While I'm here tl;dring, I might as well add my advice to writers, artists, any fandom contributors: be open to criticism, but please don't bend over backwards to cater your work to others. Listening to criticism doesn't mean you accept and obey anything that anyone says, or else you risk bowing to the lowest common denominator. Be true to yourselves, what YOU want in a story, how YOU interpret the characters, what YOU feel you are striving toward in writing, the themes and content that interest YOU or inspire YOU or turn YOU on. Look to canon to reevaluate your interpretations of the characters, don't look to whatever's the new trend in fanon.

I don't want to devalue the importance of audience feedback, because it's a great gauge for seeing whether you are conveying what you want to convey. But don't be ruled by it. Don't make it into the leash around your neck.