I think one thing that all creators struggle with is the question: what causes people to dislike something?
There isn’t a single answer to that of course since what we like or don’t like is so personal, yet authors, like all creators, strive above all else to find their audience and keep that audience happy.
Now, it’s not always our primary goal, nor do I think should it be—we should write to please ourselves first, to tell a story that yearns to be told—but I’d be lying if I said I didn’t want my readers to love my stories.
The amazing thing about fiction is how two people can consume the exact same story and have completely opposing views on it, which I’d say is especially true right now among Star Wars fans and The Last Jedi.
I liked it. I have my complaints, maybe more and more as I look back on it and really digest the story we were given, but I came out of the theater satisfied and having enjoyed myself. Some people have a higher opinion of it, some think it’s so awful, it should be stricken from canon.
Isn’t that fascinating? Isn’t that…kind of cool?
Unfortunately, we always want other people to agree with us if we love or hate something, so it can cause arguments and all-out comment wars, but I think it’s important for creators to sit back and take note of this sort of thing. What I think Star Wars did right is that it has people talking about it. Some positive, some negative, but when something is divisive, I don’t consider that a failure.
To me failure is having mostly negative comments or no response at all. But if you have mostly positive comments or even a near split down the center, you’ve done your job. You’re not boring or downright unlikeable by everyone. You’re saying something that has people reacting.
It makes it easier for me to take the few negative comments that might come up on my work and remind myself, even if one or a few people strongly dislike something I’ve created, even if that’s in direct contrast to the positive comments, which should almost be impossible for people to think so opposingly of the same thing, I’m doing something right besides just getting my work out there.
I’d be happy to discuss my complaints about The Last Jedi and ways I would have written things differently, but I think what matters more now…is to stop the prequel nonsense! We don’t CARE, okay? Rogue One was a forgettable mess with so much missed opportunity, and no one wants the Han Solo movie!
Give me Old Republic stories! Give me Revan! Give me something so far in the future it’s the NEW Republic and the Skywalkers are fables, but don’t rehash nostalgia anymore, we are ready to move forward. Got that, Disney?
And now I return to working on one of my half dozen currently running projects.