Board Posts and Story Scores

[Ray Dario]

I have quit posting on the general board here in lit because everytime I post I was attacked. Not just in the boards, I could handle that, but my stories were down scored and my email account was attacked.

So I left. I came over to the Authors Hangout because I assumed that it was a higher class of people over here. For the most part I was right. However I still see a disturbing trend.

During the two weeks I stopped posting my top story's scores rose, leaving "Help chapter 1" at a 4.55 score with 143 votes. Then I started becoming involved in the boards again. Now it is 4.51 with 145 votes. It never made it into the top 5 on the Loving Wives top stories chart so I don't believe that it was submarined by a competing author.

No I now think that there are people who read the boards and if they disagree with you or feel like you disagree with them then they go and attack your stories. They must be pretty smart about it to. My lower scored stories were not hit. Just my top five. In the last two days all five of my top five stories have recieved two new votes. (They are all old and don't recieve a lot of votes normally) All five stories scores have dropped. The person didn't always 1 them either. Help recieved a 3 vote and then a 1 vote. Maybe the first 3 was valid, probably was. But Help doesn't deserve a 1 and with a 4.51 score I think I can say most people agree with me on that.

So I guess my choice is to buck up and accept that if I disagree with certain people I'm going to get dinged even here on this fine board. Or I can just leave the boards altogether.

Maybe I should do as one writer suggested and use a different logon to post to the boards. Maybe I could be the next Gnufi or something. Not that I think I could pull it off as well as Dillenger did.

Okay rant over
Goodbye cruel world, I'm off to make a decision.

Ray

 

[cymbidia]

I have quit posting on the general board here in lit because every time I post I was attacked. Not just in the boards, I could handle that, but my stories were down scored and my email account was attacked.

Me, too. For a few weeks now, and never to return.

So I left. I came over to the Authors Hangout because I assumed that it was a higher class of people over here. For the most part I was right. However I still see a disturbing trend.

So I guess my choice is to buck up and accept that if I disagree with certain people I'm going to get dinged even here on this fine board. Or I can just leave the boards altogether.

We're certainly more literate over here, aren't we? You gotta give the AH and the S&PF lots of points for general literacy and the quality of the discussions, comparatively speaking, right?

The other? Well, Ray, human nature transcends relative intelligence and the ability to be facile with words. A part of human nature is petty vindictiveness, especially (for some, apparently) when one is unlikely to be caught (aka, 1'ing the work of "friends" or people you interact with on the Boards out of spite or dislike, not because of the relative merit of the work).

Is there any way you can simply not care about the scores so much? I've had to get that place, as have others. Can you? If you cannot, then you may have to discard the sense of community you might find on these Boards for a more silent (but far more safe, from the perspective of the votes) approach to Lit authorship.

We would miss you, Ray. I would. Others would. But one must usually do what's best for oneself.

Maybe I should do as one writer suggested and use a different logon to post to the boards. Maybe I could be the next Gnufi or something.

Um. Hm. Maybe. However, the effort involved in playing a role like that is perhaps larger than you want. And, wouldn't some of us still know who you were? Wouldn't you want some of us to know that? It would leak out, too, over time... and you would be facing the same questions that you're facing now.

Anyway, if you do take on a new persona, will you whisper it in my ear? I won't tell anyone.

 

[nitengale]

Ray...

You have email.

 

[KillerMuffin]

Liek Deobrah before me, I have some suspicions about those at the top that I'll never voice because it's probably sour grapes and they don't deserve it.

Accept it, Ray. I've done it, and other than an occassional public wail, I've gotten on fine. Voting has nothing to do with my stories. I try to never look at the scores, which helps immensely. Other than poetry which gets zero notice anyway, I do not self promote and I do not talk about my scores. I've noticed a direct correlation between nosedives and self promotion/score discussion. Right now I'm stagnant, which suits me just fine.

I'm not getting paid to post here, and I probably never will because I'm not going to get the scores to get the cash prizes. But I do get feedback from my stories. Wonderful people who take the time to email me and let me know they what they like.

You're a fabulous author Ray. I like reading your stuff. I just don't get read as often as I'd like because I'm too busy being depressed and pouting on the boards.

 

[JUDO]

Let It Go

Ray,

The exact same thing happened to all my submissions. I have had the number one story on the site. I have had the number one story in my category for several days. I have had a story stay in the top 10 for the site for several days.

All of these stories were attacked with low scores after they had reached a visible level on the 'top lists' and coincidentally, right after I had posted in a thread discussing voting (like this one). I didn't post on that thread any more and the attacks happened only one more time. Coincedence? Who knows?

One story of which I am still very proud dropped from a 4.8 to a 4.24 in 7 votes. A pretty precipitous drop considering the 4.8 had 25 votes at the time.

After my stories dropped out of the top 50, they haven't been attacked and conversely, they have rarely been read.

I was shocked and depressed by the sudden drops and it's taken me a while to start writing again; knowing that the same thing will occur when I post my next story.

But, like you, I have received a lot of encouragement from the other authors here. The encouragement and participation in the boards is the only thing that has turned me around.

It seems the silly 'trend' that occurs within this site happens to almost everyone's stories that gain popularity. But, then again, the stories are read by so many more people than those who vote, it's almost impossible to prove statistically that there really is a group of people doing this on purpose. So, as much as I originally thought of them as attacks, I can not be certain. Perhaps readers who don't like my stuff only search the 'top lists' category. Who knows?

I'll say to you what has been said to me. Forget the voting and the scores. Do what you can to get your stuff read. In the long run, the scores will improve.

Just write, Ray. Just write!

- Judo

 

[Ray Dario]

You all are great people! Thank you so much for your encouraging words. And sorry for the little rant.

Of course you are all right, I'll keep writing and keep posting on the boards and every now and then I'll get angry when my stories take a nosedive in the voting scores.

Really, I think maybe this is just reality's way of slapping me and say "Damn boy, you are so full of shit! Look how good you THINK you are and you ain't shit!"

Kind of reminds me of my dad, hmmm.

So once again, sorry for the rant, I'm better now, at least for a little while.

And Cym, you know I would tell you if I came back as someone else, but don't look for that to happen. I just don't think I'd be good at it.

Ray

 

[RisiaSkye]

Don't take it personally

Ray,
I've had the same thing happen several times. Just last week, I had a poem hit the toplist at #1, which felt like a really big deal to me, because it's the first of my poems to get enough votes to hit the list. So, I posted to thank people for voting. The next day, I had gotten "1'd" and it dropped to somewhere in the 20s. Que sera!

It's hard to be yourself, be honest with people on the boards, and not suffer any kind of backlash. But, that doesn't mean you should go away, or change who you are (either in profile/name or how your present yourself.) There are those who will and do appreciate you. Don't let a few mean-spirited voters dissuade you from participating, if for no other reason than because then they win. Don't make it that easy for them!

Look at KM...she's committed to being herself, and sometimes her story votes suffer as a consequence. However, she's developed enough relationships with people on the boards and with other authors that she still gets feedback, good scores, and plenty of readers. (And, after all, it's really all about getting readers, isn't it? The scores and top list are just an easy way to do that.) Even though it's hard not to get offended, remember that the scores ultimately don't just reflect the quality of your work. So take them with a sizeable grain of salt, and don't leave!

 

[nasty]

Hey Ray. I'm new, and write a bit too much. Lack of a social life. Anyway, I get very low votes on ALOT of my stories. I'm disappointed, but when this happens, you just got to let it slide, and keep writing. If you keep writing and not let the bad shit bother you, then that's respectable. I get feedback on some stories that told me I should never write again. I also get some people that say I write with an 11-year old's education, because I'm not a very bright guy. Consequently I don't always write very well. On the other hand, I get people that tell me my stories are AWESOME. I think if I keep writing I'll get a great story that I will ALWAYS be proud of. I've only got one that I REALLY like, so far. It's called "Country Female Teen Tour Ch. 1." If you like Jessica Andrews and Lila McCann I recommend it.

 

[Weird Harold]

And Cym, you know I would tell you if I came back as someone else, but don't look for that to happen. I just don't think I'd be good at it.

Just because you have two handles, doesn't mean you have to change the way you post.

I normally don't mention my author name on these threads, but I'm not shy about mentioning the fact I don't post under Weird Harold, and It's no secret who may alter ego is. It's just if I don't direct onsters to my stories on threads they don't like, they won't usually take the time to look up which stories are mine.

My alter Ego is still a virgin, but I don't post any differently when I do use that name -- of course I don't use it for anything but begging for feedback. <G>

 

[bisarah]

I thought it was just my stories! I noticed that the scores on my stories dropped suddenly and I could not figure out why. I have noticed on the score board that a group of one author's stories were very high, then when other stories out ranked them, somehow the first group bounced back to first place again. They were ok stories, but ... And I am not saying that mine are better by any stretch of the imagination. I just found it odd.

 

[cymbidia]

I have noticed on the score board that a group of one author's stories were very high, then when other stories out ranked them, somehow the first group bounced back to first place again. They were ok stories, but ... And I am not saying that mine are better by any stretch of the imagination. I just found it odd.

BINGO!!!!!!!!!
Give the girl a prize!

It's across the categories that it happens.
Week after week after month after month.
Odd, indeed.

Either (A) raise holy hell or (B) swallow hard and ignore it.
(A) will earn you enemies, some from On High.
(B) will put you in the trenches with the rest of us.

And that's all i'm gonna say on this.

 

[nitengale]

some say

They give pens around here as prizes.

 

[cymbidia]

Re: some say

They give pens around here as prizes.

~snorting wine out my nose~ YOU BAD!!!!! http://cwm.ragesofsanity.com/otn/tongue/128.gif

You're bad, W, bad to the bone. Don't you have some moving to go do...like for a week or something??

 

[nitengale]

Re: Re: some say

~snorting wine out my nose~ YOU BAD!!!!! http://cwm.ragesofsanity.com/otn/tongue/128.gif

You're bad, W, bad to the bone. Don't you have some moving to go do...like for a week or something??

Nope, all packed...I have time on my hands. Neener, neener..

 

[nasty]

Well, all I can say is that one of my stories was 4.33 last night and right now it dropped dematically to 4.0 with only 1 more vote. Someone out their either really hates me, or is just a hard ass when it comes to literature.

 

[nitengale]

Well, all I can say is that one of my stories was 4.33 last night and right now it dropped dematically to 4.0 with only 1 more vote. Someone out their either really hates me, or is just a hard ass when it comes to literature.

You pee in someone's oatmeal here?

 

[nasty]

LOL-NO. I honestly liked the story I'm referring to. It's called "Country Music Female Teen Tour, Ch. 1." I'm not jut saying that to boost my ego. It was quite good. Well, now that I think of it, it could have been much kinkier. I guess people just have their own views on stories. I hope no one has it out for me. I'm new, so I don't see how I could have pissed someone off, YET-HEHE! What upsets me is when someone reads a story, gives it a 5, and the next time I look at the results for that story, it has dropped 2 or 3 points. In just 1 vote. It's happened, trust me. Or when I write a story, that I like, and spend alot of time getting just right, then it comes out and gets a 1 in the first 2 or 3 votes.

 

[Charly]

Interesting Subject

I posted a few stories on Literotica under another name several months ago and got scores in the mid 4.x's and about 50 reads on the first ones, down to about 7 or 8 on the last one. Then, I found that their were NO more reads at all registered. To this day there have been no more.

I have posted to ASSTR.ORG archive for a couple years and those stories get regular responses from readers and a weekly report still shows about 50 to 70 reads per week even two years after posting. I like the regular weekly reporting which shows how many time the story was downloaded rather than a scoring system.

Anyway, I have quit the general board, too for the same reason, boring people with not much to say and stupid attacks have infested it. Too bad.

If anyone give me any ideas about the phenomena of ZERO readers after the first week or so, I would be interested.

 

[Weird Harold]

Re: Interesting Subject

Then, I found that their were NO more reads at all registered. To this day there have been no more.

It has been said before, but I guesss it needs to be said again: Literotica does not provide statistics on READS The only numbers you have access to here are the number of VOTES and the average of those VOTES.

They aare working on providing the number of VIEWS, and the fews glimpses I've had of what those numbers looks like, the overall votes to views ratio is on the order of 1:1000.

In very simple terms, only one person in a thousand who opens a story at Literotica votes on it! The numbers you see (now) only represent that one-tenth of one percent of those who looked at your story and took time to vote.

Feedback is much the same, in that only those who were moved by your stoy enough to take the time to write a comment are what you are aware of -- the hundreds or thousands of others are the ones in whom you failed to inspire any passion for your story.

You will never know how many people actually READ your story! The best any site can do is count how many times a story has been opened.

 

[nasty]

Someone out their likes me. I just noticed that my story "Similarities jumped from 1 to 2.33 in a singtle vote. Whoever you are, YOU RULE!!!!! I just wish you sent me feedback. I LOVE hearing good reviews on my stuff.

 

[cymbidia]

Someone out their likes me. I just noticed that my story "Similarities jumped from 1 to 2.33 in a singtle vote. Whoever you are, YOU RULE!!!!! I just wish you sent me feedback. I LOVE hearing good reviews on my stuff.

I'd send this to you in email, nasty, but you don't have any email option available so, well, you seem like a nice enough girl. Quit with the endless self-promotion of your stories, okay?

Now, shall we get back to the topic of this thread?

I think if one stays away from the GB, one is usually okay. There's still ganna be 1 voters, of corse, and some of them are going to even be legit votes (whether or not we agree!), but this forum is not liekly to produce the kind of personal attacks that posting in the GB often produces. Stay, Ray! [insert batting eyelashes here]

 

[Guest]

She'll quit with the endless self-promotion if you can quit the endless whining, cymbidia.

 

[nitengale]

annoyed...

You do know we do not take seriously anyone who hides behind the mask of being a guest, don't you? Get a real membership, and then join us.

:::mumble, mumble:::

 

[nasty]

Thanks for backing me up, annoyed

If you want me to stop, I'll stop. Although, to be honest, I figured if I self-promoted my stories more people will read them. BTW-I'm a guy, Cymbidia and annoyed. If you read my stories, then you may notice my pen-name.

 

[cymbidia]

Re: Thanks for backing me up, annoyed

If you want me to stop, I'll stop. Although, to be honest, I figured if I self-promoted my stories more people will read them.

Again, nasty, this is the wrong forum on which to do your self-promotion thing. And, FYI, we don't pay too much attention to guest opinions here, either, expecially when they show up just and only to stab at someone.