Omg!

[CorsetLvr]

This thread got me thinking and I went and checked a couple of my more recent posts to see how they are doing.

One is #15 in BDSM and the other is #5 in toys. They'll probably get tanked now.

 

[Liar]

The top 500 poems are all 4.75 or better. Cloudy had 12 votes and a 5.00 score yesterday; a single additonal one vote would bring the score down to 4.69 -- which is completely out of the top 500 by at least .06

Heh, my bad. Quick math is not a muscle i excersize on a regular basis.

 

[AnonymousTroll]

Oh don't worry Cloudy, I'll stop over there and fix that little problem for you.



ANT

Cloudy,

Just to be clear, I did read it today and voted a five. I dreamed up this alt just for having fun. Figures I'd say something like that and then some asshole trashes you that way.

And I know how you feel. I asked someone to read a poem I wrote. Not under ANT but it had a score of five for about two weeks. So later they told me they don't like poetry, but they went and read it. I felt pretty bad when it was clear they had voted a one.

Sympathies

ANT

 

[cloudy]

Cloudy,

Just to be clear, I did read it today and voted a five. I dreamed up this alt just for having fun. Figures I'd say something like that and then some asshole trashes you that way.

And I know how you feel. I asked someone to read a poem I wrote. Not under ANT but it had a score of five for about two weeks. So later they told me they don't like poetry, but they went and read it. I felt pretty bad when it was clear they had voted a one.

Sympathies

ANT

no worries, darlin'.

 

[Guest]

Knew it wouldn't last.

Thank you to whoever just had to vote it down this morning.

But it's nice know it was (I think is now) #1.

I can remember when the Top List Poems were only 2 pages long and all 5.00 or 4.90. It's good to see 7 pages and ranges to 4.75. A lot of poet-types say voting doesn't matter. Though, because of the year end contest, I'll tell ya, that $50 Amazon gift certificate was a nice thing to get for best erotic poem 2006.

​

 

[cloudy]

But it's nice know it was (I think is now) #1.

I can remember when the Top List Poems were only 2 pages long and all 5.00 or 4.90. It's good to see 7 pages and ranges to 4.75. A lot of poet-types say voting doesn't matter. Though, because of the year end contest, I'll tell ya, that $50 Amazon gift certificate was a nice thing to get for best erotic poem 2006.

​

I got best erotic poem for 2005, and was pleased, too.

 

[Weird Harold]

I realize you were referring to this particular scenario, however, I have tracked the scoring on a few of my recently posted stories on a slow weekend when I didn't have a lot else to do. .... I think this is more common in story categories with a low number of votes.

I've been watching the scores for about eight years now -- not closely, but closely enough to see patterns develop over the long term. There are three situations that virtually guarantee a story or poem a low vote that the sweeps won't remove:

1: A perfect 5.0

2: Numer one on A top list -- it doesn't have to be the highest score overall, just the highest on some list.

3: Bringing attention to a story or poem in the forums.

Those votes aren't generally considered fraudulent unless there is a pattern from an individual or other indication of a concerted attack on an author or particular story.

I had one like that was #1 in the toys and masturbation category.

I think it also to occur more frequently when a story climbs to the top of the Top List for its category. It's as if a bulleseye was painted on the story that makes it a target for being "tanked."

Being on top generates the "disappointment votes" and the "that's not as good as my (favorite) story" votes and sometimes "jealous author/fan" attacks. Vote sweeps generally clean up the last, but not the first two.

... I have a feeling that the majority of people that do vote, either love or hate a story and those in the middle are never counted. Go take a look at the number of views and number of votes on your stories sometime and calculate the percentage of readers that actually vote. I think you will find the resulting percentage a little bit of a shock.

Nope, I won't find the vote to view ratio on my stories shocking at all -- I'd been watching the scores and gripes about voting for almost ayear before I submittted the first one. I manged to predict the course of the voting on my first story almost vote for vote over the first 25 votes.

If you get a three vote on a story, cherish it and maybe even have it bronzed -- it's likely the only HONEST vote you have. Most people only bother to vote on stories that touch their emotions in some way -- and an honest three seldom generates neither enough anger or enough love to move a reader to vote.

 

[Guest]

I got best erotic poem for 2005, and was pleased, too.

I know. You beat me that year. They gave certificates? I got Illustrated poem that year and didn't get one.

 

[cloudy]

I know. You beat me that year. They gave certificates? I got Illustrated poem that year and didn't get one.

I think they did. I don't remember.

 

[jomar]

If you get a three vote on a story, cherish it and maybe even have it bronzed -- it's likely the only HONEST vote you have. Most people only bother to vote on stories that touch their emotions in some way -- and an honest three seldom generates neither enough anger or enough love to move a reader to vote.

Excellent advice. And if there's a PC frame it and hang it on the mantle above the bronzed vote. Probably holds for twos and fours as well.

 

[Weird Harold]

Probably holds for twos and fours as well.

Actually there's a major subset of voters -- around 40-50% -- who won't give a top score or a bottom score for any reason; that's where the fours and twos come from. What motivates them to vote is generally the same passions as for those who vote fives and ones, but they don't believe in "perfection" or "absolute trash."

 

[colddiesel]

My opinion is that with a very few exceptions the best poets on Literotica do not get the best votes. The best poets tend to be on the poetry board a lot where you cannot cultivate as many buddies as on the AH or even the GB. Compare for example Angeline's (a genuinely talented poet) "Memories like Glass" with any of the poems above her. The comparasion is frankly embarassing for almost all of them.

Voting is a popularity contest, nothing else. And whilst I'm in a stirring mood why is a so called 1 bomb any worse than a gaggle of 5's from a bunch of voting lemmings. Uncritical and unwarranted praise is no better than spiteful mark downs.

Before we complain about 1 bombs how many of the people who voted on Cloudy's poem read, let alone voted on any other poem that day?

 

[starrkers]

We probably have unrealistic expectations, caused by the "I won't vote anything but 5" group.
A vote of 3 should be seen as good, 4 great and 5 bloody fantastic. If people voted on everything they read, and voted honestly, the vote spread would be far greater than it is.

 

[jomar]

Actually there's a major subset of voters -- around 40-50% -- who won't give a top score or a bottom score for any reason; that's where the fours and twos come from. What motivates them to vote is generally the same passions as for those who vote fives and ones, but they don't believe in "perfection" or "absolute trash."

Motivations are pretty interesting. I could see 'no perfection' but would have to work at 'no absolute trash,' though the thought of someone working hard on something and putting themselves out there would mitigate that somewhat. I think.

 

[cloudy]

My opinion is that with a very few exceptions the best poets on Literotica do not get the best votes. The best poets tend to be on the poetry board a lot where you cannot cultivate as many buddies as on the AH or even the GB. Compare for example Angeline's (a genuinely talented poet) "Memories like Glass" with any of the poems above her. The comparasion is frankly embarassing for almost all of them.

Voting is a popularity contest, nothing else. And whilst I'm in a stirring mood why is a so called 1 bomb any worse than a gaggle of 5's from a bunch of voting lemmings. Uncritical and unwarranted praise is no better than spiteful mark downs.

Before we complain about 1 bombs how many of the people who voted on Cloudy's poem read, let alone voted on any other poem that day?

Was anyone in this thread complaining? If they were, you're the only one that sees them.

I don't mind any honest vote. I do mind someone voting something of mine down simply because they can, and without reading it. A low or middlin' vote doesn't bother me a bit if they tell me why they didn't like it, but a vote like that, especially on poetry, leads me to believe its simply malicious, especially since the Poetry Forum is notoriously snobbish and closed to anyone not seen as some "serious poet."

I realize you like nothing I write. That's your perogative. I don't know why you keep reading my poems, though, since you haven't liked any of them.

 

[colddiesel]

Was anyone in this thread complaining? If they were, you're the only one that sees them.

I don't mind any honest vote. I do mind someone voting something of mine down simply because they can, and without reading it.

I realize you like nothing I write. That's your perogative.

Yes but my point is that don't you find it equally offensive when friends vote your work (or that of another) up without any critical justification? just as much as when it is voted down.

Your comment that I do not like anything you write is a tad overstated because I have only ever commented on one piece of your work and it was certainly not a 1 bomb comment. You might also note that my previous post did not comment on your latest work at all. Frankly I think your reply doesn't deal with the points I raised at all but as you correctly say that's your prerogative.

 

[cloudy]

Yes but my point is that don't you find it equally offensive when friends vote your work (or that of another) up without any critical justification? just as much as when it is voted down.

Your comment that I do not like anything you write is a tad overstated because I have only ever commented on one piece of your work and it was certainly not a 1 bomb comment. You might also note that my previous post did not comment on your latest work at all. Frankly I think your reply doesn't deal with the points I raised at all but as you correctly say that's your prerogative.

Let me repeat: I don't mind any honest vote.

I can't make it much clearer. I don't see you complaining about your friends "5-bombing" you. To do so would be sort of stupid, yeah?

 

[Boxlicker101]

I think I must be going crazy. I just, so I thought, posted a comment saying that my peom had a short life at the top of the heap because somebody hit it with a 2-bomb. Then I looked at the top list again, and this is what it says:

1 5.00 18 Undone cloudy 07/12/07
2 5.00 12 A Lass in Our Town Boxlicker101 07/03/05
3 4.94 16 The Destruction of Free Will Susan Strict 12/27/05
4 4.92 13 Cherokee Remec 04/17/05
5 4.92 13 In the Attic Remec 06/02/05
6 4.92 13 In My Mind KR 06/22/05
7 4.92 13 invariable 4degrees 07/21/05
8 4.92 13 For Awhile jomar 02/02/07
9 4.92 13 The Woman Pandoras Desire 04/14/07
10 4.92 12 ache bluemouse 05/

Could it be the relatively negative votes were swept from both my poem and Cloudy's?

ETA: No, I was right about mine, but the 2-bomb happened too recently to reflect the score in the top list. This is what it says in my index:

A Lass in Our Town No Description.

4.77 13 2825 Erotic Poetry (English) 07/03/05 approved
Public Comments: 2

 

[cloudy]

someone apparently hit jomar, too.

 

[jomar]

someone apparently hit jomar, too.

Hey! I had a 4.93 on the screen capture and now it's a 4.92. Alright, fessup!

 

[SlickTony]

Good poem, Cloudy.

 

[Boxlicker101]

Quote:
Originally Posted by cloudy
someone apparently hit jomar, too.

Hey! I had a 4.93 on the screen capture and now it's a 4.92. Alright, fessup!

Than cannot happen. To have that score with that many votes, you have to get 12 votes of "5" and one vote of "4". Apparently, your score and those of the others with identical totals, was rounded up the first time to 4.93 and rounded down this time to 4.92. The latter is correct, because your average score is 4.923.

 

[Boxlicker101]

My opinion is that with a very few exceptions the best poets on Literotica do not get the best votes. The best poets tend to be on the poetry board a lot where you cannot cultivate as many buddies as on the AH or even the GB. Compare for example Angeline's (a genuinely talented poet) "Memories like Glass" with any of the poems above her. The comparasion is frankly embarassing for almost all of them.

Voting is a popularity contest, nothing else. And whilst I'm in a stirring mood why is a so called 1 bomb any worse than a gaggle of 5's from a bunch of voting lemmings. Uncritical and unwarranted praise is no better than spiteful mark downs.

Before we complain about 1 bombs how many of the people who voted on Cloudy's poem read, let alone voted on any other poem that day?

Of course, what you call 'The best poets" somebody else might call the worst. It is extremely subjective, probably even more so than stories.

I think of myself as being an author, by the way, who dabbles in poetry. With a few exceptions, what I write is doggerel, because it's fun. The poem of mine that was briefly #1 is a funny little limerick that I dashed off in a matter of minutes. I was quite surprised to see it rankint that high. I don't really care what happens to a poem once I post it.

If this had been a story that achieved that high ranking, only to be bombed, I would feel very resentful because I actually put thought and work into the stories I write. Some people might say they are just smut, and I would not disagree, for the most part, but I consider them to be high quality smut.

 

[cloudy]

Good poem, Cloudy.

Thank you.

 

[Samandiriel]

You're my hero.