Favorites or ratings?

[JuanSeiszFitzHall]

I’m new to this site. I’m also not on any social media, so I am terminally unhip to ‘likes’ and the whole mutual ego-stroking economy. I’m wondering how you folks feel about the feedback you get. In particular, which tells you more about reader response, how many favorites a story gets, or the story’s numerical rating?

https://www.literotica.com/stories/memberpage.php?uid=5116173&page=submissions

 

[KeithD]

The number of views. And that's just relative to those of other stories. I don't know what constitutes a view.

 

[Shelly2inme]

I think the rating system needs tweaking

To me the best way to measure the power of an erotic story is: Did it make you masturbate or go fuck someone? It would be fun to have a record of which stories got more people off.

 

[NotWise]

I’m new to this site. I’m also not on any social media, so I am terminally unhip to ‘likes’ and the whole mutual ego-stroking economy. I’m wondering how you folks feel about the feedback you get. In particular, which tells you more about reader response, how many favorites a story gets, or the story’s numerical rating?

I rely on the rating more than anything else. It's the only measure we have that isn't necessarily dependent on the number of views, which can vary enormously from category to category and with how prominently the story is displayed by the site.

Some people like to use the ratio of votes:views or favorites:views. I suspect the value of views and, while I've used the ratios before, I find them equally suspect.

 

[SimonDoom]

I’m new to this site. I’m also not on any social media, so I am terminally unhip to ‘likes’ and the whole mutual ego-stroking economy. I’m wondering how you folks feel about the feedback you get. In particular, which tells you more about reader response, how many favorites a story gets, or the story’s numerical rating?

https://www.literotica.com/stories/memberpage.php?uid=5116173&page=submissions

There's no one best measure of "how well" you are doing here. A lot of it has to do with what you're trying to accomplish.

Scores have some value, but you have to take them with a grain of salt:
1. The mean score is different for different categories, so you can't compare scores across categories.
2. A lower score might have nothing to do with story quality. You might have pissed off some readers who expected something different from the category in which you posted the story.
3. You can't compare early story chapters to late story chapters. Late chapters tend to have higher scores.
4. I think scores have some value if you are comparing different stories that YOU have written that are within the same category. But only some.
5. There is not much of a relationship between the score and how many people read your story. I'd rather have a story with 100,000 views and a 4.5 than one with 5,000 views and a 4.7, because those numbers tell me that Story 1 probably has connected with a greater number of readers who really like it than story 2, despite the fact that a higher percentage of readers DON'T like it.
6. While having a high score doesn't mean you will have many views, all things being equal, it's better to have a high score. Getting over a 4.5 and earning a red H will get you more views from readers. Getting near the top of various toplists will get you more views from readers.

Favorites are OK but have their flaws too:
1. Favorites, unlike scores, are in part a function of views. A story with 100,000 views probably will have more favorites than a story with 5,000 views even if it's not as good.
2. Getting favorited is a useful way of picking up more views and new readers, because favorites play a role in whether your story appears in the "similar stories " list at the end of every story.
3. The number of favorites also is a function to some degree of whether people finish your story or not. If they don't finish it, they probably won't vote on it, and they certainly won't favorite it. So really good long stories, because they're less likely to be finished than short ones, may have fewer favorites than equally good short stories.


My advice: Take a holistic approach. Try to glean whatever useful info you can from all of the stats, but don't take any of them too seriously or make any one stat the measure of your accomplishment here.

 

[SamScribble]

In particular, which tells you more about reader response, how many favorites a story gets, or the story’s numerical rating?

I don't know. Personally, I don't take much notice of either. I suspect that a lot of readers use favourite as a bookmark. And the scoreboard is just a lottery. What can 4, 5, 5, 4, 5, 5, 1, 1, 1, 1, 1, 5, 1 tell you - other than the fact that a squadron of one-bombers have just been to visit?

I find Followers and Comments more interesting.

 

[Voboy]

Interesting question.

On this site, I write to titillate and amuse readers like me. I presume every vote, comment, follow, or favorite probably means someone was titillated and amused. So they all sort of meld together.

I'm never sure about low-* votes, of course, but since I never cast them myself, it's just not something I can explain. I'd assume even a few of those got off.

I like comments and feedback. But I seldom get them.

 

[HeyAll]

I think favs tell you more about a story than a score.

There are some things to keep in mind about a score:

- certain topics in each catagory are like land-minds. meaning, if you add a certain taboo/fetish that someone doesn't like, people will just give it a 1 or 2. But then again, certain readers will love it

- troll votes... if your story has less than 100 votes, a 1 bomb will sink your score

- length. shorter stories by default get lower scores, even if it's a complete story and it's great



For me, I have 2 stories in Anal (off the top of my head) that have low scores because they have a sort of dom/sub theme in the office... but at the same time, they have tons of favs/votes and a lot of great comments.

So that goes to show that certain things in each catagory will turn readers off and give it a low score.

On the flipside, if you look at a lot of contest winners that are 8 pages or whatever, they have massively high scores, but not many favorites or readers.

Most importantly, you've got to remember a "favorite" means they're marking it down and want to read it again someday.

 

[NotWise]

Most importantly, you've got to remember a "favorite" means they're marking it down and want to read it again someday.

It doesn't mean that they're read it at all. They may be bookmarking it to read later. When they've actually read it then they may un-favorite the story. Some people do that to the extent that I see them favorite a story and I shrug it off, because I know they won't keep it.

 

[Voboy]

It doesn't mean that they're read it at all. They may be bookmarking it to read later. When they've actually read it then they may un-favorite the story. Some people do that to the extent that I see them favorite a story and I shrug it off, because I know they won't keep it.

I used to be puzzled by this. When I first started writing here, I was so naive. I'd get all excited when people favorited me, then eagerly click on their username to see what they'd written themselves.

Ha!

So then I'd click on their other favorites, and lo and behold? Page after page of stories and writers, more than anyone could ever keep track of. Most were that way.

Needless to say, I figured things out relatively quickly. I still get excited when I'm favorited by another writer here, or by someone with very few favorites.

 

[ElectricBlue]

Needless to say, I figured things out relatively quickly. I still get excited when I'm favorited by another writer here, or by someone with very few favorites.

That's what counts the most, I agree. I look at those endless long lists with hundreds of stories, hundreds of writers, and I don't really know what they mean. Whereas the person who includes me or a story, and their list fits all on a page - somehow that seems more important. I get a little buzz whenever I see myself in the top dozen or so of someone's list, and it's often with very good company .

 

[NotWise]

Needless to say, I figured things out relatively quickly. I still get excited when I'm favorited by another writer here, or by someone with very few favorites.

Check how long the account's been open. Often when I find I've been favorited by someone with a short list, their account is very new.

Some of the readers I've seen favorite stories over and over don't have long lists. They mark them to read, they read them, and they un-favorite them. "Favorite" doesn't necessarily express an opinion.

The reader that comes to mind the most (cant' remember the name right now) has favorited and un-favoritied several of my stories, and his favorites list is maybe twenty stories long. Mostly, he's probably bookmarked what he might read in his next dry spell.

 

[Bramblethorn]

Comments.

 

[SamScribble]

I get a little buzz whenever I see myself in the top dozen or so of someone's list, and it's often with very good company .

I know what you mean, Blue. I occasionally find myself on one of those pages, and when I do, I check to see if you are there. I wouldn't want to belong to a club that wouldn't have you as a member.

 

[ElectricBlue]

I know what you mean, Blue. I occasionally find myself on one of those pages, and when I do, I check to see if you are there. I wouldn't want to belong to a club that wouldn't have you as a member.

I raise my glass in your general direction .

 

[GuessImJamie]

All metrics here are pure BS. Not my opinion, fact, test it out, write each story under an alt. You will see.

 

[SamScribble]

All metrics here are pure BS. Not my opinion, fact, test it out, write each story under an alt. You will see.

Are you saying that all metrics come down to the author's pen name?

 

[Hypoxia]

This question comes up every couple weeks. My answer: I used to be hung-up on votes. I quit obsessing after have many scores wiped out. Now I value favorites, follows, and comments, all of which show I've provoked some readers. I mostly write for my own amusement but I've done my job by affecting others.

Decide for yourself: Why post here? Because you MUST, the voices in your head force you? For self-amusement and mental masturbation? To hone your writing skills? To amuse, provoke, and/or perturb others? For brownie points? It's not for money. "Only a fool writes, if not for money," said Dr Johnson. We've many fools here, present company included. Which sort are YOU?

 

[Hypoxia]

All metrics here are pure BS. Not my opinion, fact, test it out, write each story under an alt. You will see.

You've not posted in LW, as I see from your story lists. Trolls there lather-up over content, not author. Or try posting stories (y'all do a lot of Incest) that don't meet that don't match a category enthusiasts' expectations. My tale of siblings turned into banana slugs apparently earned its low score. I get very mixed votes on tales in my most-posted categories so I don't blame my fame.

Some series writers in some categories can spin out hundreds of chapters that retain a dwindling string of satisfied readers. I suspect the following is of the narrative more than the author. Even hot authors write low-scored stuff.

 

[SimonDoom]

All metrics here are pure BS. Not my opinion, fact, test it out, write each story under an alt. You will see.

Not sure what that's based on. It's true that views and votes, etc. can depend upon things beyond one's control, but that doesn't mean metrics are meaningless. It just means when you look at them you have to adjust for all the different factors that might influence what they are.

Out of curiosity I calculated the mean score for the two authors you linked to, which I assume you are saying are both you. The mean scores are within .18, so not that far off, and that's considering that the story titles are different and one author has very few stories, creating a small sample set.

I think it's more accurate to say that metrics are imperfect, and yet still useful, information. You should be cautious what conclusions you draw from them, but you can get useful information from them if you look at them in perspective and take into account all the factors that might influence how they came out the way they did.

 

[NotWise]

Not sure what that's based on.

Totally not disagreeing with you, but have you ever thought that you might be too far into the technical details?

Write more, analyze less.

 

[SimonDoom]

Totally not disagreeing with you, but have you ever thought that you might be too far into the technical details?

Write more, analyze less.

Ha! I say that to myself sometimes. I think it's interesting stuff. But yes, it's a time waster and an avoidance mechanism, sometimes.

 

[Desiremakesmeweak]

Hey d'ya think Hope Hicks reads stories on this site?

Y'know, the good-looking, well-dressed marketing guru-ette with the drawlin' accent?

(Sorry, Ho, just had ta, ya know... B'cuz...)

Hey the rest of you guys, check out my 'Batwoman Bon Ton Roulet' story.

https://www.literotica.com/s/batwoman-bon-ton-roulet

I dunno, why do I write AND post HERE? I dunno. Because someone pays me to?

Meanwhile, back in the TerraMar undersea castle, Ghislaine Hoch (the ethnic Ukrainian) is deciding whether ta high-tail it back to the Eastern Donbass protectorate, or just lay about with Joseph Mifsud a bit more at the Kimpton Fitzroy in London... ...you know, while the FBI can't find either of them.

Don't hold your breath on this one though - I won't be doing any 'underage' Epstein-based yarns, because 1. I don't personally approve. 2. it's against site policy and rightly so, and 3. it's not in my current directions briefing.

Plenty of money in writing, dude.

 

[ThisNameIsntTakenYet]

It doesn't mean that they're read it at all. They may be bookmarking it to read later. When they've actually read it then they may un-favorite the story. Some people do that to the extent that I see them favorite a story and I shrug it off, because I know they won't keep it.

Hopefully the reading lists feature will solve this issue and make favorites a bit more meaningful. Although they do sound similar enough functionally (making a list of stories easily accessible by a user) that I don't think everyone will just move on from using favorites as bookmarks once reading lists become a public thing. But still, should at least lower some of this behavior I hope.

 

[SimonDoom]

Hopefully the reading lists feature will solve this issue and make favorites a bit more meaningful. Although they do sound similar enough functionally (making a list of stories easily accessible by a user) that I don't think everyone will just move on from using favorites as bookmarks once reading lists become a public thing. But still, should at least lower some of this behavior I hope.

It will when it's convenient to use. Right now, when you open up a story, you can't simply click on an "Add this to my Reading List" button at the story itself. You have to put the story title into the search box in the Reading List page at the Control Panel. Once that button is added at the beginning of a story, over the title, it will become more popular and more used and the "favorites" button will be used less for this purpose.