High-traffic categories?

[Vix_Giovanni]

Hey does anyone any tips for story titles and their descriptions to optimize the amount of views?

Put “mom” in the title and post in I/T.

 

[NotWise]

Hey does anyone any tips for story titles and their descriptions to optimize the amount of views?

I started a thread a few months ago about the short descriptions and it went on to titles. You can read it here.

I don't mean to divert anybody to that thread. I think the topic can be discussed again.

 

[SimonDoom]

Hey does anyone any tips for story titles and their descriptions to optimize the amount of views?

Vix is 100% correct. But, of course, that only works if your story is a mom-son incest story. All my 14 mom-son incest stories have the word "mom" in the title. Every single one. It works. I've published 14 such stories since April 2017 and the mean/average number of views for them is over 213,000 per story.

If your story is NOT an incest story, then:

1. Figure out in what category the story will be published.
2. Give some thought to what readers of that category are looking for. Look at toplists in that category. Look at the tag page for that category. What are the most popular tags for that category? Put one or more tag words in your title!
3. Choose a title that (a) describes the content of your story (fooling your readers is a bad idea), and (b) incorporates tags or words that readers of that category are looking for, and (c) is titillating.
4. When you've picked a title, say it out loud to yourself. Does it sound catchy? Tinker with it. Titles matter.

Good luck!

 

[Hypoxia]

Easy way to max any category:

1) See what's popular.
2) Copy and pander.

That's really all. Dive to the lower limits. Success awaits.

 

[MichaelGH]

Ok so for Title I think I got Mr. Black: Lessons of Darkness

Blurb: I summon demons in hopes that I may learn from them.

The Basic story is about a guy named Mr. Black (he has forgotten what his first name is) who was raised in an isolated manor in a family that has some not quite clear history with the occult. One day his parents vanish and he finds a book that shows him how to summon various demons. He does so in order to learn how to basically defeat them.

He does have sexual relations with one of them but for the most part he has a human lover. Most of the demons basically represent a problem in a relationship (lust, distrust, self-centeredness) that he has to conquer.

Anyway if you think that's a good Title/Description combo please let me know. If you have any suggestions I would invite them as well.

 

[Hypoxia]

Ok so for Title I think I got Mr. Black: Lessons of Darkness

That sounds like Erotic Horror. Are we still talking Incest? I've put demons in Incest tales but the families were fucking first; demons were incidental. I can't really suggest much for EH. Fuck many demons and win, I guess. Out-suck the succubus; out-ink the incubus. Drain Kali dry, smirking.

One day his parents vanish and he finds a book that shows him how to summon various demons. He does so in order to learn how to basically defeat them.

He does have sexual relations with one of them but for the most part he has a human lover. Most of the demons basically represent a problem in a relationship (lust, distrust, self-centeredness) that he has to conquer.

I don't know if fucking only one demon, and not very much, will grab EH readers. If the demons aren't TOO horrible, you could go SciFi-Fantasy; a moral fable (working out his sins) can fit there. Of course, if you're writing for yourself, readers don't matter, so do what you want.

 

[ElectricBlue]

Ok so for Title I think I got Mr. Black: Lessons of Darkness

Blurb: I summon demons in hopes that I may learn from them.

The Basic story is about a guy named Mr. Black (he has forgotten what his first name is) who was raised in an isolated manor in a family that has some not quite clear history with the occult. One day his parents vanish and he finds a book that shows him how to summon various demons. He does so in order to learn how to basically defeat them.

He does have sexual relations with one of them but for the most part he has a human lover. Most of the demons basically represent a problem in a relationship (lust, distrust, self-centeredness) that he has to conquer.

Anyway if you think that's a good Title/Description combo please let me know. If you have any suggestions I would invite them as well.

Cheery fellow, ain't you? Forget about grabbing views and getting smiley comments. If you're going dark, sling it into Erotic Horror and take what you get. There's folk will thrive on it, many won't. Who are you writing for? Yourself, or hypothetical readers?

 

[Vix_Giovanni]

Ok so for Title I think I got Mr. Black: Lessons of Darkness

Blurb: I summon demons in hopes that I may learn from them.

The Basic story is about a guy named Mr. Black (he has forgotten what his first name is) who was raised in an isolated manor in a family that has some not quite clear history with the occult. One day his parents vanish and he finds a book that shows him how to summon various demons. He does so in order to learn how to basically defeat them.

He does have sexual relations with one of them but for the most part he has a human lover. Most of the demons basically represent a problem in a relationship (lust, distrust, self-centeredness) that he has to conquer.

Anyway if you think that's a good Title/Description combo please let me know. If you have any suggestions I would invite them as well.

Title: If you’re not married to that colon, I’d suggest “Mr. Black’s Lessons in Darkness” or “Mr. Black’s Lessons of Darkness”

Blurb: I’d suggest a different direction based on your abstract. “A family occult secret destroys relationship demons.” Or “The way to kill relationship demons is an occult secret.”

But some ideas based on the blurb you drafted: “I summon them, but the demons teach me” or “I summon demons to learn from them.” Basically, I’d suggest cutting unneeded words/character count.

 

[RetroFan]

I've had plenty of success writing in First Time. You can get pretty good scores, lots of views and good reviews there.

If you have plenty of imagination and can write well in first person, I recommend First Time. I just submitted a new one today, but it's a pretty serious and sad story at times, about a struggling young Vietnam War veteran and his best friend's younger sister who has a serious medical condition. I hope they like it.

 

[SimonDoom]

Ok so for Title I think I got Mr. Black: Lessons of Darkness

Blurb: I summon demons in hopes that I may learn from them.

The Basic story is about a guy named Mr. Black (he has forgotten what his first name is) who was raised in an isolated manor in a family that has some not quite clear history with the occult. One day his parents vanish and he finds a book that shows him how to summon various demons. He does so in order to learn how to basically defeat them.

He does have sexual relations with one of them but for the most part he has a human lover. Most of the demons basically represent a problem in a relationship (lust, distrust, self-centeredness) that he has to conquer.

Anyway if you think that's a good Title/Description combo please let me know. If you have any suggestions I would invite them as well.

I agree with Vix about ditching the colon in the title. I'd consider ditching "Mr. Black", too, because it's not interesting. Nobody cares about Mr. Black until they start reading the story. Get rid of all the uninteresting words in your title.

Try something like:

Lessons in Darkness
Summoning the Demons
Lessons from Demons
I Summon The Demons
I Was A Teenage Demon Summoner

You get the idea (the last one was a joke).

"Mr. Black" doesn't add anything that helps the reader.

Re your description: too bland and too vague. Why would you want to learn from demons? I don't get it.

Maybe: "I summon demons and learn their dark secrets."

Or "I summon demons and learn their erotic secrets."

Something interesting or titillating.

 

[UsuallyPresent]

An interesting metaphor for sex, there. Rising and diminishing expectations; periodic booms and crashes; irrational exuberance. Yeah baby! With easy equations: A(d)=H(m) -- the angle of the dangle equals the heat of the meat. Beware an early sell-off.

Interesting thoughts - they sparked the following title/theme pairs:

Sexonomics, the Dismal Dangle
- Investing in Little Blue Pill Men


Supply and God Damn!
- Amazing tales of theoretical sluttery


The Bed Market
- Optimal Curve Fitting

 

[Vix_Giovanni]

I agree with Vix about ditching the colon in the title. I'd consider ditching "Mr. Black", too, because it's not interesting. Nobody cares about Mr. Black until they start reading the story. Get rid of all the uninteresting words in your title.

Try something like:

Lessons in Darkness
Summoning the Demons
Lessons from Demons
I Summon The Demons
I Was A Teenage Demon Summoner

You get the idea (the last one was a joke).

"Mr. Black" doesn't add anything that helps the reader.

Re your description: too bland and too vague. Why would you want to learn from demons? I don't get it.

Maybe: "I summon demons and learn their dark secrets."

Or "I summon demons and learn their erotic secrets."

Something interesting or titillating.

Ditto to all this.

 

[MichaelGH]

I agree with Vix about ditching the colon in the title. I'd consider ditching "Mr. Black", too, because it's not interesting. Nobody cares about Mr. Black until they start reading the story. Get rid of all the uninteresting words in your title.

Try something like:

Lessons in Darkness
Summoning the Demons
Lessons from Demons
I Summon The Demons
I Was A Teenage Demon Summoner

You get the idea (the last one was a joke).

"Mr. Black" doesn't add anything that helps the reader.

Re your description: too bland and too vague. Why would you want to learn from demons? I don't get it.

Maybe: "I summon demons and learn their dark secrets."

Or "I summon demons and learn their erotic secrets."

Something interesting or titillating.

All right I might just go ahead and straight up steal this.

I'll probably change the blurb to "I summon demons and learn their lessons." I think that's a bit more keeping with the spirit of the story.

 

[Hypoxia]

I'll suggest keeping "Mr Black" if you've a story cycle in mind -- not necessarily sequential chapters, but standalone ominous Mr Black episodes in one universe, even across related categories like EH and Fantasy and NonHuman. Mr Black's Lessons in Darkness ("I summon erotic demons and steal their secrets") stands apart from Mr Black's Dangerous Liaisons ("I'll take you, and you, and you, too") and Mr Black's Idol Curiosity ("I know just where to probe, dear Venus").

"Mr Black" is the story-cycle header; fit title and subtitle to the episode's theme. Each episode refers to a hinted backstory but not to events in other episodes, same as the old TV sitcoms and dramas I remember. Each week's Route 66 tale stood on its own.

But forget all the above if your piece is a one-shot. Merely be blatantly enticing. Mr Black's Demon-Dorking Lessons ("Class is in and the demons are royally fucked") might do.

 

[MichaelGH]

I'll suggest keeping "Mr Black" if you've a story cycle in mind -- not necessarily sequential chapters, but standalone ominous Mr Black episodes in one universe, even across related categories like EH and Fantasy and NonHuman. Mr Black's Lessons in Darkness ("I summon erotic demons and steal their secrets") stands apart from Mr Black's Dangerous Liaisons ("I'll take you, and you, and you, too") and Mr Black's Idol Curiosity ("I know just where to probe, dear Venus").

"Mr Black" is the story-cycle header; fit title and subtitle to the episode's theme. Each episode refers to a hinted backstory but not to events in other episodes, same as the old TV sitcoms and dramas I remember. Each week's Route 66 tale stood on its own.

But forget all the above if your piece is a one-shot. Merely be blatantly enticing. Mr Black's Demon-Dorking Lessons ("Class is in and the demons are royally fucked") might do.

Yeah there’s a pretty definitive ending for Mr. Black so unless this story gets a crazy super fan who kidnaps me and forces me to write more I doubt I’m going to continue his story.

 

[Javahead]

Yeah there’s a pretty definitive ending for Mr. Black so unless this story gets a crazy super fan who kidnaps me and forces me to write more I doubt I’m going to continue his story.

How miserable . . .

 

[Hypoxia]

Yeah there’s a pretty definitive ending for Mr. Black so unless this story gets a crazy super fan who kidnaps me and forces me to write more I doubt I’m going to continue his story.

There are always prequels and spinoffs, usually demanded by crazy super fans even without much grabbing. Before Mr Black, was there Mr Blue?

What will it take / to whip you into line?
A broken heart? / A broken head?
It can be arranged / It can be arranged
--T.Paxton, MR BLUE​

Hey, there's a whiff of a story cycle! Mr Black (who is white), Mr White (who is black), Mr Blue, Mr Rose, Mr Green, Mr Red, Msr Blanc; Mr Grey (and his 50 shades); Mr Brown, or Ms Brown and her lovely daughter; Mr Chartreuse's Caboose (in a daisychain or pulling a train); Mr Turquoise (not Navaho); Mr Paisley (not Irish); Mr Polka Dot (interracial); et al.

Sorry for ranting. Too much coffee.

 

[Vix_Giovanni]

There are always prequels and spinoffs, usually demanded by crazy super fans even without much grabbing. Before Mr Black, was there Mr Blue?

What will it take / to whip you into line?
A broken heart? / A broken head?
It can be arranged / It can be arranged
--T.Paxton, MR BLUE​

Hey, there's a whiff of a story cycle! Mr Black (who is white), Mr White (who is black), Mr Blue, Mr Rose, Mr Green, Mr Red, Msr Blanc; Mr Grey (and his 50 shades); Mr Brown, or Ms Brown and her lovely daughter; Mr Chartreuse's Caboose (in a daisychain or pulling a train); Mr Turquoise (not Navaho); Mr Paisley (not Irish); Mr Polka Dot (interracial); et al.

Sorry for ranting. Too much coffee.

But what of Mr. Puce?

 

[Hypoxia]

But what of Mr. Puce?

Puce'd up, yup.

Don't forget MRS GREEN, YOU'VE GOT AN UGLY DAUGHTER (She's got a little beard, she ought to shave / The other day at two, while visiting the zoo, the attendants tried to put her in a cage, a wo wo wo wo...) That could be a rap hit. Or a political statement. No, don't go there...

 

[SimonDoom]

There are always prequels and spinoffs, usually demanded by crazy super fans even without much grabbing. Before Mr Black, was there Mr Blue?

What will it take / to whip you into line?
A broken heart? / A broken head?
It can be arranged / It can be arranged
--T.Paxton, MR BLUE​

Hey, there's a whiff of a story cycle! Mr Black (who is white), Mr White (who is black), Mr Blue, Mr Rose, Mr Green, Mr Red, Msr Blanc; Mr Grey (and his 50 shades); Mr Brown, or Ms Brown and her lovely daughter; Mr Chartreuse's Caboose (in a daisychain or pulling a train); Mr Turquoise (not Navaho); Mr Paisley (not Irish); Mr Polka Dot (interracial); et al.

Sorry for ranting. Too much coffee.

Starting to sound like Reservoir Dogs.

 

[HeyAll]

The best way to get views (besides making a mom/son story with 'mom' in title) is to build a story around a popular theme: ie teacher/student, boss/employee, roommates, etc...

It gives a boost in any catagory.