More Stopping and Starting

[Guest]

I was going to tag this question onto the "What makes you stop" thread, but it seems to be gone (fare well!) and all that good conversation is lost in the ether. Ah well.

In any case, I have heard (and experienced) a good number of opinions about the voting/rating system here on Literotica. I know we are view the ratings in various ways.

Now for the questions.

How (if at all) do ratings affect what you READ here on Lit? If you say they have no effect at all, why?

Are you more likely to read a highly rated story or less likely?

Do you have expectations (positive or negative) of a story based on the rating number?

Do you find that ratings tend to reflect your own opinion of a story you are reading, or do you find them deceptive?

What do you think the ratings actually measure? Was this what they were intended to measure? Are they successful at it?

If you really stop to think about it, do you think ratings have subtle effects on a reader's perception of a story?

 

[sophia jane]

I don't pay attention to the ratings of stories that I read here on lit. It's a pain in the ass to find the ratings, except thru category lists and I rarely go thru the cat lists to find a story.
What does it measure? In some ways, it measures quality, but I think more often it is a measure of popularity. There are some less than stellar writers with some high ratings, so I know it isn't all a matter of quality. That said, my lowest scoring stories deserve to be the lowest scoring.

 

[fieryjen]

I confess, I'm less likely to read stories that were rated extremely low. Unless they're by an author whose work I have enjoyed previously, I'm not very likely to start reading it. Anything above four, my expectations are usually the same. If a story is at the very top of the top list, I'll expect something of very good quality, and I'm more likely to be disappointed if it's not.

I don't think ratings help with fine distinctions. With exceptions, the number before the period usually gives a decent indicator of if I'm going to enjoy reading the story though. However, that depende of course on the subject matter. Some stories just aren't my cup of tea, no matter how highly rated they are.

With higher rated stories, it's more likely the story will be well written and free of grammatical errors. But, as said before, it's no guarantee.

That said, my lowest scoring stories deserve to be the lowest scoring.

I agree. My highest scoring story is definitely my best, and my lowest scoring ones are of the lowest quality of all I've written here.

 

[R. Richard]

I am less likely to read low rated stories. When I do try a low rated story, I usually find that it is poorly written on a spelling/word usage level. Why is it that people do not know how to use a spell checker?

 

[Nostalgy_Prince]

I haven't posted yet, but I'm an avid reader, so here are my answers:

How (if at all) do ratings affect what you READ here on Lit? If you say they have no effect at all, why?
They do. When I'm looking for a story to read, I'm beginning my search with the Top Lists feature, and I work my way down the ratings, pausing from time to time to explore the work of a particular author whose style I like.

Are you more likely to read a highly rated story or less likely?
See previous answer.

Do you have expectations (positive or negative) of a story based on the rating number?
I tend to have. If a story have a high rating, coupled with an important number of readers.

Do you find that ratings tend to reflect your own opinion of a story you are reading, or do you find them deceptive?
Not deceptive, no. What I like is not always what make a story successful.

What do you think the ratings actually measure? Was this what they were intended to measure? Are they successful at it?
Quality of the writing: plot, style, originality, "hotness" factor. This kind of things.
I suppose so. I'm not really sure about that.
In large part, yes

If you really stop to think about it, do you think ratings have subtle effects on a reader's perception of a story?
Subbtle effects? Most certainly.

Hope I answered to your questions. Have a good day

 

[CharleyH]

I was going to tag this question onto the "What makes you stop" thread, but it seems to be gone (fare well!) and all that good conversation is lost in the ether. Ah well.

In any case, I have heard (and experienced) a good number of opinions about the voting/rating system here on Literotica. I know we are view the ratings in various ways.

Now for the questions.

How (if at all) do ratings affect what you READ here on Lit? If you say they have no effect at all, why?

Are you more likely to read a highly rated story or less likely?

Do you have expectations (positive or negative) of a story based on the rating number?

Do you find that ratings tend to reflect your own opinion of a story you are reading, or do you find them deceptive?

What do you think the ratings actually measure? Was this what they were intended to measure? Are they successful at it?

If you really stop to think about it, do you think ratings have subtle effects on a reader's perception of a story?

Goodness - what an old arguement (no offence - it creeps up every once in a while ). Why anyone would care about voting and rating systems on a forum like this is beyond me. You are either a good writer or not, will do something about it or not and surely one knows that in their heart of hearts. To get offended by a lit rating?

I don't read on Lit as much as I used to, but I also don't care for ratings - just as I do not care what Ebert and whatshisnamenow say about movies. I make my own judgements based on what I like.

Do ratings affect most readers? Sure they do, it's kinda the same question as "Does advertising affect consumers?" The real question is to worry about your audience or worry more about your writing?

 

[Stella_Omega]

I went browsing through a cat list the other day, and noticed the little red H once in a while against a title. I tried clicking on those stories. Some of them were, actually, hot. The rest were, at least, not execrable... So, for what it's worth, the ratings system gave my reading experience a modicum of quality. However, I know that many stories that would be excellent by my standards will never achieve a high rating because they will be too stylistic, or too controversial, for the general readership. Those stories will get fives and ones, and never make it across the 4.50 line, and they'll remain hard to find.

 

[3113]

When I go searching for a story to read on Lit only two things matter to me:

*Category (whatever I happen to be in the mood to read)
*Tag-line (whatever sounds interesting given the mood I'm in).

If title and tag-line sounds interesting (to me, that is), I'll give it a try--likewise, if the tag-line makes me roll my eyes, then it ain't getting a reading ("Pet disobeys master" Yawn). I don't even notice the little "H's" much--though I might well go for a "W".

I find that the ratings rarely reflect my own opinion on stories, that is, that I'm often mystified by the "H" some stories have--but then I'm a very tough critic.

What the ratings rate, I believe, is um, well, the kind of stuff that people most like in a given category. For example, I read one highly-rated fantasy that I thought was pretty bad. No characterizaton to speak of, no story. But it was all "Women have magic and are powerful and female sexuality is transforming!"...blah, blah, blah. And most readers of a story with this title and tag-line are going to gobble that up.

Putting it another way, they're part of the choir and the preacher is telling them exactly what they want to hear, with exactly the characters they want to see (strong woman, willing male), and nothing else really matters.

I'm not saying that high marks aren't ever deserved. There are some amazing writers and stories on this site, as professional and literary as I've ever read. But like with blockbuster movies, a lot of stories with high marks seem to be ones that give the kids the sugar and junk food they crave, rather than really offering a truly well-written story.

 

[rgraham666]

Generally, yes.

But sometimes there are subtle clues. A good tagline next to a story will often pique my interest.

Most often though, I limit my reading to authours here on the AH. Even the worst work by them is head and shoulders above the mass of dreck usually submitted here.

 

[SEVERUSMAX]

Hard to say. Some might be one-bombed for having anal, for instance.

 

[oggbashan]

Sometimes useful

I look at the Top Lists and therefore several of the highest rated stories in a category if I want to know what the category is about. That seems to work for everything except 'Loving Wives'. To that extent I find the ratings useful. There is a proviso. I look for high ratings with a significant number, say 25+ votes. Anything lower than that could be friends and family support...

I think that the ratings indicate popularity with readers. That doesn't mean that I or any individual reader is necessarily likely to enjoy a high-rated story but gives some idea that the story is likely to have significant merit in its field.

The ratings are unlikely to match my view of a story unless the subject matter and the handling of it appeal to me personally. I avoid some categories, having read a few stories in them, because the category doesn't appeal. For example, I have written some Incest stories and read some of the higher rated stories beforehand, but I can't see the attraction/arousal of incest. Similarly Interracial doesn't appeal. The category depends on the taboo of interracial sex and I don't see any taboo locally. Here in my town there seems to be more taboo and conflict in possible relationships between branches of Christianity than between relationships that differ on race, colour or nationality. That doesn't mean that I can't appreciate a story that is in the Incest or Interracial categories - I'm less likely to be aroused or excited by it than stories, just as well-written, in other categories.

Ratings do influence readers. My H-rated stories get more views each week than stories without the H.

Og

 

[Stella_Omega]

Generally, yes.

But sometimes there are subtle clues. A good tagline next to a story will often pique my interest.

Most often though, I limit my reading to authours here on the AH. Even the worst work by them is head and shoulders above the mass of dreck usually submitted here.

*sob* he spelled "Pique" correctly!
Oh, Rob, I'm forever grateful!

 

[Colleen Thomas]

I never look at the ratings. It isn't that I don't think they have value, but more that I think they can lead to expectation on my part. I think I am more apt to be critical of something highly rated than I am of something where I don't know the rating. Since I am generally reading for pleasure when i just randomly select something, I prefer to enter unencumbered with expectations beyond just enjoying the work.

 

[SEVERUSMAX]

I admit that I have a bad habit of over-using caps. However, I am trying to cut back, having noticed some complaints about it in otherwise positive feedback.

 

[fieryjen]

I suppose I may not pay attention to the tag-lines so much because I am myself so horrible at coming up with one. So for those that pay much attention to those, I'm basically screwed

And I'm not saying that I only read stories who have a high score or an h or whatever else. I do let my choice be guided by those to a certain extend, but only that. If a title makes me curious and it's got a 2. score, I'll still give it a read for sure.

 

[Guest]

I suppose I may not pay attention to the tag-lines so much because I am myself so horrible at coming up with one. So for those that pay much attention to those, I'm basically screwed

And I'm not saying that I only read stories who have a high score or an h or whatever else. I do let my choice be guided by those to a certain extend, but only that. If a title makes me curious and it's got a 2. score, I'll still give it a read for sure.

I'm with you there, Jen. I never feel much confidence in my taglines, and when I go through them in the story lists, I am amused more than intrigued. Some taglines are just so...bad.

I tend to read more based on authors than on scores, although I know other people are influenced by the numbers. I will check the stories around any of mine in ratings, mostly from curiousity. Since the little "H" is more or less just a tag for having a certain number of votes (as far as I can tell from the help) I don't pay it much attention. I don't use the numbers to guide my own reading very much -- I've found one or two stories I really enjoyed in the low numbers, and stories I thought needed either a strong editor or a delete key in the high numbers.

What I do pay attention to is comments. I wish the comments came FIRST on the stories, the way review blurbs are on the covers and front pages of books, so I could better get a feel of what I'm about to read (or decide if it's just a love fest). I am glad that the people who comment on my stories give specific feedback and actually say something about the story. I try to give any story I read specific comments -- although I've now limited myself only to giving comments to people I know here. Commenting on strangers, unless one is going to be lavish, can be taken badly. For every troll who leaves vicious commentary, there seems to be an author who takes a negative comment -- no matter how well phrased or placed among positives -- as an attack.

 

[minsue]

Since the little "H" is more or less just a tag for having a certain number of votes (as far as I can tell from the help) I don't pay it much attention.

Votes - 10 +
Average score - 4.5 +

 

[fieryjen]

I am glad that the people who comment on my stories give specific feedback and actually say something about the story. I try to give any story I read specific comments -- although I've now limited myself only to giving comments to people I know here. Commenting on strangers, unless one is going to be lavish, can be taken badly. For every troll who leaves vicious commentary, there seems to be an author who takes a negative comment -- no matter how well phrased or placed among positives -- as an attack.

I agree with that. I don't always manage to give a comment as specific as I'd like to, and sometimes I don't want to pick apart a story but just say "Well done - I liked it all around". But the specific comments are infinitely more helpful to both readers and authors, and I'm always glad when I get one.

 

[Guest]

I agree with that. I don't always manage to give a comment as specific as I'd like to, and sometimes I don't want to pick apart a story but just say "Well done - I liked it all around". But the specific comments are infinitely more helpful to both readers and authors, and I'm always glad when I get one.

Well, when I feel moved to comment, I use the 2 to 1 Oreo rule -- one positive, one mild negative (if I have one) and another positive. I try to pick out two things I liked and if I had a quibble, one thing I didn't like. At least for the AV crowd, that usually seems about the right mix. Most of us want to know what people really think without having our skins sanded off.