They don't make readers like they used to > Likes and Comments

Ah finally! Charlie has arrived at talking about the Modern Fan (tm) and their tendency towards self-centered consumption of fiction. This is something my friends and I have been talking about for quite a while. My take is that this is a devastating consequence of the modern media diet/ecosystem - people expect to be catered to at all times, and (in your words) mistake the novel for the tabletop game.
I think you're very kind in your interpretation though. I see no reason to view these folks as a valid new form of media consumer. I think this lack of respect for the traditional creative process is rooted in incuriosity, stupidity and vapidity. Even calling it media *consumption* illustrates this - treating art as some kind of dish that can be tweaked to specifications.
The bluesky tweet you quoted is actually illustrative of the consequences of this trend: we're going to see ever more radical attempts to reinvent, redefine and rewrite art to suit ever more individualized needs and tastes. And this process can only ever refine opinions to their most batshit extremes. Hence, the total madness of calling worldbuilding "fascistic".
It's a consequence of the attention economy. People who post this kind of thing do so in a desperate attempt to be noticed (hence the ever-more-extreme takes being generated by the ecosystem). You see it with fans of things like the cartoon Steven Universe, half of whom have convinced themselves that a show about forgiveness and friendship is actually fascist and racist; and of course, have taken to harrassing the creative staff over it. Because - and I hate sounding like a right wing dipshit here but it's true - once you've convinced yourself that the opposition is fascist, you can excuse any action taken against them.
I think we're simply living through a process of readjustment and change. The collective psychology is going to have to learn to deal with, prevent, or otherwise incorporate idiotic takes, extremist contrarianism and attention-starved shitposting into the way we generate and enjoy media. Maybe I'm being optimistic, but I suspect that more traditional ways of doing so will eventually reassert themselves. It feels like this constant churn of the outrage economy is unsustainable in the long term. Just this week Disney's critically acclaimed Acolyte TV series got axed and already 70 billion videos have popped up on youtube from grifters claiming credit for the kill of this "woke show". How long can they keep their viewers in a constant state of seething rage at seeing a black girl on screen before those idiots also lose interest and energy, or simply get jobs and stop having as much time for youtube videos?
It's grim, but I don't think it can last.
PS: I'm 33, nonbinary, so I don't think your assertion about the readership of your blog is necessarily accurate.

We are one step away from using generative AI to rearrange the books of our supposedly favorite author into our preferred style or to give them a happy ending.

At 82, I'm definitely old-school. I prefer a story to lead me; I'm a follower by nature. I never really got into video games, though I did enjoy a few early games. There were too many choices and I just wanted to be told a story. It seems many young people want to be leaders/authors rather than followers/readers. Perhaps that explains the regrettable state of today's readers?

I never understand people who have the mindset similar to the Bluesky poster. It's fiction! Do what you want! If the author makes a choice you don't like with an installment, you can ignore it. Remove the policeman from inside your head. Take in the stuff that makes you happy and ignore the rest of it. Why dedicate this much mental space to rage over something that's not real? It boggles my mind.

Preda wrote: "Ah finally! Charlie has arrived at talking about the Modern Fan (tm) and their tendency towards self-centered consumption of fiction. This is something my friends and I have been talking about for ..."
Many thanks for voicing some of my thoughts too. Writers don't owe readers ownership of worlds or characters.

Pale? Yes. Male? No. Oldish but not necessarily stale.

1. Nobody mentioned the "official" censorship and heavily censored/edited books and movies including the "approved" art or revisions. Government or political establishment censors are also readers.

2. Non-official art is always attacked by all kinds of sects and anti-fans.
Art creators know that very well.
Attacks in the Internet can be extremely painful.

3. There was no mention of Artificial (Web series), interactive project where the next episode design was defined by viewer voting.
There were the similar experiments with interactive stories.

4. What can we do with an adult person that wants to live in artificial universe that was built or modified by himself?
Let him live in his bunker or echo chamber.

5. It is up to an author to choose a platform and method of communication with consumers, e.g., interactive or non-interactive.

6. It may be easier for popular interactive art project to become a media franchise.

7. BTW. Are there the requests to use the Laundry Files for movies, animation, comics, fan memorabilia?

Yuri wrote: "7. BTW. Are there the requests to use the Laundry Files for movies, animation, comics, fan memorabilia?"

Yup.

There's a second edition of the tabletop role-playing game in active development, due for release in 2025.

I am not allowed to talk about TV rights yet, which should tell you all you need to know about that.

And a comic/graphic novelization is under active discussion.

(Fan memorabilia is a new one to me, but if it's fanfic you want, search for "laundry files" on AO3 and you will not be disappointed.)