Responses

[hoo_hoo_boo]

I've been irritated by votes on stories. So few vote or add comments. To me it's a small price for the privilege of reading a story. I wondered what to do. I added to my profile-

"It really is amazing how so many people read the stories, want the best, but don't vote or comment."

The response was a few low votes so I added,

"And Yes, do vote low- it's a better way of sharing your misery than kicking your cat. At least it demonstrates you're alive- but then, who really cares? Isn't selfishness the hallmark of a psychopath?"

I'm wondering what response it generates now. Any one have an opinion? It's a fascinating little study for me.

 

[Stella_Omega]

Waste of time, and it annoys the horse.

Low votes per view ratio is just a fact of the internet. Even on really engaged sites, it's still low.

 

[sr71plt]

About the only thing you can do is to try to stop stewing about it. There is no requirement for readers to do anything in response to stories here, and most don't--and aren't going to no matter how much you complain about it. So, you're going to need to be the one to adjust to that if you don't want to let the frustration get to you.

I think it's lame and a more than a bit needy to beg for votes and comments on a story, but that's just me.

One thing you can be pretty sure about, though--there quite likely will be more people who read your stories on this Web site than anywhere else you can put them.

 

[PennLady]

I long ago learned to not care much about voting or comments. It's nice when you get them, but this is all free, and no one has any obligations here.

If your comments in your profile generate anything, I doubt it will be anything good. Seems like the type of thing that will get you a troll or two.

On a site like this, you just need to put your work out there and move on.

 

[JackLuis]

You might try adding a note at the end, begging for votes. It helps a minute amount.

 

[slyc_willie]

I've been irritated by votes on stories. So few vote or add comments. To me it's a small price for the privilege of reading a story. I wondered what to do. I added to my profile-

"It really is amazing how so many people read the stories, want the best, but don't vote or comment."

The response was a few low votes so I added,

"And Yes, do vote low- it's a better way of sharing your misery than kicking your cat. At least it demonstrates you're alive- but then, who really cares? Isn't selfishness the hallmark of a psychopath?"

I'm wondering what response it generates now. Any one have an opinion? It's a fascinating little study for me.

Not many readers, I venture, bother to read an author's profile. Those who do may see your statements as being petty, or defensive. But that's just my interpretation on the matter.

One thing I learned very quickly after I began posting is to not sweat the votes. While the majority are sincerely given, there are numerous trolls out there who love to vote down particular stories, especially if they're from an author who consistently earns the coveted red H for his or her stories. At the same time, devoted fans are more likely to give anything you write a 5 just because they like you, not necessarily because what you've written was actually that good.

I've experienced both extremes of the phenomenon. What is most curious to me is how quickly a contest winning entry loses that lovely little red H once the results are announced. I guess that's the result of retroactive bitterness or jealousy on the part of vicariously-minded readers.

Bottom line, don't sweat the votes, or the score. Readers who genuinely like your writing will come back to see what new stuff you've posted.

 

[NaokoSmith]

I think it does help to put a polite comment saying that you welcome feedback and votes. I try to make clear that I welcome negative as well as positive feedback and need it to develop my writing. I had very few votes or comments on some of my earlier stories and have more on my recent one, but I think that's more about genre.

If you consistently publish a series, particularly of chapters, you can develop a following and they will come back to read, comment and vote on your work. And of course you can go in the Story Feedback thread (I think that's what it's called!) and ask for some comments.

 

[JAMESBJOHNSON]

With 19 stories approved and posted I'm a relative newbie at it, BUT scores and comments are low on my list of priorities anyway. Many of the top performers put me to sleep, so I have no clue what readers want, and I aint sure I'd give it to them if I knew.

My agenda is more about the quality of the writing. Sixteen of my tales were approved out of the gate, 3 required a simple correction and were approved. So I got that part down okay.

Some readers hate my brevity, so I discovered that writers like John O'Hara published many 1000 word stories, and those I've read are excellent. I got that part OK, too.

I figger that if I tend to my knitting, and do less fretting about popularity, things will come out right.

 

[Handley_Page]

I long ago learned to not care much about voting or comments. It's nice when you get them, but this is all free, and no one has any obligations here.

If your comments in your profile generate anything, I doubt it will be anything good. Seems like the type of thing that will get you a troll or two.

On a site like this, you just need to put your work out there and move on.

I quite agree.
provoking a response is a hiding to nothing.

 

[TE999]

I write stories for my own amusement, post them and let them sink or swim. Sure, it's gratifying to get high scores and lots of compliments, but expecting that all the time is asking for some major league disappointment.

This is a free site and, like anything else that's free, many folks will take what's here for granted and others will abuse what's offered by acting like assholes.

Write, have fun and don't sweat the small stuff.

 

[Bramblethorn]

I've been irritated by votes on stories. So few vote or add comments. To me it's a small price for the privilege of reading a story. I wondered what to do. I added to my profile-

"It really is amazing how so many people read the stories, want the best, but don't vote or comment."

The response was a few low votes so I added,

"And Yes, do vote low- it's a better way of sharing your misery than kicking your cat. At least it demonstrates you're alive- but then, who really cares? Isn't selfishness the hallmark of a psychopath?"

I'm wondering what response it generates now. Any one have an opinion? It's a fascinating little study for me.

Um. It may be just me, but suggesting that people who downvote your stories are psychopaths... that seems a wee bit excessive, not to mention counterproductive. If I saw something like that on an author profile I'd probably back away slowly and go look for another author with less of a chip on their shoulder.

My stories get about 50-100 views per vote. That seems like a lot of non-voters, but consider...

Some of those 'views' are bots trawling the web. Some are people who already voted, and are now re-reading. (BTW, does anybody know whether each page load counts as a separate 'view'?) Some are people who are unable to vote - last I looked, the Lit Android app didn't have voting functionality.

And then some don't want to vote. If I open a story with an interesting-looking description and then discover it's pure stroke... well, that's not my thing. I would prefer to let the stroke fans decide whether it's good stroke, because who cares about the opinion of somebody who's not into stroke in the first place?

 

[hoo_hoo_boo]

Um. It may be just me, but suggesting that people who downvote your stories are psychopaths... that seems a wee bit excessive, not to mention counterproductive. If I saw something like that on an author profile I'd probably back away slowly and go look for another author with less of a chip on their shoulder.

My stories get about 50-100 views per vote. That seems like a lot of non-voters, but consider...

Some of those 'views' are bots trawling the web. Some are people who already voted, and are now re-reading. (BTW, does anybody know whether each page load counts as a separate 'view'?) Some are people who are unable to vote - last I looked, the Lit Android app didn't have voting functionality.

And then some don't want to vote. If I open a story with an interesting-looking description and then discover it's pure stroke... well, that's not my thing. I would prefer to let the stroke fans decide whether it's good stroke, because who cares about the opinion of somebody who's not into stroke in the first place?

I average 352 views per vote with no comment. With the initial comments it is 322 views per vote and with all the comment it is 300 views per vote, that is including all the votes. So, it has had an impact. I just wondered whether any of them is alive. If my stuff is killing them I'll withdraw it. One needs a high profile here to do well. I understand that and the work to generate a high profile takes more time than I have.

 

[NaokoSmith]

I average 352 views per vote with no comment. With the initial comments it is 322 views per vote and with all the comment it is 300 views per vote, that is including all the votes. So, it has had an impact. I just wondered whether any of them is alive. If my stuff is killing them I'll withdraw it. One needs a high profile here to do well. I understand that and the work to generate a high profile takes more time than I have.

No, this is one site where you don't need a high profile for reasons I outline here:

Where to publish your hot stuff



What genre are you publishing in? Loving Wives has loads of comments! but not necessarily ones you would want to get.

It would also help if you put a link to your submissions in your signature line, then we might pop over and have a look at them. We are very lazy - and you did rather put us off by suggesting we might be psychopaths if we give you feedback other than rapturous applause LOL.

If you want the feedback just to tell you you're the best writer since God dictated to Moses, you're probably on a losing streak as there's always someone who wants to puncture your balloon. But if you want feedback so you can develop your stories better, there are ways and means of getting it.

 

[ishtat]

I average 352 views per vote with no comment. With the initial comments it is 322 views per vote and with all the comment it is 300 views per vote, that is including all the votes. So, it has had an impact. I just wondered whether any of them is alive. If my stuff is killing them I'll withdraw it. One needs a high profile here to do well. I understand that and the work to generate a high profile takes more time than I have.

Indifference is the norm. Your responses, votes and comments, are well within typical variation.

I suggest you write some poems. Then you will find out how few responses are possible. There are some good poets on lit who rarely get a red H, not because they get bad scores but because they get so few votes they fail to meet the minimum threshold.

You're worrying too much about it. If it upsets you, just turn the voting option off. Remember some of the most popular writers here produce utter drivel - but there's a market for utter drivel!

 

[NaokoSmith]

Indifference is the norm. Your responses, votes and comments, are well within typical variation.

I suggest you write some poems. Then you will find out how few responses are possible. There are some good poets on lit who rarely get a red H, not because they get bad scores but because they get so few votes they fail to meet the minimum threshold.

You're worrying too much about it. If it upsets you, just turn the voting option off. Remember some of the most popular writers here produce utter drivel - but there's a market for utter drivel!

Ishtat is right. Others have said to me about the very variable votes on my stories that some of the best stories score lower because people come on here looking for something easy on their brain. If you write well, people may be challenged and hit the low score button or go away to think about it and then forget to come back and vote.

If you like writing, do it! and do share because why not.

 

[Bramblethorn]

I average 352 views per vote with no comment. With the initial comments it is 322 views per vote and with all the comment it is 300 views per vote, that is including all the votes. So, it has had an impact.

Correlation does not imply causation. Looking at those numbers, and the view counts on your story, that level of variation could easily happen just by chance.

Stats nerd hat on: if you're getting 10k views per story, and each view has a 0.3% chance of converting to a vote, then you'd expect an average 30 votes/story, but the actual number could easily vary by +/- 35% or so. A 10% change is not large enough to be meaningful.

 

[JAMESBJOHNSON]

More to the point we dont know what the scores measure. There are no isolated variables we can test.

 

[hoo_hoo_boo]

Well....

I really don't mind what the response is but to be submitting to a cemetery is less than good and one shouldn't accept that it's helpless and hopeless. Why not give the thing a shake? A little resuscitation can be a good thing. I have a feeling that the lack of response (apathy) allows the crazies an importance that is far from deserved. I also know that to do well with one's stories one must cultivate an audience. It's a lot of work. I've seen so many complain of the lack of response and I think some thing can be done about it. I'm not sure what though. I know it's not going to hurt to have a go. I expect that I'll be kicked but perhaps some bodies have been buried in error and parts of the cemetery will arise.

 

[NaokoSmith]

Y'know, I think this thread is actually an isolated blurt. It's not a genuine question, hoohoo isn't looking for answers, he (she?) just wants to kick the universe back in the goolies. We should all stop making sensible suggestions in here and make SPAM fritters instead.

I think someone who calls their readers psychopaths, crazies and a cemetery of dead people should be grateful for any votes at all!

 

[lovecraft68]

I understand its frustrating. You work hard to try to put up something entertaining that gets read for free and its apparently too much for someone to take literally a second and click on the stars.

Having said that what you're doing for lack of a better word is being snotty and setting yourself up for serious trolling and honestly pissing off someone who may have voted or commented.

I think you can mention it,, but in a better way.

For example this is at the end of all my stories. "Literotica is a free site and the only payment we authors receive is in the way of votes and comments. So if liked or did not like this story please take a minute and let me know."

I started this about a year ago and noticed an increase in both votes and comments.

Of course, you're the author, do what you want, but being nasty is not going to earn you any type of following here.

And by the way the LW section is where all the cat kickers go, as well as the abusers of another kind of pussy.

 

[lovecraft68]

Y'know, I think this thread is actually an isolated blurt. It's not a genuine question, hoohoo isn't looking for answers, he (she?) just wants to kick the universe back in the goolies. We should all stop making sensible suggestions in here and make SPAM fritters instead.

I think someone who calls their readers psychopaths, crazies and a cemetery of dead people should be grateful for any votes at all!

Not sure about that, I referred to my SWB followers as "my fellow sickos" and they seemed to like it.

 

[NaokoSmith]

Not sure about that, I referred to my SWB followers as "my fellow sickos" and they seemed to like it.

Well, welcoming your readers into a fellowship of sickos as a self-defined sicko is one thing, addressing your readers as if you are the only live wire in a graveyard is another.

 

[JAMESBJOHNSON]

I understand its frustrating. You work hard to try to put up something entertaining that gets read for free and its apparently too much for someone to take literally a second and click on the stars.

Having said that what you're doing for lack of a better word is being snotty and setting yourself up for serious trolling and honestly pissing off someone who may have voted or commented.

I think you can mention it,, but in a better way.

For example this is at the end of all my stories. "Literotica is a free site and the only payment we authors receive is in the way of votes and comments. So if liked or did not like this story please take a minute and let me know."

I started this about a year ago and noticed an increase in both votes and comments.

Of course, you're the author, do what you want, but being nasty is not going to earn you any type of following here.

And by the way the LW section is where all the cat kickers go, as well as the abusers of another kind of pussy.

I like LW. My fans are loyal and devoted, and my one-bombers never miss an episode.

 

[lovecraft68]

Well, welcoming your readers into a fellowship of sickos as a self-defined sicko is one thing, addressing your readers as if you are the only live wire in a graveyard is another.

True, I was welcoming them into my twisted little world and declaring myself as sick as I perceived them to be. I suppose sicker seeing I was the one coming up with this shit.

 

[PennLady]

I really don't mind what the response is but to be submitting to a cemetery is less than good and one shouldn't accept that it's helpless and hopeless. Why not give the thing a shake? A little resuscitation can be a good thing. I have a feeling that the lack of response (apathy) allows the crazies an importance that is far from deserved. I also know that to do well with one's stories one must cultivate an audience. It's a lot of work. I've seen so many complain of the lack of response and I think some thing can be done about it. I'm not sure what though. I know it's not going to hurt to have a go. I expect that I'll be kicked but perhaps some bodies have been buried in error and parts of the cemetery will arise.

I don't know exactly what you think can be done about a site that probably has a million members, all of whom use the site to a different degree. Or why anything should be done.

The way I see it is this -- Lit offers you a place to post your stories, for free, and with few limitations. Lit offers a place for readers to read stories, for free, and with few limitations. There are no promises or obligations on either side.

I post here (and on a couple of other sites) b/c I'm not one of those people who can write something "for myself" and then put it away and feel any kind of release or relief. I've never kept a diary or journal, for example. I need to put my stories out where people can see them. Whatever I get in votes or comments, I get, but I think just posting it is what makes me feel like I'm "done" with a story.