The "Hot" rating

[Kumquatqueen]

After two years at it though, I think I'd gladly trade a few Red Hs for a higher volume of readers.

Looking for that breakthrough story that reaches the masses. Thought a few of my more recent ones would.

And they've done okay, don't get me wrong. Still, wish I could truly write one that REALLY reaches a wide audience.

Guess I'll just keep working at it.

I feel similarly after five years. Thing is, I did get a wider audience a couple times, by writing an incest story and some mainstream anal stories. They went down well, got red Hs and a bunch of comments. But many of the anal commenters had very firm ideas of what did and didn't belong in a story, with comments like 'she should have done XYZ to him'. The incest commenters were nice (though wanted a life-long pairing rather than anything realistic for siblings), but vanished in droves when I returned to my usual type of stories that have queer and kinky overtones even if they're not full-on bisexual filth.

There's an appreciative audience for the stories I really like writing, but I just have to accept it's smaller than other audiences and there's a limit to how many readers I can lure to the dark side.

 

[ElectricBlue]

And they've done okay, don't get me wrong. Still, wish I could truly write one that REALLY reaches a wide audience.

Simple. You know what category to write in. Sell your soul to the numbers god.

 

[Bazzle]

Simple. You know what category to write in. Sell your soul to the numbers god.

That's exactly what I normally do. Live in the fetish world, and deal with it!

 

[ElectricBlue]

That's exactly what I normally do. Live in the fetish world, and deal with it!

Not the category I had in mind.

 

[BobbyBrandt]

My 25 stories posted here average a score of 4.65, so I have my share of red H's.

The majority of my stories on Lit have little to no sex and are only teasingly erotic at best. This, coupled with the length of many of my stories makes their acceptance by readers here even more appreciated. I have some loyal and dedicated followers on this site who have blessed me with good ratings and positive feedback. Any symbol of their support that might adorn my list of stories is a credit to them.

 

[dadadadiox]

It took many chapters for me to get that first red H, then it disappeared when my unobombing stalkers showed up. Still, it was nice to know enough readers enjoyed my story to allow me that small satisfaction.

Then I went on a run of reds in non-erotic. It was strange, so what did I do? I sabotaged it by testing the boundaries of that genre. Do not post anything sexual in that category. The cleanies will punish you. Now I’m walking the line, banging against the non-erotic guardrails and that’s not helping.

I’m happy with any score over 4.0 that has a decent sample size of votes. Even a 3.75 is a decent score. When you have a few haters rating every chapter you take a little pride in knowing the love-bombs are outnumbering the one-bombs by a significant margin.

 

[dadadadiox]

I used to be very attached to them. And I’d be lying if I said I don’t like good ratings; who wouldn’t?

It is nice to get that red H but I bet it’s even sweeter when you reach that level of zen where they don’t matter at all. I’m getting there.

I now find myself focused far more on the chapters that get smacked down. I’m revisiting them trying to figure out if they have anything in common.

 

[dadadadiox]

I'm happy to have finally gotten some. I guess my writing has reached a point where I deserve them. They are still the highlight of my life these past few years. It changes little how I feel about them, because they can be gone in an hour, so there's no reason to get arrogant about it. Case in point the story on this account; had one for almost a week.

It is deserved but it’s also a sign that you may have found your niche.

 

[MillieDynamite]

If I ever got a W, it would be Pow, Zoom, Straight to the Moon! However, I can live with out it!

You can enjoy them, but can't get obsessed with them.

There are people here who want them gone, however.

Most are the everyone gets a prize for breathing crowd who hates that someone has something they don't. The crowd that wants top lists, fav lists, any popular story list, scores, blue W's Green E's and everything else removed until lit is a pile of tens of thousands of stories where no one can find anything and no one is getting read.

 

[M_K_Babalon]

It is deserved but it’s also a sign that you may have found your niche.

I've been writing incest. This one is a little different than the ones I've read, though. None of them are like the ones I've read, actually, for the most part. As long as they love it, though. Waiting for my brain to get back in it, so I can finish it.

 

[Devilsoctane]

I have enjoyed the site and all of its stories for years. But this year I decided to join as an author. I have “hot”, “new” and all kinds of things under my stories. But I am so new, I can’t find what all the stuff under your stories mean.
Can anyone explain it for me, i would greatly appreciate the help and feedback.

What is the stuff for?
Thanks,
Devilsoctane

 

[onehitwanda]

I have enjoyed the site and all of its stories for years. But this year I decided to join as an author. I have “hot”, “new” and all kinds of things under my stories. But I am so new, I can’t find what all the stuff under your stories mean.
Can anyone explain it for me, i would greatly appreciate the help and feedback.

What is the stuff for?
Thanks,
Devilsoctane

hot means an average rating of 4.5 or more. is the number of times your story has been favourited. is the total number of views (or times something has accessed that story). is your average star rating / your total number of "starrings" i.e. your first story is averaging 4.67 out of 198 ratings. The speech bubble is the number of comments that have been left, and the final one is pancakes, obviously.

 

[ShelbyDawn57]

hot means an average rating of 4.5 or more. is the number of times your story has been favourited. is the total number of views (or times something has accessed that story). is your average star rating / your total number of "starrings" i.e. your first story is averaging 4.67 out of 198 ratings. The speech bubble is the number of comments that have been left, and the final one is pancakes, obviously.

But what does the W in the blue box mean? she asked unabashedly snicker snicker...

 

[StillStunned]

hot means an average rating of 4.5 or more.

From at least 10 ratings.

ETA: And the pancakes mean the story is part of a series.

 

[MillieDynamite]

Those are square, so they aren't Pancakes their Waffles. Who has some butter and syrup?

hot means an average rating of 4.5 or more. is the number of times your story has been favourited. is the total number of views (or times something has accessed that story). is your average star rating / your total number of "starrings" i.e. your first story is averaging 4.67 out of 198 ratings. The speech bubble is the number of comments that have been left, and the final one is pancakes, obviously.

 

[onehitwanda]

Those are square, so they aren't Pancakes their Waffles. Who has some butter and syrup?

I'll check the Special Lesbian Pantry. We may have to make do with honey and whipped cream - that okay?

 

[ShelbyDawn57]

I'll check the Special Lesbian Pantry. We may have to make do with honey and whipped cream - that okay?

Be careful, as @StillStunned pointed out, that icon indicates a series. You might have to do whatever you're planning more than once...

 

[MillieDynamite]

Yes, this would be more appropriate in the Reading and coffee shop thread.

I'll check the Special Lesbian Pantry. We may have to make do with honey and whipped cream - that okay?

 

[ShelbyDawn57]

Yes, this would be more appropriate in the Reading and coffee shop thread.

I don't know, lesbian sex, real or implied , gets a pretty hot rating from me...

 

[Kelliezgirl]

I do wonder if it means quite as much to readers as it does to us.
Until I came to the forums my initial assumption was that it meant a story was popular and getting a lot of views. Sort of "the hot new thing", rather than an indication of the rating.

 

[StillStunned]

I do wonder if it means quite as much to readers as it does to us.
Until I came to the forums my initial assumption was that it meant a story was popular and getting a lot of views. Sort of "the hot new thing", rather than an indication of the rating.

Same here. It took until I'd posted a couple of stories before I figured it out.

 

[MillieDynamite]

It's both popular with readers and, as a quiescence, has a high rating.

I do wonder if it means quite as much to readers as it does to us.
Until I came to the forums my initial assumption was that it meant a story was popular and getting a lot of views. Sort of "the hot new thing", rather than an indication of the rating.

 

[samhasstories]

I don't have nearly as many stories posted as the Prolific Ones, but thus far I'm batting 1000 on that little red H. Probably a combination of favorable category and the fact that my stories are relatively uncomplicated, may perhaps even qualify as "strokers," depending on how you define those (I'm not an expert on the lingo). But still, it's a nice affirmation, a little confirmation that people are enjoying what I'm doing.

 

[ShelbyDawn57]

It's both popular with readers and, as a quiescence, has a high rating.

Would make more sense if it were a composite of views, favorites, and votes.

Edit: I'll let @onehitwanda do the math

 

[MillieDynamite]

It might, but it doesn't, and I'm sure they wouldn't change it no matter what writers might want. I'd prefer some sort of three-voting system, Creativity - Technical Merit - Erotic Temperature. But that ain't gonna happen.

I'd love to see 4.5, 4.5, 4.5 on all three scores. I don't know how you determine what constitutes a Hot rating.

Would make more sense if it were a composite of views, favorites, and votes.

Edit: I'll let @onehitwanda do the math