Time, satisfaction and vote sabotage

[ElectricBlue]

Sabotage feels like the perfect description. I'd guess this kind of thing has been happening forever here. It's not fixed, and I have no reason to believe it ever will be.

The site has been running the sweep process for a very long time, as a way of at least mitigating the problem.

I have no evidence to support this theory, but I'm convinced that other Authors are at least partially responsible for downvoting other stories. That's not to say it's always jealous Authors, and look I may be totally wrong. I just don't think so.

I wouldn't say Authors (what difference does one vote make?) Rabid fans, maybe. But saying this personalises the whole thing. I don't think trolling behaviour is targeted at any one writer, they just target New Stories, regardless who wrote them.

It is what it is. I hope you find a way to make sense of it, but the current system here is broken.

The system's okay. It's the people using it that are the problem .

 

[Mastered_again]

As I was typing that, it's dropped again to 4.41, so I guess they aren't done yet...

Illegitimi non carborundum.

Less popular categories. Well constructed, lengthy stories. Romantic themes. These can all limit your audience (views, votes and comments). Let's face it, most readers aren't here for plausible plots, character development, clever dialog and detailed scenes.

My stories are not widely read. Their length popular scares others off ( before they've had a chance to vote). I somehow carved out a small, dedicated base who appreciated my efforts. Take what you can. Build on it.

 

[Duleigh]

As I was typing that, it's dropped again to 4.41, so I guess they aren't done yet.

Yeah, I have a "Fan Club" too. I had 2 stories that had perfect 5s that attracted unobombs, that were swept away, causing the scores to go back up like you, then my fan club started hitting with 3s, just to get that 5 out of the way so other stories could take the top slot. Try writing a contest entry and watch what happens to your scores.

 

[lovecraft68]

Why do your readers or potential readers owe you anything?

Because we're providing them with stories they enjoy, and for free.

I would imagine most people here know writing takes time and effort, and on their end it takes literally two seconds to vote, and maybe a minute to type "Hey, really enjoyed this" yet when you look at the numbers, the people willing to do the former are few and the latter even fewer.

The best comments I get here are when someone thanks me for my efforts and for writing here. Those people get it. The majority here are unappreciative to put it mildly.

I haven't let it bother me too much because since 2011 I've also been selling, and in that market, reviews-which would equate feedback here-are rare, as many don't want to put even a fake name to a taboo story or other erotica, however, to read my story they have to pay, so I get money for every person who decided they want to read my work. Much more validating, so I've tended not to fixate on what goes on here, which goes on all over the internet, people putting hard work into providing free content and getting little in return from the internet vultures.

The worst thing is though? The hate spewing trolls never hesitate to make an effort which is an even more damning indictment on the so called "good" readers here

 

[PrincessArianrhod]

Try writing a contest entry and watch what happens to your scores.

I entered one in last year's Halloween Contest. As is usual, the rating bounced around quite a bit while I watched with interest. When the final sweep came in, it jumped from a 4.6something to 4.85 and took 3rd place, much to my surprise.

Any kind of attention makes you a target for a certain mentality; an unfortunate truism. The thing that bothers me is being targeted by such spite when everything we provide here is free and it's sole purpose is to entertain.

"Spite is never lonely, envy always tags along."
- Mignon McLaughlin

 

[Duleigh]

I entered one in last year's Halloween Contest. As is usual, the rating bounced around quite a bit while I watched with interest. When the final sweep came in, it jumped from a 4.6something to 4.85 and took 3rd place, much to my surprise.

Any kind of attention makes you a target for a certain mentality; an unfortunate truism. The thing that bothers me is being targeted by such spite when everything we provide here is free and it's sole purpose is to entertain.

"Spite is never lonely, envy always tags along."
- Mignon McLaughlin

The same thing happened to me for April Fools, then my story spiraled down to the 4.7's

 

[Voboy]

The same thing happened to me for April Fools, then my story spiraled down to the 4.7's

Contest winners very, very, VERY often get quickly bombed just after the result is announced. It's part of the fun.

It's much less prevalent in the Monthly contests, especially when the result comes out a year later.

 

[lovecraft68]

Contest winners very, very, VERY often get quickly bombed just after the result is announced. It's part of the fun.

It's much less prevalent in the Monthly contests, especially when the result comes out a year later.

The winners don't even know they won at that point.

All contest winners take immediate hits and drop a few points, but there's some that get really crushed when there's a feeling the win was a bit shady. One fairly recent one is down to barely over a 4.5 and although I have an idea why, its still stupid seeing its after the fact, so its just being petty.

 

[pink_silk_glove]

Because we're providing them with stories they enjoy, and for free.

When you hold the door open for someone at the corner store do you you ask them for a dollar after they've walked through?

Do you put a disclaimer on the top of your piece that states something along the lines of "Before reading this story you must agree to the following terms: that you will provide if not positive, at least constructive feedback to the author. If not, hit the back button now."?

If you answer no, then the reader owes you nothing.

 

[lovecraft68]

When you hold the door open for someone at the corner store do you you ask them for a dollar after they've walked through?

Do you put a disclaimer on the top of your piece that states something along the lines of "Before reading this story you must agree to the following terms: that you will provide if not positive, at least constructive feedback to the author. If not, hit the back button now."?

If you answer no, then the reader owes you nothing.

I counter your sarcasm with the expression common courtesy.

If I hold the door open for someone, a thank you is nice, and I say it when someone does it for me.

That simple analogy-yours-holds true for anything. Someone is nice enough to do something or give you something a thank you should be a given.

Guess their parents never gave them the please and thank you talk.

 

[MillieDynamite]

When you hold the door open for someone at the corner store do you you ask them for a dollar after they've walked through?

Do you put a disclaimer on the top of your piece that states something along the lines of "Before reading this story you must agree to the following terms: that you will provide if not positive, at least constructive feedback to the author. If not, hit the back button now."?

If you answer no, then the reader owes you nothing.

Even so, all the pay we get here is the occasional "Thanks, I really enjoyed that."

 

[lovecraft68]

I watched a couple of videos from YT content creators I enjoy and unless someone is very new, most comment sections there are full of people telling them what a great job they did and thank you for their efforts.

Maybe the issue isn't the site being free, maybe its the crowd we get here.

BTW you can't comment as anon on YT you have to have an account....and yet there are far more comments on videos there than there are on stories here.

Adding that for the "what would we do without anonymous" crowd.

maybe get more respectable commenters because they no longer have to worry about being attacked by anon trash

 

[pink_silk_glove]

I counter your sarcasm with the expression common courtesy.

If I hold the door open for someone, a thank you is nice, and I say it when someone does it for me.

That simple analogy-yours-holds true for anything. Someone is nice enough to do something or give you something a thank you should be a given.

Guess their parents never gave them the please and thank you talk.

So you're saying that your readership are by and large rude pricks. If that's what you think of them then why do you expect anything of them? And why do you even offer them your gracious services?

 

[MillieDynamite]

Hope springs eternal. We write, hoping that those who like our work outnumber those who are abusive.

So you're saying that your readership are by and large rude pricks. If that's what you think of them then why do you expect anything of them? And why do you even offer them your gracious services?

 

[RejectReality]

I watched a couple of videos from YT content creators I enjoy and unless someone is very new, most comment sections there are full of people telling them what a great job they did and thank you for their efforts.

Maybe the issue isn't the site being free, maybe its the crowd we get here.

BTW you can't comment as anon on YT you have to have an account....and yet there are far more comments on videos there than there are on stories here.

Adding that for the "what would we do without anonymous" crowd.

maybe get more respectable commenters because they no longer have to worry about being attacked by anon trash

Now, compare apples to apples and tell me how many comments/view pornhub videos get.

Here's some examples from the first page. (stepdaughter) 186,000 views. 10 comments. (babysitter) 932,000 views. 25 comments. (teacher)708,000 views. 12 comments. (friend's sister) 5.1million views. 70 comments.

 

[pink_silk_glove]

Where I live if someone holds the door open for you, you thank them.

Oh how they couldn't have gotten through the door without you.

And if someone doesn't thank you you can always get butthurt over it.

 

[pink_silk_glove]

[No personal attacks or trolling - including creating accounts for this specific purpose. Heated discussions are fine, even welcome. However, personally attacking / kink-shaming a fellow author or reader is not allowed within the Author's Hangout. Threads which devolve into the exchanging of insults will be closed and repeat offenders will be given a timeout, per the AH rules.]

 

[PrincessArianrhod]

[No personal attacks or trolling - including creating accounts for this specific purpose. Heated discussions are fine, even welcome. However, personally attacking / kink-shaming a fellow author or reader is not allowed within the Author's Hangout. Threads which devolve into the exchanging of insults will be closed and repeat offenders will be given a timeout, per the AH rules.]

 

[pink_silk_glove]

That's fine, Princess. Keep Posting great stories and keep crying over the 4.48 scores that they get that somehow turn them from great to not-so-great. That's all on you. Nothing to do with the readership.

 

[PrincessArianrhod]

[No personal attacks or trolling - including creating accounts for this specific purpose. Heated discussions are fine, even welcome. However, personally attacking / kink-shaming a fellow author or reader is not allowed within the Author's Hangout. Threads which devolve into the exchanging of insults will be closed and repeat offenders will be given a timeout, per the AH rules.]

 

[pink_silk_glove]

Thread seems to have become a vehicle for your obnoxious observations. Such attitudes generally indicate a desire for conflict, hence my corrected quote.

You don't seem to mind.

 

[Mastered_again]

You don't seem to mind.

Play nice, kids

 

[Winter_Fare]

[No personal attacks or trolling - including creating accounts for this specific purpose. Heated discussions are fine, even welcome. However, personally attacking / kink-shaming a fellow author or reader is not allowed within the Author's Hangout. Threads which devolve into the exchanging of insults will be closed and repeat offenders will be given a timeout, per the AH rules.]

 

[pink_silk_glove]

I hate seeing downright bullying behaviour. If someone comes into this board looking for support, there's just no excuse for being an arsehole about it. Treating someone's genuine issue as an opportunity to be a twat waffle for their own amusement says more about that person and their prickly personality than it does about the original issue.

Said twat waffle's (valid) point is that a story retains its quality and value in spite of downvoting. Well, duh, statement of the bleeding obvious. Their are far less caustic ways of making that mediocre observation, but hey. If being cruel gets them off who are we to judge?

First, thanks for the compliment. But it seems that the way that you talk to me (or about me, since you don't have the guts to name me - a personal attack is a personal attack nonetheless) the same way that you profess that I shouldn't be talking about others, so die on your own sword.

Now, let me enlighten you O knight in shining armor.

Someone's genuine issue (your words not mine) was yet another 'I lost my red H pout, stamp foot, tantrum' thread. Genuine issue, huh?

Now most people start a thread because they want some engagement or some answers. I the OP the answer. She didn't like the truth so she started pissing on the messenger. That's not my problem, so don't blame me because someones toys are on the ground. She's the one who threw them out of the pram. I offered my advice. She didn't like it. She can pick them up herself.

But what it seems really happened here is someone started a thread for sympathy. If you get upset when someone doesn't say "Aww, poor baby," and put a bandaid on your knee ego, it sounds remarkably why you write: for the affirmation and the bouquets that are owed to your magnificent talents.

I haven't bullied anyone. Get that straight. YOU are the only one calling anyone names. You can apologize if you want but I don't need it.

Sincerely,
your fave arsehole twat waffle

 

[Winter_Fare]

[No personal attacks or trolling - including creating accounts for this specific purpose. Heated discussions are fine, even welcome. However, personally attacking / kink-shaming a fellow author or reader is not allowed within the Author's Hangout. Threads which devolve into the exchanging of insults will be closed and repeat offenders will be given a timeout, per the AH rules.]