Losing a reader

[Squallfan]

So, I just posted a chapter of my story Prisoner of War. I also post it on a Bleach Yaoi page I follow on Livejournal. Seriously, I think Livejournal is dying away, but that's not the reason for this post. One of the characters does something pretty bad in the chapter, someone you wouldn't expect. The thing with the characters though, they really aren't the same people now as they were before, being in the situation they have been in now for a while. He was in a situation where he had to go to that extreme to protect someone he loves from something very horrible.

Anyway, on to what this topic is about. A nice reader that has been following that story on Livejournal gave me a review, basically stating she had been following the fic for a long while, but now because I had said character do that, she will no longer follow the story and thanked me for the previous chapters. I of course felt horrible. I apologized that I ruined it for her and so on.

Here is my question for you fellow fic writers out there. Would you go back and change the chapter to please one, or maybe a few more people? So far she is the only one I have gotten a review from, so I have no idea if I have, or will offend more with what I wrote. Personally, no, I will not go back and change what I wrote. Did I feel terrible writing it? Yes. Did I think it was out of character? No, not for the people they are now after being held prisoner and tormented for so long. And again, he was doing this so the woman he loves would not be sexually tortured, so, there ya go.

I would like to hear your opinion on this. What would you do?

[BronxWench]

Honestly? No, I wouldn't change a chapter if I really believed that was the direction the story needed to take. I've upset readers before, and I'm sure I'll do it again. I understand that in fan fiction, their perception of a character may differ greatly from mine, but if I've taken that character to a certain point, I can't back off and wave a magic wand, and make it all better.

I love my readers, and I value their input. Ultimately, however, it's my story to tell, and I have to tell it the way that feels right to me.

[Melrick]

I would never, ever write or change a chapter just to please others. My story, my rules, and if others don't like that then it's not like there's a shortage of other stories out there for them to read. Ultimately I write stories to please myself first and foremost, and if others like them too then that's just an added bonus.

[JayDee]

I'd probably be too lazy to change something like that for one reader.

[magusfang]

Depends on the story, if it's important to you and you think you wrote it the way it should be written then no. If its a fluff piece and the readers are more important then yes. I let readers influence me all the time, not on main plot points, but the tangental story changes all the time in response to reviews.

[DemonGoddess]

As a reader, that's something I would never do. Authors write, first and foremost, for themselves. You know that getting in to reading any given story. Hell, you know that when you buy a book. No, absolutely do not change the story. Your story, your words, your rules.

[Squallfan]

Thanks for all the feedback. In the end, I appreciated her opinion, I was just a little surprised that she said she was going to stop reading it. And no, I have no intention of changing it, as I stated above. I really do love to write my little stories, and I do it for myself too. You just can't please everyone. Even professional writers get complaints. I'm sure George RR Martin gets plenty for killing characters. lol

[BronxWench]

Oh, I was going to ask George RR Martin to plan my next wedding! I like a wedding with a body count.

[Squallfan]

Oh, I was going to ask George RR Martin to plan my next wedding! I like a wedding with a body count.

He is good with weddings.

[magusfang]

Oh, I was going to ask George RR Martin to plan my next wedding! I like a wedding with a body count.

I'm good with body counts

I can be the valet too

[BronxWench]

Hired!

[LadyTsunadeSenju]

I offend a good amount of people, I just got a "I don't like this" review. But the fic was a request so i won't be changing it. People know when they sign on to read a fic that unless it's a request or commission they have no say and they get what they get. Of course, some authors will, but I don't write for reviews really. If I were, I'd starve.

[KoKoa_B]

That's funny because I was wondering the same thing about a scene I'm about to write! I finally realized why it was taking me so long to write it (aside from the fact that it makes me blush so hard, I can't write it) and it was because of the fear of alienating the little readers that I have for the story! As nervous as it makes me feel, I still have plans on writing it the way I envisioned it. It would sadden me greatly if I was to lose a specific reader because she gets inspired to draw because of the story. But, I would have to just count my losses and move on. Like everyone has said on here: we write basically for ourselves, especially when it comes to fan fiction!