Since I have been told so nicely that I write crap in my latest post and since the reads are so low I will be discontinuing my current series and will refrain from posting anything new for quite some time. I will continue to visit to check out some blogs and will most likely post a story some time during Christmas if I get around to it.
I thank all those who have been supportive. But spending 3 hours typing so I could post a story to be told I write crap and suggest that I enjoy abusive situations makes the endeavor not really worth my time and energy.
Comments
One person pops on
and says you write abusive crap and they don't like it and won't read . Now as a result you are going to quit? I can't speak for anyone but myself. I will admit it is a bit of a tough read but it isn't crap. It is a very well told and compelling story. It may not be for everyone. Can't leave us all hanging.
actually
There have been several people who have messaged me to tell me they would no longer read my work. I don't mind that people don't read my stories, it's not everyone cup of tea. There are a lot of authors I don't read because of quality or content, but I don't go out of my way to tell them. I don't mind constructive criticism. When someone messaged me that I spelled a word wrong, I didn't get all uppity.
I realize the Finding Jenny is a very tough read, and I do my best to space things out so the reader has time to recover. If a person finds it so difficult that they can't read it, that is fine with me (even though I wish they would confront whatever it is that is keeping them from the story). But I think the quality of my story deserves a little respect. This wasn't something that was just whipped together or strung along with no thought. It was a story that was painstakingly crafted. People read it and cry once, I put it together and agonized over certain scenes and have cried a thousand times.
I think my real issue is this is the best I can do. Finding Jenny is the work that I would say I was most proud of and I doubt I could ever duplicate its complexity and emotion. I think it exceeds God Bless the Child 10 fold. For someone to call it abusive crap stings and since I already live a stigmatized life where I am judged on perception and not on truth, it really gets my panties in a bunch. Add to the fact that I typed for four hours today, skipping lunch and avoided going out like I wanted to just so I could give some people who are really following the story another chapter, I just say fooey. Most likely after a few days I will not be as upset and wind up continuing the story to the end.
K.T. Leone
My fiction feels more real than reality
Katie Leone (Katie-Leone.com)
Writing is what you do when you put pen to paper, being an author is what you do when you bring words to life
I won't be at all surprised...
If once more of Drew's history is revealed I won't lose readers for similar reasons. I'm honestly surprised I have as many readers as I do, considering my style, and that the entire situation is a little bit mildly abusive anyways.
I'm not trying to be abusive for abuses sake, I'm just trying to write realistically. I would assume you're doing much the same, even though I haven't started following your story yet.
Abigail Drew.
Next time you get a comment of that type,
Reply, challenging them to do better.
And don't wait, add Erin to the address so she knows who made it
It's nice to be important, but it's more important to be nice.
Holly
Unfriendly comments
Calling someone's stuff crap and making moral judgements about a writer because of what they choose to write about is NOT TOLERATED HERE.
Regardless of what Katie does, the person who made the attack comments has been blocked on the site until I cool off.
Hugs to everyone else,
Erin
= Give everyone the benefit of the doubt because certainty is a fragile thing that can be shattered by one overlooked fact.
= Give everyone the benefit of the doubt because certainty is a fragile thing that can be shattered by one overlooked fact.
Finding Jenny
Little Katie,
I enjoy reading your stories and look forward to reading them whenever they are posted. Yes this story has some gruesome aspects to it but again this is fiction but sometimes based on author's real life experiences and this is their way of dealing with the pain.
Hugs,
Jenna From FL
Moderator/Editor
TopShelf BigCloset
Hugs,
Jenna From FL
Moderator/Editor
TopShelf BigCloset
It is a long road ahead but I will finally become who I should be.
My crappy comment
HI KATIE
I just read the latest chapter, out of context,
I'll admit not the best way to get to know a story.
It's an unflinchig look at a painful, horrifying subject matter;
laying bare the dynamics of control in abuse situations,
the twisted rationalizations of those who do such evil.
Those who dont avoid a story ilke this entirely are going to react strongly.
If they didn't I think it would mean that you're doing something wrong.
Works that attempt to shine a light on something evil, ralsing awareness
and those that exploit it for all the worst reasons have certain things in common;
and a certain percent of readers/viewers are going to misread an artist's intent.
A beautiful and ultimately pious novel exploring Christ's humanity---something
inherent in the concept of the Trinity---gets banned as sacreligious because
it dares to show how Jesus struggled with the same stuff as any mortal man.
Or when Stanley Kubric released FULL METAL JACKET the last thing he expected
was that it would drive young would-be badasses to the military recruiting offices,
but many who watched it saw something opposite to the movie he thought he made.
And so if someone saw you as reveling in cruelty + your villians' perversions,
a lot of us bring our own toxic baggage to a story like this, and what they
saw in regards to your purpose might've been what they expected to see.
But I've seen stories that were exactly the sort of exploitative CRAP
they claimed yours was, and I can tell there's a difference.
In the chapter that I read Jenny's an incredibly brave kid
facing some really sick stuff, and staying true to herself
in the face of psychological abuse designed to break her.
I know it sucks to have a story be ignored and have low
hit and kudos counts but I hope you'll keep writing.
If Jenny can face all that horror I would hope you
can face some nasty negative reactions to your
writing about it. But if you don't want to,
I can't say i blame you. I've never had
to face any REALLY nasty comments,
so I can't say that I wouldn't bail on
writing a story because of them.
~hugs, Veronica
Well shit, I guess it really CAN happen here..,
.
Please Continue
Your writing isn't bad. You write about bad and traumatic situations, but you write them well. Your current storyline is very rough on the reader emotionally. It may be that others are waiting to see that the whole thing is posted so they aren't left in a bad place for weeks until you finish with a hopefully happy ending for Jenny.
Again, I ask that you please continue your story. I don't want my last memory of Jenny to be at the mercy of kidnapers and on the verge of becoming one of the many missing children we see on the milk cartons.
--Brandon Young
--Brandon Young
(hug)
Please don't let one or two people dictate what you write or how you write. you put so much into a story it would be a shame to let them win. all I can ask is think about it. only you can decide if you want to quit writing your story .the rest of us will be trying to support you the best we can, no matter what you decide (hug).
I play online games *rolls eyes* yes I am one of those people :P
Fav puplished authors atm are Patricia Briggs (Mercy Thompson series),Carrie Vaughn (Kitty series), Kim Harrision.
Hey, hell
Hey, hell, it's a comment (message/PM/whatever).
Some people can;t buy one. Be Happy!
:)
stick with it
Katie please keep writing this story because these things do happen in real life all the time and if some people cant cope with this kind of story they should not read or even comment on them I think you are a very talented author and hope you will finish finding jenny to the end ,Hugs from Roo
ROO
You've got me hooked. I was
You've got me hooked. I was kinda in a daze last night so I didn't respond, but I am enjoying the story, even if it makes me mad at times. I can understand about bad reviews though. I always think my stuff stinks. But I like Jenny's story
If you feel burned by the situation, Katie, consider this option
PM the remaining chapters to those who specifically request them.
This last chapter with Jenny was a difficult one to read because of its intensity and because we finally learn how cruelly these mentally twisted individuals are treating her. That they intend several more weeks of torture before they will kill her was/is very dark. But it was/is well written and logical in its construction/progression. This is not quickly written crud meant to appeal to prurient tastes. This is a well considered look at a sad but sadly to common real world occurrence in the world, intolerance and cruelty/child abuse masked as religious devotion.
But then these are dark characters and a serious topic. I loved how Jenny's spirit is still shining despite their evil.
Very well done, very intense without being graphic.
I can see why some have reacted poorly but don't let that hurt you.
That your fictional characters have some up in arms is proof you have written something that people care about. It could also be that some here find your story *hits too close to home*. A few here were abused as children and a story like this, no matter how well written brings up terrible memories.
But you have properly labeled this tale, given ample warnings when it is dark and even why it is, so I find it hard to see how a reasonable person would be offended. Anyone who even skimmed the title block and chapter intros would know this is a story about kidnapping and abuse and the race to find and save the children. There was no misleading readers here.
This is very well done. *I* want to know what happens to them, the good people, the misled and and bad.
Please reconsider OR maybe post with comments turned off. You won't get useful feedback but the aggravation level will go waaaaay down.
- grin --
John in Wauwatosa
John in Wauwatosa
With John on the last bit
and also remmember that you can put people on ignore (although I have yet to go that far myself).
Hang in there kiddo! Hugs,
Diana
Ignore the insults
I haven't been reading your story, I think because I wasn't in the mood for child-centred stuff when you started. I'm starting to think I'm missing out.
My advice, for what it's worth - take a few days off to cool down, then finish the story for those who do appreciate your work.
Your story isn't crap.
Katie your story is far from crap,ya I've skipped a chapter or 2 because I couldn't stomach what was happening and I stoped reading about half way through your current chapter cause that child abuser is plain sick. But you have writing a great story and the prequeals to this 1 are just as good. Don't let 1 or 2 negative comments get ya down. There's a old saying you can't please everyone. I mean you could probably write a story that's all sweetness an light an fluff an they'd complain about it being all sweetness an light an fluff, or you could write a totally dark an scary an evil type story and they'd complain about that. You could even write a story where there's a balance between the 2 and they'd complain,simply because thats how they are they are miserable so they want others to be the same way.
Don't Give Up ....(to quote Peter Gabriel)
Katie, I'm really sorry to hear that some ****** has decided to make himself feel better by running you down.
But I beg of you Don't leave your hardcore fans hanging ..... please.
Huggles
Sammi
So that's how it's to be, then?
Fine then! may I have more crap please? If you write more crap I will try to peruse it and try to keep my crap limited in response :P
All kidding aside, don't listen to the wamkers, they are just jealous. And to those who don't like the darker side? Just don't read it, she did warn us (and to be fair, I did not read it for just that reason). Does that keep me from enjoying her other stories? Not in the slightest. I appreciate that others have creativity that I lack and enjoy the results of their creativity. Do I get snarky about stories? Oh hells yeah! I have been moderated before, especially on a rant about story subject matter misrepresentation, because my A** overloaded my thoughts on the matter and I gave in to temptation and let the other posters have it. Was I right to do so? In my frame of mind at the time, I may have thought so, but some wise person here told me to set all comments aside and re-examine them after a bit in a calmer frame of mind, then submit if they were still valid. That piece of advice has saved a lot of people, including myself, a lot of grief. ZI will admit, though, that it has also caused me to not comment as I should. Why? For fear of offending someone, since some will find any reasson to be offended and will take umbrage at any slight, real or imagined.
I suppose it comes back to the age-old question: Do you write for others? Or, do you write for yourself and then share it with others?
Hugs,
Diana
Hey, I resemble that remark!
"since some will find any reason to be offended and will take umbrage at any slight, real or imagined."
Hey! You meant me, didn't you? I'm so offended!
But I agree with everything you said. I haven't read the Jenny series in question yet, but I intended to eventually. I'm still fairly new here and still getting caught up on back stories and stuff. Some are very good. And yes, some are crap. But even when they are, I don't post public comments or private messages to berate the author.
I read the Jenny chapter in question and it did not look like "crap" to me, or in any way inappropriate. Is the abuse in it hard for some to read? Sure. So they shouldn't read it. If it's just abuse for the sake of someone's fantasies, like much of the forced fem or nasty femdom stuff, I don't like to read it. But if it's in the context of Jenny's story, it's just showing there are such sick minded people out there and that "our kind" sometimes run afoul of them. Showing such conflict in stories, and how the characters survive and ultimately defeat it is a perfectly fine plot device, even if ugly at times.
It's supposed to evoke strong feelings, especially when it happens to characters we've come to love and care about. I am still not sure how I feel about Alex (from Catwalk Confidence) going through her own month-long torture ordeal (and she still has some recovery to do), but I didn't freak out and attack Connie for it. If someone has been abused themselves, they probably shouldn't read such stories, which usually have very good warnings posted.
Katie, you don't write crap! I saw a few spelling mistakes and the like, but the writing itself looked solid to me. I now look forward to when I can actually get around to reading the story... Please don't let some negative reactions throw you.
Lisa
psst! Don't look now,
the paranoids are after you!
my opinion might not count
to you because I'm fairly new here. i don't think any comments should be taken literally because without the writer there is nothing to read and certainly nothing to make comments about.
I see a lot of good advice on this site and there is bound to be different opinion and equal and opposite views.
Why let a seemingly cruel comment upset you. It might not have been really intended as it was received.
Just think positive and look at the reaction in your support.
So please don't take a rest from the site because you are hurt.
The person who sent it might have been having a really bad day and you just happened to be infront of the headlights at the time.
There is a wonderful film called Invictus where Nelson Mandella shows us all that we should forget the cruel things how ever bad they are and move on.
I hope you get an apology but if not don't worry.So what? What about us niceys? Aren't we worth 3 hrs of writing for?
Hugs
Julie
Don't give up on your
Don't give up on your writing. That would be a shame. While I am not one of your fans nor do I enjoy your stories (for several reasons that aren't the issue here), the fact that you do write and that you clearly work at your writing is a great reason to keep doing it. Writing about dark things can be very emotional but ultimately healing. From what I do know about your writing you would not throw something horrible in a story merely for amusement or titillation. Some one had it right when they said that true exploitive crap is quickly written and barely thought out.
While your stuff is not my cup of tea and I personally get no enjoyment out of it, that does not mean that your work is crap. You keep writing and your faithful readers will keep reading. Keep up the good work and follow the story to the end, no matter where it leads you.
Heather
We are the change that will save the world.
Heather
We are the change that will save the world.
not crap
your story is not crap. it is hard to write about things sometimes but real life happens like that. that is what the jenny series is about, its real people even though they are on a printed page. dont listen to those who run you down. you write beautifully. its just that some stories are hard to write. keep up the good work
robert
I will admit, I have a hard time reading your latest stuff
But it is not crap at all! It does get very disturbing at times, and I get very upset at some of the situations-I think you're trying to drain my tear ducts sometimes-but the story is very well written, and shows potential to be a classic series eventually. Don't give up, you have my support, and many other's, I'm sure!
Wren
You can't please everyone
You can't please everyone and I am sure if you wrote a best seller there would be some people out there that would think it was crap. There are a lot of people out there that don't take the time to think about how long it takes to write a decent story. Myself i write for my own enjoyment and if people like what I wrote that is great if not that is there opinion but I wouldn't give up on something I enjoy doing just because of what a few people might say and writing only gets better with time. So don't give up on something you enjoy doing. Like many of the previous posts state you do have readers that are enjoying the stories.
Cain129
Yah what they said
It should be clear right now you have a following, and there are even those who are not followers who are supportive.
I support just about anyone who writes here because I do not write well and I applaud their efforts. Does not mean I read it all or enjoy it but I certainly would not try to discourage an author because their work does not suite my tastes, I can stop reading at any time, there is no gun at my head forcing me to not enjoy a story. Why the hell do they keep reading?
There have been incidents here where one or two people manage to badger writers off the list and then they pull all their stuff, essentially one individual making it bad for both the author and a whole bunch of loyal fans. Report the prick to Erin and then add them to your ignore list and move on.
Hang in there.
Going to be blunt here.
I haven't read your stories lately so I can't comment but you seem like a sweet person and I was glad to see you back after you had been gone for a while.
All this being said, this is the Internet, which is sometimes legendary for how big of assholes people will be, especially at some sites, fight rooms not counted. If you wish you can say trolls. As Erin has said she won't tolerate the douchiness that has been allowed to permeate some sites.