Slight concern

[RejectReality]

No, just my best guess based on what I've seen. I imagine there's some algorithm; if you're on a page for over n seconds it counts as a hit, etc.

If you have a handful of willing friends, it wouldn't be hard to create a test.

There's no real way of knowing without seeing the code.

I did have a 6 page story and 3 page story post in close proximity in the same category before, though. Both ended up with about even votes and views after a week.

I've talked to a couple of other people in the past who had similar results from similar circumstances. It's not much of a sample size, but it pushes me toward the theory that pages opened in succession do not generate a view for every page.

 

[HandsInTheDark]

I think what must be meant was when the definitions for the star levels were redone.

Here's what they really mean:

1: I hate YOU. I never read your story. I either don't like something you said on forum or I hate the fact that your story pushed mine off some list. Or you write some genre I hate but secretly get off on and that's your fault. You suck and I wish you'd die and this is all I have because I'm not brave or coherent enough to ridicule you.

2: See 1, but I don't want to get caught when they purge the hate votes. Or, rarely: your story pretty much sucked, but I actually finished it and I want to discourage you from trying again.

3: See 1, but your story and mine are both in a contest and I figured out it doesn't take a 1 or 2 to drag you down enough to get an edge. Or, more commonly, I finished your story, and eh. I probably won't be back.

4: I got off. Not bad. I might check out your other stuff. Work on your grammar or plot development.

5: I'm voting on my own story. Or, I think this is really pretty awesome. Or, I'm a sockpuppet army and I want your story to win the contest, mom.

 

[sr71plt]

The first half of that matches the comment put on my contest story this evening. Specified that they gave it a 3.

 

[Tigersman]

Rating

I almost always rate the stories I read. No matter how good or how bad, I rate them. I seldom abandon a story I start to read unless it turns out to be too hard to read. In other words the author's word usage is atrocious or they have left out so many words it's not funny.

The truly good stories I encourage the author to keep writing.