Forum: Author Hangout

If your skin is really that thin, then list in your end-of-story note that 'Please, if you can't say nice things, then please don't say anything about my story at all', as that lets readers know you don't respect their opinions so they won't send those critical messages that many of us enjoy.

Yeah, I'm certain that'll work splendidly.

The worst comment I got so far was "Stop wasting our time with your rubbish". It was a statement in the public comment section, so I thought the critique was mainly directed at the other commentors and didn't feel personally offended. I'm not sure how I'd react to seriously offending feedback but I'm not too concerned about the prospect either.

I don't see it as a place to bitch or a place to make political commentary of any sort.

Of course you're very different. Ain't we all? Just not for this reason. Like many authors, I never did that either.

By the way, is "dummy-spit" your equivalent of the "spit take"?

No. I thought it was a universal metaphor. Perhaps it's only British.

It means a childish tantrum, especially to the point of being self-destructive. Americans might say 'take your bat and go home'.

By the way, is "dummy-spit" your equivalent of the "spit take"?

In American, that would be "pacifier-spit", implying a childish tantrum.

edit to respond to Ross's almost simultaneous post:

No. I thought it was a universal metaphor. Perhaps it's only British.

American English doesn't use the term "dummy" for the thing you stick in a baby's mouth to get it to shut up, which kind of kicks the legs out from under the phrase. In American English, it's a "pacifier".

In American, that would be "pacifier-spit", implying a childish tantrum.

Unsurprisingly, I don't know a similar German phrase. Instead we have several sayings to suggest an opposite reaction. For example:

"Was kümmert es die stolze Eiche wenn sich an ihr schabt ein Borstenvieh."

Many a pitch were strewn about, but not one shit was given. ;)

but not one shit was given. ;)

If you can't give a shit, you need more fiber in your diet. :)

If you can't give a shit, you need more fiber in your diet.

The definition of full of shit, sans the fiber. :)

Not pointing a finger at you in the earlier post, or in this one. Just a few general comments.

I've been known to get momentarily irritated, but generally don't stay that way long. Conversely, I've noted many people that get upset and stay that way. That's in real time.

On the internet, the majority of people are a scholar, poet, and warrior in their minds. Let us not forget the Socratic Google dissertations with the wikipedia thesis on the side.

Me, I just don't care. Some random person somewhere in the world frothing over their keyboard in manufactured rage, just doesn't trip the sphincter nerves enough to give a shit.

Once in a blue moon though, you just have to fly the finger of discontent, and pinch one off in the shallow end of the Internet pool. It's a much healthier proposition than finding some random stranger in the meat world, and cursing them out while relieving yourself on their leg.

A pitched bitch fit once a blue moon is good for you, making a habit of it, not so much.

We don't put our dummies in a baby's mouth - we send them to Washington D.C.

Your way might work better.

We don't put our dummies in a baby's mouth - we send them to Washington D.C.

Watch your mouth, you're giving dummies a bad name.

True, but it's hard to get a decent knife to travel through the communications lines to deliver the point properly.

Given sufficient velocity, a small bit of steel or lead will travel large distances through the air. The hard part is locating the intended recipient.

In my case, the message came to me by way of the email system and was so authoritarian that I just had to respond and give a little back, as they say.

The guy was infuriated to discover that I rejected his direct orders to rewrite the story to suit his opinions, that he went off on how stupid I was not to agree to his every demand. His was the only email I have ever gotten that I responded to and told him to stop reading my book if it gave him so much distress.

That infuriated him even more. The idea that I didn't embrace his demands and immediately give him what he demanded was truly more than he could imagine.

If I recall correctly, there are things the webmaster will do if asked to protect authors from harassment by a particular reader - short of the author feeling obliged to turn off options allowing feedback from readers.

Certainly, the webmaster ALWAYS responds, describing whatever options are available, when contracted by an author with a legitimate problem.

Nope.
He seems to hate the pace of posting, length of chapters, long format, multiple characters and all political activities.
He thought that young men learning use guns was disgusting and that George Soros was a saint and dwas Mandes all references to him be removed.
Only then would he consider continuing to read the books.

In that case, you're now in the right place to spill your guts. You'll undoubtedly receive a lot of sympathy.

ohhh.... I doubt that.

But ti was nice to spit on the fire for a change. I usually just take it with a grain of salt and go on.