Favoritors and Followers, What gives?

[Mastered_again]

Of late, I've had stories favorited and gained some followers. What strikes me as odd is that none of them voted or commented. I mean, if you like a story or a particular author, wouldn't you follow through to encourage more stories?

 

[nice90sguy]

favoriting is often just bookmarking.

 

[NotWise]

Of late, I've had stories favorited and gained some followers. What strikes me as odd is that none of them voted or commented. I mean, if you like a story or a particular author, wouldn't you follow through to encourage more stories?

Apparently not. Comments require readers to formulate their thoughts, and then worry about things like "is this a good comment?", "does this make me sound dumb?", etc. Of course, some people don't worry about that. At least recently, a pretty high proportion of my comments have come from other writers, and they are accustomed to formulating their thoughts.

Readers probably aren't favoriting your stories or following you just to give you a compliment. They get something out of both of those acts: they make your story accessible from their list, and they give themselves quick access to your catalog. I don't think readers get anything from posting comments, unless there's some dynamic among readers where they get social points from commenting. You might see that in LW and maybe in a couple other categories.

 

[joy_of_cooking]

I often favorite stories I haven't even read. It's the easiest way to get them into the official app. (The unofficial app can open links, kind of.)

 

[Mastered_again]

Apparently not. Comments require readers to formulate their thoughts, and then worry about things like "is this a good comment?", "does this make me sound dumb?", etc. Of course, some people don't worry about that. At least recently, a pretty high proportion of my comments have come from other writers, and they are accustomed to formulating their thoughts.

Readers probably aren't favoriting your stories or following you just to give you a compliment. They get something out of both of those acts: they make your story accessible from their list, and they give themselves quick access to your catalog. I don't think readers get anything from posting comments, unless there's some dynamic among readers where they get social points from commenting. You might see that in LW and maybe in a couple other categories.

Yeah, R/N, EV, RC and BDSM aren't quite third rail categories

 

[StillStunned]

My assumption is that by the time my readers get to the end of the story their hands are too busy to type.

 

[TxRad]

Not enough blood in the brain either.

 

[joy_of_cooking]

Braggarts, both of you.

 

[MillieDynamite]

I've noticed that. After getting the Favorite, I wait for the vote to change. Reloading it time and again for fifteen minutes, only to see the vote remain stagnant. I think some readers think this is a vote, which in a way, it is. Just not one that gets tabulated in the vote totals.

Of late, I've had stories favorited and gained some followers. What strikes me as odd is that none of them voted or commented. I mean, if you like a story or a particular author, wouldn't you follow through to encourage more stories?

 

[Mastered_again]

I've noticed that. After getting the Favorite, I wait for the vote to change. Reloading it time and again for fifteen minutes, only to see the vote remain stagnant. I think some readers think this is a vote, which in a way, it is. Just not one that gets tabulated in the vote totals.

So we share the same compulsion. We're not alone, me thinks

 

[MillieDynamite]

Yes, at 35 minutes, it went up a few ticks, but I have no idea if it was my reloads or new reads. It was more than double the time that they take to update your console.

So we share the same compulsion. We're not alone, me thinks

 

[ronde]

Of late, I've had stories favorited and gained some followers. What strikes me as odd is that none of them voted or commented. I mean, if you like a story or a particular author, wouldn't you follow through to encourage more stories?

I'm not sure how you know they didn't vote because all votes are anonymous. As for comments, very, very few readers leave comments. I appreciate it when I read that a reader has marked my story as a favorite, but I suspect that only means one of two things. They recognized my name or liked the title and short description and marked the story so they could find it when they have time to read it, or they liked it enough to save it as a favorite so they can read it again at some point. If you look up the profile on a few readers who mark a story as a favorite, you'll find that some have literally hundreds of stories marked as favorites.

As far as voting and commenting to encourage a writer to write more, remember that Literotica stories are free entertainment. For most people, "free" means not only free from any monetary obligation but free from any other type of obligation as well. The stories are like the grocery store coupons that come in the mail. A lot of people use those coupons, but they don't write to the grocery store and thank them. There is no requirement on the site that they vote or leave a comment so they don't.

 

[MillieDynamite]

You can tell they didn't vote when the vote total didn't change after the favorite. When you get two hearts in a day and not one vote for 48 or more hours, the heart people didn't vote. Simple math, 12 votes stay 12 votes for days, while hearts were given when there were 12 votes already. No votes, but hearts, = no fucking votes by those who left the heart. Unless you lose new math, maybe no votes equals new votes.

I'm not sure how you know they didn't vote because all votes are anonymous. As for comments, very, very few readers leave comments. I appreciate it when I read that a reader has marked my story as a favorite, but I suspect that only means one of two things. They recognized my name or liked the title and short description and marked the story so they could find it when they have time to read it, or they liked it enough to save it as a favorite so they can read it again at some point. If you look up the profile on a few readers who mark a story as a favorite, you'll find that some have literally hundreds of stories marked as favorites.

As far as voting and commenting to encourage a writer to write more, remember that Literotica stories are free entertainment. For most people, "free" means not only free from any monetary obligation but free from any other type of obligation as well. The stories are like the grocery store coupons that come in the mail. A lot of people use those coupons, but they don't write to the grocery store and thank them. There is no requirement on the site that they vote or leave a comment so they don't.

 

[Mastered_again]

I'm not sure how you know they didn't vote because all votes are anonymous. As for comments, very, very few readers leave comments. I appreciate it when I read that a reader has marked my story as a favorite, but I suspect that only means one of two things. They recognized my name or liked the title and short description and marked the story so they could find it when they have time to read it, or they liked it enough to save it as a favorite so they can read it again at some point. If you look up the profile on a few readers who mark a story as a favorite, you'll find that some have literally hundreds of stories marked as favorites.

As far as voting and commenting to encourage a writer to write more, remember that Literotica stories are free entertainment. For most people, "free" means not only free from any monetary obligation but free from any other type of obligation as well. The stories are like the grocery store coupons that come in the mail. A lot of people use those coupons, but they don't write to the grocery store and thank them. There is no requirement on the site that they vote or leave a comment so they don't.

Call me old fashioned, but free shouldn't excluded courtesy. If a someone buys you a drink, do you ignore them? NO. You say thank you and try to reciprocate. Maybe not immediately, but soon.
Unless you really can't abide them, then decline and say no thanks.
Doesn't seem all the difficult to me.

 

[ronde]

Call me old fashioned, but free shouldn't excluded courtesy. If a someone buys you a drink, do you ignore them? NO. You say thank you and try to reciprocate. Maybe not immediately, but soon.
Unless you really can't abide them, then decline and say no thanks.
Doesn't seem all the difficult to me.

I agree about the courtesy you state, but someone buying you a drink is a one-to-one situation and the require courtesy is implied. Literotica is a one-to-many situation, and there's no personal interaction involved. That's why people don't vote or comment. I wish it was different, but I've written for multiple sites and it's been the same on all of them. If anything, Literotica is better than most as far as the ratio of votes and comments to reads for what I've published here.

 

[ronde]

You can tell they didn't vote when the vote total didn't change after the favorite. When you get two hearts in a day and not one vote for 48 or more hours, the heart people didn't vote. Simple math, 12 votes stay 12 votes for days, while hearts were given when there were 12 votes already. No votes, but hearts, = no fucking votes by those who left the heart. Unless you lose new math, maybe no votes equals new votes.

I guess I'll have to try that because I don't track my scores that closely. I usually look at them once a week, and for the week the story is published, I typically have a few more votes than hearts. After that week, I see very little change in either.

 

[pink_silk_glove]

The vast majority of faves are just bookmarks. They probably never get around to reading half of the ones that they fave.

And if you think that the readership owes you anything for your posted stories, you;re on the wrong site, probably even the wrong hobby. You should go pro and start selling.

 

[Mastered_again]

I agree about the courtesy you state, but someone buying you a drink is a one-to-one situation and the require courtesy is implied. Literotica is a one-to-many situation, and there's no personal interaction involved. That's why people don't vote or comment. I wish it was different, but I've written for multiple sites and it's been the same on all of them. If anything, Literotica is better than most as far as the ratio of votes and comments to reads for what I've published here.

Right or wrong, I take it personally. Maybe I'm projecting, but I hope readers find a connection with my characters, and by extension, me. Indulge my inner romantic, would ya?

 

[ElectricBlue]

Yes, at 35 minutes, it went up a few ticks, but I have no idea if it was my reloads or new reads. It was more than double the time that they take to update your console.

Your click into a first page of your own story will show up on your CP immediately.

 

[pink_silk_glove]

Right or wrong, I take it personally. Maybe I'm projecting, but I hope readers find a connection with my characters, and by extension, me. Indulge my inner romantic, would ya?

I've let others influence and control my feelings far too long in my life. Ever since I learned how to stop doing that and keep control of that I've been a much happier person. So I'd much rather write for my enjoyment, put it out there and just let it find it's own wings rather than hover over the scores and fret when I'm not hit with bouquets. I put no onus nor burden at all on the readers. Why should I? I put my work out there for free. That means that I expect nothing back, that is literally what free means. If I get nothing, it's what I expect. If I get something, it's a bonus.

Of course I write to make a connection. That is the whole point of writing, whether we realize it or not. It is nice to get good feedback, positive or negative, so that you can see how effective you may or may not have been at making that connection. Absolutely! Then you can adjust your style (or not) as you see fit to get better at making that connection. Feedback can be extremely valuable, but it is not owed. If that's what you want, one can always pay an editor.

Sure, there may be some mild disappointment when little to no feedback comes back, but it's only disappointment in that fact alone, not in any of the readers. They are literally under no obligation and I'm not going to point any fingers at them. Just as I offer my story for free, the readers offer their editorial comments for free. Blaming them only disempowers me anyways. If I believe that it's the readership's fault that I get no feedback, then I guess that there's no flaw in my writing. I would hope that I'm not that egotistical. If there's no flaw in my writing then why would I change any of my style or approach or themes? If I don't change any of it then I could have a very long wait for readers to start connecting now wouldn't I?

You can't control the readers but you can control yourself. So if you place your feelings/happiness/self-judgement in the hands of the readers (they owe me some courtesy feedback dammit!) then your feelings/happiness/self-judgement will be at their whims, not yours (disempowering see?) and you may not like the results.

 

[MillieDynamite]

I'd advise against watching them closely.

I guess I'll have to try that because I don't track my scores that closely. I usually look at them once a week, and for the week the story is published, I typically have a few more votes than hearts. After that week, I see very little change in either.

Don't know, I refreshed on it after I'd opened it.

Your click into a first page of your own story will show up on your CP immediately.

 

[Mastered_again]

I've let others influence and control my feelings far too long in my life. Ever since I learned how to stop doing that and keep control of that I've been a much happier person. So I'd much rather write for my enjoyment, put it out there and just let it find it's own wings rather than hover over the scores and fret when I'm not hit with bouquets. I put no onus nor burden at all on the readers. Why should I? I put my work out there for free. That means that I expect nothing back, that is literally what free means. If I get nothing, it's what I expect. If I get something, it's a bonus.

Of course I write to make a connection. That is the whole point of writing, whether we realize it or not. It is nice to get good feedback, positive or negative, so that you can see how effective you may or may not have been at making that connection. Absolutely! Then you can adjust your style (or not) as you see fit to get better at making that connection. Feedback can be extremely valuable, but it is not owed. If that's what you want, one can always pay an editor.

Sure, there may be some mild disappointment when little to no feedback comes back, but it's only disappointment in that fact alone, not in any of the readers. They are literally under no obligation and I'm not going to point any fingers at them. Just as I offer my story for free, the readers offer their editorial comments for free. Blaming them only disempowers me anyways. If I believe that it's the readership's fault that I get no feedback, then I guess that there's no flaw in my writing. I would hope that I'm not that egotistical. If there's no flaw in my writing then why would I change any of my style or approach or themes? If I don't change any of it then I could have a very long wait for readers to start connecting now wouldn't I?

You can't control the readers but you can control yourself. So if you place your feelings/happiness/self-judgement in the hands of the readers (they owe me some courtesy feedback dammit!) then your feelings/happiness/self-judgement will be at their whims, not yours (disempowering see?) and you may not like the results.

I don't let them control me. The biggest thrill is the writing, and the process of breathing life into characters. It's something I enjoy sharing. But still...
Otherwise, life is good. We just retired and have time to explore, socialize and do so many of the things we planned on, which explains my recent sabbatical from writing.

 

[pink_silk_glove]

I don't let them control me.

Then why are you upset with their 'lack of courtesy'? Your feelings have changed due to the fact that they don't respond. You have put control of your feelings in their willingness to respond. Maybe not all of your feelings but enough of it to make you upset. That is letting them control, see?

 

[SimonDoom]

Something to keep in mind about readers is that 99% don't give a crap about any of the things that concern us as authors. Many probably know only a little bit about the Site and how it works. So it's not surprising that votes, favorites, scores, etc. don't cohere. It's people working with incomplete information.

 

[PennameWombat]

Of late, I've had stories favorited and gained some followers. What strikes me as odd is that none of them voted or commented. I mean, if you like a story or a particular author, wouldn't you follow through to encourage more stories?

On the first point, if you're viewing your Control Panel through a computer and web browser, the notifications do not differentiate between Favorites (hearts) and "Added to Reading List" (bookmarked, any user can set up multiple 'Reading Lists' and bookmark stories in them). They all get reported on the web-view Control Panel as "Favorites." So it's possible some of the Favorites are simply readers thinking "this is an interesting story, I'll bookmark it for later." Thus, they won't vote because they haven't, as yet, actually read it.

If you download your statistics from the Control Panel and open the file in a spreadsheet, you'll see two columns:
- "In reading lists" - this column is the actual number of Favorites.
- "Reading lists" - this column is the number of Favorites and "Added to Reading List" added together.

Same, so far as I can tell with Followers. I simply take a follow that they were intrigued by something enough to keep some sort of eye on what I'm releasing. Maybe they haven't yet read all the way through, or, they did some time in the past and "ah, I remember this author, I'll follow 'em". All of this indicates they paid some, at least minimal, amount of attention to my stories, so hey, I'm not complaining about whatever the specific form is.

As to comments, there are hundreds of threads on this board kicked off by "how do I get more comments?" or "why doesn't anyone comment?" In the mainstream publishing world, it's like "how can I get reviews? I need reviews!" Some categories seem to have more loquacious readers but most don't. Of my not quite fifty stories, the MAXIMUM number of comments on any one is ten. Yes, ten. Half of my stories have zero or one comment. YMMV.