Why do people do that?

[Sir_Maveric]

Just happened to be looking and refreshing. Saw part 1 of my story take a hit from a uni-star bomber and then watched as the other parts got hit as well. Each went up by one view and dropped in stars in a matter of minutes.
Seriously, if you don’t like the first part, vote it down. Normal. But rush over to the next parts and vote them down without even reading?
Contemplating turning off voting...

 

[SamScribble]

I have come to the conclusion that one-bombers don't read, they just bomb. It's their hobby.

 

[TarnishedPenny]

I have come to the conclusion that one-bombers don't read, they just bomb. It's their hobby.

Maybe because you don't have to move your lips when 1-bombing?

 

[rae121452]

Just happened to be looking and refreshing. Saw part 1 of my story take a hit from a uni-star bomber and then watched as the other parts got hit as well. Each went up by one view and dropped in stars in a matter of minutes.
Seriously, if you don’t like the first part, vote it down. Normal. But rush over to the next parts and vote them down without even reading?
Contemplating turning off voting...

it's been said on here before that anything doing well with ratings is catnip for the 1 bombers. i seriously doubt that any of the stories were read before being bombed.

then again, it's been known to happen that you piss someone off in a forum and they bomb your stories as retaliation. turn off anonymous.

 

[Sir_Maveric]

Spent a little time looking and can't seem to find where I can turn off just anons. I can kill voting altogether but I'd rather not at this point. I'm not getting enough comments on the stories and I'm using the stars to let me know how they're being received.

 

[sr71plt]

Spent a little time looking and can't seem to find where I can turn off just anons. I can kill voting altogether but I'd rather not at this point. I'm not getting enough comments on the stories and I'm using the stars to let me know how they're being received.

You get to that on your member page. In the old system, click on Main/Options, and turning off anonymous feedback is right there. In the new system click on Options/My Options, and turning off anonymous feedback is right there.

 

[Sir_Maveric]

Done. I'm assuming that feedback includes star rating the stories. Also took the time to adjust my time zone.

Thanks!

 

[sr71plt]

Done. I'm assuming that feedback includes star rating the stories. Also took the time to adjust my time zone.

Thanks!

No. Voting and Comment are separate. You can't turn off just the anonymous voting.

 

[Sir_Maveric]

Turned it back on. Need whatever comments I can get. Need to avoid the anon uni-star bombers.

Thanks anyway. At least my time zone is now correct.

 

[Kantarii]

There is no protection from people that 1bomb a story upon posting. It’s worth noting that, if you feel like you are being targeted, to send Laurel a request to sweep your stories for you. 7-10 days later you should see a change in your score ratings.

 

[ElectricBlue]

There is no protection from people that 1bomb a story upon posting. It’s worth noting that, if you feel like you are being targeted, to send Laurel a request to sweep your stories for you. 7-10 days later you should see a change in your score ratings.

Or just wait for the next contest, when sweeps occur more frequently. You don't need to have a story in the contest for the sweeps to go through your scores.

 

[Kantarii]

Or just wait for the next contest, when sweeps occur more frequently. You don't need to have a story in the contest for the sweeps to go through your scores.

This is true. I’ve noticed my scores shifting sleightly around contest times despite the fact I don’t enter them.

 

[Hypoxia]

Obsessing over scores is a path to madness. Merely write and have fun.

 

[swingerjoe]

Be grateful they only one-bombed the chapters in that one story and not ALL of your stories. I speak from experience!

 

[Voboy]

Obsessing over scores is a path to madness. Merely write and have fun.

This, and only this.

 

[Valint]

There is no protection from people that 1bomb a story upon posting. It’s worth noting that, if you feel like you are being targeted, to send Laurel a request to sweep your stories for you. 7-10 days later you should see a change in your score ratings.

How does sweeping work? Are 1's from Anonymous voters simply an automatic removal, or is there some sort of mechanism by which certain voters are essentially removed from the voting pool?

 

[SimonDoom]

How does sweeping work? Are 1's from Anonymous voters simply an automatic removal, or is there some sort of mechanism by which certain voters are essentially removed from the voting pool?

The secret formula for sweeps is kept secret by the site owner/manager to minimize the ability to game around it, so no one knows exactly how it works. Anonymous 1s are not automatically removed, as far as I know. Votes that are believed to be tactical, and not based on the reader's actual opinion of the story, are removed. For instance, if you get several 1s right after your story is published but your other scores within a few days after that show it to be well over a 4 point story, you can be pretty sure the votes are tactical votes, and they often are removed. I assume the site admin can look up the source of the votes and see how that source is voting on other stories and make some educated guesses.

 

[TarnishedPenny]

Be grateful they only one-bombed the chapters in that one story and not ALL of your stories. I speak from experience!

Aye that.

 

[Sammael Bard]

My $0.02, FWIW

Just happened to be looking and refreshing. Saw part 1 of my story take a hit from a uni-star bomber and then watched as the other parts got hit as well. Each went up by one view and dropped in stars in a matter of minutes.
Seriously, if you don’t like the first part, vote it down. Normal. But rush over to the next parts and vote them down without even reading?
Contemplating turning off voting...

1. Laurel runs periodic score 'sweeps'. If you want Laurel to specifically check your story, use the report button at bottom right of the story's page and request a sweep.

2. Lit scores don't mean shit. Free website/free membership means anyone can view and vote on stories. 99% of them aren't even professional critics.

So fretting over someone else's opinion isn't worth it over here. If you want an honest opinion, ask good authors you know (or anyone whose opinion you respect) to critique your story. That way you grow as a writer.

Hope that helps.

 

[Sir_Maveric]

Thanks for all the input. I do write my stories for myself and am glad when people like them. I just see the star rating as advertisement. If it’s sitting high then more might be interested. Getting bombed because someone has a favourite author and wants them to score higher just annoys me. I’ll wait for the sweeps/contests. My scores aren’t that bad right now and I’m not bothering an admin for a .03 drop, even if it did take me down to the 4.6 range...

 

[TarnishedPenny]

Thanks for all the input. I do write my stories for myself and am glad when people like them. I just see the star rating as advertisement. If it’s sitting high then more might be interested. Getting bombed because someone has a favourite author and wants them to score higher just annoys me. I’ll wait for the sweeps/contests. My scores aren’t that bad right now and I’m not bothering an admin for a .03 drop, even if it did take me down to the 4.6 range...

I understand the advertisement aspect. One other way is to include a link to your stories here, in your signature block.

 

[jomar]

Just happened to be looking and refreshing. Saw part 1 of my story take a hit from a uni-star bomber and then watched as the other parts got hit as well. Each went up by one view and dropped in stars in a matter of minutes.
Seriously, if you don’t like the first part, vote it down. Normal. But rush over to the next parts and vote them down without even reading?
Contemplating turning off voting...

I got bombed by anon because I didn’t mention it was a chapter story in the author’s not.

I think a lot of these bombers don’t write so they have no inkling of the effort it takes to put a story out there. If they did it would put some brakes on.

 

[SimonDoom]

Thanks for all the input. I do write my stories for myself and am glad when people like them. I just see the star rating as advertisement. If it’s sitting high then more might be interested. Getting bombed because someone has a favourite author and wants them to score higher just annoys me. I’ll wait for the sweeps/contests. My scores aren’t that bad right now and I’m not bothering an admin for a .03 drop, even if it did take me down to the 4.6 range...

If your story is hovering around 4.6 I wouldn't sweat it. That's a good score. Getting over a 4.5 is nice because it gets your story more recognition, and more readers, and connecting with readers who appreciate my stories is part of what matters to me, and to others. So scores are helpful, but not something too meaningful in and of themselves, as others have noted.

 

[nosebone]

Obsessing over scores is a path to madness. Merely write and have fun.

Completely agree. I worried about scores too much in the past. If it didn't hit 4.5, it was like a personal tragedy. When two of my stories got on the first page of the I/T top list, one making it all the way to #12, I was pumped only to see them both 1-bombed back to page 3 or 4.


I usually just try to focus on views, favorites and follows. I'll often check the other people a new follower follows and often find myself listed with many of our distinguished AH contributors.


Makes me feel like I'm doing something right.

 

[gunhilltrain]

I think a lot of these bombers don’t write so they have no inkling of the effort it takes to put a story out there. If they did it would put some brakes on.

Being on this site is like being in a creative writing course with 200,000 classmates and no teacher. Plus most of the students joined because someone gave them a flyer in the street. It's sort of fun and but weird at the same time.