So few votes...

[GoldenCojones]

And yet while my recent stories are averaging 4.5, the numbers of votes to numbers of reads ratio is 1:60. SIXTY reads for every one vote.

I did the math. My best rated story has 1 vote per 188 views. My worst rated story has 1 vote per 131 views.

I'd say 1:60 is a FAN FUCKING TASTIC ratio

 

[JKendallDane]

I just finished up doing the quarterly stats on my 51 stories here on Lit.

I'll happily trade that 1:60 ratio in exchange for the 1:100 or 1:150 that is much more typical.

.

 

[Hypoxia]

We've said for a while that entering a contest will gain exposure, no?

Not vanity strokes. Exposure.

Posting a poorly-titled contest piece in a little-read category might boost the readership from 17 to 23. Posting almost anything with a snappy title in LW or Incest outside of contests will gain huge exposure. Those are objectively the hot categories, followed IIRC by Group Sex and EC.

 

[JKendallDane]

Obviously some are more (much, much more) obsessed with it than others are. I don't give it much sympathy. This is a minor league, to begin with.

Let's see. Lit is the #1 literary erotic site in the world. It ranks at #1,184 in the USA and #2,630 worldwide among ALL sites (per Alexa three minutes ago). It has the largest collection of stories among all erotic sites and the largest base of continually contributing authors. Two million plus unique visitors per month says the reader base is wide, deep, and loyal.

I'd say "minor league" is a very incorrect term to use when a site can accomplish that year in and year out.

.

 

[TxRad]

Let's see. Lit is the #1 literary erotic site in the world. It ranks at #1,184 in the USA and #2,630 worldwide among ALL sites (per Alexa three minutes ago). It has the largest collection of stories among all erotic sites and the largest base of continually contributing authors. Two million plus unique visitors per month says the reader base is wide, deep, and loyal.

I'd say "minor league" is a very incorrect term to use when a site can accomplish that year in and year out.

.

I think he meant minor league in the fact that no one gets paid anything here. Consider lit as training camp.

 

[sr71plt]

I think he meant minor league in the fact that no one gets paid anything here. Consider lit as training camp.

Yes, pretty much. Any free-use Internet site is minor league in terms of the mainstream publishing industry. It really isn't relevant that Lit. is premier in the world of free-use erotica story sites. The work here is still basically being read and judged by the great unwashed in terms of readership. Any writer not making the transition to the highly selective and massaged mainstream publishing is still in the minor leagues. This doesn't say they are inferior writers to those writing in the mainstream--they just are still in a lower league.

 

[SecondCircle]

I think he meant minor league in the fact that no one gets paid anything here. Consider lit as training camp.

Aye. It does provide exposure though. Why else do people advertise their books here?

 

[NaokoSmith]

Really quite demotivated about the incredibly low percentage of people who actually vote on stories.
...

How can we encourage more voting and feedback?

I've got a multi-chapter story going, For the first couple of chapters, my ratio ran 30:1 to 35:1, but several chapters in, it's now closer to 15:1. I think your votes/view may rise as you find readership. My sample size is small, but I'm also assuming that serialized works tend to score better as those who hate you...stop reading.

Hey guys, welcome to the AH.


Like others are saying, the amount of votes on your stories is very variable, depending on things like categories and, as Nathan has noticed, if you have a multi-chapter story you can build up loyal fan following for more votes:reader ratio and higher votes.

I have some stories which have 2 votes! but they have great comments and feedback, which is what I was looking for so I am good with it.


You can increase votes and feedback by taking part in the community. If you go in the Story Feedback board, you can get more feedback and interested readers who are more likely to vote. If you come on here taking part in discussions, you can build up a good circle of friends who will be willing to cast a critical eye over your work too. Competitions are an excellent way to get a broader readership and more votes, and to get your profile up among readers. I have got much better vote numbers on stories I put into contests than those I just posted in a regular way.

1-bombs are a problem. You can ask for a private sweep of your story and it can be well worth doing this in the early stages when the number of people going to read your story might be affected by seeing it with a higher score against it.

Bonne chance, little cabbages! Have fun.