Readers comments

[Tigersman]

Normally if I like a story I will leave a public comment. Unless I really like the author's style of writing or their subject matter, I do not put them in the favorite author or favorite story category. I don't keep track of the authors or their stories that I leave positive feedback on. Today I received an email sent anonymously telling me they had deleted all my comments. The author asked me not to leave any more comments on their stories.

If an author does not want public comments, why do they have that function enabled? If they do not want any more public comments from me, why did they send a reply to me anonymously? All I can say is this person is a moron.

 

[lowphat]

People do stupid shit on the internet. I got an email comment once, telling me my lesbian stories sucked balls, and I've never written a lesbian story in my life. I guess sometimes they click on the wrong commentor's name? Who knows . . .

 

[Mister_Chris]

If the request was sent anonymously, you can not - by definition - identify the sender. Ergo, you have no way of discerning if the message was sent to you by the author, or someone impersonating the author. My guess would be the latter.

I would expect this is just a troll, trying a different technique.

As newborns, we flail about, without any ability to affect our universe. But around age three, we discover that we can affect our universe by breaking things; and for a while we do just that, throwing and breaking things with a bubbling childlike glee. It is only much later in life that we discover that building things, although much harder than breaking things, is ultimately much more rewarding.

The person that sent you the email hasn't yet made that discovery. As a result, I would guess that they have the emotional maturity of a three year old, and should be treated as such.

Peace - MC

 

[slyc_willie]

Sounds like you found an author who's skin hasn't quite thickened enough. That's my first thought.

My second is: what, exactly, did you say in your comments? Was there something that could have been construed as a personal attack?

ETA: MC left an interesting post, which raises the question of how tigersman could know -- or think he could know -- that the message was sent by an author.

Now I am suspicious.

 

[sr71plt]

I'm not sure how you can send an e-mail that doesn't have an account name attached to it.

On comments, though, leaving comments open isn't really a request for critique. In truth, most want a favorable comment connection. On another thread, you indicated that you comment with a lecture on how to write and proofread. I think you assume too much in thinking that's what everyone wants when they leave their comments on. This isn't a critique site. They aren't morons for not welcoming a lecture on writing from a stranger they don't know and who very well might not know any more--or as much--about writing than they do. I dare say that most posting stories here are looking to share arousal, which is a far cry from having a writing critique dropped on their heads unrequested.

 

[Tigersman]

I normally do not post publicly negative comments. If I feel the author's story needs improvement due to over reliance on spellcheck which does not tell the author that he used the wrong word, then I make positive suggestions. One of my suggestions is to keep an old-fashion dictionary at hand to look up the meanings of words the author is unsure of. Another suggestion is to print out their story so they can read one page slowly several times in one day, then repeat this process with the remaing pages.

I never tell an author their story is a piece of shit or trash. I may tell an author publicly I felt a character was a wimp and I personally would have responded differently. One story was really upsetting me the more I read. I kept reading to the end, only to learn of a surprise twist that changed my opinion of the story.

 

[lovecraft68]

Sounds like you found an author who's skin hasn't quite thickened enough. That's my first thought.

My second is: what, exactly, did you say in your comments? Was there something that could have been construed as a personal attack?

ETA: MC left an interesting post, which raises the question of how tigersman could know -- or think he could know -- that the message was sent by an author.

Now I am suspicious.

. Today I received an email sent anonymously telling me they had deleted all my comments. The author asked me not to leave any more comments on their stories.

Who else could delete his comments other than an author?

My question would be what the comments were that would make an author delete them and how many he left that the author recognized him?

I could maybe name 10 regular commentors and they've posted often for me to be able to recognize the name

 

[lovecraft68]

I normally do not post publicly negative comments. If I feel the author's story needs improvement due to over reliance on spellcheck which does not tell the author that he used the wrong word, then I make positive suggestions. One of my suggestions is to keep an old-fashion dictionary at hand to look up the meanings of words the author is unsure of. Another suggestion is to print out their story so they can read one page slowly several times in one day, then repeat this process with the remaing pages.

I never tell an author their story is a piece of shit or trash. I may tell an author publicly I felt a character was a wimp and I personally would have responded differently. One story was really upsetting me the more I read. I kept reading to the end, only to learn of a surprise twist that changed my opinion of the story.

Understand that although almost every author says they want feedback, many really only want glowing "you're the best ever" feedback

Some authors will become annoyed with anything along the lines of "Good story, but you may want to have someone help with proofreading"

I get tons of those and....they're right, my stories have typos. Should I pull a hissy and delete it?

Personally-and only speaking for myself-I lose respect for authors who can't handle any type of feedback other than "you rock'. Being told you suck is one thing, but a helpful tip or suggestion is....feedback.

I chalk it up to some people simply wanting their ego stroked rather than looking for anything that might help them improve.

Arguing in your comments is the other tell tale trait of that, shows a thin skin better than any other indicator.

 

[oggbashan]

Who else could delete his comments other than an author?

My question would be what the comments were that would make an author delete them and how many he left that the author recognized him?

I could maybe name 10 regular commentors and they've posted often for me to be able to recognize the name

I have had comments deleted by 'administration'.

They are usually spam advertising, but some provide links.

 

[lovecraft68]

I have had comments deleted by 'administration'.

They are usually spam advertising, but some provide links.

Right, but the site wouldn't e-mail you and tell you they deleted the comments, only an author would do that....

Unless of course it is some troll playing a weird game and just sending that around to different people.

 

[Everyday_Man]

Personally-and only speaking for myself-I lose respect for authors who can't handle any type of feedback other than "you rock'. Being told you suck is one thing, but a helpful tip or suggestion is....feedback.

I chalk it up to some people simply wanting their ego stroked rather than looking for anything that might help them improve.

Arguing in your comments is the other tell tale trait of that, shows a thin skin better than any other indicator.

I've argued how feed back is presented, but I also took the advice and changed a portion of my story to reflect that feed back. It had to do with a blue dress that sipped coffee.

 

[Katiecat]

I must be missing something here. An author emails anonymously -- okay, I can see maybe an email sent from Lit saying you have a message from "Anonymous". I think -- but I'm not sure -- that I've received notice emails from Lit before that I had an anon comment on a story, so maybe you can send an email message anon to someone?

What I am not understanding is if someone tells you they deleted all of your comments, and asked you not to comment on their stories again, why they would inform you of this anonymously. How would you know who they are so you won't comment on their stories anymore?

 

[lovecraft68]

I've argued how feed back is presented, but I also took the advice and changed a portion of my story to reflect that feed back. It had to do with a blue dress that sipped coffee.

Good old JBJ!

I mostly get the "proofread" comment and as I said, what can I say, I make mistakes. I have no editor here, I have one for paid work, but I'm not going to spend money on my work here.

Unfortunately other than the grammar comments I either get "best story I've read" (until they read the next person's of course) or fuck off and die.

I don't get a lot of comments that address the story in great detail, but once in awhile I do and those are the ones I hope for.

 

[Zeb_Carter]

Unless you turn off anonymous feedback, you can get an email from anonymous, a return email address is not required if you don't turn off...well you get my gist.


Still, even if you turn it off, there is nothing to keep someone who wants to remain anonymous in using a false or fictitious email account. Lit doesn't check the validity of an entered account.

 

[sr71plt]

I have had comments deleted by 'administration'.

They are usually spam advertising, but some provide links.

Usually, yes, but the administration has deleted some from mine that were just backbiting and I had left there myself. As I've noted elsewhere, this seems to be a recent occurrence--but they weren't deleted by me.

 

[sr71plt]

I must be missing something here. An author emails anonymously -- okay, I can see maybe an email sent from Lit saying you have a message from "Anonymous". I think -- but I'm not sure -- that I've received notice emails from Lit before that I had an anon comment on a story, so maybe you can send an email message anon to someone?

What I am not understanding is if someone tells you they deleted all of your comments, and asked you not to comment on their stories again, why they would inform you of this anonymously. How would you know who they are so you won't comment on their stories anymore?

My question was HOW they could inform him anonymously. As far as I can see, the Lit. system only works for commenters reaching the author, not the author reaching a commenter, anonymous or otherwise.

Beyond that I posit (since Tigersman confirmed that the nature of the comments he was sending was as I surmised) that Tigersman just is making false assumptions that every author is posting stories to improve his/her writing. The assumption that this is meant to be a critique and writing development site is false. I suggest that most posting stories here are experiencing the arousal factor and don't give two figs about their writing development. These can't be counted on to welcome vigilante writing lessons from strangers. And just as the authors should have tough skin about commenters, commenters need to have tough skin about "go fuck yourself" responses to their unrequested vigilantism.

 

[lovecraft68]

I know at one point they were deleting certain comments, things that used racial and homophobic slurs.

Its their right to do so, but what the head scratcher was if they are going to start deleting nasty remarks then isn't it about high time they zeroed in on the BS that goes on in LW? racist, homophobic, sexist, threats of violence, threats of rape and various forms of abuse and torture.

Why not start and pretty much stay there if they are looking to clean things up?

 

[lovecraft68]

My question was HOW they could inform him anonymously. As far as I can see, the Lit. system only works for commenters reaching the author, not the author reaching a commenter, anonymous or otherwise.

Beyond that I posit (since Tigersman confirmed that the nature of the comments he was sending was as I surmised) that Tigersman just is making false assumptions that every author is posting stories to improve his/her writing. The assumption that this is meant to be a critique and writing development site is false. I suggest that most posting stories here are experiencing the arousal factor and don't give two figs about their writing development. These can't be counted on to welcome vigilante writing lessons from strangers. And just as the authors should have tough skin about commenters, commenters need to have tough skin about "go fuck yourself" responses to their unrequested vigilantism.

well if you suggest why most people post stories here it must be right and all the people who think many post here to get better and get some feed back must be wrong because you don't suggest that.

You are like ten pounds of shit in a five pound bag you are so full of yourself.

I think you need the thick skin, because only thin skinned people need to consistently try to force their way of thinking on others and only thin skinned authors argue and snark at people who leave comments on their story pages.

Now please deny you do that because I will so go to your page and pull up a bunch of them.

You're the whiniest author on this site, hands down.

 

[sr71plt]

But then wouldn't they have to address it on Laurel's beloved GB, which would be too daunting a task and would probably cause that part of the board to dissolve altogether.

 

[Darkniciad]

You don't have to be an author to be contacted. Every member's profile has a "contact" tab. Unless feedback has been disabled, you can send email to any member through that tab. It's easy enough to get to if the comment is from a logged-in member.

My question was HOW they could inform him anonymously. As far as I can see, the Lit. system only works for commenters reaching the author, not the author reaching a commenter, anonymous or otherwise.

 

[sr71plt]

You don't have to be an author to be contacted. Every member's profile has a "contact" tab. Unless feedback has been disabled, you can send email to any member through that tab. It's easy enough to get to if the comment is from a logged-in member.

Thanks. You can do this anonymously? Your e-mail address wouldn't show to the recipient?

 

[legerdemer]

Thanks. You can do this anonymously? Your e-mail address wouldn't show to the recipient?

The default is that your response to a feedback comment does not reveal your email. The author or whoever has to actively enter an email if they wish to be contacted directly, as opposed to through the "feedback" feature.

 

[lovecraft68]

For pilot....#waterworks

 

[AZMotherLover]

Thanks. You can do this anonymously? Your e-mail address wouldn't show to the recipient?

Technology isn't your strong suit, is it, old man?

 

[Tigersman]

standingstones

I finally figured out through the process of elimination who the Anonymous person was who sent me an email telling me they had deleted all my positive public comments and asked me to not post any more comments.
The author's identity is standingstones who submits a lot of stories under different categories. Personally, even though I liked his stories, I will no longer wasting my time reading his stories. If he didn't want any comments, he should have disabled this function. He appears to be writing for his own pleasure, therefore why submit stories at all.