Fanfiction.net spam
4 October 2024 11:52 pm![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
igenlodeIt looks as if one of the low-down chillies in the heart of the plant (i.e. the first of those to set, before the bush grew bigger) is finally starting to turn colour -- still a fortnight behind last year!
(In 2023 I had some actually ripe chillies by September 25th, though I didn't harvest any until the plants started dying back at the start of November.)
I continue to struggle horribly with my de Brencourt story -- part of the problem is, I think, that I ended up developing the scene to a more extreme point than originally visualised, which now requires me to work my way back to a less fraught atmosphere so that I can reasonably proceed to the planned ending. A not unrelated part of the problem is that it acquired altogether too much of an autobiographical element, which was an uncomfortable fit both with the plot and with canon, producing an effect comparable to those fanfiction authors who appropriate canon characters as an obvious mouthpiece for their own beliefs (forcing Christine to apologise for her 'ungrateful' treatment of the Phantom, for example, or just preaching their preferred line on other matters), an activity that I have always greatly disliked on observing it in others :-(
Having got it out of my system, I had to rein back what I had written and retreat from that route.
And a basic practical issue is that due to proceeding at such a glacial rate I find myself ending up by inadvertently repeating myself. But mainly I have just been floundering around without any very clear idea of what originally came between B and C (the second of which did, somehow or other, originally arise by some natural development out of the first... but that was now months ago) and thus with no idea of who needs to say what to whom.
Still to fit in, somehow: the interruption/arrival of their English hostess (now the Countess of Carnforth, though I should possibly choose a more plausible comital seat for a title pre-existing in 1800 -- simply shift it to Warton, the older district centre?), and the allusion to the game of piquet played by the Comte in the opening chapter of the original novel....
I am still receiving notifications from scam artists (in all senses of the word) on fanfiction.net, which I resent not least because it has effectively destroyed any confidence I might have that people might actually enjoy my work; when I receive a notification that someone has favourited one of my stories or is following me as an author I no longer assume that it indicates that they have any desire to see what future fiction I might post, but conclude that they are simply trying to soften me up for their next attempt :(
It is just possible that some of the six or so favourites I have received in the last month may be genuine, but every time so far that I have been able to get to the library to check out the originating accounts, they have either been purged already or from their profiles are obviously scammers.
(repeated with a different story title plugged in to fill the variable...)
The silly thing is that these people (or just this one person...) are shooting themselves in the foot by constantly spamming the same material; the only reason I realised it was spam in the first place was because I received multiple virtually identical communications within a short space of time. If I had just got the first one then I would probably have taken it at face value. (And yet they *are* putting a good deal of effort into it, because the wording has been varied rather than just being the same cut & paste script, like the anti-Critics United spam review flood.)
What I don't really see is what they hope to get out of it. Presumably if I had followed up any of them further I should have been asked for actual money at some stage, but as a means of getting cash over the Internet -- most fanfiction.net users proverbially being teenagers who are still living at home -- it seems like a lot of pretty intensively targetted work for very small prospective reward. Just how much money are how many people likely to be prepared to pay for a small cover art image 300x450 pixels in size?
(In 2023 I had some actually ripe chillies by September 25th, though I didn't harvest any until the plants started dying back at the start of November.)
I continue to struggle horribly with my de Brencourt story -- part of the problem is, I think, that I ended up developing the scene to a more extreme point than originally visualised, which now requires me to work my way back to a less fraught atmosphere so that I can reasonably proceed to the planned ending. A not unrelated part of the problem is that it acquired altogether too much of an autobiographical element, which was an uncomfortable fit both with the plot and with canon, producing an effect comparable to those fanfiction authors who appropriate canon characters as an obvious mouthpiece for their own beliefs (forcing Christine to apologise for her 'ungrateful' treatment of the Phantom, for example, or just preaching their preferred line on other matters), an activity that I have always greatly disliked on observing it in others :-(
Having got it out of my system, I had to rein back what I had written and retreat from that route.
And a basic practical issue is that due to proceeding at such a glacial rate I find myself ending up by inadvertently repeating myself. But mainly I have just been floundering around without any very clear idea of what originally came between B and C (the second of which did, somehow or other, originally arise by some natural development out of the first... but that was now months ago) and thus with no idea of who needs to say what to whom.
Still to fit in, somehow: the interruption/arrival of their English hostess (now the Countess of Carnforth, though I should possibly choose a more plausible comital seat for a title pre-existing in 1800 -- simply shift it to Warton, the older district centre?), and the allusion to the game of piquet played by the Comte in the opening chapter of the original novel....
I am still receiving notifications from scam artists (in all senses of the word) on fanfiction.net, which I resent not least because it has effectively destroyed any confidence I might have that people might actually enjoy my work; when I receive a notification that someone has favourited one of my stories or is following me as an author I no longer assume that it indicates that they have any desire to see what future fiction I might post, but conclude that they are simply trying to soften me up for their next attempt :(
It is just possible that some of the six or so favourites I have received in the last month may be genuine, but every time so far that I have been able to get to the library to check out the originating accounts, they have either been purged already or from their profiles are obviously scammers.
I hope this message finds you well. I recently had the pleasure of reading your story, "The Remorse of Others" and was truly captivated by its unique narrative and creativity. The depth and imagination in your work inspired me alot. I think this is the best story which i never ever read the way you described and the emotions like each and everything is incredible. It's too good would love to hear about your upcoming stories. I'm an artist if you would like to give me a chance to draw some dope characters for your stories with in a good price that would be my honour to work with you also i'll share some dope ideas with you feel free to dm.
Hello, my friend! How are you? I read your story and really liked it. Keep up the good work! I am a concept artist, and I draw book covers, original characters, and more. Would you be interested in collaborating with me? I would be happy to work with you!
Hey author, I hope you're doing well. I'm Eleanor. I read your narrative (High City on a Hill) and really like it. I'm considering how to enhance your narrative through art.
As a concept artist with keep Interest in literature. I saw your work is really awesome and interesting. I believe strategic paid collaboration could be a great fit for both our interests and I'm able to provide you a high quality and creative art for you stories
I'm interested in exploring potential collaboration opportunities. Can we connect on other platforms for a more in-depth discussion?
Hi Author, I hope you're well. I'm Zoe. I read (The Remorse of Others) and I loved it. I'm thinking about enhancing it with some art.
(repeated with a different story title plugged in to fill the variable...)
The silly thing is that these people (or just this one person...) are shooting themselves in the foot by constantly spamming the same material; the only reason I realised it was spam in the first place was because I received multiple virtually identical communications within a short space of time. If I had just got the first one then I would probably have taken it at face value. (And yet they *are* putting a good deal of effort into it, because the wording has been varied rather than just being the same cut & paste script, like the anti-Critics United spam review flood.)
What I don't really see is what they hope to get out of it. Presumably if I had followed up any of them further I should have been asked for actual money at some stage, but as a means of getting cash over the Internet -- most fanfiction.net users proverbially being teenagers who are still living at home -- it seems like a lot of pretty intensively targetted work for very small prospective reward. Just how much money are how many people likely to be prepared to pay for a small cover art image 300x450 pixels in size?