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       #Post#: 27607--------------------------------------------------
       Re: MMSA
       By: HumbledBareBoy Date: August 18, 2023, 8:54 pm
       ---------------------------------------------------------
       Okay, I'm admitted "late to the game" here, but oddly enough, I
       do indeed feel like I can actually contribute something
       semi-articulate and vaguely intelligent, haha! 🤣 I will
       surely say a few thing of stark disagreement with previously
       stated sentiments, but I can promise I am saying them in all
       respect and compassion -- a smile on my face, warmth in my
       heart, and sending a "telepathic hug" in your direction...
       [emoji178] [emoji56]
       [quote]Stars and shields are of little value to readers. It may
       be a while before a story gets any sort of star rating. ...
       Readers do not need stars as they get to know who they want to
       read.[/quote]
       As a reader, I would honestly have to say it differs from person
       to person, and for example, a reader like me does like having
       stars and shield to consider for choosing stories, and I would
       miss them if they were to ever go away. Part of that, I'm sure,
       is largely on account me generally being a technical,
       analytical, quantitative, etc. kind of personality overall, and
       I'm really all about numbers, labels, categories, clear dividing
       lines, etc. So if I'm perusing the listings, granted the content
       icons themselves will be my first choice of information to act
       upon, but otherwise, my neurons just take a certain amount of
       comfort in having something so concrete and, I guess, "tangible"
       in the form of those shields and stars... [emoji848] [emoji848]
       [emoji848]
       [quote]
       [quote]I do not enjoy seeing my stories with nothing at all
       beside them. I do not enjoy seeing my stories with sad, hollow,
       four-pointed thingamajigs while someone else is enjoying a pair
       of solid six-pointers. It does feel like my nose is being rubbed
       in the fact that readers just aren't that into me.[/quote]
       [quote]...because they are disappointed with the lack of
       feedback of one sort or another, I suggest they should not be
       concerned and just get on and write if they like writing. I said
       that feedback was a mixed blessing and suggested that no one
       would be fretting if there were no statistics. ... I do though
       feel for those authors who agonise. I do my best to persuade
       them they have no need to agonise and suggest they just
       concentrate on writing what they want or feel they need to
       write.[/quote]
       [/quote]
       Here, I would instead argue that it really depends on the
       specific writer, plus their personal reasons and hoped-for
       psychological rewards for submitting stories in the first place,
       either to MMSA or to other archive sites. In my case, for
       example, it is not solely about the stories -- but to the
       contrary, also as much (if not more...?) about the connection
       and communication aspects of it! On one hand, I feel like every
       human being out there, although to greater vs. lesser degrees,
       has at least some cursory desire -- or more likely, even a need
       -- for the occasional "external validation" in one form or
       another; in my case, I know that total or near-total absence of
       any reader engagement, and I would soon lose my reasons or
       desires for writing anything. Basically, it would more or less
       cease to be rewarding or meaningful to me...
       On the other hand, I also participate in the community for
       deeper personal reasons, beyond consuming "hot stories" about
       spanked boys! Put it this way: Nobody in my physical, everyday
       life -- outside the Internet, here in the real world -- knows
       about "HumbledBareBoy", nor that he and I are one and the same
       -- not even my real-life friends and acquaintances from the
       kink/fetish and BDSM communities... :(
       [quote]
       [quote]My ideal would be to do away with shields and stars and
       allowing authors to see the number of visitors. With that system
       authors would not be comparing themselves to other
       authors.[/quote]
       [quote]I'd happily get rid of the shields. There has been too
       much bitterness over them for them to bring me any
       satisfaction.[/quote]
       [/quote]
       Based upon my readings of past discussions, in all fairness, I
       can indeed understand where people who feel this way are coming
       from, especially just considering even debating the topic at all
       has been cause for strife and acrimony. From my point of view,
       having only become earnestly active just 3 years ago back in
       September 2020 -- I can say that both stars and shields have
       sincerely been a genuine source of benefit to me,
       psychologically and emotionally speaking! [emoji91] Of course, I
       fully realize that's just my personal, individual experience --
       plus also, respect the fact that it's different for others.
       Still yet, when I was that "new-ish" author still trying to
       build up my motivation, self-confidence, and "creative identity"
       within the wider body of authors -- seeing my story go live with
       a shield next to it undeniably was an extra ray of light and
       "shining beacon" for me, but even when said shield is not
       forthcoming for any particular story...?
       Just the fact that I have gotten shields and stars in the past,
       it gives me hope I can do so again, in the future! But more
       deeply, that I do in fact have the ability to write things that
       readers will enjoy and to reach them on some level -- emotional,
       erotic, and/or anything else! 💯
       [quote](Edited to clarify/dispel ambiguity, in light of Z's
       comments -- mea culpa!)
       [quote author=Zyngaru link=topic=2928.msg27049#msg27049
       date=1683901864]As for Mr. Flag.  I have always been and always
       will be one of his staunch supporters.  He encouraged me when I
       first started submitting stories...[/quote]
       === [emoji116] Not-Zyngaru quotes [emoji116] ===
       [quote]I'm glad you have had a positive experience with Flag,
       Zyngaru.  <-snip->  You are fortunate that you've only met Dr.
       Jekyll. Numerous other people have had dealings with Mr.
       Hyde.[/quote]
       [quote]I wouldn't mind at all if he were to ban Bottom[/quote]
       [/quote]
       Before going into computers and generally persuing the STEM
       (i.e., "science + technology + engineering + mathematics")
       corner of the job market, I had previous life where I was
       working towards a PhD in the social science -- studying human
       beings themselves, in all their weirdness! And although I did
       leave the field professionally, there is regardless still a part
       of me that find such topics interesting.  Here in MMSA, for
       example, I'm always curious about (and fascinated by) who does
       or does not get along with one another, plus who people
       gravitate towards vs. fleeing away from...
       Very much like so many other people here, I occasionally find
       dealing with Flag to be challenging or unpleasant, so I suppose
       that means have encountered a form of "Mr. Hyde"  myself...  ???
       Even despite, mind you, all of my best and sincerest efforts to
       be warm, sweet, and agreeable, FYI! At the very same time, just
       because I think so much of Zyngaru, even I have to be grateful
       to Flag for providing Z. with that aforementioned encouragement
       -- plus the other times, to my recollection, that Flag's really
       stepped up and did good for people! Which does not, to be fair,
       at all negate or invalidate other people's more negative
       experiences -- just merely illustrates the complex web of
       unique, dynamics flowing relationships amongst people...
       However, and obviously very much UNLIKE others here, Bottom and
       I have always gotten along with one another quite easily and
       beautifully; I gather that various members have their own
       histories with him, and he with them in turn, but...he's always
       been nothing short of wonderful to me -- as friendly and
       respectful as anyone could ever hope for, even! Granted, part of
       that could simply be attributed to my sweet and amazing
       personality, just being the warm, radiant "shining beacon" of
       infinite love and pure light that I am -- LOL!
       &#129315;&#129315;&#129315; But also, so many other things, I
       would presume: The right year, the optimal season, Mercury NOT
       being in retrograde, and so on and so forth...
       [quote author=Kat link=topic=2928.msg27050#msg27050
       date=1683904055]I give Jack full credit for operating a forum
       where we can have frank discussions. Jack has been very
       generous, as he started Bransom to showcase his own
       material.[/quote]
       With THIS sentiment, I could not possibly agree more deeply or
       enthusiastically, than I already do! [emoji7] Three cheers, hip
       hip hooray! [emoji307][emoji322][emoji560]
       #Post#: 27609--------------------------------------------------
       Re: MMSA
       By: Zyngaru Date: August 18, 2023, 10:30 pm
       ---------------------------------------------------------
       As I read HBB's comments I was wondering if I should comment or
       not.  Then I got down to where three comments were grouped
       together with my name at the top and only the first comment was
       mine and I do take exception with the last comment being put to
       that grouping, because it implies, I said that which I DID NOT
       say that or even think it.
       Mr. Bottom and I differ in a lot of things we comment on, but in
       no way does that imply I hold any animosity or ill will towards
       him.  I have NEVER wished anyone be banned from any site.  Do
       our conversations sometimes get intense?  Yes.  Sometimes they
       get so intense we both stop commenting just so we don't go too
       far.  But I highly respect Mr. Bottom.  He is true to what he
       believes and states it without compromise.  I know where he
       stands and like that in a person.  What I can't stand is someone
       (Not implying this to any particular person) who is nice to you
       to your face and mean about you behind your back.  Two faced
       people rub me the wrong way.
       That said, there are a few, not many, but a few people on MMSA
       that I don't care for, even though I don't know them personally.
       I strongly doubt they even know I don't like them.  My liking
       or disliking anyone, means diddly, as long as I stay civil and
       polite.
       Sorry.  I rambled, but I felt it necessary for everyone who
       reads HBB's comments to KNOW that I did not say what that post
       implies that I said.
       Yes.  HBB.  I know you never meant it to sound that way.  It's
       just an unfortunate grouping of quotes.  To show you I still
       love you as a brother from another mother, I am writing you a
       story.  When it is done, I will email it to you.  Don't hold
       your breath.  I am a long way from getting it finished.  It's a
       tribute story from my reading one of your stories and Zynder was
       inspired to give me this story for you.
       As for the debate about stars and shields.  I have commented on
       this elsewhere, but I will highlight what they mean for me here.
       I like both.  Shields more than stars, but I like both.  I
       write for myself.  Zynder gives me a story and I write it.  I
       enjoy writing it because it is like watching a movie inside my
       head.  Zynder demands that I wrote the stories he gives me.
       Zynder cares less what I do with them afterwards.  He gives the
       stories for me, personally.  He does not give me stories
       expecting other to read them.  Zynder still gives me stories.
       He's never stopped.  Point in question, the above-mentioned
       story, that I am writing for HBB.
       I posted stories online for others to enjoy.  I felt that I
       enjoyed them so much that maybe others would like them also.
       So, with Flag's encouragement I started sharing them.  The stars
       showed me if people enjoyed them like I did or not.  If no-one
       liked them, then why share them?  I'm still going to write them,
       but I don't have to share them if no-one likes them.  That is
       what I gleaned from stars.
       Shields took on an important measure for how I write the stories
       Zynder gives me.  Shields come from the people I highly respect.
       Shields told me if what I was writing deserved to be shared.
       If reviewers considered my stories crap, then they don't deserve
       to be shared sparing others from having to read crap.  I worked
       really hard trying to write better and better.  You all know I
       am not a grammar person, so writing a story that would receive a
       shield was and still is difficult for me.  Getting my first
       shield was an awesome day for me.  It encouraged me to strive
       harder to get the story grammatically correct.  Receiving my
       Author Shield was the best ever day in my story writing
       experience.  It meant I was accepted as an author.  None of that
       is probably what the whole stars and shields thing is supposed
       to represent.
       Okay.  It's getting late and I have a story to work on a little
       bit before going to bed.  Yes.  HBB.  It's your story and I am
       lying here naked ready to bring life to characters I hope you'll
       enjoy meeting someday.
       #Post#: 27610--------------------------------------------------
       Re: MMSA
       By: HumbledBareBoy Date: August 18, 2023, 11:00 pm
       ---------------------------------------------------------
       [quote author=Zyngaru link=topic=2928.msg27609#msg27609
       date=1692415840]Sorry.  I rambled, but I felt it necessary for
       everyone who reads HBB's comments to KNOW that I did not say
       what that post implies that I said. Yes.  HBB.  I know you never
       meant it to sound that way.  It's just an unfortunate grouping
       of quotes.[/quote]
       Ohhh, shoot! [emoji33] Wow, at the time it never would have
       occurred to me, but now that you pointed it out, I absolutely
       see what you mean -- my mistake, just fixed it accordingly!
       [emoji106]
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