Oh, okay. Thanks for clearing that up. 
Definitely. I will add my thoughts in a little bit.
1. What turns you away from a story?
The things that turn me away from a story are: bad grammar, pretty obvious directing mistakes, bad boy and pregnancy stories. I am not a fan of gang stories, but there are a few that are very well written and not as cliche. I don’t like when authors say its not that great but it will get better. The author needs to have confidence because if they don’t, readers won’t either.
2. What genre do you prefer, why? I like everything except for most thrillers, horror and only some mystery. My absolute favorite genres are: fantasy, comedy, romance, adventure/sci-fi.
3. For someone who is just starting to write on Episode, what tips would you give them?
I agree about taking your time. I didn’t do that with my first story. I think I should have taken some time to become more proficient in directing before I published my first three chapters. I am making a better effort to avoid that issue in my second story. Also take advantage of all resources for directing tutorials as the guide, YouTube videos (like Joseph Evans ones) and the Directing section of the Episode Forum. And the great thing about the forum in general if you need help in certain areas, not just directing but proofreading and making overlays and background and such, you can get that too.
**3a. What would you tell someone who is just starting to write a story NOT to do? I said before don’t make comments about how you need to improve your story and it will get better. You don’t want readers to think your story is not that good. I also said before don’t rush to publish. It’s better to wait and have a better quality story that is more likely to attract readers. .Don’t feel afraid to ask for help. I know it can sometimes be overwhelming and you don’t know who to ask, but it seems the Forums are full of people who want to help with certain things and its better to try to ask than to publish something that isn’t as good.
4. What genre do you feel is overused?
I have nothing against romance but I wish there would be less of a focus on bad boy romances and romance stories relating to pregnancy. Since there are so many romance stories, people need to try something less cliche or change things up.
4a. What genre would you love to see more of?? Sci-Fi and Fantasy.
5. How do you feel about the use of overlays and special effects? I am really impressed at what people can do. I notice the people who have impressive overlays tend to have more readers. Of course saying this, great overlays and special effects need to go hand in hand with great writing and other directing. I am trying to improve and wish I could be at the level of some of these people but yes I applaud their efforts.
6. Does the cover of a story depend on whether you read it or not? I do admit I may be drawn in more by a really striking cover but unless it’s the generic Episode cover they use or extremely simple, I would give the story a chance.
7. Does seeing authors recommend stories they enjoy reading influence you in any way? How?
Yes, I always like to see what other authors recommend. I feel confident if I like an author and the way they write, I’d be likely to like what they like to read too. And it gives me feedback on what is popular and what works.
7a. Would you suggest promoting stories on social media? Why or why not??
Yes I do. I have found a lot of stories this way. With so many stories out there, I take note of what I see on IG to give me ideas on what to read.
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This is really descriptive, thanks! This’ll be really helpful for others and me! I appreciate it. 
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Glad to be able to help!
1, What turns you away from a story?
1a. Elaborate on some of your pet peeves about a story, I’d love to hear it!
- overused plots
- very long chapters without any content and action
- too much narration
- unnecessary author notes
- bad grammar and permanent spelling errors
- lazy directing (wrong speech bubble placement, lack of spot directing)
- weak female characters, love interests without personality
- forced and rushed relationships
- pointless choices (especially endless dressing games with loooong zooms)
2, What genre do you prefer, why?
Comedy and drama, but I like when they are mixed with action and/or romance
3, For someone who is just starting to write on Episode, what tips would you give them?
3a. What would you tell someone who is just starting to write a story NOT to do?
I absolutely agree with the former replies: I would suggest to learn the basics in directing first, work out the storyline and the characters, preview the story as many times as possible and publish only when you are satisfied with the outcome. Also write for yourself, don’t expect thousands of reads on the first day the story is out. Be patient.
4, What genre do you feel is overused?
4a. What genre would you love to see more of??
Definitely romance. That genre is so overused that love stories are invading all the different sections, including comedy, action, fantasy, mystery… I don’t read horror, but probably that’s the case there as well.
I would like to see more comedy and action stories that don’t revolve around romance.
5, How do you feel about the use of overlays and special effects?
I’m not good at directing but overlays are often inevitable to use. Special effects usually depend on the story. I personally don’t really need them, but they look really cool in fantasy stories for example.
6, Does the cover of a story depend on whether you read it or not?
I don’t think so, I decide rather based on the title and the description.
7, Does seeing authors recommend stories they enjoy reading influence you in any way? How? 7a. Would you suggest promoting stories on social media? Why or why not??
Yes, when I’m looking for new stories I often check what my favourite authors recommend, hoping they have a similar taste to mine.
I don’t use social media because I don’t like it, but I’m sure it is one of the best ways to get your story noticed.
Thanks for adding your opinion in this discussion! Appreciate it. 
I also feel like a lot of authors think that romance is overused in some ways. Such as the love triangles, and the bad boys.
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Don’t forget gang love stories and teenage pregnancies
Can’t forget those!
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1. What turns you away from a story?
- Toxic relationships
- Gang romance
- Bland characters
- “tHiS gIrL iS yOu”
- No diversity aside from a few stereotypes
1a. Elaborate on some of your pet peeves about a story, I’d love to hear it!
So, those first two… let’s remember how impressionable teenagers can be from a developmental psychology standpoint. Yes I’m a nerd but I didn’t get my forensic psychology degree for nothing. Let me have this. Sure most teens can consciously distinguish fiction from reality, but learning and influence doesn’t happen 100% on a conscious level at any age. How about we don’t force the idea that violence=love onto them at the age when the app’s main demographic is most likely to internalize it because adolescence is primarily for social learning?
2. What genre do you prefer, why?
I’m a big horror and fantasy fan, though I prefer to see genres blended in creative ways.
3. For someone who is just starting to write on Episode, what tips would you give them?
- Read the directing guides, no matter how dry they seem
- Read a lot of Episode stories beforehand; you’ll be able to see what’s overdone, as well as see some creative directing that can inspire you to think more visually
- Get a proofreader, especially if English isn’t your first language
- Get beta testers, especially if you’re using complex branching
- Listen to constructive criticism, especially if you asked for it. Things like “I want to customize” are safe to ignore, but when someone comes to you with “the pacing is awkward” or something like that, it’s worth taking into account.
3a. What would you tell someone who is just starting to write a story NOT to do? - Please don’t DM strangers asking them to read your story. It’s extremely disappointing to see you got a message from someone new only to see that they’re self-promoting. There are accounts you can ask for reviews and shout outs, plus you can advertise on your own social media pages if you have it.
- Don’t feel like you have to include customization. Some people will insist on it, but it’s better if your readers early on are there because they genuinely enjoy your writing and not just because you give in to their demands. Readers who start out because they love your work will be the most consistent ones.
- Don’t write what’s “popular”; write what interests you. If you start out writing for fame, you’ll be disappointed and burn out quickly.
4. What genre do you feel is overused?
Romance is everywhere. Don’t get me wrong, I’m sure there’s good romance out there, but on the app it’s nearly unavoidable no matter what genre you’re actually trying to read.
4a. What genre would you love to see more of??
Give me that sweet, sweet sci-fi, Episode, please I’m begging you…
5. How do you feel about the use of overlays and special effects?
It can really enhance a good story! Be careful though; it can’t save a story with weak writing, even if you manage to fool some people into thinking it’s good. Plan and start writing first, then direct when you have a good story.
6. Does the cover of a story affect whether you read it or not?
I want to say no, but at the same time let’s be realistic: if your cover has a girl in idle_afraid next to a shirtless guy when it’s supposed to be romance, I’m not even going to read your description. Believe me, there are so many story covers like that. So. Many. I’ll still read stories that don’t have good covers, but certain cover choices will make me avoid your story like the plague.
7. Does seeing authors recommend stories they enjoy reading influence you in any way? How?
I haven’t done as much reading as I’ve wanted to lately. That being said, most stories on my to-read list are indeed stories that have been recommended or written by authors I respect and follow on social media.
7a. Would you suggest promoting stories on social media? Why or why not??
Yes. In my experience, it does wonders for building a reader base. Be careful, though; it’s easy to get too caught up in the social media experience and forget to do the actual writing part.
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What turns you away from a story?
Personally, I can’t stand when the grammar and spelling is really bad. It just makes the whole thing unenjoyable and cringey for me… even if the author is non-native to an English-speaking country, they should at least try to get it proofread.
Elaborate on some of your pet peeves about a story, I’d love to hear it!
Bad grammar, and when the first episode of the story is too rushed and we feel like we have no idea what’s going on. As an author, you might feel really attached to a character and know everything about them, but you have to show readers who they are through character development, or else they won’t care or even possibly remember them.
What genre do you prefer? Why?
DRAMA! Because you can do so much with drama. You could do a teen mystery story with elements of romance, you could do a story with tons of cliffhangers, you could even do a teen drama murder mystery thriller because the possibilities are ENDLESS!
For someone who is just starting to write on Episode, what tips would you give them? What would tell someone who is starting to write a story NOT to do?
DON’T just go and try to write the entire story off the top of your head, and DON’T add things in just for temporary suspense or shock value that you know you won’t be able to follow up on later. Before you write, come up with a general storyboard of what you want to happen in the story. It doesn’t have to be a scene-by-scene outline (although those are helpful later), but just the storyline of how it’s going to start, what the major cliffhangers/plot points are going to be, how they’re going to go down, and how you want it to end.
If you just sit and start writing with no idea of what you’re doing, you’ll likely abandon the story before you know it. I know I did. Two years later, I came back to Episode as a more mature person and writer, and have since been able to write really well, especially with organization.
What genre do you feel is overused?
Romance. There are too many stories about a high school bad boy. And it’s not like I’m that pissy person who complains about those stories, no. I read them. And I enjoy them. But they have to be ORIGINAL in some way. Too many stories have absolutely NO unique elements to them, and are 100% predictable. Rinse and repeat. But, stories that have a little flare or something different in them, then you can go for the bad boy story all you want.
For example, I loved Becoming Queen Bee, because it was funny and original. I also like It Starts with a Bra, because it’s not just a “transferred to high school, met a bad boy, fell for him, he played me, blah blah blah”.
What genre would you love to see more of?
Comedy! There aren’t that many stories categorized as Comedy.
How do you feel about the use of overlays and special effects?
Overlays are my favorite thing ever. Special effects? I think they can be tacky if overused.
Does the cover of a story depend on whether you read it or not?
Absolutely! Aesthetic appeal is really important to me.
Does seeing authors recommend stories they enjoy reading influence you in any way? How?
Obviously. If an author I always enjoy reading the works of recommends another story, then of course I’ll give it a try. I mean, if they write things I like, I’ll bet they read things I like.
Would you suggest promoting stories on social media? Why or why not??
Definitely! It’s a great way to build an author fanbase and get the word out.
Thanks boo! 
This was fun to answer.
Audrey
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Thanks for your input! This’ll be really helpful for others.
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This is pretty descriptive! Thanks for adding your opinion in this discussion.
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What drives me away from a story is simple directing… which doesn’t bother me too much but also bad spelling and grammar. However, What bothers me most is when the main character is female (not in a sexist way) and then can’t stick up for herself and the guy saves her like 7 times in a chapter… it’s just like, “GET A GRIP, WOMAN AND SAVE YOURSELF”… anyway, I also think it’s important to have multiple ‘life savers’ in a story like a best friend or sibling because that can get a lot more emotional… oh right, what also makes me loose interest is when the story is only based off of the two main characters… when the only love interest ia a guy and when they don’t give you a choice to disapline the ‘bad boy’ earlier on.
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Hey! Thanks for adding your opinion to this thread! Appreciate it. 
1. What turns you away from a story?
This one is a bit hard to expain, but personally, I can not stand stories that start off like the example given below.
“Hey my name is Generic Girl, this is my best friend, Less Generic Girl. This is the Generic Bad Boy I like. I’m so in love with him.” – It’s a bit over exaggerated. but I’m sure you understand what I’m trying to get at. I don’t like reading a lot of things unless it’s dialogue or a characters thoughts. So if theres a lot of explaining instead of story telling, I usually read the first episode and drop it.
1a. Elaborate on some of your pet peeves
- Terrible grammar, enough said. I mean - there’s a spell check in the portal? And you’re using a computer with access to Google? Unless English is not the first language, there isn’t really a valid excuse.
- A lot of directing mistakes (as a new author starting off, I understand things can be difficult, but there are so many resources people can use to fix these mistakes.)
- This one might just be me, but I kind of dislike customizing characters. Besides things like changing the characters hair style or outfit, I don’t like stories that let you change everything. For me, it takes away the value/importance of the characters for me. If that makes any sense?
- Stories that over-sexualize a lot of things. I can tolerate reading sexy time, but when there’s too much sexy time in a story or if they’re overly descriptive I will most likely turn away from the story.
- A lot of author notes, for me it takes away the essence of the story.
2. What genre do you prefer?
I actually really enjoy the romance genre. Most of the time they’re relatable, and usually they’re lighthearted.
3. Tips you would give to someone just starting?
I’m just starting out writing myself so I can’t say much. But I will say that you should always test your story, make sure it’s your best work.
4. What genre do you feel is overused?
While I do love romance, it is very overused. But I think it just feels that way because a lot of people use the same plot. If there were more unique plot lines, romance would feel less overused.
4a. What genre would you love to see more of?
I think that Episode is in need for some more thriller and horror stories. Maybe I haven’t been looking at the right ones, but a lot of them aren’t enjoyable for me.
5. How do you feel about the use of overlays and special effects?
I like seeing them in stories, I can tell the author put time into the scene. It also improves the experience as a reader.
6. Does the cover of a story depend on whether you read it or not?
For sure! If the cover looks like someone really put time into it, I’ll check it out. But if its just characters slapped onto a random picture from google and their title in Comic Sans, I’d turn away.
7. Does seeing authors recommend stories influence you?
Sometimes yes. If the author has a good writing stye, I might like the story they recommended.
7a. Would you suggest promoting stories on social media?
Yes for sure, especially if you have Instagram. The episode community on there is amazing. There’s lots of talented video editors and artists. If you follow some other authors, you’d be able to make some friends.
Thanks for your input. Appreciate it. 
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Thanks for making the thread!
Just for future reference, this is unavoidable when directing.