaking up!
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Or even prereading, in some cases. Thanks, dude.
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Very well. Thank you for coming on here, and I want to apologize for something up front: namely, that I completely misread where your criticism was coming from. That’s on me, so I’m sorry.
Not the first time I’ve heard that, so you’re not alone. Nevertheless, I stand by that plot twist simply because it allowed me to do several things I wanted to going forward, and I think I gave ample justification for how and why it happened.
For which I again apologize for jumping to the wrong conclusion.
Now that is a much more constructive criticism, and something I wish you’d said at the start instead of just calling Marco and his friends annoying and the romance cringe.
Very well. Let’s follow up on this. If you feel it has been implemented weakly, what would you have considered to be strongly? And at what points did you see characters act in ways you didn’t expect them to? I freely admit, btw, that the cider was used at the start and going forward to allow sex scenes, simply because I wanted the opportunity and excuse to do them.
Call it a contrivance if you want, because it was. I can’t apologize for it, simply for all the writing enjoyment it’s given me. And as I hope is clear from the comments above, the reading enjoyment it’s given others.
This is true. But it’s also true that by posting your opinion, you’re inviting feedback, if not outright blowback if I find it to be at least slightly sneering or even a bit insulting. It’s not a one-way street. I can take criticism, but I’m a lot more liable to listen to you if you’re polite about it, and don’t just speak up for the first time to announce that you’re thinking about leaving. It’s not appreciated and doesn’t endear you or your opinions to me.
I accept that you meant no animosity, but your original criticism was not constructive. I might have let it pass, except I got a series of similar posts in rapid succession on top of several stressful personal matters, making me doubly pissed to think I was having to justify the adult content all over again when I’ve already done so repeatedly.
Then I respectfully suggest that from here on out, you take the time to give your author at least occasional positive feedback when you’re enjoying a story, whether it belongs to me or anyone else. We crave that feedback, and a reader who only shows up in the comments when they don’t like something is not a reader an author tends to appreciate or listen to.