Discouraged Grievances

NyteRose

I haven’t posted in the Creative Corner for some time, but I feel very discouraged, unfocused, and unmotivated to keep writing. I’ve come close to deleting my blog several times out of pure frustration and low/lack of readership. Other issues come into play, but I will get to those shortly. My major problems are staying motivated and picking/focusing on ONE story at a time to finish. Flitting from one project to the next like a fruit bat on a nectar high must stop.

Now to the other issues. I have been repeatedly harassed because I create mature occult content. And the genuinely sickening thing is members of this community condone harassing occult/mature creators because we don’t care to create happy-joy-joy family-friendly content. They punish us for being adults with mature mindsets. Creators like me are ignored and passed over for safe stories and content. We are pariahs and castoffs in this so-called “inclusive” writing/gaming community. Links to mature content are forbidden, and we have no place of our own on these boards. A separate section or forum dedicated to adult players would solve many of the inappropriate content issues.

My post will probably be ignored, trolled, and very likely locked. But these grievances have festered for a long time, and I finally spoke out. My intention is not to personally attack anyone, but to call out discrimination in the SimLit circles.

ArcherDK

NyteRose wrote: »

A separate section or forum dedicated to adult players would solve many of the inappropriate content issues.

This....just this. 100% agree.

akaniki0

NyteRose, I also agree, this is something that has been needed for a very long time.

mercuryfoam

I’m sorry to hear that. Harassment is never okay. I only have one vocal hater for simlit so far, but have received a ton irl (almost every day at one point lol) so I get how demotivating and discouraging it is, especially if harassers persist and nothing is done about it. I know this is cliched, but haters are going to hate unless you follow a specific formulae/plot/character etc that caters to their rigid desires. You know your story better than anyone else so don’t let them ruin it for you. Mature stories often require a deep well of empathy to walk in the characters’ shoes too. If haters don’t get it, well it’s their loss and there’s nothing you can do about it. They should've picked the genre of their interest in the first place. Just keep writing.

That aside, I don’t think people are actively discriminating against not-happy stories. There could be some who see stories only as a form of entertainment or fun, therefore shy away from the ones that don’t fit that mold, which is perfectly understandable. Mature stories (occult or not) are rarely fun after all. They’re a rendered reality of human nature and can come off as dreadful, painful, unhappy but also thrilling, thought-provoking and inspiring. They invoke strong emotions in readers, and depending on context, content, preferences etc, may simply be not the reader’s cup of tea.

I see it as people are more in the mood for a light-hearted story to kick back and relax with. A lot of simmers play sims 4 for its goofy, light-heartedness and as a form of escapism after all.

Personally, I like heavier-themed fantasy stories too and have been keen on reading yours since last year, except my lurking investigative ways led me to believe that you’ve deleted your blog. Am glad you haven’t. I’d love it if you’re willing to share the link with me.

P.S - I second the idea of a subsection dedicated to mature themes. There could be a warning or disclaimer similar to the one we get when we leave the forums, just before entering the section.

NyteRose

@ArcherDK @akaniki0 Thank you for agreeing with me. We adult players needing our own space is long overdue. The section could have a warning before entering and have an age verification/lock.

@mercuryfoam I've been driven off platforms because of persistent harassment several times, on my blog, and even here, so yes, the hate some people have for mature and occult content is quite real. I won't go into details, but it was bad enough I left the Sims Community for about five months. As for my links- they are not allowed on the forums. My stories were removed as they are all 18+ and deemed above the teen rating and against the rules. They cannot be mentioned, referenced, linked, or discussed on these forums.