The Heated Rivalry author feels the weight of millions deciding what happens next.
Rachel Reid: 'The whole world cares about these characters. I feel like it's too much responsibility.'
In a January interview on the hockey podcast What Chaos!, Rachel Reid admitted that the sudden global fame of her characters has made writing difficult. 'I'm writing a book about two characters that the whole world cares about,' she said. 'I feel like it's too much responsibility to be the one who decides what happens to them.'
This is The Parasocial Economy turned inside out. The relationship between fans and fictional characters has become so intense that the creator feels accountable to it.
When creators describe their own characters as belonging to the audience, the power dynamic between maker and fan has fundamentally shifted.
If your audience feels ownership over your product, treat that as an asset, not a constraint. The moment people say 'this is ours, not yours' is the moment you have something competitors cannot replicate.
Source: YouTube / What Chaos! podcast