I think it's time for me to come clean about this. I kinda became addicted to Reddit, but most importantly, reddit stories. It became part of my routine to listen to podcasts that read reddit stories. NGL it's really enjoyable, but there is always some people that debates if the stories are true.
Then I tried it once. I created a throwaway account and posted a made up story. It gained a lot of traction and nobody even commented about it being fake.
It was supposed to be a one time thing, but then another idea for a story pops up in my head, I create another throwaway with a temp mail and write that another story.
Overtime it became a habit. I've posted tens of fake stories, maybe over a hundred. With updates even. I also learned to develop different styles of writing and formatting so people wouldn't notice they were written by the same person, me.
Some of my stories got into the podcasts I listen to daily. Its always exciting to hear my own stories being read by someone else.
But I realize that this is not healthy anymore. I could develop so many of these stories into short stories or novels. I've learned a lot and improved my writing, these are compelling, engaging, even gut-wrenching stories that I think people would like to read if they were books.
It's time for me to stop this and start writing fiction for real.
Another reason why I should quit it, it's because I fucking hate the mods, some of my best stories has been deleted for bullshit reasons, or I just can't find the right sub to post them. But I gotta say, engaging with people in real time is part of the fun of it.
I don't want you to think everything on reddit is fake, and I don't care if some posts are fake or not, I have so many fucked up real stories in my family that no reddit story ever even came close to be as fucked up as real life and would be tossed aside as fake instantly. Reality is weirder than fiction.
Thanks for reading my confession. I'll go out, touch grass, and start writing fiction.
BTW, I only post fake shit on Throwaway accounts, I've never done that on my real main account, and I never lie IRL. Maybe that's why it felt so exciting early on.
One of my stories was about a concerned mom worried because her rebellious teenage daughter was hanging out with older kids, some of them legally adults. Then she discovered was involved in a polyamorous relationship with them. I think it's already deleted by mods but this is the only one what might make people try to investigate outside reddit, but it didn't really happen. (this was inspired by people i've known IRL, just not the polyamory part that was entirely made up).
Another story got me talking with a redditor offering me help getting in contact with the media about a long missing person. I politely declined the offer claiming that the missing person family was already on it. This one is old and I lost the password to that account.
Except for those 2 my stories are harmless fun most of the time, and others might be really dramatic. Maybe enough to upset the reader for some short time.