Afraid to Speak Out???

[Master_Vassago]

Recently I have found that this um "friend" I have has a little problem. Whenever this "friend" speaks their mind all over different forums any new story they post get ones or really lower than normal scores.

Could this be the result of speaking ones mind in forums and pissing people off. It hasn't happened for a little while but I am interested in others thoughts on it.

I hope everyone is above it but seriously, do you ever read a post and then think what an asshole about that person and the next story they post that you read is tainted with the thoughts of that post?

I can only say that I have had the urge to lash out at one author here and I managed to restrain myself from opening their next posted piece of work because I knew that I would give them a one or two simply on my own personal dislike for that person and not their work.

I like using the forums though and I refuse to let scores bother me. I got over that a while ago. While it would be nice to have a top story or win a contest I just love to write and am trying to get better at it. So votes really don't mean anything, the feedbacks though I put some stock in.

Ok everyone I just want to know if you sometimes bite your tongue and don't post because your afraid of story trashing. I know a few who will answer, "hell no I'm not afraid of posting anything."

Let's see, KM, Chicklet, Sve--that swedish girl, and a few others will undoubtedly say they would post their thoughts freely and anywhere. That's what I love about these women. Also pops and dirtman seem relatively prepared to post at will about anything when they see the need.

Oh and in know what can I forget that crazy MathGirl. She is absolutely one of the most outspoken rudest wenches I know. And as for her alter ego well that is what gives trailer trash their good name. . Actually MG, I think you're great. And as soon as I closed this post I knew you were forgotten and wondered if you would single yourself out while I was away.

Hurray to all of you and I hope it's safe to make that above assumption. Ok I am interested in seeing responses so I'm off to post this now.

 

[oggbashan]

Story bashing

Yes. It has been discussed recently.

If an author posts about their work some delightful people vote it down.

Once a story gets past 10 votes and the score is visible, it can get hammered by "1" votes.

Some of my work is written to irritate, so I expect low scores. "Donna" in "Erotic Horror" is intended to make the readers think. Perhaps that is what is horrifying

Why do people vote against a story? Their motivation is obscure.

I had the number one spot for a few hours with a perfect five for one story. Now it is falling fast at 4.68 and probably aiming for my average of between 4.00 and 4.20. The 5.00 was a fluke and didn't represent its true worth. But what is its worth? I, the author, don't think it is my best.

The voting scores matter less than constructive feedback.

On another thread there is a discussion on what is erotica and what is porn. I aim to write stories that some readers might find erotic. Many will find my work long, boring and a turn-off. I don't expect most of them to persevere to the last Lit page to give it a vote. There are advantages to being long-winded.

Og

 

[MathGirl]

Let's see, KM, Chicklet, Sve--that swedish girl, and a few others will undoubtedly say they would post their thoughts freely and anywhere. That's what I love about these women. Also pops and dirtman seem relatively prepared to post at will about anything when they see the need.

I'm sure glad I'm not on that list. Above all, I try to be sweet.
MG

 

[TheEarl]

I hate pissing people off on a general principle. I don't want to be anyone's enemy. However I'm not afraid of speaking out on the chance that someone will bomb my scores. I love my scores, I really do, but childish 1 bombing won't affect me that much. It says a hell of a lot about the person doing it and nothing about my story.

The Earl

 

[Pookie]

In the past 2-3 weeks, I have been posting in the General forum a good bit. I never used to go outside of the AH. Once in awhile I would post in the Story Feedback or Story Ideas forums. But I have been getting involved in some "discussions" lately with some members that post alot in the General forum. I haven't posted anything new recently to Lit, so I don't know how it would affect my scoring in that regard.

The scores on my existing stories though have been inching up over the past few months. I did get 1'ed late last week by someone, but Laurel took care of that for me as it was very targeted 1's on two chapters that happened to be high on one of the top lists. But overall, the scores have stayed the same or inched up since I began posting more in the General forum.


Pookie

 

[Master_Vassago]

Thank! Oh this isn't one of those oh my god I got a one threads. It is more to the point are you afraid what you say in the forums might get your works voted down.

But I like the ideas thus far. MG, you knowI have fixed that for you I thought about you just as I closed that post but it has been fixed. JUST FOR YOU!

 

[violent intimacy]

Apologies for this off-topic question here... how do you know when you get a 1 vote for a story? Or are you just guessing at it when you see your average fall?

Cheers =)

 

[Master_Vassago]

I had a score of five then down to a three with one vote. and then gasp even lower. I didn't really care though because the feedbacks I got from it were awesome.

 

[Chicklet]

Thank! Oh this isn't one of those oh my god I got a one threads. It is more to the point are you afraid what you say in the forums might get your works voted down.

Since you've already figured me out I guess I can't respond to that one ; )

But a word for everyone

The *FEW* people on lit who *would* vote you down are too insignificant to count. Check out the # of reads on all your stories. Look how many people are reading your works. People who will never register to lit, and users who will never come to the forums, and participants who will never come across your posts are reading your stuff. That's great, don't you think? So a couple of people get pissed off at you for dumb reasons, because you're a democrat or because you voted for Bush, and they go and give you 1's - that's so dumb. Does it matter? When you start participating in the forums on lit, and especially when you start hanging out in the AH with all of us, you have to look around at all the people and think to yourself "Do I want to get involved or would I rather just sit and stare at my scores as they wobble up and down?" - Is it more important to you to hang out here, or to make sure that no one has any idea what kind of a person you are so that nothing but your talent can be voted for in your work.

I have to say that I've never voted a 1 on *anyone's* story, and i've never given a bad score to someone that pissed me off on the boards. When people post links to their stories, I check them out, but I don't see the link as a revenge for a nasty comment thrown my way.

We've got to work on disconnecting the two worlds in our minds. This side of lit, the forums, to me, is far different than the side where I have 97 stories and poems posted for the world to see. I don't even check my scores anymore, honestly, but when I did, if something went down, it never even crossed my mind that it was because of something I said. I hope it never does cross my mind like that.

Take a tic-tac, my version of a chill-pill, and just have fun, however having fun works for you. If posting here is fun, then do it! If saying what you think is fun, then do it! If sitting in front of the screen for an hour re-writing your post until it can't offend any person or group of people so that no one will take offense or go find you and harass you is fun, then do that. your choice. And honestly, if anyone condems you for it, it'll only be one or two people on Lit. Overall, I think the group of us are pretty cool.

Chicklet

 

[Chicklet]

Apologies for this off-topic question here... how do you know when you get a 1 vote for a story? Or are you just guessing at it when you see your average fall?

Cheers =)

those better at arithmatic than myself can do the math and figure out how many of each number they needed to get the score they have with the number of votes they have. personally, I'd rather think to myself that everyone meant to give me a 5 and some people thought 1 was the highest = ) CHICKLET'S # 1 !!!! (that's what they're thinking)

 

[Chicklet]

I had a score of five then down to a three with one vote. and then gasp even lower. I didn't really care though because the feedbacks I got from it were awesome.

see, that's all that matters. the one's who really care write, and those are the only votes that count to me.

 

[jfinn]

The *FEW* people on lit who *would* vote you down are too insignificant to count. Check out the # of reads on all your stories. Look how many people are reading your works. People who will never register to lit, and users who will never come to the forums, and participants who will never come across your posts are reading your stuff. That's great, don't you think? So a couple of people get pissed off at you for dumb reasons, because you're a democrat or because you voted for Bush, and they go and give you 1's - that's so dumb. Does it matter? When you start participating in the forums on lit, and especially when you start hanging out in the AH with all of us, you have to look around at all the people and think to yourself "Do I want to get involved or would I rather just sit and stare at my scores as they wobble up and down?" - Is it more important to you to hang out here, or to make sure that no one has any idea what kind of a person you are so that nothing but your talent can be voted for in your work.

Take a tic-tac, my version of a chill-pill, and just have fun, however having fun works for you. If posting here is fun, then do it! If saying what you think is fun, then do it! If sitting in front of the screen for an hour re-writing your post until it can't offend any person or group of people so that no one will take offense or go find you and harass you is fun, then do that. your choice. And honestly, if anyone condems you for it, it'll only be one or two people on Lit. Overall, I think the group of us are pretty cool.

Chicklet

Well said Chicklet! Like you and the rest of the people who've answered this thread, I don't think I've ever given anyone here a one and I'd certainly never do it because of something that someone said on the board. That would make no sense and really isn't at all productive. If I disagree with someone I'll just tell them, voting an anonymous one isn't going to get my point across, but that will.

I also don't think it's ever happened to me. However, I have noticed that my scores can fluctuate not only when I post on the board, but also any time extra attention is drawn to one of my stories. For instance I got a Readers Choice thingy in January on one of the chapters of a series of mine. As soon as that news was advertised the scores dropped. And when Laurel put that lovely little green E after the title of my latest story I found that it ended up not being rated nearly as high as my other stuff.

But you know, I don't necessarily think this is because a few mean-spirited trolls went out there and deliberately voted me down. My theory is that any time you promote or get promoted on a site it means that people who might never read you under normal conditions will now take a look. That's a great thing because you can generate a bigger following, but it also means that some people won't like it either. Those people vote too, especially now because in some way they've been told that this is what's good and since they disagree they want to get their point across.

I have no problem with this. It's the nature of putting your work out for public consumption. I'm just glad that enough people like it to validate my continuing to write.

I like hanging out here. I like being able to express an opinion and if sometimes that gets me in hot water so be it. But I don't really worry about any controversies on the board generating poor scores on my stories and I really don't think that's ever happened or if it has, not enough to justify me curbing my posts.
Instead, I'll just concentrate on what I get out of being a member here, which is a lot of fun along with some great information that I think has helped me become a better writer.

Jayne

 

[sack_lunches]

I'd just like to say that I've been voting on stories for a lot longer than I've been a member, and every time I saw one of you say something on a forum with which I didn't agree, I went immediately to your most recent story (worth the research to find it), and pummelled you with ones. There, that'll teach you mofos!

Really, though, I see the Master's point. It's easy to see when someone might be vindictive, but it's harder to see when someone might be making a mistake (though the voting scale is labeled, after all--don't literate people vote for the stories?). All in all, though, unless it's one of the gods of this site, I think the user might find it more trouble than it's worth to run out and just vote a story down for spite. Vote it down for grammar, for taste, or for content, sure, or maybe for a lack of sex... hehe; just kidding.

Maybe it's just me, but I don't have time for shit like that.

I hope it's not for spite, MV. I would like to know why my scores literally plummeted two days before voting ended, though... hmmm... Whatever.

 

[pop_54]

Hi all

No way would I ever vote on a story with evil in mind, when I vote I do so as honestly as possible, nothing anyone here could say could influence me to be vindictive on the voting front.

Second point, I don't let offending folks worry me, if it has to be said, I say it, story votes and or personal feelings don't enter my head.

On the rare occasion I publicly disagree with someone or something posted, it is never with any feeling of animosity toward the human person posting said item, it's just the opinions of that person that I may disagree with.

I love you all darlings, Oh alright guys, no tongues

pops..............

 

[hiddenself]

I'd just like to say that I've been voting on stories for a lot longer than I've been a member, and every time I saw one of you say something on a forum with which I didn't agree, I went immediately to your most recent story (worth the research to find it), and pummelled you with ones. There, that'll teach you mofos!

Right. But... Occasional posts do motivate me to look up someone's stories. I rarely give high scores, so chances are that you'll get a 3 or lower from me. In general, posts may draw to your stories readers outside your usual "clientelle," who are more likely to give you lower scores. I don't discount the possibility of some malicious voting, but it's probably too few people to matter in the long run.
hs

 

[Guest]

a lot more tact

MV-

Interesting question. I have moderated what I have said on a thread because of fear of offending someone and having them "come after" me. As all of you gasp in horror, I will clarify.

In person I am what my mother calls "tactless". If something is lousy, very few people are in any doubt over my opinion. The same is true if something is wonderful.

I have moderated my posts on the Story Feedback Board for the sake of consideration, but also out of fear of coming across as a know-it-all bitch. The temptation could be very strong for someone to read a hyper-critical post and think "What a self-righteous prig! Her writing isn't that great! I'll show her."

Does this happen? I don't know. But I feel like my house turns to glass every time I say something critical about another's work.

Hence, I will withhold some comments for the sake of safety, or, if I feel compelled to critique, I will do it in a PM.

There are some authors that I know "can handle the truth", and I feel no compunction of ripping them in public , but I am aware that others read the comments too and could get the wrong idea about me.

Because we all know that I am just the sweetest thing.

b

 

[Couture]

Here's a good way to do it Vassago.

Fuck you <Insert fellow board member name here>! I've had just about enough of your shit.


And please-please-please, whatever you do. Don't pull up my stories and rate them a five. I'm an underachiever and I've really grown used to having my stories rate a 1.5 or below.

Thanks.

 

[KillerMuffin]

I used to care about my scores, but it became pretty much blatantly obvious that I'll never really get beyond mediocre vote scores anyway. "Loved the story! I didn't cum, gave you a three." *shrugs*

I rarely moderate my mouth around here. I'm relatively certain that I've had my stories attacked because of things I've said in the forums. I have 67 pieces of work up, some of them well over two years old and they rarely, if ever, get opened, so when everything suddenly drops, it's a pretty good guess that's because someone is out for my personally, not because someone is stupid enough to click open KM story after KM story after KM story when they didn't like any of them. Most people find an author they can't stand, they just don't read that person anymore. Considering that these scoring events usually happen after one of my fights, it's an easy conclusion to make. Doesn't mean it's correct.

Most of my drops in score, well, I attribute them to a voter who didn't like the story for whatever reason. I've found that this reason gives me the most peace. I'm aware that some of the votes have been fraudulent because my scores raised up inexplicably once, but most of the time, if I even notice a drop, I imagine it's a voter who felt I deserved it. Since I get paid for my abilities with the English language, I could really give a fuck less.

I've provided links to my author page so people I got into it with would have an easier time exacting revenge. When my scores drop like that, it means I won. Heh.

 

[gauchecritic]

When I first began posting hereabouts I threw a very big bucket of shit over someone who had been really mean to someone asking for critique/guidance/help. I couldn't stand back. Not only was I mean in return, on behalf of this person, I also hadn't the faintest idea who I was talking to. (Perhaps that should be; to whom I was speaking). I was as vicious about this person as they had been. I even went to the trouble of reading a couple of his/her stories so I could find ammunition (which I did before I posted)

Did I vote them down there and then? No

Did they seek me out and vote me down? Haven't the foggiest.

Will I vote them down if I ever read any of their stories? I've forgotten who they are.

As Chicky says; We have to disconnect. I have no problem doing that at all. I can barely remember who I spoke with 2 days ago.

I've said it before and I'll say it again, I post here because I like argueing.

I will say however that since that first time I've taken great pains to let everyone know on the boards that I am

Gauche

 

[Master_Vassago]

Well I got just the responses I had expected. Everyone pretty much agrees on this point though and that's cool.

I for one will never bite My tongue simply because that's just not Me. I've been under the microscope and defended My work on the boards as well as spoken freely when I feel passionate about something or just want to add My take. I just wanted to get a feel for how as a whole we all feel about this. Or if I was just getting paranoid.

Also Chicklet thanks to you for putting things much more eloquently than I could.

KM, I simply love your persona as a whole and you ROCK, but where the hell is the link to your stories now?

Bridget, I have never read anything negative from you maybe I should go back and brush up on some of your postings.

As for the rest of you that responded thanks. I don't have a specific person in mind that would be doing evil now, I was just out to get some opinions.
Thanks to you all again.

 

[Svenskaflicka]

Let's see, KM, Chicklet, Sve--that swedish girl, and a few others will undoubtedly say they would post their thoughts freely and anywhere. That's what I love about these women.

It's so hard to be offended that you can't even write my name, even less pronounce it, when you're giving me such a sweet compliment at the same time...

 

[Master_Vassago]

Actually Svenskaflicka I can spell your name I just prefer to refer to you as that Swedish girl. Besides I admire your pizzazz.

Side note, I usually prefer to post after you so I make sure not to goof your name though.

 

[MathGirl]

Caveat

Side note, I usually prefer to post after you so I make sure not to goof your name though.

Just don't call her "Sven."
MG

 

[Master_Vassago]

I took note of that on a different thread MG hehe. I wouldn't want to end up being placed on ignore forever by our Hogwarts mistress to show up in the U.S. simply on a mission to bash My thick skull in with some romantic device that I am sure she would be brandishing.

Actually, I find a lot more women post here without worry a lot more than men do. Or maybe that is just because I generally only prefer to stick to threads that have a familiar name as the latest posted or thread starter.

Maybe I should venture out into other posting areas more often lol.

 

[Guest]

where's the application?

Okay, I want to know how to become a member of the Master_Vassago harem.

Is there an application process that I missed?

b