How accurate are the "top lists"?

[realitycheck701]

Views are like money. If you have a lot, it's all relative. The leap from 100k to 200k won't really feel that different but when you only have 300 views.... a bit of exposure by being in a top list is gold dust. The answer to "why do people care about ranking?" is simply that you get more visibility. More people are likely to see and therefore read your stuff. I know that when I look for something new to read, I frequently visit the top 100 in a category. I can't be alone in that.

My story got 178k here and counting, plus another 30k or so elsewhere. It means a lot to me. I know it shouldn't. Ego check and all that and in the grand scheme of things its a pittance compared to some of the big hitters. But I can't help it. It makes me smile knowing that at least a few thousand people enjoyed my very first attempt at this. If my sequel crashes and burns and ends up neglected in a dark hole somewhere with nobody reading, that would hurt. I'll admit that. But it still feels great to have people read the first one.

So yeah, I private messaged Manu like it was suggested. Hopefully he can get my chapter back up there.

 

[onehitwanda]

What country is SU?

it was the USSR.

 

[StillStunned]

it was the USSR.

When I was much younger, I got confused between Soviet Union and Sauvignon. Or maybe the people around me didn't know how to pronounce either properly.

 

[onehitwanda]

When I was much younger, I got confused between Soviet Union and Sauvignon. Or maybe the people around me didn't know how to pronounce either properly.

I mean, it's an easy mistake to make. After all, both are the terrible byproducts of commune-ists.

I am so sorry I am leaving now please don't throw things at me

 

[StillStunned]

I mean, it's an easy mistake to make. After all, both are the terrible byproducts of commune-ists.

I am so sorry I am leaving now please don't throw things at me

Can we petition @Manu to add a "Groan!" emoji to the reactions? I feel it would get quite a lot of use here.

Seriously though, looking back it feels as if "Sauvignon" and "Soviet Union" were the words of the 1980s in my family.

 

[SimonDoom]

This is the kind of reply that acts like wisdom, but is actually just offensively tone deaf. Think about what you just said. No really, think about it. We post our writing on a public forum for people to read. Obviously we care about people reading our stuff. You aren't a cool dude if you claim to not care if you get views, you're a liar. If you didn't care if other people read your stuff, you wouldn't post it.

The way the hall of fame section is handled feels bad because it gives a channel for exposure (write a piece that gets 5 star ratings from dozens of fans), but then empowers bad faith actors to take it away from you (because one troll can drop that rating off the front page with a few minutes of effort).

As things stand, we'd be better off scrapping it and having more spaces for new and random stories on the category page. But to pretend you are too cool to care if people can see your work to potentially click on it and read it is just not credible. Troll harder.

I'm not trolling. I'm giving practical, realistic advice.

When I say "don't care," I don't mean you shouldn't care about how many people read your stories. Of course you should. I do. I want people to read my stories. But to manage things in a sane and practical way here you have to let go of the site's peculiar measures of success, like scores and toplists. You don't need them. You can "succeed," whatever that means to you, without obsessing about them.

I have a story that I published in early 2017, A Bikini with a Mind Of Its Own, that has never once cracked the 4.5 barrier. No red H. It's never sniffed a top list. And as of today it has over 400,000 views and sits at number 39 on the list of most favorited Exhibitionist stories of all time. Because readers seem to find it to be a fun, titillating story, AND because of how I approached naming and tagging the story. It gets around 90 views every single day, 8 1/2 years after publication. I DO care about people reading my stories, but I don't get upset and blame the site when things don't go the way I want them to. I plug along and do what I can to achieve success in the way that means something to me. And that is my advice for all authors. Worry about what you can control. Work on being better as a writer, keep writing, and use the site's tools in the smartest way you can to get recognition and readers. That's not trolling. It's the best you can do. The alternative is to gnash your teeth, and what good is that?

 

[Nightaelf]

When I was much younger, I got confused between Soviet Union and Sauvignon. Or maybe the people around me didn't know how to pronounce either properly.

I have never confused those two! But to be honest, in Dutch it doesn’t sound the same...

 

[Nightaelf]

it was the USSR.

I thought he meant Suriname....

 

[Nightaelf]

Can we petition @Manu to add a "Groan!" emoji to the reactions? I feel it would get quite a lot of use here.

Seriously though, looking back it feels as if "Sauvignon" and "Soviet Union" were the words of the 1980s in my family.

There are a lot of emojis that could be added....

 

[iwatchus]

Groan and Hug would be my first two choices. I have no idea what my third choice would be.

 

[Actingup]

If you get lucky, you can get a small actual prize in a contest. Cash if you are a SU citizen, gift cards of some kind if not. What kind of gift cards did they give you @Actingup?

Amazon gift card in USD. Redeemable for the US store, so shipping costs cut into the prize, but still something. So far I’ve used it for a book club book - it was a sweet experience discussing a piece of literature with a circle of educated women using a book I’d won with a porn story

 

[ChloeTzang]

This is the kind of reply that acts like wisdom, but is actually just offensively tone deaf. Think about what you just said. No really, think about it. We post our writing on a public forum for people to read. Obviously we care about people reading our stuff. You aren't a cool dude if you claim to not care if you get views, you're a liar. If you didn't care if other people read your stuff, you wouldn't post it.

The way the hall of fame section is handled feels bad because it gives a channel for exposure (write a piece that gets 5 star ratings from dozens of fans), but then empowers bad faith actors to take it away from you (because one troll can drop that rating off the front page with a few minutes of effort).

As things stand, we'd be better off scrapping it and having more spaces for new and random stories on the category page. But to pretend you are too cool to care if people can see your work to potentially click on it and read it is just not credible. Troll harder.

Simon and I are lookig at it from a slightly different perspective. We've both been here for 10 years or so, we both have quite a few stories posted, we both have a few competition winners, we both have a few thousand followers (okay, Simon has more than me, not that I'm competeive or anything grrrrrrr) who will pretty much at least look at anything we write regardless of the rating and the category.

That makes us rather more impervious to the slings and arrows of outrageous trolling - we've made our bones and we're perhaps not immune, but established. Ratings really don't mean that much to either of us because we get the views regardless.

I can understand those who are newer being concerned about how the ratings work and maintaining oneself in the rankings - I loved seeing my stories in the Top 20 Hall of Fame - and it does get you visibility and name recognition when you're starting out here - this is true - and this is one reason why I don't enter the competitions so much these days - I am horribly competetive and I like to win LOL - not being up myself or anything, but the last competition I won, I deliberately wrote to win, and mxed my chances by a few deliberate choices as well as when I submitted it - just to prove to myself that I could win a comp if I deliberately chose to (and Laurel let me) - I haven't entered one competing to win since - and now I prefer to write stories I regard as non-competitive but fun (for me) and let you newer writers take the prizes and get the recognition - I don't need it, and really, Simon doesn't either.

Now, Laurel isn't going to change things - regardless of how fair or unfair we regard it - it is the way it is - this same argument was raging 10 years ago when I first joined and no doubt it was raging 10 years before that. Accept that it is what it is, it may not be fair, but it's what Laurel has decided on - knowing that, work with it. If yu want good ratings, write outstanding stories. If you want views and followers, write good stories that will appeal to readers in popular categories - it's easy to figure out what readers like when you look at what ranks highly. When you get feedback and comments, respond to your readers. Write chatty little intros introducing yurself a bit and saying things about why you wrote that story the way you did - get your readers invested in you as a writer.

If you're feeling daring - write in LW and troll the trolls - it's a lot of fun and you WILL gain followers. LOL. You just might not appreciate them so much, that's all. Personally I find it entertaining

If you want to win or place in compeitions, study what wins and how. There ARE things you can do to increase your chances without one star bombing your competitors LOL.

But above all enjoy your writing because without that, you won't last long!

 

[pink_silk_glove]

This is the kind of reply that acts like wisdom, but is actually just offensively tone deaf.

This is the kind of PC response that says, "My feelings are more important than the truth." This is a terrible premise for society and if we all lived by that premise humanity would be fucked. Too many people are thinking this way these days. We really should stop this.

 

[pink_silk_glove]

That bring said...why are you even worried about what your ratings are if you think your readers are too stupid to recognize the amazing quality of your editing?

Apparently you;re new here and don;t know me very well. I'm not worried. Ask around. ; )

Why are you bestowing the priceless gift of your writing on these unworthy cretins?

I do not judge the readership. I never have. I'm just real about their reactions and what they mean about my work. Unlike so many writers here, I don't let the readership's reactions go to my head when positive or bum me out when negative, since I understand that it's essentially a porn site.

Well, no point in arguing with you. I'm sure you understand this stuff better than I do.

Apparently. ; )

 

[designatedvictim]

Which chapters were kinkier? Which chapters had more slutty/aggressive female characters?

The thread seems to have been hijacked a bit, but to address your questions:

My tentpole project (pun totally unintentional, I assure you) was written as just a story with a bunch of sex and a bunch of more sedate (but mostly-naked) interactions. No real goals beyond that.

It's not Literature, but I'm pretty sure you already guessed that.

Day One: impromptu pizza-run with a friend, the landlord's daughter, she invites him to watch a movie, turns out it's a campy porno, "What do you want to do now?" "Let's have a naked-weekend!" Things get naked and they go up to his attic apartment.

Miniscule vote totals for the following bits.

Day Two: morning sex, mid-day condom refill, awkwardness at the pharmacy, laugh about it, back home oral, mostly-naked nap, afternoon sex, she admits she wanted things to go that way, not-quite setting him up, evening shower, retire to her bedroom, snuggle because he doesn't feel right taking advantage of her when she's mostly asleep. wakes up for some later playtime.

Day Three broken into sections:

1) He wakes up in the middle of a midnight BJ going-wrong, pushes her off the bed, clean-up, much awkwardness, guilt, retire to his bedroom, wakes next day alone to more guilt, 'ruined weekend,' assumes the worst, but she's feeling guilt of her own

2) Naked breakfast in the landlord's kitchen, naked playtime on their kitchen table, more, playtime on the landlord's family room couch

3) Back in apartment, impromptu toy-play, massage and story-time

4) Guy tells story about his previous girlfriend during a naked backrub

When all is said and done, I'd have to admit it turned out as mostly a 'stroker.'

The parts of Day Three are weird in that Part 1 was an odd scenario that I doubted would be liked at all and rated surprisingly well, currently at 4.83. Maybe she was a little more aggressive than she should have been.

Part 2 It was a slog to write and I always felt it was filler, but currently at an absurd 4.92.

Part 3 was intermediate, but I really liked writing the Story Time bits and sits at a respectable 4.69.

Part 4 in addition to the first Story Time part in the previous section, brings up the rear (so to speak) at a 4.0.

For the broken-up Day Three, the first two parts I don't think are that great, but most probably score highly due to the amount of sex.

I loved writing the Story Time section and I really had a vote/readership drop off. (As multi-part stories are wont to do.)
Day 2 was what I felt was, overall, the my best, most well-rounded section. It currently rates at a more-than-respectable 4.87.

I've always said that the ratings are Likes, not Quality. And people here generally react well to the sexy-bits. (Duh!!)

 

[kreemi_pi]

Apparently you;re new here and don;t know me very well. I'm not worried. Ask around. ; )



I do not judge the readership. I never have. I'm just real about their reactions and what they mean about my work. Unlike so many writers here, I don't let the readership's reactions go to my head when positive or bum me out when negative, since I understand that it's essentially a porn site.



Apparently. ; )

I would ask around except don't care. Blah blah blah to whatever ever else you said.

 

[SimonDoom]

If you want to win or place in compeitions, study what wins and how. There ARE things you can do to increase your chances without one star bombing your competitors LOL.

But above all enjoy your writing because without that, you won't last long!

I cannot emphasize enough how much I agree with what Chloe wrote. And I want to emphasize to those who are somewhat new and might be discouraged by the results they are seeing, our advice is not dismissive. We get it. We've been there. I've seen plenty of 1-bombs and nasty comments. I understand the annoyance. But the system is not going to change, and there are many good reasons why it won't change, whatever you may think about it and however fervently you want it to change.

After I had published my first four stories at Literotica, only one of them scored above 4.5. That one had a high score, of around 4.8, but it had low views. I was a bit discouraged, but I didn't complain about the system. I analyzed it, read stories, read how-to stories on various categories and how to succeed at Literotica, mastered all the content guidelines and category nuances, and went forward. I decided that as a Literotica author I wanted both things: I wanted a lot of readers, and I wanted to write the stories I wanted to write for my own purposes. I did both. And it's worked. I have stories with high scores, and I have stories with low scores. I have a story with over 2 million views, and I have stories with only a few thousand after over a year. I've enjoyed writing and publishing every one of them. I'm a stat junkie and I like high scores and lots of views just like everybody else, but if I don't get them I shrug and console myself with the pleasure of having written the story, whatever the reception. I move on.

There are many paths to "success" at Literotica. But if you want success, do your work, and focus on what is needed to achieve whatever success you want to achieve. It can be done. But you're not going to get there by complaining about the system.

The toplists are a nice way to get extra recognition for your stories, but they're not essential. I don't have a single story within the top 10 of any toplist. It doesn't stop me from continuing to get readers and followers and nice comments.

Above all, have fun writing and publishing and knowing that regardless of your story's rank on a toplist, at Literotica you have a better chance of getting a lot of people to read your erotic story than anywhere else.

 

[ChloeTzang]

I would ask around except don't care. Blah blah blah to whatever ever else you said.

Seriously, that's a lot of noise from someone who doesn't have any stories posted on LIT.

 

[kreemi_pi]

Seriously, that's a lot of noise from someone who doesn't have any stories posted on LIT.

Seriously, don't care.

 

[ChloeTzang]

I cannot emphasize enough how much I agree with what Chloe wrote. And I want to emphasize to those who are somewhat new and might be discouraged by the results they are seeing, our advice is not dismissive. We get it. We've been there. I've seen plenty of 1-bombs and nasty comments. I understand the annoyance.

I'd really emphasize this. DON'T be discouraged. When you first start here, you're not a known quantity and it's harder to get readers and views. It's little things that help with that. A good title and a good secondary title. They have to be catchy and pique the reader's attention. Then it gets down to good writing - hook the reader with that first paragraph and that first page. Make them WANT to read your story.

If you get good ratings, don't rest on your laurels (pun intended lol). Work to keep improving, put stories in events and competitions to gain views - you likely wont get a prize early on, but you WILL get more readers and if they like yur story, they'll follow you and likely read your next one.

Like Simon said, don't be discouraged by poor ratings - just work to improve you writing, and that's all sorts of little things. Good writing doesn't come naturally to most of us - it's a skill you learn and the only way to get better is to write and write and write, and aim to improve with every story. If you WANT to be a good writer who readers WANT to read stories by, thats what yuo need to do. If you eventually want to get yourself published, or self-publish, even more so. Don't make dumb spelling and grammatical mistakes like I do either. LOL. Those throw readers out of the story - those little details are the things that drag you down. Over come them!

As for 1-bombs, everyone gets them. Like Simon, I picked up a lot - and when you write story in a competition that scores highly, or you pop up into a Top whatever listing, you have a target on your back and you WILL get hit. No exceptions. We all go thru it. Just as an example, my "American Dream" story won the 2023 April Fools Day competition, 4.9x was its final score I think, and now it's at 4.54 and has been since shortly after the competition - low # of votes so it didn't take much to take it down. Did I worry about that. Nope. It's life.

Now when I started, I did - back when I was first getting a little better, in 2017 I wrote "The Temptation of Sammi Woo" for the Summer competition and the first 50 votes were ALL 5's. Blew my mind as a newbie - and then it was one-star bombed down to 3.8 - I almost deleted everythung and left LIT over that one, I was that pissed, but you know what, it worked its way back up to 4.8 and has pretty much sat there ever since and I'm not complainng. It's probably a bit higher rated than it deserves to be

So if it happens to you, don't take it personally - justlet it go and write the next story.....easy for me and Simon to say after 10 years here, but....10 years ago that's what the old-timers told us. LOL. We have indeed all been there and we DO understand. All too well.

 

[pink_silk_glove]

When I was much younger, I got confused between Soviet Union and Sauvignon. Or maybe the people around me didn't know how to pronounce either properly.

I thought it was the So-Be-It Union. I was three. Gimme a break. : P

 

[realitycheck701]

Bone apple tea!