TMI Comments/feedback

[AwkwardlySet]

And the consequence of that is . . . what exactly? How important is it, really?

In the sense of everything we do here, yeah, I believe it is important. Those scores influence the results of contests and events, they influence top list rankings, and more than anything else, they impact the visibility of any story, and I believe that is something important to most of us, to have our story read by as many readers as possible. And I mean that not only in the sense of a reader clicking on a certain story but in the sense that a reader gives more chance to any high-scoring story before he eventually decides to abandon it and read something else instead.
Scores influence all of that, fundamentally. The sweeps Laurel does are nowhere near as frequent or effective as they should be. I also believe she should take some firmer actions towards individuals who practically bomb stories for a living, so to speak. Just to give you an example, when I requested a sweep, repeatedly, it took Laurel six days or so to provide it. During that time my stories were significantly less visible than they should have been, especially considering the fact that they were all NEW.
My whole point is that if you set up this system that can easily be abused, then at least make a proper effort to enforce it. Let's say, do daily sweeps on stories, work on improving the sweeping algorithm, and don't shy away from banning the accounts and IPs of individuals who continuously abuse the voting system by casting multiple 1* on the same story, or even by casting multiple 5* on certain stories in contests.

 

[RejectReality]

If someone's determined to be an asshole, they're going to get around any control you put in place. An IP isn't even remotely a unique identifier anymore. All someone's got to do is use a VPN, and banning their IP then bans anyone who uses that VPN service and lands on the unlucky number. Not only are IP bans no longer effective, they create friendly fire accidents.

Everyone is subject to the same asshattery. That's why it all washes out in the end. If you have a personal troll(s) who's specifically after you, it's worse for a while. Eventually, they move on, die, or — most likely — find someone they hate more than you to devote all their time and energy to.

Just keep writing. You'll eventually reach a tipping point where you have enough regular readers watching for your new releases and voting early so that the bombs don't do enough damage to severely reduce visibility. Unless you lose your H or drop from the top to the middle of page 1 of a toplist, one score is the same as another anyway. 4.85 and 4.55 are essentially the same as far as reader selection goes.

As to the subject at hand... Yeah, I get quite a bit of TMI feedback. Incest seems to be where the majority of it comes from, but anal generates quite a bit as well.

 

[Gamblnluck]

I do not mind at all those so-called 'TMI'. Many times you get them because the reader got involved in your story. Which is the point of a well-written story. Unless the guy says, "My wife did the same thing or tried to , anyway.. NO man in his right mind would put up with that kind of disrespect and abuse like your character. She...yada, yada, yada." That one is gonna be a 1 or 2 star.
What I would like to see introduced to comments is a thumbs up or thumbs down rating by other commenters. Sort of like the old Rush Limbaugh listeners who would say 'ditto' when they agreed or facebook. Thumbs up or down is better or at least simpler than laughing or angry icons.

 

[Voboy]

I doubt the site would want to disturb the status quo.

This. So much this.

Critiquing the voting here is a rite of passage for many people who show up here in the AH, and the result of all that critique could not be more clear: the Powers That Be simply do not want to change the voting. So critiquing it yet again seems unproductive, to say the least.

Regardless, I have to laugh at the idea that @pink_silk_glove is the only poster here that's criticized the scoring over the past year. I mean... huh?

 

[djrip]

One of my favorite singers Kathleen Hanna of Bikini Kill has stated this adamantly, even furthering the point by performing on stage in nothing but a bra.

I mean... Why bother with the bra?

 

[pink_silk_glove]

I mean... Why bother with the bra?

Because she's not a porn star.

 

[djrip]

Because she's not a porn star.

I think you meant she only had a bra *on top*. Because this reply doesn't make much sense if she was only in a bra.

 

[pink_silk_glove]

I think you meant she only had a bra *on top*. Because this reply doesn't make much sense if she was only in a bra.

Yes, I'm sorry. I should have talked down to you and clarified that.

 

[djrip]

Yes, I'm sorry. I should have talked down to you and clarified that.

She sounded like Tove Lo for a sec

 

[RainyDayPen]

I got a couple comments like that and I actually think it's a great sign. The reader formed a type of bond to my writing and felt a kind of attachment enough to feel safe to share something meaningful or personal. That's something I strive for when writing, to connect to others, to make others feel connected to me and each other as a group of readers.

 

[AchtungNight]

TMI comments are something I’m low on. Honestly I’d be ok with most of them. It’s when fans try to take my stories in ways I find unappealing that bother me. Guess I know how writers that dislike fanfics feel.