Question for Authors with Groups or Notify Lists

[sachiaiko]

Hey guys, I gotta question for you.

Since my yahoo group got to be larger, almost 100 people, i have realized something. I send out notifications every time, and i get alot of votes of course after i do because all of my fans are following the link to my story and reading and either loving or hating that particular work of mine.

But what i have found to be true is that afterwards, the script that tags fraudulent votes removes a LARGE chunk of my votes. Actually, generally its more then fifty percent. Now, i really noticed this started happenin after my group became substantial sized, and i was gaining many votes. Since i ask them to vote honestly on the story and to post a comment both on lit and in my group so i can visit with them about each story.

My question is this - have any OTHER of you group users, yahoo or any other type. Or Notify list types, whatever type you use - experienced the same thing? Have you experienced since having your group that the script tags MANY of your votes and fraudulent. I'm basically under the assumption that because they came from the same place the script that does this job is falsly believing its the same person. If others are having this experience as well, that will help to get the script fixed.

it MAY just be me, and i could totally be wrong and off my rocker, and thats cool too. But right now i'm having a hard time believing that. (And i may HAVE to believe it. We shall see. heh)

But, if you have had that experience as well, please lemme know and tell me your situation

Nikki

 

[sophia jane]

So far as I know votes are only removed when:
someone votes more than once from the same isp
someone offers a "troll" or 1 vote.

I can't imagine them being removed because you had alot from the same group, and there's no way to track where votes come from besides ISP.

 

[impressive]

So far as I know votes are only removed when:
someone votes more than once from the same isp
someone offers a "troll" or 1 vote.

I can't imagine them being removed because you had alot from the same group, and there's no way to track where votes come from besides ISP.

If someone was reading Yahoo!Groups messages from the web site (as opposed to e-mail), then clicking on the link in those messages would make the originating site (namely, the Yahoo!Group) "visible" to the Lit script. Still, that doesn't mean the votes aren't legitimate -- just that the Lit script is tagging them as such.

 

[sachiaiko]

Exactly...

If someone was reading Yahoo!Groups messages from the web site (as opposed to e-mail), then clicking on the link in those messages would make the originating site (namely, the Yahoo!Group) "visible" to the Lit script. Still, that doesn't mean the votes aren't legitimate -- just that the Lit script is tagging them as such.

Exactly my concern, darlin'. I'm very concerned that the lit script is accidentally tagging people coming from the same site orlink as the same folks. Or even that it's confusing that action with some other action or mini program that changes IP addresses quickly so you can milti-vote. I am not a coder or programer, i don't understand the details of such things, but i do understand the basics (very very basic) and was concerned something like this could actually be the cause...

Because come on... 50 our of 88 votes being pulled when i have almost 90 people in my group alone, many of whom did go and read and vote. Also, i was thinking if some votes came super fast (many votes in a story in a short period of time) that may 'trigger' the script into action as well. Since many people would have voted on my story due to me notifying the group of its release, then that could also have caused part of the problem. I just do not believe that 50 out of my 88 votes were false, most especially when i have like almost 90 people in my group alone, most of whom i know did go and read/vote! So... it makes no sense mathmatically to me. I said before. i COULD be wrong. an i AM open to being wrong. I just really dont believe i'm wrong.

Nikki

 

[impressive]

I imagine the script does tag a flood of votes. Not sure how you'd avoid that if you're posting a notice to a large group.

Sorry that you're having a problem. Wish I had a fan base like that to even HAVE the problem.

 

[Roxanne Appleby]

I don't think this is group related, although I did send a hotmail email to 50 "fans" when my sweet and sexy Shy Virgin’s Fear Becomes Joy story came out. It included the url of the story, but no hotlink.

In the last day the story went from 201 votes and a respectable but not terrific score to 117 votes and score much lower than any of my other stories, even though this is the best, is just as hot, and (at 3 pages) is the shortest.

I don't get it - I don't see any dramatic changes to other contest stories in the category. The previous vote total did not seem hugely out of line given certain "marketing" features of the piece (like that title, fer instance), and the new score seems unrealistically low for the same reason. I am not whining or accusing, I am just confused. Even if I had a misguided "fan" out there somewhere who hit the "5" button 75 times and all those "votes" were properly swept away, the current score still seems too low, relative to my and others' story scores in the category.

I posted this on the contest support thread hoping for some enlightenment, but at this point I would settle for a little handholding. My poor shy virgin deserves gentler treatment . . .

 

[sophia jane]

I don't think this is group related, although I did send a hotmail email to 50 "fans" when my sweet and sexy Shy Virgin’s Fear Becomes Joy story came out. It included the url of the story, but no hotlink.

In the last day the story went from 201 votes and a respectable but not terrific score to 117 votes and score much lower than any of my other stories, even though this is the best, is just as hot, and (at 3 pages) is the shortest.

I don't get it - I don't see any dramatic changes to other contest stories in the category. The previous vote total did not seem hugely out of line given certain "marketing" features of the piece (like that title, fer instance), and the new score seems unrealistically low for the same reason. I am not whining or accusing, I am just confused. Even if I had a misguided "fan" out there somewhere who hit the "5" button 75 times and all those "votes" were properly swept away, the current score still seems too low, relative to my and others' story scores in the category.

I posted this on the contest support thread hoping for some enlightenment, but at this point I would settle for a little handholding. My poor shy virgin deserves gentler treatment . . .

I just looked at the score listed for your story, which admittedly lags behind actual score so may not be accurate, to see what the score is that you're worried about. If it's the score listed, you really shouldn't worry. Yes, lesbian scores higher than many other but this is a contest, where scores often run a little low.
I can't say why you lost so many votes. That seems like alot to lose. But...your new vote count is pretty comparable to the high end of the vote count for the rest of us. So, it is possible that some of those votes were duplicates. But, really, it's impossible to say.

 

[impressive]

And, you know, it's entirely possible that Laurel & Manu get their jollies fucking with our minds over this whole voting business.

 

[Roxanne Appleby]

I just looked at the score listed for your story, which admittedly lags behind actual score so may not be accurate, to see what the score is that you're worried about. If it's the score listed, you really shouldn't worry. Yes, lesbian scores higher than many other but this is a contest, where scores often run a little low.
I can't say why you lost so many votes. That seems like alot to lose. But...your new vote count is pretty comparable to the high end of the vote count for the rest of us. So, it is possible that some of those votes were duplicates. But, really, it's impossible to say.

Thanks, SJ. I'm sure some of those votes were dupes, apparently a lot of them were, although the numbers are pretty stunning. I know the score is still very respectable, even for the category - possibly I've been spoiled by early success. Still, when I compare it to my other stories' scores it is substantially lower, and that doesn't really make sense, because it's as good or better in every way, including the "stroke" content, to use Rumple's term. I know that to some extent the "market" for our works is unpredictable, but it's not completely random, either, so I am just puzzled.

It is a little painful, but I am well into my next story, so have kind of moved on, but still appreciate any enlightenment (or handholding).

 

[sophia jane]

And, you know, it's entirely possible that Laurel & Manu get their jollies fucking with our minds over this whole voting business.

I know I would if it were me. But I'm evil.

 

[carsonshepherd]

I skipped the responses so someone else may have said this, but these people might like your work so much, they vote more than once (trying to help you of course), therefore disqualifying their original votes as well as the duplicates.

 

[Stella_Omega]

okay- who wants to be in my fan club? The first one hundred applicants are charter members- you get special privileges

Seriously, how do you canvas to build a fan base, Nikki?
Because here you are complaining about 117 votes- my highest vote count is 18. A decent rating, but not much in the way of quantity.

 

[sachiaiko]

okay- who wants to be in my fan club? The first one hundred applicants are charter members- you get special privileges

Seriously, how do you canvas to build a fan base, Nikki?
Because here you are complaining about 117 votes- my highest vote count is 18. A decent rating, but not much in the way of quantity.

:smiles and hugs: Actually, i wasnt the one with 117 votes. I had 88, then went down to 38, but thats beside the point. What it is is this, i'm looking to publish. Publishers love authors who are about self promotion. So, since currently i am giving much of my work away for FREE - i figured i might as well use the publicity (which really is real here on literotica, and if you take your writing seriously and want to see it go further, this is a great idea for any of you) and start a group that will help me promote myself when i have work i'm trying to sell. Just go to Yahoo page, then click on the groups link and create your own group. Once there, you will have a URL as well as a button HTML code and a banner too i think. I just put the URL in my email sig link, i put the URL or link in my Message board post sig line as well, and also its in my Profiles here on literotica.com - I have noticed it helps an awful lot, i get lots more votes, i get GREAT feedback, i meet wonderful and kind people.

I also get to see how my work actually touches people on a heart level. Most of my peices are love stories and romantic peices, so the "stroke factor" while high, isnt the point or even important part of my stories. Alot of whats important is the interaction between characters, learning how to make relationships work well. And also for my gay stories a big part of the important peices are about young men coming out of the closet and how it effects them and what not. So, hearing from people that they were touched deeply by what i wrote always makes me feel warm and fuzzy inside (believe it or not, alot more so then winning a contest, which is why i wont whine and complain too much if i loose, heh. I got wonderful feed back for "All i want for Christmas" - and i knew i was taking a chance with this particular story as well)

So, start a yahoo group, invite your fans to join in your profile and in your sig line in mail and message board posts as well as at the end of your story in a little "note from the author" thing i always do in Italics.

Hope that helps, guys. And be patient also. I mean, it took a while for me to grow my group and its only 90 or so people strong. but thats 90 people who like my work enough to accept emails from me. thats a huge deal in my mind!!

Also, i wrote a really big hit here on Literotica about four years back, which really got me some standing here. "Cael's Star" Which was in the top 1 to 5 spot in the nonhuman catagory for like 3 years (Recently a ton of top notch stories have come out to drown it) and as a result of that i got some recognition. Telling people they can find a bit "more of that story in my group" helps bring people in, hehe. Also, i post unedited stories i'm working for and ask for advice, or help editing, people love seeing how you move through your creative process, it makes them feel like part of the whole experience with a favorite author and i notice they enjoy that.

I remember thinking "Artisticbiguy" was a virtual god of an author, i loved his work so much. And the first few times we chatted i was all starstruck, hehe, and now i know he's just a person but i notice people treating ME like that, and while it sure feels nice, i love to involve everyone in my thoughts and story ideas and let them know i'm just a normal person and certainly not a Writing god/dess (least not yet, hehe)

Best thing in the world is feedback from fans. Everything else comes second. So, so long as i know my fans liked All i want for Christmas, i'm not gonna cry about it. BUT, i do think that if votes are being taken away because we notify groups and/or lists we have, then that needs fixing as we DO deserve to recieve credit for taking it upon ourselves to 'self promote' - and thats my point in this thread.

Anyhow, hope some of you guys decide to do the yahoo group thing - i really think you'll find it great, and rewarding, specially since you can more readily talk to your fans and ask what they want and would like to see in the future. VERY cool

Nikki

 

[sachiaiko]

I skipped the responses so someone else may have said this, but these people might like your work so much, they vote more than once (trying to help you of course), therefore disqualifying their original votes as well as the duplicates.

A sweet and wonderful thought, isn't it? That some one liked my story so much they went ape shit and started hitting the submit button 50 times?

But actually, i did indeed talk to my group about it and thus far no one has come out with a "Yea, sorry that was me." - Heh, in fact, a few of them thought commenting or sending feedback counted as a vote, so i think i got that littel bit of confusion straightened out. hehe. I LOVE my group. They are the sweetest kindest people. I mostly write gay erotic love stories, and its fun and amusing to realize many of my fan base is actually women.

Cute, off topic story that happened - one of my fans wrote me saying she had (and i will leave her nameless as it is her preciousness i'm sharing, not at all wanting her to feel bad) started reading my straight stories, ran out of those and so decided "what the hell" and started on my gay ones. Had ended up loving them, and being effected by them quite sensually. And realized in the process she'd felt truly shamed by that fact. Well, in the process of her really being with her own feelings and why she felt shame, she wrote me and expressed this to me - and i was happy to explain to her that in fact most gay porn (about 80 percent) is actually purchased by the female sex NOT the gay men!! Much like lesbian porn for guys.

Upon realizing i was also a woman, and that my group had many women in it, she realized "Oh hey wow, i'm not all alone. I really have no reason to feel shame." and it was just such a sweet and precious exchange from start to finish. Now she's one of the people who makes sure to read everything i put out and vote asap! The best thing you can do for your fans especially, but also in the end for yourself, is to respond to every single peice of fan mail you get. It makes them feel good, it makes you feel good - and in the case like what i just shared you can actually help some one realize there is no reason to feel shame she should be excited she has a whole new area of lit to explore she hadn't previously realized she'd like!! That's always great! :grins: But i'm seriously lucky. I almost never get flames, and even when i do, i'm smart enough to realize that they are so few and far between i'm not gonna let them break my heart.

Last flame i got was some angry male screaming at me to quit writing gay erotica cause i'm a chick and i don know what the hell i'm talking about. (yet, somehow, i manage to maintain an average of 4.82 on many of my gay peices, right?) Flames like that just make you laugh, cause YOU know how well you're doing, so why even bother pondering what the little penis man had to say. I write what i love, what i love to read, write, see, what i want to see affected in the real world. I want young gay men to fall in love and dance on moonbeams with it without feeling shame. A fantasy and fairy tale, but, more i write the more positive feedback i put into the univers, the more possible it becomes with every passing day - and i do believe that.

Aaand now, i've babbled my fool head off ;laughs:

:hugs you all:

Nikki

 

[Stella_Omega]

I've noticed that too- how much gay male porn is written by women. And girls- as in- no idea in the world how the plumbing works...
You see it in the fanfic sites.
there was an angry post on livejournal.com from a guy who was complaining that the "slash" fiction (gay, to you and me) was being monoplolised by the female writers and he wasn't getting any recognition...

And I used to think I was so unique! Well, you gotta love the internet.

 

[sachiaiko]

I've noticed that too- how much gay male porn is written by women. And girls- as in- no idea in the world how the plumbing works...
You see it in the fanfic sites.
there was an angry post on livejournal.com from a guy who was complaining that the "slash" fiction (gay, to you and me) was being monoplolised by the female writers and he wasn't getting any recognition...

And I used to think I was so unique! Well, you gotta love the internet.

We're still unique, love. Especially if we do our writing well, and do our research well. Truth is, alot of the gay themed erotica out there is not the best - but when we write it in a possitive and wonderful light that is realistic and drags your readers in and makes them FEEL what our characters are feeling/thinking/experiencing - well, that in and of itself is unique and special.

I don't think of myself as odd for writing gay erotica - I was a gay man in a past life :laughs: Maybe more then one :winks: And i'll be a gay man in future lives!! And i'm GOOD at what i do. And i LOVE it - so, anyone can bitch that i'm a chick and blah blah - but if it was so bad, why do i get great votes and gay men writing to thank me for what i'd write and how i'd writen it?

Write what you LOVE to write, and screw anyone who doesn't think you should do it. They're the MINORITY! lol - Besides, as females, we (Generally, but not always) have a way of capturing feelings that (Many gay men have told me) is rare in alot of gay erotica, and they really enjoy that because it puts out possitive change in our world.

We are Unique, because we portray love, not just raunchy fucking. That's unique

Nikki

 

[drksideofthemoon]

I Use Yahoo

I use Yahoo, and have created a list, not as large as yours, around 50-60 addresses that I use when a new chapter of my series is out and I haven't noticed any irregularities in the votes...but then I don't really pay much attention to the number of votes my stories get.

I will watch the next time I submit a story.

Brian
drksideofthemoon

 

[carsonshepherd]

We're still unique, love. Especially if we do our writing well, and do our research well. Truth is, alot of the gay themed erotica out there is not the best - but when we write it in a possitive and wonderful light that is realistic and drags your readers in and makes them FEEL what our characters are feeling/thinking/experiencing - well, that in and of itself is unique and special.

Gee! WHy didn't I think of that!

 

[Rhys]

Why didn't you? Enquiring minds want to know.

 

[carsonshepherd]

Why didn't you? Enquiring minds want to know.

I was too busy masturbating. *nods*

 

[Stella_Omega]

Why didn't you? Enquiring minds want to know.

Yeah, why didn't you think of writing in a possitive and wonderful light, Carson?

I don't know, Sachaiko- raunchy fucking works for me.

 

[Rhys]

I was too busy masturbating. *nods*

With a dildo shaped like a Nutcracker? Or is that too freudian?

 

[Stella_Omega]

With a dildo shaped like a Nutcracker? Or is that too freudian?

Happy Holidays!

 

[Rhys]

Happy Holidays!

Happy Winter Solstice to you too, Lord Byron.

 

[carsonshepherd]

With a dildo shaped like a Nutcracker? Or is that too freudian?

http://images.google.com/images?q=tbn:YDzWiRqH_4QJ:www.unitedmaskandparty.com/Masks/images/nutcracker.JPG

Oops, pardon my formatting.