How do I get readers to post comments?

[BobbyBrandt]

A comment merely asking when the next chapter in a series will be posted isn’t much of a meaningful comment. I recommend writing as well as possible using the other suggestions above and hopefully you will hear from the readers more often.

The OP requested tips on "more comments", but I understand your point.

On the other hand, perspective is everything. Would you rather have a comment denoting an interest in continuing to read your story, or a comment such as "Quit while you're ahead"? Both could hold meaning to the author.

 

[Kumquatqueen]

I get a lot of feedback on PTSD and Veteran Suicide... but both of those subjects don't work into erotica very well.

Most of my feedback has been about wheelchairs - which at least fit better into erotica and kink...

 

[SimonDoom]

There's not a lot you can do to get a lot more comments. The number of comments I get per story view is miniscule. There are some things you can do to marginally improve your chances of getting comments:

1. Write Loving Wives stories. These get the most comments, although often not good ones.

2. Write stories that make readers angry. Not a recommended strategy, but you WILL get more comments.

3. Write stories that emotionally engage your readers.

4. Comment constructively on other authors' stories.

5. Ask for comments and feedback, in the feedback forum, on your profile page, and at the beginning and/or end of your story.

 

[Duleigh]

...maybe, so but veterans and PTSD sufferers can still have sexual feelings and deserve space at Lit. I've not read your work yet, but kudos for reaching out

I'm not saying they don't, but it takes a very caring woman to put up with a guy that occasionally wakes her up by screaming and searching under the bed for a piece of equipment he hadn't touched in twenty years, like an M16 or a gas mask, and that can make for a very wonderful relationship to write about... or a very painful breakup

 

[Limnophile]

What tips can you offer for attracting more comments to a story?

Blind_Justice​

Post in Loving Wives category.

---
At least half the comments I've seen in LW resemble "You suck! Go hang yourself!"
I avoid LW at all costs.

 

[MajorRewrite]

The accepted wisdom is that one reader in a hundred votes, one in a thousand comments. It’s what we work with. Keep writing, I guess.

I checked mine and they do cluster around 1 comment per 1,000 views. Accepted wisdom rules!

Interestingly, one of my Loving Wives stories is well below that rate of commenting, but I delete more lunatic comments on those stories so that’s probably misleading.

YouTube creators use some tricks to encourage comments, including asking a question at the end to get viewers to respond. You might ask for suggestions on what to write about next.

 

[SomaSlave]

One approach I try is to end a story with what I hope is a thought provoking line, ideally one that calls into question just where things are really going. I fear that I may be too subtle at times. For example, the last line of my latest story is meant to show an entirely new perspective on one of the supporting characters. When I thought of it, it blew my mind and I had hoped it would register on the readers. What's been your experience with one line twist endings?

 

[AwkwardlySet]

Tough question. I think Simon has covered all the reasonable things you can do to get more comments. There is always the dramatic solution though. Let your readers know that you won't write anymore due to low amount of feedback you are getting. It is radical I suppose, and it can backfire, but it should bring results and it is justified, if feedback is an important factor in your motivation.
I can relate to your problem and I bet many other authors can relate as well. I have also exhausted some other sources of motivation for writing, like proving something to myself, trying something new etc., so I am at the point where feedback has become an important factor, and same as you and same as most other authors, I am not getting nearly enough feedback, even on the stories that are rated sky-high. I have slowed down noticeably, but I might even decide to stop, at least until I feel motivated enough.

 

[SomaSlave]

Tough question. I think Simon has covered all the reasonable things you can do to get more comments. There is always the dramatic solution though. Let your readers know that you won't write anymore due to low amount of feedback you are getting. It is radical I suppose, and it can backfire, but it should bring results and it is justified, if feedback is an important factor in your motivation.
I can relate to your problem and I bet many other authors can relate as well. I have also exhausted some other sources of motivation for writing, like proving something to myself, trying something new etc., so I am at the point where feedback has become an important factor, and same as you and same as most other authors, I am not getting nearly enough feedback, even on the stories that are rated sky-high. I have slowed down noticeably, but I might even decide to stop, at least until I feel motivated enough.

That's a thought. Unfortunately, I'm not CEO of Literotica, so an Elon Musk approach isn't a viable option.

 

[AwkwardlySet]

That's a thought. Unfortunately, I'm not CEO of Literotica, so an Elon Musk approach isn't a viable option.

I don't quite follow. What I meant was, you can announce in your next story that you are considering to stop writing, because you draw your motivation from feedback and you aren't getting enough of it. It could be a bluff or not, but it should give you an idea how much exactly do your readers care

 

[SomaSlave]

I don't quite follow. What I meant was, you can announce in your next story that you are considering to stop writing, because you draw your motivation from feedback and you aren't getting enough of it. It could be a bluff or not, but it should give you an idea how much exactly do your readers care

I guess I am too subtle. I was referencing Elon Musk's recent Twitter poll on stepping down as CEO of Twitter. That may be one of my writing problems: too many unexplained cultural references.

 

[BobbyBrandt]

One approach I try is to end a story with what I hope is a thought provoking line, ideally one that calls into question just where things are really going. I fear that I may be too subtle at times. For example, the last line of my latest story is meant to show an entirely new perspective on one of the supporting characters. When I thought of it, it blew my mind and I had hoped it would register on the readers. What's been your experience with one line twist endings?

Cliffhanger endings will also increase the amount of feedback, whether through comments or e-mails from readers.

 

[lc69hunter]

As said before, write a Loving Wives story. I have seen those get literally hundreds of comments.

I am an outlier. I am in the top thirty on Lit commenting on stories. If I read a story, I rate the story. If I rate the story, over 90% of the time I will comment on that story. The author needs and appreciates the feedback in my opinion.

 

[gordo12]

Blind_Justice​

Post in Loving Wives category.

Limnophile​

At least half the comments I've seen in LW resemble "You suck! Go hang yourself!"
I avoid LW at all costs.

Yes, posting in LW will bring lots of comments. 20 stories, 14 of which are in LW, with an average of 69+ comments per story. Sci-fi and Erotic horror sucked, generating only a few comments. Romance did well, generating an average of 73 comments per story. It depends on the category, and those two are great categories to get comments. But as the above poster pointed out, they're not always nice. So what!

A new author WANTS feedback. What are the odds of getting great feedback on 2 comments vs 69 or 70 comments? The most meaningful comment I ever got came out of LW. Some of the best advice on grammar, structure and punctuation came out of LW.

 

[MillieDynamite]

My father says that comments on stories, free or otherwise, are like hen's teeth, rare!

 

[TarnishedPenny]

You might ask for suggestions on what to write about next.

I tried that and, with an admittedly small sample size, didn't see much of a difference. That said, it can't hurt.

 

[djrip]

I am an outlier. I am in the top thirty on Lit commenting on stories. If I read a story, I rate the story. If I rate the story, over 90% of the time I will comment on that story.

Is there a listing of top commenters? I have started following a similar policy of commenting on nearly every story I read, but only recently. And working through rereads of my older favorites to leave my thoughts about them. I was inspired by a reader, old_twit, who commented on a few of mine and I saw in his profile that he said he makes it a point to do so on most of what he reads. Seemed like a good idea to me, I shouldn't complain about no comments if I'm not leaving any either!

 

[ElectricBlue]

Is there a listing of top commenters?

Feedback Portal has one, in the sidebar:

Comments and Feedback Portal

 

[djrip]

Feedback Portal has one, in the sidebar:

Comments and Feedback Portal

I, um, am no longer concerned that I might be annoying people by commenting too much! Wow there are some prolific commenters!

 

[ElectricBlue]

I, um, am no longer concerned that I might be annoying people by commenting too much! Wow there are some prolific commenters!

Indeed. I'm not curious enough to find out, but I wonder if the bulk of the high responders are ass-hat negatives or intelligent commentators.

 

[SamScribble]

How do you get readers to post comments? Have you tried offering cash? Cash usually works.

 

[lc69hunter]

Indeed. I'm not curious enough to find out, but I wonder if the bulk of the high responders are ass-hat negatives or intelligent commentators.

Most of the extremely high commenters are loving wives haters. None of the rest of us will ever catch them. They hate cheating, sharing, cuckolding and anything related, and hate women in general. And, I have been on this site as a reader since 2007, a lot of years

 

[XerXesXu]

Indeed. I'm not curious enough to find out, but I wonder if the bulk of the high responders are ass-hat negatives or intelligent commentators.

Interesting. There's an old English saying -'A penny for your thoughts'. Perhaps the site could indicate that someone has made a comment, and the writer could pay a penny/cent, whatever, if they believed the comment might be worth it. I don't think Laurel would go on many luxury holidays as a result - just my penny's worth.

 

[Trionyx]

Is one merely looking for comments or is one looking for meaningful comments? I personally appreciate meaningful comments about the plot, the characters, what worked, what didn't, etc. I believe they help me improve my writing skills and as such I prefer fewer comments with more meat than a higher number of comments with vacuous praise or hostile trashing.

 

[ElectricBlue]

Most of the extremely high commenters are loving wives haters. None of the rest of us will ever catch them. They hate cheating, sharing, cuckolding and anything related, and hate women in general. And, I have been on this site as a reader since 2007, a lot of years

As I suspected, hence my general lack of curiosity. There's a great sewer of misogyny which I can do without.