Wow...I just totally got slammed...

[Chicklet]

On my Amatuer Pic thread, of all things.

The info the person used was wrong (said I'd won survivor by votes) but he said that I was cheating by putting links to my stories in with my pictures...asking people to vote for me cause I'm so damned sexy.

Do you think it's immoral to post nude pics and erotic links in the same thread?

Chicklet

 

[Natural Born Eros]

How can it possibly be immoral? We all try to get publicity however we can. It takes two things to gain an advantage by posting photos of yourself:
1. Good looks
2. Courage

That is a recipe for success in whatever you do, I think! He (or she) might have taken a different slant to the others, but he is still just a brainless goon taking pleasure in making you feel bad. If you want to focus on some feedback, look at all the experienced and respected voters who nominated you the most influential writer on Lit.

Most importantly, do NOT remove your pics from the board...

Eros

 

[KillerMuffin]

Putting up links and requests for votes/nominations on the same thread or post that you put up naked pictures of yourself.

Personally, I'd never do it. But not because it's unethical or wrong. It's not. You're no more doing anything wrong than TJ does when she runs ragged all over the board begging for votes and bumping threads that promote her.

A big part of an author's job is self-promotion. If you have an ready-made audience, exploit it.

The problem, which may not be a problem to you but is a tremendous one to me, is the associations you make when you link your writing to your pictures.

Are they reading your writing and saying it's great and nominating you for author awards because you're a great writer? Or are they doing it because you show them your pussy? You'll never really know that.

What associations does the average person make when they see your pornographic pics and your pornographic stories? What impressions are you giving your readers who are aware of both things? Are those the impressions you wish to give? Most people who regularly hang out at the ampic forum are good people who respect you. Most readers who never say anything--they're the unknown quantity. For everyone who thinks of you respectfully, there are at least two who think you want to have sex with them. I get this impression from my audio stories. I've been offered money for sex five times now.

I would never do it because I want my writing to sell itself, not my body to sell it for me. However, my views and ideas on the subject are my own and not necessarily accurate for all involved.

I am also wildly paranoid. The third story I ever submitted, about three months after getting here, netted me a 'Net stalker for a while. He--I'm assuming here--scared the ever lasting hell out of me. I realize that some people will read my stuff and listen to my voice and think of me as a sexual object--a piece of meat. What I want from them is respect. Respect as a writer and as a human being. So, I present myself to the Lit-Universe with that aim in mind. I don't think that I, personally, can get respect from the human animal if I'm a pair of breasts to them.

However, to you, this might be all psycho paranoid. You might find yourself getting exactly the amount of respect you want from the people who look at your pictures and your stories. You may never have a problem with people.

In the end, really, it's all up to you. You get out of anything what you put into it. My experience isn't going to be your experience. You do what you feel comfortable and secure doing. You do what feels right to you and don't let anyone tell you otherwise.

In conclusion: no. What you're doing there, while feather-ruffling (authors are a highly jealous, catty group), isn't wrong or unethical. In fact, it's expected in the real publishing world.

 

[BigTexan]

...I realize that some people will read my stuff and listen to my voice and think of me as a sexual object--a piece of meat. What I want from them is respect. Respect as a writer and as a human being.

Hey, KM, if it helps, I have a lot of respect for you as a person. I respect your views and your knowledge and your writing skill.

But I still think you have one hell of a sexy voice

BigTexan

 

[deliciously_naughty]

Chicklet, hugs darlin

First of all, the person was just voicing sour grapes, and most likely was someone who would never make the effort you did. AFter all, it's easier to sit back and make comments then it is to get off the couch, so to speak and make an effort.

I think you have every right to advertise your stories on your pic thread. Why not use it as a forum...people are there for you, why not use it?

I advertise my stories in my sig line and even have a mailing list in an attempt to bump votes and ratings and get my work out there. Beyond that, your score and your rightful title as Lit Survivor have nothing to do with how you advertise your work or the ratings they earn.

Immoral? Immoral would be asking people to give other stories lower votes. You're doing nothing wrong!!!

Keep up the good work darlin

 

[Chicklet]

I actually get really good feedback from a lot of people including the line "I followed the link from your thread" and they go on to read a lot of my stuff. I think that that's good...

It sounds like you *don't* have the net-stalker anymore, KM. If that's so, I'm glad.

Chicklet

 

[sirhugs]

I join the crowd that thinks "if you got it, flaunt it". The link just tells your fans where to find the stories. If they just are into your beauty and daring, they won't read them, or won't read far enough to vote. But , if they admire your wit and wisdom, they are rewarded further by the great stories. So everyone wins!

 

[Chicklet]

for sirhugs

 

[JUDO]

Chicklet -

That thread guy's a jerk with a knee-jerk reaction no-less.

Immoral? Hardly. Wrong word. Unethical? Possibly, but then, there's no rules for promotion. Unfair, not at all. It's you and your stuff.

Readers read not only because of what we write, but because of our percieved reality. Who is writing brings them to our stuff as much as anything.

Voting on your stuff didn't matter. It had no influence whatever on the outcome. So, how could following links to the stories be an issue?

You, a young, sexy, open-minded woman of the world wrote a hell of a lot of stuff last year that was worth reading, and you got the most points. Done. Period. End of story.

Congrats, by the way.


- Judo

 

[ronde]

I guess I'm getting slow in my old age

Chicklet,

I've enjoyed both your stories and pics for some time now, and never realized I was supposed to connect them.

Your writing can stand on it's own any day, and I appreciate the effort you make by writing in so many categories. As for the pics, maybe they draw readers. I think it's more likely that readers look for your name.

I also appreciate the effort that goes into your pics. Thanks for both.

 

[TheEarl]

Chicklet: First of all that bloke is an utter board troll. Ignore him. Secondly, you're a bloody good writer and anyone who suggests that you people only like you because you put pictures up obviously hasn't read a word you've written.

Don't change your approach in any way because of this troll.

The Earl

 

[Chicklet]

Thanks again guys. I'm happy to know that not everybody hates me = ) = )

Chicklet

 

[PaulX35]

Please don't stop

Chicklet,

I much admire the tasteful pics you use as av's, and if you enjoy using them, I'd say there cannot be anything wrong with that, especially not on an erotica site.
People will always be creative in ways to be envious of someone else, and blaming you for this is just another way.

Please don't stop; I consider myself well capable of distinguishing between your sexy features and the quality of your writing

Paul

 

[Cuckolded_BlK_Male]

On my Amatuer Pic thread, of all things.

The info the person used was wrong (said I'd won survivor by votes) but he said that I was cheating by putting links to my stories in with my pictures...asking people to vote for me cause I'm so damned sexy.

Do you think it's immoral to post nude pics and erotic links in the same thread?

Chicklet

Is it unfair? Yes. Is it cheating? No. A beautiful woman can become a millionaire by letting people dress her in obcenely expensive designer originals and take pictures of her, all the while telling her how fabulous she is. That's just how the world works.

 

[Cuckolded_BlK_Male]

Re: Re: Wow...I just totally got slammed...

Is it unfair? Yes. Is it cheating? No. A beautiful enough woman can become a millionaire by letting people dress her in obcenely expensive designer originals and take pictures of her, all the while telling her how fabulous she is. That's just how the world works.

 

[deliciously_naughty]

Re: Re: Wow...I just totally got slammed...

Is it unfair? Yes. Is it cheating? No. A beautiful woman can become a millionaire by letting people dress her in obcenely expensive designer originals and take pictures of her, all the while telling her how fabulous she is. That's just how the world works.

How is it unfair or cheating???????

That's total bullshit. It's not like she's saying, give me a 5 and I'll post a new pic. She's using her thread as she sees fit, just as if you choose to post a pic thread and linked your stories on it.

Your comparison is lousy beyond that.

 

[KillerMuffin]

Um. DN. He said that is was unfair. I have to agree with him.

He said that it was NOT cheating.

Pull the horns in a little bit, darlin.

It's a simple fact of life. People respond better to images of attractive people and they tend to vote more sympathetically. You like things that are attractively packaged, just like everyone else. It's unfair to unattractive people.

A gorgeous women will get the job over a better qualified ugly woman. Same thing applies.

However, that doesn't mean Chicklet is wrong or unethical. That's exactly what CBM was saying.

 

[susurrus]

Okay.

I believe I know what this is about. In fact, I wrote an encouraging post in response to this person's desire to remove all his (yes, it was a "he") work from the site and leave. I responded not knowing the full story of what has transpired.

I've been at Lit now for several years, mostly being a silent reader, but within the last 13 months or so, joining the authors' ranks.

About half that 13 months, I've lurked the board. I've gotten to know many people through this. Good people. Knowledgeable people.

One of those people is the one who was maligned by the person I mentioned earlier.

I don't get around the *whole* board, it's too big for the time I allot myself for such things. And the thread about this guy wanting pull up *all* his stakes and high-tail it out of town was, at the time, at the top of the chronological list.

I don't post much, but when I do, I try to be helpful. I've read enough posts by authors who have lost faith in their abilities and/or worthiness to be here that I try to be encouraging. If I hadn't received a little attaboy when I was younger, I probably wouldn't be doing this writing thing now, in any genre.

So, I wrote a "just make sure you're leaving for the right reasons" type thing.

Then I continued down the line, and discovered that this was a much bigger deal than I, at first, realized.

I don't know what the "contest" was; I will honestly admit that I haven't read (to my immediate knowledge), any of the maligned's stories; I have seen a few of her pictures (but not all, by any means), and have enjoyed the images. But primarily, how I know her and respect her is by the posts she has written to the threads I've stumbled into.

On another thread, I caught part of what was said against (okay, I'll say it) Chicklet. As I said, I don't know what the contest was, and at this point, it doesn't matter. All I know is that I now understand why this person was wanting to know how to remove his stuff from the site and was going to leave, never to return. If this was "Oh Brother, Where Art Thou" he'd be Homer Stokes being carried out of town on a rail.

Yes, this is a "Cover Your Ass" type thing on my part, and it sort of serves me right for butting into a "town hall meeting" three quarters of the way through and just throwing in my two cents worth without knowing what the big conversation's about.

 

[Cuckolded_BlK_Male]

Re: Re: Re: Wow...I just totally got slammed...

How is it unfair or cheating???????

That's total bullshit. It's not like she's saying, give me a 5 and I'll post a new pic. She's using her thread as she sees fit, just as if you choose to post a pic thread and linked your stories on it.

Your comparison is lousy beyond that.

Do people ever read the entire post before they fly off the handle?

 

[Dirt Man]

A new story of mine just went up, it has two votes, and both are 1's as that is the average. So no matter what anybody else honestly votes for the story, it will never make it to the top ten in the voting catagory. Now normally I would have waited until morning to see if any of my stories had been published here, but this time I was online anyway at 3am in the morning so I checked. And what do ya know Bed-n-Brunch Ho was posted, and it had 1 view, and 2 votes, averaging 1.00 for the vote count, how nice. Now I could do the same thing to every new story published here too, but I won't. You see, even with these childish attacks, my stories always average out above 4.30 by those who really read them. So I'm terribly sorry if I'm not a part of the clique in here, but I'll let my stories talk for me about how well I can write.

As Always
I Am the
Dirt Man

 

[Cuckolded_BlK_Male]

Cliques abound in Lit. I've found that the direct approach to dealing with the self-important assholes who devote their lives to Lit.

Your post started me thinking. I've posted a couple of stories to Lit. and one of them was in the high 4.6's for months. But, as I made enemies of certain assholes in the BDSM thread, the score went down. Now, I couldn't care less. I'm not playing any of the Lit. games where my score would matter. But, if you plan on doing so, You should probably post stories under a different name than you post messages ... unless you are very political.

 

[Dirt Man]

I've figured out how they do it...

By 3:45am Bed-n-Brunch Ho had 8 votes, and an average of 3.00 so that I had a base to work from, and now I know how they do it. And I also had this feedback to go with those 8 votes:

This message contains feedback for: Dirt Man
About the submission: Bed-n-Brunch Ho
This feedback was sent by:

Comments:

I read your comments on my thread and went and read your story. I thought it was damned good and voted accordingly. I only wish it had been longer.

Dirt Man I'm not part of the clique at the Authors hangout either. I can't say why my story is getting voted on and yours isn't. I think your story is damned good and I've read a couple more. I like what I see, and I'm looking forward to reading more of your work.

Shane


(This is typical of the feedback that I get on every story I post here)

Heres how they do it...

You just need 6 people to vote accordingly on every new story but your own. 2 people vote1, 2 people vote 2, and 2 people vote 3. By morning no matter what anybody votes honestly after them, the Story is trashed. And if somebody contacts Laurel, and whines to her she'll see the 1's and get rid of them, and maybe the 2's, but that's all. The story has to ride with those two 3's, and the vote is trashed as far as the story goes for any contests here. Later on the person adds their own vote, probably another 3, and that puts them in the lead no matter what the real vote would have been. The trick is to do the six votes when the stories are new.


As Always
I Am the
Dirt Man

 

[Svenskaflicka]

When I first read the title of this post, I thought you were talking about how you just had had sex, and I thought "brag, brag, brag..."

 

[Un-registered]

The problem, which may not be a problem to you but is a tremendous one to me, is the associations you make when you link your writing to your pictures.

That is the nub of it. Chicklet looks good, but does not, I think, write much that is intentionally autobiographical, or personal fantasy. She runs a risk of being appreciated for her gorgeous body, rather than for her fine mind.
Someone else on here who does more-or-less the opposite is Alicia Charms who has started a chain story quite deliberately to see what other people can fantasise about her. Clearly the intentions of these two lovely ladies are quite different.

 

[Chicklet]

She runs a risk of being appreciated for her gorgeous body, rather than for her fine mind.

I guess this is a risk...but, seriously, I don't care if I'm appreciated at all...it's nice to read good feedback, it's fun to talk on a thread that exists solely to swell my ego...but should it matter to me if Dave in Minnesota thinks that somewhere out west there's a redhead who really knows how to write conversation??