The AH Coffee Shop and Reading Room 09

[MrPixel]

I felt like I was missing out, since I haven’t gotten any of those bot DMs you were talking about, but no more!

I just had some clearly bot account say hello and ask how was my day. It was quite alright, thank you very much, and I wish you a prompt meeting with the moderators

OK. I received a note from Laurel after letting her know what was happening. She requested we give her account names of suspected AI bots so she can remove them. Common to the bots I identified was allegedly female, and their user "subtitle" - you know, "Virgin", "Experienced", "Literotica Guru" - was "Divorced". All had "member since:" dates that were new (obviously).

It may turn into a case of draining the ocean with a teaspoon, but we have to fight back somehow.

 

[MrPixel]

I wonder what's in it for them. I think that in the past similar ploys have been used to plant advertising.

Yeah. Possibly "plants" to use at a later date to deploy spam attacks, but IMO mostly to snag the unwary 1:10,000 dolt into an "pal" exchange for eventual extortion. AI in general is becoming quite the useful tool for scammers now.

 

[NotWise]

OK. I received a note from Laurel after letting her know what was happening. She requested we give her account names of suspected AI bots so she can remove them. Common to the bots I identified was allegedly female, and their user "subtitle" - you know, "Virgin", "Experienced", "Literotica Guru" - was "Divorced". All had "member since:" dates that were new (obviously).

It may turn into a case of draining the ocean with a teaspoon, but we have to fight back somehow.

Mine came from Sunsower and BloodyMary37

 

[iwatchus]

Mine came from Sunsower and BloodyMary37

Mine were Sunsower and KittenTwist

 

[GrantBricksly]

I don't know...she's a main character in the first book...and it just feels weird that i didn't do it during her introduction... And doing it now in the second book, feels even more weird, and awkward...

 

[iwatchus]

Many of your readers will have read the first book before you can get the edit in place. So you kind of need to deal with that somehow. It's why if I was doing this I would be likely to have a character joke about never knowing the name, kind of as teasing myself. But bring the reader in on the joke and all is forgiven. At least that would be my hope.

 

[NotWise]

I don't know...she's a main character in the first book...and it just feels weird that i didn't do it during her introduction... And doing it now in the second book, feels even more weird, and awkward...

You gotten this far without giving her a last name. Does she really need one?

 

[TarnishedPenny]

Gee, I’m almost feeling sad that I’ve been ignored.

Almost.

 

[GrantBricksly]

You gotten this far without giving her a last name. Does she really need one?

She definitely does now. I got to a point where she was being introduced in a professional setting... and it just didn't make sense to not introduce her with a full first and last name...that was when i realized he didn't have a last name...

Plus, literally EVERY other character (especially the main ones) have last names. And she interacts with them A LOT. Like a TON. Not just regular interaction, but sex scenes, the whole nine yards...Obviously the last name doesn't come up in every conversation...it probably only needs to be used 2-3 times in total... but, if I am going to make all the other main characters well rounded...she should be no different... she deserves a last name...and a backstory, and everything. She deserves the same respect and treatment that the rest of my characters got.

Hell, even a one and done character that literally only existed for a total of 3-4 paragraphs got a last name....How I let her slip through the cracks like this...I do not know...

 

[NotWise]

She definitely does now. I got to a point where she was being introduced in a professional setting... and it just didn't make sense to not introduce her with a full first and last name...that was when i realized he didn't have a last name...

Plus, literally EVERY other character (especially the main ones) have last names. And she interacts with them A LOT. Like a TON. Not just regular interaction, but sex scenes, the whole nine yards...Obviously the last name doesn't come up in every conversation...it probably only needs to be used 2-3 times in total... but, if I am going to make all the other main characters well rounded...she should be no different... she deserves a last name...and a backstory, and everything. She deserves the same respect and treatment that the rest of my characters got.

Hell, even a one and done character that literally only existed for a total of 3-4 paragraphs got a last name....How I let her slip through the cracks like this...I do not know...

It's pretty easy to imagine a scenario like @iwatchus proposed. If she's literally being introduced, say something like "This is Dr... I'm sorry, Ann. What's your last name?" and just go on from there.

 

[ElectricBlue]

She definitely does now. I got to a point where she was being introduced in a professional setting... and it just didn't make sense to not introduce her with a full first and last name...that was when i realized he didn't have a last name...

Just fix it in that scene. To rework an entire book to insert a full name is absurd. You've got this far without a full name, you clearly didn't need one earlier on. Readers won't even notice.

Plus, literally EVERY other character (especially the main ones) have last names. And she interacts with them A LOT. Like a TON. Not just regular interaction, but sex scenes, the whole nine yards...Obviously the last name doesn't come up in every conversation...it probably only needs to be used 2-3 times in total...

So your sex scenes are always Harry Jones fucked Sally Bowles, every time? That's even more absurd.

but, if I am going to make all the other main characters well rounded...she should be no different... she deserves a last name...and a backstory, and everything. She deserves the same respect and treatment that the rest of my characters got.

Why? You've completely ignored that until now?

Hell, even a one and done character that literally only existed for a total of 3-4 paragraphs got a last name....How I let her slip through the cracks like this...I do not know...

This is the most bizarre piece of over-thinking I've seen in a very long time.

Fix it in context, is the obvious solution.

 

[GrantBricksly]

Just fix it in that scene. To rework an entire book to insert a full name is absurd. You've got this far without a full name, you clearly didn't need one earlier on. Readers won't even notice.

So your sex scenes are always Harry Jones fucked Sally Bowles, every time? That's even more absurd.

Why? You've completely ignored that until now?

This is the most bizarre piece of over-thinking I've seen in a very long time.

Fix it in context, is the obvious solution.

Of course the full names are not being used in every sex scene. That's ridiculous. As I said, his character got a last name, but only in the very beginning, when he was introduced. After that I just used his first name, or pronouns...like I use for everyone else for most the book.

I'm not suggesting I rework the entire book. Just go back in and insert the last name in the introduction scene...and maybe one or two other spots where it would make sense. (The book is not yet published, so this is not a huge issue)

Why do this? Because even though I e ignored it until now, and as a result clearly didn't need it...as a reader, I truly appreciate it when writers take the time to pay attention to details, to "put their toys away" as my wife would put it. No open plots holes, no stones unturned. So if I don't go back and give this important character the detail they deserve, then I'm doing the character, myself, and my readers a disservice.

 

[sirhugs]

is this the insomnia lounge?
If not, could you point me in the right direction?

 

[sirhugs]

is this the insomnia lounge?
If not, could you point me in the right direction?

guess I'll just have to write some erotica.

 

[TheRedLantern]

Healthy sleep patterns are for the poor lost souls who haven't accepted the character-building properties of a caffeine addiction.

 

[TheLobster]

Healthy sleep patterns are for the poor lost souls who haven't accepted the character-building properties of a caffeine addiction.

Caffeine definitely helps with building your characters.

 

[Candy_Kane54]

Caffeine is definitely a wonder drug. I wouldn't be able to get through the day without it. Well, the rain forecast for last night didn't materialize so I'll have to water again.

There's a fresh pot of coffee brewing and the teapot is hot. There are donuts and apple crisp on the counter. I tossed a hunk of coal down into the basement but I didn't hear the dragon stir. I'm starting to get worried about him. Do you suppose a vet could see what's wrong with him?

I'll be over in the corner working on my story. It's going slow, but it is going, so I can't complain. Stop by and say 'Hi' if you want.

 

[iwatchus]

I've been reading Refuse to be Done (Tom Bell) which someone had recommended as a resource to learn how to be better at revising (one of my weaknesses). It's been interesting, although I'm not sure I always agree with him. It has got me thinking bout his recommendations while I am trying to revise my WIP. One of his suggestions was putting one paragraph per page in one of your revising passes. I just upped the space between paragraphs to 100 in the formatting (and changed the font size slightly). It does give you a different perspective on each paragraph and isn't much work.

He also suggests interleaving drafts of different books, so you get more of a break from it before revising -- something I definitely need to get that I don't let myself do. I am about to try writing three different novels over the next months. My last one took right about a month, but I did not spend nearly enough time revising it. But these are all intended to be shorter (80K range rather than 120K for Blunt Force Drama), so I am hoping for no more than 6 months to finish all three? Two of the three I have a pretty good idea of the main characters and the overall story arc. The third I have the MC's and a basic scenario but I want to understand the story arc for that one before I start writing. There are another half dozen short stories/novellas I want to write in there so it should be an interesting stretch. Hopefully, at that point, I will know if I think I really can push myself much farther in my writing.

It rained overnight, so everything is wet here, but it is comfortably cool (low 60's) and cloudy now. Very quiet except for the birds. Or when the cat sleeping next to me snores. I'm the only one awake in the house and it's just pleasant sitting out on the screen porch, listing to the birds and writing. It's going to rain all afternoon, though. I hope everyone is off to a good start to their weekend.

 

[sirhugs]

Caffeine is definitely a wonder drug. I wouldn't be able to get through the day without it. Well, the rain forecast for last night didn't materialize so I'll have to water again.

There's a fresh pot of coffee brewing and the teapot is hot. There are donuts and apple crisp on the counter. I tossed a hunk of coal down into the basement but I didn't hear the dragon stir. I'm starting to get worried about him. Do you suppose a vet could see what's wrong with him?

I'll be over in the corner working on my story. It's going slow, but it is going, so I can't complain. Stop by and say 'Hi' if you want.

mmmm.....donuts

 

[sirhugs]

Healthy sleep patterns are for the poor lost souls who haven't accepted the character-building properties of a caffeine addiction.

my doctor tried to get me to eliminate caffeine. Instead, I agreed to cut back. Most days I get by with one extra-large cuppa strong brew. Sometimes I cheat.

 

[NuclearFairy]

I have a very low caffeine tolerance, like one table spoon of coffee in a cup of hot chocolate is enough.

 

[TarnishedPenny]

Just a few minutes ago I scolded C for licking her finger trying to tap a "button" on her iPad screen that didn't click on repeated tries. I called her "a Luddite."

Luddism - it's no longer just for intellectuals.

 

[TarnishedPenny]

Am I crazy for wanting to write the scenes where my characters are getting painfully patched up?

Not at all. Every good recipe needs some sour as well as sweet. Bad times allow a writer to explore areas of a character's... um, character not otherwise visible. Go for it!

 

[NotWise]

I have a very low caffeine tolerance, like one table spoon of coffee in a cup of hot chocolate is enough.

Chocolate contains theobromine, which has an effect similar to caffeine. We don't need more excuses to eat chocolate, do we?

 

[Five_Inch_Heels]

Reading the AH puts me to sleep.