Warning about bot accounts

[Arakun10809]

Don't know who's going to read this, but I had the weirdest experience recently.
I had a message from some rando in my inbox saying "Your writing is impressive, don't lose your spark." I thought that was just a genuine compliment and thanked them. Then they had this "idea" about some scene for a character idea. Told them to post it, and then they said they wanted to discuss it over Discord or Instagram. I politely declined and of course stated all story ideas were to be kept on the site.
As soon as I posted that, account got banned. No idea why, but it was just a simple, polite reply. Well, account got reinstated after a minute, but the entire experience has alarmed me quite a bit. Just a little heads up, you see these guys BLOCK THE HELL OUT OF THEM AND DO NOT INTERACT.

 

[Dec]

It's normal, sadly. Happens multiple times a day, and SH is not the only site where this goes on.
Report and ignore.

ps; there is on average 5 threads like this monthly

 

[Arakun10809]

It's normal, sadly. Happens multiple times a day, and SH is not the only site where this goes on.
Report and ignore.

ps; there is on average 5 threads like this monthly

Yeah, just reported that bot.

 

[A-Random-Writer]

Report the clanker.

 

[Arakun10809]

Report the clanker.

Clanker has been reported!

 

[A-Random-Writer]

Clanker has been reported!

Keep up the fight soldier! We will repel them some day!

 

[Arakun10809]

Keep up the fight soldier! We will repel them some day!

Amen to that brother!

 

[Representing_Tromba]

Don't know who's going to read this, but I had the weirdest experience recently.
I had a message from some rando in my inbox saying "Your writing is impressive, don't lose your spark." I thought that was just a genuine compliment and thanked them. Then they had this "idea" about some scene for a character idea. Told them to post it, and then they said they wanted to discuss it over Discord or Instagram. I politely declined and of course stated all story ideas were to be kept on the site.
As soon as I posted that, account got banned. No idea why, but it was just a simple, polite reply. Well, account got reinstated after a minute, but the entire experience has alarmed me quite a bit. Just a little heads up, you see these guys BLOCK THE HELL OUT OF THEM AND DO NOT INTERACT.

I just had it too. I reported them.

 

[Zinless]

Weird thing is, I actually got a reader who started a conversation exactly like that on Discord. They were pretty chill, turns out, love them, but my mouse was hovering the block button the whole time.

 

[Playerkartik]

Don't know who's going to read this, but I had the weirdest experience recently.
I had a message from some rando in my inbox saying "Your writing is impressive, don't lose your spark." I thought that was just a genuine compliment and thanked them. Then they had this "idea" about some scene for a character idea. Told them to post it, and then they said they wanted to discuss it over Discord or Instagram. I politely declined and of course stated all story ideas were to be kept on the site.
As soon as I posted that, account got banned. No idea why, but it was just a simple, polite reply. Well, account got reinstated after a minute, but the entire experience has alarmed me quite a bit. Just a little heads up, you see these guys BLOCK THE HELL OUT OF THEM AND DO NOT INTERACT.

I've encountered such too
They say Elegant writing
I thank them...Thay say I have some ideas that I can share about your work
Then their account gets deleted or they don't reply
And I get SED

 

[JordanIda]

Pro tip: when a "reader" lauds your luscious use of 'this' and 'but,' ask yourself, before responding: "Have I really used 'this' and 'but' lusciously and elegantly? Or is this message balderdash?"

Odds are good that your second impression is correct.

Fine-tune and exercise your Balderdash Meter.