rating

[loic333]

Hello,

I'm very surprised by the way some people rate things. Everyone has their own opinion, and I can understand that some readers might not enjoy your story, but when you go from 4 stars to 2 stars, it would be nice if the person who rated you like that at least explained their reasons, so that we can better meet readers' expectations later. So, if you've spent several hours writing a story, and you don't like the writing, the prose, or anything else, please say so. Otherwise, we'll be completely frustrated! Personally, if I don't like something, I simply don't rate it.

 

[Statius]

Welcome to Literotica

 

[Bazzle]

]
In my opinion...the comments section and the favorite/bookmark section should be flipped. Linking the comments to the stars more...but that's just my opinion...
"Thanks for the vote, tell the author your thoughts."

 

[BobbyBrandt]

I try to look at reader engagement on a broader scale than simply the scoring.

Views, favorites, followers, comments, and e-mail feedback also reflect what readers felt about your story, in their own way.

All of these are somewhat scarce with most stories, but as others will tell you, that is the nature of this site and most others on the Internet. There is no requirement for readers to provide any feedback, so the majority won't do so.

 

[EmilyMiller]

Hello,

I'm very surprised by the way some people rate things. Everyone has their own opinion, and I can understand that some readers might not enjoy your story, but when you go from 4 stars to 2 stars, it would be nice if the person who rated you like that at least explained their reasons, so that we can better meet readers' expectations later. So, if you've spent several hours writing a story, and you don't like the writing, the prose, or anything else, please say so. Otherwise, we'll be completely frustrated! Personally, if I don't like something, I simply don't rate it.

You are misunderstanding the nature of Literotica. Authors are the sweatshop labor, producing things to sell to the real customers, the readers. No one cares about our working conditions. Once you understand this, how the site prioritizes things becomes more comprehensible.

 

[StillStunned]

Hello,

I'm very surprised by the way some people rate things. Everyone has their own opinion, and I can understand that some readers might not enjoy your story, but when you go from 4 stars to 2 stars, it would be nice if the person who rated you like that at least explained their reasons, so that we can better meet readers' expectations later. So, if you've spent several hours writing a story, and you don't like the writing, the prose, or anything else, please say so. Otherwise, we'll be completely frustrated! Personally, if I don't like something, I simply don't rate it.

In an ideal world... Unfortunately, constructive feedback is hard to come by. And why someone votes low? It could be anything, from not liking the subject matter, to spotting a typo on page 7, to not liking you personally, to just having a bad day.

 

[TarnishedPenny]

Welcome to Literotica

I cannot say it better. That's the nature of the beast, sadly.

 

[Statius]

I cannot say it better. That's the nature of the beast, sadly.

Yep. But as others have said we write for free. Positive feedback, constructive feedback would be awesome but at the end of the day, speaking for myself only, I write to get things out of my head and that's just the nature of it. So be it. Would be fantastic if it were a true 2 way street though.

 

[SimonDoom]

You are misunderstanding the nature of Literotica. Authors are the sweatshop labor, producing things to sell to the real customers, the readers. No one cares about our working conditions. Once you understand this, how the site prioritizes things becomes more comprehensible.

I can't let this go.

There is nothing remotely "sweatshop"-like about the conditions under which we write and submit stories to Literotica. This description shows disrespect to those who actually worked in sweatshops.

This is a hobby, that we do on our own time, for our own purposes, without expectation of income. We are a privileged group of people. We have no cause for grievance whatsoever. This site gives us a totally free platform to broadcast our erotic stories to the biggest audience on Planet Earth. I can't speak for you, but I derive enormous satisfaction from that. If we don't like it, we are free at any time to walk away from this place, at no cost.

To compare the "conditions" here to those of a sweatshop shows no appreciation for perspective, history, or reality.

 

[EmilyMiller]

I can't let this go.

There is nothing remotely "sweatshop"-like about the conditions under which we write and submit stories to Literotica. This description shows disrespect to those who actually worked in sweatshops.

This is a hobby, that we do on our own time, for our own purposes, without expectation of income. We are a privileged group of people. We have no cause for grievance whatsoever. This site gives us a totally free platform to broadcast our erotic stories to the biggest audience on Planet Earth. I can't speak for you, but I derive enormous satisfaction from that. If we don't like it, we are free at any time to walk away from this place, at no cost.

To compare the "conditions" here to those of a sweatshop shows no appreciation for perspective, history, or reality.

Did we find something you care about, Simon? I think we did.

 

[xannatharr]

Yep. But as others have said we write for free. Positive feedback, constructive feedback would be awesome but at the end of the day, speaking for myself only, I write to get things out of my head and that's just the nature of it. So be it. Would be fantastic if it were a true 2 way street though.

100% I couldn't agree more @Statius I am replying on your post, but a lot of this is really directed to the OP.

That feedback is there, but you must generate an adequate volume of content or attract a critical mass of readers before you will really start to see it.

Also, certain story categories attract communities of readers with vastly different characteristics and behavior. Some communities have higher quantities of readers, more or less critical averages with scoring, and more or less supportive patterns with comments and messages.

It's a crazy, weird grab-bag world of different readers clustering in the categories that hold their interest, with varying degrees of cross-pollination.

@loic333 If I had any recommendation, it would be simply be to keep publishing, and consider your story ratings in the context of how other stories in the category are scored.

Xann

 

[xannatharr]

What an obnoxious thing to say. Getting woke and personal again, Emily, because that's what you do. Woke drama queen.

You two should just get a room and fuck, I keep seeing you jousting in threads all over the forums

*edited to @EmilyMiller

 

[EmilyMiller]

Getting woke and personal again, Emily, because that's what you do. Woke drama queen.

Aha! The ‘W’ word. We get to the nub of the matter. Thank you for being honest about it. Everything else makes so much more sense now.

 

[caleb35]

It's a little infuriating to watch you two -- @EmilyMiller and @SimonDoom -- hijack a thread because you feel like being petty to each other. None of the rest of us want to have to put up with your shit.

@EmilyMiller, SimonDoom is completely correct that your analogy to sweatshops is inaccurate and absurd.

@SimonDoom, only insufferable people use "woke" as an insult.

Grow up, the both of you.

EDIT: SimonDoom has deleted the post of his that I referred to; while I won't be deleting this post, I want to acknowledge his action, thank him for it, and compliment him on an excellent post later in this thread.

 

[xannatharr]

I wonder (feel free to chime in and give this some color folks) whether how authors on Lit feel about Ratings is influenced by the Categories they are interested in and publish to?

There has to be SOME connection, and I will admit that I have dabbled in publishing in some different categories to gauge the response from readership in them.

My conclusion to-date is that I should consider any feedback/ratings I see relative to other feedback/ratings in that same category. But I freely admit that I could be off-target with this conclusion and I would be interested to read contrasting views.

Xann

 

[xannatharr]

It's a little infuriating to watch you two -- @EmilyMiller and @SimonDoom -- hijack a thread because you feel like being petty to each other. None of the rest of us want to have to put up with your shit.

@EmilyMiller, SimonDoom is completely correct that your analogy to sweatshops is inaccurate and absurd.

@SimonDoom, only insufferable people use "woke" as an insult.

Grow up, the both of you.

Yep, I don't want to put either of them on Ignore because they have both posted things I find genuinely interesting.

But it is frustrating to see them go at one another over and over and over... it truly is beginning to read like the start of a really tiresome romance novel where the two protagonists (who profess to hate one another) end up together as a loving couple.

 

[EmilyMiller]

@EmilyMiller, SimonDoom is completely correct that your analogy to sweatshops is inaccurate and absurd.

Hypobole is a rhetorical device employed here on every other thread. I look forward to you going though each of them and identifying every single instance for your scorn.

 

[loic333]

Don't misunderstand me, I was just saying that everyone can vote as they wish, but in an "ideal world," it would be nice if such negative ratings were explained. As my philosophy is, "one person's freedom begins where another's ends." Thanks anyway for your feedback, and feel free to leave comments on my series; it would make my day! "

 

[caleb35]

I wonder (feel free to chime in and give this some color folks) whether how authors on Lit feel about Ratings is influenced by the Categories they are interested in and publish to?

There has to be SOME connection, and I will admit that I have dabbled in publishing in some different categories to gauge the response from readership in them.

My conclusion to-date is that I should consider any feedback/ratings I see relative to other feedback/ratings in that same category. But I freely admit that I could be off-target with this conclusion and I would be interested to read contrasting views.

Xann

All ratings are personal and based on how the reader feels about the story/work they just read. You're not going to get a lot of literary critics rating works on this site (though you may get some, you never know). I don't know that there's lots of readers voting on stories in categories that they're not interested; I'd think most ratings come from readers interested in the categories you're posting in. It's possible that a lot of readers rate stories based on how well they think your story fits in or belongs in the category you post in.
EDIT: nice user name btw, a D&D reference, I presume?

 

[EmilyMiller]

I agree ignore is a good option. Thanks for reminding me.

 

[NotWise]

Hello,

I'm very surprised by the way some people rate things. Everyone has their own opinion, and I can understand that some readers might not enjoy your story, but when you go from 4 stars to 2 stars, it would be nice if the person who rated you like that at least explained their reasons, so that we can better meet readers' expectations later. So, if you've spent several hours writing a story, and you don't like the writing, the prose, or anything else, please say so. Otherwise, we'll be completely frustrated! Personally, if I don't like something, I simply don't rate it.

Welcome to Lit, but I think it might be a mistake to tailor what you write to satisfy the few people willing to comment.

It takes experience to interpret the readers' reactions. Comments can be minority opinions--sometimes completely unique to the commenter--and the voters aren't making critical comments with their ratings. The rating is a reaction score. The readers reactions are as varied as the readers themselves, and sometimes outlier reactions can change the impression the ratings give. To make things harder, the way readers react with either comments or votes varies with the story's category. To make them even harder, sometimes the lack of a reaction is a potent comment in and of itself.

If you need critical feedback on your published work, you can post a request for feedback in the Story Feedback forum. Post a link to your story, tell them the title, category, length (in words or Lit pages), and something about the story. It's best to get a reaction from several readers.

If you want comments before you post a story, then go to the Editor's Forum and ask for beta readers. You won't be able to link your story but otherwise you need to give them the same information you provide on the Story Feedback forum. You will have to arrange some way to exchange the story with your beta readers. That's often done through direct messaging. As with the Story Feedback forum, try to get input from more than one reader.

And keep writing. Build up experience so that you get a better feel for what the feedback means and how you might respond to it.

 

[xannatharr]

I agree ignore is a good option. Thanks for reminding me.

I'm not sure if that is directed to me. If it is, I will simply state that I come to these forums out of curiosity about what others might think, and what I can learn (or not learn) from what they share. From that perspective, Ignoring folks is counter-productive, unless the volume of their off-topic/annoying/petty posting is out of proportion to the intersting things they say.

Some of the MOST interesting posts I have read are from people that I disagree with, so I would never recommend Ignoring someone on that basis. Unless they are super-toxic?

Also, I would hesitate to presume to remind you of anything about these forum options/features @EmilyMiller you're really active on here, and you know how it works.

 

[caleb35]

Don't misunderstand me, I was just saying that everyone can vote as they wish, but in an "ideal world," it would be nice if such negative ratings were explained. As my philosophy is, "one person's freedom begins where another's ends." Thanks anyway for your feedback, and feel free to leave comments on my series; it would make my day! "

At the risk of being a downer, I'll opine that you're just not going to get explanations on negative ratings. Me personally, I'm not all that interested in a reader explaining why they gave me a negative rating. I'd prefer they not give me a negative rating at all. If they choose to, okay, that's their choice, but I'm not dwelling on it. Now, if someone wants to give me a detailed critique that's measured and insightful, by all means -- but those are rare as diamonds, unfortunately. It is just the nature of the beast. C'est la vie

There's a related topic here which is whether you write for your readers primarily or for yourself primarily. If you're writing with a main goal of getting top ratings, then yes, knowing why people give lower ratings would be valuable. Outside of that, I don't know if it's all that useful. If you are interested in writing something for mass acclaim, read highly-rated works in the categories that you're interested in, see if you can discern topics/themes/styles/approaches that readers seem to enjoy (along with the comments on those stories) and use that to inspire your future writing (without plagiarizing).

 

[Statius]

I wonder (feel free to chime in and give this some color folks) whether how authors on Lit feel about Ratings is influenced by the Categories they are interested in and publish to?

There has to be SOME connection, and I will admit that I have dabbled in publishing in some different categories to gauge the response from readership in them.

My conclusion to-date is that I should consider any feedback/ratings I see relative to other feedback/ratings in that same category. But I freely admit that I could be off-target with this conclusion and I would be interested to read contrasting views.

Xann

Good point. I would add it isn't just category though. Most of my work is admittedly strokers- fluff pieces- that type of story isn't going to get you a lot of feed back unless it is exceptionally well done and original. However if one were to write a serious slice of life, true drama, emotional story in those categories (GS, EC) the feed back and ratings do go up.

 

[loic333]

Welcome to Lit, but I think it might be a mistake to tailor what you write to satisfy the few people willing to comment.

It takes experience to interpret the readers' reactions. Comments can be minority opinions--sometimes completely unique to the commenter--and the voters aren't making critical comments with their ratings. The rating is a reaction score. The readers reactions are as varied as the readers themselves, and sometimes outlier reactions can change the impression the ratings give. To make things harder, the way readers react with either comments or votes varies with the story's category. To make them even harder, sometimes the lack of a reaction is a potent comment in and of itself.

If you need critical feedback on your published work, you can post a request for feedback in the Story Feedback forum. Post a link to your story, tell them the title, category, length (in words or Lit pages), and something about the story. It's best to get a reaction from several readers.

If you want comments before you post a story, then go to the Editor's Forum and ask for beta readers. You won't be able to link your story but otherwise you need to give them the same information you provide on the Story Feedback forum. You will have to arrange some way to exchange the story with your beta readers. That's often done through direct messaging. As with the Story Feedback forum, try to get input from more than one reader.

And keep writing. Build up experience so that you get a better feel for what the feedback means and how you might respond to it.

The wisdom of the Southwest, you from the USA, and me from France so I would have continued like that anyway. I've already put my story in the "review of texts" category, but since I write in French, many don't dare use their translator. However, I would really like to have an opinion on my story translated by G... translation