This is a very important rant. Buckle up guys and get ready for storytime.

My story starts with a follow from a random person. I felt incredibly honoured; out of the many millions of people, they decided to follow me.

They then requested that I review their story (which is on another platform but I'll get to that later) so me being me, I obliged. It felt like a fitting way to repay them.

That was until they unfollowed me. 

My first thought was why? Why do this?

The next?

HOW CAN THEY USE ME AND THROW ME AWAY LIKE FREAKING TRASH!! I HELPED THEM AND THIS IS WHAT HAPPENS? IS THIS WHAT HUMANITY HAS DEGRADED TO?

Actually, humanity has never changed but that's another story.

Many months later, they came back and finally said thank you. It placated me until they promoted the heck out of their platform like a bloody sales person. They sounded as if they were PAID to do this.

This platform is called Anystories. Recently, I found out that it is one of the many predatory platforms which targets inexperienced writers on more genuine platforms like Wattpad through monetary compensation and publishing contracts.

The catch? They will either collect extensive data on you or breach copyright laws. Yes, copyright LAWS.

I've also recently been contacted by others like Anystories and when I did my homework, no way I'm freaking hell am I going to agree to what they offered.

Here is my piece of advice. If the offer seems too good to be true, it normally is. If they neglect to mention your novel by name, if their company has suspiciously little information about their operations, if they dodge questions relating to contracts and money, or even if their company raises alarm bells, be careful. ALWAYS, AND I CANNOT STRESS THIS ENOUGH, ALWAYS DO YOUR HOMEWORK. INVESTIGATE THE COMPANY LIKE THE BLOODY FBI OR YOUR PARENTS WHEN YOU BRING IN A POTENTIAL PARTNER IF YOU HAVE TO.

Please, be careful.

I do not have anything against companies that try to make money however using you work and milking you dry? NO WAY IN FREAKING, FRACKING, FLOPPING HELL!

Oh, on another note, if you are the person like the one I stated above, consider that fact that there are people behind that screen of yours. Please. Most of us (Haha get it? Because there are always exceptions in biology) have feelings. It would be nice if some actually consider that.

So, if you want to follow someone, please be genuine. You follow because they either followed you or write good books. If they demand a follow for a favor, by all means, follow.

However don't take advantage of other people's kindness.

It's rude.

So to answer the question of the title? No one is the winner. Both are jerks, both are selfish b----. The difference is, one is run by many people and the other is by an individual.

-- keepthywits