What have you learned from comments and ratings?

[voluptuary_manque]

I learned that there are among the 'readers' a collection of know-it-all assholes who think that somehow I will take their stupid 'advice' and 'observations' to heart. When Hell freezes over!

 

[HandsInTheDark]

...the only stories that will ever succeed is

1.) Incest
2.) Heterosexual
3.) Bestiality or Fur somewhere somehow
4.) Gay must be TG or rough and hard so the guy doesn't lose his "man points".

Anything else goes into the trash bin.

Um... with about 95% of people being heterosexual (using one commonish statistic; call it 90% if it helps), hetero stories attract so many readers you might as well leave it out as a success criteria. If you write something that appeals to a significantly smaller segment of the population, yeah, your views go down. (But then scores ought to increase a little simply because of scarcity.)

As for the other 3 factors you mention, I won't write any of it. Now go look a my scores.

You don't have a case.

 

[tomlitilia]

I've learned that some readers really like my stories (a recent private comment said I was a god), and other really hate them (apparently I need to be found dead in an alley).

I guess I've also learned that though I'm still an amateur writer, I'm apparently at least decent at it. Excluding stories that involve married women having extramarital sex, they all tend to reach that magical 4.5 mark.

 

[RetroFan]

Example number one is more hated than your other examples because she is a she, refer back to my comments about the 'men' who read here.

I created a character in my Siblings with Benefits series, "Megan" the sister who was so loathed and hated that near the end when she went through some pretty horrid things I had people pissed off she didn't die or cheered for what happened to her.

In back to back chapters her and the brother do equally horrible things to each other. The chapter she got hers is about 4.7 when she pays him back its in the 4.4's

My experience is that female characters can get away with more than male characters. A lesbian story I wrote last year, 'The PTA Queen Bee & The Teen Rebel', featured a 42-year-old married real estate broker who when not ripping off her clients or bullying less dominant parents on the PTA, lusts after young women, before finally getting into bed with and into the panties of a rebellious and equally bitchy 18-year-old heavy metal loving rebel.

Now flip the genders and imagine a gay male story about a married 42-year-old married man who rips off clients, bullies other parents on the PTA and secretly lusts after young men, before seducing an 18-year-old male. I think such a story would attract quite a few negative comments and scores.

 

[oggbashan]

Several people who leave comments, particularly one anonymous recognisable by the style, believe that my stories are about real people in real situations. They complain that if 'that happened' the wife would be divorced immediately and/or arrested. Anon doesn't understand Femdom and is frightened stiff of it even though my Femdom stories are mild.

Should I take it as a compliment that they think I am writing about real people and real lives? Or that some people are idiots because they believe my stories about fantasy planets and genies are about 'real' people?

 

[BuckyDuckman]

Several people who leave comments, particularly one anonymous recognisable by the style, believe that my stories are about real people in real situations. They complain that if 'that happened' the wife would be divorced immediately and/or arrested. Anon doesn't understand Femdom and is frightened stiff of it even though my Femdom stories are mild.

Should I take it as a compliment that they think I am writing about real people and real lives? Or that some people are idiots because they believe my stories about fantasy planets and genies are about 'real' people?

I'm often confused by that, too. Especially when I've used a 3rd person POV.

As for what I've learned from comments and ratings? That's tougher. Not sure I "learned" anything. I've been encouraged and my Muse has had her ego fed, is that the same thing?

 

[HandsInTheDark]

Should I take it as a compliment that they think I am writing about real people and real lives?

No. You should be deeply worried that there are so many people who are completely incapable of telling fact from fiction. I thought it was funny, even laughable, until recent events in my country convinced me that the loss of critical thinking has become a real problem with real consequences.

There's a reason I stay anonymous around here. An erotica site is by definition going to attract some troubled people.

 

[lovecraft68]

I just received what I consider a meaningful comment, only in the sense that its what I strive for in 95% of my stories.

by Anonymous
03/02/17
As always.

You never disappoint. Best simmer to boil ratio on the site.

I ignore the 'best' part that's all subjective, but I liked the simmer to boil because I believe the difference between porn is erotica is porn is the equal to a quickie in the bedroom, not a lot of time, pants down, skirt up over the bed and quick and satisfying. Erotica on the other hand equates foreplay and those nights you spend so much time playing and teasing and enjoying that the sex is just so much more explosive once you get to it.

Its satisfying when someone picks up what you put down so to speak.

 

[NOIRTRASH]

I just received what I consider a meaningful comment, only in the sense that its what I strive for in 95% of my stories.

by Anonymous
03/02/17
As always.

You never disappoint. Best simmer to boil ratio on the site.

I ignore the 'best' part that's all subjective, but I liked the simmer to boil because I believe the difference between porn is erotica is porn is the equal to a quickie in the bedroom, not a lot of time, pants down, skirt up over the bed and quick and satisfying. Erotica on the other hand equates foreplay and those nights you spend so much time playing and teasing and enjoying that the sex is just so much more explosive once you get to it.

Its satisfying when someone picks up what you put down so to speak.

^^^^reads his new book 50 SHADES OF GAY

his pen name is TIM BUCK TOOTH

 

[lovecraft68]

^^^^reads his new book 50 SHADES OF GAY

his pen name is TIM BUCK TOOTH

 

[sr71plt]

Now flip the genders and imagine a gay male story about a married 42-year-old married man who rips off clients, bullies other parents on the PTA and secretly lusts after young men, before seducing an 18-year-old male. I think such a story would attract quite a few negative comments and scores.

Not really as far as I've seen.

 

[NOIRTRASH]

I love the chaper titles: GET EM FROM THE BACK JACK, GET URSELF A BOY ROY, NO NEED FOR A GIRL EARL, FILL EM TO THE RIM SLIM

 

[sr71plt]

One thing that new writers here (and users of the forum) should keep in mind in terms of comments: JBJ's constant put downs of Literotica's writers and stories are best just ignored. He only wants attention.

 

[JacksonLow]

..............

 

[oggbashan]

Flaws in writing?

Yes, some anon comments are useful. Some are just attacks on the story or the author.

The majority of comments I have received from anon have been positive, worthwhile and helpful even if critical. But one particular anon had been conducting a campaign against all my new stories so I had to turn off anonymous comments just because of that one asshole.

 

[Green_Knight]

As an anonymous reader and commentator, I've learned authors are not looking for a critique. They prefer their stories and characters to be discussed in the comments and would rather read, "The best ever," than read what someone considers a flaw in their writing. That is understandable after putting in the work and being excited by the end result.

I've learned that other commentators do no service to the authors when they say that anonymous users should not be listened to. Some of their advice is spot on.

I've learned from this thread that the .01% of authors in the AH don't think much of their commentators.

I am bound to take more notice of someone who posts comments under a name, even if it is only a username. I don't understand why you can post on the forum under your username but not when you leave comments.

Flaws in writing?

Yes, some anon comments are useful. Some are just attacks on the story or the author.

The majority of comments I have received from anon have been positive, worthwhile and helpful even if critical. But one particular anon had been conducting a campaign against all my new stories so I had to turn off anonymous comments just because of that one asshole.

Of all the anonymous comments I've ever received, I can only think of three or four that have made interesting points and I have no idea why they preferred to make them anonymously. The vast majority of anonymous comments want to complain about the nature of the story and the morals of the characters in it – I wonder if Charles Dickens got hate telegrams when he created Bill Sikes? Some offer suggestions as to what should be done to the erring character (in their eyes) while others state with some force how I must develop the plot. A few follow the lines of the emails referred to here.

Not worth it.

 

[NotWise]

As an anonymous reader and commentator, I've learned authors are not looking for a critique. They prefer their stories and characters to be discussed in the comments and would rather read, "The best ever," than read what someone considers a flaw in their writing. That is understandable after putting in the work and being excited by the end result.

I've learned that other commentators do no service to the authors when they say that anonymous users should not be listened to. Some of their advice is spot on.

I've learned from this thread that the .01% of authors in the AH don't think much of their commentators.

I don't get many comments. Feel free.

 

[JacksonLow]

............

 

[SimonDoom]

As an anonymous reader and commentator, I've learned authors are not looking for a critique. They prefer their stories and characters to be discussed in the comments and would rather read, "The best ever," than read what someone considers a flaw in their writing. That is understandable after putting in the work and being excited by the end result.

I've learned that other commentators do no service to the authors when they say that anonymous users should not be listened to. Some of their advice is spot on.

I've learned from this thread that the .01% of authors in the AH don't think much of their commentators.

I can't speak for other authors, but, speaking for myself, I can say that I do appreciate comments.

The problem is that many, if not most, critical comments fall into one of two categories, neither of which is at all helpful to an author:

1. There's the "Your story sucks donkey dongs and so do you" comment. Obviously, that yields nothing useful.
2. There's the "You didn't do with this story what I wanted you to do" comment. That, too, is not helpful.

The only really useful sort of comment for a critic to make is "You tried to do X with your story, and here's how you could have done it better." Comments like that ARE helpful, even if the author doesn't agree with the commentator's view. As an author, I always would welcome comments like that.

 

[tomlitilia]

As an anonymous reader and commentator, I've learned authors are not looking for a critique. They prefer their stories and characters to be discussed in the comments and would rather read, "The best ever," than read what someone considers a flaw in their writing. That is understandable after putting in the work and being excited by the end result.

I've learned that other commentators do no service to the authors when they say that anonymous users should not be listened to. Some of their advice is spot on.

I've learned from this thread that the .01% of authors in the AH don't think much of their commentators.

It depends. I don't mind negative feedback if it comes from the right place, i.e. constructive things to improve. But that's sooo rare. Usually it's just that they didn't like a certain kink, suggestions for alternative endings, insults about my intelligence, or borderline death threats. And sometimes "you misspelled a word on page 3."

 

[Hypoxia]

*Any* comments or feedback indicates you've provoked a reader. That's enough for me.

 

[Dam_Fool]

Aren't trashy trailer park girls the most popular on this site? Incest stories are top popular, and the highest rated stories either have to do with the country, country stuff, 'merica stuff, cowboys n' cowgirls, or army country.

Maybe I'm wrong. I hope I am.
BC I think at Hentai Foundry, the only success in art and writing is bestiality, hermaphrodite women and incest. Anything else just falls to the bottom, no matter how well or amazing it is. And I sort of see a trend here.