Unfamiliar Territory: How to Approach Works Outside Your Comfort Zone

You wrote and uploaded a story on Wattpad. After several chapters, you want to get views and comments. You come across a book club community that would help you and your work. You get a long-term partner to complete each other's works. You get excited to have someone read your entire story!

Then you noticed some things about your partner's story. The genre is not something you would read. The content has slightly mature scenes and themes, though watered down enough to not get a mature rating. Subject matters are uncomfortable. Depending on your upbringing and environment, one of the main characters happens to be LGBTQ+.

All of this makes you uneasy. You try to communicate this with your partner. They're clearly getting upset, so now the founder of the community is getting involved. You didn't mean to let things get this bad. You probably wished you had done something much earlier.

On this article, I'll give my experience regarding this situation. I'll also provide advice for both you and any book club communities that might be reading this.

Partnership Issues

About over a year ago, I was given a long-term partner for the Coalition Book Club. At the time, I was in the process of uploading chapters for my second The One Series book, The Wanted. I was about a little over halfway done; while my partner's story was, for the most part, completed with over 70 chapters.

Our genres were different; her's was a historical fiction set in early 1900s Britain. Mine was a teen drama and romance set in the mid-2000s in both America and Britain. I didn't let that stop me, and neither did my partner. I was loving the fangirl-like reactions to my chapters, that was until she reached two certain chapters in The Wanted.

Without spoiling much, the chapters involved two boys kissing. My partner clearly tried to avoid the main story that led up to that scene. She only focused on the parts that didn't mean much to the story. I was upset that she did that as I was looking forward to seeing how she would react to it, especially since she had called it numerous times. I had to get the founder of the Coalition (Wordsmith) involved. We all came to an agreement that we'll finish each other's stories as my partner was almost done with mine.

By the time she got to the final chapter, she was clearly done with my story. It was like she wanted nothing to do with it as she came across as a bit unreasonably harsh on the final chapter. To this day, I'm struggling to get, at least, one person to read my story as I want a better attitude than what I was given.

What to Do

To those who are uncomfortable readers of either mature or LGBTQ+: I highly recommend you contact both your partner. Ask your partner what is in their story. Don't ask for spoilers; just what content to expect, what are the characters like. Get an idea before moving forward.

To the authors of said either mature or LGBTQ+ content: If your partner reaches out to you, try to figure out a way to come to an agreement. Don't give them spoilers. Give brief backgrounds on the characters. Tell your partner what subject is in your story.

If things go well, then both partners should be able to move smoothly with little to no issues. Yet if neither of you can come to an agreement, then you two need to get either the book club founder or the admin involved. You both might have to switch partners with those who will be comfortable with each other's works.

Different Genres

I don't have any issues with reading works that are not romance, teen/new adult fiction, or even sci-fi. Sometimes I'll feel a bit uncomfortable, but I power on through to give my best critiques. For some, that may not always be the case.

I once did have a critiquer that kept commenting "this isn't my genre" in each of the four assigned chapters when The Wanted was Book of The Month. To me, those comments came across to me as someone who couldn't be bothered to read my story. I understood what they were reading was their genre, but they didn't need to repeat that for a total of four chapters.

My advice to readers who may be tempted to say the work your reading isn't "you're genre": Either say it once, or don't say it at all. I get it might be hard to read something you'd never read again, but if you're in a book club, you have power through it. You have to try your best to give your critiques. If the only issues you see are technical, point those out. Maybe you see some inconsistencies in the plot, mention that too.

The more you read works that you're not familiar with, the more you'll get used to them. If I can get used to reading fantasy, despite it being something I'd never read or write; you can too. It's not the end of the world if you read something from another genre.

Conclusion

I gave you advice regarding how to approach works that have mature or LGBTQ+ content; and works with genres you're not used to reading. I get it would take some time to get used to different topics, genres, and even characters. Certain societies may even look down on these things. If you're willing to approach a work with an open mind, then you'll be okay. You'll learn there's more out there than what your little bubble tells you. The world may be scary, but it's also fascinating.

Content Writer: ImTheGirl

Content Designer: JJiawei