Ratings, viewerships and performance anxiety

[vacien]

I just transitioned from being a lurker to a contributor here on Lit.

It felt good writing my first submission. I haven't written any creative fiction for years, and it felt good to write something. I had no expectations.

Then, I started receiving feedback.

First, I saw a view count (wow I can see how many people view my work! Its more than my cat's instagram!)

Then the ratings (wow I got a decent rating!)

Then comments (ooh people have things to say about what I wrote)

However, now, my competitive streak kicked it and as I post the later chapters of my original story, I feel stress creeping in.

Why is the viewership lower? What will the rating be? Why isn't anyone commenting?

My stress release outlet is starting to feel like commitment to finish the story I started, to deliver it at a high quality, to deliver what readers want, to get viewership, to get ratings.

Two questions - how do I not let the stress get to me and stay interested enough to complete what I've started and is there any way to encourage more feedback from readers in terms of comments/scoring?

Best,
Vacien

 

[blozo]

By the time you hit part 3, the only people reading it are the people who liked part 1 and 2.
That's your true indication of how well you're doing.
If you get 25% of what part 1 got, you're doing a great job.

 

[NotWise]

Two questions - how do I not let the stress get to me and stay interested enough to complete what I've started and is there any way to encourage more feedback from readers in terms of comments/scoring?

I know it isn't one of your two questions, but it's common (universal?) for views to drop from the first part of a story to subsequent parts.

For your first question, it's usually best to write the whole story before you publish any of it. That way there's no risk of not finishing it. Ratings often increase after the first part of a story, but the drop in views can be demotivating. Stress can be demotivating too, so relax and look forward to the next story instead of dwelling on the last.

For the second question, keep in mind that the ratings system is a popularity poll, not a judgement on your writing. You get higher scores by putting the right story into a category where it will be appreciated. Stories on Lit don't usually get much attention after the first week, but if you publish regularly, and especially if you publish in the same category, then your new stories will funnel readers to your older stories.

 

[ChloeTzang]

Stress? Just write what you are driven to write. When it’s in your head and it just about forces it’s way out and you cane barely think of anything else but the story, the only stress is finding the writing time. So go with what you want to write.

 

[ElectricBlue]

Typical metrics (some categories may differ):

One vote per hundred views.
One comment per thousand views, unless your story is very good or very bad; you'll be told, either way.
Do NOT equate Views to the number of people who actually read a story - chapter stories typically show:
a 50% drop in Views between Chapter 1 and Chapter 2,
a further fifty per cent drop between Chapters 2 and 3. You can thus fairly reasonably assume that the Chapter 3 Views equate to actual Readers. If you interpolate that back to the actual readership of a stand-alone story, as noted above, 20 - 25% is not a bad assumption.

How to get more comments? Write extremely well or write really badly.

If you want writers to give you comments, start a thread with a link to your story in the Feedback Forum.

Don't stress, don't panic - what you are experiencing is completely normal. Hint: ignore your story's score in the first week - check it after a month if you want to find out what readers really think. Scoring is too volatile in the first week or so - you need 20 - 30 votes to give you a real indicator.

 

[vacien]

This is great!

Haha...Write extremely well or extremely badly.

Maybe i'll suddenly write a nuclear bomb exploded, end of story to force those comments out.

 

[SimonDoom]

I'm competitive, too. I always have been. It's easy to get caught up in views and scores and comments, etc. It's easy to get caught up in comparing yourself to other writers, and how your stories are doing compared to theirs. But it's a fool's game. The type and quality and variety of stories on this site is almost infinite, and the readership is divided into dozens and dozens of different groups with different tastes, some of them diametrically opposed. The readership for some categories is huge compared to the readership in other categories. My incest stories on average get three times as many views as non-incest stories.

Some of the stories I see with high scores are awful, in my opinion. Barely literate. And some very good stories have scores far below what I think they deserve. So don't get too fixated on scores.

Have fun with the numbers, but don't take them too seriously, and don't write for them. Write for your own satisfaction.

What ElectricBlue66 said is mostly true -- you will see a big dropoff in the views for the later chapters in a long series, especially if you wait a long time to publish later chapters. Don't get discouraged by that. It happens to every series. The reason for that is that the view:read ratio for the first chapter is very high, and there will be a big attrition rate as some people decide they don't want to read the second chapter.

To add to what EB said: if you want voluminous comments, write stories with characters that will engage the reader. I notice that this is a quality that stories with many comments have.

The other way to get many comments is to publish a cuckolding story in Loving Wives. But you'll get a lot of ugly comments, so beware.

In general, only a tiny fraction of views end up being comments, so don't expect too many comments.

 

[TxRad]

This is great!

Haha...Write extremely well or extremely badly.

Maybe i'll suddenly write a nuclear bomb exploded, end of story to force those comments out.

I already did the nuclear bomb thing and i got blasted for killing off everyone but I still got asked for a sequel. Go figure.

Actually, it was a prequel to a novel I had started. I lost the novel when my laptop was stolen. I've tried recreating it but... No luck so far.

 

[SamScribble]

Here at Lit, there's quality and there's quantity. And the two don't always align. I'm not talking about the stories; I'm talking about the readers.

If you need the applause, write what the great-unwashed crave. If you are happy with the approval of a chosen few, tell a good story, tell it well, and don't let the numbers distract you.

Good luck.

 

[yukonnights]

I just read your first chapter. I like it. The one thing that stands out to me is that this feels like it is coming from your heart—like you are vicariously living the story. For me, that always results in what I think is my best work—if I can make my eyes water by the sadness of my own words, seems I've done the best I can do. The fact that your ratings are trending upward on the later chapters is a good indicator you're doing things right.

In answer to your first question about not getting too stressed; My advice would be to try to always do what I said above, and what I think I see in your first chapter—write what makes you hot, write what makes you weep, write what fills you with elation. The best artists of all kind are the ones who leave part of themselves in their work. I think if you do this you will not be so stressed, for over time you will be able to look back at your works and feel good about the message you sent out into the world.

Best wishes for much success.

PS: Put a link in your 'signiture' to your story page to make it easier for someone to go take a quick peak. Here it is for now, until you get a chance -> https://www.literotica.com/stories/memberpage.php?uid=5028624&page=submissions

 

[CoffeeWithMonkeys]

I just transitioned from being a lurker to a contributor here on Lit.

It felt good writing my first submission. I haven't written any creative fiction for years, and it felt good to write something. I had no expectations.

Then, I started receiving feedback.

First, I saw a view count (wow I can see how many people view my work! Its more than my cat's instagram!)

Then the ratings (wow I got a decent rating!)

Then comments (ooh people have things to say about what I wrote)

However, now, my competitive streak kicked it and as I post the later chapters of my original story, I feel stress creeping in.

Why is the viewership lower? What will the rating be? Why isn't anyone commenting?

My stress release outlet is starting to feel like commitment to finish the story I started, to deliver it at a high quality, to deliver what readers want, to get viewership, to get ratings.

Two questions - how do I not let the stress get to me and stay interested enough to complete what I've started and is there any way to encourage more feedback from readers in terms of comments/scoring?

Best,
Vacien

Well...
I started a longish series a couple months ago. A first I was pretty good at keeping it updated every few weeks, and then stuff happened and I didn't update for a bit.
And then I started losing readers with each chapter, which I knew would happen, it was expected, but still when you see thousands less with each chapter it can be depressing.
And then the chapters I thought I might get a lot of comments and feedback on, I got nothing.
I started thinking, I'm not going to finish this one, the only person interested is me and I know what happens, so no point in updating it.
And lately I've been having more fun posting at WattPad. I have a few very loyal readers there that LOVE to comment on the stuff I write.
But last night I logged into my account and found this really sweet comment
Great and Realstic story
I read all of your chapters for this series and found it enjoyable and very enlightening. It seemed very realsitic in a situation like where an epidemic has wiped out society as we know it as well as the relationships that devekop.

Ignore the comments from some others about your story not being erotic enough. You give enough details that the reader can figure it out or fill in the blanks. Too me the real interest is what will happen next. Though this webiste is called Literotica it is not nececarrily only etotic stories that go into great details about sex.

I love what-if situations that your story portrays in abundance. What or how you would respond in such situations. You also bring up interesting dilemmas, such as whether to save Maggie or not. Fortunatley you provide a twist where she lives and is so far safe.

Mara is an interesting character. Though distracted at times she is still a strong character. You did a great job with the hayloft scene with Scott. I kept wondering if she was gong to make it despite she having a gun, dropping it, and finally by chance finding it again.

Thank you for submitting this story for us to read. I am enjoying it very much
So Thank You Mr Anonymous. I'm going to hopefully finish the next chapter this weekend


So um...I didn't really answer either of your questions! Maybe I was just trying to commiserate?
Hopefully someone else had some good replies because I didn't.

 

[yukonnights]

Just another thought about the stress of finishing a series. As has probably been said, the best way to do a series is to write the entire story from start to finish before posting any chapters. This is the best way to do chapter stories because; one, it assures I will be able to pull off what I set out to try; two, it frees me up from having to manage staged submissions of each individual chapter; three, no stress of having to produce the next one to keep everyone happy .

 

[CuteSlaveLisa]

This is great!

Haha...Write extremely well or extremely badly.

Maybe i'll suddenly write a nuclear bomb exploded, end of story to force those comments out.

Didn't work between season one and season two of "Sledgehammer"...

Love and Kisses

Lisa Ann

 

[CuteSlaveLisa]

Part of the issue IMHO is that there is general disagreement as to what the stars either should or actually do mean. Technical skill, readability, topic appriciation, ability to continue reading while holding phone with one shaky hand, nudge nudge (wink wink).

IF a story is published in Incest / Taboo with 'Anal,' 'Ancient,' 'Brother,' 'Sibling,' "Period,' "Historic,' 'Sister' as story tags, then I just somehow don't see comments like, "I reeely likd yer sterry but why'd that Caligula feller bugger his sis, 'twernt nice," as being meaningful or valid.

I also really enjoy the comments saying that I use too many commas.

...The other way to get many comments is to publish a cuckolding story in Loving Wives. But you'll get a lot of ugly comments, so beware...

Putting a story in Loving Wives is like giving a Rorschach test to kindergarteners. The comments received are elicited by the story. I guess. But in my limited experience they do not actually pertain to what was written. You will get heartbreaking PMs from those wronged, those still in love with their hated ex, and adults who were told they we illegitimate at age 11.

You will get angry comments from people who didn't bother to read what you wrote but projected their pain into the story and who tell you the protagonist should be stoned to death for doing the opposite of what you wrote.

It ain't boring.

Anyway, welcome to Lit Meat, uh I mean new author...

"Yes. I'll take the dames,
Let the rest go down in flames.
I have no desire to be burned.

Air combat spells romance,
Till they shoot holes in your pants.
I'm not a fighter, I have learned.

You can save those Mitsubishis,
For those other sons-a-witchies.
I'd rather make a woman,
Than be shot down in a Grumman,
Buster...

I wanted wings till I got the Goddamned things,
Now I don't want them anymore."

-I Wanted Wings, Oscar Brand (1942)

Love and Kisses

Lisa Ann

 

[Hypoxia]

Just another thought about the stress of finishing a series. As has probably been said, the best way to do a series is to write the entire story from start to finish before posting any chapters. This is the best way to do chapter stories because; one, it assures I will be able to pull off what I set out to try; two, it frees me up from having to manage staged submissions of each individual chapter; three, no stress of having to produce the next one to keep everyone happy .

Quite true. And four: When the plot twists in later chapters, you can edit prior text for trope management, foreshadowing, and continuity.

Also decide just which category to post in -- what started as IR BBC+BBW may turn into Group or Fetish. Storyline can evolve that way, the devils.

 

[gunhilltrain]

Stress? Just write what you are driven to write. When it’s in your head and it just about forces it’s way out and you cane barely think of anything else but the story, the only stress is finding the writing time. So go with what you want to write.

All very true.

Regarding negative comments: sometimes these are from trolls but other times someone has an issue more about content than quality. (They don't like interracial step-parent incest or any of a thousand other things.) Sometimes it sounds like a troll and it may not be but it still stings.

Defend yourself with a counter-comment if you wish to. If it seems like merely an attempt to get under your skin then perhaps ignore it.

 

[ElectricBlue]

Defend yourself with a counter-comment if you wish to. If it seems like merely an attempt to get under your skin then perhaps ignore it.

Or delete it. No author has any obligation to anybody to keep comments - it's up to each author to establish their own criteria for policing commentary.

 

[vacien]

Aww thanks for all the responses. Yukon you're so sweet

I think Simondoom captured my feelings exactly. I'm going through exactly that now and maybe might try out Wattpad too in future.

 

[Hypoxia]

Or delete it. No author has any obligation to anybody to keep comments - it's up to each author to establish their own criteria for policing commentary.

I have deleted only one comment and wish I had not. LIT may auto-kill some nasty comments but I don't see those. I see negatories as badges of honor -- I pushed their buttons! Some non-lethal feedback in a series has helpfully reminded me of holes to plug in later chapters. Yes, Rosa in Left Behind *should* deal with family. And some comments drive me to expand the series -- that's how Stanley Steamer went from a 3-part arc to a completed and well-regarded 18-chapter series. I'm glad it's finished.

Some comments offer guidance, and not only to suicide. Whew.

 

[HeyAll]

That's the reason i dont write chapters. The views dip with each story.

As for anxiety, what i always do is work on more! Keeps your mind focused, and if your new one underperforms, youve got more on the way.

I also find that leaving a note at the end of a story asking for votes and comments helps.

 

[ElectricBlue]

That's the reason i dont write chapters. The views dip with each story.

With a stand-alone story, though, you have no idea how many people have read it. If writers think Views = Reads, they're kidding themselves. Chapter stories at least give you a bit of a clue.

 

[SimonDoom]

That's the reason i dont write chapters. The views dip with each story.

.

This is true, to a certain point, but there's a countervailing consideration, which is that each time you publish a chapter you call attention to the overall series and get new readers for the first chapter. I found this to be true for my 8-chapter series. Chapter 8 was published about 9 months after Chapter 1, over a year ago, and it has fewer than one-third the views of Chapter 1, but the actual read difference probably isn't as great as that, because the view:read ratio is probably lower for later chapters than for earlier ones.

I'm not as convinced as EB, however, that views in late chapters closely approximate reads, because the view:vote ratio doesn't change for late chapters as much as you might think it would. My theory is that late chapters in stories still get many random views by people who don't end up actually reading them.

 

[SamScribble]

That's the reason i dont write chapters. The views dip with each story.

You are right. The views dip, but the scores seem to go up. Mind you, I write very few multi-part stories.

 

[ElectricBlue]

I'm not as convinced as EB, however, that views in late chapters closely approximate reads, because the view:vote ratio doesn't change for late chapters as much as you might think it would. My theory is that late chapters in stories still get many random views by people who don't end up actually reading them.

I guess I'm thinking of multi-chapter pieces issued over a shortish time period. But you're right, sometimes there is no rational explanation for the view/vote counts of multi-part stories - but then, we're relying on consistent behaviour from a bunch of smut-meisters, porn hounds and wankers, so hardly the most reliable folk on the planet... .

 

[jaF0]

Two questions - how do I not let the stress get to me and stay interested enough to complete what I've started and is there any way to encourage more feedback from readers in terms of comments/scoring?

Always write for yourself. Never write for ratings or comments.