I’ve been doing this blogging thing for about nine years now. Though FWJ is a little over four years old, I have been participating and writing for online communities since 2000. I’ve seen my share of haters, that’s for sure. I collect online trolls like some people collect beer mugs or dishes decorated with puppies.
I’m not going to claim to be a troll expert but I’ve been able to identify some common characteristics. For instance, trolls are almost always anonymous. They’re anonymous because they’re people we know. In many cases we know exactly who they are. They want to pretend they’re our allies. They want us to continue to link to their blogs or engage in discussion with them. How would their community react if they knew they were behind a bunch of vicious trolling attacks?
Why Trolls Troll
Trolls troll because the things we write elicit a response. We inspire their emotions. They react to our words. While this is what writers and bloggers strive for, it’s also a pain in the butt because they’re all negative and anonymous and it upsets the flow of the community.
Trolls mostly troll out of jealousy. If it was simple disagreement, they would say their piece, perhaps engage in some polite back and forth banter, and move on. Jealousy inspires passionate reaction. It inspires what I like to call “keyboard courage”. Trolls come out from under their bridges and spout negativity because they don’t have creativity or talent to write a well thought out disagreement. They use their anonymity to say things to you they wouldn’t say to your face in real life. Yes, they’re cowards.
Traveling Trolls
Have you ever had a traveling troll? I have one I take with me every where I go. Traveling trolls follow you like Deadheads followed Jerry Garcia. Consider it your world tour. If you have more than one blog, they visit. If you’re mentioned at other blogs, they visit. If you’re nominated for or win an award, they visit. Really, you must be a truly great person if this person has to follow you every where you go. Common variety trolls are easy to spot. They sometimes use more than one made up name, but just like cows in a pasture, it’s easy to pick out particular patterns and habits.
Who are Trolls?
You might be surprised to learn your trolls’ identity. Perhaps she’s a popular freelance writing guide or someone who is nice to you on your favorite forum. Perhaps he’s another blogger in your niche or someone you banter with on Twitter. Your troll might also be someone you never communicated with but inspired passion, nonetheless.
Caring for Trolls
It’s up to you whether or not you want to keep your troll around. If you’d like to have your own pet troll, follow these helpful tips for proper care and nutrition:
- Trolls feed on negativity. As long as you and your community react to their abuse, they will grow bigger and stronger. To ignore them or delete their comments will only discourage them. Keep them around by allowing their comments and reacting with indignation.
- Trolls love when you’re upset. To encourage them, show your anger.
- Trolls are harmless. To make them feel powerful continue allowing their comments and abuse. Engage. Feed them.
Pet trolls don’t like to feel neglected. Make them feel useful. Let them know their words have power. They love this and it will keep them coming for years. You see, there isn’t enough going on in their own pathetic lives which is why they insist on being a part of yours.
Wear your troll as a badge of honor. Think of all the bloggers who don’t provoke a response. Think of all the writers who don’t inspire passion. How boring life must be without the occasional heckler.
Hey! You there with the troll! You must be great at what you do.
Only trolls I ever had on my blog were from China (and they were rare). Fortunately, blogspot is completely blocked in China now. So much for the government-funded trolls on those blogs.
Congratulations, Matt. You have, indeed, arrived.
I can attest to the fact that Deb knows what she is talking about. Why I remember the Great Troll Uprising of 2007..We were surrounded, but Deb never lost her cool..(o.k.there was that once..)I was honored to stand beside her in that one.
Seriously..this is great Deb. Very true. You wouldn’t think a food blog would pick up trolls but :::shrug::: I have had my share.
Ah yes. I remember it well. It was quite the ambush but we handled with honor.
All blogs have trolls. It’s up to us to decide whether or not we want to encourage them, or send them on their merry way.
I find they’re fun to play with occasionally. And when I’m bored I can always throw them away (block them) and get another.
Every now and then, when I realize their egos aren’t being properly fed, I post their comments on the blog for all to see and comment on. This is such a rare treat for my troll, I should really think about doing it more often.
“Perhaps she’s a popular freelance writing guide” (That looks familiar)
I had a real nasty troll invasion on a family blog, of all places that was unrelated to the quoted troll, too.
Right now I’ve got a forum troll. Those need a lot of NutterButters for the feed trough.
Disclaimer: Any resemblance to real life people is purely coincidental.
Even when I mean you, stalking me through Facebook singles ads?
You said you were over that.
They are far more prevalent in some areas/niches, though just as easy to figure out, and always as cowardly. They are sad, but fun to play with sometimes. Don’t forget that they are meaningless unless you choose to give them meaning.
I like this:
“Don’t forget that they are meaningless unless you choose to give them meaning.”
May I borrow it some time?
Certainly. I probably heard it somewhere else.
Thank you from the bottom of my heart for this post. I have a traveling troll. I thought I was the only one. My troll follows me and leaves vomit on some of my natural health and healing articles. I have bookmarked this post to remember that when a troll belches his tripe, it’s because I’ve elicited a response. God bless, Deb!
That’s right, Jeanne. Look at it this way. You reached someone. You touched someone with your words. Granted, that person probably didn’t react in the matter in which you intended, but he/she reacted, nonetheless. Dull writers don’t have trolls.
When someone indulges in trollish behavior, it says more about them than the person they are lashing out against. Think of all the stuff they could be doing instead of spending their time and energy trying to spread negativity around. Someone who does that is just demonstrating that they are a sad, small person. You know that they aren’t giving one second’s thought to the effect their actions have on you, so don’t give them the benefit of any of your time or energy. Keep on bloggin’.
Okay, wait. You’re describing my ex-husband!
One more thing-
Deb spoke of keyboard courage. That’s right in line with another thing- a favorite quote of mine:
“Character is doing the right thing when nobody’s looking. There are too many people who think that the only thing that’s right is to get by and the only thing that’s wrong is to get caught.” ~J.C. Watts
I think you’ve taken the best approach here Debs, just don’t give them a reality. I don’t often comment here, though I usually read the posts and I also see your tweets. Anyone with half a brain can see you’re very pleasant and honest, those who think otherwise come from Lala land.
Well thank you, Sue.
What a great post Deb!
It’s true, the more trolls you have the more you have “hit the big time.” So you can consider it a compliment in a way. If you were a nobody, who would bother with you? Certainly not those trolls who are so hungry for attention. They’d starve following a nobody.
As an occasional podcaster, I’ve likened myself to a ‘trawler’ out looking for trolls, hoping to scoop as many as my nets can catch. Of course, I have it kind of easy in my niche to collect trolls so they’re not the badge they are elsewhere. Still, you’re spot on where righteous indignation inspires anonymous invective, you’ve struck the right chord. Keep on keepin on!
I must be incredibly naive. The idea that a professional, i.e. fellow freelance writer, would troll one anonymously reinforces the truth that there are some incredibly petty–and insecure–people in this world. Why would anyone do that?