Do you care about your score?

[Bramblethorn]

I take interest in the score, it's nice to have my ego stroked, but I'm also aware that there's a lot besides story quality that affects those scores.

 

[yukonnights]

I take interest in the score, it's nice to have my ego stroked, but I'm also aware that there's a lot besides story quality that affects those scores.

If I didn't have a place like this to post my stories, I'm pretty sure I wouldn't write anymore of them. In other words; I'm not a 'driven artist' staying up late into the night to get my masterpiece finished The scores and the comments are the only way to get an inkling of an idea how good or bad my work is. So yes, I care about the score (and comments). It seems to me that over time the "true score" finally settles in and that's the best indicator of reader response I can hope for.

I will say that taking on this little hobby has helped me learn more about writing...and that's due to the great info and tips picked up here on the forums. It's fun to try and at least get better at the hobby.

 

[BewitchingRose]

I care waaaay too much, it's a bad habit. I guess because I'm still a total newbie though, and I've always been anxious for my writing to be well received.

 

[TheBusinessMan]

What matters to me

I’ve been posting for nine months, 40 stories. My goal is to get a rating of 4.00 or higher on each story. While that may seem like I have low expectations the reality is that I have no control over views or votes so I use a basic gauge to measure my progress. Most of my stories are rated hot and some are not. I have noticed that over time, there is a drifting north on the scores, even though it might take months. I think it is a function of just being out there long enough. As for comments, I like them but they are rare. Unfortunately I got some pretty negative ones within days of publishing my very first story and I made the decision to delete all negative comments. I am competitive by nature but I am writing for me as it helps keep my blood pressure down.

 

[Kantarii]

I disagree that the sweeps or the system eliminate the effects of strategic voting by authors (some - not, I think, as many as is sometimes suggested). Somewhere I was told that the system is designed to prevent multiple votes, especially negative votes, and it doesn't. It takes multiple reports on a story to get any action. There are at least a couple of well-run conspiracies to maintain certain stories at the top of their category, not author-run, one of which has operated for years with great success (and appropriate discouragement for other authors). This is one conspiracy I know exists, and I'm not even from California. Which is why the system is indicative, usually, but absolute values are pretty meaningless. Nice to get the red H though.

Sending Laurel a request for a sweep on a story takes 7-10 days from my experience - no matter how many times the story is reported for bogus voting. Keep in mind, though, she has the power to remove bogus 5* votes just as well as removing the bogus 1 *bombs.

Sweeping a story is still a form of “manipulation” against the rating system in my eyes. Red H’s may be nice, but they only stroke a person’s ego. Humans crave certain forms of “praise”. iIf every story an author posted had red H’s except one or two, how far would they go to get them all to be red H’s? Then, what? Some of my best written stories will never have a red H beside it. I’m okay with that, because those stories accumulate more comments - but that’s me.


I stand by my feelings that come from the value of comments as opposed to the silent votes. No one else can manipulate them or sweep them away except me.

Anyone can vote on a story, but if the story can’t entertain me or intrigue me to finish it, then I wouldn’t theoretically make it to the end to vote. That might explain the ratio of views to votes. Still, if I finished the story, I, myself, leave a comment; not a vote. There are other authors here in the AH that take the time to thank me in email for my comment. They know who they are. Kant

 

[Zeb_Carter]

Not really. I know on Loving Wives no matter what I write the voting will vindictive, so I turned off voting.

Most of my other categories are close to a red H or have them.

I also know that some of my stories had red H's until the trolls found they couldn't vote on my Loving Wives tales, so guess where they went to vote?

 

[soul71]

Not me, I write for this site to increase my skill. Whether or not people like it doesn't really factor in for me.

 

[lovecraft68]

My first two to three years here, yes. The last five, no. Seeing an H is nice, but there's way too many things that go on here that just render it all kind of meaningless.

 

[lovecraft68]

I disagree that the sweeps or the system eliminate the effects of strategic voting by authors (some - not, I think, as many as is sometimes suggested). Somewhere I was told that the system is designed to prevent multiple votes, especially negative votes, and it doesn't. It takes multiple reports on a story to get any action. There are at least a couple of well-run conspiracies to maintain certain stories at the top of their category, not author-run, one of which has operated for years with great success (and appropriate discouragement for other authors). This is one conspiracy I know exists, and I'm not even from California. Which is why the system is indicative, usually, but absolute values are pretty meaningless. Nice to get the red H though.

The I/T category by any chance? I can't speak for other categories but there's been a few rabid fan bases over the years doing what they can to keep their fav up there.

 

[GrandTeton]

The I/T category by any chance? I can't speak for other categories but there's been a few rabid fan bases over the years doing what they can to keep their fav up there.

Exactly so - you know which story I mean, or perhaps two of them. Anytime a story gets ranked higher than their favourite it gets knocked down. It's an obvious conspiracy if you watch what happens after a sweep moves some story up, but I suspect it's not all that easy to control, assuming there's some interest in control.

 

[Polyacrylate]

I've submitted two stories so far (I have over a dozen Lit stories in progress, but I write slowly). I'm mostly indifferent to their score. But the feedback... oh how I love the feedback.

The feeling of reading thoughtful, well-reasoned feedback... When I get some of that, I'm suddenly eighteen again, playing guitar in a band in front of about two hundred people, about a thirty of whom would come by for autographs after the show, because "you dudes are gonna be huge." Of course, we wouldn't be, and we all knew it, but it was incredible to have that kind of interaction, and getting feedback really reminds me of that feeling.

 

[ReGats]

Red 'H' Whore. As what I write tends to be so niche, it's almost the only measure that people like my stuff. Barely anyone comments, and I tend to brush off the 'Favorites' function. But it doesn't actually tell me if I'm a good writer.....

 

[Emirus]

Who cares about the scores their stories get

Only in so far as I hope my scores will improve as my writing and stories improve. At the present time I judge by how satisfied I am personally with the story, and the constructive advice that I receive from other more experienced writers. I also take into account that scores will be lower than they should be because of the “I’ll give it one” brigade.

 

[FaeLissa]

I was looking at my old scores and my new scores (I was gone for about 4 years) and at first was thinking my new scores might be peoples thinks I is new or something but how come? Then readed the older stories.
I did not get better while trying to write nother kinds of stories, I got worse at both the nother kinds and the kinds for here.

I used to write much better descriptions and didn't bother peoples too much with long blabbers of talking (is sure y'all noticed I is REALLY BAD at off-the-cuff words.

Sos the scores did help a lot - I learned I got worser and has to work at it.

 

[oggbashan]

My story in French was posted today.

So far? Two votes.

A 5, quickly followed by a 2.

 

[tomlitilia]

Yeah, I care, but mainly on the new ones. I do keep an eye on my LW stories, because they are the only ones below the red H. I used to have a full suit before they got bombed. I also check the stories trailing just outside the first page of Hall of Fame regularly. Stories on the top 25 (I think) of HoF attract a lot of attention, which can be fun. Once they drop out of that, it doesn't make much difference anymore.

 

[lovecraft68]

My story in French was posted today.

So far? Two votes.

A 5, quickly followed by a 2.

2's are the new 1 bomb. The smarter trolls are figuring they may not be automatically removed.

The smarter ones use threes. Its a legit score, but helps keep a story away from an H.

 

[FaeLissa]

Especially for stories with low numbers of votes, any kind of trolling works.

And then we get into another re-occurring complaint: a 4 shouldn't be considered to be a bad score. But the whole scoring system is corrupted, as anything below a 5* is considered downvoting instead of giving an honest score to a story. Many people reason, ' without a red H, a story is not good enough.

I don't thinhk "Corrupted" is the right word. Is broken, but in US English "Corrupted" carries connotations of intentional harm. Peoples voting 4 - nah, they isn't trying to harm, it's just the scale of the voting system was designed for a much smaller userbase than Lit has now. AND many of us didn't know that the peoples that made the scoring system didn't know math when we first started sos we voted rationally. Then discovered that is not how the system is made (sorry all you peoples I voted a 4 on when thinking was a compliment).

PLUS the US education system has gone into this idea that "nothing is perfect so nothing should ever get a top score" and peoples are buying into that all over the place. Even had a college professor say that - he never gave good grades because that would imply no room for improvement.

 

[lovecraft68]

Especially for stories with low numbers of votes, any kind of trolling works.

And then we get into another re-occurring complaint: a 4 shouldn't be considered to be a bad score. But the whole scoring system is corrupted, as anything below a 5* is considered downvoting instead of giving an honest score to a story. Many people reason, ' without a red H, a story is not good enough.

I agree. Way to many people only read H or top list stories. They're missing out big time is all I can say.

The other issue is sweeps, especially contest sweeps. If the site starts removing 4 votes, which is a good score, then why are we even bothering with a system? May as well go full participation award...everyone gets an H.

I had a thread a long time ago asking if anyone thinks there is such a thing as a legit one bomb. In a forum full of writers I'm sure you can guess the answer

 

[MelissaBaby]

I find it interesting that My Fall and Rise has gotten a lot of nominations for the Most Literary award, and now that the deadline for noms is approaching, the scores on the highest rated chapters have all significantly declined.

 

[holliday1960]

The system isnt the problem it's merely a symptom of the disease. People are the problem. You cannot 'fix' people. Some are simply designed to be assholes, feeding on the misery of others. Some are designed to stand by and watch rather than contribute to righting wrongs.

I ask myself daily why the only time people seem to pay attention is when the shooter is in the building and the gun is aimed at them. smh

 

[lovecraft68]

The system isnt the problem it's merely a symptom of the disease. People are the problem. You cannot 'fix' people. Some are simply designed to be assholes, feeding on the misery of others. Some are designed to stand by and watch rather than contribute to righting wrongs.

I ask myself daily why the only time people seem to pay attention is when the shooter is in the building and the gun is aimed at them. smh

That's called base human nature-as far as never wanting to be involved unless its their ass in the sling.

What does not help here is when people point out issues and provide proof and the site whistles and says nothing to see here folks. (see the farce that's the annual awards, specifically influential author the last three years for proof.)

The mantra at lit is to give trolls free reign and give a hard time to the people trying to 'right the wrongs' as you say.

 

[holliday1960]

The mantra at lit is to give trolls free reign and give a hard time to the people trying to 'right the wrongs' as you say.

Agreed, LC. My mind simply cannot comprehend that train of thought... Like I said, until we all stand together, we're a house divided and we all know when hell's gonna freeze over...

 

[ElectricBlue]

I find it interesting that My Fall and Rise has gotten a lot of nominations for the Most Literary award, and now that the deadline for noms is approaching, the scores on the highest rated chapters have all significantly declined.

That's malice and envy, has to be. I can't imagine anyone who writes attacking another writer like that (I might be wrong but I hope not), so I have to assume it's nonny no talent out there getting some strange pleasure from their own negativity. I can't imagine how horrible their lives must be, that trolling scores down is all they've got.

 

[EmpressJosephine]

More than I should.