The Danger of Internet Writing Is Real

The Internet has changed the landscape for writers

I just finished reading the following article which validates my concerns about Vocal allowing comments. I also write for other sites and I myself and others have received lots of negativity. This includes hate mail, racist comments, death threats, and homophobia on a regular basis. Writers have been called fools and idiots by those who don't agree and if you miss an error in an article the things they say are slanderous.

As a creator, my validation comes from the fact that my articles are read. I don't need people telling me they were good or bad. I read articles all the time I do not agree with across the Internet. I also find typos but I will never be so petty as to call someone out for a misspelled word or misplaced comma. Besides its dangerous. People follow you all over social media leaving negativity on Facebook and other platforms. This is the world we liv ein.

Life has changed and mindsets are different

I find it sad that adults act like school children but the Internet has opened us all up to people we normally would not meet. I am sorry that the above story had to be written but it tells the dark side of Internet writing. There is no way to police this situation so all that can be done is to turn off comments and not read social media inbox messages from people you don't know.

I imagine that the Vocal creators who were begging for comments assumed that they would read glowing reviews of their work but the bad seems to be outweighing the good. Also, reading and responding to comments takes away time from creativity. Ever since Vocal instituted the leadership board on Wednesdays I have been getting an increase in comments but I have to wonder if they are sincere or to win the $20.00 bonus.

I won the$20.00 for top story 5 weeks in a row and then Vocal stopped offering that category. I can't change that but I can spend my time improving my articles and writing what people want to read and increase my earnings that way. I have won many Top Story bonuses even from back when they paid $10.00 instead of $5.00.

The danger is real

The world we live in today can be a dangerous place and we do have to be careful what we write because people will come after us. I never could have imagined 5 years ago that I would be writing this or that I would have to read something like the article I shared but Internet trolls are real and dangerous.

Decades ago when we read a book if we did not like it we tossed it or donated it and did not really give the author much thought. In today's world, there are a lot of people filled with the same angst that led to Americans storming the White House. This same attitude of anger is why road rage is increasing and people are shooting drivers on the Interstate.

Statistics indicate that mental health issues are increasing and we don't know what our readers are dealing with. They are not simply commenters they are real people who respond to us based on what is going on in their lives. I was told after my husband died that people were jealous of his obituary. Process that for a moment. The man I loved for 45 years died and people are envious?

I was told that just the fact we stayed together that long and had 3 children together within the marriage rubbed some the wrong way because we did not have baby mama or baby daddy issues. This is today's world so write and share at your own risk and I pray we all stay safe and no one who disagrees with an article comes for us. How sad that I had to say that but it's true.