Comments that leave you shaking your head

[flatiron2]

The very first comment on the very first chapter of the very story I published said "Stop preaching to your reader about what their acceptable views on sexuality are. 1* for NutSplaining." Needless to say, it was posted anonymously.

Actually, it made me cry, because although the story arc was pure fiction, the very first chapter was based on something very intense that happened to me IRL. I still don't know what the comment meant and I've got no idea where I supposedly 'preached' about anything. I wondered whether someone posted it underneath the wrong story.

Writing chapter 2 was the hardest thing ever. I've since completed seven full-length tales, all which have have gone down well, with two more in progress, so I'm glad I was able to brush it off. I haven't received any comments like that since -- actually, I can't think of any other negative comment ever - but I'll never forget how that very first comment made me feel.

 

[pink_silk_glove]

I'd like her to put her money where her mouth is, and publish some erotica of her own.

She probably does. Criticizing anyone in any small way on this site is very bad for one's scores and feedback. I would know. You wouldn't. ; ) I would be more surprised if she actually did post stories on that account.

 

[Actingup]

I'd like her to put her money where her mouth is, and publish some erotica of her own.

Idiosyncratic to say the least, definitely a curiosity. She reviewed one of my stories, favourably, and I exchanged a few PMs, quizzing what it was all for. I came away none the wiser as to the purpose of the ranking tables. I got the sense there was some secret order of quaintly puritanical librarian types, casting aspersions on our aspirations. Very odd.

sorry (not really) to prolong this, but the comments after her review did make me chuckle. When the reviewer becomes the story...

I'm sure it will all settle down soon enough.

 

[Actingup]

The very first comment on the very first chapter of the very story I published said "Stop preaching to your reader about what their acceptable views on sexuality are. 1* for NutSplaining." Needless to say, it was posted anonymously.

Actually, it made me cry, because although the story arc was pure fiction, the very first chapter was based on something very intense that happened to me IRL. I still don't know what the comment meant and I've got no idea where I supposedly 'preached' about anything. I wondered whether someone posted it underneath the wrong story.

Writing chapter 2 was the hardest thing ever. I've since completed seven full-length tales, all which have have gone down well, with two more in progress, so I'm glad I was able to brush it off. I haven't received any comments like that since -- actually, I can't think of any other negative comment ever - but I'll never forget how that very first comment made me feel.

I'm really sorry this happened to you. I made a comment above about developing a thick hide through science papers. My very first paper was being a minor author on a 'comments' piece on somebody else's paper - in other words, joining in a valid criticism of some published science. In response to that the original authors wrote a fiercely defensive reply and, instead of taking the proper path of putting it back to the journal's editors, sent it to all my professional peers around the world. Of course it contained personal attacks on all of our group. To a young professional, that was absolutely devastating - up until then I had through that the research community were 'nice'. After that I had attacks from those same people for years whenever I published something, until I finally learned that you could specify who you didn't want to review your paper! It's a really ugly world out there sometimes, and of course when they are anonymous, they don't hesitate to sink the boot in. I hope you're okay now - congratulations on your seven stories (there's a movie in that, I'm sure).

 

[flatiron2]

I'm really sorry this happened to you. I made a comment above about developing a thick hide through science papers. My very first paper was being a minor author on a 'comments' piece on somebody else's paper - in other words, joining in a valid criticism of some published science. In response to that the original authors wrote a fiercely defensive reply and, instead of taking the proper path of putting it back to the journal's editors, sent it to all my professional peers around the world. Of course it contained personal attacks on all of our group. To a young professional, that was absolutely devastating - up until then I had through that the research community were 'nice'. After that I had attacks from those same people for years whenever I published something, until I finally learned that you could specify who you didn't want to review your paper! It's a really ugly world out there sometimes, and of course when they are anonymous, they don't hesitate to sink the boot in. I hope you're okay now - congratulations on your seven stories (there's a movie in that, I'm sure).

thanks!! and as aside, i'm australian too.

 

[Mastered_again]

I have a story that involves exhibitionism via the internet, albeit harmless and with the characters' identities hidden. Both chapters are categorized E&V. Anonymous posted the same on them:

Never post anything on line.

So my work is suddenly non-fiction?

 

[AlexFourways]

Well I finally got the Stacnash treatment on The Succubus and the Geek. I must say that I agree with 90% of her critique, though found the opening line "This is one of the rare occasions where I didn’t finish the piece because it was impossible to do so." a bit odd as it has 4.42 / 36 so some of the 7.1 k visits made it to the end. I would rewrite it if I had the need.

I would respond to "English may not be your native language or that you may have some kind of underlying impairment". That Southern (UK) Recieved Speech is my native language, but I have marginal dyslexia and worked as an engineer. I came here to learn to write better and have now got beta readers (thanks FreyaGersemi, VallesMarineris and others) and now use a screen reader before inflicting my works on my beta readers. I also agree with the exemplar authors, who I have read extensively.

But the bit that leaves me shaking my head is the advice towards the end. "I wouldn’t publish anything else until you tackle those issues at their roots."

The publish date is 02/27/2024.

So a bit late by over a year and 31 published works!

 

[Actingup]

Well I finally got the Stacnash treatment on The Succubus and the Geek. I must say that I agree with 90% of her critique, though found the opening line "This is one of the rare occasions where I didn’t finish the piece because it was impossible to do so." a bit odd as it has 4.42 / 36 so some of the 7.1 k visits made it to the end. I would rewrite it if I had the need.

I would respond to "English may not be your native language or that you may have some kind of underlying impairment". That Southern (UK) Recieved Speech is my native language, but I have marginal dyslexia and worked as an engineer. I came here to learn to write better and have now got beta readers (thanks FreyaGersemi, VallesMarineris and others) and now use a screen reader before inflicting my works on my beta readers. I also agree with the exemplar authors, who I have read extensively.

But the bit that leaves me shaking my head is the advice towards the end. "I wouldn’t publish anything else until you tackle those issues at their roots."

The publish date is 02/27/2024.

So a bit late by over a year and 31 published works!

Hmm. Well, you know my opinion on Stacnash already, but I think you're being too kind to her.

There is some constructive criticism in there, which is more useful than I had. However, there is also some wilful ignorance. As you've pointed out, the story is old and you've clearly been working on your skills and style since then. Secondly, her narrative about not being able to finish the story is inconsistent with her statement that she knew how it ended and her readiness to give you a numerical rating.

Apart from that she's reviewed an old story, my biggest issue with her review is that she ignores that this is a first person narrative. You are writing as a theoretical physics geek and seeking to capture that persona. That may not be entirely different from some engineers you might know, but you are intending to come across as awkward, naive, and so on. While her advice on studying other works may have been useful at the time the story was written, and I do think a beta reader probably would have been helpful for this one, the comment about your English really just comes across to me as patronising in that context.

As for the numerical ratings... I think she comes in with her own biases, and then pushes the scores to extremes.

 

[Katie_Mae]

Can I please ask how long it took from list adding to review posting? Stancash declared me the absolute worst author on lit about 70 hours ago and I assumed she'd posted the review at the same time but as of yet I'm still left waiting for it.

The publish date is 02/27/2024.

So a bit late by over a year and 31 published works!

Especially given that stacnash ranks authors in her lists, her choice of which stories she chooses to review are unusual. Putting aside questions re the accuracy of ranking an entire author's ability based on one piece of free smut you find on the internet, the idea that you'd choose a year old story to rank an author's ability rather than a more recent story (especially when there are so may others to choose from) is extremely questionable

That she's saying that you are (one of) the absolute worse authors on Literotica because of a story that doesn't even demonstrate your current writing skills or abilities doesn't encourage me to suspect good intention in the reviews.

Imagine if there's a person who wants to be a beauty adviser. You know, women come to her and she advises them on their make-up and hair etc. But, this person puts themselves on a street corner and yells tirades at the people walking past. She sees a woman who's just walked out of a salon and waxes lyrical on how beautiful she is. She sees a woman walking out of a funeral with puffy eyes and smudged eyeliner and yells that she's the ugliest woman in the world because of the puffy eyes and smudged eyeliner.

Is this woman correct? Well, the smudged eyeliner and puffy eyes sure are ugly. But it's really not an appropriate moment to judge someone's appearance, and it doesn't say anything about the person's actual abilities in applying make-up etc.

To me, I see stacnash like the woman screaming on the street corner. Sometimes some of the stuff she says is correct (and sometimes it’s incorrect (factually wrong) or a statement of opinion misrepresented as a fact) but it’s not always appropriate which reduces any helpfulness it might otherwise have.

 

[Actingup]

Can I please ask how long it took from list adding to review posting? Stancash declared me the absolute worst author on lit about 70 hours ago and I assumed she'd posted the review at the same time but as of yet I'm still left waiting for it.


Especially given that stacnash ranks authors in her lists, her choice of which stories she chooses to review are unusual. Putting aside questions re the accuracy of ranking an entire author's ability based on one piece of free smut you find on the internet, the idea that you'd choose a year old story to rank an author's ability rather than a more recent story (especially when there are so may others to choose from) is extremely questionable

That she's saying that you are (one of) the absolute worse authors on Literotica because of a story that doesn't even demonstrate your current writing skills or abilities doesn't encourage me to suspect good intention in the reviews.

Imagine if there's a person who wants to be a beauty adviser. You know, women come to her and she advises them on their make-up and hair etc. But, this person puts themselves on a street corner and yells tirades at the people walking past. She sees a woman who's just walked out of a salon and waxes lyrical on how beautiful she is. She sees a woman walking out of a funeral with puffy eyes and smudged eyeliner and yells that she's the ugliest woman in the world because of the puffy eyes and smudged eyeliner.

Is this woman correct? Well, the smudged eyeliner and puffy eyes sure are ugly. But it's really not an appropriate moment to judge someone's appearance, and it doesn't say anything about the person's actual abilities in applying make-up etc.

To me, I see stacnash like the woman screaming on the street corner. Sometimes some of the stuff she says is correct (and sometimes it’s incorrect (factually wrong) or a statement of opinion misrepresented as a fact) but it’s not always appropriate which reduces any helpfulness it might otherwise have.

I agree 100%, Katie Mae, and I also love your analogy. In terms of your own review, I have a tentative theory to fit the observed data. There's a notable change in tone (towards being more constructive) between what what I received and what the Good Master Fourways received. Your presumed review was written in between them. I wonder if it was submitted but then rejected in moderation?

 

[Katie_Mae]

I wonder if it was submitted but then rejected in moderation?

To be honest, I'm rather concerned it might have been.

 

[Actingup]

To be honest, I'm rather concerned it might have been.

We could make one up for you if you feel cheated?

 

[Katie_Mae]

We could make one up for you if you feel cheated?

Thank you, but I feel it wouldn't be quite the same.

 

[pink_silk_glove]

That she's saying that you are (one of) the absolute worse authors on Literotica because of a story that doesn't even demonstrate your current writing skills or abilities doesn't encourage me to suspect good intention in the reviews.

Intention does not matter in a review, only the review.

 

[pink_silk_glove]

Imagine if there's a person who wants to be a beauty adviser. You know, women come to her and she advises them on their make-up and hair etc. But, this person puts themselves on a street corner and yells tirades at the people walking past. She sees a woman who's just walked out of a salon and waxes lyrical on how beautiful she is. She sees a woman walking out of a funeral with puffy eyes and smudged eyeliner and yells that she's the ugliest woman in the world because of the puffy eyes and smudged eyeliner.

Is this woman correct? Well, the smudged eyeliner and puffy eyes sure are ugly. But it's really not an appropriate moment to judge someone's appearance, and it doesn't say anything about the person's actual abilities in applying make-up etc.

The error in your analogy is that posting a story on lit never carries the context of puffy eyes from a funeral.

There is context of reasons for less than your best appearance walking down the street. There is no reason, context or excuses for less than your best effort on a lit story. These are free hobby submissions with no deadlines (no one is forcing anyone to enter a contest). There are no mitigating circumstances for publishing knowingly inferior work.

Why? Because the reader (any reader) who opens your story can't, won't and does not need to know or care about any of those circumstances.

"I slapped this together really quickly one afternoon so make sure that you judge it that way. I know that it's not that great but considering the little effort I put into it, you should find it pretty good."

"I wrote this five years ago and I'm much better now, so don't look badly on me for it."

The reader can't care about that. The reader shouldn't have to care about that. The reader is opening a story and reading and it's up to the writer to entertain that reader. The reader is under no obligation to read a certain way or with any caveats. The reader is simply reading. It does not matter how much or how little sweat blood time the writer put into it. The finished product is the finished product. And on lit, there are no deadlines or bars of quality to clear but the writer's own.

If your story's "eyes are puffy from a funeral" when you write, you don't have to submit. You can wait until your story's "eyes" have cleared up and make the edits and the clean ups before you publish. You have all the time in the world to do this. If you are looking for a good review (which you obviously are here or you wouldn't be so concerned about how stacnash might judge you) and you post stuff that you make excuses for because it isn't your best stuff (which you admit) then you deserve the poor review. That's all on you. (shrug)

 

[Katie_Mae]

If you are looking for a good review

I am not looking for a good review from stacnash, and I'm not "concerned" how stacnash will judge me. I am eager to see it for other reasons, which I've stated and can't be arsed repeating.

 

[StillStunned]

Here's one I got the other day on A Quiet Woman, from an anonymous reader:

I liked it. I liked it a lot up to the point that she asked him to stay. A woman who has been abused would probably not have sex with her neighbor that night. Maybe just fall asleep while he held her in his arms on the sofa. The twist that she knew he was watching was good. But somehow her turning into such a ‘service provider’ seemed so unlike her. Maybe that’s what you were looking for in the AF portion. 4*

I've been wracking my brain, but I can't for the life of me figure out what they mean by "the AF portion".

 

[Katie_Mae]

Here's one I got the other day on A Quiet Woman, from an anonymous reader:


I've been wracking my brain, but I can't for the life of me figure out what they mean by "the AF portion".

AForementioned?

After fucking? Anal fucking? Android fucking? A typo for AD or AG which I acknowledge still leaves you headscratching.

 

[AlexFourways]

1. There are no mitigating circumstances for publishing knowingly inferior work.

2. Why? Because the reader (any reader) who opens your story can't, won't and does not need to know or care about any of those circumstances.

3. "I slapped this together really quickly one afternoon so make sure that you judge it that way. I know that it's not that great but considering the little effort I put into it, you should find it pretty good."

4. "I wrote this five years ago and I'm much better now, so don't look badly on me for it."

5. The reader can't care about that. The reader shouldn't have to care about that. The reader is opening a story and reading and it's up to the writer to entertain that reader. The reader is under no obligation to read a certain way or with any caveats. The reader is simply reading. It does not matter how much or how little sweat blood time the writer put into it. The finished product is the finished product. And on lit, there are no deadlines or bars of quality to clear but the writer's own.

I know I have been a bit selective, but focusing on what is relevant to Stacnash's review of my story.
1. I didn't know it was inferior and have longed for comments to help me improve. I acknowledge it's faults now, but doubt the value to me or future readers of a rewrite. At this stage it probably would be ten a year!
2. Agreed, but that is what ratings, tags and read numbers help with.
3. Unless the author puts that in the header, or in comments, they are not making that excuse. My only reference to that was the passing of time between publish and review. (Though I spent much more than an afternoon, I don't write quickly.)
4. I have not put that in the comments on the story, just here and also as a DM to Stacnash.
5. Absolutely. We authors offer up our works for the reader to read and get our reward in terms of ratings and comments. But timely ones, such as I got on I Step off the Train enabled me to do some clarifying edits and get the story updated to remove those 'road humps' (clarification that Microsoft was a company involved in small computers, not a small computer company, and that the story was UK based so bedsit is the right term).
YMMV

 

[TheLobster]

Here's one I got the other day on A Quiet Woman, from an anonymous reader:


I've been wracking my brain, but I can't for the life of me figure out what they mean by "the AF portion".

Me neither, it’s confusing AF!

 

[Katie_Mae]

I know I have been a bit selective, but focusing on what is relevant to Stacnash's review of my story.
1. I didn't know it was inferior and have longed for comments to help me improve. I acknowledge it's faults now, but doubt the value to me or future readers of a rewrite. At this stage it probably would be ten a year!
2. Agreed, but that is what ratings, tags and read numbers help with.
3. Unless the author puts that in the header, or in comments, they are not making that excuse. My only reference to that was the passing of time between publish and review. (Though I spent much more than an afternoon, I don't write quickly.)
4. I have not put that in the comments on the story, just here and also as a DM to Stacnash.
5. Absolutely. We authors offer up our works for the reader to read and get our reward in terms of ratings and comments. But timely ones, such as I got on I Step off the Train enabled me to do some clarifying edits and get the story updated to remove those 'road humps' (clarification that Microsoft was a company involved in small computers, not a small computer company, and that the story was UK based so bedsit is the right term).
YMMV

PSG is referring to me here, not you. In another thread I was laughing at Stacnash for wasting her time with me, and joking that I'm really looking forward to finding out if I have a penis or not (another female author was told by stacnash they were a man).

I knowingly publish "inferior" work here. I'm here for fun. With the stories I've published, for the most part, have no desire to make them better. I'm not here to "improve as a writer." Despite her saying there are no reasons for publishing less than your best work, there are many! Not every person who shares their silly little fantasies here has a desire to spend the time and effort to polish a silly little story.

I have no "writing ego" that could be hurt if someone sees stupid embarrassing typos (I laugh about them) and I laugh at troll comments. I mock myself and don't take myself seriously. I have other hobbies. Some I am working on improving at, and others I am doing just for the joy of doing and have no desire to make each project "the best yet".

I am open and honest about what I post, out of courtesy and respect for the occasional person who might be looking for something polished. Because it would be rude of me not to mention it. If people want to waste their time one bombing or troll commenting, then I'll laugh at them, but they're free to waste their time.

 

[AlexFourways]

PSG is referring to me here, not you. In another thread I was laughing at Stacnash for wasting her time with me, and joking that I'm really looking forward to finding out if I have a penis or not (another female author was told by stacnash they were a man).

<SNIP>I'm not here to "improve as a writer."

Katie - I realised that PSG was referring to another thread, which I why said I was focusing on what was relevant to mine - sorry to hijack it, but I think there is a interlink - AKA Stacnash.
I only presume Stacnash is a she because everyone says so otherwise I would have used they or she/he or s/he.
I am hoping (and I think) improving, but you are you. The main thing is to enjoy what we do.

 

[Katie_Mae]

Katie - I realised that PSG was referring to another thread, which I why said I was focusing on what was relevant to mine - sorry to hijack it, but I think there is a interlink - AKA Stacnash.
I only presume Stacnash is a she because everyone says so otherwise I would have used they or she/he or s/he.
I am hoping (and I think) improving, but you are you. The main thing is to enjoy what we do.

That's good, I didn't want to bring that over here, I just didn't want you to think PSG was accusing you of being such a terrible person as me I don't think you were hijacking at all, we were talking about your head scratching comment in the first place!
Everyone is here for their own reasons, and that's great! It's great you're here to improve, from what I've seen you are! You have some really good ideas in your stories and I like when a story makes you stop and think about the big questions.

I'm pretty sure Stacnash presented herself as a she/her, but if anyone knows differently then do let me know, misgendering people isn't ok. when I said:

(another female author was told by stacnash they were a man).

I meant that in her review, stacnash informed a female author that she could tell that the author was a man.

 

[AlexFourways]

That's good, I didn't want to bring that over here, I just didn't want you to think PSG was accusing you of being such a terrible person as me I don't think you were hijacking at all, we were talking about your head scratching comment in the first place!
Everyone is here for their own reasons, and that's great! It's great you're here to improve, from what I've seen you are! You have some really good ideas in your stories and I like when a story makes you stop and think about the big questions.

I must find time to check out your works. I didn't realise you had looked at any of mine, unless I misunderstood your comment.

I'm pretty sure Stacnash presented herself as a she/her, but if anyone knows differently then do let me know, misgendering people isn't ok. when I said:
(another female author was told by stacnash they were a man).

I meant that in her review, stacnash informed a female author that she could tell that the author was a man.

I got that and Stacnash should know better. I have definately got a damaged second X chomosome, but I have had queries/ complements when I have done a female POV as to how. It's called reading and learning.
TTFN

 

[SouthernCrossfire]

I recently received this little gem from our dear friend Anonymous on a story where a guy pulls off a really vile scheme to get even with his ex-wife for cheating on him years earlier:

Anonymous wrote:

Should have put this shit in LW. Nothing romantic at all here.

(emphasis added)

My response: "I'm not sure what you thought you were reading but this was in LW, not Romance." (again, emphasis added).