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A lot of people will tell you what you should & shouldn't write. Unless those people are offering to pay you for compliance, they are very welcome to fuck off. Write what you love. Life is short.
I had so many people tell me I shouldn't write genre fiction while I was growing up. Who would try to compliment me by saying they'd love to see me write something set in the real world. Nooooooooo
Fanfic authors writing entirely for themselves & a loyal following of reader-pals are 1000% more fulfilled than anyone frantically performing curtseys in the court of public opinion. Pleasing critics & the chatterati is a mug's game.
People who tell you what they don't want to read, what they're sick of, what they hate, were never going to be your audience to begin with. You'd never do enough to earn their approval, & you'd feel hollow if you turned yourself inside out trying to win it.
Sales, awards, reviews, etc are one tiny part of art. Obviously if you want to be a professional, finding an audience is ultimately necessary. But even then you do that by focusing on what they love, not on what they hate. You can't please people by avoiding mistakes.
I cannot tell you the number of emails I get from writers *weekly* just gummed up with self-doubt, fear of judgement, fear of embarrassment. Who are hyperfocused on avoiding pitfalls rather than bagging doubloons.
People are mostly broadcasting their insecurities when they give prescriptive commandments on what you ought to write. Feel sorry for them, but more importantly, ignore them. Writing is for everyone. You're allowed to write whatever the fuck you want.
You don't get to demand approval. You don't get to demand payment. You don't get to demand an audience. No one is obligated to read for you. By the same logic, no one is obligated to write for you. And when you write, you are obligated to no one.
The breathtaking arrogance of some people presuming to instruct others on what to write. Is this a commission? Are you offering me a contract? No? Get to fuck, then.
Still remember the guy who cornered me after a gig at a festival. He said I was obviously smart: 'I know it feels good, making your mates laugh, yeah? But you've gotta stop playing the clown, Tim. You've gotta stop playing the clown.'
He clearly thought he was helping me. That he was delivering compassionate home truths that might change the direction of my career. Because, as he saw it, comedy was a 'waste'. I wasn't doing what he'd prefer I was doing so he wanted me to completely change my work.
It's like, why do you even care what someone else is doing? What's that got to do with you? Keep your eyes on your own shit. You want more serious, considered, dignified poetry? Get writing. Or buy & boost the work of artists who write like that.
Why are you shouting at grapefruit that it should be pizza?
