Ratings question

[Satsumabook123]

Do ratings ever get removed and if so why? I recently monitored the rating of a new story of mine that received one rating of 1 (about the tenth rating) pulling the average well down. After another dozen or so ratings the average was such that the rating of 1 could no longer have been included even if every other new vote was 5.

I am also fascinated at ratings received relating to my stories generally.
Sadly I watch the ratings I receive particularly for new stories. Generally the ratings I receive are very generous and I am surprised how important that is to me. There does seem to be a pattern in that there is always one rating of 1 in the first dozen even though all other ratings are 4 or 5. I do wonder if there is someone out there determined to mark every story down. Obviously everyone is entitled to their opinion. I don't read many stories but if I do not like a story I do not give it a rating. If I like it I usually give it a 5 or sometimes a 4.
Us writers are such sensitive souls and we do so like to have our work appreciated.

If a reader always gives ratings of 1 could these be ignored?

 

[Rob_Royale]

Yes. Every once in a while, there is a sweep, that deletes 1-votes if they seem an anomaly to the rest of the voting. It's happened to me a couple of times.

There are readers who will mark a 1 if there is the slightest thing they don't like. Grammar nazis, the I hate anal crowd and of course the LW trolls. It is a sad thing and it can be disheartening, but around here it's the price of doing business.

 

[feel_the_beast]

Indeed. I've only been here a few months, and it's already happened twice; the number of recorded ratings on some of my stories has dropped, and the overall average went up. Indicating that abnormally low ratings were deleted.

 

[feel_the_beast]

Once again it appears Lit has deleted a couple of trollish ratings from some of my published stories. TY Literotica for doing what you can to minimize this childish mischief.

 

[StillStunned]

It usually happens just before the winners of a contest are announced. In this case it was the Halloween contest. Over course of the past 24 hours or so, various sweeps have been conducted.

The next time will probably be for the Winter Holiday contest.