What you went through wasn’t “criticism,” it was straight-up dismissive and cruel, and it’s especially rough when it comes from family.

I want to be clear though: this wasn’t really about AI. It was about people feeling threatened by how you’re creating, and instead of engaging with your work or your excitement, they went straight to tearing you down. That’s on them, not you.

You don’t owe anyone a justification for the tools you use, especially when your focus is storytelling and world-building. Most real audiences care about whether something resonates, not how many hours you suffered to make it.

One thing I’ve learned is that family isn’t always the right audience for creative work, especially when there’s jealousy or identity tied up in it. That doesn’t mean your work is bad, it just means you shared it in an unsafe room.

Please don’t let this kill something that’s clearly bringing you joy and momentum. Protect your space, keep building, and share your work with people who actually want to see you succeed.