My post for this week was
all but done when Alex pointed something out about the source of my post… What
if it wasn't 100% true, or worse what if it were just a marketing ploy… So that
started the research. What we found was that not everything in some recent blog
posts were true, or it was half-truths, or that if it was true there was no
proof… So now I have to revise my post and really I should have known better,
always check the facts. Maybe that should be my post next time. But here it is,
now broken into two parts: When Trolls Attack and Two Wrongs Don't Make A
Right.
Bottom line is this: Public
Shaming of anyone is wrong, we have become this culture of blood thirsty vipers
who like to gather in masses to abuse, shame, and verbally attack one person or
a group of people we feel like we are better than. It's disgusting and in this
one instance it was from both sides. Both are wrong, and no one is a winner in
this little internet war.
Part One: When Trolls Attack
Anyone who's been on any
sort of social media this week (yes, it is only Wednesday but whatever) has
seen the brouhaha over trolls attacking authors and their fans. Even if you've
missed this week's installment of “When Trolls Attack” you know you've seen at
least 10 previous episodes and next week I'm sure there will be a whole new
line up for us all to sit back and shake our heads at as it unfolds in our
social media newsfeeds.
Haters... They're a bitch.
No, seriously, they are.
We waste so much time on
them, they interrupt our lives, they distract from peoples hard work, they
shame people for the things they enjoy. And let's be clear, this isn't about
“bad reviews” this is about people who seek out to scare, hurt, and ruin
author's based on a personal bias, a rumor they've heard, a misunderstanding,
or simply no good reason at all. People who spread hateful speech, threaten
bodily harm, threaten sexual attacks, and lash out at not only the author, but
their family, their kids, and their fans... Bottom line, it's wrong.
In the effort of being
professional we all know the drill... Don't feed the trolls. Don't engage them.
And by all means, don't call them out because that is what they feed on. So
most people quietly suffer in silence as strangers hide behind the guise of
internet anonymity and spew their hate... I can guarantee you if those people
had to put their real name, a picture of themselves, and a public listing where
they could be reached, they would never, and I do mean NEVER, post the shit
they post. That right there tells you how cowardly they are.
But the question is, how do
you, or I, or we deal with this. Don't engage seems to be the choice most
people go with, others go to launching a campaign against the haters, while
others sadly feel like they have no choice but quit. And no, this isn't a rant
about some authors giving up. Others might post that, but not me.
The choice to stop writing
and not release their work because of haters is a personal choice and only that
author can choose that. Whatever he/she is going through it is his/her choice
on how to handle it and in this one case they did choose to not release her
book and that is okay. That said, it is human nature to want to lash out and
defend ourselves, but at the same time most of us know that ranting on social
media makes us look defensive and petty. It's a fine line to walk in defending
ourselves when people attack our character and our creativity.
Part Two: Two Wrongs Don't
Make A Right
In the case of this weeks
brouhaha, a troll, "reviewer" or whatever you want to call this
person, rated a book low and then had some snide comments about the author and
then took to jumping on another reviewers post to make some more snide
comments. We all know the type, they are doing it to get attention…
Unfortunately the author responded and that lit the flames. He lashed out, the
author lashed out, others came to his defense, her fans came to her defense and
LINES WERE CROSSED. Everyone was spouting TOS for Goodreads to
"prove" that they were right while others were wrong and it was
grossly out of hand.
The only thing I can say is
this: Authors, please don't respond to negative remarks. Don't have your best
friend, your husband, your neighbor, or your fans respond to negative comments
because it makes you and your brand look bad.
That being said, this
situation has quickly snowballed out of control. Authors are jumping ship,
lashing out at any low reviewer. Anyone who isn't giving them 5 Stars and a
glowing review runs the risk of being labeled a troll, hater, being from a fake
account.
So let's clear up a few
things:
What is the definition of a
Troll?
In Internet slang is a person who sows discord on the Internet by starting arguments
or upsetting people, by posting inflammatory, extraneous, or off-topic messages in an online community (such as a forum, chat room, or blog), either accidentally or with the deliberate intent of
provoking readers into an emotional response or of otherwise disrupting normal on-topic
discussion.[1]
What is the definition of a
Hater?
A person that simply cannot
be happy for another person's success. So rather than be happy they make a
point of exposing a flaw in that person. Hating, the result of being a hater, is not exactly jealousy. The hater doesn't
really want to be the person he or she hates, rather the hater wants to knock
someone else down a notch. [2]
Where in lies the difference
if there is any? Does it really matter, both are there solely for bring another
person down. Ruining their day. Pissing in their Wheaties. And neither is
acceptable behavior.
Regardless of who is being
what the cold hard facts are this, as Alex just pointed out, this is the nature
of the beast. Review sites are like this. People troll them looking to say
hateful things. We all know this and not every low review is a fake review,
sometimes a person just doesn't like a book. It is helpful when a low star
review is accompanied by a written review to help the author know what the
reviewer liked and didn't like, but we all know that 9 times out of 10 you
aren't going to be given any feedback.
But the worst part of all of
this is that both side started threatening violence, making violent suggestion
and in a community where we have so little support from the mainstream world we
should not be tearing ourselves into different factions. Seriously people, have
a coke and a smile and shut the fuck up. Everyone knows the old saying: If you
don't have something nice to say then, take to social media, gather your
pitchforks and call for the head of someone you deem less than you, which will
in turn cause them to build a Frankenstein's monster out of the heads, arms,
and legs, of their fandom to unleash a fury of hellfire and brimstone on the
authors behalf… *head desk* Oh wait, that isn't the old saying, the old saying
is this: If you don't have something nice to say then don't say anything at
all. Which doesn't mean don't leave a bad review if you feel a book calls for
it, but there is no reason to shame a person, imply that they are stupid and
there is never any reason to threaten physical violence or harm to one another
no matter which side of the fence you sit on!
So where does this leave
everyone? Some will delete their Goodreads accounts, some will take to
Facebook, Twitter, etc.. and some will find a good friend to vent to in
private. Others will quit writing all together. It is a personal choice on how
you chose to handle it or if you choose to handle it at all. My stance, for
myself is the same as it has always been in my previous posts about remaining
professional and branding. I will quietly find my way to Alex's inbox and vent
in private.
Authors, don't feed the trolls… And don't let your fan base
or friends feed them either.
And in conclusion here are some wise words on the nature of
Haters, thanks T.O.M. and Toonami:
"Well, I guess it is time to hate on… Haters
We’ve all got one.
It’s the person who says “That sucks.” No matter what you’re
doing.
Now this isn’t the same as criticism. Criticism serves a
healthy function.
Sometime it can even help you get better. That’s because it
comes from a good place.
Hating, however, is when someone just wants to cut you down.
They wanna watch you fall. Toonami’s had a lot of criticism
and a lot of haters in our time.
We welcome the criticism, because this is a work in
progress. And we wanna hear what you
guys have to think because we love you.
But when it comes to haters, ol TOM learned his lesson a
while ago. You can’t let them get to you. So keep your head up, keep doing what
works for you. And don’t be afraid to
listen to your critics, but always, always ignore the haters. We all deserve
better."
So there ya go: Don't be afraid to listen to your critics,
but always, always ignore the haters. We all deserve better.
