About Voting

[RejectReality]

But as I said earlier if they should be gotten rid of because its an unfair advantage in readership then you have to eliminate everything.

It's not about Hs being an unfair advantage. It's about how they can be manipulated into a disadvantage so easily.

Anyone the "gold star" effect might motivate is also a person who is in the best position to be hurt by a troll detonating those Hs like IEDs.

 

[JAMESBJOHNSON]

I Dont Care Bears

 

[RoyceConnors]

The red H's don't make a writer better than one who doesn't, nor does it mean they deserve them. It's been noted clearly how the scores can be manipulated up and down, making H's an uncertain aspect of scoring.
At the time of this writing, I only have two stories out with 50 chapters in one and 42 chapters in the other. I have 91 H's and some in R9 have a 5 score(9 to be exact). I only got those because the readers were looking for those types of stories. They would do poorly in an open field against every genre, so they're only that good because of the category they're in.
I have been bombed hard every chapter of both, but sweeps remove the bombs and some good scores, so the resulting score is more of a real indication. Once I knew I could write and get an H every time, I wanted to try harder and get 5's, but alas, trolls will never allow that to happen again. I look at a 4.8 now as my goal to get.

Write your story as you want it written and readers will appreciate what you put out, just don't look for the H to appear and you won't be disappointed.

 

[49greg]

I'll weigh in again with a recent thought.

If high scores were the norm, then how valuable would they be? Someone else mentioned another site that ensured all the stories scored high. That would be boring for an author. Sure, I wish trolls could be done away with, but that's a subject that's been beaten to death in other threads.

With the chance that my story will be voted to a 1 or a 2, I try to improve my skill. I don't know what can be done about troll or low scorers, other than liberal use of skin thickening cream.

Speaking of low scorers, I was once that. I had a system, depending in part on grammar, spelling, and how much I liked it. Then I actually wrote and posted a story, after that I started getting very liberal with my 5 key.

I would like an option to only allow comments from signed in members/users/whatever. But I think that would reduce a lot of constructive comments as well as the ugly ones.

The system in place is pretty good all things considered, and I very much appreciate how the site eliminates some of the troll voting.

 

[sr71plt]

I too think that the H could be done away with now that the rating number shows on the public-accessible author's story list. I won't hold my breath to see it happen, though. The W and E designations are there for a whole other purpose, though, and I'd keep them.

 

[sr71plt]

I read somewhere that maybe 15% of us recognize quality in anything,

I don't disagree that there aren't many reading on Literotica who are looking for high literary quality (because I don't think that's a criteria most readers coming here set for the read), but such stats as these are a crock. Who could possibly be able to isolate a reliable base upon which to give this a statistic?

 

[JAMESBJOHNSON]

I don't disagree that there aren't many reading on Literotica who are looking for high literary quality (because I don't think that's a criteria most readers coming here set for the read), but such stats as these are a crock. Who could possibly be able to isolate a reliable base upon which to give this a statistic?

I got the number from a study about taste and quality. And such comparisons have been around for 50 years or more. Companies build brand loyalty with quality then fill their cans with shit. Hewlett Packard must be the best example.

 

[sr71plt]

I got the number from a study about taste and quality. And such comparisons have been around for 50 years or more. Companies build brand loyalty with quality then fill their cans with shit. Hewlett Packard must be the best example.

Again, that's the sort of unknowable stat folks throw around just to give their previously formed opinions false credibility.

One form of taste and quality has nothing to do with another form of taste and quality, by the way, so whatever someone puts in cans has nothing to do with written stories.

 

[lovecraft68]

The red H's don't make a writer better than one who doesn't, nor does it mean they deserve them. It's been noted clearly how the scores can be manipulated up and down, making H's an uncertain aspect of scoring.
At the time of this writing, I only have two stories out with 50 chapters in one and 42 chapters in the other. I have 91 H's and some in R9 have a 5 score(9 to be exact). I only got those because the readers were looking for those types of stories. They would do poorly in an open field against every genre, so they're only that good because of the category they're in.
I have been bombed hard every chapter of both, but sweeps remove the bombs and some good scores, so the resulting score is more of a real indication. Once I knew I could write and get an H every time, I wanted to try harder and get 5's, but alas, trolls will never allow that to happen again. I look at a 4.8 now as my goal to get.

Write your story as you want it written and readers will appreciate what you put out, just don't look for the H to appear and you won't be disappointed.

Your stories are scoring that high because they are both long series. As the series goes on the only people who stay with it are the ones that like it meaning the scores will get higher as time goes by.

MY SWB series at one point had about 16 chapters over 4.8. That's down now because anytime one of them would show up on the all time top list it would be trolled.

So its not that they were looking for that type of story, they are looking for your story by now you are down to a diehard audience and they are going to 5 you regardless of what you do.

This is why its always argued that chapter stories should not be allowed to win the monthlies they have a scoring advantage over "one shot" stories. On average anyway.

 

[RoyceConnors]

Your stories are scoring that high because they are both long series. As the series goes on the only people who stay with it are the ones that like it meaning the scores will get higher as time goes by.

MY SWB series at one point had about 16 chapters over 4.8. That's down now because anytime one of them would show up on the all time top list it would be trolled.

So its not that they were looking for that type of story, they are looking for your story by now you are down to a diehard audience and they are going to 5 you regardless of what you do.

This is why its always argued that chapter stories should not be allowed to win the monthlies they have a scoring advantage over "one shot" stories. On average anyway.

That's not true at all, LC. I pick up new readers on the latest chapters and then they go back and start at the beginning if they like it and bomb it if they don't. I have a loyal following true, but I earned that by putting out a good chapter each time to tell the whole story. I write each chapter like a mini story in itself, so if it tops a list somewhere, it earned it, whether part of a series or a stand alone story. It's either entertaining, or it's not.

 

[GoldenMaia]

I would just like to be able to draw in some readership. I haven't really continued with posting stories because it didn't seem like anyone was reading them. Do people feel that stories of a certain type get read more than others? Is it a matter of just posting more and more stories and building a following?

 

[Serafina1210]

I would just like to be able to draw in some readership. I haven't really continued with posting stories because it didn't seem like anyone was reading them. Do people feel that stories of a certain type get read more than others? Is it a matter of just posting more and more stories and building a following?

People tend to read authors they know. You've posted just four stories, in (I can't remember) three categories? So, yeah, you didn't give yourself a chance to build a following. If you enjoy writing, go on with it. Your scores weren't bad: readers will show up. (And, btw, more than 25k readers have read one of yours.)

 

[RejectReality]

I would just like to be able to draw in some readership. I haven't really continued with posting stories because it didn't seem like anyone was reading them. Do people feel that stories of a certain type get read more than others? Is it a matter of just posting more and more stories and building a following?

There's little doubt that certain genres have more readers than others. Looking at your list, you're in two of the slowest categories on the site, EH and SF.

You can build a nice following in any category by continuing to post, though. My last few in Sci-Fi & Fantasy have been averaging a couple hundred votes. ( in other pen names )

Just keep writing what you like, don't compare your numbers to the more popular categories, and keep posting. The readers will come.

 

[Sammael Bard]

That's not true at all, LC. I pick up new readers on the latest chapters and then they go back and start at the beginning if they like it and bomb it if they don't.

I have a loyal following true, but I earned that by putting out a good chapter each time to tell the whole story. I write each chapter like a mini story in itself, so if it tops a list somewhere, it earned it, whether part of a series or a stand alone story. It's either entertaining, or it's not.

In a big continuous series, you get fewer readers that are new to it. Most of it are from the old fan following, and they're going to be generous with their voting for obvious reasons.

IMHO, the bigger your series gets, the more unlikely it is to to get new readers. There is a reluctance to read such a big story to reach that highly rated chapter.

That has been my experience with countless stories in Scifi and Incest/Taboo. The reluctance is in taking the plunge and devote the time to read the series from the beginning.

 

[lovecraft68]

That's not true at all, LC. I pick up new readers on the latest chapters and then they go back and start at the beginning if they like it and bomb it if they don't. I have a loyal following true, but I earned that by putting out a good chapter each time to tell the whole story. I write each chapter like a mini story in itself, so if it tops a list somewhere, it earned it, whether part of a series or a stand alone story. It's either entertaining, or it's not.

Few people start at #40 and many people will think its too daunting to start from the beginning.

I just checked the numbers of SWB 1-39 with only a couple of exceptions the views either stayed about the same or went down as the chapters rose and average score went up.

And as much as would like to agree with your thoughts for the benefit of my own numbers, I think a fan of the series is always going to give you the high mark unless you kill off someone or do something upsetting.

 

[lovecraft68]

You know I wanted to look up Royce's stories so I put his name in the author index search.

Came up that he had no stories.

But if I click member I get his name and if I click that his bio page then his story page.

4 steps to see his story list.

But there I go expecting miracles here I guess

 

[soflabbwlvr]

I would just like to be able to draw in some readership. I haven't really continued with posting stories because it didn't seem like anyone was reading them. Do people feel that stories of a certain type get read more than others? Is it a matter of just posting more and more stories and building a following?

Yes and yes.

Also, you have only posted one story since 2007, and that was in 2010. Start writing again if you want to acquire more readers.

 

[lovecraft68]

As I was looking through the SWB scores/votes (first time in awhile I really looked at them) it dawned on me that I would probably have at least 6 of them listed in the top 100 of all time.

That is if that list worked, which it has not in going on two years and we have been told repeatedly it is being looked into.

The reason I mention that is its a moot point to discuss ditching H's or coming up with a new system or pretty much anything else. They won't fix what's broken why would anyone think there would be a major overhaul of anything?

 

[soflabbwlvr]

You know I wanted to look up Royce's stories so I put his name in the author index search.

Came up that he had no stories.

But if I click member I get his name and if I click that his bio page then his story page.

4 steps to see his story list.

But there I go expecting miracles here I guess

I put his name in the author search and it came up immediately, listing his name and a link to 94 stories. Clicked there and got his list. Wasn't hard at all.

 

[GoldenMaia]

Yes and yes.

Also, you have only posted one story since 2007, and that was in 2010. Start writing again if you want to acquire more readers.

I'm getting back on the horse and putting together some things to post. (currently pending) While I was doing it, I thought I would see if it mattered what genre I was writing re: views.

And ack--I guess the one story /does/ have a lot of views, but still feels like some of the popular writers that so much more so I'm just trying to put my best foot forward for views/feedback.

 

[sr71plt]

I put his name in the author search and it came up immediately, listing his name and a link to 94 stories. Clicked there and got his list. Wasn't hard at all.

Nope, I'm not getting anything popping up on a straightforward "Author Index" search either.

 

[Sammael Bard]

C'mon guys, this is THE Lit search engine we're talking about...

 

[lovecraft68]

I put his name in the author search and it came up immediately, listing his name and a link to 94 stories. Clicked there and got his list. Wasn't hard at all.

That's not what I got. a couple of weeks ago I did it with my name and no stories came up, I did it again a couple of days ago and it did.

Most likely its a glitch and could have something to do with what browsers we use.

I'm not the only one to mention it in fact what caused me to look up my name recently was a reader e-mailing me and saying that they could not find my story list.

 

[lovecraft68]

Nope, I'm not getting anything popping up on a straightforward "Author Index" search either.

What are you using? IE, chrome, Mozilla?

 

[sr71plt]

I have IE.