Okay. Several instances of trolling and cyberbullying against writers have come to the fore in recent weeks. Here are a few posts that seek to address the issue.
Anne R. Allen outlines the issues and offers some strategies you can use to avoid or address them without becoming a target.
Chuck Wendig posted Online is IRL (in response to the #AskELJames fiasco), and then, after a narsty Twitter attack, posted In which I learn to talk less and listen more.
This made Porter Anderson’s radar and he posted this analysis of the fallout.
In other, related news, there were discussions across Facebook and Google+ regarding the above (Delilah S. Dawson was caught in the fracas), and about a libellous review posted for Roz Morris. If it had merely been a poor review, meh. This review, however, accused Roz of plagiarism. How do you respond to these kinds of accusations without chumming the waters? We really have to learn to be kinder to one another online.
Agent Sarah Negovetich offered these thoughts on safely navigating social media.
Unit sales (of print books) inched up in the first half of 2015. Publishers Weekly.
Elending won’t put a big dent in books sales. The Guardian.
Court denies class action in Author Solutions case. Publishers Weekly.
Jane Friedman explains the profit and loss statement and how publishers use it to make purchasing decisions.
What happens if your story stakes aren’t high enough? K.M. Weiland answers in part 42 of her Most Common Writing Mistakes series.
Katie looked at Jurassic Park as an example of how to compound your conflict in your story. Think perfect storm 🙂
E.C. Ambrose offered these nine ways to use point of view to strengthen your characters. Helping Writers Become Authors.
Chris Winkle writes another great post for Mythcreants: Why social justice is intrinsic to storytelling.
Roz Morris writes about the importance of names. I love names, too.
Agent Carly Watters lists seven things that writers should stop wasting their time on.
Sarah Callender explores the practice of success for Writer Unboxed.
Anna Lovind writes about finding true support on your writing journey. Scoutiegirl.
Are we pandering to, or presuming, short attention spans? Publishers Weekly.
Grammarly presents eleven untranslatable words from other cultures and eleven words for the self-proclaimed smarty-pants.
Jane Ann McLachlan wrote this article on ethics and science fiction for SF Signal.
You should know about the Fermi Paradox before you read The Dark Forest. Chris Lough for Tor.com.
Ten things you may not know about Pride and Prejudice. Mental Floss.
BuzzFeed lists 35 Canadian bookstores you need to visit.
Check out the Con Man trailer. Entertainment Weekly.
A first look at the new MTV series, The Shannara Chronicles:
Here’s some news from the Doctor Who panel at Comic Con. i09.
Also at Comic Con, Joss Whedon expounds on the meaning of life and more. i09.
True Detective teaches how NOT to write dialogue. Electric Lit.
Y’all come back on Thoughty Thursday, now, ya hear?
Always Looking Up 
You’re right, we have to learn to be kinder to each other online. There are those to whom that request would make no difference though since they get their jollies from cyberbullying. I include in that term the awful review given to Roz Morris since the intent was to hurt. There has to be an easy method to report attacks to the ISP that receives them who should have guidelines in place to treat cyberbullies, if they agree that’s what the issue is,and immediately ban them from the site they offended on. Maybe even go further and have the ISP of the bully curtail their privileges.allowing them the use of email and no more.
There have to be penalties for this kind of action.
xxx Massive Hugs xxx
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There should be. Unfortunately, there is no single solution. It was a shock to Roz and myself, who have written professionally in business and academic realms. An accusation of plagiarism is very serious and is something that can ruin reputations or even careers. Yet this person, in the guise of a review and (I guess) protected by the right to free speech, can make this accusation with apparent impunity.
In the same vein, dozens of commenters on Reddit were able to harass E.L. James because they felt entitled to their opinions, or that James somehow deserved it. I’ve not read the books, but the woman has made money from the Grey series. Somebody has to like her work. She didn’t deserve to be attacked either because or in spite of that popularity, however.
It just boggles the mind.
Thank you for being such a sensible and gentlemanly presence on the interwebz, David.
Hugs back!
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Anne Rice posted last night about troll reviews which are becoming more and more prevalent on Goodreads which now some authors are removing themselves from as even when troll accounts are removed there is nothing to stop them opening another under another name
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I just don’t get why we have to be so mean to each other online. It makes me weep for humanity.
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