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k-banning-kellum · 6 years

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Jeff the Killer 2015: The Best Mistake I Ever Wrote!

I started writing horror on the Creepypasta Wiki back in 2014. I started with a story I had in my head called Secret Bar. I had no idea if it would be well received, become popular or maybe even be deleted. I just knew that I had a story to tell and wanted a good place to write it. I chose the Creepypasta Wiki because I’d been reading stories on that site since 2012. I posted Secret Bar during the summer of 2014, and to my astonishment it was well liked, considered by many to be one of the better stories on the wiki, and even received readings from incredible narrators like Mr.Creepypasta and Creeparoni. I was optimistic. I’d been writing all my life, but Secret Bar was the first thing I ever shared with the general public. I became motivated and kept on going, writing other stories that went on to receive reader acclaim such as The Hyraaq Tobit Series and The Demon in the Mirror Trick.

So when I sat down in late 2015, determined to win a contest to be the author of the Wiki’s one and only supported Jeff the Killer remake, I knew I had a tough road before me. The story of Jeff the Killer is a polarizing piece of fiction in the Creepypasta Community. Some love it, some hate it, but all agree that it is a defining element in the genre. A simple slasher story about a teenager gone mad, driven to insanity by bullies and the choices of his parents.

JtK also held somewhat of a special place in my heart. I’d first heard the story around 2013. I was still in the US Army at the time, stationed at Fort Hood Texas. My son Tristan lived much of the year with his birth mother in New Orleans. I mostly saw him on long weekends and holidays, since I couldn’t drive from Texas to New Orleans every weekend to pick him up. Because of this arrangement, (and I am sure that any parents who split custody can relate) my time with Tristan was very precious. It was heightened because I knew that it might be another month or longer until I was able to go out and pick him up again. So, when he asked me to listen to what he considered a “classic” Creepypasta, I was very invested. At this point I’d never written for Creepypasta Wiki and was still learning the big names. I remember we listened to Mr.Creepypasta’s narration together. That quickly, we’d created a moment.

So when the original Jeff the Killer was voted to be removed from the Wiki, I always felt a tug at my heart that still have some degree of representation for the classic. With that motivation I sat down and wrote Jeff the Killer: 2015. It went on to win the contest and became the official Jeff story on the Creepypasta Wiki. I was ecstatic, for about 12 hours.

See, before this, (not trying to humble brag here, honest!) I’d received extremely positive reviews on my work. There were a few negative critiques here and there, but nothing vitriolic, nothing meant to sting, just quality feedback on areas that I could improve upon.

I can still remember the morning after I posted the story. I woke up to messages from friends in the community telling me that I was getting roasted in the comments section. Sure enough, I was introduced to the sad ramblings of vitriolic trolls for the first time. It STUNG!

For a few days I really felt that I’d screwed over the Wiki, that I’d failed my readers, that I was an embarrassment to those that’d supported me. It was enough to make me reconsider if I was really talented at all or if I’d just been lucky enough to stay off of the radar of trolls with my other works.

The idea of having “thick skin” in writing is often misunderstood. To me at least, thick skin doesn’t mean that nasty reviews and hateful comments stop affecting us as creators, but rather, it means we keep going regardless. It’s a matter of having at least half the faith in ourselves that our fans and supporters do.

It took some time, but I eventually realized that, and kept on going. When I wrote Jeff the Killer: Scars of Corruption on the Spinpasta Wiki, I was terrified that I’d walk into that same endless stream of negativity and vitriol. It was actually my best friend, Mike Rucker, who told me to go ahead and write the sequel anyway, because as a writer, the urge to do so would never pass.

And his advice was correct, as I've now written several more sequels and am working on the next installment now. The appreciation from so many readers, the incredible artwork, the positive reviews and inspirational comments have taught me that the good will always outweigh the bad. Writing JtK: 2015 taught me what that “thick skin” was all about, the ability to create regardless of the efforts of trolls and critics who exist only to tear others down. Do I rejoice when I someone tells me that my work was garbage, of course not. Will I ever let it stop me, NEVER!

JtK: 2015 was the best mistake I ever wrote. It caused me to be dragged through the fires of the brutal nature of the creative world. It showed me that I was strong enough, that I had the confidence and the skill to write through it all. It showed me that despite the trolls, the words of incredible supporters and fans always rang louder and truer.

So to Jeff the Killer, I say thank you. To my fans and supporters, I give you my eternal gratitude and love. And to those vitriol trolls... well, let’s just end it on a high note!

#k. banning kellum #jeff the killer #jeffthekiller2015 #creepypasta #writing #horror #banning k #banningk #mrcreepypasta #creepypastawiki #liu woods

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