We could all learn something from SamuelX

[Voboy]

the whole motive here is for people to care less about the stats, not completely eschew them.

Again... why is it your place to get people to do that? Why don't you just mind your own business and let others mind theirs?

This was aimed at the hopelessly obsessed, not the "Yeah, the scores are nice, but..." people here.

As I pointed out way above, a lot of people didn't get that. Because you didn't communicate it clearly at all. Probably starts with the thread title, now that I think of it.

 

[MelissaBaby]

It shouldn't be necessary to say this, but I'll say it since my comments seem to have been misconstrued and misunderstood by some others here. My comments are not a critique of SamuelX, who didn't start this thread or invite discussion of his story-writing approach. I support his right to write stories however he wants to. I was responding to the initiator of this thread, Lovecraft, who held up SamuelX as an alleged exemplar of the "zero fucks given" school of writing. I would not be so presumptuous as to speak of another author this way. But whether or not it's SamuelX's attitude (I don't know and to the extent my previous comment suggested I did I retract it and apologize for it), I don't believe in this philosophy at all, for reasons I've stated.

Authors here should write for whatever purposes they want to, and get satisfaction in whatever way they can. That's what I believe. We're not getting paid. There's no objective standard of success.

But time and time again, new and old authors start threads and ask questions about how they can get better. I think it shortchanges people to say "don't give a fuck." It's a stupid attitude to take about anything in life, including writing. If you WANT to get better at what you do (you don't have to), then hell yes, you should give as many fucks as possible.

I'm glad you clarified that, because, in a thread that was specifically about a particular writer, your comments did, in my opinion, read as dismissive of that author and his writing. In another context, I would have taken them differently.

 

[lovecraft68]

I mean, sure, but... why is it your place to attack them? Who told you they needed you to do that?

This is the problem, it wasn't an attack, this was perspective. Someone recently locked their scores because a story went from 4.90 tp the high 4.8's. Little crazed, no?

This was meant to be helpful. but only to people that can handle being shown something.

I forgot that people here are so thin skinned that everything is an attack on them. "Oh, he says I should care about my story more than that 4.51"

To which you can disagree, but then it turns into the reverse, of who the hell are you to tell me I'm wrong for getting tired of a forum dedicated-as someone said-to the craft of writing-filled with whining about scores when anyone who has been here for a little bit knows there's nothing behind them.

The funny thing is, usually when someone gripes about something they're jealous "Oh, well, I didn't want that H anyway". They don't have them so they denigrate them. I have every number there is to have here, and I still say they're not important.

Maybe that's why people don't like when I say it. I have what they want and don't give a rat's ass that I do.

Next time around I'll pass out safety pins so you can all wear them to protect you from harsh words and reality.

 

[Euphony]

But having replied to that, I'll waste my breath again, but only because you're always very reasonable, that the whole motive here is for people to care less about the stats, not completely eschew them. This was aimed at the hopelessly obsessed, not the "Yeah, the scores are nice, but..." people here.

I respect the utter hell out of you but wish you'd identify the hopelessly obsessed as not needing just an extra bit of admonishment you, being less socially constrained, are uniquely able to provide.

Hopelessly obsessed is hopelessly obsessed and ain't ever gonna change.

The rest of us like to nestle into our happy place on the spectrum, most of us happy to let others do the same.

Extremes either to the supposed "good" (technical proficiency) or bad (IDGAF-ism) are basically useless to the bulk of us, even for "calibration."

 

[Voboy]

This is the problem, it wasn't an attack, this was perspective. Someone recently locked their scores because a story went from 4.90 tp the high 4.8's. Little crazed, no?

This was meant to be helpful. but only to people that can handle being shown something.

I forgot that people here are so thin skinned that everything is an attack on them. "Oh, he says I should care about my story more than that 4.51"

To which you can disagree, but then it turns into the reverse, of who the hell are you to tell me I'm wrong for getting tired of a forum dedicated-as someone said-to the craft of writing-filled with whining about scores when anyone who has been here for a little bit knows there's nothing behind them.

The funny thing is, usually when someone gripes about something they're jealous "Oh, well, I didn't want that H anyway". They don't have them so they denigrate them. I have every number there is to have here, and I still say they're not important.

Maybe that's why people don't like when I say it. I have what they want and don't give a rat's ass that I do.

Next time around I'll pass out safety pins so you can all wear them to protect you from harsh words and reality.

You used the word "attack," not I.

You also dodged the question. Who said it was YOUR job to show us all the way to enlightenment?

 

[lovecraft68]

Again... why is it your place to get people to do that? Why don't you just mind your own business and let others mind theirs?

Its called freedom of speech. Its called speaking one's mind. Its called having an opinion.
You could always follow your own advice and not reply, yes?

What it comes down to is I hit a nerve with a bunch of narcissists.

BTW if everyone minded their own business we wouldn't have a forum.

 

[AwkwardlySet]

I think your post backs the fact of how little scores mean. Some of his stuff is out there, but he can write, its just that his unapologetic style is so in your face its an acquired taste, so the low scores are more a reflection of style than bad writing.

Huh, I am really not sure if he can write... I mean the stories I've read long time ago were quite badly written, although i don't know about his more recent work. Is it possible to have multiple books on Amazon AND be a really bad writer? I have zero idea how the whole thing works, so I am genuinely asking.

 

[Britva415]

simonsplaining

like that kids' game, Simon Splains?

 

[Britva415]

I also fight against the Bisexual Erasure that so many LGBT people practice.
Straight-but-curious men do exist

and that's not bisexual erasure?

 

[Voboy]

You could always follow your own advice and not reply, yes?

Well, no, I replied because I thought you were directing this at all of us. Which includes me. Y'know, like the title says.

Now you're saying you weren't.

I'm just trying to figure out what the hell you're actually saying here, who you're saying it to, and why you're the one who knows enough to say it. In case you've noticed, I'm not the only one confused. So, again, maybe your messaging sucks.

I dunno.

 

[lovecraft68]

You used the word "attack," not I.

You also dodged the question. Who said it was YOUR job to show us all the way to enlightenment?

I just answered this. Last I looked we have the right to post out thoughts.

As to "Your job" I suppose I could just be one of the many people who sit back and never say anything rather than try to point something out that who knows, maybe someone here gets something out of..."wow, all those stories, no H's and just does his thing, maybe he's onto something" That occur to you or do you get to choose what people say and how people react to it

 

[MelissaBaby]

But having replied to that, I'll waste my breath again, but only because you're always very reasonable, that the whole motive here is for people to care less about the stats, not completely eschew them. This was aimed at the hopelessly obsessed, not the "Yeah, the scores are nice, but..." people here.

Next time around I'll pass out safety pins so you can all wear them to protect you from harsh words and reality.

Pick a lane, bub.

 

[NotWise]

I think I get the point, but SamuelX is such an outlier that you might be on thin ice assuming that he's actually rational. His lesson may not be "you should ignore the stats," but "don't perceive the common reality."

 

[lovecraft68]

This thread is getting a lot of posts, not all of them are friendly, but we're all talking, we're all posting, this hit a nerve and has people speaking out.

This is a win because it doesn't bother me, but mostly because it's getting lively responses, and that's what this forum is supposed to be for.

But the nerve I struck really does prove the point of what's more important here and in saying that it proves it to me as well. I was hopeful for a different response, but got pretty much what I expected.

This will be good for my reaction score...oh, no, reaction score, why does so and so have more than me????

 

[XerXesXu]

and that's not bisexual erasure?

SamuelX said. Pay attention.

 

[Smuttyandfun]

Huh, I am really not sure if he can write... I mean the stories I've read long time ago were quite badly written, although i don't know about his more recent work. Is it possible to have multiple books on Amazon AND be a really bad writer? I have zero idea how the whole thing works, so I am genuinely asking.

If you check the author's name - Teejay LeCapois on goodreads, it looks like all his books are very highly rated. The only thing is, there is usually only one person rating each book. And I guess we can all assume who that person is. It appears that SamuelX actually does care about ratings, and isn't a DGAF type, at least when he has his stories up for sale on Amazon and is hoping they'll sell.

 

[Britva415]

SamuelX said. Pay attention.

I know that.

Same question.

idgaf if SamuelX isn't here to answer it. There are a lot of people in this conversation. Lurkers too.

Don't feel like I'm putting you personally on the spot. I'm not.

otoh 'pay attention' is just douchey.

 

[XerXesXu]

I know that.

Same question.

idgaf if SamuelX isn't here to answer it. There are a lot of people in this conversation. Lurkers too.

Don't feel like I'm putting you personally on the spot. I'm not.

otoh 'pay attention' is just douchey.

You're here, you answer it. Do the heavy lifting yourself and you won't have to compose such gracious apologies.

 

[BelleCanzuto]

But playing victim and acting offended is all the rage.

You and KeithD are in some kind of competition to see who can most egregiously, willfully misconstrue comments, aren't you?

What it comes down to is I hit a nerve with a bunch of narcissists.

So, the mere act of replying to a thread you started is evidence of both being 'hopelessly obsessed' with scores, and narcissism. Good to know.

 

[KeithD]

You and KeithD are in some kind of competition to see who can most egregiously, willfully misconstrue comments, aren't you?

My goodness you are butthurt, aren't you? I've posted little to this thread. While you've been whining, I've been watching the U.S. Figure Skating championships on TV (Oh, and written 2,000 words to a story and submitted a 750-word exercise story), which was, I think, more constructive than you've been doing here and also fits in well with the theme of the thread--leaving other Lit. members the hell alone until/unless they've asked for your opinion on anything they're doing. The fun thing about marathon-watching the event on TV is that we are seeing a whole lot more of the competitions this year than we did last year--and last year we were there for it, but rarely able to attend as it snowed in Nashville.

Anyway, claiming I've misconstrued comments on this thread is just a bunch of crap, honey. You've been slapped down on your understanding of what's going on on this thread, and it wasn't by me.

This thread did get personalized on SamuelX's presence on Literotica with some of you telling him what he should be doing and wanting here, and I stand by folks just leaving him the hell alone to enjoy what he wants to do here that Literotica lets him do. Bringing him up at all on the discussion board is hauling him in to place he hasn't volunteered to be.

Kindly stop trying to pull me into your wound licking.

 

[BelleCanzuto]

My goodness you are butthurt, aren't you?

Oh, sweetheart, honey child, bless your soul. I give; you win. That screed was the absolute finest example of a willfully misconstrued comment that I've seen here. You've truly outdone yourself, and Lovcraft68 should hand you the trophy and bow out gracefully.

But I really appreciated the added bonus pomposity and self aggrandizement.
Truly a work of art.

 

[nice90sguy]

SamuelX is quite clearly a nutjob. He reminds me of an obsessive hoarder of bottle-tops, or one of those guys who writes hundreds of letters a day to the newspaper.

Whether or not he cares what people think, is hard to gauge, but he's found safe ground in this tolerant site, bless him.

I feel more pity than admiration for him.

As I posted earlier, the most impressive thing about his stories is the incredibly low scores of some of them, which seem to be based on a dumb mob's gleeful knee jerk response to some of the off-the-wall things he says regarding race.

 

[HectorBidon]

There are SamuelX's on the story side and SamuelX's on the forum side,

 

[Bramblethorn]

If you check the author's name - Teejay LeCapois on goodreads, it looks like all his books are very highly rated.

...they're not, though? He has 149 distinct books listed on Goodreads, and only 41 of those have any rating at all.

The only thing is, there is usually only one person rating each book. And I guess we can all assume who that person is.

I wouldn't be in a hurry to assume that. It's pretty clear that he doesn't regularly vote on his own stories here.

Many of his ratings do come from one reader who's given him a lot of 5* ratings, but also some 4*s. She also reads other authors who aren't SamuelX and she seems to rate those pretty generously too; I didn't see a single rating from her that was less than 4*.

I don't find it hard to believe that somebody who puts out as many stories as he does might have found a fan who likes his work.

 

[lovecraft68]

...they're not, though? He has 149 distinct books listed on Goodreads, and only 41 of those have any rating at all.



I wouldn't be in a hurry to assume that. It's pretty clear that he doesn't regularly vote on his own stories here.

Many of his ratings do come from one reader who's given him a lot of 5* ratings, but also some 4*s. She also reads other authors who aren't SamuelX and she seems to rate those pretty generously too; I didn't see a single rating from her that was less than 4*.

I don't find it hard to believe that somebody who puts out as many stories as he does might have found a fan who likes his work.

Always a chance his for sale material may be different than what he puts out here.

But even if its not, the pay market is different than here. Lit is free and all the trolls can just run around spewing at no cost. If you wanted to bomb an author's work in the market you have to spend some money, and also sign up on the platform with paypal or a CC or link a bank account, so your anon powers are greatly diminished.

If someone is there to spend money it will be on something they are interested in, you don't get the LW style 'hate reads'. For example my hot wife/cuck stuff in the market sells okay and has some decent reviews because the person buying likes the kink.

But this also could be another reason Sam X isn't concerned with the poor reception of his work here because he's making some money on it elsewhere. Once you've started selling-providing you're getting a decent enough amount of sales to make it worth it, you're concern over what happens here diminishes.