Online harassment and trolls

[KandyKisser]

Question for other Literotica authors: have any of you had the unfortunate experience of needing to deal with online harassment?

So I've posted several stories on this site, and periodically I will get comments like "This story sucks, you desire to die" and other horrible, nasty stuff. Sometimes they'll just be in the comments sections of my stories, but sometimes I will actually get emails. And some of the content really crosses the line.

And, of course, the sources are always "Anonymous".

The annoying part is, I don't think these people, are even reading my stories! The comments are always the same, just a basic, generic insult of my works. That by itself probably wouldn't bother me too much, but then they purposely lower the ratings, which is a big deal because then other potential readers look at the low score and pass it over.

I have, literally, gotten comments like, "I didn't read your story but it sucks anyway and I'm going to give it 1 star."

Let me just say that I am ALWAYS open to constructive feedback. If someone doesn't like my story, I would like to hear why so I can become a better writer. I realize my writing isn't that good. But when these harassing comments affect my story submissions, it's really frustrating because I put in a lot of time and effort into them.

Have any other writers had to deal with this? If so, did you do anything? Could you even do anything about it?

Thank you!

P.S. Let me just add, the harassment seems to be especially strong from the Loving Wives section.

 

[ElectricBlue]

"Delete" is your friend. Use it, deny the pricks oxygen. You're not all alone - but if you post to LW, be prepared for more of it.

 

[colddiesel]

Question for other Literotica authors: have any of you had the unfortunate experience of needing to deal with online harassment?

So I've posted several stories on this site, and periodically I will get comments like "This story sucks, you desire to die" and other horrible, nasty stuff. Sometimes they'll just be in the comments sections of my stories, but sometimes I will actually get emails. And some of the content really crosses the line.

P.S. Let me just add, the harassment seems to be especially strong from the Loving Wives section.

Suggest you add a link to your story page with your next post. Then folks can see the source of your problem. On the face of it your trolls are not (comparatively) too bad.

 

[Hypoxia]

Basic LIT author guidelines:

• Grow a thick skin. A small clan of fucktards attacks all authors. Ignore them.
• Expect attacks no matter what you post in Loving Wives. Fucktards abound.
• Any attack means your words have provoked someone to react. Excellent!
• To avoid harassment, post as an alt, and/or disable comments and feedback.

I used to post the death threats in my .sig. They became boring after awhile.

 

[KimGordon67]

This is a random side question ... I see a few threads by authors that comment on the vitriol that typifies the Loving Wives section ... why does that happen in that section so much?

 

[SimonDoom]

This is a random side question ... I see a few threads by authors that comment on the vitriol that typifies the Loving Wives section ... why does that happen in that section so much?

There is a sizable contingent of Loving Wives readers that cannot stand stories in which extramarital sex is presented in a positive light, notwithsranding the fact the very purpose of the Loving Wives category is to provide a home for these stories. This contingent contains zealots who 1 bomb all such stories and will even downvote the authors' other stories out of spite.

In addition to following the other good bits of advice here, I recommend posting your stories in other categories. That's what I do, and I've mostly avoided these voters.

 

[KimGordon67]

There is a sizable contingent of Loving Wives readers that cannot stand stories in which extramarital sex is presented in a positive light, notwithsranding the fact the very purpose of the Loving Wives category is to provide a home for these stories. This contingent contains zealots who 1 bomb all such stories and will even downvote the authors' other stories out of spite.

In addition to following the other good bits of advice here, I recommend posting your stories in other categories. That's what I do, and I've mostly avoided these voters.

Thanks for the clarification. So the short answer is 'the existence of dickheads'. I'm constantly flummoxed that people who think like that consider that Lit is the right site for them.

OP, sorry you've had to deal with that. No matter how it gets rationalised, it's never pleasant to have people say shit like that.

 

[Vix_Giovanni]

Hi, KandyKisser. I’m sorry that you’re being trolled, especially in such a cruel way. I asked the experienced Lit authors and many of them responded with advice on how to handle trolling. I hope this helps!

Here’s the thread

 

[MelissaBaby]

P.S. Let me just add, the harassment seems to be especially strong from the Loving Wives section.

The problem does seem to be emphasized in that category and perhaps a few others. I've only submitted in Romance and Novels and Novellas, and have had very little response of that type.

 

[MelissaBaby]

Hi, KandyKisser. I’m sorry that you’re being trolled, especially in such a cruel way. I asked the experienced Lit authors and many of them responded with advice on how to handle trolling. I hope this helps!

Here’s the thread

Yes, but that thread contains no butt pics.

 

[CoffeeWithMonkeys]

The problem does seem to be emphasized in that category and perhaps a few others. I've only submitted in Romance and Novels and Novellas, and have had very little response of that type.

Same for the most part.
I submit to tame categories and I write really vanilla stuff.

Luckily I haven't gotten any death wishes or anything like that. Even when I had a sad ending everyone commented they didn't want it to end that way but knew it probably had to.

 

[Emirus]

A romantic troll?

One of my stories: https://www.literotica.com/s/early-one-mourning submitted in Romance has, to date, received 201 votes together with 11 comments 10 of which were favourable. Three of the comments were made by writers I respect enormously and whose opinions I value. At the moment I’m not unhappy with the rating because it has received, for whatever reason, a number of 1-bombs.

A comment was made by one person, anonymous of course, who must have spent a considerable amount of time on a comment headed “work on your wording.” His comment was over 300 words and related only to my first paragraph. He told me what, in his opinion, was wrong with the paragraph and how he would have written it.

If the person had gone on to offer other examples of my bad wording I would have given his comment more consideration. Did he read any further than the first paragraph? I’ll never know. Although his comment was nicely worded and didn’t have the same abusive content as your usual troll it was just as unhelpful.

But there’s no point in spending time thinking about troll comments. Much better to think of the story you’re writing.

 

[TarnishedPenny]

Welcome to the club - in more ways than one.

So, yeah, get used to the idea that your stories are going to attract the attention of basement-dwellers. It's like getting the odd head cold in the real world, just part of being alive here. (New writers also tend to get some fairly slimy hook-up invitations from would-be Romeos.)

Whatever you do, don't reply or debate a troll. There's a delete button and most (not all) writers just scrub such posts. It's your story and you can do whatever you want.

Choose your category. LW is about the worst for the trollslime and you could do a post-grad thesis of the why's.

Another thing which will draw immediate flak and flame is incest or any hint of male homosexuality outside of the Gay Male or Incest/Taboo categories without a clear warning up front.

(Even with warnings, you'll find people whinging. I did a piece, Dianne, which was a first-person tale told by a sub in a BDSM relationship. After much consideration, I put it in as a Romance story (which I still think was the right place for it). There was a fairly explicit warning up front and it didn't include any physical abuse and the protagonist was deeply in love with her dom, but it still brought some strong complaints. I left the signed ones up.)

Anyway, ignore the trolls, remember that the one-bombs generally get washed away in the sweeps and learn to laugh at the neckbeards with no better way to pass their lives than by flinging anonymous (and generally misspelled) flamegrenades.

Again, welcome.

 

[Nightwaves]

Ain't nothin'

KK, I'm sorry you've been targeted by these vermin. Sad that they get their jollies by doing this. I haven't received death threats, although I've received messages from what appear to be barely-functioning human beings with a dearth of social skills. Refer to my post titled, "Lick My Privates, Bitch." Enjoy!

 

[ChloeTzang]

One suggestion. LW stories tend to attract the trolls. Use another userid to post LW stories if it gets to you too much. Most of us just roll with it - you grow a thicker skin after a while. I was lucky enough to have been warned before I first posted there so I knew what would happen but it’s a bitch when you’re not expecting it. The basic rule of thumb is delete the comments that offend you and ignore the one star bombs. They come with LW stories....

 

[jaF0]

My question, why do people let these doinks bother them so much?

Ignore, move on.

Simple as that.

 

[Zeb_Carter]

Yes, there are assholes around that hate anything they read read here, especially in Loving Wives. You should go read some of the comments I have received. You will also notice that none of them are from anonymous.

You can turn off anonymous feedback in your Authors Dashboard.

You will also notice that you can stop all feedback and voting on a story by story basis when you submit a story under Advanced Options.

I usually get a good laugh from those negative comments as they let me know that the person leaving them is either a cuckold or has been one in the past and is now divorced and alone hating all women. Or those type of stories turn him on so much he feels ashamed and lashes out at the writer.

I mostly ignore them after having a good chuckle.

 

[SimonDoom]

Chloe's idea is a good one. Adopt a new userID if you really want to publish stories in LW. The reason for publishing stories in LW is that the readership is very large. You'll probably get a bigger readership if you publish stories there than if you publish them in another category. But the downside is if you publish stories about wives happily having sex outside marriage you'll get downvoted and run the risk of having your other stories attacked too. Adopting a persona especially for those stories avoids the problem of affecting your other stories.

 

[jaF0]

If I could send them replies directly, I might have my busty secretary do it and sign them.

Willa U. Phuckoffendye.

 

[Hypoxia]

For fun, post outside LW as an alt (different UserID), then under your main ID, leave dumb comments on your story, and see if other readers respond and correct them. Some of my best defenders are my audience.

LIT has a huge readership -- million of pervs! If 0.01% are flaming fucktards, that's still a lot, but their numbers are dwarfed by eager readers. Be not dismayed by lone dweebs.

 

[Vix_Giovanni]

Yes, but that thread contains no butt pics.

LOL

I think we need a “butts of the day” thread MelissaBaby. At least, I think I could use one. For literary research purposes, of course.

 

[gordo12]

Think of LW like the wild, wild west! Except they've got keyboards instead of guns.

My wife and I both read the comments on my stories and have a good laugh. I get email good and bad. I've had death threats over making comments on other's stories.

One lady started sending me Ass pics daily. Doggy, her little hole nicely centred. I'm not sure if she was getting off or trying to tell (call) me something

I like to think of them as the 7-11 crowd, getting off work after the night shift and sitting in mama's basement trolling LW.

All in all, it's great entertainment for a attractive price ($0).

Every cloud has a silver lining and if you can focus on the entertainment value of LW instead of the hurt it can be enjoyable

PS: everybody knows that LW scores lower because of the idiots so don't let that bother you.

 

[gordo12]

Hmm just checked your profile and you have no stories listed

 

[ElectricBlue]

Hmm just checked your profile and you have no stories listed

The new profile says "Sad that I had to change my profile due to all the harassment and online trolls" so it looks like they're starting afresh, but not submitted anything under the new name yet.

 

[KandyKisser]

The new profile says "Sad that I had to change my profile due to all the harassment and online trolls" so it looks like they're starting afresh, but not submitted anything under the new name yet.

You are correct. I created this new profile because I got sick of the harassment, and intend to post stories under this new name.