Keeping author vs forum identities separate.. helps or hurts?

[jsmiam]

On the helps side, more readers, or at least more chances of exposure.

On the hurts side, if you pick up a hater, some will take the time to express that hate via ratings.

It's there a consensus on whether it helps or hurts? (Yes, I may post a humorously smart aleck comment here or there, but I always use a smiley! ;-)

 

[Saucyminx]

Mine are the same and always have been. I know it helped to increase my readership. Then again, I'm a total fluff poster so I don't inflame the angrier posters too much.

I also know that has not been every one's experience.

 

[sr71plt]

I post stories under a few accounts (different category specialties), including a shared one for coauthored stories, but I only post to the forum in one account name, so it can be the lightning rod.

 

[MatthewVett]

Mine are the same and always have been. I know it helped to increase my readership. Then again, I'm a total fluff poster so I don't inflame the angrier posters too much.

I also know that has not been every one's experience.

I can't BELIEVE you would say that! You just made an enemy for life!

I've always kept mine the same, too. Never occurred to me to do otherwise, to be honest.

 

[HandsInTheDark]

The same, because it wouldn't have occurred to me to do otherwise. Multiple names smacks of cowardice or sockpuppetry. Screw that.

I'm pretty sure it "hurts" because I'm moderately certain my two haters came from the forums, but frankly anyone so petty as to vote on stories based on anything but the story is beneath contempt anyway, so who cares. Haters gonna hate; and their votes vanish into the noise eventually, so you might as well just keep it simple and honest and stick with a single name.

 

[sr71plt]

Compartmenting your genres by writing them under separate names (even if revealed) is considered not only legitimate and wise in the mainstream, and I see no reason why it wouldn't be on Literotica, as well.

 

[RejectReality]

The benefits of your writing and posting identity being the same are minimal. A few people who like you as a poster may choose to look at your work.

People who dislike you as a poster are far more likely to use your story file as a weapon to attack you. People who don't like your stories may very well chase you to the forum to harass you as well.

As far as I'm concerned, keeping your posting and writing identities separate is the smart way to go, even though I don't do it myself.

 

[Saucyminx]

I can't BELIEVE you would say that! You just made an enemy for life!

I've always kept mine the same, too. Never occurred to me to do otherwise, to be honest.

Oh bother. Not again!

 

[sr71plt]

The benefits of your writing and posting identity being the same are minimal. A few people who like you as a poster may choose to look at your work.

People who dislike you as a poster are far more likely to use your story file as a weapon to attack you. People who don't like your stories may very well chase you to the forum to harass you as well.

As far as I'm concerned, keeping your posting and writing identities separate is the smart way to go, even though I don't do it myself.

The tradeoff if you keep them separate is that you give up any believability of experience in writing for and submitting to Literotica if you can't/don't show any experience--or you should, I think. There are a whole bunch of "never done it" experts dispensing advice on how to do it here. The belief that the equality of Internet posting is an equality of knowledge/opinion on any given subject rather than just access is one of the Internet's greatest myths.

 

[RejectReality]

When the discussion has to do with writing, you're correct. Most of the forum has exactly spit to do with writing, though.

The tradeoff if you keep them separate is that you give up any believability of experience in writing for and submitting to Literotica if you can't/don't show any experience--or you should, I think. There are a whole bunch of "never done it" experts dispensing advice on how to do it here. The belief that the equality of Internet posting is an equality of knowledge/opinion on any given subject rather than just access is one of the Internet's greatest myths.

 

[sr71plt]

When the discussion has to do with writing, you're correct. Most of the forum has exactly spit to do with writing, though.

It applies to all sorts of topics, but the thread is about writing--the stories.

 

[jsmiam]

@everyone, thanks for the variety of opinions. I think my own personal conclusion is that it's probably better for story ratings to separate identities, since regular people rate your story on its merit alone, haters may not. But separate identities probably lower exposure too, if you participate heavily in the forums.

Perhaps the better answer is to not care that much, whether about ratings or about haters. I haven't decided what I'll do yet. Seems like both methods are prevalent, so at least I have more knowledge to base my decision on. Thanks all.

 

[Sammael Bard]

If you're active on the forums, your submissions will attract attention from people who'll click the link to your submissions on your sig (if you have any). That's usually a good thing if you're not of and about pissing off people, like JBJ. He could've been the greatest "noire" author on Lit if people didn't 1-bomb his stories rolleyes:).

Ratings on Lit mean nothing to me. I would've been serious if it coughed up cash for me, but it isn't. Sometimes, I close down voting when it's a Red H, but I open them again. Later I close them again when the mood strikes. I took down what I had about a year ago and don't have any stories that are submitted as of yet. So technically, I have nothing to worry about now.

I don't see myself making an alt any time soon.

Too darn lazy for that sort of stuff.

 

[lovecraft68]

Only post and write under one name. Just like in real life, for better or worse I stand by my words and will deal with what comes of them.

 

[JAMESBJOHNSON]

If you're active on the forums, your submissions will attract attention from people who'll click the link to your submissions on your sig (if you have any). That's usually a good thing if you're not of and about pissing off people, like JBJ. He could've been the greatest "noire" author on Lit if people didn't 1-bomb his stories rolleyes:).

Ratings on Lit mean nothing to me. I would've been serious if it coughed up cash for me, but it isn't. Sometimes, I close down voting when it's a Red H, but I open them again. Later I close them again when the mood strikes. I took down what I had about a year ago and don't have any stories that are submitted as of yet. So technically, I have nothing to worry about now.

I don't see myself making an alt any time soon.

Too darn lazy for that sort of stuff.

Take it to the bank I plan to fuck you in the ass when I can, plus your friends and admirers.

 

[Carnevil9]

I've had more than one reader tell me that they've gone to read my stories, based purely on liking my posts on the message board. Nice feedback like that in a PM more than outweighs any negative ratings, at least to me. So yeah, one name all the way.

 

[NaokoSmith]

When we posted stories in the anonymous writing competitions (FAWC), we were all amazed to find that everyone's rating dropped. Everyone thought we would lose 1-bombers who lowered our scores and that we'd do much better than we usually do because our writing would shine out pure and clear on its own.

I post some stories under a separate name. I find the scores are very similar for stories by both alts. I don't think it makes a lot of difference. After a while you develop a set of fans who like your stories so they look out for you, they feel comfortable with your work and they tend to vote you a bit higher in consequence.

People get very fascinated by scores; there are so many variables to how readers vote. I find I have a more chilled life if I just treat the voting as an interesting spectacle, rather than take it as in any way a judgment on stories. I have read a lot of stories I rated very highly which didn't have the red H.

I don't get the chance to read nearly as many stories as I would like. When I have a moment to read, I will tend to go for names I recognise from posting, partly because people who post are often writers who have been working at their craft for a while and are likely to have it honed to a certain level.

Good luck with the stories! whichever way you go. Hope your scores are always high and the comments deeply flattering. If you go with the poster alt, make sure you come back and tell us about your stories and give a link to them.

 

[BuckyDuckman]

Finding a community of writers is part of the reason why I started posted on Lit. Hidden among the disagreements, there are some nice people around here filled with advice and opinions.

Having your forum name linked to your stories gives people a chance to consider your writing. Evaluating for yourself the skill level of another author can inform your opinion of their Forum posts, at least it does for me. If, in my opinion, they're a mediocre writer, then I'll take any writing advice that person gives as dubious. However, if they are a writer I'd like to emulate, then I whatever advice they offer to heart.

Not linking the two deprives people of making that connection. Whether that's a good thing or a bad thing, that's up to you. However, you will occasionally see a Forum post where someone references another's work.

Do I attract haters? IDK. Do I care? Not really. Mostly, I hope that people enjoy my stories enough to forget about RL for a few minutes. If I accomplish only that much, the rest is gravy.

The only place where it feels as if a Lit name matters is when the story doesn't match the gender of the story's narrator. That seems to disappoint some people. Sometimes, I wish I had picked a more gender neutral Lit name for that reason. It might help readers suspend disbelief and enjoy the story more.

 

[rjordan]

If, in my opinion, they're a mediocre writer, then I'll take any writing advice that person gives as dubious. However, if they are a writer I'd like to emulate, then I whatever advice they offer to heart.

The advice can often stand on its own even from mediocre writers. Perceptive, skilled editors and critics aren't always as skilled at writing. I take advice where I can get it. If I find it useful to me, it is good advice.

Consider that many of the very best Olympic gymnasts, 100 pound girls barely into their teens, are coached by fat, baldheaded Eastern European male coaches.

rj

 

[BuckyDuckman]

The advice can often stand on its own even from mediocre writers. Perceptive, skilled editors and critics aren't always as skilled at writing. I take advice where I can get it. If I find it useful to me, it is good advice.

Consider that many of the very best Olympic gymnasts, 100 pound girls barely into their teens, are coached by fat, baldheaded Eastern European male coaches.

rj

Good point.

 

[sr71plt]

Except that most of those bald-headed East European coaches were once gymnasts in their day and are now dispensing guidance obtained through experience.

 

[rjordan]

Except that most of those bald-headed East European coaches were once gymnasts in their day and are now dispensing guidance obtained through experience.

Not entirely true. Even Karolyi was not ever even close to being an Olympic level gymnast. Yet he became an Olympic level coach.

There are many coaches who produce champions in many sports, yet they were not champions themselves.

Editors are not a lot different than coaches. They recognize what it takes to improve without necessarily having that ability themselves.

By the same token, there are certainly Olympic level athletes who would make lousy coaches, and accomplished writers who would be terrible editors.

So maybe a writer one admires may not be the best choice as an editor or advisor.

rj

 

[sr71plt]

They don't have to have been champions to have gathered the experience necessary to coach. It would be interesting to see comprehensive stats rather than just anecdotes. The point is that I think that most of them did it competitively themselves. They didn't start out in the field as bald-headed old men.

I agree that writing and critiquing require a slightly different set of talents, experience, and expertise. I don't see it as an either/or, though. I see folks trying to use an easy button without either talent or expertise in either writing or critiquing. The Internet myth is that everyone's opinion on the Internet is equally valid. It's not. You don't have any more personal knowledge on a subject in relation to anyone else's knowledge on the subject just because you post to the Internet.

 

[jsmiam]

Consider that many of the very best Olympic gymnasts, 100 pound girls barely into their teens, are coached by fat, baldheaded Eastern European male coaches.

rj

Hmmm.. This is giving me a story idea. EXCEPT.. The 100 pound Olympic gymnasts are on the Chinese Olympic team, so they are in fact well over 18 years of age..

And with that attempt at humor, you all now know why I am considering using a second fake alter ego.. ;-)

 

[JKendallDane]

The advice can often stand on its own even from mediocre writers. Perceptive, skilled editors and critics aren't always as skilled at writing. I take advice where I can get it. If I find it useful to me, it is good advice.

Consider that many of the very best Olympic gymnasts, 100 pound girls barely into their teens, are coached by fat, baldheaded Eastern European male coaches.

rj

A rather interesting...and dead-on...set of comments. Especially the bolded part.