Scoring Question: Snipers

[PandemicReader8]

Another Litster shared something with me that seems just too bizarre to be true.

Around 1 Bombs. I understand the drama in LW around 1 Bombs. But is it a known practice/occurence for Lit Authors or their followers - the Litster used the term minion, which I love, but it suggests organization - to 1 Star a story to lower its performance in a category at some point in the month, for the purpose of helping the other author?

What would even be the point?

 

[TarnishedPenny]

There is some sad history involved, with allegations of cabals, vote-rigging, etc. Before my time, but I've heard it from a number of others. The site stepped in and (pretty much) put an end to such nonsense.

 

[SirBurnInside]

Nothing would surprise me on the Internet, so if it were true I'd just shrug.

As for the why, I long ago gave up trying to find reason for what people do here on Lit. Some people are really insecure and feel a need to remedy that via their story scores or positions, others are just arseholes who want to watch the world burn, and there is all sorts inbetween too.

I do suspect there is lots of score manipulation going on, one person could theoretically have a hundred accounts and spend an hour or more giving their own new story a 5* on each one to juice the rating, or they could hit another author they dislike with a hundred 1* to kill theirs, and whilst that is an extremely example it probably isn't that far wrong in some cases.

 

[Euphony]

There is some sad history involved, with allegations of cabals, vote-rigging, etc. Before my time, but I've heard it from a number of others. The site stepped in and (pretty much) put an end to such nonsense.

It was as Wild West as you say. Not quite murders in the streets but every now and again, accusations with as best as could be reasonably expected from someone else's private site evidence was offered.

There were some people who were suffering clear mental illness over scores/positions/number of stories, whatever stat their off kilter mind obsessed over.

And this doesn't even get into the persona's people would take on. You were left to wonder if genuine schizophrenia was going on.

I understand people's "it's not fair" frustrations but there used to be way more lawlessness. Doesn't make today's right but we all have our own filters/lenses and mine is tuned to the insanities of old.

 

[PandemicReader8]

And this doesn't even get into the persona's people would take on. You were left to wonder if genuine schizophrenia was going on.

Wow. I didn't expect that.

 

[Seadog777]

I don't break confidences.
I've had a few fellow authors tell me that shit like that still goes on.
It didn't surprise me at all to hear that either.

Let's all be honest as well.
We all want to see that Red "H".
We all want to have as high as score as possible.
I've heard stories about some authors who seemed to have their self-esteem tied up here, and when something they wrote wasn't received well, they would just lose their minds.

Nothing surprises me anymore.

 

[KeithD]

Another Litster shared something with me that seems just too bizarre to be true.

Around 1 Bombs. I understand the drama in LW around 1 Bombs. But is it a known practice/occurence for Lit Authors or their followers - the Litster used the term minion, which I love, but it suggests organization - to 1 Star a story to lower its performance in a category at some point in the month, for the purpose of helping the other author?

What would even be the point?

To help another story do better and/or to sabotage the work of someone you don't like. (Was this a trick question?)

 

[PandemicReader8]

To help another story do better and/or to sabotage the work of someone you don't like. (Was this a trick question?)

No. It just makes little sense.

 

[AwkwardlySet]

Another Litster shared something with me that seems just too bizarre to be true.

Around 1 Bombs. I understand the drama in LW around 1 Bombs. But is it a known practice/occurence for Lit Authors or their followers - the Litster used the term minion, which I love, but it suggests organization - to 1 Star a story to lower its performance in a category at some point in the month, for the purpose of helping the other author?

What would even be the point?

Hall of Fame top list sniping is something that is being done all the time. To repeat what has been said many times - story ratings are so inflated that the power of 1* or even 2* is very big indeed. If your story ends up somewhere in the all time Hall of Fame top ten or so, you can be damn sure someone will snipe you sooner or later. It is easily recognizable if you observe your ratings and number of votes regularly. It happened to me several times, and as soon as my story tumbled down the list below let's say top ten or twenty, the sniping stopped. I don't really care that much about the position of my story on that list in the sense of story quality, as ratings are a very bad way to determine it, but being in top ten Hall of Fame does give much better exposure to your story, and that is something I find truly regrettable and it does irk me when somebody snipes me so shamelessly. Yet nothing can really be done about it. It is just a consequence of human nature and the fallacies of the voting system that is currently in use. It does prevent me from even considering to participate in Lit's contests. People will say that the swipes are much more thorough during contests, but there is no way they can cover a determined voter(s) who is also being smart about it. Some things are really not worth the annoyance they would cause.

 

[PandemicReader8]

Hall of Fame top list sniping is something that is being done all the time. To repeat what has been said many times - story ratings are so inflated that the power of 1* or even 2* is very big indeed. If your story ends up somewhere in the all time Hall of Fame top ten or so, you can be damn sure someone will snipe you sooner or later. It is easily recognizable if you observe your ratings and number of votes regularly. It happened to me several times, and as soon as my story tumbled down the list below let's say top ten or twenty, the sniping stopped. I don't really care that much about the position of my story on that list in the sense of story quality, as ratings are a very bad way to determine it, but being in top ten Hall of Fame does give much better exposure to your story, and that is something I find truly regrettable and it does irk me when somebody snipes me so shamelessly. Yet nothing can really be done about it. It is just a consequence of human nature and the fallacies of the voting system that is currently in use. It does prevent me from even considering to participate in Lit's contests. People will say that the swipes are much more thorough during contests, but there is no way they can cover a determined voter(s) who is also being smart about it. Some things are really not worth the annoyance they would cause.

Thank you. This makes sense. I'd not considered the Top lists.

 

[MelissaBaby]

Hall of Fame top list sniping is something that is being done all the time. To repeat what has been said many times - story ratings are so inflated that the power of 1* or even 2* is very big indeed. If your story ends up somewhere in the all time Hall of Fame top ten or so, you can be damn sure someone will snipe you sooner or later. It is easily recognizable if you observe your ratings and number of votes regularly. It happened to me several times, and as soon as my story tumbled down the list below let's say top ten or twenty, the sniping stopped. I don't really care that much about the position of my story on that list in the sense of story quality, as ratings are a very bad way to determine it, but being in top ten Hall of Fame does give much better exposure to your story, and that is something I find truly regrettable and it does irk me when somebody snipes me so shamelessly. Yet nothing can really be done about it. It is just a consequence of human nature and the fallacies of the voting system that is currently in use. It does prevent me from even considering to participate in Lit's contests. People will say that the swipes are much more thorough during contests, but there is no way they can cover a determined voter(s) who is also being smart about it. Some things are really not worth the annoyance they would cause.

It's happened to me as well. And, I can tell you, once you've won an award, the one bombscome out. If you ever look at a story that has a blue W and wondered how it won with such a low score, you can pretty much be assured that it had a higher story at the time it won.

 

[Grendelpuppy]

I get one bombed and castigated by the Burn The Butch trolls. It is irritating but unimportant. However; their nasty comments have driven away some really good authors. They are particularly vicious towards female authors who write Loving Wives stories. I have now developed the habit of usually voting positive and leave encouraging comments.

 

[ElectricBlue]

There is some sad history involved, with allegations of cabals, vote-rigging, etc. Before my time, but I've heard it from a number of others. The site stepped in and (pretty much) put an end to such nonsense.

Yes, when I first joined Lit and came into the AH (back in 2014) I caught the tail end of the Contest Wars. Every contest, the feral behaviour, vote stacking, hostile threads were beyond belief. There were several cabals of writers, fans, fuckwits, that would appear out of their dens, throw their bile around, then disappear.

The AHMod was introduced early in 2015 IIRC, and it settled down, the sweeps were introduced, and the worst offenders disappeared.

 

[Bazzle]

I get so few votes, that 1 bombs sink my stories.
I know it's the minority, but still it hurts.

 

[Seadog777]

My "Marriage and Depression Series" is pissing off both the BTB and the RAAC crowd at the same time.

 

[TarnishedPenny]

My "Marriage and Depression Series" is pissing off both the BTB and the RAAC crowd at the same time.

Well, then you know it’s well-written, right?

 

[TarnishedPenny]

I get so few votes, that 1 bombs sink my stories.
I know it's the minority, but still it hurts.

You’ve got some good scores, but most of your tales are in Fetish, which draws relatively few readers. A change of neighbourhood might change things - your call, of course.

 

[Seadog777]

Well, then you know it’s well-written, right?

Pissing them both off, is just icing on the cake.

They have no idea where I'm going with it.
The comments and emails are so worth it too.

 

[Emotional]

It's happened to me as well. And, I can tell you, once you've won an award, the one bombscome out. If you ever look at a story that has a blue W and wondered how it won with such a low score, you can pretty much be assured that it had a higher story at the time it won.

I didnt know this was a thing, but happened to me. My Halloween story with a 4.92 Within a week it was 1 bombed to a 4.86

 

[ElectricBlue]

I didnt know this was a thing, but happened to me. My Halloween story with a 4.92 Within a week it was 1 bombed to a 4.86

Probably not one bombing, more likely a handful of fours. 4.92 is the unnaturally high score, 4.86 is far more credible.

 

[Seadog777]

I didnt know this was a thing, but happened to me. My Halloween story with a 4.92 Within a week it was 1 bombed to a 4.86

Seriously.....you're complaining about a 4.86 ......The never of some folks

 

[MelissaBaby]

Seriously.....you're complaining about a 4.86 ......The never of some folks

The difference between 4.92 and 4.86 could be the difference between whether or not you get a Reader's Choice award.

 

[Seadog777]

The difference between 4.92 and 4.86 could be the difference between whether or not you get a Reader's Choice award.

It was a joke.
Hence the "winking face and laughing face".

 

[Emotional]

Seriously.....you're complaining about a 4.86 ......The never of some folks

Not complaining at all, just thought it was strange since she mentioned it was a normal thing.

 

[Seadog777]

Not complaining at all, just thought it was strange since she mentioned it was a normal thing.

I was just joking with you about it.
I'd love to have a story in the 4.8's