Do you get Suspicious When...

[sincerely_helene]

... you see fellow authors with approx. 30 or more stories up, and all or most of them have recieved and maintained "H" status within the course of 3 years time?

I haven't decided yet whether I'm just a really crappy writer in denial who's got a serious case of the green eyed monster, or if folks are actually rigging it this way by logging into various internet sources and drive-by-voting. Either theories kind of annoy me.

Yeah, I know... votes don't matter. Blah, blah blah. Usually, the ones who preach that are the ones who have won multiple cash prizes and appear in the top stories category with every new submission.

Don't get me wrong... I do have a firm belief in the existance of the infamous 1-bomber, which is also why I find it difficult to accept that those with the most consistant highest rankings aren't being bitch slapped the way the rest of us seem to be. Wouldn't you think they would be attacked first?

End rant.

 

[English Lady]

*hugs* Helene. I think the really popular and good authors have a fan base, this fan base means they get goodvotes so they can maintain their H's.

Maybe it's not all that, i dunno, but if someone achieves their H's via cheating I believe it must be a very hollow feeling indeed.

Sometimes it's just the luck of the draw, I have stories i swear should be H's that aren't and ones that are that I don't think are that good. You never can predict what the public will like or dislike.

votes don't really matter love, it's all in the feedback and if you're getting good feedback you're doing something right!

 

[sincerely_helene]

*hugs* Helene. I think the really popular and good authors have a fan base, this fan base means they get goodvotes so they can maintain their H's.

Maybe it's not all that, i dunno, but if someone achieves their H's via cheating I believe it must be a very hollow feeling indeed.

Sometimes it's just the luck of the draw, I have stories i swear should be H's that aren't and ones that are that I don't think are that good. You never can predict what the public will like or dislike.

votes don't really matter love, it's all in the feedback and if you're getting good feedback you're doing something right!

Yeah, I really ought to know better. I think I'll just blame my little outburst on PMS and call it a day, ok?

 

[English Lady]

Yeah, I really ought to know better. I think I'll just blame my little outburst on PMS and call it a day, ok?

Ok need some chocolate? As it's you I'll share...

 

[Op_Cit]

I'll second EL's point.

There are authors that I like, and it bugs me a bit when they post a new one and it will jump right to an "H", though it seems clearly second tier work.

I think it probably skews the contests as well. (This is the primary reason I don't venture into the contests.)

(The annoyance to me is that I see room for them to improve but I'm afraid they will not as a result of the H.)

 

[sincerely_helene]

Ok need some chocolate? As it's you I'll share...

Another thing that's sort of bothering me about this new favorite's feature, though, (since I'm already kind of being cunty,) isn't it kind of unfair to those who do not frequent the boards, therefore have not had the same opportunities to build a fan base because they don't have that same familiar interaction?

How does it matter, you might ask? Well, if so and is friends with such and such, and has added them to their favorites, and enough of the friends of friends of friends from the board view and mutually enjoy their compositions and vote and add them in turn, doesn't that kind of give board regs the upper hand come contest time?

 

[English Lady]

Helene...i dunno but it sounds like you're possibly right, though there are non board writers with good followings anyways...I dunno. I try not to think of the mechanics too much*L*

Op Cit -I don't enter the comps to win. I enter them to join in the fun of the support thread and to get the bigger amounts of feedback and reads. I don't wory about the scores, Laurel sweeps regularly and keeps us happy. Also I enjoy stretching myself to come up with new Ideas. It's all just an excercise in writing better for me

 

[Rumple Foreskin]

I haven't decided yet whether I'm just a really crappy writer in denial who's got a serious case of the green eyed monster, or if folks are actually rigging it this way by logging into various internet sources and drive-by-voting. Either theories kind of annoy me.
End rant.

Helene,

As to your first query: IMHO, the answer is no, you're not a crappy writer. In fact, you may have the potential to become a good writer. But with damn few exceptions, doing that takes practice. You've submitted just four stories. The most recent one earned an H.

Write more. Study the craft. Read books about writing, such as Stephen King's autobiographical "On Writing." Submit your work to the SDC or join some other critique group. But whatever else you do, if you want to be a writer, write.

As for your second query: Folks may try to rig Lit contests that involve money. But anyone who is so hung up on trophies they'd take the time and trouble to rig the vote just to earn a "H", well, to quote Mr. T, "I pity the poor fool."

Rumple Foreskin

 

[Op_Cit]

Op Cit -I don't enter the comps to win. I enter them to join in the fun of the support thread and to get the bigger amounts of feedback and reads. I don't wory about the scores, Laurel sweeps regularly and keeps us happy. Also I enjoy stretching myself to come up with new Ideas. It's all just an excercise in writing better for me

(I'm not being critical here next) I thought of entering just to do the writing exercise, but if I'm not trying to win, I feel I may be taking away from those who are. As a result I have undertaken the exercise at times and then just posted outside the contest, or like with holiday stories, put them aside until next year.

 

[lil_elvis]

Helene,

You'll always rate an H with me.

 

[English Lady]

op...i guess i see what you mean...but the vague possibility I could win is kinda cool too. very vague possibility in my case *L*

 

[sincerely_helene]

Helene,

As to your first query: IMHO, the answer is no, you're not a crappy writer. In fact, you may have the potential to become a good writer. But with damn few exceptions, doing that takes practice. You've submitted just four stories. The most recent one earned an H.

Write more. Study the craft. Read books about writing, such as Stephen King's autobiographical "On Writing." Submit your work to the SDC or join some other critique group. But whatever else you do, if you want to be a writer, write.

As for your second query: Folks may try to rig Lit contests that involve money. But anyone who is so hung up on trophies they'd take the time and trouble to rig the vote just to earn a "H", well, to quote Mr. T, "I pity the poor fool."

Rumple Foreskin

Hey, Rumple. I appreciate hearing from you.

I think what's bothering me is that that one "H" you see currently before you was once an "H" that all of my stories carried at one time. It wasn't until they started hitting the 4.60-4.70's that the votes started declining rapidly.

I can accept writing not being my forte and that, but the pattern in which my votes decline and other more popular writers maintain causes confusion and great frustration.

 

[sincerely_helene]

Helene,

You'll always rate an H with me.

That just made me smile.

Stop it. Can't you see I'm trying to be bitchy here?

 

[tolyk]

That just made me smile.

Stop it. Can't you see I'm trying to be bitchy here?

Yeah, but you're hot when you're bitchy *grin*

 

[wishfulthinking]

When I first began posting stories just a little over a year ago, there was 1 writer that held the top 7 spots on the toplist of that category. And every time I came near them, or got caught in the middle of them, I immediately got trolled, and not just once. I was really really suspicious

But then I slowly [very slowly] realised this person was probably getting trolled just as much, if not more, but with 400 votes, they rarely budged unlike me with 50 votes who would plummet.

And then I find myself in the same position - and the reason I don't care about votes anymore is because I am trolled so much my stories fluctuate from no 1 to no 30 on any given day. When Lit does the clean out for end of month story competitions, I sometimes lose up to 15 troll votes. Hence, votes give me no indication as to how well received a story is. And that's why feedback and not votes matters to me.

As to the top favourites list - I do think it is a popularity contest, and I am willing to bet that the list as it stands now undergoes a radical change as popularity shines through. I may be in the top 10, but I doubt you will find me on many of the AHs favs list because my stories don't appeal to them [this isn't a grudge ].

I fully understand where you are coming from, and I hope it works both ways

*passing the chocs*

 

[English Lady]

*taking the chocs from wishful*

 

[sincerely_helene]

Yeah, but you're hot when you're bitchy *grin*

Ssssshhhh, the public doesn't take me seriously when I blush and giggle like a school girl.

 

[tolyk]

Ssssshhhh, the public doesn't take me seriously when I blush and giggle like a school girl.

You can punch me and push me around instead if you want them to take you seriously... but it'd probably just turn me on

 

[sincerely_helene]

(double post)

 

[sincerely_helene]

When I first began posting stories just a little over a year ago, there was 1 writer that held the top 7 spots on the toplist of that category. And every time I came near them, or got caught in the middle of them, I immediately got trolled, and not just once. I was really really suspicious

But then I slowly [very slowly] realised this person was probably getting trolled just as much, if not more, but with 400 votes, they rarely budged unlike me with 50 votes who would plummet.

And then I find myself in the same position - and the reason I don't care about votes anymore is because I am trolled so much my stories fluctuate from no 1 to no 30 on any given day. When Lit does the clean out for end of month story competitions, I sometimes lose up to 15 troll votes. Hence, votes give me no indication as to how well received a story is. And that's why feedback and not votes matters to me.

As to the top favourites list - I do think it is a popularity contest, and I am willing to bet that the list as it stands now undergoes a radical change as popularity shines through. I may be in the top 10, but I doubt you will find me on many of the AHs favs list because my stories don't appeal to them [this isn't a grudge ].

I fully understand where you are coming from, and I hope it works both ways

*passing the chocs*

Thanks for letting me know I'm not alone in this. I didn't want it to be yet another "why aren't I number one? I blame the trolls" rant, but more like a glimpse into the minds of those long time observers who usually remain silent on the issue.

I aggree with your statement on the importance of feedback vs votes, but the shot at cash prizes or a publishing deal would be kind of cool you have to admit.

 

[Guest]

sweetie...
i had a story at the top of the lesbo category for a little while...
i got so bombed that it now resides on the second/third page with no hope of recovery.
i hear ya though. i do believe there is merrit to your thought process but i cant go more into it now...ive just been made aware that theres been a time change and im a bit off kilter.

 

[sincerely_helene]

sweetie...
i had a story at the top of the lesbo category for a little while...
i got so bombed that it now resides on the second/third page with no hope of recovery.
i hear ya though. i do believe there is merrit to your thought process but i cant go more into it now...ive just been made aware that theres been a time change and im a bit off kilter.

What time is it then really?

 

[Guest]

What time is it then really?

well... eastern time is 736ish

 

[sincerely_helene]

well... eastern time is 736ish

Phew! My clock doesn't go up to 700.

 

[Guest]

Phew! My clock doesn't go up to 700.

YEAH, neither does mine... curious aint it?