Racist Feedback

[jmac8900]

I have not been a member of Literotica for long but I am very turned off by the negative comments said. It's not the fact that they are negative. To be a writer you have to be able to take negative criticism. However it's the fact that the comments do nothing but to insult the author and the story. I've only written 3 stories on this site and from two of them, I have received 2 very racist comments. I couldn't believe it. "More Nigger fantasies?" Are you serious? Who has never had a fantasy about having sex with a teacher? I understand that everyone on this site is 18 or older. I expected that people would give criticism like "edit more" or "add more description", or "get your facts straight." I did not expect a mature audience to act like this.

"Ebonics is not part of the english language? "Go back to school and correct your nigger english."

Anyone who's been in school knows that people talk like that. It's reality. I went to have some type of reality in my stories. I want to make you feel like your right there or understand exactly how it is. I'm going to keep on writing and I plan on becoming a better writer of course. I just hope people become better people. Sex is something we all have in common and not just "niggers".

 

[bailadora]

Unfortunately, there are trolls everywhere and some people think they can check their manners at the door because this is an online format. If you really enjoy writing, I'd encourage you to keep at it and not let the haters get to you. I'm not a writer, but I am an avid reader and my hat's off to anyone who has the creativity and the guts to put something out there. Best of luck to you.

 

[emap]

jmac there is one really simple way to ignore those idiots. Anytime someone insults you or your story idea, simply remember that many people do not like to admit they like whatever fantasy they are commenting on contains. So they bring themselves off and then feel guilty for having done so, sadly nobody ever blames themselves anymore so you are the culprit for their unpure thoughts.

Now if you can't handle the insults you have received already, I am going to suggest you write some non consent/reluctance stories. So far as I have seen the majority of the readers in there are intelligent and care more about who is going to die from aids than anything else.

No seriously the one nonconsent I wrote I got two private feedbacks about how they are both going to die of aids. That was the extent of the negatives that I remember still, though have to say, I didn't receive that much feedback on it anyway.

Also stay far away from loving wives until you get a thicker skin or want to take a ton of abuse. There is a formula for the stories in there to get the fewest negative feedback. Far as I know it is along the lines of, she sleeps around with a black guy, gets pregnant, husband finds out beats her up and her other lover dumps her as well. I think beats her up as well but I don't remember. Pretty sure the highest ranked stories in there are all following the same formula. Besides a couple exceptions, which is actually what is keeping me from writing a loving wife story, I haven't gotten any negative in forever and I keep thinking it will be an exception and loved.

 

[IrezumiKiss]

I have not been a member of Literotica for long but I am very turned off by the negative comments said. It's not the fact that they are negative. To be a writer you have to be able to take negative criticism. However it's the fact that the comments do nothing but to insult the author and the story. I've only written 3 stories on this site and from two of them, I have received 2 very racist comments. I couldn't believe it. "More Nigger fantasies?" Are you serious? Who has never had a fantasy about having sex with a teacher? I understand that everyone on this site is 18 or older. I expected that people would give criticism like "edit more" or "add more description", or "get your facts straight." I did not expect a mature audience to act like this.

"Ebonics is not part of the english language? "Go back to school and correct your nigger english."

Anyone who's been in school knows that people talk like that. It's reality. I went to have some type of reality in my stories. I want to make you feel like your right there or understand exactly how it is. I'm going to keep on writing and I plan on becoming a better writer of course. I just hope people become better people. Sex is something we all have in common and not just "niggers".

Jmac, where is your story or are your stories? Can you link them to here? Because I'm a person of color myself, I definitely have something to say about this, but I don't want to comment until I have read what you've written first.

 

[Remy_James]

Ah, I'm with you Mac, a few months back some troll got to me and I responded with the same condescending tone and suddenly I was the bad guy for pushing back. Whether your a newbie or a vet, regardless of your credentials or style, we all deserve an equal amount of respect and common courtesy rather than attacks or the failure to be turned on by a story.

But trust me, for every troll there are at least a few people who like what you have to say, that was just ONE person and ONE forum that jumped on me, but my stories have received a lot of positive feedback and such so don't get discouraged.

 

[starrkers]

I have not been a member of Literotica for long but I am very turned off by the negative comments said. It's not the fact that they are negative. To be a writer you have to be able to take negative criticism. However it's the fact that the comments do nothing but to insult the author and the story. I've only written 3 stories on this site and from two of them, I have received 2 very racist comments. I couldn't believe it. "More Nigger fantasies?" Are you serious? Who has never had a fantasy about having sex with a teacher? I understand that everyone on this site is 18 or older. I expected that people would give criticism like "edit more" or "add more description", or "get your facts straight." I did not expect a mature audience to act like this.

"Ebonics is not part of the english language? "Go back to school and correct your nigger english."

Anyone who's been in school knows that people talk like that. It's reality. I went to have some type of reality in my stories. I want to make you feel like your right there or understand exactly how it is. I'm going to keep on writing and I plan on becoming a better writer of course. I just hope people become better people. Sex is something we all have in common and not just "niggers".

Sadly you've made a classic error - just because the audience is over 18 doesn't mean they're going to act like adults.

This place is a free-for-all, much like the school playground when the supervising teachers are away. There is a particularly immature group of humanity that enjoys nothing more than knocking others just because they can. This group loves this place - they can hide in anonymity and snipe to their hearts' content.

Because of the anonymous nature of the internet, and sites like this in particular, it seems to bring out the worst in people. They can say any bigotted, racist, sexist, downright stupid thing they want with no comebacks.

Do keep writing, and don't let the stupid comments get you down, but don't hold your breath waiting for the whackos to straighten out

 

[desertslave]

I do hope you'll post a link to your stories so we can read and react for ourselves.

Based solely on what you've posted, and the comments you've shared, I'm going to offer some probably lame insight. Some slang, whether it's racial, regional or even age-related, is going to be difficult for some readers to understand. If it's too challenging, it can get in the way of reading a good story and disrupt the flow of what you're trying to show the reader.

I'm a middle-aged, middle-class white chick who went to a snotty prep school. There's a lot of street language I just don't understand, because I don't have the personal references. Then again, I'm fluent in Penn Dutch, and I wouldn't expect too many people in, say, LA to understand what I'm saying to my family, either.

I've recently gotten totally drawn in to a series of print books by author L.A. Banks. She's a Philly girl (I lived 15 years in the 'burbs there) but we speak VERY different languages, at least in our writing. Her story is so compelling, though, that I've been willing to work hard to understand the conversations. Sometimes I can infer, sometimes I just have to skip over bits and pieces. She's so darned good, though, that she keeps me working for the reward (I'm on the 6th book).

I don't think folks reading what are basically stroke stories are that willing to put in the time. They want a quick fix that doesn't challenge them. Different audience, different needs.

All of that said, however, it's not unreasonable to expect that if a story isn't your thing (as a reader) you should simply move along and find something else, instead of being a jerk about it.

I got a comment on my very first story that had nothing at all to do with the story itself. They flamed me for stuff I shared in my bio. Sheesh!

 

[Oblimo]

Also, many parts of this site are very highly trafficked, and the Literoti of the forums is a very different crowd from the story comment trolls.

 

[Noira]

Exactly why I haven't posted anything up here. Lit--outside the forums--appears to just be a bunch of immature adults looking for a jerk-off story rather than good writing, and most of the writing on here consists of that too. I search for the rare gems, the good writing--and they're not usually on the popular list. The ones I winced at the writing are the ones with tons of WOW SO HOT I CAME TWELVE TIMES feedback.

Meh.

So yeah... mature audience, my ass. The forums have more mature people, more or less... heh... but the reviewers usually aren't. I'm trying to turn my reviewing spirit onto Lit, but I haven't had time to do too many. I love reviewing. Critically, rather than flaming.

Funny, and I'm on the young end of legal. I guess age doesn't determine maturity, eh?

There's always asses. Humanity ain't gonna get better.

Keep writing.

They can't tell you what to do. Write for yourself and not the words of others. There's idiots and trolls everywhere. Ignore them. Keep writing. Find other forums if necessary, to post your writing if you want real criticism rather than trolls. Smaller places will get more personalized comments, I find.

 

[Black Tulip]

Like others have said, don't expect mature behavior because the age is over 18.

Some categories draw more negative comments than others, that's true as well.

However, I have no complaints about the comments from most readers.
I hardly ever get something nasty. Maybe my writing is too middle of the road.

At least you inspired some people to react. Even if it is not in the way you wanted to, your writing did achieve a response.

Just keep writing, if that's what you want to do.

 

[BossySon21a]

jmac there is one really simple way to ignore those idiots. Anytime someone insults you or your story idea, simply remember that many people do not like to admit they like whatever fantasy they are commenting on contains. So they bring themselves off and then feel guilty for having done so, sadly nobody ever blames themselves anymore so you are the culprit for their unpure thoughts.

Also stay far away from loving wives until you get a thicker skin or want to take a ton of abuse. There is a formula for the stories in there to get the fewest negative feedback. Far as I know it is along the lines of, she sleeps around with a black guy, gets pregnant, husband finds out beats her up and her other lover dumps her as well. I think beats her up as well but I don't remember. Pretty sure the highest ranked stories in there are all following the same formula. Besides a couple exceptions, which is actually what is keeping me from writing a loving wife story, I haven't gotten any negative in forever and I keep thinking it will be an exception and loved.

Ain't that the truth.

I've read some very well-written, seriously-crafted stories in LW, not sexual fantasies but often realistically painful and plausible tales with believable characters. Some of them end in plausible reconciliation, some involve a more-or-less plausible revenge scenario, or both, some stories are good and some are not.

But any reconciliation brings screaming abusive cries of 'WIMP!!!'. The question for this bunch can be boiled down to 'If he's not a wimp, why isn't she dead or drug-addicted yet?!"

In any category, though, and for that matter in any sort of forum for stories, sexual or not, there are always morons who think being abusive and insulting makes them look strong, the anonymous format lets them vent their childish hostility 'safely'.

Don't let the idiots get you down!

 

[AchtungNight]

I too have had issues with trolls, but not that many. Here are my recommendations:

- Like others have said, take their words with a grain of salt if at all. You don't write for them anyway, and they've still paid your story attention even if all the stuff they've said is BS. Read the words, acknowledge them, then put them aside, and keep on writing.

- If a troll seems to have intelligent questions or several trolls are making the same remarks in story comments, you can post your own comment on the story in response. Be gentle but firm if you do this and answer the questions honestly and exactly. "I took away Magneto and Rogue's powers because it made sense for the story I wanted to write. I'm sorry you didn't like it, but that's tough. This was my story to tell." Usually when I do this, I think I surprise the trolls and shut them up. Then when they seem to have calmed down, I can delete their comments and mine if they have become irrelevant.

- If trolls send you feedback with a return address, you can ignore or respond to them. Your call. The latter can provide an outlet for your emotion, and if they find your response intelligent or witty enough, you may even turn a troll into a friend (it's happened for me twice). You can also rant at anonymous trolls on these boards- the AH has a thread for that.

- If the complaints you're getting seem to have merit (bad spelling, grammar, plot flow, anything that doesn't just trash the story for no reason) but you can't figure out how to fix the problems, contact a Volunteer Editor. We can help you. Some of us, myself included, will even give feedback and a preliminary vote on your stories. That (IMO) can really help your writing improve.

- Most of all, don't let the bastards get you down. Sometimes complaining is the only kind of feedback people know how to give. Listen to it and then put it aside. Be glad you got the attention. And keep writing as long as you have the will.

 

[champagne1982]

You can also report the poster for slander and hate comments or simply delete the comments if they have no relation to constructive criticism or the story.

 

[eroticweaver]

I have written erotic stories over 10 years and I think I do a pretty decent job since I have studied writing and know how to make it work. I was surprised by the negative comments on my first story I posted here. To me it looked like they wanted to discourage writers and see if they could bully them out of here. Strangely the positive feedbacks came in the form of e-mail messages to me. I think the trolls like to see their nasty comments. Anyway I didn't delete them.

 

[BossySon21a]

Strangely the positive feedbacks came in the form of e-mail messages to me. I think the trolls like to see their nasty comments.

I think that's dead on. I suspect a lot of them have maturity issues, and see their nasty remarks on the screen and think something like, 'I really told him/her! People will think I'm smart!'

 

[tbaycouple]

Trolls are very much like the toilet training child who takes a dump in the bathroom, does not flush, and runs to tell everybody who will listen "Come see what I did!"

Don't make the mistake of thinking these idiots' comments actually have anything to do with you, your writing, African-Americans, or Literotica in general.

These idiots' comments are 100% about *themselves*.

 

[GoddessHathor]

I agree with most said here. Only to add that unfortunately, the trolls will post responses because they need the attention, like a spoiled child. But I find the positive responses are emailed in private or just not posted at all, possibly because they don't want to get flamed themselves.

Just keep on writing, take the good, ignore the bad. And to repeat what some others have said, please post the link so we can read and make educated responses that might be more helpful to you.

GH

 

[AchtungNight]

One more bit of advice- always acknowledge positive feedback. If they leave a method of contact, write them back. Let readers know you appreciate their kind words- in future stories' intros if nothing else. Doing this encourages more positive feedback to come.

 

[xspy4u]

Ego gets in the way

I posted my first erotic story a few days ago and almost immediately got an email with negative feedback Although this was my first public erotic posting, I have had stories and business pieces published, so I'm not new to writing. That should be enough to "ignore" negative attacks (Negative criticism is fine as long as it is actually constructive.) The truth is though, the comments hurt your ego more than anything else. No matter what we may say, we'd all like to think the story we published will be well received. Even if the criticism is just some "troll" that likes to attack writer's I think it's natural to momentarily question your ability. I say don't waste your time. I only read certain types of erotica because I know certain stories just aren't going to be enjoyable to me. Point is even the best writers (best being most sales) don't cater to eveyone. No reason to defend your work - it's your art so it should be a reflection of what you want to share -It should, however, be good in terms of grammar, spelling and plot--that takes work as we all know, so just keeping trying to make your work better. And as a last resort remind your readers that they get what they pay for

 

[lindiana]

You have to learn how not to let them effect you.

When I first started posting stories here, I used to get upset over the negative criticism. But I've developed a thicker skin.

One of the people I most admire in the world had a guest on her show once that said more or less "Mediocrity condemns excellence".

What this means to me is those that are mediocre and have mediocre lives and always will be mediocre try to stop those that attempt to rise above mediocrity.

Picture yourself floating above the ground and those trolls bashing your work have their fingers wrapped around your ankles trying to pull you back down to Earth. You have dared to try to raise above their mediocrity. Therefore they will drag you back down with any weapon they can find...in this context, their words.

Don't let them.

 

[AchtungNight]

"I will speak for you, Father. I speak for all mediocrities in the world. I am their champion. I am their patron saint. Mediocrities everywhere... I absolve you... I absolve you... I absolve you... I absolve you... I absolve you all."
- Antonio Salieri.

 

[Angellika]

I am sorry to hear about racism in Lit. I think we should all respect each other and if you don't like something, don't read it again, change subjent, or make a polite comment to the author. I wirte myself but have never had the guts to upload anything, so I admire you for that. Please don't give up, there are idiots everywhere.

 

[KiLLaGoD]

I have also recieved a fair bit of critism for a story I submitted. At first I bridled a bit at it but after a while I realised that many of the "critiques" were littered with spelling mistakes contained little or no grammar and half the time were not even coherent. One actually said they always gave a zero rating to any story that didn't have a public comment like it was my fault it didn't have a public comment!

I'd be willing to bet at least 90% of the people who hammered my story have never submitted anything themselves.

Look at it this way... my story recieved 7 negative comments. So far over 11,000 people have read that story and it has a rating of 3.87. The way I see it that's not bad for the first story I have ever written and submitted.

Just ignore anyone who is rude about your story!

For anyone interested this is the story that people have rubbished:

http://www.literotica.com/stories/showstory.php?id=382595

http://www.literotica.com/stories/showstory.php?id=383788

 

[matureprofiles]

I am surprised.

I am suprised such hillbillies can read or even know what the internet is, "What did you call me boy"
Racist come in all colors even black people are racist, I live near Atlanta and have encountered some racist black people around here.

 

[jmanque]

The trolls are trying to get you to stop writing. That said, are you going to let them suceed, or not?