Most favorited stories of all time: By Category

[lovecraft68]

I'm not much of a stat hound, but this morning found myself glancing through the all time fav list (by favs not category) and decided to poke around in the list in the sidebar that is by category.
Who has the most favs by category? Unfortunately, this list also shows the disparity in many categories as far as readership goes.

Category-author-number of favs

Anal-Outsourcing-Paco Fear-3966
Audio-Isn't That Why I'm Here? To Be Used Lunerhiccups-168
BDSM-Sexy Doctor Gives Prostrate Exam-Sluttybisexualguy-1283
Celebs/Fanfiction-Emma-Clownprince2008-641
Chain Stories-We Gotta Stop Mom-Txtalltales-400- TBH I'm not sure how this category works as chain stories seems to indicate multiple authors, unless this is by installment.
Erotic Couplings-Going Too Far-Confi-4511
Purely Sinful-Rozalin_0123-2416
E/V-Roommates or More? Orie-4625
Fetish-Her Presents-Bothworld-1849
First Time-That's What Friends Are For-lovecraft68-6840
Gay Male-Boyfriend Gets it in the end-DoorX-2460
Group Sex-Accidental Gangbang-Silkstockingslover-5208
BDSM-A Beginner's Guide to Dominating her-Master_N_Mentor-598
Humor/Satire-The Double D's play D&D-Georgetasker-909
Illustrated-Daughter's Initiation into Incest-Silkstockingslover-1016
Incest/Taboo-Sitting on my son's lap-Retired04-9659
Interracial-Cucked on Vacation-Everyonesavoyeur-2693
Lesbian Sex-Lovers without realizing it-Redemerald-3182
Letters and Transcripts-Suck Him For Me-Whitetiger420-307
Loving Wives-Three Days Watching My Wife Fuck-Newbie2008-6131
Mature-Comforting My Neighbor's Daughter-Mattchat33-6680
Mind Control-Revenge of the Nerd Bitch Sister-Silkstockingslover-2728
Non English-there are only three entries on this list with one by Literotica on top at 31
Non-Erotic-Uncertain Justice-Longhorn_07-414
Non Consent/reluctance-Tara's Breeding-Uh-oh-6387
Non-Human-Home for Horny Monsters (ch 001)-WriterAnnabelle-3125
Novels/Novellas-Split Trails Ranch-QHML1-798
Reviews and Essays-Hotwife Scenarios in Mainstream Movies-luvtowatchwife-721
Romance-Sales Team-Cat5-4199
Sci-Fi fantasy-The Missing Dragon-Lien_Geller-2549
Toys and Masturbation-The Chair-Colleen Thomas-1470
Transgender Crossdressing-Shemale Surprise-Silkstockingslover-1912

 

[lovecraft68]

Some observations about this list.

To stop the inevitable squawking over 'subjective' this is not by score, in fact some of these are underwhelming in that category. But for whatever reason they did well in their category and many people who read there continue to find and enjoy them, so its safe to say many in the category find them to be among the best in it.

Most stories here are on the older side, which makes sense as it generally takes some time amass these numbers and rise through the 250 list for each category. To repeat from my opening post this shows the huge disparity in the viewership of many categories. Seems most here read the "basics'

Some personal observations (snark alert on some of these)

The list could be renamed the Silstockingslover list...Jeez, lady, save some for other people

Most "BDSM Authors" should read Master_N-Mentors How to on being a dominant so you'd see you really belong in the Non Con section.

Going through this list and seeing the top spot authors, but also some just behind them is like a walk through memory lane. I recall interacting with many of these folks at some point, but most have been gone a long time.

Collen Thomas-passed away in my early time here-perhaps just before I came here-and not only left a mark on the lists and among other authors, but is one of those "what if" types as in how much more she could have achieved if not cut short.

The list shows-to those who are familiar with some of these names-how people can be falsely claimed to be a "such and such" writer and that's all they can write. Three authors on this list who's names are always associated with I/T have top stories in other categories.

I like this list because other than the entry in NH, none of the number ones are part of a series, something that plagues the all time list as far as scores go.

Last note, and circling back, this list itself is a trip through time as its partly based on the longevity of the story, and if you've been here some time, you remember them debuting and seeing them move through the ranks. There's a lot of stories worth checking out here, and not just the top spots, but those beneath as well. I'd say the top ten in every list falls under the 'epic' story in its category field.

 

[SimonDoom]

It's to a significant degree a function of views. The more views, the more favorites. Sitting In My Son's Lap is the all=time number one story at Literotica for views. It wasn't always, but a few years ago it took that title and now it far outpaces all other stories. Its score is only 4.44. It was published in 2009, so it has accumulated its stats for nearly 16 years. Obviously, the key for that story is the title. It's the best possible title at Literotica for grabbing eyeballs.

 

[lovecraft68]

It's to a significant degree a function of views. The more views, the more favorites. Sitting In My Son's Lap is the all=time number one story at Literotica for views. It wasn't always, but a few years ago it took that title and now it far outpaces all other stories. Its score is only 4.44. It was published in 2009, so it has accumulated its stats for nearly 16 years. Obviously, the key for that story is the title. It's the best possible title at Literotica for grabbing eyeballs.

It's like anything else, if you can get to a top spot on any list, then your story is the first thing people see which will continue to gain the story more numbers.

As for titles, I agree that is a huge factor, and Silk is the Mistress of the eye rolling porno title-which is funny because her writing has more depth than those titles indicate-but "Sitting on my son's lap" doesn't strike me as a "Holy crap I need to read this" title. Its direct and to the point. I think being the first of its kind-at least that became very popular-has made it so the word "lap" now gets attention just because of it. Its like movie franchises. The Exorcist is still regarded as one of the greatest horror movies of all times, but just about every movie that followed in the original franchise, or just using the word, has been a flop, but got eyes on them because people still recall the original.

Now the good difference between this list and the top list by score is that these lists cannot be sniped. You can lower a score by bombing, but you can't remove someone's favs, so to me this list is more legit because its less prone to gaming.

 

[SimonDoom]

There's an almost exponential factor with favorites and followers: the more you have, the faster you keep getting them. That's why Silk is going to be almost impossible for anyone to catch at this point, especially because she still keeps publishing stories.

 

[lovecraft68]

There's an almost exponential factor with favorites and followers: the more you have, the faster you keep getting them. That's why Silk is going to be almost impossible for anyone to catch at this point, especially because she still keeps publishing stories.

Funny you say that because while looking through here, I saw an author who was one of the most dominant here for a long time. But they stopped posting a few years ago and even though their stories still get attention for being where they are on the all times lists, a lot of their rankings have been surpassed by people who have been steadily posting and therefore climbing the ranks.

I've had people tell me that had I continued to be as prolific as I was from 2010-2016 all the way through I could have given Silk a run, but I don't think so, I'd just be less far behind. These days I drop a couple of stories a year for the readers who've always supported me, and to keep a presence of sorts, but most of my writing goals aren't lit based at this point.

 

[AwkwardlySet]

I also think that posting regularly is the key for acquiring followers. So many stories, so many authors here. Many readers, especially those who don't visit Literotica every day will fail to notice some story that would otherwise interest them. So they miss the first, the second, the third, but they find the fourth, and then they will likely check out the author's other stories and find they love their work. They become followers.

Posting regularly is like refreshing your presence on the site and giving a chance to new readers to notice you. My own following has mostly stagnated since I posted my last story, and will continue to stagnate. Activity matters a lot.

 

[MelissaBaby]

There's an almost exponential factor with favorites and followers: the more you have, the faster you keep getting them. That's why Silk is going to be almost impossible for anyone to catch at this point, especially because she still keeps publishing stories.

She also has over 10,000 followers on Twitter, and diligently promotes her stories there.

 

[lc69hunter]

I have a few of those stories as favorites myself, and I have been around since 2008.

 

[RejectReality]

Every submission in Chain Stories is associated with a single author. The common practice was for the authors in the chain to each take a chapter, and while there was plotline everyone had agreed upon woven throughout, the individual chapters were wholly the work of a single author for the most part. Some also only have a common theme, and the individual stories don't really connect to each other at all, unless you're like me and decided to serialize your own stories within that framework.

Knew it had to be Liam Geller or Paco Fear in Sci-Fi&Fantasy. The Double Ds Play D&D has pretty much been there since I started damn near 20 years ago. LOL It was in the top 5 of the category toplist for probably a decade.

 

[Comshaw]

She also has over 10,000 followers on Twitter, and diligently promotes her stories there.

Great writing and the highlighted above is the key to being on a top list. With the amount of stories on this site, you have to want to be there and work diligently to get there. It seems SSL has found that key and the drive to use it.

For me, a try at getting up there would take way too much of my time, time I could put into other things I like to do. I've always been a Jack of all trades. I'm satisfied to stay in that lane.


Comshaw

 

[NuclearFairy]

The Missing Dragon is also a series. It's incomplete (at least on lit) but a pretty good series.

 

[PapaRomantic]

I know a story's longevity has a great deal to do with the number of likes and views.

But I also propose that when some of these older stories were being written, there weren't nearly as many stories being published as there are today. I believe the stories published - readers ratio favored the authors then more than current times. Even in my time writing (started in October 2016) I've seen a huge increase in the number of I/T stories, for instance, that only stay on the I/T page for one day, and then disappear into the library. That didn't happen like that as often as when I was beginning. Unless you have a huge number of followers, once your story disappears from the category front page, it will be hard to find again.

I don't think any of this is bad. I just think it's the way it is.

I'm also sure that as the story database keeps growing larger, it will be harder for individual stories to be found and read.

I'm still glad we have a place to publish!

 

[RejectReality]

I know a story's longevity has a great deal to do with the number of likes and views.

But I also propose that when some of these older stories were being written, there weren't nearly as many stories being published as there are today. I believe the stories published - readers ratio favored the authors then more than current times. Even in my time writing (started in October 2016) I've seen a huge increase in the number of I/T stories, for instance, that only stay on the I/T page for one day, and then disappear into the library. That didn't happen like that as often as when I was beginning. Unless you have a huge number of followers, once your story disappears from the category front page, it will be hard to find again.

I don't think any of this is bad. I just think it's the way it is.

I'm also sure that as the story database keeps growing larger, it will be harder for individual stories to be found and read.

I'm still glad we have a place to publish!

There was no category hub for a lot of years. I'm fairly certain they were post 2011, but I don't remember for sure.

That means your story left page 1 of the one and only new story list almost without a doubt when the next day's stories came out. There might be a few of yesterday's left on the bottom of the new list, but it was only the ones that were at the very top of the list the previous day.

Plus, the new story list on the hubs has been expanded a couple of times over the years. They used to be much shorter.

So that all more or less cancels out this as a potential factor.

 

[lovecraft68]

I know a story's longevity has a great deal to do with the number of likes and views.

But I also propose that when some of these older stories were being written, there weren't nearly as many stories being published as there are today. I believe the stories published - readers ratio favored the authors then more than current times. Even in my time writing (started in October 2016) I've seen a huge increase in the number of I/T stories, for instance, that only stay on the I/T page for one day, and then disappear into the library. That didn't happen like that as often as when I was beginning. Unless you have a huge number of followers, once your story disappears from the category front page, it will be hard to find again.

I don't think any of this is bad. I just think it's the way it is.

I'm also sure that as the story database keeps growing larger, it will be harder for individual stories to be found and read.

I'm still glad we have a place to publish!

Back when some of these stories came out there was a limit to how many stories a reader could have on their favorites page which meant readers were choosier, or once a story was finished, they would unfav it. When the change was made to be pretty much unlimited fav totals really blew up, but a lot of these stories spent a fair amount of time at a disadvantage compared to the post change stories

 

[TiberiusPrime]

I'm still somewhat shocked at times that my stories are favorited. I'm just glad that so many people enjoy what I write.

 

[RejectReality]

Back when some of these stories came out there was a limit to how many stories a reader could have on their favorites page which meant readers were choosier, or once a story was finished, they would unfav it. When the change was made to be pretty much unlimited fav totals really blew up, but a lot of these stories spent a fair amount of time at a disadvantage compared to the post change stories

This too. I think it was originally like 10? Maybe 20? Your number of potential favorite stories was MUCH shorter back in the day.

 

[ShelbyDawn57]

Six years, my top favorited story has 325...