Thank you 🙏🙏🙏🙏🙏

[EmilyMiller]

That's why I always get a screenshot to memorialize the occasion. Queen of the Roller Derby hit the 100 votes mark with a 4.99 score, and was #1 all site, all time. I took a screenshot, went to bed and in the morning, the score was 4.86. But I got my screenshot for a nice little trophy.

Yeah - I’ve never hit #1, but have briefly been in category top fives a few times.

 

[EmilyMiller]

I had no change in my vote totals or score leading up to the Halloween deadline. I mean, no votes at all, no sweep at all.

Yeah - I honestly can’t recall, but it was either zero votes swept or just two of three. That was right in the middle of whatever the site crisis was.

 

[pink_silk_glove]

When Emily asked for a bigger sweep on her stories, and copied me as sort of a reference that this was not a fluke, but a real, ongoing issue, I suspect Laurel realized we need a site wide sweep.I can't even imagine how long that might take, but I would expect there are a lot of people who haven't seen any changes because they just haven't come up in the queue yet.

My stories were swept long before Emily's and I never asked for any sweep and I'm nowhere near a toplist, but whatevs.

 

[EmilyMiller]

It’s been a good day

Thank you to @Laurel and @Manu for their actions and @MelissaBaby for her help and support.

I hope this makes a difference to the experience of other authors here. Anything we can do to document novel troll approaches helps to fight them. An outcome I’m sure 99.9% of writers support.

Thank you also for the kind comments in public and via PMs. The vast majority of people here are wonderful.

 

[lovecraft68]

My stories were swept long before Emily's and I never asked for any sweep and I'm nowhere near a toplist, but whatevs.

Shh, you're upsetting the most important people here being important.

 

[lovecraft68]

The troll probably just got overzealous and dumped too many bombs in too short of a time, in gluttonous response to the sweet, sweet tears they were getting fed — thus exposing the whole slate. That then spilled over into everyone else who was getting bombed from the same source.

There's no such thing as a sweep-proof or a sweep-resistant vote. It's whether the asshole's activity has fallen into scope of the examined dataset, and whether that dataset is large enough. That's all. Asking for your story/stories specifically to be swept is unlikely to result in anything beyond the most basic of dumb bombs/boosting getting removed, because the dataset is too small for patterns emerge unless the troll makes a stupid mistake. ( which they all almost always do eventually.)

And now all this "Look my scores went up and look at me!" will bring the trolls back because people here are so caught up in numbers and their egos, they literally cannot shut up about it and just keep egging it on.

Act the fool here and pay the price is how its been since I got here and long before me. But children have to children so they just keep bringing it on.

The last few days here have made it apparent how self absorbed many here are and that the writing isn't what's important, just the numbers are.

 

[Voboy]

It's whether the asshole's activity has fallen into scope of the examined dataset, and whether that dataset is large enough. That's all. Asking for your story/stories specifically to be swept is unlikely to result in anything beyond the most basic of dumb bombs/boosting getting removed, because the dataset is too small for patterns emerge unless the troll makes a stupid mistake.

This OP seems to understand these numbers far better than I do (which is kinda a low bar), and so I usually defer to her expertise on these kinds of questions. Her tracking is more thorough than I'll ever do, and whatever data analysis she's performing is something she seems to have a great deal of experience with and confidence in.

Which is to say that when she differentiates between sweeps of "basic dumb bombs" and the kind of deeper sweeps she is now claiming to see, I have no reason to doubt that she's done her homework. She's saying that whatever has happened this time was fundamentally different than the usual sweep, and I lack the ammo to say she's wrong.

So, as far as I can tell, she's right. @MelissaBaby seems to have experienced something similar, as well. Whether all that portends any kind of long-term change in how Laurel and Manu handle these things remains to be seen.

 

[Voboy]

And now all this "Look my scores went up and look at me!" will bring the trolls back because people here are so caught up in numbers and their egos, they literally cannot shut up about it and just keep egging it on.

Act the fool here and pay the price is how its been since I got here and long before me. But children have to children so they just keep bringing it on.

The last few days here have made it apparent how self absorbed many here are and that the writing isn't what's important, just the numbers are.

You're doing roughly the same thing. You can't shut up about EM and keep egging her on.

You don't like reading these threads. You've made that abundantly clear: you find them repetitious. But your responses are just as repetitious.

Move along. Nothing to see here, surely. It's not necessary for you to continually chime in with the same replies every time this topic arises. Otherwise, you risk looking just as petty as you think EM is. I've stopped commenting on subjects that don't interest me, including this one (until the math started to make sense to me). It's easy to do. Just move on and leave it behind, as you repeatedly urge others to do.

 

[MrHereWriting]

It's not necessary for you to continually chime in with the same replies every time this topic arises. Otherwise, you risk looking just as petty as you think EM is.

Is there a topic on here that isn't repetitious?

Should only new people respond, or do you only want to see posts you agree with?

 

[Voboy]

Is there a topic on here that isn't repetitious?

Should only new people respond, or do you only want to see posts you agree with?

Not at all. I'm not precious about being agreed with.

I just get tired of seeing mean-spirited posts from the same old people with an axe to grind. It gets old, and I don't think it adds anything. Ad-hominems bore me.

 

[lovecraft68]

You're doing roughly the same thing. You can't shut up about EM and keep egging her on.

You don't like reading these threads. You've made that abundantly clear: you find them repetitious. But your responses are just as repetitious.

Move along. Nothing to see here, surely. It's not necessary for you to continually chime in with the same replies every time this topic arises. Otherwise, you risk looking just as petty as you think EM is. I've stopped commenting on subjects that don't interest me, including this one (until the math started to make sense to me). It's easy to do. Just move on and leave it behind, as you repeatedly urge others to do.

When it stops, I'll stop

And Em might be the one that starts the threads but they are far from the only person obsessed with these things. Like you, I couldn't begin to fathom how people track these things in such detail, it seems to be way more work than its worth. I also never deny the BS happens but will continue to point out that constantly talking about it here perpetuates it, and posting screenshots of your stories, especially if they're on a top list has proved time and again that it will get that story crapped on.

Which makes me wonder if people really want it to stop or if part of them embraces it because it gives them something to talk about.

You don't have to deep dive into numbers here to know

Bragging about a story here will get it struck down.

Telling everyone you're being trolled will earn you more trolling

"Look, I'm on a top list' will be the end of you being on the top list.

Saying you have 95 votes and a great score but know when you hit 100 it will get sniped, just got the wrong eyes on that story as they lick their lips and wait for you to hit 100.

There are other examples and yet its the definition of insanity, people just keep doing the same thing, getting the same results and acting surprised and upset when they do. Smarten up, shut up, or continue to invite trolling on the stories and people-and I am not the only one-pushing back against the incessant noise.

 

[Voboy]

You don't have to deep dive into numbers here to know

Bragging about a story here will get it struck down.

Yes. She addressed that already, in this very thread. Read back.

There are other examples and yet its the definition of insanity, people just keep doing the same thing, getting the same results

This is my point: you're doing the exact same thing.

 

[MelissaBaby]

I am not going to let anonymous trolls determine what, or how, I write my stories or post on the board.

 

[MrHereWriting]

Not at all. I'm not precious about being agreed with.

I just get tired of seeing mean-spirited posts from the same old people with an axe to grind. It gets old, and I don't think it adds anything. Ad-hominems bore me.

I didn't see Lovecraft call anybody an asshole, and if mean spirited is nothing more than disagreeing with other posters, then there are a lot mean spirited posts going both ways on this forum.

 

[Voboy]

I didn't see Lovecraft call anybody an asshole, and if mean spirited is nothing more than disagreeing with other posters, then there are a lot mean spirited posts going both ways on this forum.

Lol. You needn't call someone an asshole to post an ad hominem.

Those occur when you ignore the substance of an argument, and instead indict the person making it. This is the internet; that happens all the time, and I'm not likely to stop it. But it gets tiresome here from the same posters, and when I'm sick of it, surely I'm within my rights to call it out.

 

[MrHereWriting]

Saying you have 95 votes and a great score but know when you hit 100 it will get sniped, just got the wrong eyes on that story as they lick their lips and wait for you to hit 100.

This is off topic, but really, 1,000 votes should be the benchmark to being on any top list. 100 votes is nothing. That's like your Top 100 fans voting.

 

[Voboy]

This is off topic, but really, 1,000 votes should be the benchmark to being on any top list. 100 votes is nothing. That's like your Top 100 fans voting.

Different categories, different standards. 1k votes is nothing in categories like Incest or LW, but it's more votes than many writers here have ever seen in other categories. In the categories I write in, more than 400 votes is an exception.

 

[MrHereWriting]

Lol. You needn't call someone an asshole to post an ad hominem.

And post disagreeing with a poster aren't ad hominem either, nor are post pointing out character traits and habits.

Those occur when you ignore the substance of an argument, and instead indict the person making it. This is the internet; that happens all the time, and I'm not likely to stop it. But it gets tiresome here from the same posters, and when I'm sick of it, surely I'm within my rights to call it out.

Those do occur, but when the response is clearly an opinion that has been formulated through logic and reasoning, they're not ad hominem either.

Try reading everything in a neutral voice.

 

[Voboy]

Those do occur, but when the response is clearly an opinion that has been formulated through logic and reasoning, they're not ad hominem either.

Try reading everything in a neutral voice.

Your advice is much appreciated.

 

[old_prof]

This is off topic, but really, 1,000 votes should be the benchmark to being on any top list. 100 votes is nothing. That's like your Top 100 fans voting.

For many categories, 1K votes is generally a pipe dream. If you write in T/I or LW, it's easy.

 

[MrHereWriting]

Different categories, different standards. 1k votes is nothing in categories like Incest or LW, but it's more votes than many writers here have ever seen in other categories. In the categories I write in, more than 400 votes is an exception.

Everyone wants to know everybody thinks they're great right now, but sometimes that kind of recognition takes patience. You can up the high vote categories to 10,000 if it makes you happy.

 

[Voboy]

Everyone wants to know everybody thinks they're great right now, but sometimes that kind of recognition takes patience. You can up the high vote categories to 10,000 if it makes you happy.

Or we can just stick with the standard the site owners have established across the board; that's another option.

My oldest story has been up for almost ten years. I understand patience. I just checked; it has 793 votes. I am extremely satisfied that, within that category, it's very popular.

If "recognition" was all I was after, I'd probably do the kinds of things people do when they want high scores: I'd write series, perhaps, in high-traffic categories. But we're all here for different reasons, and we're all motivated by different things.

 

[lovecraft68]

I have a perfect example for the class.

Everyone here knows how I feel about the LW category (a faction of it to be more specific) The incels, the hatred of women, the man baby crying over fictional affairs and of course the BTB stories and as displayed recently my total disdain for the February sucks rip off game.

What do people think happens to me whenever I do that? My stories will get bombed, I get nasty private feedbacks and some shit comments. Happens every time.

But I don't come here squealing over it for two reasons

1-I will not withhold my opinion on a subject because my precious scores are so important to me I'll refrain from saying how I feel. I think that's weak to put it mildly

2-The main reason however is what I said above. I know when I do this what will happen so how the hell could I complain? I am openly inviting this crap so its on me, not the site, not anyone here, but me. When I dish it out then I need to be able to take it.

That's called being accountable for your actions.

But what we keep getting here is people continuing to bring this crap down on themselves then blaming everyone and everything but themselves. You have the right to bitch about whatever you want but not the right to think you can poke and not get poked back. That extends well past the scoring issue but to behavior here as well, be a PIA and there's a price to be paid.

 

[MrHereWriting]

Or we can just stick with the standard the site owners have established across the board; that's another option.

My oldest story has been up for almost ten years. I understand patience. I just checked; it has 793 votes. I am extremely satisfied that, within that category, it's very popular.

I said "should" I didn't say "they must change it to suit me."

Although, maybe, if I started that topic and kept it alive long enough, they would.

 

[Voboy]

I have a perfect example for the class.

Everyone here knows how I feel about the LW category (a faction of it to be more specific) The incels, the hatred of women, the man baby crying over fictional affairs and of course the BTB stories and as displayed recently my total disdain for the February sucks rip off game.

What do people think happens to me whenever I do that? My stories will get bombed, I get nasty private feedbacks and some shit comments. Happens every time.

But I don't come here squealing over it for two reasons

1-I will not withhold my opinion on a subject because my precious scores are so important to me I'll refrain from saying how I feel. I think that's weak to put it mildly

2-The main reason however is what I said above. I know when I do this what will happen so how the hell could I complain? I am openly inviting this crap so its on me, not the site, not anyone here, but me. When I dish it out then I need to be able to take it.

That's called being accountable for your actions.

But what we keep getting here is people continuing to bring this crap down on themselves then blaming everyone and everything but themselves. You have the right to bitch about whatever you want but not the right to think you can poke and not get poked back. That extends well past the scoring issue but to behavior here as well, be a PIA and there's a price to be paid.

Indeed.

But not everyone is like you. As I've mentioned, people are motivated by different things. If EM (or me, or MrHereWriting, or whomever) is motivated by something different than you are, they're not posting just to piss you off. And yet here you are, once again, loudly telling us how you feel.

As I said, it adds nothing and gets old. Feel free to do it, if you like, but don't expect people to enjoy it.