Thoughts on Anonymous Comments!!!

[KeithD]

Well, there is, it's only up to each of us whether it will be used or not. You can turn off anonymous comments on each of your stories. You can't stop anyone from anonymously commenting on other authors' stories, of course; only the story's author has that power. And it's one of the things that were done well on Lit, in my opinion. Let everyone choose for themselves if they want anonymous comments or not.

That's a Web site function, not a rule.

 

[Trionyx]

I suspect some of the anonymous comments are from other authors who don’t want their own stories to be downvoted in reprisal. A couple of negative anonymous comments I’ve received have had a fair amount of literary/writing detail to suggest that it wasn’t simply a reader but someone who dabbled in this hobby. Who knows?

 

[ronde]

To have courage is to post with a name to stand behind your opinions. Being anonymous and posting is your true self a no name

So if the dreaded "anonymous" created a second account with the user name, "I.M. Rotten", would that make you feel better about his or her negative comments? What would you do then - send them a PM and start a debate over the merits of their comment? If you don't want anonymous comments, just click that box when you submit a story.

 

[mildlyaroused]

I personally won't turn off the anonymous comments, because the very fact that people can be anonymous makes them more likely to comment. It's less hassle if they don't have an account.

Of course, this means the meanies are more likely to comment too... that's okay. If we don't take it too seriously it's to our amusement.

 

[Britva415]

Is this like the thing about Sweden putting barcodes on its warships?

Why the fuck would they do that?

To scan de navy in or something?

 

[pink_silk_glove]

Why the fuck would they do that?

To scan de navy in or something?

oh ... my ... god ... (facepalm)

 

[Rob_Royale]

I get far more nice comments from this anonymous person, than foul. Let it ride.

 

[oksideshow859419]

Wow one little comment and I'm back in high school

 

[Bramblethorn]

Why the fuck would they do that?

To scan de navy in or something?

*high five*

 

[Bramblethorn]

I guess because I am relatively new to this, the nasty anonymous comments bother me. Especially when it sounds like the person didn't even read the whole story.

Looking at your stories though, you have some pretty nice ones from anons too. Be a shame to lose the good ones.

 

[oksideshow859419]

Oh by the way the anonymous comment that got me to respond doesn't seem as bad now but at the moment after reading what I thought was a great story 5s I just happen to see the comment

Here's the comment about "Saddletramps1956" story "Jim's Karen "

Anonymous9 months ago
No matter how good the story may be, I'll always only give it 3* due to your incessant inclusion of smoking and drinking. Disgusting habits, especially the smoking

 

[vagrantx]

Why the fuck would they do that?

To scan de navy in or something?

As a swede, så tror jag fan att jag älskar dig nu. That was glorious.

 

[CalebZhass]

Complaining about anonymity anonymously is truly meme worthy

I think comments are comments, no matter who they come from. Unless the comment is disruptive and offensive towards other readers, I wouldn't mind it.

Especially comments on stories, I mean.. you don't have to be logged in to read stories, so why would we want to expect someone to register an account just so they can comment on a story? It's completely unreasonable in my opinion, especially in a venue, where many would not register in fear of their email address outing them and their sexual interests.

 

[CalebZhass]

Oh by the way the anonymous comment that got me to respond doesn't seem as bad now but at the moment after reading what I thought was a great story 5s I just happen to see the comment

Here's the comment about "Saddletramps1956" story "Jim's Karen "

Anonymous9 months ago
No matter how good the story may be, I'll always only give it 3* due to your incessant inclusion of smoking and drinking. Disgusting habits, especially the smoking

As it is their right. A rating system is there for a reason and it is really not on us to decide what are okay criteria to judge a story on and what is not. If someone finds drinking or smoking offensive, then for them the story might be just that: offensive, no matter how good it otherwise was.

The scoring system is basically a reader score. Most readers would not be qualified to judge a story on how good it was written. Heck, most writers on the site would probably not be qualified to do so.

 

[Bramblethorn]

As a swede, så tror jag fan att jag älskar dig nu. That was glorious.

I used that one in chapter 2 of Red Scarf and the readers enjoyed it so much I had a pun of equal quality in almost every chapter after that.

(I think their words were "please for the love of god, no", but I knew what they meant.)

 

[Omenainen]

Oh by the way the anonymous comment that got me to respond doesn't seem as bad now but at the moment after reading what I thought was a great story 5s I just happen to see the comment

Here's the comment about "Saddletramps1956" story "Jim's Karen "

Anonymous9 months ago
No matter how good the story may be, I'll always only give it 3* due to your incessant inclusion of smoking and drinking. Disgusting habits, especially the smoking

So it wasn’t even a comment on your story? Dude

I bet you can come up with better use for your feelings than to get butthurt over what some stranger says about some other stranger’s story.

 

[Zootonius]

I don't allow anonymous comments. My view is that I want comments from those willing go to the effort of creating an account here.

 

[MillieDynamite]

Delete any comments you want, anon, or named. You have the right to do so.

I guess because I am relatively new to this, the nasty anonymous comments bother me. Especially when it sounds like the person didn't even read the whole story.

 

[EmilyMiller]

I think people may have reasons beyond laziness to not create accounts. They may not want to have any formal connection with the site (such as an email used for registering - even if this is a burner mail).

Some of the porn vid sites let to you register. How many people actually do?

Emily

 

[Duleigh]

Norwegians have barcodes, not surnames. They're sensitive about this, please be a bit more delicate.

Oh let's be serious. Norwegians also like Lutefisk, not real food. It's hard to be delicate when you're retching from the smell of the lutefisk.

 

[Kasumi_Lee]

I think several people have already made this point, but we're all anonymous to varying degrees, and those of us with accounts mostly aren't using our real names (in case you were wondering whether "StealthBreeder" is a real name - I actually go by Kasumi Lee).

For my part, I get plenty of lovely and unlovely comments by anonymous posters in more or less equal measure, except for that one time I posted a story in the Loving Wives category, and I don't mind if people want to comment anonymously about my stories. I also imagine a lot of readers are just casual or regular browsers who don't need or want to engage with the site any more deeply, so there's no need to create an account.

And, as others have also pointed out, if you really don't like a comment about your writing, you can always delete it.

KL

 

[Duleigh]

As for comments. On stories comments with names generally get left alone. Unless they're from that jerk gentleman who likes to go 900+ words on the importance of comma splices and pejoratives. Rumor has it that he got a doctorate in english and this is how he operates. (Doctor? Operates? Get it?) he's gone. This is my space, not yours buddy. Learn to consolidate your ideas. ANY comment that is insulting, demeaning, or dares to insult my readers is gone in a heart beat. Comments from authors are prized regardless of contest. Anonymous comments are taken as seriously as they are given,

Anonymous emails sent with "HELPFUL CRITICISM" don't get read. Ever. Why? Because you can't respond to an anonymous email. An anonymous email is the modern way of saying "SHUT THE F*** UP AND LISTEN." I don't play that game.

 

[KeithD]

As long as the site gives me the power to delete anonymous comments that offend me in some way, which it does, I'm fine with the status quo.

 

[lovecraft68]

As for comments. On stories comments with names generally get left alone. Unless they're from that jerk gentleman who likes to go 900+ words on the importance of comma splices and pejoratives. Rumor has it that he got a doctorate in english and this is how he operates. (Doctor? Operates? Get it?) he's gone. This is my space, not yours buddy. Learn to consolidate your ideas. ANY comment that is insulting, demeaning, or dares to insult my readers is gone in a heart beat. Comments from authors are prized regardless of contest. Anonymous comments are taken as seriously as they are given,

Anonymous emails sent with "HELPFUL CRITICISM" don't get read. Ever. Why? Because you can't respond to an anonymous email. An anonymous email is the modern way of saying "SHUT THE F*** UP AND LISTEN." I don't play that game.

I think you lack some empathy on this topic. I understand that although I may not care, because I don't have to, there are some people who may not want to send a message with an e-mail to an erotica author and then get a response from one. Some people aren't anon to be jerks, but for other reasons.

I can tell you from experience, as can many others, that dismissing all anon feedback is a loss on your part because some of the most supportive and insightful messages I've gotten are from anon. Its frustrating not to be able to reply and thank them, or respond to any points they made, but on a site where there are so few votes per views and far less comments than views, and even less feedback, I appreciate their effort.

Maybe you could consider doing the same. I also think your take of their tone being shut up and listen is very defensive.

I take the gushers with the same grain of salt as the ones spewing venomous bullshit. They're opinions, and seeing I chose to put my work up for the public to see and chose to allow, therefore invite, comments, they are free to provide those.

Other than LW, the good votes, comments and feedback far outweigh the bad, which is why I don't understand why people get so upset by the occasional dipshit troll.

 

[alohadave]

Oh let's be serious. Norwegians also like Lutefisk, not real food. It's hard to be delicate when you're retching from the smell of the lutefisk.

There's nothing like dried cod soaked in lye to whet your appetite.