From an anonymous commenter...

[TarnishedPenny]

Laurel and Manu strongly discourage online speculation about the mechanics of sweeps. They are concerned that somebody might be close to the bullseye and give clues as to how to evade them. That seems fair to me.

As to whether or not they work, I am convinced they do. I watched my scores being altered/swept during a contest and the changes were both amusing and spectacular. (I say 'amusing' because I was indeed amused thinking of all the work the trolls had invested in one-bombing the story, only to have it all washed away in a few minutes.)

The saddest comment I ever got was along the lines of, "Good story, well-written, great characters. Sadly, I don't like this genre and only gave you a three." Seriously?

 

[MelissaBaby]

I just noticed that this chapter was my 50th submission to Lit.

I never would have dreamed I'd reach that mark when I started out.

 

[lovecraft68]

I just noticed that this chapter was my 50th submission to Lit.

I never would have dreamed I'd reach that mark when I started out.

Congrats!

 

[SimonDoom]

I just noticed that this chapter was my 50th submission to Lit.

I never would have dreamed I'd reach that mark when I started out.

Congratulations!

 

[Rustyoznail]

I just noticed that this chapter was my 50th submission to Lit.

I never would have dreamed I'd reach that mark when I started out.

Congratulations! That's a big achievement.

BTW, I like your new photo with the sun coming over your shoulder.

Cheers

 

[BelleCanzuto]

I just noticed that this chapter was my 50th submission to Lit.

I never would have dreamed I'd reach that mark when I started out.

yay!!

 

[TarnishedPenny]

I just noticed that this chapter was my 50th submission to Lit.

I never would have dreamed I'd reach that mark when I started out.

 

[Bramblethorn]

The saddest comment I ever got was along the lines of, "Good story, well-written, great characters. Sadly, I don't like this genre and only gave you a three." Seriously?

Somewhere around there's a blog that collects bad Amazon reviews. Many of them have absolutely nothing to do with the content - things like "I ordered the wrong movie by mistake, two stars".

 

[JaxRhapsody]

I've seen people argue that authors shouldn't respond to comments, but I wonder if what they really mean is that authors shouldn't argue with the comments. It's not a place to defend one's work.

My take on it is that if we are asking readers to take the time to leave a comment for us, it's very appropriate to respond in kind. You can always let people know at the end of the story that you do respond to comments.

I think that's just as true of comments that are anonymous as those that aren't. Even anonymous commenters may be recognizable from one story to the next. I have one reader who always includes a tagline to let me know, but even without that, you can often tell. I enjoy having a dialog of sorts with the readers, including the anonymous ones, across multiple story chapters. I just preface my comments with Dear Anonymous _______. I fill in the blank with an identifiable phrase from their comment or the title of their comment. Some readers go to the trouble of providing paragraphs of their thoughts, and I think it's appropriate to acknowledge them.

I think responding to readers depends on the site. I don't respond much or at all here, but say FF or AO3, maybe Wattpad, sure.

 

[Emirus]

Laurel and Manu strongly discourage online speculation about the mechanics of sweeps. As to whether or not they work, I am convinced they do.

I watched my scores being altered/swept during a contest and the changes were both amusing and spectacular. (I say 'amusing' because I was indeed amused thinking of all the work the trolls had invested in one-bombing the story, only to have it all washed away in a few minutes.)

The saddest comment I ever got was along the lines of, "Good story, well-written, great characters. Sadly, I don't like this genre and only gave you a three." Seriously?

I think one comment to be made about sweeps is they don’t always work as you would wish them to.

As for the trolls and all their work being washed away I don’t think that’s something a troll considers.

They don’t have to read a story to bomb it, merely skip to the last page, and it probably takes them less than a minute to do each story.

I think they get their kick in the moment they hit the one star button and imagining the subsequent dismay of the writer seeing a story on 4.8 after 5 votes plummet to 4.17 knowing it will put off many people from reading the story, so no votes, therefore more difficult to rise again to where others readers think it should be.

Not a sad comment but one I received from someone who said he didn’t vote, so I’ll take him at his word, was, “I can’t say I enjoyed it but I appreciate the quality of the writing.” The same story also got, “she’s an evil cunt” and “I love the female sadism.”

Many readers in bdsm prefer “nice” characters whereas others don’t. I write about nice, considerate dommes but I also write about unlikeable characters. I won’t be restricted no matter what readers or other writers may think. If you deleted the baddies from books and films what would be left?

 

[NotWise]

Many readers in bdsm prefer “nice” characters whereas others don’t. I write about nice, considerate dommes but I also write about unlikeable characters. I won’t be restricted no matter what readers or other writers may think. If you deleted the baddies from books and films what would be left?

Maybe you should create a "baddy" sub.

 

[NotWise]

I've had a few really fulfilling responses. I had one that shook me a little, and I hope that the reader finds peace with his memories.

 

[MetaBob]

Do you ever gets a comment that goes straight to your heart? This really touched me.

https://i.imgur.com/pCYpST3.png?2



On Mary and Alvin Chapter 34

A very kind, well-deserved comment. Congrats, Melissa.

 

[ElectricBlue]

The saddest comment I ever got was along the lines of, "Good story, well-written, great characters. Sadly, I don't like this genre and only gave you a three." Seriously?

That is just super twatdom. That's an immediate delete from me, and illustrates perfectly the stupidity of some readers - why are they even reading in that category if they don't like it?

And Melissa, well done, you .

 

[MelissaBaby]

Thank you, everyone, for the kind comments.

I had a story that I needed to tell, and I started telling it on Lit, just because I thought this was a place that would let me "get away with it." It was intended to be a sort of do it yourself exorcism, a form of therapy that would help me move forward in my life. I didn't expect many people would read it, but I wasn't concerned about that. The telling was the point, even if I only told it to a few strangers on the internet.

But something happened. My addictive personality finally found something positive and fulfilling to crave. Before my tale was told, I knew I needed to sit at my keyboard every day and make words into worlds.

Some of the people on this thread were there encouraging me from the beginning, and I could not be more grateful.

 

[sirhugs]

Life is just like that, though, isn't it? You don't remember the waitress who gave you great service last week, but that one who dropped a plate in your lap ten years ago is indelibly etched in your mind.

(Says the waitress who has dropped many plates)

I ALWAYS fall in lust with a hot waitress that drops the plate... other hot waitress have to try harder

 

[SisterJezabel]

I think the bombing demonstrates the importance of having a story like that. If it's out of proportion to what you usually get, be proud of the ones attributable to the subject matter!

Yes! This! Also, what a beautiful comment!

 

[SisterJezabel]

A question from an inexperienced writer to all of you who got such thoughtful/emotional comments: Do you kind of reply to those comments? I sometimes see authors adding a comment themselves to put an answer in the list of comments.

Or maybe a question to those who wrote such comments, non-anonymously: Would you like a personal reply?

To be honest I sometimes return to those stories or poems that found a place in my heart to see what other people left in their comments and am always happy to find other well-considered statements.

I gave up after a while- as my grandfather used to say "Never argue with an idiot- they'll drag you down to their level and beat you with experience."

I will sometimes reply via the feedback form if someone has a registered account. I commented on a story a month or so back that was brilliant, but there was one part that jarred with me and I was honest in my comment and said that I couldn't vote because I couldn't give it a 5 in my conscience, but it was still a brilliant story and I didn't want to detract from other voters. The author emailed me and thanked me for my comment and explained a little more.

I hardly ever comment on Anon commenters, except if they have picked up a legitimate mistake- I miscalculated years in my latest story and was out by 10 or so! I was happy to admit I was wrong! I also re-edited another story after I found far too many mistakes and took on some of the feedback I had received.

 

[SisterJezabel]

I just noticed that this chapter was my 50th submission to Lit.

I never would have dreamed I'd reach that mark when I started out.

Awesome achievement! Congrats! (insert streamers and champagne corks popping!)

 

[29wordsforsnow]

I gave up after a while- as my grandfather used to say "Never argue with an idiot- they'll drag you down to their level and beat you with experience."

Hope the contrary is true as well, "Talk with those that lift you up, they may add something beautiful to your life." I'm still on the more innocent side of receiving very positive comments, yet. But I've seen stories of friends - thanks Lit by the way, for providing this platform to find these pearls of people - especially those that got lots of attention.

I will sometimes reply via the feedback form if someone has a registered account. I commented on a story a month or so back that was brilliant, but there was one part that jarred with me and I was honest in my comment and said that I couldn't vote because I couldn't give it a 5 in my conscience, but it was still a brilliant story and I didn't want to detract from other voters. The author emailed me and thanked me for my comment and explained a little more.

Of course, we all would like 5.00 votings, but I think even a four-star rating is still very positive - a motivation to try and improve the next time - while a one-star...mmh...I don't know does it show ignorance, jealousy?

And yes, from a reader wise view I really, really appreciated that one author who replied to a direct feedback - unfortunately she left Lit later.

The best feedback, even an discussion I got from an author I had the pleasure to edit some stories who even let me have a glimpse how he wrote a story and even included some advice on the fly. I think that's what the dislikers & haters usually forget that it does take a lot of time and effort to make those stories, poems and artworks, quite sad.

I hardly ever comment on Anon commenters, except if they have picked up a legitimate mistake- I miscalculated years in my latest story and was out by 10 or so! I was happy to admit I was wrong! I also re-edited another story after I found far too many mistakes and took on some of the feedback I had received.

Thanks, I'll try to keep that in mind.

 

[lovecraft68]

I've written a small handful of romances, although only one is in that category, two are in mature, one is first time, and have gotten some touching comments. I've had a few that were along the same lines, and I'm paraphrasing

"Thank you, this is exactly what I needed right now" then a little about them being in a tough place.

Sometimes people are walking a fine line between hope and despair and anything that can get them to lean the right way is a good thing, and its nice to know that even though this is seen as a smut site that there are stories here who have picked people up when they've needed it, and made a difference in their day and hopefully beyond.

On the reverse I've gotten some nice comments that had good timing because I wasn't in a great place myself, and hearing someone enjoyed or was touched by your work can help us as well.

The there's the insults and death threats

 

[ElectricBlue]

"Thank you, this is exactly what I needed right now" then a little about them being in a tough place.

Sometimes people are walking a fine line between hope and despair and anything that can get them to lean the right way is a good thing, and its nice to know that even though this is seen as a smut site that there are stories here who have picked people up when they've needed it, and made a difference in their day and hopefully beyond.

This. One of my most treasured comments was from a woman who wrote, "Thank you for writing. Your stories give me a safe haven." Simple words, but so full of meaning.

Words make a difference - it's a humbling thought, and makes me work that little bit harder.

 

[SpindleTop]

This was the first comment on the final chapter of my First Time series:

im so fucking sad its over
ive followed this series since it started. i checked the site everyday for a new chapter and was always so happy when a new one was released. thank you so much to the author, who has let this ugly, awkward boy sitting at his computer at least have the chance to dream about romance and sex. it wasnt just about the sex (although that was a huge part). it was about the idealistic yet realistic and exciting romance. this was and will always be my favorite literotica series. ill miss it more than you can know.

It was really heartwarming to know that my work had inspired someone's imagination.

I generally don't respond to 'thank you'-type comments (or 'look at me, I've found a typo' harrumphing), but if readers ask questions about the plot or characters, or give constructive feedback and suggestions, then I post a reply.

--
My stories: https://www.literotica.com/stories/memberpage.php?uid=5133214&page=submissions
My latest chapter: https://www.literotica.com/s/tybalt-and-juliet-ch-15

 

[29wordsforsnow]

The there's the insults and death threats

Really?

 

[MelissaBaby]

I've written a small handful of romances, although only one is in that category, two are in mature, one is first time, and have gotten some touching comments. I've had a few that were along the same lines, and I'm paraphrasing

"Thank you, this is exactly what I needed right now" then a little about them being in a tough place.

Sometimes people are walking a fine line between hope and despair and anything that can get them to lean the right way is a good thing, and its nice to know that even though this is seen as a smut site that there are stories here who have picked people up when they've needed it, and made a difference in their day and hopefully beyond.

On the reverse I've gotten some nice comments that had good timing because I wasn't in a great place myself, and hearing someone enjoyed or was touched by your work can help us as well.

The there's the insults and death threats

What? No "show us your titties" comments?