What's the point of an Alt?

[lovecraft68]

Been looking through threads and posting for a few weeks now and have learned enough to know the term "Alt" is fairly reviled. Now the gist of what I get is the alt is created and many times used to comment on ones own stories or vote for yourself in the contests or to sometimes egg someone on with a different name. I have seen "Alts" jump in to defend themselves in threads. But what's the point? I mean commenting on your own stories is pretty weak, YOU know damn well you wrote them. Is this supposed to be so that other people will see the remarks and think "Hey I should read that?"

Having said that is there any good reasons to have one? Only thing i could think of is if you want a different alt for a different category like you didn't want your loving wives fans to know you write incest or something. So anyway question pretty much is:
Why?

 

[Darkniciad]

Too lazy to type again

http://forum.literotica.com/showpost.php?p=36393888&postcount=116

Good luck getting the dingbats with the nefarious-purpose alts to answer

 

[lovecraft68]

Too lazy to type again

http://forum.literotica.com/showpost.php?p=36393888&postcount=116

Good luck getting the dingbats with the nefarious-purpose alts to answer

Excellent point! I'm getting creamed because I have my Siblings with Benefits series then i did a 5 chapter spinoff called SWB Lex Talionis I owe one more to Lex but I'm just not "feeling" it right now I'm sure you know what I mean. So I posted 2 more of the main series and some people are grumbling. I made the mistake of posting I am going to do a one shot Valentines day story and people are like "What the fuck?" so I suppose if I had an alt.

Only downfall is it takes awhile to get a "name" here and I have just started to get some more attention to my stories and getting favorited more so hate to put out work under a new name.

 

[_Lynn_]

Excellent point! I'm getting creamed because I have my Siblings with Benefits series then i did a 5 chapter spinoff called SWB Lex Talionis I owe one more to Lex but I'm just not "feeling" it right now I'm sure you know what I mean. So I posted 2 more of the main series and some people are grumbling. I made the mistake of posting I am going to do a one shot Valentines day story and people are like "What the fuck?" so I suppose if I had an alt.

Only downfall is it takes awhile to get a "name" here and I have just started to get some more attention to my stories and getting favorited more so hate to put out work under a new name.

Or don't post anything of a story until you finish writing it all. Then submit a chapter every few days or so and no grumbling.

 

[Darkniciad]

Yep. If mine weren't split across three names, I'd probably still be on the favorite authors list. It's worked out the way I wanted, though. Have to break a few eggs and all that rot.

Excellent point! I'm getting creamed because I have my Siblings with Benefits series then i did a 5 chapter spinoff called SWB Lex Talionis I owe one more to Lex but I'm just not "feeling" it right now I'm sure you know what I mean. So I posted 2 more of the main series and some people are grumbling. I made the mistake of posting I am going to do a one shot Valentines day story and people are like "What the fuck?" so I suppose if I had an alt.

Only downfall is it takes awhile to get a "name" here and I have just started to get some more attention to my stories and getting favorited more so hate to put out work under a new name.

 

[lovecraft68]

Or don't post anything of a story until you finish writing it all. Then submit a chapter every few days or so and no grumbling.

True very true. However what happened with my 5 part series is it was written last year without a sex site in mind. I added all the erotica and then got creative and gave it an entire;y new ending to the final showdown between Mark and the foster father who had abused him for years (Yes a violent knock down drag out. I was worried the Lit audience would not get into it. The ydidn't think the guy got it bad enough) anyway the new twist was so good, so clever... that I wrote myself into a fucking box and am having a hard time finding the way out. Clasic case of out smarting one's self.

 

[_Lynn_]

True very true. However what happened with my 5 part series is it was written last year without a sex site in mind. I added all the erotica and then got creative and gave it an entire;y new ending to the final showdown between Mark and the foster father who had abused him for years (Yes a violent knock down drag out. I was worried the Lit audience would not get into it. The ydidn't think the guy got it bad enough) anyway the new twist was so good, so clever... that I wrote myself into a fucking box and am having a hard time finding the way out. Clasic case of out smarting one's self.

I see. Or maybe not. But completing the whole story first regardless of how clever a twist it has would help.

 

[lovecraft68]

I see. Or maybe not. But completing the whole story first regardless of how clever a twist it has would help.

That is my weakness I'm afraid i do not outline. I write by an image in my mind of the main event of the chapter and a general "Feel". I have written 36 stories that way and am trying to figure out how to get the focus to outline as I'm sure they all could have been a little better. I think with "Lex" the problem is I didn't want to post it. I didn't think it would fit the site because of the violence and the main character is a schizophrenic. The wife said people would eat up the detils as it fleshes out some of the main series. As always the Mrs. was correct and people at it up. I had never completely written the way Mark gets out of his mess and am now a victim of one of the first rules of black magic
"Don't call up that which thou canst put down." or simply put don;t promise what can;t be properly delivered. I'll figure it out but the last chapter was a violence laced climax this will be a "how did he get away with it." so not very exciting. should have been left alone.

 

[DarianBlack]

Technically, this is an Alt.

Why?

Because I used my other name years ago, wasn't as good a writer, and decided that I needed to rewrite the series anyways. This Alt = Fresh start, which I'm sure others have done, as well.

However I won't be commenting or voting on my own stuff xD That's just silly.

 

[lovecraft68]

Technically, this is an Alt.

Why?

Because I used my other name years ago, wasn't as good a writer, and decided that I needed to rewrite the series anyways. This Alt = Fresh start, which I'm sure others have done, as well.

However I won't be commenting or voting on my own stuff xD That's just silly.

Yeah but it's not an alt if you're no longer using the other. It's like you said a new start.

 

[_Lynn_]

That is my weakness I'm afraid i do not outline. I write by an image in my mind of the main event of the chapter and a general "Feel". I have written 36 stories that way and am trying to figure out how to get the focus to outline as I'm sure they all could have been a little better. I think with "Lex" the problem is I didn't want to post it. I didn't think it would fit the site because of the violence and the main character is a schizophrenic. The wife said people would eat up the detils as it fleshes out some of the main series. As always the Mrs. was correct and people at it up. I had never completely written the way Mark gets out of his mess and am now a victim of one of the first rules of black magic
"Don't call up that which thou canst put down." or simply put don;t promise what can;t be properly delivered. I'll figure it out but the last chapter was a violence laced climax this will be a "how did he get away with it." so not very exciting. should have been left alone.

I don't use an outline either. Not even for NaNo.

However, if you wrote yourself into a corner, and you don't feel the piece right now, let it go. Focus on something else. Leave it where it is and forget it. If you write something when you aren't feeling it, there's a good chance you won't be happy with it.


As for an ALT, I have them.

 

[lovecraft68]

I don't use an outline either. Not even for NaNo.

However, if you wrote yourself into a corner, and you don't feel the piece right now, let it go. Focus on something else. Leave it where it is and forget it. If you write something when you aren't feeling it, there's a good chance you won't be happy with it.


As for an ALT, I have them.

Exactly what I'm doing. As I said to Dark I've caught some flack because i said on a post i was going to do a solo story to get out by Valentines Day. Figure it will get me out of the rut.

 

[sr71plt]

I post stories under a couple of other alts to neutralize preconceptions based on my mainline account name.

I also share an alt (Shabbu) with another poster (Sabb), because we coauthor and the Web site requires a separate account name.

 

[glynndah]

I think a distinction needs to be made between an alt used as a pen name and an alt used strictly as an screen or a shield to post annoyances on the boards.

 

[Weird Harold]

I think a distinction needs to be made between an alt used as a pen name and an alt used strictly as an screen or a shield to post annoyances on the boards.

A good point.

I don't consider the account I use as a pen-name an "Alt."

I do use a different name for posting stories than I do for the forums as a defense against those who most commonly use "Alts" in the derogatory sense -- forum trolls who hunt down stories by posters they disagree with and sabotage their scores and unscrupulous authors/fans who inflate the scores of their favorites and deflate the scores of challengers.

I used 'Weird Harold' to post my How To essay because that name has a reputation for having answers, where penname is just another author.

ETA: One reason I don't consider my pen-name an alt is that his bio says he lives in the back of my head.

 

[jeanne_d_artois]

I'm an alt.

Og has been neglecting me. He only needs me for his Laundry Tales, usually written for the Halloween contest.

Originally I was a secret alt, a nom-de-plume for Og to write in a different style. Unfortunately some of the Authors' Hangout were annoyed when Og unmasked me on April Fools' Day. They had thought I was a genuine female.

Now I and Og try to make it very clear that I am a nom-de-plume but that has disadvantages. Why should Og write as me, when he could post exactly the same story as himself? The Laundry Tales are the exception. They will continue, but probably appear yearly.

Jeanne

PS. No, I'm not missing part of my left arm. That's a shadow from my tit.

 

[Fag-Ash_Lil]

Me too!

I'm an alt, another of Og's alts.

Do I have a purpose? Of course!

I'm here to bum ciggies off all the deviant smokers in the Authors' Hangout.

I can be very persistent. No ciggies? You're stuck with me until someone produces them.

You! Yes, you, hiding behind your screen! You've got an ashtray so there must be ciggies. Hand them over!

Fag-Ash

PS. I'm close to 100 posts but I won't put up an AV. A picture of me would be unaesthetic.

 

[JAMESBJOHNSON]

ALTS make readers think STELLA has friends.

 

[mynameisben]

Here are 10 reasons why I will never use an Alt:

1. Alts are for cowards, for people to hide behind when they want to say something that brings other people down without fear of retribution aimed at their primary identity.

2. Alts are for narcissists who like to draw attention to their primary selves, under the guise of somebody else heaping on praise.

3. Alts are a tool dishonest folk employ to add vote counts to their own stories and to sometimes stuff the ballot box for their friends.

4. Alts are a means for site members with dissociative identity disorder to express their multiple personalities without coming to terms with the root of their dysfunction.

5. Alts are for the lonely and the overlooked, who would otherwise have no one else to converse with on the message boards.

6. Alts are for people who want to express an opinion but lack the backbone to stand behind it.

7. Alts are for people who don't really know or like who they are. They use alts experimentally as a self-discovery tool, or as a means to hone an identity they believe might maximize their popularity.

8. Alts are a manipulative deception when they interact with the friends and acquaintances of the primary identity.

9. Alts are for the delusional who think it's just plain "fun" to be somebody else for a change. The more fun they have, the thinner the tightrope stretches between fun and mental illness.

10. At some level or another, an alt is a lie. But it is much more insipid than your garden variety lie, because wrapping a lie in the context of a new identity gives it a life of its own. The more times you tell a lie the easier it becomes to tell your next. Similarly, spawning your first alt makes it easier to spawn a second, and then another, and then another. Before you realize it (or perhaps after), you have built up a house of cards out of who you are, and there is only one direction a house of cards ever takes.

 

[sr71plt]

Again, it's not the existence of an alt, it's the use of an alt that gives rise to all of these 10 bad behaviors.

An alt is simply a secondary log-in account. And there are legitimate reasons to have alts on Lit. On the forum? Not so much.

 

[Zeb_Carter]

Then there is the alt every sad sack, troll and dickhead use to comment on stories...anonymous, used primarily by cowards and dickwads to post one bombs and nonsensical comments to a story of an author they know is better than they are.

 

[lovecraft68]

Then there is the alt every sad sack, troll and dickhead use to comment on stories...anonymous, used primarily by cowards and dickwads to post one bombs and nonsensical comments to a story of an author they know is better than they are.

Yeah and one of these days I'm going to find out which one of those Alt's my mother is posing under!

 

[Zeb_Carter]

Yeah and one of these days I'm going to find out which one of those Alt's my mother is posing under!

So, your mother is under an alt? Are they posing for pictures to be posted on the net?

 

[lovecraft68]

So, your mother is under an alt? Are they posing for pictures to be posted on the net?

You know she very well may do that! I heard it's a ploy to hook up with Alwayswantedtoo!

Actually this is a joke my wife and I share about my mother. I have a fairly dysfunctional family and coming up my mother was not supportive at all. Usually if I did something it wasn't good enough, could have been better or so and so's kid wouldn't do that! So anytime I get a negative comment my wife will say
"Jeez I wish your mom would stop leaving those remarks!"

 

[oggbashan]

Here are 10 reasons why I will never use an Alt:
...

So your real name is actually "mynameisben"?

Or is "mynameisben" actually an alt for a real person, part of whose name might be "ben"?

oggbashan is a nom de plume, as is jeanne_d_artois. When I started writing erotica I preferred not to use my real name because it could have caused embarrassment to my family, friends and employer.

There are very few people posting in the Authors' Hangout who write under names you could find in a telephone directory, so most of us are alts.

Og