Followers and Pressure

[NightPorter]

I really don't follow it that closely. 13 stories/chapters with 363 followers.

Any pressure I feel is from comments. "How long until the next chapter?" That sort of thing.

 

[8letters]

I just broke 100 followers, and I feel pretty good about it.

How did YOU feel when you broke triple digits, and how many followers do you have now?

I don't remember. I think I was well past 100 before I discovered I had followers.

Do you feel any pressure, about anything, when you have a lot of followers?

No. It's not like they gave me money when they followed me. It's writer candy to me, like getting a nice comment. It's more a competitive thing. It's nice to move past some "big names". I'm sure SimonDoom will enjoy passing me when he does some day.

 

[lovecraft68]

Back when I started I don't think there was a way to know how many fav pages you were on unless you made the top 250 list. People used to try to go through their activity page to count them, but back then we'd have the broken heart emoji for a lost follower etc so it was to much of a PIA for me.

But after I finished my long series no one was reading and did a few fun taboo stories I saw a lot more favs and would periodically check the top 250 list. Now back then readers were limited to how many they could fav so it was harder to accumulate them.

When I made the top 250 list I was #250 with 385 favs. For perspective #250 now has 2310 because you can now have unlimited favs.

According to the list I now have 17,645

I don't feel pressured to do anything. At this point I've maybe posted a dozen stories in the last 4 years, I post one when I feel like it. I find that since my stories are fewer and far between they're received with much more appreciation.

 

[Seadog777]

At the start of 2020, I had about 70 followers and decided to try for 100.

I posted a few stories and a 14-chapter series, pretty much all with Hot ratings. And got about 10 more followers that year and still under 90 by the start of 2022.

Posted a few more stories this year, got to 100 in February, and I reckon my stories must now be being shown as Similar more often or something, because in only three months I've got 50 more despite no new categories or highly-rated stories.

People, and this site, are strange.

I have between 3 and 10 fans who seem to really appreciate almost anything I write, and I like most of my stories, so there we are.

There are a lot of fake people on this site, especially the cowardly c***s that leave shitty comments.

They come to an erotica site, and expect every story to be the next Great American Novel.

Talk out of both sides of their necks too.

 

[Seadog777]

Back when I started I don't think there was a way to know how many fav pages you were on unless you made the top 250 list. People used to try to go through their activity page to count them, but back then we'd have the broken heart emoji for a lost follower etc so it was to much of a PIA for me.

But after I finished my long series no one was reading and did a few fun taboo stories I saw a lot more favs and would periodically check the top 250 list. Now back then readers were limited to how many they could fav so it was harder to accumulate them.

When I made the top 250 list I was #250 with 385 favs. For perspective #250 now has 2310 because you can now have unlimited favs.

According to the list I now have 17,645

I don't feel pressured to do anything. At this point I've maybe posted a dozen stories in the last 4 years, I post one when I feel like it. I find that since my stories are fewer and far between they're received with much more appreciation.

I didn't even pay attention to it until this morning, when it caught the corner of my eye.

That's a hellava lot of followers.

I write when I'm in the mood, which has been fairly often this last month.

 

[SamScribble]

According to my home page, I have somewhere in the high 700s followers. But, in reality, I suspect that I have about 20 or 30. If I manage to make those 20 or 30 smile, I consider that I've had a pretty decent day.

 

[SimonDoom]

It's more a competitive thing. It's nice to move past some "big names". I'm sure SimonDoom will enjoy passing me when he does some day.

LOL. You know me too well. I will eventually pass you in followers, because I post stories more frequently than you do. But it may be a while. You make it so damn difficult because every time you post another sister-brother story you make the follower gap between us bigger.

 

[Seadog777]

That it's still increasing.

It challenges my perception of myself and my abilities. Fear isn't a bad thing for me, it's kept me alive this long, lol.

It's just an aspect of having social anxiety and no control over how many people can be on that list. One of the recent stories I wrote was intended to lower that number but that didn't happen. (Bi male scene between friends in the incest category where the siblings being together is only part of a dream and little sister ends up with older brother's best friend. By all metrics, it should have been highly loathed on the "it was all a dream" trope alone, add in no real incest, sis being a bit of a slut in her dream by having what amounts to an orgy with her brother's friends and it should've bombed but didn't.)

I'm a bit of a self sabotaging type because it feels safer at the bottom. Getting over that feeling of "blending in and not being noticed is where I'm safest" is the whole reason I joined the site, but so far it ain't fucking working.

If you are wanting to "disappear without disappearing" then I would suggest writing stories in the lesser viewed areas, like C&FF or EH.

 

[lovecraft68]

LOL. You know me too well. I will eventually pass you in followers, because I post stories more frequently than you do. But it may be a while. You make it so damn difficult because every time you post another sister-brother story you make the follower gap between us bigger.

That's how that little shit Heyall passed me for the #3 spot, my focus became more on for sale stuff and he's a relentless machine that just keeps going.

Of course Silkstockinglover's 41k+ is just.....ridiculous.

 

[BelleCanzuto]

300-ish

Not pressure in the "I need to perform for these people" kind of way. It's more the "I'm late for class and everyone is staring at me so I need to get to my seat fast" kind of pressure.

While I appreciate the interest in me and my stories from followers, the number kinda scares me.

I relate to this. I have 358 followers from 27 stories. But I haven't posted anything new in a year and a half. So now when I get a new follower I think "shit, I really oughta finish something I'm working, and give these folks something new to read."

I consider my stories 'moderately well received' I don't write in the most popular categories, and I don't write to compete with other authors. It's nice to get a new follower, and I definitely notice when I lose one...

People, and this site, are strange.

Truth.

 

[Seadog777]

That's how that little shit Heyall passed me for the #3 spot, my focus became more on for sale stuff and he's a relentless machine that just keeps going.

Of course Silkstockinglover's 41k+ is just.....ridiculous.

I like HeyAll, he's been quite helpful to me.

Yes, over 41,000 followers is nuts.

 

[Seadog777]

My EH stories don't pass Lit rules, unfortunately, I've tried. (Snuff rejection. I like brutal murders, what can I say?) And I've zero interest in celebrities while I'm pretty sure my Fan Fiction wouldn't pass muster because it would all be horror movie based which are notorious for teen characters having sex. Not sure if the "No aging up" rule applies there.

Also, wouldn't that kinda defeat the purpose of why I joined? I still figure I'll get over it eventually, It's just taking longer than I would have liked and the in between phase makes me anxious and nauseous.

Just a suggestion. I hope you're able to get settled.

 

[SimonDoom]

People, and this site, are strange.

Word.

You just said the truest thing that anyone on Literotica has ever said.

 

[SemiStraight]

I'm in the 240s and yeah i feel some pressure for new stories. Especially since I have a dozen written and not finished including sequels. Honestly there's some decent stories 80% done that I need to finish but time has been a problem as of late. I'm also getting laid more which doesn't help my productivity

 

[ElectricBlue]

Not sure if the "No aging up" rule applies there.

Yes, it would. It's a form of fan fiction, so if the original movie character was under eighteen, no aging up in a story. Setting aside the actual age of the actor, obviously .

 

[MelissaBaby]

In 5 years, I've picked up 467 followers. I have no real notion of whether that's good or bad.
I've never felt any pressure about it.

 

[Rustyoznail]

244 over three years. Followers aren't like Pokemon - I don't have to collect them all.

It feels good when I have a look at the latest activity list and see a new follower, but usually when I look at their list, there's a cast of hundreds they follow.

 

[Seadog777]

I'm in the 240s and yeah i feel some pressure for new stories. Especially since I have a dozen written and not finished including sequels. Honestly there's some decent stories 80% done that I need to finish but time has been a problem as of late. I'm also getting laid more which doesn't help my productivity

Take any sex you can get my friend

There are those of us, who aren't getting any or anything remotely close.

 

[Agiel]

According to my home page, I have somewhere in the high 700s followers. But, in reality, I suspect that I have about 20 or 30. If I manage to make those 20 or 30 smile, I consider that I've had a pretty decent day.

I think you’re on the right track, Sam, with your assessment that only a handful of those who are shown as following a writer actually do so.

I think the majority read one story, enjoy it, and hit follow but never bother after that. Whenever I get a new follower I look them up and many are following zillions. If I could delete them as a follower I would.

One writer, who has a fair number of stories under their belt, wrote a story I liked so I began following them. They’ve written quite a few stories since then, none of which are to my taste, so I stopped following them. I think that’s the case with many readers but they never unfollow.

I think the number of followers shown doesn’t actually reflect the truth.

 

[Smuttyandfun]

I have two sets of followers. One group seems to enjoy my lustier stories, the other the more romantic -- pretty much demanding a HEA. Usually, I get several new followers after either type of story is published. I wouldn't exactly say I feel pressured, though when I write something longer, I try to satisfy the readers I know like a long detailed story, with lots of background and not necessarily a lot of sex. Since I started posting on here four years ago, I've acquired a few dedicated followers, though technically, I have close to 2,300 who follow my ramblings.

 

[Seadog777]

I have two sets of followers. One group seems to enjoy my lustier stories, the other the more romantic -- pretty much demanding a HEA. Usually, I get several new followers after either type of story is published. I wouldn't exactly say I feel pressured, though when I write something longer, I try to satisfy the readers I know like a long detailed story, with lots of background and not necessarily a lot of sex. Since I started posting on here four years ago, I've acquired a few dedicated followers, though technically, I have close to 2,300 who follow my ramblings.

Congratulations on the nominations and followers.

IF you do ever end up reading my stories, please do leave feedback.

You can always hit up my email.

I actually take into account advice from people who actually write stories, and not those that do not and/or remain Anon.

 

[Smuttyandfun]

I'll have to take a look. And I'll leave some feedback. I know I like hearing from other authors.

 

[geronimo_appleby]

there's always this tool: https://www.literotica.com/stories/favauthorsv2.php

 

[BiscuitHammer]

I have two sets of followers. One group seems to enjoy my lustier stories, the other the more romantic -- pretty much demanding a HEA. Usually, I get several new followers after either type of story is published. I wouldn't exactly say I feel pressured, though when I write something longer, I try to satisfy the readers I know like a long detailed story, with lots of background and not necessarily a lot of sex. Since I started posting on here four years ago, I've acquired a few dedicated followers, though technically, I have close to 2,300 who follow my ramblings.

lol, I have two sets as well: The Smut-Zulus and the Gigans. The S-Z are relentless and seemingly unstoppable in their demands, and the Gigans are just monsters.

To be fair, I have many, many wonderful readers as well, but they just float about angelically amidst the carnage and sing my praises in discord with what happens below. They make it worthwhile. If they're still reading my stuff after all this time, I'm doing something right...