Which Categories Get The Most Reads / Votes / Etc.?

[Haulover]

I'm sure this must have been discussed exhaustively, but I did a search, and couldn't find any threads about this question:

Which categories typically get the most reads, votes, comments, etc.?

I've seen excellent stories in some categories that receive mediocre response, and mediocre stories in other categories with huge reader response. That led me to wonder if the apparent inconsistency was a function of the story's title and description, or of the category.

Your experiences?

 

[oggbashan]

Incest

Loving Wives

 

[Kantarii]

Incest and taboo / & Loving wives might get the most views and comments, but that doesn't mean the best stories to read on this site can be found in those limited, short sighted categories.

 

[sr71plt]

I think on a site like this what is read and voted and commented on is driven, in most cases, by the reader's arousal interest, not the literary quality of the story. There are enough interested in literary quality for authors interested in writing that to post here and find a reader base. But authors cannot dictate the interest of readers--or other authors.

If you read in on the thread of the stories readers are looking for, almost none of them are looking for anything above the most basic and sexually exploitative story lines.

 

[HeyAll]

If you check the Top Lists, it's clearly that Incest dominates. Not even close. Most often the top 10 stories of the past 30 days, in terms of views, are incest.

LW as mentioned.

What's always surprised me is how many votes/favs/views that Mature gets. If I didn't know anything about stats, I wouldn't have thought that Mature would be a big category.

On the flip side, I'm surprised that bdsm gets so little views. If you look at the bdsm Hub, most stories have below 50 votes, even after a few days of being posted. I would have thought this would be a more popular catagory since bdsm stories have become more mainstream now.

 

[BuckyDuckman]

With the possible exception of Loving Wives, a good story is a good story and will typically find an audience. If you want to build readership quickly, Incest/Taboo and LW will get that for you quickly. Another "secret" for attracting attention would be by participating in the seasonal contests, like the current Summer Lovin' contest.

Asking for a vote/comment/PM can help, still the number of votes vs comments vs total page views is always very different.

 

[Boxlicker101]

Generally speaking, Incest & Taboo gets more reads and most other things. First Time, Anal and Loving Wives get a lot of reads also, although maybe not as many PC or votes.

 

[TxRad]

If you check the Top Lists, it's clearly that Incest dominates. Not even close. Most often the top 10 stories of the past 30 days, in terms of views, are incest.

LW as mentioned.

What's always surprised me is how many votes/favs/views that Mature gets. If I didn't know anything about stats, I wouldn't have thought that Mature would be a big category.

On the flip side, I'm surprised that bdsm gets so little views. If you look at the bdsm Hub, most stories have below 50 votes, even after a few days of being posted. I would have thought this would be a more popular catagory since bdsm stories have become more mainstream now.

A lot of the BDSM posted here at Lit ain't BDSM and people who like the real thing drop out of most stories very early. a lot of writers confuse non-com with BDSM. Good stories are few and far between.

 

[sr71plt]

While there are rules for BDSM clubs, there are no rules for BDSM in story lines (you don't even have to do it right). If someone gets tied up in your story, it includes bondage; if someone controls someone else, either physically or mentally, in your story, it includes domination. If someone gets off on being cruel, either physically or mentally, to another in your story, it includes sadism. If someone gets off on another being cruel to them, either physically or mentally, in a story, it includes masochism. Clubs can have rules. Stories don't have to follow any rules to include these elements--or to legitimately be posted to the BDSM category. Authors can just show the middle finger to readers who disagree.

 

[Boxlicker101]

A lot of the BDSM posted here at Lit ain't BDSM and people who like the real thing drop out of most stories very early. a lot of writers confuse non-com with BDSM. Good stories are few and far between.

I have a few stories in BDSM, and they tend to be consensual. There are some exceptions. I believe a BDSM story without consent might not be accepted.

 

[sr71plt]

No, having consent isn't a rule for a story to be in the BDSM area, either. It's simply the act that puts it in that area.

 

[IvyMarquis]

I have a few stories in BDSM, and they tend to be consensual. There are some exceptions. I believe a BDSM story without consent might not be accepted.

TX hit the nail on the head. In theory I adore BDSM erotica, but I learned very quickly that it was exceedingly hit and miss on Lit between well written stories and 50 shades knock offs that really should be in the non con cat imo. I'm big on risk v reward but it's too much effort to find well written BDSM stories for me when you consider the abusive drivel one has to shift through to find it.

Perhaps the 'real' BDSM community (I only put quotations because I always feel weird about qualifying between "real" and "fake" on this kinda thing) are avid encouragers of "safe, sane, consensual" (and I don't knock them for that), but most of the stuff I've read are clearly written by people with a surface level understanding at best and complete misrepresentation at worst. Or, in a double whammy, if it is well written, half the time they go way, way further into the realm of kink then I'm good with.

 

[sr71plt]

Whether a story is well written or not runs completely independent to whether a story has one or more elements of BDSM in it.

Again, people confuse BDSM clubs and the rules they have with including the acts of BDSM in stories. If someone gets tied up during sex in your story, you have bondage in your story.

This is akin to folks posting to the forum occasionally who don't understand that voyeurism is a sex act or that if they get sexually aroused by something, they are engaging in a sex act.

 

[HeyAll]

While on the subject, the vast majority of bdsm stories here are short quick scenes. That's why, in my opinion, it has little readers. On average, a popular story is at least 2-3 pages with some level of plot.

 

[Bramblethorn]

TX hit the nail on the head. In theory I adore BDSM erotica, but I learned very quickly that it was exceedingly hit and miss on Lit between well written stories and 50 shades knock offs that really should be in the non con cat imo. I'm big on risk v reward but it's too much effort to find well written BDSM stories for me when you consider the abusive drivel one has to shift through to find it.

Yup. I enjoy BDSM erotica that's actually about BDSM, but I've given up on Lit's "BDSM" category for the same reasons you mention. I understand from other posters that the readership is also pretty unfriendly to anything with male submissives.

 

[TxRad]

While there are rules for BDSM clubs, there are no rules for BDSM in story lines (you don't even have to do it right). If someone gets tied up in your story, it includes bondage; if someone controls someone else, either physically or mentally, in your story, it includes domination. If someone gets off on being cruel, either physically or mentally, to another in your story, it includes sadism. If someone gets off on another being cruel to them, either physically or mentally, in a story, it includes masochism. Clubs can have rules. Stories don't have to follow any rules to include these elements--or to legitimately be posted to the BDSM category. Authors can just show the middle finger to readers who disagree.

Nope, you don't have to follow any rules. Nor do you have to get it right. And yes anything can be called BDSM and does apply to the category. All are also reasons the readership is down. Most people who are into the lifestyle, even those who want to explore the lifestyle, find it crappy for the most part and misinforming.

I've been in the lifestyle since my early twenties and you would not believe the questions i get about what is posted in the BDSM category. Newbies wanting to know why my stories appeal and the other scare them. Which is the actual case. So many questions that it ain't funny.

What you are saying is right but you're answering the wrong question.

 

[sr71plt]

What you are saying is right but you're answering the wrong question.

I think the right question is what can be considered BDSM in a Literotica story. And I think I answered that--more than others have. The content of stories--not a club lifestyle.

 

[TxRad]

I think the right question is what can be considered BDSM in a Literotica story. And I think I answered that--more than others have. The content of stories--not a club lifestyle.

The only problem with that is, the question was why were views and votes low in the BDSM category.

 

[Carnal_Flower]

You can "include" a list of all these things; but both "BDSM" and "BDSM erotica" have a fuller meaning that can't be reduced to a mere list of acts. It's not just a "club" lifestyle; people have a know-how with their kinks.

Certainly, if you think writing good erotica means just checking off a list of ingredients from a spreadsheet, go for it. Most will probably just sniff at it and walk away.

You can depict someone babbling "Daddy" every other sentence; doesn't make it good D/d erotica.

Erotica is more than a checklist of ingredients.

While there are rules for BDSM clubs, there are no rules for BDSM in story lines (you don't even have to do it right). If someone gets tied up in your story, it includes bondage; if someone controls someone else, either physically or mentally, in your story, it includes domination. If someone gets off on being cruel, either physically or mentally, to another in your story, it includes sadism. If someone gets off on another being cruel to them, either physically or mentally, in a story, it includes masochism. Clubs can have rules. Stories don't have to follow any rules to include these elements--or to legitimately be posted to the BDSM category. Authors can just show the middle finger to readers who disagree.

 

[sr71plt]

The only problem with that is, the question was why were views and votes low in the BDSM category.

Which is one of those unanswerable questions unless you poll everyone who has ever read in that category.

But then the answer could also be, as I indicated, that those who think in terms of club rules are inappropriately and arbitrarily applying that to the stories posted to the category that just happen to have one or more element of the acts of BDSM in them that relegates the stories to that category.

 

[TxRad]

Which is one of those unanswerable questions unless you poll everyone who has ever read in that category.

But then the answer could also be, as I indicated, that those who think in terms of club rules are inappropriately and arbitrarily applying that to the stories posted to the category that just happen to have one or more element of the acts of BDSM in them that relegates the stories to that category.

Which is a crock of shit and you know it. All you have to do is look at the stories, what type stories they are, the number of views and votes to get an idea what works and what don't.

Yeah, i know you have to be right and you have to have the last word. What you stated is right but not the answer to the question so you're half right and you can have the last word for what it is worth.

What an asshat.

 

[sr71plt]

Which is a crock of shit and you know it. All you have to do is look at the stories, what type stories they are, the number of views and votes to get an idea what works and what don't.

Yeah, i know you have to be right and you have to have the last word. What you stated is right but not the answer to the question so you're half right and you can have the last word for what it is worth.

What an asshat.

Apparently you're the one who has to have the last word and who is the arbiter on the Web site. Shall we see how that works out now?

Guess you think the name calling is the high road.

 

[TxRad]

Apparently you're the one who has to have the last word and who is the arbiter on the Web site. Shall we see how that works out now?

Guess you think the name calling is the high road.

Nope, I'm just the guy pointing out that you're answering the wrong question and keep right on answering it.

Name calling? If you act like a jackass and I call you an asshat, I think that's toning it down nicely.

 

[lovecraft68]

Nope, I'm just the guy pointing out that you're answering the wrong question and keep right on answering it.

Name calling? If you act like a jackass and I call you an asshat, I think that's toning it down nicely.

Hey Tx just so you know, while Pilot wandered off pretending he let you have the last word, he just posted this in the romance category.

Same thing over at the BDSM discussion (where we now know that TxRad, not me, insisted on having the last word--since he brought up that tired old "shut up" technique. )

Just thought you should get the fair chance to defend yourself if you feel like wasting time. That and...well Just thought I'd piss in his Cheerios for old times sake.

But this topic is ridiculous-the BDSM topic that this has turned into-not the what gets more votes, that's a straight up answer, that the haters don't like.

BDSM does indeed have three rules Safe Sane and Consensual. I should say modern BDSM does. In Desade and Sacher-Masoch's time, it was an excuse to abuse people without limits.

But two of those rules are fluid. Safe and sane vary from person to person. Your safe isn't mine and my sane not yours. All that matters are the people involved in each 'session' are on the same page.

But the non negotiable rule is consent and I don't know why that is hard for people to understand or why the same person in this thread will not acknowledge there is a rule and it is what separates BDSM from non con.

If you have consent then no matter how extreme the act it falls under BDSM. There are women who like having their tits and pussies sewed together. There are men that like hooks pierced through their balls and weights hung from them. Cringe worthy, but with consent? have a blast.

But if you have non consent, what do you have? well...non consent, or rape whatever you prefer.

IT IS THAT SIMPLE

But yet BDSM is a mine field of non consent because some authors just think BDSM is abuse with no limits and have no clue what they are really writing or they know they are writing non con and just don't want the non con stigma.

The people in this thread who know what they are doing are saying the same thing, the category is not accurate and it has nothing to do with trying to lock people into set rules, its about paying attention to the one damn rule, there needs to be consent.

The other reason I-and I am sure many others-stay away from it is when its not rape it is countless renditions of submissive woman blah blah blah...powerful woman seeks to be submissive blah blah...so and so has to submit.

Get the theme?

In true BDSM femdom is a faction. Even the most vanilla prude has heard of a dominatrix, but in BDSM on lit? Femdom is abused and flamed. Its only safe in fetish.

The 'real men' of any erotic site are appalled by anything resembling a woman in control and they have spread from LW into BDSM and other categories. For them any story has to be either bitch gets hers or a woman acting like a drooling brainless come dumpster, nothing else will do.

So that's why few read BDSM here, its an inaccurate pile of rape porn and misogyny. any 50 shades rip off meets that criteria.

In lits defense the paid market is not a whole lot better. Ton of rape porn written in BDSM to get it on sites that don't like non consensual content. Smashwords and even amazon is full of the type of BDSM you find here and other sites.

And there is a faction now trying to say consent does not have to be involved. They are the same people who support RooshV's platform to make rape legal. I don't even need to give a guess as to who represents that on this forum.

But in general this discussion and the fool who keeps touting what he knows that he don't know is a microcosm of the problem.

 

[SecondCircle]

Ok, but say I write a story that does have bondage in it, and does have elements of BDSM in it, but it doesn't conform to what BDSM elites consider to be true BDSM... do I just not put it in the BDSM category?

I have a story that needs dusting off that would do just this, include only say, Bondage elements and a hint of sadism. But it doesn't conform to most stipulations of what those in the "lifestyle" consider real BDSM. It's not a story just written to fill the ranks of that category. It's set in a world I've created, with a storyline I've tempered, with my characters playing out the events. There's no rape or anything of that sort, though there is a bit of a twist. But it's not what the lifestylers would consider the lifestyle.

Why shouldn't it be put in that category? And why should their ideal of basic stipulations contort my own interpretation of what happens in my story?

Romance should technically be, well, romantic. Anal should have ass play. I could go on at length about what I think should and should not qualify as horror in the EH category. But if a simple story merely has bondage in it, does it not at least seem logical to go in the category that has "bondage" in the title?

I get that there are people with those tastes and kinks that set the bar of expectations, and that reasonably those should be met, but why? I don't go about telling horror writers that succubi stories aren't really scary so they don't belong in that category because of some existing sliding scale of fetish that exists. Why is there such extreme prerequisite that a Bondage story would not fit in BDSM because it doesn't fit some lifestyler's ideal of the kink?