It's only offensive if you think it's offensive. No one is calling you out on creating a huge diverse cast. But if someone wants to create a huge diverse cast just to please everyone and hit every possible person, then it is pandering. Nothing really bad in its core too, but it is what it is.
I didn't say that anybody was calling me out. How would they? I'm not well known here or anything 🤣 I am just saying my opinion on the matter. And since the word pandering was mentioned, I just said what I thought about it. And yes indeed, that is how "being offended" works. Not everyone is offended by the same thing, which BTW, I am not offended if you think that is the case. But if someone were to point at me directly and said I was pandering than yeah, I wouldn't like that. That was the point I was making.
Oh and yes, there is a lot of bad in the core of pandering. Just by the definition, it's an immoral or distasteful thing to do. So not sure what you were trying to say there.
You don't. You make what you like, and target it at people who like what you like.
If you make a story containing homosexual characters, homophobic readers will be turned off.
If you make a story without homosexual characters, homosexual readers may feel disinterested to read it.
If you make a story without violence, gore fans may get bored.
If you make a story with violence, readers who only like romance and comedy will be disinterested.
If you make a story that has everything, it will only appeal to people who have no problem with anything. And those aren't everyone.
So, theoretically, while you CAN have everything in your story, it won't catch the interest of everyone, because some readers do NOT want a story to have everything. Remember that 'a jack of all trades is a master of none'.
Also, if you DID make a story that has everything and everyone would be inclined to read it, you need to have the appropriate quality to keep their interest.
Agreed. A creator's story should be about what they want to make and what they want to say, not about ticking boxes.
I just mean if someone has chosen to view your story, they probably already like some aspect. If nothing appeals to them then they would probably just pass over it. I have a comic that is BL romance with a sci-fi twist. No one who reads my comic complains about it, but I know that someone who doesn’t like BL or romance probably won’t read it. Or someone who DOES might put it down because they don’t like sci-fi. Just putting a bunch of things into your story for the sake of appeal can backfire. Something that one person likes might really turn off another.
Just don't, you cant please everyone and cant pander to everyone, just write and create characters that suit your tastes
The only time I have seen someone pull it off is when the media is wholesome enough to appeal to some one as young a 4 and as old as 90, while being silly/mature enough to appeal to teens and young adults who want something that is not only for kids.
A good example is Toy Story 3.
You might be surprised. I feel like there is a lot of crossover between media that appeals to straight women and gay men. There has also been media that was meant for a female audience but gained a large male audience, like My Little Pony: Friendship is Magic. And there has also been media meant for a male audience that gained female fans because they thought the male leads were cute.
It's impossible to appeal to every single human being, because people have different tastes and some tastes are incompatible to each other. Everything is liked by some and hated by others.
I don't agree because I remember a few successful writers saying that their story is 50% for them, and 50% for their audience, one of them even said that they audience have a bigger percentage. (that last one isn't a writer tho, he's a mangaka)
Here's the thing -- you're assuming what has worked for them could work for you or anyone else.
Never assume it'll pan out the same way just because it helped a few people get famous.
Their journey is not your journey.
If pandering to everyone worked all of the time, my response would be different. But as many have said -- you can't. You simply can't. You will break your spine trying to bend over backwards for everyone, banking on the hope that they might read your work or might support you with money.
Another thing -- readers are not stupid.
People can tell if someone is trying to pander to a demographic rather than make a story they enjoy. People can tell if someone is only in their fandom for popularity and money. Some creators are better at hiding it than others, but over time, it becomes apparent when someone doesn't like the work they did (and still don't like it). If you're gonna go to all that trouble trying to make people like your stuff, you might as well enjoy some part of it.
Because if you're doing this just to appeal to people and make money, and don't include the things you like -- you're in for a long, disappointing journey.
Edit: Also remember -- we're all consumers. We like and dislike media just like everyone else. Being a creator doesn't change that. And if others cannot always gather our attention, why should we break spines trying to do the same? Some people just won't like what you put out -- it be like that.
I think I still would prefer that more works either removed the fixation on bouncing boobs and flowing locks the moment femme walks in, or added swinging codpieces and moonlit abs the moment homme shows up.
Only because you responded to someone who was responding to me, please let me explain in case I was misunderstood. Because that's what I feel is happening. Me writing a story about a diverse cast IS what I want. I don't want to write a cast filled with white people who are all the same because that is boring to me. I like designing different kinds of characters and of different cultures. I'm not thinking about what others want, I'm thinking about what I want in my story. It just so happens that that is something that is inclusive of others 🤷🏼♀️ just saying.
Just put a rapping dog wearing a backward cap and sunglasses in your story and everything will be alright.
I don't think it's possible because different demographics have opposing demands that probably can't exist in the same piece of media without clashing.
That said, I think everyone takes something of their own away from each piece of media they consume.
I think it's the same with Medicine. A person should theoretically become a doctor because he wants to cure sick people, but there are successful doctors that did it for money, recognition or simply because they were good at it.
I know that, and that's why I mentioned the 50% for them / 50% for the audience that some famous writers do, I'm not talking about creating a story for the audience like you implied, I'm talking about creating something that both you, and your audience enjoy, either because of overlapping interests, or because there's something for you, and them, I hope my broken English can make any sense to you lol, thank you for your answer. 
