Envy-Chan Blog

Category: Commenters

  • 40 Day Writing Streak

    40 Day Writing Streak

    Today, I celebrated my forty day writing streak. It’s so awesome to be on a streak for so long and discipline yourself to do it. Even on days where I felt like not writing, I ended up doing it.

    I’ve gotten so many nice commenters and people telling me they like my story. It’s also being promoted on a certain block on that novel site, so I am hoping that my pay for writing this month is good.

    No matter how good my pay is, I need to stay humble and keep writing my best. But I am so excited to see it at the same time. It’s like so many years of hard work paying off and coming together. It’s really enough to bring about tears, and I can only thank everyone who read my stories for free, gave comments, and gave helpful critique.

    Thanks to all of those people, my writing continued getting better and better. Now there are people telling me that my story is their favorite or even that it’s the best of a certain genre on that site.

    I feel so satisfied right now, and I wanted to say this. But thanks for reading my useless ramblings as always.

    RepresentingEnvy (En-Chan)

  • Vulnerability Is Strength

    Vulnerability Is Strength

    What is vulnerability?

    Vulnerability is opening yourself up—presenting yourself so that you may face criticism. Vulnerability is creating a story and letting commenters say what they will. Vulnerability is saying exactly what you love with the fear of being looked down upon. Vulnerability is exposing your belly to the world and your enemies.

    This is something I think about all of the time. On the internet, I am more vulnerable than many but less vulnerable than others. Some people will expose their entire identity, leaving the core of themselves open to scrutiny. I haven’t gone that far, but I do openly engage in discourse, and tell people the things I love.

    I make it no secret that I love vampires, girls love stories, and many other things I have said openly. There are times when I truly regret exposing myself for a moment, yet I continue to do it, and I continue to thrive despite that.

    Everyone is scared to expose themself. Nobody wants to present their belly to people who could potentially be their enemy. What happens when you tell the world, “I love painting!”

    You shout your love of the arts from the rooftop, and then you paint something you find beautiful. You post it online, and many others see the beauty of your painting. However, there is that one commenter.

    “This painting sucks.”

    The worst thing about comments like these is it requires nothing of the other person. Did they present a vulnerability? No.

    You spent hours of your life painting, and then you were vulnerable. Someone attacked that vulnerability. I think this is why many people stop being open. Nobody wants to present their belly, only for it to be stabbed in the next instance.

    I’ve had this happen to me before as well. I’ve written stories, gotten feedback that wasn’t constructive, and I took it personally. It feels like a personal attack when you open yourself up. And it’s a cowardly move by the attacker to strike at that moment.

    I’ve experienced comments filled with hate. I have experienced people attacking things I love without ever telling me something they love. It’s so easy to take these attacks and want to give up. It’s happened to me numerous times.

    Yet, I will never seek your pity or sympathy. I will continue to make posts like this. I will continue to write stories that I and other people can enjoy. I will continue to tell people on forums about my interests and share some of my beliefs.

    I will not stop being vulnerable even if there are trolls who exist. This is because I believe that there is strength in vulnerability.

    Thanks for reading my ramblings.

    RepresentingEnvy (En-Chan)

  • Commenters

    Commenters

    Readers and commenters are genuinely nice people for the most part, and I think it’s reflective of the average person. I get many readers who ask me questions, provide their own thoughts and insight, and make predictions on the novel.

    Each of these people are dear to me, just as the people who criticize. If it wasn’t for these people, I would not have grown so much as an author. They guided me to answers I usually didn’t consider or questions I would have never thought to ask.

    It’s funny in a way. You start writing a slice of life story that was never intended to be the most deep or thought provoking experience, yet some readers say the story is interesting and thought provoking. Then they tell you you’re doing a great job. It’s hard for me to wrap my head around, and it makes me want to tell an even better story.

    The story can remain as a SoL, but maybe I will add other elements of intrigue that I never saw authors add? Why shouldn’t I add gluttonous candle monsters to a tried dungeon trope? Why wouldn’t I name this kingdom Candlewax Kingdom? It’s all super fun to think about it.

    But, here comes the problem. You take it all in, you begin to think of ways to make the story deeper, and in turn, you lost the essence of creating a meaningless wholesome SoL. Now, you have commenters that are split.

    “Hey, author! I loved the story when it was more about absurd humor.”

    “Hey, author! This switch-up is too jarring to read.”

    “Hey, author! I love that the story is dynamic and things actually have more meaning in the end.”

    “Hey, author! I am so invested in these more interesting plot lines that I made a theory about the main cast.”

    Recognizing these comments isn’t me wanting to disparage anyone or seek sympathy. I just find it interesting. Often times, the truth of an author is somewhere in these weeds of comments. Two different people can read the same sentence and come away with different meanings, and who is to say they are wrong?

    An author cannot force their opinions onto people, even if it’s about their own story. Or I should say, especially if it’s about their own story.

    Anyway, I found these things while writing, and I know this post was mostly yapping. However, I thank you for reading if you did. You can also comment here and tell me how/why you are wasting your time reading this.

    RepresentingEnvy (En-Chan)