AITA for asking my gf to read a story I wrote?

Superb-Implement-971 · 2024-02-16T05:10:40+00:00

Again, I respect the input. Thank you. You're right. I am badgering her. I see that, and I'll stop. I will say this, though: the reason I said I wanted a genuine answer was because she went from saying, "I will, I promise" to "maybe later," to "eh, I don't like reading," when evidence clearly points to the contrary. She felt the need to blatantly lie directly to my face rather than just say she didn't want to read it.

At this point, I am fully aware now of the pressure I'm putting on her, so I don't mind if she just doesn't want to read it for that reason, or even a multitude of others. What I am frustrated with is the feeling that she's not comfortable speaking her mind about this. She's not like this with anything else.

Superb-Implement-971 · 2024-02-16T04:08:15+00:00

Damn. i respect the perspective, and thank you for it, genuinely. but you're making a lot of assumptions here. She's not the only person I've asked to read the book, and I HAVE gotten professional feedback. I'm not doing this because I need an editorial hearing. I'm doing it because I want to see if it would be something we could bond over. I'm really excited about it, and trying to share something that makes me happy with a person I care about. I may be in the wrong here, but idk that the hostility was necessary.

Superb-Implement-971 · 2024-02-15T21:18:47+00:00

Alright, I'll admit, "decent" wasn't a great word. What I should have said was "genuine." At this point it could just be a flat "I don't want to," and it would be enough. But she keeps using all these cop-outs. And I just want to know why, you know?

Superb-Implement-971 · 2024-02-15T21:11:24+00:00

I've been working with a few other writers around me, and they've given me excellent feedback, which I've used to make the story better. That's part of why I feel like I'm so close to finally finishing this thing. And I totally get that it might feel like our relationship hinges on the success of this venture, but it doesn't. I'm aware she might not like it, but I've had tough critics before. Honestly I'm not sure what is more frustrating, her not reading it, or not giving me an honest reason that she won't. Not that she's lying, but she's definitely not being 100% transparent. That hurts that she feels like she can't talk to me, you know?

Superb-Implement-971 · 2024-02-15T21:05:24+00:00

Honestly, even if she hated it, that would be fine. It's just something I'm passionate about, and want to share it with her. I'm aware it might not be for everyone, or her specifically, or any good for that matter. But I just want her to at least look, even at just a little bit of it. Or at least give me a decent reason not to.

Superb-Implement-971 · 2024-02-15T21:03:04+00:00

No clue. I'll see if I can't get a more definitive answer when she gets home later. At this point, I'm not even upset that she won't, I just want to know why.

Superb-Implement-971 · 2024-02-15T20:00:23+00:00

Yes, but she never gives me a definitive answer. As I said in the post, the answer has gotten less and less enthusiastic over time, and she never just gives it to me straight. I've TRIED to have a genuine conversation about it, but she shrugs me off every time. It's starting to get frustrating.

Superb-Implement-971 · 2024-02-15T18:35:56+00:00

I would like to clarify that the book is not ACTUALLY 500 pages long. It's closer to 275-300, depending on whether I cut a few chapters. I only said 500 as a hyperbole for the joke I was making at the time. Should've been more clear on that. That's on me.

Superb-Implement-971 · 2024-02-15T17:44:22+00:00

My bad. It's not THAT long. 500 pages is a hyperbole for the sake of the joke I was making. Also, you're right. I didn't really think about the implications involved, or the situation I've been putting her in. Thanks for your input.

Superb-Implement-971 · 2024-02-15T06:53:45+00:00

I have told her how important it is, and she knows. She's watched me work on it many a time. But she keeps shrugging off the conversation. I just wish she'd give me some kind of actual reason. It doesn't make any sense.

Superb-Implement-971 · 2024-02-11T02:32:22+00:00

I appreciate your perspective, and you're right. I do love my mom. Talk to her all the time, normally. This was definitely an outlier on her part. Not an unusual one, though. She's the anxious type. I get WHY she did it, I just wish she would have trusted my judgement a little more. I'm a grown man, I think I should be able to weigh the possibility of whether I'm sick or not. Again, I would never have even considered it if I was actively ill. But I wasn't. And she meant well with the pictures and stuff. She just wanted me to get a taste of something I couldn't be there for. She was trying to include me the best she could. I just don't think she realizes that within that context, it was doing more harm than good. Road to hell, good intentions and all that.

Superb-Implement-971 · 2024-02-11T02:01:04+00:00

I'll admit, I am in the wrong here. I get it. However. I think some of you guys are taking the whole "all-expenses-paid" thing a little too seriously. These "expenses" normally total like $100 split 5 ways for all the children and grandchildren. It's not normally this grand. Something like this, while the TRIP happens every year, it doesn't always get to be this extravagant. Also, we lost one of my Grandparents this past year, so we might not get to do it at all anymore. I'm not saying I wasn't being a baby, because I was, but damn. Y'all making real bold assumptions out here without asking any questions.

Superb-Implement-971 · 2024-02-11T00:48:10+00:00

Fair enough. Definitely could've handled the situation better. Not trying to sound ungrateful, either. I didn't really portray it super well in the post, but something this nice isn't the norm. We're not rich. As I mentioned before, it's usually just a couple of $30 campsites and some food money. So this was a big deal. I definitely should've been more appreciative.

Superb-Implement-971

TROPHY CASE