Anybody else's heart sink when they see their rating go down with no feedback?

[BobbyandtheCabin]

I think positive comments and my rating climbing makes me disproportionately happy .

I appreciate how criticism to improve (and it delivered well) can be really useful. However, it doesn't half give me a knock when my rating goes down and I've literally no idea why (e.g. no comments).

I always get so excited when I post something new, by the prospect of people reading and enjoying it. I guess part of me associates the rating lowering with the threat of readership decline.

(Ps. Here's my latest short story: https://literotica.com/s/asleep-in-the-log-cabin-ch-02 )

 

[TarnishedPenny]

Well, it does hurt a little, mainly at first, but one gets used to it. There is a pitiful subset of readers who I envision as toddlers with building blocks - unable to build anything constructive themselves, they take their pleasure knocking down what others have constructed. Shrug - if you go on a picnic, you get ants. If you go for a stroll in the forest, it's mosquitos. On Literotica, it's trolls. Hang in there.

 

[RoperTrace]

You're fairly new, and ratings are good. Stay off of the forum, if you can do that. It will have an impact on ratings. Time and story ratings have a somewhat indirect correlation.

 

[BobbyandtheCabin]

You're fairly new, and ratings are good. Stay off of the forum, if you can do that. It will have an impact on ratings. Time and story ratings have a somewhat indirect correlation.

Ooo could you explain a little? What's the issue/impact with the forum?

 

[Rollerchick28]

You're fairly new, and ratings are good. Stay off of the forum, if you can do that. It will have an impact on ratings. Time and story ratings have a somewhat indirect correlation.

I'm interested in learning more about this. I just published my first story and I am admittedly glued to the rating to see where it goes! Does the forum bring more negative attention to the stories?

 

[RoperTrace]

I'm interested in learning more about this. I just published my first story and I am admittedly glued to the rating to see where it goes! Does the forum bring more negative attention to the stories?

Please turn on your DM's, and I'll share my experience. RT

 

[Comentarista82]

I think positive comments and my rating climbing makes me disproportionately happy .

I appreciate how criticism to improve (and it delivered well) can be really useful. However, it doesn't half give me a knock when my rating goes down and I've literally no idea why (e.g. no comments).

I always get so excited when I post something new, by the prospect of people reading and enjoying it. I guess part of me associates the rating lowering with the threat of readership decline.

(Ps. Here's my latest short story: https://literotica.com/s/asleep-in-the-log-cabin-ch-02 )

I'll tell you I was shocked as hell when I found a 5-year-old story that maybe had 1-2 comments after each submission and it was MASTERFULLY WRITTEN: it was called "Written in the Stars" in Novels and Novellas and had 9 parts, done in 2018. It appears because the author (who would reply to comments) got so little attention, said person left after New Year 2019, which was a great shame.

I'm going to tell you I work in an environment every day where I see most of the worst in people, and do NOT expect general Lit readership to be very intellectual, as what I'm seeing reflects only what they "feel" and has little to do with any real thought nor analysis; in fact, you know what the biggest problem is? They fail miserably at making inferences.

All I can tell you is when you do get a detailed comment on one of your stories, hopefully it's someone that is either a fellow writer or at least moderately familiar with valid literary criticism. Barring that, I've noticed views/comments on observation alone over my nearly 10 years here is at best 2% for the average writer.

 

[Comentarista82]

I think positive comments and my rating climbing makes me disproportionately happy .

I appreciate how criticism to improve (and it delivered well) can be really useful. However, it doesn't half give me a knock when my rating goes down and I've literally no idea why (e.g. no comments).

I always get so excited when I post something new, by the prospect of people reading and enjoying it. I guess part of me associates the rating lowering with the threat of readership decline.

(Ps. Here's my latest short story: https://literotica.com/s/asleep-in-the-log-cabin-ch-02 )

Left you feedback on ch 1 (plus rated it), and will do so on Ch 2, although not add tons. Hope you find it helpful.

 

[Rollerchick28]

Please turn on your DM's, and I'll share my experience. RT

How do I do that?

 

[AchtungNight]

My latest Lit story has one star and no feedback here at present, so yes. But I consider that it also got high praise on other platforms and from my alpha reader, so I soldier on. Not everyone has time or words to express admiration, some may not feel it worthwhile. If you can publish your art and have it accepted, that is enough.

That said, I still welcome future feedback. Hope the ratings improve.

Edit- the ratings did improve. That low vote got swept and the story now has a rating of 5 last I checked. Not enough votes for an H but maybe someday.

 

[RoperTrace]

How do I do that?

On the top right of this page, you should see your name, click on that, then click preferences. Then go down and click on Use Messenger. I think that should do it. You might also want to click on: email options for messenger, etc.

 

[BobbyandtheCabin]

My latest Lit story has one star and no feedback here at present, so yes. But I consider that it also got high praise on other platforms and from my alpha reader, so I soldier on. Not everyone has time or words to express admiration, some may not feel it worthwhile. If you can publish your art and have it accepted, that is enough.

That said, I still welcome future feedback. Hope the ratings improve.

I've hopefully given you a little boost on those lower/unrated ones just now.
I don't have time to read just yet (and one is a lot longer than I have patience for these days), but I've bookmarked them to add to my 'read later' list

 

[Rob_Royale]

Yes, my heart does sink a bit, but when the rating starts dropping it's clear that "something" about my story didn't work for most readers. I posted a story in EC that I thought was all sorts of clever and unique. It's my shortest work at 5500 words but that's just as long as I wanted it. Two sex scenes. But it didn't do as well as I thought it would. I got zero negative feedback and only three comments in total. It still gets 30+ reads a day.

One of the folks that has been a long-time contributor on these forums said that people comment on the really good and the really bad. If your work falls into that bell curve between them, they don't usually bother. I'm pretty damn sure that's true.

If the rating falls, you either messed up somewhere or posted an LW story. I'm pretty sure where I messed up on my story. Figure out the issue, and come back swinging. Some of the comments you posted, I would take to heart.

 

[AchtungNight]

I've hopefully given you a little boost on those lower/unrated ones just now.
I don't have time to read just yet (and one is a lot longer than I have patience for these days), but I've bookmarked them to add to my 'read later' list

Appreciate your interest. Take your time please. Btw, the low ratings are largely due to me locking out votes entirely in the past. I thought it better than dealing with review bombs. Not sure if I was wrong or right.

 

[ElectricBlue]

Ooo could you explain a little? What's the issue/impact with the forum?

You draw attention to yourself, basically, and trolls see that you're sensitive to score movement and in they go. It's a bit like painting a target on your back.

Alternatively, it's your story settling in to its eventual score - the first couple of weeks is all over the shop, and nothing in that period means much.

 

[BobbyandtheCabin]

You draw attention to yourself, basically, and trolls see that you're sensitive to score movement and in they go. It's a bit like painting a target on your back.

Alternatively, it's your story settling in to its eventual score - the first couple of weeks is all over the shop, and nothing in that period means much.

Yes all understandable and valid. A shame, but that's people and the internet, isn't it.

 

[BobbyandtheCabin]

Appreciate your interest. Take your time please. Btw, the low ratings are largely due to me locking out votes entirely in the past. I thought it better than dealing with review bombs. Not sure if I was wrong or right.

I was surprised after your comment because I saw you had a great deal (from memory) of high ratings. I just went for the ones I thought you were referring to for a lil pick me up.

 

[BobbyandtheCabin]

Yes, my heart does sink a bit, but when the rating starts dropping it's clear that "something" about my story didn't work for most readers. I posted a story in EC that I thought was all sorts of clever and unique. It's my shortest work at 5500 words but that's just as long as I wanted it. Two sex scenes. But it didn't do as well as I thought it would. I got zero negative feedback and only three comments in total. It still gets 30+ reads a day.

One of the folks that has been a long-time contributor on these forums said that people comment on the really good and the really bad. If your work falls into that bell curve between them, they don't usually bother. I'm pretty damn sure that's true.

If the rating falls, you either messed up somewhere or posted an LW story. I'm pretty sure where I messed up on my story. Figure out the issue, and come back swinging. Some of the comments you posted, I would take to heart.

Ahaha this LW story. I've seen drips and drabs on the forum. Is this the infamous loving wives crowd who (unlike their wives) are incredibly difficult to please?

 

[Rob_Royale]

Ahaha this LW story. I've seen drips and drabs on the forum. Is this the infamous loving wives crowd who (unlike their wives) are incredibly difficult to please?

Yes indeed.

 

[RedLegoDragon]

I appreciate how criticism to improve (and it delivered well) can be really useful. However, it doesn't half give me a knock when my rating goes down and I've literally no idea why (e.g. no comments).

I was so happy when one of my stories, Games Night, was the first to get a rating higher than 4.5, and that little 'Hot!' symbol.

Then the rating dropped, and it was no longer Hot... oh well; keep writing, I guess!

 

[AchtungNight]

I was surprised after your comment because I saw you had a great deal (from memory) of high ratings. I just went for the ones I thought you were referring to for a lil pick me up.

Well, that’s why I don’t have more Hs, probably. I have decided that due to the effort I put into my work I should not fear low ratings but keep hoping for high ones. Your support is appreciated, same for any fans. If anyone has questions about my work please let me know. Thx.

 

[Bramblethorn]

"I didn't enjoy this. I went a little higher than one star, because you can clearly write, but it's far too short to generate any kind of interest.

You made a conscious decision to write exclusively about sex at the cost of creating interesting characters, with absorbing dynamics, living in a vibrant world. That's fine, if that was the brief, but you really need to nail the sexual content if you're going to commit to that choice.

Reverting to the use of vulva, pelvic floors and pre-cum is incredibly clinical and lazy. Language like that threads the needle between erotica and pornography and doesn't land on either side. While that's quite the achievement, all it manages to accomplish is to bore the reader to death when they're looking to be aroused."

The comment's oxymoronic in parts, and I love the claims on behalf of the global population that it 'generates no interest' and 'bore the reader to death'. I especially like that it's in the middle of comments from people who clearly were not bored to death...

And they went 'a little higher than one star' because I 'can clearly write'. How generous!

Just to update people.
The person who wrote this comment was particularly upset by my mentioning of it on the forum, and commented a large response un-anonymously on my story again. They felt my response was a childish, juvinile lashing out and all I've done is evidence I can't handle constructive criticism. (I appreciate they/you will read this).

I've commented a response (that's not yet been approved) and won't go copying the full comments in here this time. The long and short of it being I acknowledged I was mocking, didn't find their comment constructive, and that I found their reaction to my response interesting when considering what mine said vs theirs.

The comment could've been framed more kindly perhaps, but it looks constructive to me.

You posted here complaining about a drop in ratings without feedback. Apparently in response to that, this commenter has given you several reasons why they gave your story a low rating. If you chose to court that person's vote, there's info there that you could act on: you could tell a story with a broader focus that spends more time developing the characters and their world, you could switch from clinical terms like "vulva" and "pelvic floor" to more colloquial language (though I wouldn't have considered "pre-cum" clinical).

Should you do those things? Only you can decide that. Reader tastes vary, so you'll never be able to please everybody, and maybe the way they'd like you to write just isn't compatible with your preferences. But you wanted to know why the readers who didn't like your story didn't like it, and one of them has given you their reasons. It seems a bit weird to solicit critical feedback and then retreat behind "well the other commenters liked it!"

 

[BobbyandtheCabin]

The comment could've been framed more kindly perhaps, but it looks constructive to me.

You posted here complaining about a drop in ratings without feedback. Apparently in response to that, this commenter has given you several reasons why they gave your story a low rating. If you chose to court that person's vote, there's info there that you could act on: you could tell a story with a broader focus that spends more time developing the characters and their world, you could switch from clinical terms like "vulva" and "pelvic floor" to more colloquial language (though I wouldn't have considered "pre-cum" clinical).

Should you do those things? Only you can decide that. Reader tastes vary, so you'll never be able to please everybody, and maybe the way they'd like you to write just isn't compatible with your preferences. But you wanted to know why the readers who didn't like your story didn't like it, and one of them has given you their reasons. It seems a bit weird to solicit critical feedback and then retreat behind "well the other commenters liked it!"

That's fair enough and understandable.

 

[Passiontyper]

Ahaha this LW story. I've seen drips and drabs on the forum. Is this the infamous loving wives crowd who (unlike their wives) are incredibly difficult to please?

Yes indeed.

It's not so much that they are hard to please, just that they won't be pleased unless the wife in the story life's is ruined. A huge subset of LW readers want revenge porn rather than, well... normal porn. Which would be perfectly fine if they didn't review bomb every story that doesn't conform to their taste...

 

[BobbyandtheCabin]

The comment could've been framed more kindly perhaps, but it looks constructive to me.

You posted here complaining about a drop in ratings without feedback. Apparently in response to that, this commenter has given you several reasons why they gave your story a low rating. If you chose to court that person's vote, there's info there that you could act on: you could tell a story with a broader focus that spends more time developing the characters and their world, you could switch from clinical terms like "vulva" and "pelvic floor" to more colloquial language (though I wouldn't have considered "pre-cum" clinical).

Should you do those things? Only you can decide that. Reader tastes vary, so you'll never be able to please everybody, and maybe the way they'd like you to write just isn't compatible with your preferences. But you wanted to know why the readers who didn't like your story didn't like it, and one of them has given you their reasons. It seems a bit weird to solicit critical feedback and then retreat behind "well the other commenters liked it!"

I've definitely been reactive here, for something that's probably quite petty in many eyes. I am instantly triggered when someone doesn't demonstrate they can separate opinion out from fact, and as I found their comments sweeping and not specifically stating it as opinion, that's what took me.

I've removed my previous posts about it in this thread, as I now see I wasn't fair.

While I didn't and don't necessarily find their comment constructive (critical yes, a little confusing in parts and basically a list of what they don't like (but hey, maybe i'm wrong!)). I didn't ask for constructive, did I. I just said i hate when people give a low review and don't say why. This person said why. They literally did what I asked

So I owe them an apology! And will give one when I have a mo