The Official Author's Hangout 2016 April Fool's Day Contest Support Thread

[Kethandra]

By the way - do people think it's too late to just start on something now for April Fools? And a question for all you long time established literotica writers - How do you go about getting votes? I don't have an offsite following in this genre and am a newbie to the site. What's the best way to get folks to read and vote? Thanks!

Submit stories. The readers will come. Submit in contests, more readers will come. My first story was submitted on the site 18 months ago. Now, I can usually count on 1000 votes for a mainstream, popular category contest entry. As opposed to my current entry, in a highly-read category, but not by any means a mainstream entry.

 

[YDB95]

Submit stories. The readers will come. Submit in contests, more readers will come. My first story was submitted on the site 18 months ago. Now, I can usually count on 1000 votes for a mainstream, popular category contest entry. As opposed to my current entry, in a highly-read category, but not by any means a mainstream entry.

1000 votes or 1000 views? I've been posting here for four years, I've placed in two contests and just missed in a few others, and the most votes I've ever received was about 700 (and that was on an extremely popular story in a popular category that's been up for over two years now). Your mileage may vary, of course, and I don't post in Incest, which seems to inspire the most loyalty, but still...

 

[Kethandra]

1000 votes or 1000 views? I've been posting here for four years, I've placed in two contests and just missed in a few others, and the most votes I've ever received was about 700 (and that was on an extremely popular story in a popular category that's been up for over two years now). Your mileage may vary, of course, and I don't post in Incest, which seems to inspire the most loyalty, but still...

Yeah, Incest helps. I meant votes. My Halloween and Valentine's entries in that category both topped 1000 votes, as did my First Time entry in Nude Day last summer.
Some is luck of the draw: bring listed at the top of the new stories list can add many viewers during the critical first day.
On the other hand, my current Incest contest entry ( which would be in Humor/Satire if not for some incestuous content) is struggling to get enough enough votes to qualify after the sweeps: 40 as of today. So mileage does vary substantially.

 

[Carnal_Flower]

Incest has a huge readership. If votes are what you crave, you will find them. Sibcest and Momcest will be higher than D/d.

But I don't think the read/vote ratio is any different than anywhere else, and I'm not convinced Contests offer any substantial difference. My vote totals went a bit down for Contest entries. Perhaps those stories sucked idk.

Incest readers don't care about contests or, for the most part, authors, which I find awesome. The Readers Choice Awards? There's a woppin' 35 votes from readers last time I checked, which says it all right there.

Submit stories. The readers will come. Submit in contests, more readers will come. My first story was submitted on the site 18 months ago. Now, I can usually count on 1000 votes for a mainstream, popular category contest entry. As opposed to my current entry, in a highly-read category, but not by any means a mainstream entry.

 

[sr71plt]

My contest entries generally receive more votes than my noncontest entries do.

 

[oggbashan]

My contest entries generally receive more votes than my noncontest entries do.

My non-contest stories often sink into obscurity after a couple of days. My contest entries? Sometimes upset anonymous and attract 1-bombs except at Christmas.

 

[sr71plt]

My non-contest stories often sink into obscurity after a couple of days. My contest entries? Sometimes upset anonymous and attract 1-bombs except at Christmas.

Yeah, I got the message on how displeased you are with how yours are doing for this contest. Let us know after the end-of-contest sweeps. I always get a nice smile then.

 

[oggbashan]

Yeah, I got the message on how displeased you are with how yours are doing for this contest. Let us know after the end-of-contest sweeps. I always get a nice smile then.

I suspect it is my fault. I made the humour/humor too obscure and some readers didn't find it.

But one of the four stories barely touching 4.00 at best and the others in the lower 3s is disappointing. It takes as much effort to write a low rated story as it does for one that gets and retains the red H.

 

[sr71plt]

That's true. But that's the nature of Literotica contests. I submit my stories to story sites where what I write is mainstream for the site and just enjoy how they do there.

For laughs, look at the comments on my April Fools Day contest entry (I haven't erased any--but probably will have to after posting this comment ) and the current rating. I'm just waiting for the ultimate sweeps.

 

[AMoveableBeast]

1000 votes or 1000 views? I've been posting here for four years, I've placed in two contests and just missed in a few others, and the most votes I've ever received was about 700 (and that was on an extremely popular story in a popular category that's been up for over two years now). Your mileage may vary, of course, and I don't post in Incest, which seems to inspire the most loyalty, but still...

I'm not sure that incest inspires loyalty as much as...hunger. A lot of incest readers can't get their fix anywhere else, so they are ravenous. And they often read and vote on their kinks. It often isn't about the author, it seems, but, rather, if the author's style and choices fit the shape of their need. It's why stories sometimes get bombed for mom's not getting pregnant and sisters not losing their virginity.

If you want loyalty--look at sci-fi and non-human. There, authors are a brand. The fans are legitimately fans.

I bounce around, don't stay in one place long enough to let the category grass grow under my feet. Keeps me from attracting a fan base (that and my writing ), but it also keeps things fresh for me. Plus, I'm usually gone before the lynch mob can properly form.

Don't fall in love with me, darling; I'm a rambler.

 

[AMoveableBeast]

I suspect it is my fault. I made the humour/humor too obscure and some readers didn't find it.

But one of the four stories barely touching 4.00 at best and the others in the lower 3s is disappointing. It takes as much effort to write a low rated story as it does for one that gets and retains the red H.

This is what I love about you, though, ogg. Sometimes you score very well, and sometimes you don't, but you always write your way, and it's always authentic.

I don't like everything you write. And that's a good thing, I think. It shows you have range. I try for the same thing in my writing.

There is no once else like you on this site. And you are one of our most respected members for that, no matter what your scores are.

 

[oggbashan]

Thank you for that, AMoveableBeast.

I don't expect anyone to like ALL of my stories, or perhaps even more than a few.

I can't tell when I'm writing whether the story will be reasonably rated or low rated. All I know is that some, in my opinion, are better than others. The votes often don't agree with me. When they do, that is a pleasant surprise.

Back to annoying some GB regulars and writing more stories...

 

[lovecraft68]

The incest crowd is no more loyal than any other crowd and certainly nowhere near as loyal as NH or Sci-fi which I agree are the best fan bases.
'
But those two categories also seem to specialize in long series which will build a loyal following.

The incest readers for the most part are like their kink; they keep it in the family. Few are the readers I have that will follow me to any other category. I say that based on votes and comments, in incest, like many I have big numbers, anywhere else, average for the category because I'm not known there, meaning all my 'fans' are just waiting for the next mommy story.

The only other category I have seen incest readers drift into is mature because its age gap and milf cougar/cub and older guys/younger girls with daddy complexes so its fantasies of another person's mom or dad, and that attracts some of them.

Want to see the loyalty of incest readers? As Carnal Flower pointed out, look at how few people are voting so far for the incest story of the year. Of course that could be said of just about any category I suppose which is sad.

Silkstockinglover has over 13k followers here, see how many votes she has. I have over 7k see how many votes I have for influential author.

But as I pointed out in the reader award threads, boy are they fast to keep asking when the next story is or complain a new installment of something isn't out fast enough.

The reader awards are laurel's idea for readers to show appreciation and pay it forward. We're seeing how few are willing to do that.

 

[oggbashan]

I'm going to be off Literotica for a week. Although I might be able to get on line it will be from a place that has parental controls on the WiFi so no Literotica.

Please keep encouraging and supporting authors while I'm away.

 

[AMoveableBeast]

My story is up. It's not doing very well in the early going. If things continue in this vein, it would have the lowest rating of any story I have ever published here. Which is strange, because I probably like it the best. I'm pleased with the way it turned out, which isn't something I commonly feel in regards to my writing. So that is a little victory in itself regardless of how the numbers play out.

 

[lovecraft68]

My story is up. It's not doing very well in the early going. If things continue in this vein, it would have the lowest rating of any story I have ever published here. Which is strange, because I probably like it the best. I'm pleased with the way it turned out, which isn't something I commonly feel in regards to my writing. So that is a little victory in itself regardless of how the numbers play out.

Those words are....

The kiss of death.

The stories here I consider my best have no where near the numbers of the pablum I'll toss out to the readers to make them happy

 

[AMoveableBeast]

Those words are....

The kiss of death.

The stories here I consider my best have no where near the numbers of the pablum I'll toss out to the readers to make them happy

There's no accounting for taste, I suppose. Even my own.

 

[lovecraft68]

There's no accounting for taste, I suppose. Even my own.

I look at my stories the way I do my jokes, as long as I'm amused, does anything else really matter?

 

[AMoveableBeast]

I look at my stories the way I do my jokes, as long as I'm amused, does anything else really matter?

Most of my stories are jokes anyway. It's not a far walk.

Still, I thought this one had a decent punchline.

That's it. For Nude Day I'm doing the one where a rabbi, a priest, and Donald Trump walk into a bar naked. It's called "Hands Big Enough to Hold the World."

Look for it soon.

 

[J_R_Ashunwhy]

haha, let me guess: starts off as a harmless thumb war...to prove it's not the 'size' of your hands that matters, but quickly escalates into an arm wrestling match, and finishes in a literal cock fight?

Are you taking bets?

 

[lovecraft68]

Most of my stories are jokes anyway. It's not a far walk.

Still, I thought this one had a decent punchline.

That's it. For Nude Day I'm doing the one where a rabbi, a priest, and Donald Trump walk into a bar naked. It's called "Hands Big Enough to Hold the World."

Look for it soon.

For nude day I have a goal of writing an incest story, a mother son story that I've always wanted to write and will do nothing to cater to the normal mom son crowd. So pretty much I want to be the only author to write a mother son story no one wants to read.

Damned Red Dress was my dad/daughter attempt at that, this one won't be as dark, but much more epic and a train wreck in its own right.

 

[AMoveableBeast]

haha, let me guess: starts off as a harmless thumb war...to prove it's not the 'size' of your hands that matters, but quickly escalates into an arm wrestling match, and finishes in a literal cock fight?

Are you taking bets?

If I didn't get my absolute ass kicked every time I went into Humor and Satire, I'd consider doing it. If only for the circumcision jokes.

For nude day I have a goal of writing an incest story, a mother son story that I've always wanted to write and will do nothing to cater to the normal mom son crowd. So pretty much I want to be the only author to write a mother son story no one wants to read.

Damned Red Dress was my dad/daughter attempt at that, this one won't be as dark, but much more epic and a train wreck in its own right.

I'm planning a similar one for Summer. Only mine is B/S. Well, all of my stuff is BS, but you know.

We'll see who does worse.

 

[MagicaPractica]

Yay! My story is up. I had fun writing it.

 

[lovecraft68]

If I didn't get my absolute ass kicked every time I went into Humor and Satire, I'd consider doing it. If only for the circumcision jokes.



I'm planning a similar one for Summer. Only mine is B/S. Well, all of my stuff is BS, but you know.

We'll see who does worse.

I've already spit in the face of the B/S crowd its called Siblings with Benefits. The red dress derailed the daddy crowd, all that's left is to train wreck mom.

I'm going to go on record on betting mine tanks worse because of one scene. The wife said if I take it out it would be a fairly sweet story. I'm like, that's why its in there.

 

[lovecraft68]

Yay! My story is up. I had fun writing it.

Congrats!