Don’t you just love being on Top?

[SeraphNocturne]

Out of my stories, only "Fucky Friday" has been at the top of the list. And it did INDEED get a ton of attention. Although it was also a contest entry, and (by most accounts) quite good

Lucky! I want a top of the new list spot! I'm sure there's no rhyme or reason how it happens though, just pure luck right?

I can't complain at all about my stories or the attention they receive, they have wonderful reception considering how much I love to torture my characters and how dark they are.

 

[mirafrida]

I love a good initial placement. I did luck into the first story of the day in category once - and top three or four a couple of times.
I hate it when so many stories are published in one day that you start off already bumped from the front page.


I was looking at the "top lists" again the other day and it just made me think how bad an idea top lists are. As a reader I was always confused why the "best" stories were so "bad" (meaning, not bad, but not what I wanted to read). Heavily dominated by segments of long chapter-stories. And almost universally not my cup of tea thematically.

The whole concept should be shifted to helping you-the-reader find "what you will like", not "what the largest plurality of readers likes."

I specifically wish they'd make quicker progress on the promised move toward differentiating stories and chapters. In the category I usually publish, 90+% of the "top 250 all time" are chapters. Great if you like chapter-stories, but it crowds all the complete stories out.

Like, what if we did that with media. You are stuck with a list of "top movies and tv episodes of all time" and it contains no movies because episode #119 of the Sopranos was rated higher than all of them...

 

[SeraphNocturne]

I love a good initial placement. I did luck into the first story of the day in category once - and top three or four a couple of times.
I hate it when so many stories are published in one day that you start off already bumped from the front page.


I was looking at the "top lists" again the other day and it just made me think how bad an idea top lists are. As a reader I was always confused why the "best" stories were so "bad" (meaning, not bad, but not what I wanted to read). Heavily dominated by segments of long chapter-stories. And almost universally not my cup of tea thematically.

The whole concept should be shifted to helping you-the-reader find "what you will like", not "what the largest plurality of readers likes."

I specifically wish they'd make quicker progress on the promised move toward differentiating stories and chapters. In the category I usually publish, 90+% of the "top 250 all time" are chapters. Great if you like chapter-stories, but it crowds all the complete stories out.

Like, what if we did that with media. You are stuck with a list of "top movies and tv episodes of all time" and it contains no movies because episode #119 of the Sopranos was rated higher than all of them...

I agree with all of this.

I've got several 'top placed' pieces for the series I'm writing. Today out of nowhere I was bumped from first position in the last 12 months by a one bomb, though I've held the position for two months with 45 five star ratings with an extremely low view count. I can't help but be thrilled by the fact that I was there for so long! I think I've gained a lot of followers from the holding the first position for that time... but overall I think those were the only perks--I might have attracted a hater or two dominating the 'top list', hilariously enough. I wouldn't be surprised the ranking can breed animosity and make you a bit of a target, especially in taboo categories where higher ratings aren't guaranteed at all.

I also think you're right that it doesn't do much for helping readers single in on what they specifically desire to read, and there's no rhyme or reason with voting--anyone can alter ratings. What a lot of people think is great doesn't mean you will, I've been there more than a few times as a reader myself--there's some dumpster fire stories with 4.95 ratings out there and 7K views. The system could benefit from work, but I think this forum has had more than enough of that discussion, so I just giggle about it and keep it moving!