What's with thin-skinned authors and hyper-aggressive commenters?

[lovecraft68]

I think that divide is because we as authors cannot easily reply especially with so many anonymous peeps- unless we clutter our comments with "thanks for x y and z. Sorry about a,b, and c. I will do better next time?

A reply function just like TripAdvisor gives could be useful? If not abused?

We used to be able to when comments could be titled "to so and so" but not anymore.
I don't reply in comments anyway, I see it as padding the stories stats. I'll see a story with a lot of comments, go to it and see the author is replying to almost every comment so half are theirs

 

[John_Oakman]

That is certainly a concern that I have from time to time. I often tend to respond to comments in an overly wordy format, usually to patch anything that I suspect could be twisted as meanspirited... but that itself leads to something that might sound pretentious and/or sarcastic. Also the relatively slow nature of the comments section meant that every response to feedback has to count (or at least more so than forum posts, discord chat, reddit comments, etc.).

 

[Imstillfun]

I take all comments seriously, evaluating how they apply to what I have done and what I planned.

I have tons of commenters on my stories. One has over 300. Lots of haters because there is a group of people in the LW section that don’t like the topic I write about.

i have taken some advice from comments. Early on someone told me my sentences were too short. Another commenter educated me on how to express numbers in a story.

out of thousands of comments, those are the only two that were helpful.

the haters are entertaining and of course, I love my fans. They keep me writing.

 

[Bazzle]

@GoldenCompulsion I would love to hear criticism of plot, or character development? As that means the reader as read it?
What I seem to collect is complaints about sentence structure as if I am in English lessons again.
what is more important?
maybe English!

 

[NYcastaway]

What is with all the old stories being posted by the so called new authors. Stories and story lines identical. Seems like all that was done, was use editing software to change the characters names.

 

[NeonRabbit]

It's not a surprise. I have no intention on writing stories. I did not realise that's a requirement for offering critiques. Is that a requirement for offering feedback? Do writers not actually want to know what their readers think?

So good or bad, praise or not, neutral or not, well intentioned or not, feedback is not desired even when feedback and comments are enabled? What's that even for then? That seems entirely counter-intuitive.

You bet your ass I took an arrogant and definitely insulting tone after receiving those kinds of comments. That was a whole lot of uncalled for bullshit. If other people are going to go out of their way to act like that, even after taking the assumption that the person offering feedback is new and not yet schooled on the unspoken rules, they shouldn't be surprised to get the exact same in kind. It's straight-up assholery. It's naive, obtuse, and definitely thin-skinned to think otherwise and then be sensitive about it.

You haven't said anything about the overly personal randos. Their feedback still stand despite the author not requesting feedback.

In contrast to what I've read elsewhere on the site I'm getting the impression that feedback and ratings are pointless and the default setting for readers better be a praise circle jerk or be a ghost, that this site is writers for writers, not writers for readers including those that are also writers. Clarification, please.

Writing stories is really helpful in giving appropriate critique. My punctuation is notoriously bad and there are things when you've read through your manuscript a thousand times you just miss. It happens, that's why writers and editors are usually two different people. There are many times I've stopped reading a story after the second sentence so I totally understand that. It was just the lack of care you took with your constructive critique. You essentially wrote, "get gud," in a frankly insulting tone.

So yeah, write a story and put it out there so you have maybe a little more sensitivity to the process. I can't be sure, but my guess is most of the writers posting are not professional and are really only doing this for the fun of it. Those that are pro or semi pro don't tend to post critique at all apart from a semi anonymous "like". Reading your initial critique felt more like bullying than it did anything worthwhile. I felt angry on the writer's behalf. Whatever salient points you had were lost once I was pissed at you. It's very meta, critique of a critique, but there you are. Comment and critique away, but don't be surprised if you come off as an asshole.

 

[KeithD]

What is with all the old stories being posted by the so called new authors. Stories and story lines identical. Seems like all that was done, was use editing software to change the characters names.

Such as? Not very useful without demonstrating the premise.

 

[Voboy]

...I'm wondering why the writer didn't simply delete the comment, if it wasn't to their liking.

I'll not pretend to have read the whole thread, so perhaps that's been addressed. But it takes two to tango, and by engaging in reply and debate, the writer has validated the commenter's comments.

Just delete them and move on, writers.

 

[ElectricBlue]

...I'm wondering why the writer didn't simply delete the comment, if it wasn't to their liking.

I'll not pretend to have read the whole thread, so perhaps that's been addressed. But it takes two to tango, and by engaging in reply and debate, the writer has validated the commenter's comments.

Just delete them and move on, writers.

This thread was started by some bloke who left a comment on a story that was, in his opinion, fair and balanced (but if you go read his opening post, judging by his language and carry on there, possibly not).

The commenter then took exception to the author deleting his post, and other commenters piled on. The commenter then came here with the first crapulous post, seeking sympathy I guess, but took exception when folk said, "Mate, that's a bit out of order."

He then went all sweetness and light, trying to be nice, pulled a mental disability card, and disappeared. Not the usual bleat from an author, quite the reverse.

 

[LdyHoneybee]

I just figured the OP went to one of those university cr seminars where they all sit around and eviscerate each others’ work to make themselves look better. Many “critics” think that what they are to do is point out failures instead of evaluating work.

 

[Voboy]

This thread was started by some bloke who left a comment on a story that was, in his opinion, fair and balanced (but if you go read his opening post, judging by his language and carry on there, possibly not).

The commenter then took exception to the author deleting his post, and other commenters piled on. The commenter then came here with the first crapulous post, seeking sympathy I guess, but took exception when folk said, "Mate, that's a bit out of order."

He then went all sweetness and light, trying to be nice, pulled a mental disability card, and disappeared. Not the usual bleat from an author, quite the reverse.

Well, if the writer deleted the comment, and the commenter is whining about that, then where did the two-way communication come in? My impression from the first page was that there'd been some sort of exchange.

 

[ElectricBlue]

Well, if the writer deleted the comment, and the commenter is whining about that, then where did the two-way communication come in? My impression from the first page was that there'd been some sort of exchange.

Yes, I think there was an exchange in the story comments, fuelled by others both pro and con, before the author deleted the original comment.

The guy then arrived here with this thread, and proceeded to go to town every which way, shooting from a very high horse, and failing to understand that some writers simply do not want unsolicited critique. He departed about half way through, but his attitude remains in his very first post, which is pretty ugly.

 

[lovecraft68]

Melrose Place level drama.

 

[ElectricBlue]

This is a ridiculous response with that context. The cognitive distortions here are so strong-- the assumption that people hate them because they do not write?? Girl. Please.

Signed, a disabled person who teaches & tutors other disabled people.

You're right, I used the wrong expression, and I do apologize for that, and yes, I have to cop your double whammy sign-off on the chin because I was too lazy to find the guy's actual words and was very clumsy with my own.

But, before you reply (if you do, but you seem to have dismissed me already) may I suggest that you go read my story, Rope and Veil, read the comments and the reaction to it, and consider who might already be an advocate for people with disabilities in an erotica context.

You know, someone who becomes a writer and puts work out there to be critiqued and commented on, thin-skinned, gutless, whatever else the OP wrote in his opening spray. Because that's the context here, that very first post, that's the post that triggered an instinctive reaction - and, you will note, not just from me.

You've overlooked the guy's attitude throughout that first post, which was offensive, excessive, dismissive of writers. It was in that context that I suggested he should try writing before he gave unwanted critiques - because that's the context of the thread. Unwanted critiques. Attacking writers, calling them thin skinned, gutless, and far worse.

You've come in at last drinks and zeroed in on two clumsy words in one post, and now I'm the one at fault here?

Read the first post.

 

[ElectricBlue]

I think you're misreading my reply to you. I was calling the other guy ridiculous, not you. I also responded to the other person's first post, criticizing their bad criticisms.

So, yeah.

Crossed wires, then. I thought your comment was aimed at me and my poor choice of words. Peace .

 

[jsmiam]

What is with all the old stories being posted by the so called new authors. Stories and story lines identical. Seems like all that was done, was use editing software to change the characters names.

If you spot a stolen story, by all means report it. (This really is a new topic entirely though. )

If you’re pointing out that there are basic themes that recur through the ages of erotic writing, you’re not necessarily incorrect, but that’s also a different topic.

Now let me tell you about the time I sent a text to the wrong person accidentally, and it led to some great sex. Or the time spilling a drink led to great sex. Or the time asking a store clerk to help pick a gift led to great sex.

Better yet though, this is a new topic either way. Start a new thread, where it can be talked about at length.

 

[carrteun]

When you KNOW English, you almost always find if you have troubled to proofread that people who lack the insight and expertise to offer anything but a grammar and spelling critique do not know nearly as much about grammar and spelling as they think. Chances are they just imitating comments they have gotten without really having understood the error.

Until the day I die, I will never believe or claim I "know" English.

I've been reading and writing English for more years than I care to admit. I leave it to others to decide whether what I've submitted to Literotica is worth reading. I don't necessarily write to have my ego stroked, though it is gratifying to get positive comments. I accept most critiques as being well-intentioned and try to consider the merits of the comments. Sometimes I incorporate suggestions in future efforts. Other times I do not. I also do not delete critiques that are ill-conceived, without merit, or just plain mean-spirited, whether anonymous or attributed. I hope someone that comes across my work will at least begin to read then make their own decision, rather than rely upon the words of a flamer or other commenter before making a decision whether to read my work. Besides, whether anonymous or attributed, feedback and criticism say as much, or more, about the individual giving feedback as it does about my work.

I know barely a handful of words and phrases from other languages that have not been adopted (appropriated?) by English, so I can't address the flexibility or adaptability of other languages. English is constantly expanding, adapting, and changing. New words are developed and added to the lexicon constantly. Old words fall out of favor or become obsolete for some other reason. Or even take on entirely new meanings completely unrelated to their origins. English can be confusing and maddening, even for native speakers. Homonyms, homophones, heteronyms, and homographs confound people learning English as a second language. The nuances between the plethora of synonyms available in English can completely change the meaning of a phrase. Idioms can make conversation with native English speakers maddening for relatively accomplished non-native speakers. Hell, conversations among native English speakers - from the U.S., Canada, Australia, New Zealand, South Africa, Ireland, and the UK, can be sometimes result in confusion and misunderstanding because of the differences in dialects, slang, and idioms. Even within the same nation.

Even a cursory knowledge of the history of English literature can drive home how adaptable and changeable English has been. Shakespeare is widely considered to be among the greatest, if not the greatest writer to put English to paper. But a page in any high school or college Shakespeare textbook has extensive footnotes to explain what the bard's words on the page mean. Because I could never develop a reading flow, it made reading and comprehending Shakespeare frustrating. As much as I loved reading and writing, reading Shakespeare in high school convinced me I wasn't cut out to major in English when I attended university. Across the centuries, writing styles have changed so markedly I wonder if even Twain's words would make it to print at a modern publisher. I'd wager many admired and celebrated writers like, but not limited to, Fitzgerald, Plath, Mitchell, or Chandler would pass muster at a modern publisher.

Another complication when providing feedback is that words on a page can be easily misconstrued without the visual and auditory cues humans rely upon in conversation unless carefully chosen. Tone and speaker behavior in conversation can make words spoken more harsh or more benign than when written. But without the visual and auditory context, a writer must be careful when considering how to provide even constructive criticism. I rarely provide a critique of another writer's work. When I do, I choose my words carefully. Too many aren't capable or don't want to do the same.

 

[LdyHoneybee]

Okay, fair enough. I did major in English (although I admit to letting some things like capital letters slide on the internet because i key with one finger), but many times I have seen people accuse others of grammatical errors that were just not there because they apparently could think of nothing else to say but feel the need to denigrate. The errors have to be very intrusive for me to say anything about them. This isn’t an English classroom.

 

[lovecraft68]

Okay, fair enough. I did major in English (although I admit to letting some things like capital letters slide on the internet because i key with one finger), but many times I have seen people accuse others of grammatical errors that were just not there because they apparently could think of nothing else to say but feel the need to denigrate. The errors have to be very intrusive for me to say anything about them. This isn’t an English classroom.

I think I'm proof many lit readers are not grammar Nazi's or English language scholars. My grammar early on was awful, and has improved drastically over time, but still needs some work. I use an editor for my paid work but for here I just do my best, and even admit that at times I reach a point of whatever, this is a free site and I only have some much time.

Having pointed that out, I have been very successful here in anyway you want to define it. I do get comments about proofreaders, some polite and even offering to do it, others are the trolling nasty remarks about my lack of intelligence or whatever. But far moe of my comments talk about my story telling, my dialogue(which is my strong point) getting people invested in the characters, making them real, painting vivid scenes and telling slow burn stories full of conflict, especially in taboo.

If grammar was the #1 criteria here I'd be a flop. People come here to wank, others to enjoy a solid story with their wank, and others to troll and put people down to try and elevate themselves.

I give credence to the people who politely point out a mistake, because its usually mixed with something positive, and I can't disagree with them because I know they are right, so why get upset like the thin skinned authors do? On the other hand when the nasty ones start asking if I ever got past 4th grade?

My attitude is I'm the #3 all time author on this site, with 9 contest placings, on a bunch of top lists and own 5 stories on the top 250 faved stories of all time. So to them I say, "Smile and wave boys, smile and wave."

 

[spiceandspice]

Commenters can often be really nasty. I don't know why they don't get removed more often. Certain sections like cheating, non-monogamy interracial, etc. have stories filled with nasty or racist comments at the authors. It's rare that I don't see those sorts of comments on those genres.

 

[carrteun]

Commenters can often be really nasty. I don't know why they don't get removed more often. Certain sections like cheating, non-monogamy interracial, etc. have stories filled with nasty or racist comments at the authors. It's rare that I don't see those sorts of comments on those genres.

I've been fortunate in not getting that many 'nasty' comments. One-bombs is another matter entirely. lol

I do get a kick out of commenters that get upset when one of my characters displays a character flaw. In my most recent story, one anonymous commenter (the only one I whose comments I dismissed as just the words of a flamer but none-the-less did not delete) was particularly bent out of shape because the narrator/main character hid that he would be attending law school at the same school his love interest was attending as an undergrad until the last minute. Granted, probably not a wise decision on his part. It could make for some potentially awkward future interactions if the relationship didn't work out. But so what? College campuses are filled with people whose relationship fizzled out but still cross paths.

And c'mon! The characters are early twenties, not emotionally mature adults, not that mature adults don't do dumb shit when it comes to their relationships. I tried to portray a little of the angst that a guy entering into the uncharted territory of a first summer romance, after making what should be perceived as a history of mature avoidance of such short-term relationships in the past. And how the lack of experience with short term romances might lead to some poor decision-making.

IMHO, a writer that is uncomfortable with showing his/her characters aren't perfect is doing readers an injustice. It's our flaws and insecurities that make us human.

 

[lovecraft68]

I've been fortunate in not getting that many 'nasty' comments. One-bombs is another matter entirely. lol

I do get a kick out of commenters that get upset when one of my characters displays a character flaw. In my most recent story, one anonymous commenter (the only one I whose comments I dismissed as just the words of a flamer but none-the-less did not delete) was particularly bent out of shape because the narrator/main character hid that he would be attending law school at the same school his love interest was attending as an undergrad until the last minute. Granted, probably not a wise decision on his part. It could make for some potentially awkward future interactions if the relationship didn't work out. But so what? College campuses are filled with people whose relationship fizzled out but still cross paths.

And c'mon! The characters are early twenties, not emotionally mature adults, not that mature adults don't do dumb shit when it comes to their relationships. I tried to portray a little of the angst that a guy entering into the uncharted territory of a first summer romance, after making what should be perceived as a history of mature avoidance of such short-term relationships in the past. And how the lack of experience with short term romances might lead to some poor decision-making.

IMHO, a writer that is uncomfortable with showing his/her characters aren't perfect is doing readers an injustice. It's our flaws and insecurities that make us human.

For me flawed characters create relatability, which is a good thing. I think the people who complain are the ones here for the stories of the 40DDD tits and 12" dicks and every guy a stud and every woman a nympho. They want cardboard sex crazed two dimensional fuck puppets, not people