Followers

[CiaoSteve]

Just wondering, what is a good number of followers on lit? I coming up on 600 which is more than I ever imagined, but is that reasonable? If you do, how do you go about increasing your followers... other than the obvious, write more and write better?

 

[lovecraft68]

Like a lot of things here it varies on what categories you write in, how long you've been here, if your stories make any top lists to gain attention, and a host of other things.

Best to not sweat it, keep going and the total will keep growing.

 

[Kumquatqueen]

Well after 4 years, I was actually celebrating getting 100 followers yesterday, which I'd been aiming to get by the end of 2020. Actually got to 102 now.

I write fairly niche stuff, and a remarkably large proportion of readers view then quit when they see British English. I imagine writing in Incest or Loving Wives could up my followers significantly but I've never been inspired by either category. C'est la vie.

 

[windar]

Good Lord, don't follow me! I haven't a clue where I'm going...

 

[Agiel]

how do you go about increasing your followers... other than the obvious, write more and write better?

I think you’ve answered your own question. The person who submits a story every two or three weeks will collect more followers, assuming their writing is of the same quality, than someone who submits every two to three months.

It also depends, as Lovecraft has said, on the category you write in. In some categories even badly written stories will pick up followers if the writer is churning them out on a conveyor belt. A crap story may pick up a follower if the story contains the type of sex which gets them aroused.

Writing a really good story, enjoyed by many and with a really high score, does not necessarily mean you’ll get one of those readers as a follower. I also think, if you have collected someone as a follower, it means they will necessarily read any of your future stories.

 

[BiscuitHammer]

Writing what people 'like' helps, no doubt, since I'm just cresting 4000 followers now. Mind, that's chump change compared to some authors, so I don't let it go to my head.

I think there likely is a correlation between what you write and readership numbers. Take a look at what the really popular authors write, and, more importantly, HOW they write it, if you want clues to boost the number of followers you have.

At the end of the day, though, write for you. That's always more important, hands down.

 

[LexxRuthless]

Writing what people 'like' helps, no doubt, since I'm just cresting 4000 followers now. Mind, that's chump change compared to some authors, so I don't let it go to my head.

I think there likely is a correlation between what you write and readership numbers. Take a look at what the really popular authors write, and, more importantly, HOW they write it, if you want clues to boost the number of followers you have.

At the end of the day, though, write for you. That's always more important, hands down.

4000 followers is certainly NOT "chump change." It puts you at #81 on the Favorite Authors list, and that's out of 92,065 authors currently on the site. The thing is, I don't think anybody high up on that list had a strategy in mind for attracting followers. I'd exchanged a few e-mails with desurtdawg, and he didn't even know there was such a list until I mentioned it. Then he was astonished to see he was at #14 on that list.

When I first saw I had followers, I wondered what it meant. Like most readers on this site, I hadn't set up a Literotica account. When I finally did, it was so that I could post some story ideas I had been contemplating for a while. I didn't know you even could follow authors, and I'd always seen the little hearts without understanding that people had added those stories to a list of their favorite stories.

I went and looked for some of the more memorable stories I'd enjoyed over the years and added those to my own favorites list, and then followed those authors. At the time, it was just 5 authors: Silkstockingslover, HeyAll, TxTallTales, TryAnything, and desurtdawg. Then I saw how many followers they had and laughed out loud. I think I had 172 followers at the time, and all of those authors had over 7000. Clearly, I thought, my small group of followers didn't mean much.

I'm over 6,300 followers now. And, seriously, no idea how that happened. I respond when people send me e-mail, and I've been fortunate to have people reach out to me with story ideas that wouldn't have occurred to me otherwise. I've been fairly prolific, but not nearly as much as a lot of authors with far fewer followers. Also, it's not like these people are MY followers; most of the time I see someone has started following me, I can look at their profile and find my name at the end of a fairly long list of other authors.

You just keep doing what you're doing, try to improve each time, and see what happens. Just make sure you're having fun with it.

 

[Voboy]

Win a contest. The jump in the number of followers is probably the single biggest consequence of winning.

Other than that? I think it matters that you churn out a fairly regular output of stories. I suspect if you only post 1 or 2 stories a year, people who would otherwise follow you might lose track of you in favor of other writers.

But 600 followers is nothing to sneeze at, OP. At all.

 

[LexxRuthless]

I was looking at CiaoSteve's (impressive!) list of stories, when something else occurred to me. There is something of a paradox when it comes to followers on this site, and it relates to sequels and series vs. standalone stories. I've noticed I get a lot more new followers every time I publish a new standalone story than when I put out another chapter or write a sequel. However, folks who are following me often request sequels or additional chapters. So, do you write more of those, to keep your existing followers happy, or do you write something completely different in an attempt to attract new followers?

 

[JGittes]

I'm currently tracking all the data I can gather for the Valentine's Day contest entries and will report more fully on the results after the winners are announced, but I can say something about followers.

The single most important variable in getting views is the category in which a story is entered. The second most important variable is the popularity of the author as defined by the number of followers an author has. It is a striking result.

The best way to increase followers is to write more and better. I know there is a constant argument on the AH about the validity of the red H, but it is demonstrably linked to increasing followers. After the first day or two of a new story publishing, if it doesn't have a red H, viewing stops. There is an exception for Loving Wives, but that's a playground I wouldn't want to venture into without yellow fever vaccines and full flame-retardant PPE.

There are strategies beyond writing more and better, including posting in the most viewed categories (Illustrated, IT, LW but see above for this.) Illustrated is a category for illustrations, not stories (although you can have a story attached it's just a few will read it), so keep that in mind. The next strategy is to post stories in the themed contests. Winning is great, but not necessary. Contest entrants are listed first in the New Story Portal and remain on the contest listing so you will continue to attract views after the contest is over.

Of course, if you are in the top three, you'll easily increase your viewership and following. If you want to seriously try to win a contest, do not enter anything in LW. For the Valentine's Day contest, Erotic Coupling, Lesbian Sex, Mature, and Romance are the current leaders, but other themed contests will have a different mix of high-scoring category leaders. EC can be subject to the sort of trolling found in LW, so one should keep that in mind as well.

 

[HeyAll]

Here's how you get more followers:

Think like a buisness person. Imagine views/follows are profits and you're a salesperson.

Look at the popular catagories and find which of those topics you like writing. Then write stories that make you happy, but also what people want to read.

Be smart with the title and description. Again, what do people want?

 

[xelliebabex]

love your readers

There is a story in the How to... category by TTT that tells you How to love your readers. Its good read it.
https://www.literotica.com/s/love-your-readers

I have found several things that helped over time,

1. Entering contests, whether you win or not.
2. Series writing I think gained me more than my share of followers as people wanted to be notified when when a new episode appeared
3. Being nice to the readers and appreciating the ones who bother to leave comments or feedback for you or join your author FB Insta or whatever. It takes two minutes to return a message or email and it's worth it in the end. Fans celebrate commiserate and inspire you to write more, better etc. by supporting all your endeavours. When I left Lit for a couple of years to fight a personal battle they all celebrated my return last year which was more than heartwarming for me.

 

[Omenainen]

Here's how you get more followers:

Think like a buisness person. Imagine views/follows are profits and you're a salesperson.

Look at the popular catagories and find which of those topics you like writing. Then write stories that make you happy, but also what people want to read.

Be smart with the title and description. Again, what do people want?

This summons perfectly why I’m wary of followers. Say, someone reads a story of mine, likes it and follows me. Are they now waiting for more of the same from me? That kind of feels like expectations, and I don’t appreciate expectations. My stories cover all sorts of categories and topics, and I’m in a very small minority in that for me, the sexiness of a story has more to do with the tone than for example the genders of those involved.

So, what to do to get followers? Write popular stories in popular categories, but then you’re stuck writing popular stories in popular categories… who wants that? Not me. I’m more in it for self expression and some kind of artistic freedom. To each their own of course, and if someone gets off on popularity, good for them.

In my time publishing here I’ve learned to not get anxious over my follower count, and that’s a win in itself

 

[lovecraft68]

3. Being nice to the readers and appreciating the ones who bother to leave comments or feedback for you or join your author FB Insta or whatever. It takes two minutes to return a message or email and it's worth it in the end. Fans celebrate commiserate and inspire you to write more, better etc. by supporting all your endeavours. When I left Lit for a couple of years to fight a personal battle they all celebrated my return last year which was more than heartwarming for me.

I want to repeat this because whenever I get a comment with an e-mail I can reply to, I do, and over the years its sad how excited many readers are to hear back from an author because according to them it rarely happens.

Which is a double standard because many here talk about how few readers vote or comment, yet it seems they're no better on the flip side.

Taking a minute to thank someone for a feedback, or answer a question goes a long way.

Like everything in life, you get what you give.

 

[lovecraft68]

This summons perfectly why I’m wary of followers. Say, someone reads a story of mine, likes it and follows me. Are they now waiting for more of the same from me? That kind of feels like expectations, and I don’t appreciate expectations. My stories cover all sorts of categories and topics, and I’m in a very small minority in that for me, the sexiness of a story has more to do with the tone than for example the genders of those involved.

So, what to do to get followers? Write popular stories in popular categories, but then you’re stuck writing popular stories in popular categories… who wants that? Not me. I’m more in it for self expression and some kind of artistic freedom. To each their own of course, and if someone gets off on popularity, good for them.

In my time publishing here I’ve learned to not get anxious over my follower count, and that’s a win in itself

I have three stories here that are romances, two in mature, one in first time, but they are romantic and on the soft side.

Anytime someone comments they liked it and can't wait to read the rest of my stories I think "Oh, boy, good luck."

 

[oggbashan]

After nearly 20 yeras and 400+ stories, I have got to 1200 followers. But some of them I could do without. They only follow me to award a 1 vote every time a new story of mine is posted.

 

[Kumquatqueen]

... I can say something about followers....

After the first day or two of a new story publishing, if it doesn't have a red H, viewing stops. ...

The next strategy is to post stories in the themed contests. Winning is great, but not necessary. Contest entrants are listed first in the New Story Portal and remain on the contest listing so you will continue to attract views after the contest is over.

Of course, if you are in the top three, you'll easily increase your viewership and following..

I agree stories will be ignored if you don't get that red H while it's still on the New list. Themed contests definitely gain views, which is vital for less popular categories or stories that don't clearly fit what people expect from the category.

However even placing doesn't necessarily increase numbers of followers - I came third this time last year in the Valentine's contest and gained a whole three followers from the story (had 90, was hoping to break 100, which is why I remember). What was.much more obvious was the amount of sudden downvoting overnight, from around 4.92 to 4.3x - which if you've only had 50 votes doesn't take very many people. A couple hundred have viewed it since, mostly after this year's contest was announced.

I'd have thought kinky lesbian sex would be more popular, but I think most such readers want fantasy lesbians and fantasy filth, not any realism...

What I've tried doing recently is commenting on any story I find interesting, because by definition they might in turn find my stories interesting, and they and anyone else reading their comments may look up my works and have a butchers at them. It seems to be getting me more views and a trickle of followers for way less effort than writing another story, though I'm also working on a set of low-effort stories - max 2 days to write, max 1 day to edit, post.

I don't think I got any followers from my two 750 word stories - I hoped they'd work as teasers, 'if you liked..., try...! Didn't work.

 

[SimonDoom]

1. Write stories in popular categories like incest and loving wives.

2. Write stories of over 7500 words.

3. Write stories in a variety of categories as well so you pick up different types of readers.

4. Publish often.

5. Win or place in a contest.

6. Write a blockbuster story that ends up at or near the top of a list.

7. Write stories that end up on "Similar Stories" lists at the end of other people's stories.

8. Interact positively with other people at this Site.

9. Choose your title, tagline, and tags carefully.


I have to add: there's no such thing as a "good" number of followers in any objective way. It all depends on what kinds of stories you want to write, and to some degree the categories in which you publish them. If you don't like incest stories, then don't write them just to pick up followers.

IF you want to pick up many followers--you don't have to--then HeyAll is right. Look at it practically, like a business goal. Study the Site and how it works, look at the toplists, figure out what kinds of stories do well, and write a story like that. That strategy works.

One thing I disagree with: Your story does NOT have to have a red H to do well, in terms of getting views and picking up favorites and garnerning followers. I've had some stories, like A Bikini With A Mind Of Its Own, that have never had a red H but have done very well in terms of getting read. That story has a score of 4.45 and it has been viewed over 260,000 times. It was published 5 years ago and it gets about 120 views every day. It's not on any toplists. I think it has to do with the title and getting on Similar Story lists.

 

[jsmiam]

It would be interesting to see total vote and view counts by author (across their entire library) to see the correlation to follower count.

I bet that adds a lot of insight, since some successful authors reach high followings faster (by story count) than others. Kudos to them. It makes me wonder what their views and votes are. I bet very high.

 

[oggbashan]

8. Interact positively with other people at this Site.

...

To attract followers who leave 1 votes, challenge idiots on the Politics Board...

 

[SimonDoom]

To attract followers who leave 1 votes, challenge idiots on the Politics Board...

Ogg, as, seemingly, one of the more sensible people here, you should know better than to do that!

That place is a festering, stinking cesspool. A haven for the dogmatically ignorant and vengeful. Best avoided.

 

[BiscuitHammer]

Ogg, as, seemingly, one of the more sensible people here, you should know better than to do that!

That place is a festering, stinking cesspool. A haven for the dogmatically ignorant and vengeful. Best avoided.

I admit, I enjoy poking the hornets nest, at least in my stories. I avoid the other forums, generally. But I love, love, looooooove destroying incels, Nazis, and the Nazi-adjacent in the printed word. It infuriates and maddens them, like certain frequencies make earthworms withe in agony.

If I had my way, we'd have a 'Kick The Crap Out Of An Incel' contest annually. No, wait... seasonally. Okay, monthly.

Oh, fuck it, every day is rabbit season with those knuckle-draggers.

What post is this? Followers. Right.

You can certainly gain followers by writing to not only a fetish, but a bias. I've had great success by making it obvious I hold incels and Nazis in execration. Now yes, this has also garnered me great rage and even death threats, and a few inverted followers who keep up with my writing so they can 1-bomb it, but they don't matter. I'm glad I get under their skin. It feels good knowing my words matter.

One thing I've noticed, as a series writer, is that a good way to get followers is to make sure people are invested in your characters and their outcomes. They've taken a shine to your character, and what happens to them is important.

One of my characters in the Alexaverse, Jeanie, is a good example. She's an absolute idiot. Her only talent is being on her back, with her knees pushed up to her ears.

Well, that and the accordion.

But she's a round-heeled bimbo with a heart of gold. A genuinely good person. And people love her, both in my story, and my readers. She's very popular and people have expressed to me that they want to see nothing bad happen to her. They want her to be happy and live a life of gentle bliss.

And that struck me as a win. I touched people with a dolt of a character.

Anyhoo, like I said, make characters likable/memorable enough that people need to know they are happy. If YOU like your characters, give them foibles, and hopes and fears, people will respond.

I guess you can do this with a one-shot, but I'm terrible at one-shots, so I won't opine too much on them.

So to recap... play to biases. Punch Nazis and incels, for instance. That reads well with the crowd with opposable thumbs. Second, and I'm not kidding, fall in love with a character or two and make sure people want what's best for them.

Wow, I tend to ramble on. Can you tell I'm a Zeppelin fan?

 

[SimonDoom]

Wow, I tend to ramble on. Can you tell I'm a Zeppelin fan?

You're a fool in the rain. Dazed and confused. Just don't regale us about the bustle in your hedgerow.

 

[BiscuitHammer]

You're a fool in the rain. Dazed and confused. Just don't regale us about the bustle in your hedgerow.

And I come from the land of the ice and snow while we're at it.

 

[SimonDoom]

And I come from the land of the ice and snow while we're at it.

That would be where the winds of Thor are blowing cold.

I'm proud to say I quoted Led Zeppelin at the beginning of my "Mordor" elf/hobbit sex story.

"In the darkest depths of Mordor, I met a girl so fair."