Bashers And Bashing, What Can We Do?

[BOSTONFICTIONWRITER]

Every time I post to the Author's Hangout, I pay the price. Someone doesn't like me, more than one person, probably. I have a few people who I suspect.

I had over one hundred red H's before someone went through my score card and erased them. I went all the way down to 9 red H's. And then they posted a message to one of my stories.

"If you are such a good writer, how come you don't have any red H's? Someone who has written as many stories, should have at least a couple hundred red H's."

Now, someone is doing it again for the 8th time. I had 40 red H's this morning. The last time I checked, I was down to 28. By the time I wake up tomorrow, I'll probably have 7.

Can you imagine someone disliking me so much to actually spend the time to go through my stories and erase all my red H's? Can you imagine someone with nothing else to do, someone who is so disturbed by me and by what I write here and/or the stories that I post to the board to do that to a fellow writer?

I can't imagine the person. It makes my skin crawl to imagine someone that small minded and sick. Creepy.

I sent a PM to Laurel. Hopefully, she can track their IP and ban them from the site.

It's only a matter of time before this sick individual turns their attention away from me, once they've erased all my red H's and turns their attention to you.

I think it's time we, as writers, all joined together to so something about the bashers.

None of us, except for Scouries, are paid to write stories. We write because we must, because we love to write, and because we have this site to post our stories. I ask you as writers to join me in my outrage and PM Laurel on my behalf and on your behalf.

Every time I post a story, not matter what story, I have 3 to 5 instant votes of 1. That's discouraging. Then, the bashing comments begin.

I'm human. I like reading the feedback. I enjoy it when someone likes what I write, but this other shit is just mean spirited and sick.

I'm tired of it. Maybe, they think that they'll drive me away and stop me from writing. Maybe, they think that. Yet, it does just the opposite. It makes me write a piece such as this. It makes me ask for your help to eradicate these people from this site that we all so enjoy to write and read stories.

It's my birthday in a few minutes. I'd like to start a new year fresh with a Literotica site that we all look forward to opening up to read and write without having to contend with bashers.

Thanks for reading this post. I have to go write some stories now.

 

[sr71plt]

Yes, there does seem to be such a cause/effect response to whining posters. And, yes, it's a pretty juvenile response.

 

[Boxlicker101]

Every time I post to the Author's Hangout, I pay the price. Someone doesn't like me, more than one person, probably. I have a few people who I suspect.

I had over one hundred red H's before someone went through my score card and erased them. I went all the way down to 9 red H's. And then they posted a message to one of my stories.

"If you are such a good writer, how come you don't have any red H's? Someone who has written as many stories, should have at least a couple hundred red H's."

Now, someone is doing it again for the 8th time. I had 40 red H's this morning. The last time I checked, I was down to 28. By the time I wake up tomorrow, I'll probably have 7.

Can you imagine someone disliking me so much to actually spend the time to go through my stories and erase all my red H's? Can you imagine someone with nothing else to do, someone who is so disturbed by me and by what I write here and/or the stories that I post to the board to do that to a fellow writer?

I can't imagine the person. It makes my skin crawl to imagine someone that small minded and sick. Creepy.

I sent a PM to Laurel. Hopefully, she can track their IP and ban them from the site.

It's only a matter of time before this sick individual turns their attention away from me, once they've erased all my red H's and turns their attention to you.

I think it's time we, as writers, all joined together to so something about the bashers.

None of us, except for Scouries, are paid to write stories. We write because we must, because we love to write, and because we have this site to post our stories. I ask you as writers to join me in my outrage and PM Laurel on my behalf and on your behalf.

Every time I post a story, not matter what story, I have 3 to 5 instant votes of 1. That's discouraging. Then, the bashing comments begin.

I'm human. I like reading the feedback. I enjoy it when someone likes what I write, but this other shit is just mean spirited and sick.

I'm tired of it. Maybe, they think that they'll drive me away and stop me from writing. Maybe, they think that. Yet, it does just the opposite. It makes me write a piece such as this. It makes me ask for your help to eradicate these people from this site that we all so enjoy to write and read stories.

It's my birthday in a few minutes. I'd like to start a new year fresh with a Literotica site that we all look forward to opening up to read and write without having to contend with bashers.

Thanks for reading this post. I have to go write some stories now.

People are not able to erase H's. The most anyone could do would be to vote a one-bomb once on a story. If they vote more than one time, the subsequent votes get swept. Personally, I would never be such an asshole, and I don't actually know of anybody who is.

Have you considered that it could be that you have fans who vote fives early and often. If they do, the story might have a high rank until the excess votes get swept away, at which time the score reverts to where it belongs.

The next time you count your H's, count the number of votes also. Then, when the H's disappear, compare the number of votes.

 

[BOSTONFICTIONWRITER]

Never mind, it doesn't matter

People are not able to erase H's. The most anyone could do would be to vote a one-bomb once on a story. If they vote more than one time, the subsequent votes get swept. Personally, I would never be such an asshole, and I don't actually know of anybody who is.

Have you considered that it could be that you have fans who vote fives early and often. If they do, the story might have a high rank until the excess votes get swept away, at which time the score reverts to where it belongs.

The next time you count your H's, count the number of votes also. Then, when the H's disappear, compare the number of votes.

Just the opposite happens. My votes go up by the number needed to lower my scores below 4.50. The is and has been a concerted effort to erase my red H's by giving me multiple 1 votes. One basher can use multiple computers or have access to multiple IP's or it could be several people.

Anyway, what does it matter if you don't even perceive it as a problem. Good luck to your score card.

 

[BOSTONFICTIONWRITER]

People are not able to erase H's. The most anyone could do would be to vote a one-bomb once on a story. If they vote more than one time, the subsequent votes get swept. Personally, I would never be such an asshole, and I don't actually know of anybody who is.

Have you considered that it could be that you have fans who vote fives early and often. If they do, the story might have a high rank until the excess votes get swept away, at which time the score reverts to where it belongs.

The next time you count your H's, count the number of votes also. Then, when the H's disappear, compare the number of votes.

Besides, Boxlicker, do you think that I could have written more than 500 stories and earned now only 11 red H's without bashers manipulating and taking control of my scores?

I think it's wrong for writers to attack other writers that way that I've been attacked on this site. Maybe, people are pissed because I write too many stories. I don't know. Maybe, they are pissed because I'm leading the Survivor Contest again. I don't know. Maybe they are pissed because of some of the reviews and essays that I wrote the voiced my opinion about bashing and bashers. I don't know. Maybe, they are pissed because I submit too many stories in the contests. What does it matter. They all make sure that I don't win any way.

I'm just going to continue to write my stories and hope that Laurel will finally do something about the bashers and bashing in general.

 

[sr71plt]

People are not able to erase H's. The most anyone could do would be to vote a one-bomb once on a story. If they vote more than one time, the subsequent votes get swept. Personally, I would never be such an asshole, and I don't actually know of anybody who is.

Have you considered that it could be that you have fans who vote fives early and often. If they do, the story might have a high rank until the excess votes get swept away, at which time the score reverts to where it belongs.

The next time you count your H's, count the number of votes also. Then, when the H's disappear, compare the number of votes.

He's right in that he has been gang zapped--more than once--and this has been discussed on the boards before. And, yes, it's a very nasty, childish thing to do. But, yes, also he constantly throws himself under the bus on this to the point of numbness of sympathy.

 

[Elianna]

You know, I've never gotten involved in one of your threads or any of scouries, either. I've experienced the losing of votes and the bashing though.

I've had people "1-bomb" my stuff or leave a really nasty comment. I agree that it's sad. I've done my share of whining about it, too, because it upset me.

I think that it comes down to trust. I trust that Laurel is looking for votes from the same IP address. I've noticed my number of votes fluctuate greatly. One moment I'm like "YAY look at all those votes" to the next "where did they go?" But I trust that she is taking care of the people who are trying to give me an unfair advantage/disadvantage. I've just decided to be okay with it. If I lose an H, I'll be sad, but I'm going to trust it's fair. Besides, it's not the H's that count but rather the encouragement in written word and email that have really inspired me.

You asked what can we do? Personally, I've decided to whine about it to my friends, get it off my chest, and then move on. Bashers are always going to be there. It's the way I handle the bashing that proves I'm just like them or better than them.

Perhaps this thread is cathartic for you?

Good luck to you BFW.

 

[sr71plt]

Perhaps this thread is cathartic for you?

I sort of thought this might be the case the first three times he cycled through on this, but we just get cause/effect, cause/effect, cause/effect in one nonending circle jerk. I've seen this particular stage production often enough now.

 

[Elianna]

I sort of thought this might be the case the first three times he cycled through on this, but we just get cause/effect, cause/effect, cause/effect in one nonending circle jerk. I've seen this particular stage production often enough now.

Maybe his chest is very large and he has lots of things to get off of it?

Perhaps it is some kind of magical recipe that if he repeats it enough he'll make it back home to Kansas.

Maybe he's hard of hearing?

There's a thread for you... 101 maybes for BFW's need to repeat things.

I'm sure it's rooted deep in some Freudian, psychological thingy, perhaps tied to his mother... Some dogs just need to howl.

I personally just get all pissy slam some things around, let my friends comfort me and then keep going.

 

[Weird Harold]

Every time I post to the Author's Hangout, I pay the price. Someone doesn't like me, more than one person, probably. I have a few people who I suspect.

Quit posting on the forum under the same name as you post stories under and the problem goes away -- unless you're excessively blatant about who your author name is as opposed to your forum name.

One-bombing 100+ stories is a bit excessive, but it wouldn't be worth the effort if it didn't bother you so much.

 

[DeeZire]

BFW - you might find solace in my troll story, which can be found in my sig link. There are many troll threads buried in the forum, and many troll stories, which could help you to understand the phenomenon.

I look at trolls as if they were mosquitos, tapping into our creativity for their sustenance. They're a nuisance, but they come with the territory. I prefer to assume they're not fellow writers - just talentless creeps who have nothing better to do than vandalize beauty from the safety of their mommy's computer.

Re: Scouries getting paid - the jury's still out on that. I'm voting 'no', which launched another one of my cruel satires, written last fall. If you peruse my story titles, his will be obvious. All you have to do is look for a correlation to a big ego.

It's funny how writing cruel satires can exorcise your demons. Perhaps that would be an approach for you to take, sending an anonymous troll on some ill-fated journey with a horribly violent and depraved ending. You're certainly talented enough to pull it off. Plus, now that they're on your ass, what do you have to lose?

Good luck with your writing, sir.

 

[Boxlicker101]

Here is a fun story I wrote a while ago about a mishap that befalls a troll.
http://www.literotica.com/stories/showstory.php?id=258526

 

[oggbashan]

Trolls can read

Trolls can read.

If they couldn't, they would'nt vote on stories.

Posting complaints about being bashed by trolls is as effective as standing on a firing range with a target pinned to your chest.

Og

 

[BOSTONFICTIONWRITER]

I think that it's easy for some of you to sit back and take a smug approach with me posting this thread.

For some reason, I have been the most bashed personality, yeah, even more than Scouries, on this site.

I don't understand it.

Meanwhile, I'll just refrain from posting here and concentrate on writing my stories. Nonetheless, my point is, as a writer, I would never shit on someone's stories in the way that so many bashers have shit on everyone of my stories. Moreover, I know that many of my bashers are AH regulars. Yeah, I know the good AH regulars from the bad AH regulars and most of you guys and gals are good.

Yet, the fact that you all allow it to happen not just with my stories but with everyone's stories is beyond me. We, as writers, have the ability to hold this site hostage (not really, just an example) and demand that the ownership do something about the bashers.

I strongly believe that much of the basher will stop if a reader who wants to make comment to a story must log in first. Logging in and identifying him or herself, even when it is a cyber, fictious name, will flag them as a basher. Let's flag these people.

I'm here to write stories. I enjoy receiving the feedback. Yet, when someone bashes a story, it stops others from identifying themselves to make comment on the same story for fear of being bashed, too.

Maybe because I've written so many stories, I'm more of a target. Yet, we are all here for the same reasons. Aren't we?

 

[oggbashan]

If you look at the signed in statistics, there are almost always many more people on the Authors' Hangout Forum than are posting to the threads.

For some it might be that we are elsewhere, gone to make a coffee perhaps, but I think the lurkers outnumber the posters.

Lurking isn't necessarily wrong. I lurked for some months before establishing a sign-in and identity. Others have done the same.

Whether it is possible to deter the trolls from bashing? I'm not sure that the software is capable of distinguishing a genuine vote from an unfair one without human assistance.

Og

 

[DG Hear]

My two-cents

I write to have fun. Most of my stories average between 200 and 300 votes, Some more, some less. During every contest my vote counts decrease. Not just on the contest stories but all stories, even though I wrote them in 2005. At one time my avg. was probably near 4.70. I even had many stories higher. Very few without an H I do have to agree with BFW that some of the H's have disappeared. It's not troll voting in my case but the taking away of votes.

Stories that have had 300 votes now have less then 100. I only have the one name DG Hear and not a whole lot of a/h friends. I would have no idea how so many votes would get swept away even when there is no contest.

Of course any story just above the magical 4.5 ends up at 4.47 or so. I don't have any answers, just questions. Along with BFW I get pissed when I see that happen.

Not having the 4.50 is one thing. Watching it be taken aways is another thing.

Just thought I add my two-cents in. I do have around 150 stories here also.
Respectfully
DG Hear

 

[Liar]

To answer the thread title:

If you by bashers mean people who bomb your stories - laugh at the immature fuckwaffles who do that and rest assured that you're better than them.

If you by bashers mean people who snap at you in the forums - maybe you made them angry somehow? My reaction when I get a shitstorm of abuse on a board (it happens) is to ask myself "was it something I said?". It usually was.

If you keep playing the victim, and painting the rest of mankind as evil and against you, you'll have a self fulfilling prophecy on your hands.

"I'm being bashed! Everyone hates me!"
"Give us a break. No, you're not. Stop being paranoid."
"You called me paranoid! Why do you hate me and bash me?"
"Oh, piss off."


By the way, the most common reason a whole bunch of stories lose those H's at the same time is because the system sweeps out duplicate votes on a regular basis. Just asking, have you checked the vote count before and after losing an H?

 

[BOSTONFICTIONWRITER]

I write to have fun. Most of my stories average between 200 and 300 votes, Some more, some less. During every contest my vote counts decrease. Not just on the contest stories but all stories, even though I wrote them in 2005. At one time my avg. was probably near 4.70. I even had many stories higher. Very few without an H I do have to agree with BFW that some of the H's have disappeared. It's not troll voting in my case but the taking away of votes.

Stories that have had 300 votes now have less then 100. I only have the one name DG Hear and not a whole lot of a/h friends. I would have no idea how so many votes would get swept away even when there is no contest.

Of course any story just above the magical 4.5 ends up at 4.47 or so. I don't have any answers, just questions. Along with BFW I get pissed when I see that happen.

Not having the 4.50 is one thing. Watching it be taken aways is another thing.

Just thought I add my two-cents in. I do have around 150 stories here also.
Respectfully
DG Hear

I would agree with you, except when my scores go down, my votes go up. That tells me that my scores are purposely being bashed enmass and not lowered by a Literotica sweep.

There is and always has been a concerted effort to erase whatever red H's I earn. Anyway, what does it matter.

I'm just here to write stories. Giving a care about scores, red H's, and contests are things beyond my control. The only control that I have is when writing my stories.

Thanks for those who took the time to write a post.

 

[Liar]

Oh, and happy birthday. Don't bother yourself with petty little one-votes. Go have a party or something.

 

[DG Hear]

I'm not sure?

By the way, the most common reason a whole bunch of stories lose those H's at the same time is because the system sweeps out duplicate votes on a regular basis. Just asking, have you checked the vote count before and after losing an H?

You say dupilicate votes. You may be right but I don't totally believe it. If I had duplicate votes on stories from 2005-2006-2007 and more recent 2008 they would have be swept away long ago. I'm still losing the votes and they are not troll votes.

I honestly don't have a following that I believe votes more than once. By mistake? Possibly, but under the new system it can't be done by mistake. I'm not smart enough or care enough to try and get around it.

I just believe there is a lot more than meets the eye at work here. As for me, I continue to write a few stories and one day I'll be gone.
DG Hear

 

[Guest]

No offense, BFW, but this is the reason I have you on ignore. This constant ranting and blaming everyone else for low votes and preventing you from winning contests.

If someone here, especially an AH regular, is really low voting you then that is despicable. Of course it is. It's childish and petty and wrong.

But then again, so are your abusive posts. I've seen your posts about contest winners that are far and above any supposed abuse you've ever had to take. In fact, I know that just posting here will give you cause now to beat me up in open forum. (Pick a feature to slam, I guess - or story length - or number of stories - or whatever.)

I read your stories in the last contest I was in (how to) but haven't read any others.

You have a quirky, smart-ass writing style. Funny at times, annoying at others. Your authorial voice feels almost to me like an actor in a movie who breaks character to look at the camera (audience) with a smirk - "Isn't this all silly?"

Some of your stories read as if you're making fun of the reader.

It does have an appeal to a certain group of readers. But not everyone.

Nobody's work appeals to everyone.


Edited to add: If there really is one person low voting and they can be found out and banned, more power to you. But if it really doesn't matter to you, as you also constantly say, why do you keep complaining?

 

[Selena_Kitt]

Box is right about fans... they do help to outweigh the detractors and mean-spirited 1 votes.

I get 1-bombs, at least 10, right out of the gate whenever I post a new story here anymore. (I'm not kidding there, BFW... you think one 1 or 2 one-votes are a big deal? Try getting 10!)

But having "fans" who like what I write seems to bring the score back up into a respectable range (4.5ish) after a day or so. Volume helps. And of course, then Laurel runs a sweep and the 1's disappear and my score comes up again, but by then it's off the "new" list.

Oh well. *shrug*

All that said, I haven't posted a new story in a long time, and I haven't checked scores either. I just don't pay attention to them anymore. The numbers don't matter to me like they used to. Maybe you'll get to that point some day, BFW.

There is something to that, "Ignore them and they will go away," thing my dad always used to tell me when I got teased in school. It's true, for the most part. But you might have to wait a long time.

Patience is a virtue.

 

[BOSTONFICTIONWRITER]

No offense, BFW, but this is the reason I have you on ignore. This constant ranting and blaming everyone else for low votes and preventing you from winning contests.

If someone here, especially an AH regular, is really low voting you then that is despicable. Of course it is. It's childish and petty and wrong.

But then again, so are your abusive posts. I've seen your posts about contest winners that are far and above any supposed abuse you've ever had to take. In fact, I know that just posting here will give you cause now to beat me up in open forum. (Pick a feature to slam, I guess - or story length - or number of stories - or whatever.)

I read your stories in the last contest I was in (how to) but haven't read any others.

You have a quirky, smart-ass writing style. Funny at times, annoying at others. Your authorial voice feels almost to me like an actor in a movie who breaks character to look at the camera (audience) with a smirk - "Isn't this all silly?"

Some of your stories read as if you're making fun of the reader.

It does have an appeal to a certain group of readers. But not everyone.

Nobody's work appeals to everyone.


Edited to add: If there really is one person low voting and they can be found out and banned, more power to you. But if it really doesn't matter to you, as you also constantly say, why do you keep complaining?

You call me abusive. I call my posts an act of self-defence. In reference to Starrkers contest win, yeah, I was out rage that someone could win a contest with a less than 1,000 word piece of fluff by begging her friends for votes when other entries (not mine) were by far better written and much longer to boot.

You fail to look at what precipitated my rants and sour posts. You fail to mention the attacks that I have endured. You fail to mention that every one of my stories are bashed and not even give a chance to achieve a decent score. You fail to mention that some of you so called friends have it in for me.

Whatever. Believe what you want. I'm glad I'm not one of the "in" crowd here.

I'll stay away so you won't have to put me on ignore. Have a nice day. Thank you for you post.

 

[DG Hear]

Comments

The only thing I keep track of is comments. It's only so I can see if any new ones have been added. I like reading comments and feedback. I do that about once a week except during contests.

BFW, just do your thing, write your stories and do your best not to worry about others. I know retaleation isn't the answer. It just makes a terrible merry-go-round.

OH, and HAPPY BIRTHDAY!

Have a good weekend everyone.
DG

 

[Guest]

You call me abusive. I call my posts an act of self-defence. In reference to Starrkers contest win, yeah, I was out rage that someone could win a contest with a less than 1,000 word piece of fluff by begging her friends for votes when other entries (not mine) were by far better written and much longer to boot.

You fail to look at what precipitated my rants and sour posts. You fail to mention the attacks that I have endured. You fail to mention that every one of my stories are bashed and not even give a chance to achieve a decent score. You fail to mention that some of you so called friends have it in for me.

Whatever. Believe what you want. I'm glad I'm not one of the "in" crowd here.

I'll stay away so you won't have to put me on ignore. Have a nice day. Thank you for you post.

My friends have it in for you?

As to the how-to contest, I finished 4th, by the way. Just missed placing. You don't think that bothers me?

And I don't think your multiple story entries were better than hers. Neither did many others, apparently.

Again you are confusing quantity with quality.

Never mind.

Peace to you.