Followers and Pressure

[Seadog777]

I just broke 100 followers, and I feel pretty good about it.

How did YOU feel when you broke triple digits, and how many followers do you have now?

Do you feel any pressure, about anything, when you have a lot of followers?

 

[KeithD]

I have 885 in this account now. Probably first time I've looked at the number. No, I haven't felt any pressure on gaining followers. They obviously don't all vote on anything. Re voting, this Web site is a sieve and a gamer's paradise, so I don't dwell much on the stats--they don't mean much in comparison to anything/anyone else.

That said, my sr71plt account has enough followers to put me on the top 250 list (which you really have to look for to find here). I do like that idea.

 

[MrPixel]

No, especially since I don't have that many followers. I also suspect a couple of them are chronic 1-bombers wanting to take me down as soon as something goes up since I apparently offended their wadded panties in the distant past. I never have paid any attention at all to follower counts anyway since I publish in a minority category.

 

[themadscribbler1970]

I have 885 in this account now. Probably first time I've looked at the number. No, I haven't felt any pressure on gaining followers. They obviously don't all vote on anything. Re voting, this Web site is a sieve and a gamer's paradise, so I don't dwell much on the stats--they don't mean much in comparison to anything/anyone else.

That said, my sr71plt account has enough followers to put me on the top 250 list (which you really have to look for to find here). I do like that idea.

Forgive my ignorance, but sr71plt? Is that a UN here on Lit, or another site you write for, or.. ?

 

[SimonDoom]

Congratulations. It's gratifying to know that readers like your stories enough that they want to follow you.

I reached that number sometime in the spring of 2017, a few months after I'd started publishing stories. I don't recall specifically when it happened. The numbers really took off when I started to publish incest stories in April 2017. That's something to keep in mind and to put things in perspective: numbers are strongly influenced by the categories in which you choose to publish stories. Incest and Loving Wives stories get far more views, and therefore generate more followers and favorites, than do other categories. You can't compare numbers across story categories.

I don't feel any pressure at all from having followers. Having followers is a nice sign that others appreciate what I'm doing. I'm going to keep doing what I do, the way I want to do it.

Today I reached 4074 followers after having published 51 stories in 5 1/2 years, which makes me number 81 on the all-time most-followed list. The numbers are a bit silly, and not to be taken too seriously, but it's fun to think about. The thing that blows my mind is that my stories have been "viewed" almost 8 million times (whatever a view means, it's still mind-blowing). Even if only one-eighth of those are full story reads, that's a million times that my stories have been read. When I started posting stories here, I would never have imagined that.

 

[themadscribbler1970]

I just broke 100 followers, and I feel pretty good about it.

How did YOU feel when you broke triple digits, and how many followers do you have now?

Do you feel any pressure, about anything, when you have a lot of followers?

I am new to writing for this site, but did post a few stories recently and have some followers as well. I don't feel pressure per se, but I do feel a different level of motivation to make sure I entertain at least those that are following me, if that makes sense.

 

[BiscuitHammer]

I remember being very pleased when I hit a hundred followers, I took it as a sign that people liked what I was writing.

I don't think I felt 'pressure', per se, but I did feel motivated, certainly, because of the numbers of people following and the comments/reviews I was getting. Oddly, though, nowadays I feel the need to write despite the numbers, because you can actually too much attention to what they want and come to expect. I've been here just shy of seven years now, and I miss the enthusiasm I felt for those first few chapters i put up. Oh, yes, I'm still pleased and proud, but it's different than those early days. There's a bit of a grind to it.

But yes, enjoy that high, no question. And don't sweat the pressure feeling, just turn it into motivation to keep going. Congrats, btw.

 

[Seadog777]

Congratulations. It's gratifying to know that readers like your stories enough that they want to follow you.

I reached that number sometime in the spring of 2017, a few months after I'd started publishing stories. I don't recall specifically when it happened. The numbers really took off when I started to publish incest stories in April 2017. That's something to keep in mind and to put things in perspective: numbers are strongly influenced by the categories in which you choose to publish stories. Incest and Loving Wives stories get far more views, and therefore generate more followers and favorites, than do other categories. You can't compare numbers across story categories.

I don't feel any pressure at all from having followers. Having followers is a nice sign that others appreciate what I'm doing. I'm going to keep doing what I do, the way I want to do it.

Today I reached 4074 followers after having published 51 stories in 5 1/2 years, which makes me number 81 on the all-time most-followed list. The numbers are a bit silly, and not to be taken too seriously, but it's fun to think about. The thing that blows my mind is that my stories have been "viewed" almost 8 million times (whatever a view means, it's still mind-blowing). Even if only one-eighth of those are full story reads, that's a million times that my stories have been read. When I started posting stories here, I would never have imagined that.

That's awesome. Congratulations.
That's a lot of followers and views.

It was a nice surprise to wake up to this afternoon, (idiots driving through flooded roads kept us busy last night and through the early morning hours), as I never really paid attention to that part of my dashboard much.

Those are the 2 categories most my stories fall in.

 

[KeithD]

Forgive my ignorance, but sr71plt? Is that a UN here on Lit, or another site you write for, or.. ?

It's a previous account here of mine, linked directly with this one. When the sr71plt account hit 1,000 stories, it became unwieldy for me to research on the stories with the new author's page instituted here, so I opened another account, this one, to continue adding to the portfolio. I only occasionally post a story in the sr71plt account now. I don't pretend the stories in the two accounts are by different people.

 

[Seadog777]

I remember being very pleased when I hit a hundred followers, I took it as a sign that people liked what I was writing.

I don't think I felt 'pressure', per se, but I did feel motivated, certainly, because of the numbers of people following and the comments/reviews I was getting. Oddly, though, nowadays I feel the need to write despite the numbers, because you can actually too much attention to what they want and come to expect. I've been here just shy of seven years now, and I miss the enthusiasm I felt for those first few chapters i put up. Oh, yes, I'm still pleased and proud, but it's different than those early days. There's a bit of a grind to it.

But yes, enjoy that high, no question. And don't sweat the pressure feeling, just turn it into motivation to keep going. Congrats, btw.

Thank you.

It does feel nice to know that people are liking my stories. I agree, it's like a "high".

 

[Seadog777]

300-ish

Not pressure in the "I need to perform for these people" kind of way. It's more the "I'm late for class and everyone is staring at me so I need to get to my seat fast" kind of pressure.

While I appreciate the interest in me and my stories from followers, the number kinda scares me.

Congratulations.
What about the number scares you???

 

[Omenainen]

I like views, and votes, and favorites, and especially comments. But followers feel like an obligation of some sort, and I don't do well with obligations.

 

[Winter_Fare]

Congratulations

(How do I feel? I'll never get there, but I console myself with the realisation that I'm not aiming for mass appeal.)

 

[SimonDoom]

That's awesome. Congratulations.

Thanks!

Don't take it too seriously, but have fun with it. Don't ever feel bad about whatever joy you get from participating in this place.

I freely admit: I'm very competitive. It's the way I am, and I find it keeps me sharp and motivates me. It may seem stupid to some people to be competitive about something like the numbers you get at a smut story site, but not to me. I enjoy it. It gets my creative juices riled up. I think I've been more creative, not less, because of that attitude. I constantly want to achieve some new success that I have not before. I haven't won a contest yet, and I want to do that.

 

[Seadog777]

I like views, and votes, and favorites, and especially comments. But followers feel like an obligation of some sort, and I don't do well with obligations.

I understand your POV.

 

[Seadog777]

Congratulations

(How do I feel? I'll never get there, but I console myself with the realisation that I'm not aiming for mass appeal.)

Thank you.

You'll get there.

 

[BobbyBrandt]

I just broke 100 followers, and I feel pretty good about it.

How did YOU feel when you broke triple digits, and how many followers do you have now?

Do you feel any pressure, about anything, when you have a lot of followers?

As of this moment, I have 848 followers, and while I knew that I had some, I don't track that number on a regular basis.

I like the fact that people following me get notified when I post something new or update something in my profile. Interfacing with the readers here is so limited, that the advantage of followers getting notifications, and wanting to get them, is a positive in my opinion.

As far as "pressure" is concerned, I get what I am starting to understand is an inordinate number of e-mails from readers, far more than comments on the stories themselves. I do feel an obligation to respond to these messages as soon as is practical. It's not so much pressure as an obligation that I feel I have to those who took the time to ask a question or provide feedback.

 

[Seadog777]

Thanks!

Don't take it too seriously, but have fun with it. Don't ever feel bad about whatever joy you get from participating in this place.

I freely admit: I'm very competitive. It's the way I am, and I find it keeps me sharp and motivates me. It may seem stupid to some people to be competitive about something like the numbers you get at a smut story site, but not to me. I enjoy it. It gets my creative juices riled up. I think I've been more creative, not less, because of that attitude. I constantly want to achieve some new success that I have not before. I haven't won a contest yet, and I want to do that.

I understand being competitive, I'm the same way.

I think competition does make you more creative.

I'd like to win a contest as well. I think you have a better chance than I do, at this point in time.

 

[Seadog777]

As of this moment, I have 848 followers, and while I knew that I had some, I don't track that number on a regular basis.

I like the fact that people following me get notified when I post something new or update something in my profile. Interfacing with the readers here is so limited, that the advantage of followers getting notifications, and wanting to get them, is a positive in my opinion.

As far as "pressure" is concerned, I get what I am starting to understand is an inordinate number of e-mails from readers, far more than comments on the stories themselves. I do feel an obligation to respond to these messages as soon as is practical. It's not so much pressure as an obligation that I feel I have to those who took the time to ask a question or provide feedback.

Congratulations. That's a lot of followers.

I agree, it's a positive that followers get notified of our works.

Sadly, the messages that I've been getting are 1-bombers who screenshot their laptops, giving my stories a 1 star rating. LOL.

 

[Carnevil9]

I had no idea how many followers I had until this thread prompted me to check. It's 641. But I doubt many of them are current. I've been posting stories here for sixteen years, so if you spread those out over all the time it's probably a pretty small actual population. If you racked up 100 in barely a year, that's more impressive.

 

[Seadog777]

I had no idea how many followers I had until this thread prompted me to check. It's 641. But I doubt many of them are current. I've been posting stories here for sixteen years, so if you spread those out over all the time it's probably a pretty small actual population. If you racked up 100 in barely a year, that's more impressive.

I've been posting stories for just under a month so far.

I just happen to notice it this afternoon, and it got me curious about my fellow authors.

 

[Winter_Fare]

Sadly, the messages that I've been getting are 1-bombers who screenshot their laptops, giving my stories a 1 star rating. LOL.

The power has obviously gone to their heads...

 

[Seadog777]

The power has obviously gone to their heads...

Yep. They sit there stroking their baby carrot, with their cheeto dust covered fingers, wishing a real woman would give them the time of day.

 

[Winter_Fare]

Yep. They sit there stroking their baby carrot, with their cheeto dust covered fingers, wishing a real woman would give them the time of day.

I've encountered disagreement on other boards but no-one's stooped to that level yet. I mean... There's still time!

 

[Kumquatqueen]

At the start of 2020, I had about 70 followers and decided to try for 100.

I posted a few stories and a 14-chapter series, pretty much all with Hot ratings. And got about 10 more followers that year and still under 90 by the start of 2022.

Posted a few more stories this year, got to 100 in February, and I reckon my stories must now be being shown as Similar more often or something, because in only three months I've got 50 more despite no new categories or highly-rated stories.

People, and this site, are strange.

I have between 3 and 10 fans who seem to really appreciate almost anything I write, and I like most of my stories, so there we are.