Waste of time?

[teknight]

Have you read this sticky?
It gives you two options for meaningful, story related feedback.


When I say meaningful, I don't mean to offend any of the other posters in this thread, whose advice and comments I found to be apt.

 

[RoyceConnors]

Thanks everyone for the good advice. I went out and got my bigboy pants and I'm going to get a thicker skin about all of this. I'll get back to just writing this thing and not worry about scores or comments.

Being a writer is a lot tougher than just coming up with an idea and hashing it into a story, so it seems. I can see how this has all come across the wrong way from me and I apologize for whining.

Special thanks to the PM's from the wonderful Litizens.

 

[Firebrain]

Ah, Paco. Such diplomacy. [swoon]

 

[Sensualdreamer]

Royce - I've been "trolling" this thread...but I've been busy, thus a late reply. I'll simply say that you've got to decide WHY you're writing, and more so WHO are you writing for. If you're writing for yourself then why the hell do you care what ratings you're getting? Hell I had some vicious comments on my stories, to the extent they were personal attacks against me - I doubt you've ever had a comment of "your husband should blow your brains out w/ an m-16" ...handiest feature I ever found was the "delete" option; but a better suggestion may be if you're getting scathing comments would be to disable the anonymous comments. Frankly I allow anonymous comments, and I edit & delete as needed.

I've never had a red little H beside my stories, so that you did -suggests to me one of three things:
1. You're a good writer
2. You have friends who are giving you props and you suck
3. You have friends who are giving you props and you're a good writer.

I'm not so much writing for others, as much as I enjoy writing just to do it, and if others enjoy my writing -well that's just the cherry on the sundae.

Seriously tho if you're trying to write for others pleasure above your own, well you can pretty much expect that you'll run yourself ragged b/c you can't please everyone.

I've not yet read any of your stories, but if you ever want an honest opinion, I'll give you one. I could tell you w/in the first paragraph whether or not your stories bore the hell out of me, or whether I'm on edge wanting to read more; I've also done some editing before. Just an offer.

 

[sr71plt]

Not to be cruel, but your repeated hyperventilations about trolls shitting on your scores are misguided. Your post achieved what you wanted; it grabbed forum-goers' attentions and got them to read your stories. They voted their opinions. Your scores went down.

Ah, but a major point, I think, is that Royce's scores DIDN'T go down appreciably after posting this thread. They're all still up in the 4.6/4.7 range, right where they were when this thread was opened and the complaints started.

I think the point is that Royce is an attention whore and wants all 5s and a Porshe and the queen's jewels.

 

[RoyceConnors]

Ah, but a major point, I think, is that Royce's scores DIDN'T go down appreciably after posting this thread. They're all still up in the 4.6/4.7 range, right where they were when this thread was opened and the complaints started.

I think the point is that Royce is an attention whore and wants all 5s and a Porshe and the queen's jewels.

Interesting how you would know so much about it. So the first thing you did upon reading this was to look at my scores? Speaking of attention whores, looked in the mirror lately? So far, you've been nothing but an opinionated ass, with nothing at all constructive to what I asked for.

 

[sr71plt]

Interesting how you would know so much about it. So the first thing you did upon reading this was to look at my scores? Speaking of attention whores, looked in the mirror lately? So far, you've been nothing but an opinionated ass, with nothing at all constructive to what I asked for.

Yep, of course the first thing I looked at was where you were with your stories--since you were complaining that they weren't doing as well as you expected. Remember, I was the first to respond. And I also was the first to state that your stories were already doing wonderfully on ratings and comments in the context of Literotica.

And I gave you pretty much the same advice everyone else has given you--over and over and over and over.

I think if someone asks what the definition of an attention whore would be, it would be you and this thread.

I take it you aren't gone yet. You keep saying how we aren't worthy of you and that you were gone. Apparently gone means something else to you than it does to me, Hon.

 

[RoyceConnors]

Yep, of course the first thing I looked at was where you were with your stories--since you were complaining that they weren't doing as well as you expected. Remember, I was the first to respond. And I also was the first to state that your stories were already doing wonderfully on ratings and comments in the context of Literotica.

And I gave you pretty much the same advice everyone else has given you--over and over and over and over.

I think if someone asks what the definition of an attention whore would be, it would be you and this thread.

I take it you aren't gone yet. You keep saying how we aren't worthy of you and that you were gone. Apparently gone means something else to you than it does to me, Hon.

Well, first off, I'm not your Hon, so save it for your boys.
Secondly, get your facts right. This thread was started to look for feedback on my writing skills and how I might be able to improve, not how well my scores were doing.

I was well aware of my scores and wasn't concerned about them. I have started another thread looking for an editor, stating clearly what I wanted help with. You brought the issue of rankings and such into the equation. I knew full-well that my scores were one thing, but technique and style are another.

It could be I didn't start this off clearly enough and that's why I'm having this ridiculous discussion with you. Suffice it to say, the issue is resolved, several people have asked me nicely to stay and I accepted that offer of friendship.

As there is nothing in the way of a friendly attitude expressed by you towards me, I would ask that you refrain from responding to any more posts or threads I make. Your opinions are wanted or warranted by me. Thank you.

 

[sr71plt]

Ooo, a bit of gay bashing there. There makes you endearing.

Umm, no. You started the thread because you are an attention whore. That the thread has gotten to this point is because you didn't like the uniform responses you got and you branched out on your whines (as others have cataloged) and you didn't like the responses you got to those either.

Still here, I see.

And, yes, I'll continue posting to you if I feel like it, Hon. You certainly seem to be enjoying the attention you're getting. Besides, I like seeing that luscious avatar pop up like a jack-in-the-box.

 

[teknight]

Since I started writing this novel, Blood of the Clans, I've wondered if I am writing more for myself, or the readers. I have received very little in the way of feedback and wonder if I can improve on the story or just scrap it altogether.

I know this is an erotic story website, but I hope I can compete in this arena.

You could try adding a disclaimer to the stories- maybe a little bit of text at the end, asking the readers to offer you feedback, since you're a new writer trying to hone your skills. That way, they'll know you're looking for feedback, and if they're feeling satisfied, they might offer you the feedback you seek. Otherwise, they won't know you're looking for feedback. They come to lit to cum to lit, so they literally might not be thinking of offering literary feedback.

 

[RoyceConnors]

You could try adding a disclaimer to the stories- maybe a little bit of text at the end, asking the readers to offer you feedback, since you're a new writer trying to hone your skills. That way, they'll know you're looking for feedback, and if they're feeling satisfied, they might offer you the feedback you seek. Otherwise, they won't know you're looking for feedback. They come to lit to cum to lit, so they literally might not be thinking of offering literary feedback.

That's a good idea, Tek, but I'll go with the pro's and just write, because I love to and because I like the story I'm doing. If it's doing as well as it is, then that's a good enough response to say I'm doing a half-decent effort at writing. Any comments will be greatly appreciated, but I won't use them as a barometer.

I have a few responded, who are willing to review chapters and assist me with writing errors, so I should be okay now. I know I'll have to put in disclaimers soon, regarding certain violent acts and events, so as not to offend those who find it offensive.

Thanks for your input.

 

[CWatson]

This thread was started to look for feedback on my writing skills and how I might be able to improve, not how well my scores were doing.

Well, there's your problem.

I don't know how to tell you this, but the first person to involve scores was you.

I can't, with all honesty, continue to submit my work to a site filled with vindictive trolls and writers who 1 bomb my story because of jealousy.

It was after this post that people began to point out that either 1) scores mean nothing, or 2) in sr71's case, "Scores mean nothing, and I'm going to say it in a mean way." And, of course, the Internet being what it is, the discussion immediately moved in that direction instead of the one you preferred.

Finally, I should also address something you said in the same post:

I would think an adult website would be run like one, not a place of immature, spitefulness that goes unchecked.

"Adult" website is a description of the content, not the maturity level of users thereof. Human beings are lazy; they don't behave well if they don't have to. And the Internet provides an insulating level of anonymity that allows people let out their inner jerkass. No matter where you go or what you do, you are going to meet trolls, the selfish and the immature--because that describes everyone on Earth, to varying extents. It simply shows up more on the Internet because this is where they let those qualities come out and play.

As to how the site is run, Laurel & Manu do periodic "vote sweepings," where stories which have excessive 1s and 5s have some of them taken off. They are well aware that their site (like every other) is a home to people are jerks because there's no reason not to be one, and they combat it as best they can. It should be pointed out that their vote sweepings are unfair to writers whose works are genuinely good or bad, and deserve their overly-positive or -negative reviews. But L&M think it's worth that price, and I'd have to agree with him. Because, again, you can't write for the praise. It has to be about you, because--as you've already discovered, first-hand--if you get too caught up in what others are saying about you, you'll go insane. The writers who deserve their 5s? They aren't too upset if they lose 'em, because they know their own worth. And those who deserve their 1s? Well, frankly, they have larger problems than the fact that they're being uplifted.

(And trust me, you're not the only one who's lived through shit like this. You should've seen the furor over brightlyiburn's work.)

 

[Laurel]

Thanks for the comments on this thread, and I hope everyone is having a great weekend.

We have a script that tags fraudulent votes (fraud votes being anytime someone tries to vote for a story more than once by trying to get around our system). If you lose votes and your score goes up, chances are that fraudulently placed lower votes were removed. If your score goes down, it's possible that overzealous fans were attempting to "help" you by submitting multiple up-votes on your stories.

If you see a story - yours or anothers - with suspicious-looking voting patterns, please do use the REPORT THIS STORY feature to bring it to our attention and we will run a manual check as well. In the OTHER field, tell us to check the voting. When you report suspicious voting this way, the system will send us a direct link to the story and make it much easier for us to check.

Thanks again, and feel free to PM me with specific questions!