Fake Review Bombing Has Consequences? Huh .. Who Knew?

[Euphony]

Let us find something positive - at least, in this case, the Goodreads author didn't stalk down a critic and attempt to bludgeon her with a bottle of wine:

https://www.goodreads.com/en/book/show/23208863

I hate you so much RN Wanda...
(ignorance was bliss)

 

[Bramblethorn]

Let us find something positive - at least, in this case, the Goodreads author didn't stalk down a critic and attempt to bludgeon her with a bottle of wine:

https://www.goodreads.com/en/book/show/23208863

Well that sure is an "about the author".

 

[Bramblethorn]

What is he doing to that rodent?

Doing a Thelma and Louise, if I recall correctly.

 

[JuanSeiszFitzHall]

It does raise an interesting ethical question, though.

Would the outrage be the same if she were Five bombing the other authors?

It's just as dishonest, but I'd wager would have been praised. Considering book(or story) ratings are not a zero sum game, why does it matter either way?

Discuss...

Okay, I'll discuss. Decades ago, a pro writer with whom I'm acquainted told me that her publisher made it very clear that she (the writer) was expected to praise the publisher's other books and writers, for back-cover blurbs. Failure to do so could, it was heavily suggested, lead to this writer no longer having a publisher.

Zero-sum? Publishing has long been a subzero-sum game.

 

[ShelbyDawn57]

Okay, I'll discuss. Decades ago, a pro writer with whom I'm acquainted told me that her publisher made it very clear that she (the writer) was expected to praise the publisher's other books and writers, for back-cover blurbs. Failure to do so could, it was heavily suggested, lead to this writer no longer having a publisher.

Zero-sum? Publishing has long been a subzero-sum game.

Forced nepotism isn't exactly zero-sum, but I get your point.

 

[onehitwanda]

I hate you so much RN Wanda...
(ignorance was bliss)

Oh, babe, stop complaining. It's not like I've forced you to read an extract from his book.

Once upon a time, there was a great forest realm. High on a hill, among the yew trees, stood a castle. Inside it lived a princess whose name was Ella Tundra. Her hair was golden-brown and her eyes were blue like the ocean. Her smile could melt the hearts of knights and her voice was delicate like a leaf in the wind. Tundra was in her name but not her nature, for she was neither cold nor bleak like tundra, but warm and vibrant like a meadow in summer. At twenty-three winters old, she was world-renowned. Word of her loveliness had spread around the globe to distant lands and far-reaching empires.

Ella’s dainty feet padded the purple carpet of her bedchamber. She drew open a mauve silk curtain and stepped onto a balcony, to gaze across a plateau of treetops, above which a thin layer of clouds drifted before a crescent moon. The princess leaned over the balustrade and a cool breeze caused her shoulder-length hair to flow back. Hearing a twig snap in the forest below, she peered down there.

Suddenly, a loud and chilling wolf howl coursed through the crisp air of the hilltop, and Ella jumped in shock. Nearly falling off the balcony, she fumbled for the support of the timber railing and grasped it tightly. Her hair was strewn across her face as she retreated into her room and closed the stained glass door.

Ella spun on her toes and her large eyes fell upon a fawn bulldog sitting in a wicker basket. His presence made her feel safe after that fright, and Ella sighed as she placed hands on hips, staring directly at her canine companion. The bulldog avoided eye contact, as he felt a tad unsettled when the pretty princess locked her gaze on him, though he enjoyed the attention. As she drew nearer, his cracked black nose sniffled and his furry form quivered.

“Oh Duncan, when will I meet my one true love? Who holds the key to my heart?” Ella tilted her head, pouting at Duncan, and the bulldog simply pouted back up at her. It was about the only facial expression he was capable of with those prominent, drooping jowls.

The princess let her pet melt for a bit longer before she bent forward to stroke him, rubbing his ears and scratching him with scarlet fingernails. The stout dog inclined his head affectionately as his short tail wagged, his eyes welled up and his tongue slid out. He was just beginning to slump on his cushion when suddenly he lurched up and arched his powerful neck.

Startled by the abrupt change in behaviour, Ella pulled her hand away. Duncan’s floppy ears had become rigid and pointed. The flailing tongue that hung out whenever he was relaxed disappeared inside his mouth, his dark lips curled into an oval and a black hole formed between. Fangs emerged and whiskers quivered. The bulldog’s whole face contorted into a snarl and his eyes fixated on the other side of the room. Ella’s gaze followed Duncan’s and she screamed when she saw it too.

NOW you can hate me.

 

[Euphony]

Oh, babe, stop complaining. It's not like I've forced you to read an extract from his book.



NOW you can hate me.

 

[Euphony]

Oh, babe, stop complaining. It's not like I've forced you to read an extract from his book.



NOW you can hate me.

That's about the level of 'splainy telling don't show I'd expect from a bottle wielding man-boy stalker honestly.

Special level of disdain for your readers AND you characters though.

 

[Kelliezgirl]

Let us find something positive - at least, in this case, the Goodreads author didn't stalk down a critic and attempt to bludgeon her with a bottle of wine:

https://www.goodreads.com/en/book/show/23208863

Well, yes, I suppose that's something.

 

[MillieDynamite]

This is another example of stupid arrogance causing people who (probably) are good to do terrible things to feel better about themselves or their writing. The a real-world/real-life example of what goes on here all the time. Downvoting the competition, or worse, one bombing them.

Can I get a big AMEN for the Choir? Come on, one for ole preacheress Millie!

 

[StillStunned]

This is another example of stupid arrogance causing people who (probably) are good to do terrible things to feel better about themselves or their writing. The a real-world/real-life example of what goes on here all the time. Downvoting the competition, or worse, one bombing them.

Can I get a big AMEN for the Choir? Come on, one for ole preacheress Millie!

Downvoting the competition, AMEN! One bombing the competition, AMEN!

What? I want to one of these contests one day. The alternative would be to write something that's 20k words or longer. This way seems easier.

 

[pink_silk_glove]

This is why I prefer comments and messages to 5-star reviews. The rating system doesn't mean shit to me. If you think my story isn't 5-star worthy, tell me why. Or if you absolutely loved it, please tell me what you liked about it. Ratings tell me nothing about what I did right/wrong.

I've said this exact thing around here a hundred times and more often than not I get slammed for it.

 

[Bramblethorn]

Okay, I'll discuss. Decades ago, a pro writer with whom I'm acquainted told me that her publisher made it very clear that she (the writer) was expected to praise the publisher's other books and writers, for back-cover blurbs. Failure to do so could, it was heavily suggested, lead to this writer no longer having a publisher.

Zero-sum? Publishing has long been a subzero-sum game.

There's also the Lionel Fanthorpe route. Knock out a book a fortnight, publish them under 25 different pseudonyms, and use all those pseudonyms to promote one another.

 

[MillieDynamite]

Please understand I'm not slamming you, but they don't owe explanations. Yes, what you suggest is more helpful. However, it isn't their job to either stroke or ego or help us improve our writing. I used to ask for comments, but that never helped me get them. In the beginning, selling stories, I had links to my webpage and included my email, asking for them to offer up their thoughts in an email if not in public review. What I got was rude requests and propositions, so I pulled all that shit out of the stories.

If only the world you suggest existed. What we often receive is akin to asking, why do you love me, of your lover, and her face going blank. That hasn't happened between Jo and I. Not yet, anyway.

I've said this exact thing around here a hundred times and more often than not I get slammed for it.

 

[StillStunned]

What we often receive is akin to asking, why do you love me, of your lover, and her face going blank

A friend of my wife asked her husband if he still loved her. He looked at her blanky and said, "Of course, I told you I love you, didn't I?" That had been once, five years before. He thought that as long as nothing changed he didn't need to update the information.

 

[MillieDynamite]

My Mum tells Pops, "I love you," about ten times a day, and he responds with one of three things, "Not as much as I love you," "After all this time, I love you more every day," or "I knew that, but it is always nice to hear, have I told you love you today?"

 

[Bramblethorn]

That's about the level of 'splainy telling don't show I'd expect from a bottle wielding man-boy stalker honestly.

Special level of disdain for your readers AND you characters though.

I'm stuck at "[the bulldog's] lips curled into an oval and a black hole formed between. Fangs emerged".

 

[Euphony]

A friend of my wife asked her husband if he still loved her. He looked at her blanky and said, "Of course, I told you I love you, didn't I?" That had been once, five years before. He thought that as long as nothing changed he didn't need to update the information.

"If her Check Engine light ain't come on, why we talking?"

 

[pink_silk_glove]

Please understand I'm not slamming you, but they don't owe explanations. Yes, what you suggest is more helpful. However, it isn't their job to either stroke or ego or help us improve our writing. I used to ask for comments, but that never helped me get them. In the beginning, selling stories, I had links to my webpage and included my email, asking for them to offer up their thoughts in an email if not in public review. What I got was rude requests and propositions, so I pulled all that shit out of the stories.

If only the world you suggest existed. What we often receive is akin to asking, why do you love me, of your lover, and her face going blank. That hasn't happened between Jo and I. Not yet, anyway.

Forgive me. I quoted a bit too much. Let me clarify ...

This is why I prefer comments and messages to 5-star reviews. The rating system doesn't mean shit to me. If you think my story isn't 5-star worthy, tell me why. Or if you absolutely loved it, please tell me what you liked about it. Ratings tell me nothing about what I did right/wrong.

The bolded part is really what I have been saying and getting slammed for saying.

The ratings don't tell you anything about the quality of your work. Only the popularity of it, and 100 people have 100 different reasons for liking something and 99 1/2 of them have nothing to do with quality.

 

[forgotmyantidepressants]

Forgive me. I quoted a bit too much. Let me clarify ...



The bolded part is really what I have been saying and getting slammed for saying.

The ratings don't tell you anything about the quality of your work. Only the popularity of it, and 100 people have 100 different reasons for liking something and 99 1/2 of them have nothing to do with quality.

Exactly this! I know I can simply like your comment, but you put it perfectly and I think you deserve to know lol

 

[ElectricBlue]

There are well-defined, trusted statistical methods that can be used on existing data to determine the likelihood that it is fake.

There are other, simpler methods too, but no speculation about that .

 

[RachelPost]

Wow. Reading the whole thread was sad. I hope some posts were sarcastic. If not I may give up my hope for humanity. Yes, publishing is cut throat world. The academic, research, and medical fields are brutal.

 

[stickygirl]

Wow. Reading the whole thread was sad. I hope some posts were sarcastic. If not I may give up my hope for humanity. Yes, publishing is cut throat world. The academic, research, and medical fields are brutal.

I find playing catch up with a thread is like walking in on a student house party.

 

[pink_silk_glove]

Exactly this! I know I can simply like your comment, but you put it perfectly and I think you deserve to know lol

There are just so many writers here that think that if their first story gets a 4.1, their second story gets a 4.3 and their third story gets a 4.6 that means that they're getting better at writing. Not necessarily at all. It only means that they are writing stuff that is more popular with readers. They would be wise not to fool themselves.

 

[TheArsonist]

The ratings don't tell you anything about the quality of your work. Only the popularity of it, and 100 people have 100 different reasons for liking something and 99 1/2 of them have nothing to do with quality.

The ratings aren't primarily for the author, but for other potential readers.