Hello! So this question is a little different from the ones you usually get, so I completely understand if this doesn't fit the scope of the blog.
I haven't put out any of my writing before bc its usually deeply personal and im not generally looking for a critique. I do however want to start and I was thinking of doing that through reviewing movies and shows I watch. I want to post some reviews of popular films from my home country through a feminist lens but im worried that when I promote it on different subreddits im going to receive misogynist backlash and hate for my marginalized religious identity. I can't think of any other way to curate an audience. Do you have any advice on curating an audience that would suit my content and/or to deal with the hate I could potentially get?
Worried About Backlash When Curating an Audience
Some things to consider...
1 - There will always be critics, no matter who you are and what you write. If you can't handle criticism, putting yourself out there as a creative may not be for you. Criticism is part and parcel with putting your work out, whether it's novels, music, art, movie reviews, OpEds, or any other sort of creative work. There will always be people who disagree, always be people who don't like what you said, always be people who don't like you and want to tear you down. Jane Austen's novel Pride and Prejudice is often considered one of the most beloved novels of all time. It has a whopping 4 million reviews on Goodreads, and 2.2 million of those reviews are 5-stars. However, almost 100,000 people hated it so much they 1-starred it, with some of the critical keywords being things like insipid, overrated, boring, one-dimensional, and anti-feminist. Some of these reviews attack Jane herself... a woman who died over 200 years ago. The point is, no amount of audience creation will shield you from criticism, unless you choose to share your work only with a small, trusted audience.
2 - Consumer commentary isn't a good place for feedback. It's futile to argue that nothing can be gleaned from what people like or dislike about your writing. However, consumer commentary isn't really there for you. Even if it's directed at you, it's really just there for other consumers. People are letting others know, "Hey, I really enjoyed this or I agreed with what was said." If you can read through reviews and commentary without taking it to heart and without responding, if a lot of people are liking and disliking the same things, sure--you can definitely take that and grow from it. Most of the time, though, it's better to just avoid reading the commentary. If you want feedback on your writing, seek it out from critique partners, alpha and beta readers, trusted mentors, and paid services.
3 - Start small, work you're way up. Reddit probably isn't a really good place to start if you want to curate an audience, especially if you want to avoid attracting lots of attention from people who are only interested in tearing you down. Instead, I would suggest something like tumblr, and maybe even bolstering that with activity on something like Instagram and tiktok. Ultimately, most of either platform will be other content related to movies and TV, but now and then you'll post your review (or a link to it wherever it is) and hopefully get a little crossover. The thing to remember is it takes a long time to build up an audience. You're going to feel like you're shouting into the void for a long time, but if you stay active, keep with it, and post good content, the audience will build up over time.
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