Shay H-K Zayit | Updates

Will I, Will I Not

Shay H-K Zayit — Mon, 13 Oct 2025 00:00:00 +0000

Welp, this is awkward.

I know I said I wouldn’t stop writing for free when I first published my books, only to 180 and completely reject any possibility of ever coming back.

In a way, I really don’t want to stop writing on Wattpad. Not even a year ago, I had so many plans for new stories I could write on the platform up until WSSME got deleted (and reinstated). It really made me fear that 10 years’ worth of my writing was in the hands of a single platform, and if I ever lost that account, that would be the end of all I had achieved as an author.

I tried platforms like Inkitt, and at the same time, decided to finally debut as a real author. I looked into professional editing (that cost me a liver) and set my books out into the world… and honestly, it’s been really hard to look back.

Why?

I've already made a quite lengthy blog post about all of Wattpad's failings, truly toxic readers, etc. But there were certainly topics I didn't cover on that rant that I wish I had, yet I didn't feel like touching on that controversy with a six-foot pole, not when some people feel so strongly about this topic.

But my mom didn't raise a bitch, so here I go.

The basics. I can finally write on my own time. There’s no reader pressure to pump out chapters, especially now that AI usage is rampant on the platform. I can’t compete with authors who put out daily updates. I can take up to a year to finish a full-lenght 70k-word story, in fact, WSSME took me five whole years to write (full of grammatical errors, but at least I can say each and every letter came out of a real keystroke). I understand how it’s frustrating for readers to have to wait for chapters of a story they’re enjoying, so this isn’t me calling readers out as toxic for liking a story so much that they can’t wait to get to the next chapter. I’m truly so grateful for all the amazing support and love I’ve received from my readers. But this is me calling readers out for setting unrealistic standards that are machine-assisted, and holding human writers to them.
I hate the blatant plagiarism and AI slop machine that Wattpad has become. This one is pretty explanatory, and I don’t think I need to get into detail. It shouldn’t be controversial to say that AI writing is a disgrace to the art and soul of storytelling, and a disgrace to the world and environment itself. Writing has never been about beautiful prose or perfect grammar, it’s about the emotion behind each sentence, a mirror to the soul, and Wattpad has become a soulless pit of the same couple of sentences written again and again.

No, I'm not calling out any authors out there, nor am I making a claim that every single author that manages to post every day or a couple times a week are inherently using AI to write. Fast paced authors have existed since forever, but when those author go from rare to prolific, I think we can all agree something odd is going on.

Regardless, at the end of the day, they're posting for free on a free platform. But that doesn't change the fact that it's truly depressing to watch creativity get eaten away with "practiced ease", whatever that means.

So… am I coming back or not?

Yes. I’m still set on producing free content for the audience that took me in and allowed me to get me to where I am. I’m not setting any dates, but this is a real promise that I’m not abandoning you, as long as you’re patient with me.

Aight, see you on my next rant.

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Yes, I Left Wattpad and Readers Are Upset. This Is Why I Don't Care.

Shay H-K Zayit — Sun, 3 Aug 2025 00:00:00 +0000

First off, let me make one thing absolutely clear: this post is NOT for my amazing readers—the ones who have messaged me encouragement, left thoughtful reviews, and taken the time to support my work genuinely and selflessly. To my ARC readers, loyal followers, and those who reached out with kindness, thank you from the bottom of my heart. You know who you are. You are the reason I ever felt encouraged to keep sharing my stories at all.

But this post isn't about you.

It's about the other side of the coin—the toxic corner of Wattpad's community that nobody warns you about when you're just setting out. The people whose negativity, entitlement, and outright cruelty make the platform more draining than inspiring.

Leaving Isn't About You—It's About Me

Deciding to leave Wattpad wasn't easy. I spent years pouring my heart and soul into stories, interacting with readers, and celebrating even the tiniest milestones. But after a certain point, the negativity began to outweigh the joy.

Why I Don't Care If Certain Readers Are Upset

I've seen the DMs and comments: "How dare you?" "You're abandoning your fans!" "You owe us free content! (lmao)" To those people, let me be perfectly blunt: I don't owe you anything.

This is my work. My craft. My career. I have every right to pursue publishing, to be compensated for my efforts, and to protect my mental health.
Entitlement is not support. Being a "fan" does not come with ownership over a creator's choices or life.
Toxicity is not criticism. There’s a world of difference between helpful feedback and spreading negativity.
Communities should lift you up—not drag you down. Wattpad, for all its positives, harbors a dark side of toxicity that I refuse to normalize.

Wattpad’s Failings: Why This Decision Wasn’t Just Personal

Beyond the toxic messages and entitled attitudes, Wattpad itself has shown a lack of respect for writers like me. Many in our community have witnessed what we call the great purge of LGBT stories, with works and whole accounts vanishing overnight, often without warning or real explanation. My own story, WSSME, was removed twice, and only after countless stressful appeals was it reinstated. Even with victories, there’s a cold uncertainty: I never know when my work will just be deleted again for reasons that seem arbitrary and beyond my control.

Choosing Myself

At the end of the day, I think I deserve better. And if that means losing a few readers who were never really supporters to begin with, so be it. For those who want to join me on the next stage of my journey, you're more than welcome.

I’ll continue giving my readers the opportunity to join my ARC team with every release. For those readers who want to support me and read my stories but don’t have the means to, this is my way of saying thank you for sticking with me. If you’re interested, follow me on Instagram @shayzayit to keep up-to-date with all my releases and ARC forms.

That said, I want to make one thing crystal clear: I will NOT be removing WSSME or TSOSN from Wattpad (unless they get deleted again). These beloved books will always remain available and free to read on the platform. No matter how toxic parts of the community—or the platform itself—have been, I want to honor those readers who found something meaningful in these stories and continue to welcome new readers to experience them.

This is my life, my art, my choice.

To the wonderful readers: thank you, always. To the rest: I'm finally free, and I don't care if you're mad about it.

Wall of shame:

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Mark Your Calendar: ‘The Start of Something New’ Book Release

Shay H-K Zayit — Wed, 14 May 2025 00:00:00 +0000

Get ready! The release of The Start of Something New is just around the corner.

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