I generally stay out of the drama on any of the social networking sites, webook, etc.. , however for some reason after following and reading this thread, felt a need to have input.

Regarding persons with multiple identities; who cares?  If they want to be dishonest, it's on them.  The truth is always uncovered and in the end, they only embarrass themselves.

There seems to be a core group on webook, who are fantastic people, and GREAT writers!  We all have one thing in common.  We love to write, and read!

Sharing what we write is a scary thing!  The reality is however, we all dream of people loving what we write, in hopes of the elusive book deal.  If myself, or any of us are to ever really have our work out there, we all should have some pretty thick skin, as real world critique can be very harsh.

Personally, I love all of the feedback I have received, both negative and positive!  For me, If you hate what I write that is a good thing, If you love it, even better.  If you feel nothing at all, that is when I feel failure.

To ThoughtTriage and Secretly: I have noticed that both of you are very involved, always leaving very quality and constructive feedback.  Please don't stop!

Well said, onelazysummer!

I don't want to stir a hornet's nest, just as it seems to simmered down, but I think the issues raised (not the personality clashes) are important.

1, Using a pseudonym is a valid way of seperating one's writing (which may be intensely personal) from one's everyday life. It is also a valid, and possibly necessary, method of protecting oneself from trolls. (That is why I would never enter this challenge.)

2. Using multiple identities is a totally different matter.

One person has every right to hate your work, although one could hope that this would be expressed more tactfully than in the cases under issue below. They do NOT have the right to attempt to convince the author (or the world in general) of the validity of their opinion by pretending that it is the opinion of more than one person.

Voting for oneself, writing reviews praising oneself etc. is all so pathetically needy that one hardly need bother condemning it.

Where I have become aware of multiple indentities I have messaged the person involved challengng this: since they ceased, I don't propose to unmask them (and in neither case were they using the plural identity for the purposes I've outlined above).

But given the distress that this has caused, I'd like to make two requests to WEbook:

1) could we have a clear policy statement that multiple IDs are not acceptable on this site?

2) now we are all warned of the dangers inherent in the system, could we have the Reader's Choice back please?

With 200 odd entries to a challenge, there will probably be more than one that gets 5 stars from me. I'd like to have the mechanism of indicating the one, if any, that stood out from the rest for me. In a similar vein, a vote in the Reader's Choice category is to be valued, even if the ultimate count is not sacrosanct.

Me, I'm just plain weird and freaky. Deal with it.

Sad. I did want to share my rather sad life with the lot of you. Still, there'll probably be other challenges later.

The life of a religious jew who wished to fall in love and his journey to reach that dream.

She was the girl he wanted. But she didn't want him. He had dreams of her and wished for a miracle. But that miracle failed to come to bear fruit. He cried bitter tears and wondered what there was to be done. He thought there was something amiss about him but he was wrong.

It's today (9/20) 4pm GMT [I'm guessing about the time zone]

when is the deadline? Has it been extended?

i came from dark alleyways,
empty highways,
side streets,
and i wandered through all of them with a flask in hand.

smiled with some street lamps,
stuttered while i told myself slurred stories,
coughed out thoughts,
and choked on my memories.

halfway through the rum
i laughed at the stars,
just to sit under a tree,
and take it all in.

i can't help but chuckle,
when i thought of nothing but
a zombie revolution.

Sorry for the Caps, Its An Irritating Thing I Picked up When i was younger, and try to Not do, learning to not do it is different for me haha, i only do it when i type on the computer.

I'll be sure to try and case myself to do otherwise.

Thank you for your Feedback everyone, and i will get to everyone of you that posted for me.

James

Born in the mid 80s to a stubborn mother and a careless father who cared about his daughter. The oldest I had to be the protector. Fairy tales shaped my ideas of love. Meet my love after high school. Lost my father broke my heart and sense of life. But I still have happiness in my life.

Introduced into the crazy 1960s, I grew into adulthood with family and friends close.  Leaving school only to find the world a cruel place to work, I returned to crave education even to this day.  With my family I learned to love times six, while striving to meet the bill collectors on-time.  The awards are too many to list, but only the reward of Jesus Christ and eternity  matter when that closing breath ends life.

I was abandoned in the woods by my evil step-mother when I was four years old. I followed a trail of breadcrumbs that led to a gingerbread house which was inhabited by a kindly wolf.
The wolf adopted me and raised me on a healthy diet of fairytales and midnight feasts and taught me to disrespect authority.I never had to go to school or eat sprouts.

You can revise your chapter entry as often as you wish up to the deadline (tomorrow).  You just can't revise or delete comments.

It just stinks that I can't apply my revisions here too :)

Yes, it does help, thanks! :))

Shana,
You are not the first to say that. Hmmmm.

No you can't erase it but it's very interesting if that helps.  ;)

Wait what exactly happened?

This may all be moot for the simple reason while all the Sybil personalities/trolls/bullies/cruel and on and on and on entities are gone it's a done deal.  They have left the building, cowards that the original instigator created.  I'm quite sure this original moron is still lurking in the shadows like the troll it is.

It saddens me because I know this will make some people think twice about possibly posting something they find good.  Hell, I did it and actually pulled down a piece because of the mean and unnecessary comments I received.  But for good support from people here (they know who they are) and family (a very talented writer) I might have thought twice about submitting anything else. 

I'm glad this has come out.  I know it will make me more alert.  It will make me focus more on the content of what I post and revise, revise, revise. 

While all don't believe in Karma I do.  This person will receive what is coming to them.  I only wish I could be there to see it happen.

Nah, Leo. I liked the kind face of the mature gentleman.

Contrary to the rumors that is NOT my girlfriend with the young man in the cover of my book "Subspecies". I thought they were easier on the eye than the old guy who preceded them.

On a positive note, I really have enjoyed my experiences at WeBook! Thank you to all for motivating praise and helpful critiques. It is people like you that make this a community for writers, not just a website. I do so appreciate it. There are so many good and talented people here. You keep me coming back!

I realize the last thing we need is someone else throwing their two cents in, but I've got some spare change in my pocket and I've got things I want to say. So.

First, I'm glad Shana blew the whole thing open. I'm glad people who were on the wrong end of this get the satisfaction of knowing that they were dealing with someone petty and unbalanced. And even if there's no rationality to it, I'm glad that I know.

I just have to express my utter annoyance that the reason we no longer have a Reader's Choice option for these challenges is the very same person who'd clutter the place up with long despondent iterations of how terrible the judging was and how she could do better blah blah blah. FINALLY we're given a chance to contribute to judging ourselves, and she blows it for everyone. I looked back at the blog entries. Appears she voted for herself a couple of times. I can't remember a post of hers where she didn't mention that she was a renowned judge of north american writing competitions and was such an expert and such a unique and irreverent jurist of talent. With all her ridiculous dissection of the criterion, you think she might've mentioned that she also took issue with requiring honesty and integrity as well? Sorry for huffing. I hate hypocrites.

I don't have a problem with pseudonyms. I'll agree that she was a decent writer. That's no reason to shrug off deceit and cruelty.

Maggie-lemon-face-whatever-you-are, you're not an artist performing a social experiment. You are not innovative and talented and clever. You're a scuzzbag bully that cheated to win a lousy ten-dollar prize and I'm glad you're gone. Good riddance, and I hope you never come back. Ugh.

Bwah hahahahahahaaaaaaa

Bah. MassDaddy beat me to it.

AubrieAnne,
Wow.
I think you summed up perfectly the whole reason I wrote my last comment about this matter, the one about the cyber bullying.
I didn't want to add to the tension.
However this needed to be said.
What you said is exactly what I feel.
I expect someone to play devil's advocate and say, "Well you put your work on WeBook, expect it to get slammed."
But honestly, I think we all know the truth, deep down.
Thank you.
x.Oliver.

I understand what you're saying but there's a difference between social interaction and reviewing someone's work.  The social aspect, where the writing takes a back seat and it becomes about personal attacks and cyber bullying, that's something that is more prevalent on a site like Facebook where social networking is the name of the game.  Webook is primarily a website for writing/reviewing and also has a community aspect.  My point being, if you focus on what you're here for (that's writing) and take the social angle less seriously (i.e. ignore the trolls and focus on the quality reviews) you'll find the site and the whole WeBook experience a lot more enjoyable.

Yes, when we write we put a piece of OURSELVES into it and we want everyone else to LOVE it as much as we do.  However, how personally we take negativity toward our BABY, how emotionally HURT we become by someone's attack of the FRUITS of our LABOR is not indicative of the strength of the love we have for what we do or have done, it is simply a reflection of how emotionally sensitive the writer is. 

Being sensitive is not a bad thing.  I'm not but there are times that I wish I were.  Posting my thoughts, feelings or creativity to the eyes of the internet is not one of those times.  Anytime you put something out for any anonymous person to see you will attract trolls and they will try to break you for their own amusement.  To expect or even wish otherwise is folly. 

As far as the reviews themselves though I, and I think most of those here, would agree with you that feedback should be delievered in a constructive manner.  "This is good" is as worthless a review as "This sucks"... it's just much better received by the writer and so not looked upon as negatively.

Personally, in most cases, I approach reviewing people's work like this:  If it's good, explain what works.  If there are problems with the writing, explain why it doesn't work for you.  If there's just nothing salvagable in what you just read, move along and pretend you never read it; they'll probably get the message eventually.

I've been following the conversations below for a while now and I don't have much of a comment on the whole mutiple identities thing. I encounter all of them, agreed at times and disagreed at others.

It's the cyber bullying side bar I'm more interested in adding to. There was mention of how one understands someone getting wrapped up in it on Facebook, but not on WeBook. I feel that WeBook is the perfect place for someone to be truelly affected by someone's negative or unconstructive comments because they are usually written about someone's writing, and what is more PERSONAL, more SACRED than someone's own writing? Personally, my writing is my CHILD that I must PROTECT as it grows and evolves. If someone attacks that, I'm hurt. It affects me more emotionally than many other things.

Writing is a reflection of someone's innermost soul, it's a passion for many people and can be fragile at times. That's why we must always try our best to be considerate and constructive when reading and critiquing others work. More so HERE on WEBOOK than in person because we don't know if there is a 14 year old girl just starting out or a 50 year old man who's experienced tortures in his life. Writing may be their link to the world and we can't be tactless about something that important.

I always say, words are more powerful than we think, and without the right tone of voice speaking them to us, they can be devastating.

Oh hell no, I don't get Rick-Rolled twice in one week.

James, click on 'Start a New Chapter' (above), paste what you've written below there, then 'post for feedback'. The more you comment on the work of others, the more likely they'll be to reciprocate (fingers x'ed!) - oh, and if I've commented on yours and you haven't on mine, please do; I'd like your thoughts.

EVERYONE, whether you're new or old, read the garbage below (please don't there's absolutely no benefit) or not, contributed to it or been affected by it; all I have to offer is this:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=l9K4BKkLaCI&ob=av3e

Twenty Years, Lost, Confused, A Hopeless Romantic, Father Of A Gorgeous Daughter. Angry Within Myself, Passion Leading My Way Of Life. Travel Is My Escape, Family Only As Near As A Friend. Excited, And Bored, Watching Others Climb, While I Fall. Jump Before Looking, Think Of Regrets As My Best Experiances, And Never Say I Have It Worse Than You Do. I Am Honest, To Honestly Be. This Is Me.

Quick Question. Im New, Dont Know Where I Enter Challenges, And Was Wondering, How The Site Really Works? I Have A Part Of My Book Ive Been Writing, And Some Poems On Here, But No Clue If People Can See Them. Id Like To  Partcipate In Other Peoples Stuff Too. And Give Feedback, and Enter Challenges, But No Idea How XD If Someone Could Tell Me, Id Greatly Appreciate It, And Will Help You every Way I Can. Thanks !

Oh, btw, John Brown brought up my name, that's why I'm responding to him. It doesn't concern you at all, eh? And in case you forgot again, I CAN'T message you, remember? You told me not to, duh.

And what's the matter now? You made this public and now you can't handle the heat? Why are you asking me to message instead? I can very well speak my mind here and I will if I choose to.

ShanaPupik
9/13/2010 4:59 AM PDT
Please do not message me again.

But why am I even writing this after: "Anyway, since you've apologized, sincere or not, I rest my case." If you still want to attack me OG, move it to PMs since "I don't think my issue concerns you at all." You got your revenge so please stop the attacks. ->

Whoa, wait a minute there. I'm merely expressing my opinion of what's going here, since this is public. And if my opinion contains some not-so-favorable remarks of you, that doesn't mean I'm 'attacking' you. FYI, an attack is personal, an opinion is not. Just in case you had amnesia, you attacked me first, and I never once thought of 'revenge'. I only wanted to seek justice and clear my name (since you've attempted to taint it). So the next time you think of posting something public, expect some negative consequences as well as the positive ones you're so desperately looking for.

Secretly, that is the best advice I've heard yet.

Wow.  This is the first time I have ever witnessed Cyber Bullying.

WEbook - you may need to look into the content that is, left by some, on this site for everyone to see.  I have just read a news story where a young man committed suicide over something like this. 

Giving constructive criticism is one thing, but most of this is just plain nasty and does not belong here.

Enjoy this site everyone and leave the scathing comments for your evil characters in your stories.

I replaced the old guy in my WEbook account photo with the cover from my novel "Subspecies" to release this May. I figured the cover was an improvement. Check it out at http://mikearsuaga.weebly.com

I've been distancing myself from these people ever since L_egoiste posted insults after my unfavorable critique of SPMount's work; and even more so after I witnessed the mob attack on John_Brown because these identities seemed like tight friends. If someone crits my work, I'll crit back or will acknowledge comments. (Sorry Georgiana- it's coming). Honestly, L_egoiste scared me, and I was too chicken to be on his bad side any further than I already was. If that makes me a hypocrite, so be it. John_Brown and anyone else who's been attacked by someone disguised as multiple people, if my post eased your mind, it was worth it. But why am I even writing this after: "Anyway, since you've apologized, sincere or not, I rest my case." If you still want to attack me OG, move it to PMs since "I don't think my issue concerns you at all." You got your revenge so please stop the attacks.

Wait what happened? I was reading through these comments and am like woa. I know there had been some kind of small strife (I had read in the earlier challenge comments), but I didn't know it had escalated to this level.

I was a little surprised to hear that LD, SQ, MM were the same person. I guess that makes sense since the user account is not limited to one IP address. I have to admit that it does take a bit of talent to assume those different roles. Nevertheless I sincerely liked their feedback and their pieces.

I am sad that people were adversely affected by all this and I hope that in time they will  forgive and forget and once again benefit from the positive aspects of this community.

-AJ

MassDaddy,

I agree completely.
Excellent points.
Thanks for sharing.
: ]
x.Oliver.

I understand that some people are just more sensitive to criticism, confrontation and/or social drama.  What I don't understand is how people allow themselves to get wrapped up in the faux social scene of the internet.  Facebook is one thing, Webook is quite another.

Yes there are people who have died as a result of internet flame wars, I've seen death threats flying around web forums over anything from high school football to parenting advice.  I'm far from an expert but I would wager that those who committed suicide over cyber bullying were likely to find something to justify the act sooner or later anyway.  It's not really that I don't care so much as I am unaffected by disassociation... that and social dysfuntions of my own but that's for another day.

Internet relationships can be as as real and stressful as physical ones only because we allow it.  We allow conversations with people we've never met to become as real to us as telephone conversations with people we grew up with... and in the process forget that we don't really know this person, all we know is what they've told us.  The unfortunate thing there is that if the internet is notorious for anything other than porn it's personalities formed behind the protection of anonymity. 

Trolls thrive on those who will reach out to anybody they come into contact with because they know that those people are more susceptible to their antics.  I'm not saying that those people are weak, just that trolls know their prey very well.

Really, I'm not trying... or at least not intending... to make light of the distress that some people experience when involved in a flame war, hell I've been on both sides of a few myself.  What I am trying to do though is remind people that this is the internet, the cloak of anonymity brings out the ugly side of people and the trolls only come round if you feed them.

Not sure how I got so wordily wrapped up in this, I only really intended to tell everyone to chill and stop giving the attention whore what he wanted.

MassDaddy-

Lol.
I admit I was very upset by being attacked by "Maggie," at first.
However, I also admit that I got over being attacked very quickly with a good laugh and the kind words of others.

Although I got a kick out of what you had to say just now, I don’t think we should make light of the situation.
Not everyone responds to criticism and personal attacks the same way.
Everyone’s feelings are different, as you know.

I’m not sure you’re aware of just how out of hand the situation with "Maggie" got.
And I doubt you care.
However, as OG stated, in not so many words, Internet relationships can be just as real as in-person ones.
They can be stressful and take a toll on our every day lives.

I think being attacked in person would warrant being incredibly upset, so why wouldn’t it online?
People have committed suicide because of being cyber-bullied, so let’s not make this a joke.
Now, I realize, I’m being “over dramatic” and “extreme.”
But I felt compelled to share.
Thanks.
x.Oliver.


(And OG- Shana did send me a message saying she was sorry for any drama she caused and urged me to apologize to "Maggie," which I did- publically and privately, before removing my entry to the "Liar's Challenge" which I was urged to do by SP.
Shana also accused me of being fake at first, but swiftly apologized for that too and said she only accused me because she knew of someone on here who was being fake. I didn't care, frankly, so I dropped the whole thing and disappeared.)

FeedBack Swap

http://www.webook.com/project/Heavens-Journey-My-Secret-Diary-short-stories


OK!!!!!

Of course it would.  Choosing to tell before or after the shooter is gone would be a decision that could determine whether or not you are more likely to get your own ass gunned down too (I hope I don't have to tell you which one).

And therein lies the crucial difference between the subject matter and the analogy.  This is not life and death, this is the internet... hell it's not even 4Chan.

If you knew of a friend, someone guilty of killing others with a shotgun, would you consider it your duty to keep quiet, or warn others in case a similar attack occurred in the future?
And to answer your question, let me throw another situation at you. If you know of someone who's guilty of killing others with a shotgun, and you witnessed it at the time but never said a word and continue being 'friends' with that someone (no doubt with your own agenda), until you're positively sure that someone has left, THEN warn others, would it make a difference?

I feel I must weigh in here on two points:

1. It saddens me to see that the attention that the subject matter here so desperately craved it received, even posthumously.  No, the creation of these characters really wasn't some artisticly eccentric expression of creative genius at work, it was attention whoring at its best, working both sides of every argument to ensure all eyes were on some variation of them.  That it worked says as much of all of you as it does him.

2. I would be genuinely concerned if anyone here actually suffered "a great deal of psychological damage" by exchanging words with any of those personas on this website.  Furthermore, anyone who has been traumatized by their interactions with this/these character(s) is encouraged to attend one of my weekly seminars: Chill Out, It's Just The Internet; Trolls And How To Spot Them; Dead Horses - Don't Flog Them.

John Brown, let it be known that I was no doubt on amicable terms with Shana in the past. In fact, we message each other time and again. It is after she started accusing me of being one of those identities that I see her true colors. She refused to see reason and listen to my explanation, relentlessly attacking me saying I'm crazy and that I'm sending her viruses. So it wouldn't be right to say that we had our differences in the past. We were on good terms, really.

Funnily, the one person I had differences in the past was Maggie Macabre. You can look through my entries in the Challenges. I, too, was taken aback by the nature of her harsh words, but later, we kinda made up when she so graciously offered her suggestions for my work.

In her defense she did initially message me privately, warning me of the person's inherent nature. I take your point that this fight between you is essentially a personal one and will butt out, but this also hinges on a moral issue. I would like to pose you a hypothetical question raised by one of the personal stories contained in this challenge's entries.

If you knew of a friend, someone guilty of killing others with a shotgun, would you consider it your duty to keep quiet, or warn others in case a similar attack occurred in the future?

i think you will see the parallel. The points are intrinsically similar, although one obviously grossly outweighs the other. The point I'm trying to make is that this person caused a great deal of psychological damage (not only to me) by his or her actions.

The fact that I now know the truth of the matter eases matters somewhat for me, and I hope also for the other victims of his or her attacks, so in that sense, while I understand your personal outrage and don't wish to demean it, there is certainly a case to be made for a public outing. There is after all such a thing as public responsibility. It is what makes society livable for the many.

The real debate is as you rightly say, is what motives prompted this? Were they altruistic as claimed, or glory seeking, as you claim? That is not a question I can answer. I would like to think her motives were altruistic, but that argument is between the two of you and I have no place in it.

The issue I had was with you apparently glossing over the seriousness of his or her actions, as if they and the damage they caused weren't serious. They were very serious. If Shana's intentions were as you claim however, then I agree the two actions were probably equally despicable.

We form our opinions from experience. You two have clearly had your differences in the past and so your opinion is naturally colored by your experiences, as mine are. My interactions with Shana have so far been amicable and I therefore see her in that light, but I cannot blame you for seeing her otherwise, because I clearly haven't had your experiences.

Please understand I have no issue with you personally. My issues concern a moral point only.

... just think how much writing you all could have gotten done instead... and that, at least, would have resulted in something that people may care about a week from now.

At the end of the day, all I'm saying is that since this person has left the building, why not give it a rest? I just can't stand it when someone has to bring up the matter and pretend to be all against it, when in fact, she'd been a hypocrite while that person was still around. She knew very well how some of those identities tend to attack others, yet she chose to associate with them for her own benefit - but when that person has finally left, she turns around and bites his/her back. That person messaged her because he/she trusted Shana. Yet Shana betrayed that trust and posted the private message in public. I find that despicable. She could have easily messaged you or anyone else who have been attacked by the person, but no, she chooses to post it in public. Grab the spotlight, so to speak.

So it's despicable that the person use multiple identities to attack someone, but it's not despicable to keep quiet in order to remain in their good favor and being on friendly terms with them, waiting until their departure to speak up? Being a hypocrite is just as despicable.

Anyway, John Brown, the issue I'm having with ShanaPupik here is NOT regarding the matter of this particular person adopting multiple identities to attack you or anyone else. I've never condoned that. My issue with her is that she wrongly accuses others of being in league with that person and afterward, evade responsibility by twisting her words. So I don't think my issue concerns you at all.

I'm afraid I have to take slight issue with OrientalGal. While I agree that a helpful person adopting multiple identities is not despicable per se, what I do find despicable is when that person uses those multiple personalities to attack other people, such as happened to me.

When one is subjected to an attack by an individual that is one thing. It can happen, such as the current spat between yourself and ShanaPupik. On the other hand, when one perceives that one is universally detested by an apparent multiplicity of people that is surely quite another.

I stand to be corrected, but from what I gather I am not the first to have experienced this sort of joint attack from this individual and it is those sort of bully boy tactics that should be universally condemned by all concerned.

I take your point that the individual concerned may well have helped many people including yourself in the past. I have no argument with that. But I do think that staging apparent multiple attacks is not only despicable, it is unbalanced behavior. As I said previously this person clearly needs help.

Good job evading the issue I brought up.

ShanaPupik
9/14/2010 4:44 AM PDT
Anyone on the internet is not real ->

I disagree completely. I've made good friends through the Internet many times. Sometimes, we meet on the Internet, then meet up in real life. One of them I have known for 10 years. Some I've never met before, but have remained friends through the Internet for years. On my birthday, they send me real gifts. So if those Internet nicknames aren't real, then who's sending me these gifts? Ghosts? When I'm sad, they cheer me up. When I'm happy, they share my joy. They are warm and nice people and even though they are mere nicknames, they have their own identities, personalities, etc.

People on the Internet are just as real. To think that you can only make real friends in real life is just naive.

Real people are those whose hands you can grasp, you can look them in the eye, and give them a genuine smile. Anyone on the internet is not real--that includes me--with my silly pen name.

I have only one real friend on Webook. She's the one I'll be sharing a hotel room with in Nashville. I like a lot of people here and would love to have real friendships, but it doesn't work that way when we hide behind stupid names not letting anyone know who we are. Sure, we're judged by our friends, but I only have the one here, and you can judge me by her anytime! I like this challenge! And thanks Oliver & John.

I also believe you owe SPMount an apology for accusing him as well.

Moral of the story--Stick with real people. Good night all.
->
So to you, people who use multiple IDs aren't real? What are they then? Bots? To me, it's just one real person behind all that. As far as I can see, Maggie, Lemondrop, Screaming_Queen have all been helpful by contributing and commenting on the WeBook community. A little spat here and there doesn't mean you should suddenly turn 'them' into the biggest villain here. Especially when that person is no longer around to defend him/herself. You didn't have the courage to speak up before - that's because you wanted to remain in their good favor. That's hypocritical.

I want you to know that during the time you were so adamant that I was one of those identities, you've also viciously attacked me through private messages despite my attempt(s) to prove that I was innocent. The tone of those messages is certainly very different from that you adopt right now. Therefore I'm not sure if you're wearing a mask or you're truly sincere. You've hurt my feelings and I'm no longer obliged to believe what you say now because of the messages you sent me.

Moral of the story - Always proceed with care. Don't blindly accuse others on mere suspicion. Words that are already spoken cannot be wiped by a simple apology. They will remain in that person's memory and only time can heal.

I for one am grateful that the news has been broken. Being the target of so much apparent hatred is never nice and causes all sorts of self doubts, especially when there has been genuine intent to help in any way you can.

I can only empathize with the storm that's broken around you Shana. I know only too well what it feels like. I don't blame you for protecting yourself, although clearly you should have been more rigorous in your choice of friends, because as sure as apples, eventually you will be judged on them. It's human nature after all.

I hadn't really thought of it this way before, but Webook suddenly seems filled with intrigue, why I don't know!

The sooner we all get away from it and back to what brought us here in the first place, the love of writing, the better. Intrigue is best left to the stories we write.

It's all in the past now.
I harbor no ill feelings.
I can appreciate a sincere apology.
Honestly, I never thought I'd see the day where I'd get one.
That meant a lot to me.
Enough to ease your mind and reveal myself.
Forgive and forget, yeah?
I'm fine.
Rest easy.
x.Oliver.

I honestly had not even thought of retaliation nor seen SP's post when I apologized to OG. It was her words from her latest message that had time to sink in and make me think that I might be wrong when before I was so sure I was right. I needed to do the right thing--especially this week. I'm the type who has to sleep on things, and after a day went by, I reacted differently. Had I not been at work all day, I would have checked the link and sent the message sooner.

As for Aaron, I wasn't sure who he was but only hoped he was a made up person because I felt badly about what had happened and even partially to blame. See I had made the joke on his piece about his cute smile getting the comments. This started the mess, so I blamed myself for his grief and felt awful. Ie., if he wasn't real, I wouldn't feel badly about the vicious attacks. From what I've seen of Aaron, I've always liked him, and that's why his situation bothered me even more, as well as knowing my comment probably caused it. I'm so sorry, Aaron.

I like John_Brown too, and the recent attack on him also upset me; however, I was afraid to stand up for him because it would make me the target like it has now. People who see injustice and do nothing are no better than the rock throwers. Sorry to you too, John.

I'm not calling on anyone to retaliate. The characters have been removed, but I do want people to be aware that the attacks they received were not from multiple people, which makes the situation so much worse. There is no pack. That's the point.

Moral of the story--Stick with real people. Good night all.

Wow.....just wow......

I knew it.
You weren't fooling me.
x.Oliver.

I'm really a three-year-old transexual transvestite from the moon. Just throwing that out there.

Thanks, OG.
And to Shana, well, I'm as real as I can prove to be...
This is the Internet.
What do we expect?
We can't prove a damn thing.
I could be a ten year old British girl for all you know.
What makes me have to prove otherwise?
I guess you'll just have to get to know the person I say I am and decide from there as to how you'll treat me.
x.Oliver.

Character Development:
The timing of the apology is just too suspicious - yes, after all, I've to be careful about trusting anyone on WeBook, yeah? It came a day later, coincidentally after SPMount posted your message in public. Are you just afraid that I might chip in too?

Anyway, since you've apologized, sincere or not, I rest my case. But I suggest you do the same - arguing about this isn't going to make you look good. After all, everyone can see that you were indeed on friendly terms with all the so-called cyber bullies - Maggie, L_Egoiste, Lemondrop. Why else would he/she send you a farewell message? To turn around and say he/she is a cyber bully and call on everyone to retaliate after the multiple IDs have left WeBook is just plain hypocritical, in my opinion.

And to sinful: Welcome back!

I have absolutely no idea what you are talking about, after reading all your rants to OG, anything you say has to be taken with a pinch of salt.  Are you now saying that I am a different person from her?  I will match her offer for an IP address check.  It seems that is not only multi personality we are dealing with here, but an extreme case of paranoia.  For all we know after this complete ridiculousness you have brought up here, you yourself could be Sybil.  I have said my piece on this, so whatever else you might have to say, I thank you to keep my name out of it. 

 Incidentally people who don't know who Sybil is I highly recommend the movie (but the 1976 version and not the remake) Here is a list of the characters.  It is a true story.

The girls
Vanessa plays the piano and helps Sybil pursue a romantic relationship with Richard
Vickie 13 years old and speaks French, a very strong and mature personality
Peggy 9 years old talks like a little girl, often appears while crying hysterically due to Sybil's fears
Marcia wants to kill Sybil
Mary is Sybil's memory of her grandmother; speaks, walks and acts like a grandmother
Nancy who kept waiting for the end of the world and was afraid of Armageddon
Clara
Ellen
Margie
Joyce - was completely paranoid and jumped to conclusions all over the place.
The boys
Danny dances and sings like Fred Astaire
Mike built the shelf in the top of Sybil's closet
Nehemiah
Sid

I believe OG is innocent and have apologized. What else does anyone want me to do? Let's now gang up on Shana Pupik. I knew this would open a can of worms but have been so bothered by this that I haven't even slept well since that parting e-mail. This "friend" has caused me too much grief for someone I've never met.

This is a special week in my faith. It's a time when we ask forgiveness from others and forgive those who have hurt us. If I ever hurt anyone on Webook, please forgive me, and I will follow my religion and forgive anyone who asks thus from me.

Thank you Aaron for coming forward. I was almost hoping you weren't real because I was most bothered by what Sybil did to you.

Interesting how I comment on a barely visited piece of work from Mr. Mount and L_egoiste is instantly there at his side. Furthermore, after I don't like that same piece, L_egoiste is suddenly and continually dropping subtle jabs to try to provoke me into a fight. If he's not you, he sure looked out for you, SPMount; but wait a minute, this person is MY friend? Friends don't do that to friends.

This Webooker has caused about six people to be removed from the site and attacked multiple individuals in a pack mentality. Pack mentality--multiple attacks on the same person looking like it's coming from different individuals. Most recently, John_Brown because he honestly didn't like someone's work? Sybil is a CYBER BULLY. Now that I know the true nature of this person, I don't care to be friends. The person I was friends with is a figment of a writer's imagination while the real person is a tyrant.

This situation bothered me to the point that I couldn't sleep without blowing this thing wide open because people who have been attacked by multiple individuals deserve to know that this was ONE person.

I agree that the writing is great and advice too, but after letting it dwell for several days (my initial reaction was calm until I slept on it and had it bubble like a simmering stew), I've decided that the stress this person has caused so many people makes me want to puke. Not to mention the voting for itself on Reader's Choice Awards, entering multiple times in challenges, and no telling about ratings--I can only guess. Mother's tell children not to talk to strangers on the internet. There's a lot of truth to that.

Hi.
I'm Aaron the Amazing.
: )
I just outed myself, don't make me regret it.
x.Oliver.

ShanaPupik
9/12/2010 3:38 AM PDT
Gig is Up

As I've had time to sleep on this, yes, I am a bit ticked at what YOU and you're various identities have done. Don't deny it, Sybil. I know exactly who you are. By the way, next time you play an Asian, do a little better research on the Asian culture. You were never my friend because friends don't deceive each other as you have with me.

Most recently you've been merciless to John Brown, and if I had taken L_egoiste's bait, you would have done the same with me. My only hope is that you were indeed aarontheamazing because it would be sad to think you had attacked and defeated a young man who is a true human unlike yourself.

1. OrientalGal
2. SPMount
3. L_egoiste
4. Lemondrop
5. MaggieMacabre
6. ScreamingQueen

Who am I missing? Hopefully Miss Aaron.

Furthermore, you like drama? I'm oh so tempted to post your letter for the entire Webook community. They deserve a formal good bye just as I do.

---> This was the message I received from Miss Shana a day ago. I too, have been accused by her... and worse, she refused to listen even though I've tried to explain myself. I sent her screenshots of my inbox ( I DIDN'T HAVE TO DO THAT) but she accused me of sending her virus, lol. They were Photobucket links.

Anyway, I just got a PM from Shana saying she's sorry. Why now? Why finally, you decide to click on the links, after calling me crazy? I'm having doubts about the sincerity of your apology. Is it because you fear I might do something like SPMount too - ie posting your message for everyone to see?

Sorry or not, I feel like I have to say something since you brought this up in public, Shana. I think you ought to be more careful with your 'accusations' in future. Suspicion is one thing, but to insist on accusing someone even after that someone offers proof and explanation is plain ridiculous. I mean you go merely on your instinct, and we all know instinct isn't always right.

ShanaPupik
9/13/2010 4:59 AM PDT

After being burned, I trust no one. I have many folks I speak to from across the ocean. They all send messages from the middle of the night in USA. Never one from you at that hour. Hm. Good thing I didn't say anything about another identity? How would you know? The few times I've asked you personal questions, you avoid the answers. I know nothing about you. That's not normal for someone I've spoken to so much. Never a personal story, etc. I don't trust you, and I don't want to know you either. Fool me once, shame on you. Fool me twice, shame on me. You can send all kinds of insults, but the bottom line is you do NOT live in Asia -once again vague. Please do not message me again.

FYI, you're the one who started insulting me saying I'm crazy and asking me to see a shrink. Just because I don't reveal my private life doesn't mean I'm wearing a mask, DUH. Not everyone can blabber about their stuff in public like you. What, I think the whole world knows you have a great attorney husband and you're a school teacher, etc. etc. Point it, I'm amused at the way you twist your words to cover your track and since you realize you can't pinpoint me on using multiple identities, you start saying I'm not from Asia. What the heck do you know? Let's have a $100 bet and I can ask WeBook to verify my location through my IP. Do you dare? I bet you'd chicken out. I don't feel like I've to justify myself to you... what, do I have to reveal what time I sleep, what time I eat, what time I wake up just to prove I'm from Asia? And most importantly, that's NOT even the issue in the first place. What matters is whether I'm part of those identities, which I can assume you I'm not and can prove it, but you kept on accusing me and responding rudely.

Apologize for what exactly?  Having pseudonyms?  Many here do.  I wasn’t going to comment on this, but I find I just can’t hold myself back.  Seeing as we are undergoing the bad form of sharing personal messages, here’s a message I received from Shana Pupik the other day.  I was surprised to receive it, as we have no interaction.  I decided to ignore it, as I had no idea what it was about, or that it was misdirected.  But I do now.  It is quite a different tone to that comment she posted below.  Seems Lemondrop or whoever are not the only ones with multiple personality.

***
ShanaPupik
9/11/2010 9:42 AM PDT
Good Bye
Thanks for the message. You added a lot of fun to Webook. You and your various identities will be missed.
***

For the record, I, SP, have nothing to do with any of this, and I would be careful about who you are slinging accusations around.   But also for the record, I am actually honoured that you obviously thought I was one of these characters (why else send me the above pm).  You were right on one thing though, they will be missed; they brought a great deal to this site and any altercations they may have had with various people, are no different to those that you, and many others, have fallen out with people over, here.  From what I saw they tried to help new writers a great deal here – often to their detriment.

It disgusts me that as a previous friend of this person, one that  felt necessary to say goodbye to you in this sincere way, that you should turn around and betray their trust like this.

As Massdaddy says, chuckle and move on, it’s hardly a big deal.  I for one am impressed at this person's flexibility in their writing skill.

As far as those most frequently commenting or posting in these subs is concerned, if I am one of the ones that that comment was aimed at, this kind of revelation holds no appeal to me.

Best to just chuckle and move on.  That person can pretend that this was all a social experiment but more likely it was a means of screaming for the attention that they've always wanted and never been able to genuinely receive.

Having been subjected to multiple attacks from this person's multiple personae, I was going to write something scathing, but on second thoughts this person clearly needs my pity more than anything else. He or she has real problems. I really hope he or she gets help for them.

Here is a challenge about who we are yet those who most frequently comment and submit on Webook are absent. I have learned that the attacks on various people have come from one individual. Although it calls me a friend and signs with a kiss, it is not. Friends do not deceive like this. Being nice with one identity and attacking with another. My only hope is that aarontheamazing is not a real person but rather a pawn to make L_egoiste appear clever. For if Aaron is flesh and blood, its actions to him were beyond cruel. Please read and comment on the following message from Lemondrop:

9/10/2010 9:17 PM PDT
As a matter of courtesy ...
I just wanted to say goodbye and give you a little explanation.  You see Lemondrop is leaving Webook as soon as she sends this message to you.  It is not for her anymore.

I am writing to you because you've had interaction with my various pseudonyms - which are already gone from here - all that remains is my main identity and that will go soon enough too when I tie up some business still to be completed here.   I feel I have come to know you over this time, and didn't feel right about just disappearing - hence this note.

You once thought that I was MaggieMacabre (my dear) and I wanted to tell you that you were right - as I think you would get some satisfaction from knowing that.  However I have also been six other people - a couple of whom you didn't know overly well - others you kind of did (Sweetie) even if that one was quite new.  

This was merely a social experiment to entertain and cultivate the various writing voices I have inside me, no more than that.  It was not for gaming, not for any other reason, not to try and deceive or for any other such deviant purpose, but simply to exercise various parts of my art - I turned into those personalities when writing from their perspectives and it served my abilities considerably.  I had to keep it all under wraps for it to work and sometimes evaded the truth as and when I was asked about them - for which I felt slightly guilty ... but what's a girl or boy to do when he or she is incognito and being engaged?

Anyway, that said ... must go ... my various alter egos are all waiting to pour back into the real multifaceted writer that it is not so simply I.

Thanks, been a slice and much luck with your writing.  X (And that was meant as a kiss, but it  also serves as an anonymous sign off! Agggghardyharharhar).

If Sybil really feels guilty, an apology to the entire Webook community is long overdo!

Hi
Click on My Webook and then click on my home. At the bottom of the page you will see something mentioning the name of the competition. Click on it and it will take you to all the entries.

Welcome to the site.

Hi Guys, I am new to this site. I just submitted an entry for this contest, and I am wondering how I can start reading other entries as well. All I can see is my own. This is a really cool idea for a site.
Samn

I agree, if you give a rape victim a two star you look like a complete dick. It's hard to say if it is even auto-biography, unless this site has people with the most insane childhoods of all time. Really now, was everyone beat? Molested by their uncle? Really? Yet the ratings will continue to be very high, no one really feels like looking like a douche.

After reading about a raped six year old girl, little boy sent to foster care, or a teenager being tormented by bullies at school, the last thing I want to do is to tell them about their grammar that's off, spelling errors, or how something would sound better with a different word choice. This challenge is no longer about the writing but rather the humans behind the stories. That's why the comments are lacking and the ratings are high. Everyone telling a deeply personal story deserves a P2F.

All of the entries have been really interesting.

A life that was nearly perfect.  My life was active and I enjoyed and loved doing anything and everything.  And then without warning a horrible thing happened.  A very painful  lung collapse then being hospitalized for a very traumatic five days.  Never being sick a day in my life.  My doctors telliing me I had a life threatening women's lung disease.  A disease with no cure.  I was terrified.  My life changed forever in an instant.

I"m a person who's name was picked from a Soap Opera. It set the tone for the kind of life I was yet to live of mystery, comedy, horror  -lacking in romance. Dull moment? Never, not even on the most slowest day. Life is constantly tossing more curve balls than i can attempt to catch. Oddly enough, it's what makes my life fun and exciting. The fact it's never "blah"..wouldn't want it any other way.

Welcome Joanna, sorry, it's not that easy I'm afraid. You need to deposit 10,000,000,000 Ugandan dollars into my account before admission can be considered.

- Only kidding, just click on 'Start a New Chapter' above. You can 'post for feedback' once you've done your first copy, then the rest of us can comment. The more you comment on the work of others, the more people will (usually) comment on yours, esp. if you ask them for it.

I'm really quite disappointed at the limited amount of comments on this challenge. Commenting isn't just about suggesting improvements or saying "wow, that's great!", it's also a means to communicate how you "connect" with the piece, I find such commentary insightful.

Many people blitz through, scoring as they go, but there's only 75 words to get through, so surely a tiny eenie weenie comment wouldn't hurt?

Hugs, TT.

Hi my name is Joanna Lopez . I love it here. I am a newbee here at Webooks and wanted to know if I can just jump in and enter this challenge?

Good luck picking the winner in this one, 'powers that be', as it is going to be a very tricky task!

So I know the max is 75 words, but does that include the title?

Wait, do we need to make it of ourselves or is it all invented?

Shana, in these challenges (all of them) the rating means nothing in relation to the judging.  I think there should be no rating on any of these "contest" projects.  Because some are being a little harsh to others in the rating, I WILL BE GIVING 5 STARS to all pieces I visit and read. 

The important contribution to the authors of these little pieces is an honest comment, word of encouragement or helpful suggestions for improvement.  Harsh critique is neither helpful nor appreciated.  IMHO

Penbuddy, I totally agree and so far have given everyone fives. I usually do not rate at all.

This is my pathetic attemp: I was born...then I died. As a ghost, I have written this for my fellow WeBooker's challenge. My entry shall be the shortest!

Haha. Sorry, I just found that amusing. xD

No word limit?

I love how folks are "rating" this one.  Hey folks, this is the opening of the soul for all to see; the doors swung wide open for all to peer within who we are.  I do not see this so much a literary challenge as an introduction into who we are.  I for one could never rate anyone less than 5 stars for being honest in their exposure.  Just sayin'.

I am wondering if poetry is ok for this challenge?

Check out my entry or this challenge. It is the first one. My writing and excerpts from soon to be published novels are at http://mikearsuaga.weebly.com.

nice challenge lol time to rip out some hardcore fragments

I am a young writer who can't stand leaving my notebook. I've been writing for at least two years and I am writing a novel entitled, "Battle for the Impossible." I'm also into anime and furries. My life isn't that bad. I'm in high school right now trying to get my high school diploma. After that, I'll be trying to find a good paying job.

wow!  75 words!  blimey!