story comments (lacking)

[Helgamite]

I've noticed in my last 4 stories that I have barely gotten any comments whatsoever. if it wasn't for one comment from a friend I would have zero. is that a good thing or a bad thing? I've noticed it on another Author that I talk with getting almost no comments on the last few of her stories as well.

Is anyone else seeing that or?

 

[ElectricBlue]

My rule of thumb, over ten years and around 120 chapters/stories, is one Vote per hundred Views, one Comment per thousand.

If you write very well or very badly, you'll get a higher comments count - people will react positively to your story or suggest you get a better editor. Lit is a relatively low feedback zone, unfortunately.

 

[TheLobster]

As one of the recent threads suggested, the best way to get more comments is to actually ask for them, especially at the end of stories. A simple “Comments welcome” can apparently do wonders in this regard.

 

[Bramblethorn]

I've noticed in my last 4 stories that I have barely gotten any comments whatsoever. if it wasn't for one comment from a friend I would have zero.

Zero? I'm seeing 9 comments across your last 4 stories. 2 on Company Woe and Rebirth #2, 3 each on CW&R #1 and on David's Journey #3, one on David's Journey #4.

You have about 10k views across those stories. As EB said, one comment per 1k views is about normal, so you're about average there. Most likely the reason for the low number of comments is that your stories aren't getting many views, and I'd guess part of why you're not getting many views is categorisation.

The blurb for David's Journey says: "a short series of David Finding love and peace with two ladies". From skimming the first page, it looks like one of those two ladies is already married, and we seem to be headed for a three-way relationship. You've posted this in Romance, and I suspect a lot of Romance readers will be turned off by a non-monogamous storyline.

 

[intim8]

As one of the recent threads suggested, the best way to get more comments is to actually ask for them, especially at the end of stories. A simple “Comments welcome” can apparently do wonders in this regard.

This thread here, with an example of my ending note:

https://forum.literotica.com/threads/smash-that-like-button.1608915/

That story has one vote for every ~13 views, and one comment for every ~162 views.

But also, it seems you tend to get more comments once you are more established and get more views and readers have seen you more than once. Also, my guess is that followers are more likely to comment. Those things, and the end note, make you seem more like a person to the reader.

Another thing, I've found that if you click through the story to see comments, you see fewer than if you click the speech bubble icon next to the story in your dashboard. I don't know if this is a bug or a function of comment moderation or what.

 

[SimonDoom]

The general comment rate is low, as others have said, so don't feel discouraged. You can boost comments by asking for them, or by writing stories that connect emotionally with readers, or by pissing off the readers (easy to do if you publish stories in the Loving Wives category).

 

[THBGato]

one comment for every ~162 views.

That's VERY good!

writing stories that connect emotionally with readers,

What he said. My most commented story (21 comments after 8.5k views) really plays on the emotions, as does my next most commented one (18 comments after 4.1k views).

The other trick is to keep readers waiting a little between installments/chapters. Then you get loads of comments telling you to hurry up and post the next Chapter.

 

[Helgamite]

As one of the recent threads suggested, the best way to get more comments is to actually ask for them, especially at the end of stories. A simple “Comments welcome” can apparently do wonders in this regard.

In the story itself? I know input a "constructive criticism welcome" In my bio. Should I put them in the story itself? As an author note?

 

[Helgamite]

Zero? I'm seeing 9 comments across your last 4 stories. 2 on Company Woe and Rebirth #2, 3 each on CW&R #1 and on David's Journey #3, one on David's Journey #4.

You have about 10k views across those stories. As EB said, one comment per 1k views is about normal, so you're about average there. Most likely the reason for the low number of comments is that your stories aren't getting many views, and I'd guess part of why you're not getting many views is categorisation.

The blurb for David's Journey says: "a short series of David Finding love and peace with two ladies". From skimming the first page, it looks like one of those two ladies is already married, and we seem to be headed for a three-way relationship. You've posted this in Romance, and I suspect a lot of Romance readers will be turned off by a non-monogamous storyline.

At first it was supposed to be Jessica and David only, then I added Caroline. Thinking this would be a romance story. Would it be a good idea to delete and reupload then in group then?

 

[Helgamite]

That's VERY good!

What he said. My most commented story (21 comments after 8.5k views) really plays on the emotions, as does my next most commented one (18 comments after 4.1k views).

The other trick is to keep readers waiting a little between installments/chapters. Then you get loads of comments telling you to hurry up and post the next Chapter.

I tend to try to do 2 a month, or one each series a month. Thinking that is a good timeframe?

 

[AwkwardlySet]

I tend to try to do 2 a month, or one each series a month. Thinking that is a good timeframe?

I know it will probably sound unsatisfying for you, but try to write 2-3 chapters of the same series and then post them like 2-3 days apart. Publishing chapters a month apart makes readers lose immersion and forget the plot and the nuances of the characters. A month is a long time for someone who reads a few stories every day. I know it might be frustrating for you to delay publishing an already-written chapter, but in my experience, it is a better approach if you want feedback and better scores.

 

[Helgamite]

I know it will probably sound unsatisfying for you, but try to write 2-3 chapters of the same series and then post them like 2-3 days apart. Publishing chapters a month apart makes readers lose immersion and forget the plot and the nuances of the characters. A month is a long time for someone who reads a few stories every day. I know it might be frustrating for you to delay publishing an already-written chapter, but in my experience, it is a better approach if you want feedback and better scores.

i write em and send em to the editor, then publish, I don't really write 2-3 ahead, guess I should have done that from the start then?

 

[intim8]

In the story itself? I know input a "constructive criticism welcome" In my bio. Should I put them in the story itself? As an author note?

I linked the thread here, several replies up. I did put it in the story, but as a note after the story ended, clearly separated from the body of the story.

 

[Helgamite]

I linked the thread here, several replies up. I did put it in the story, but as a note after the story ended, clearly separated from the body of the story.

lmao, turn into a YouTuber. love that!

 

[AwkwardlySet]

i write em and send em to the editor, then publish, I don't really write 2-3 ahead, guess I should have done that from the start then?

It's not too late to try the new approach. It allows better immersion since the previous ones are still fresh in the mind of the reader. Some people write the whole series first and then publish the series, chapter by chapter a couple of days apart. It's not a must, of course, but I found that readers appreciate it, especially if the series is quite long and it gets hard for a reader to re-read the old chapters to keep the story fresh.

 

[Helgamite]

It's not too late to try the new approach. It allows better immersion since the previous ones are still fresh in the mind of the reader. Some people write the whole series first and then publish the series, chapter by chapter a couple of days apart. It's not a must, of course, but I found that readers appreciate it, especially if the series is quite long and it gets hard for a reader to re-read the old chapters to keep the story fresh.

if i do that it would also give my editor a break lol.

might do that for David's journey and company then. thank you

 

[MillieDynamite]

As far as I can tell, on most sites, all writers have few comments other than those their rabid followers make. Votes are as rare as hens' teeth (using an Okieism), haters post and vote more than those who love, and we writers can never get enough love to make us happy no matter what.

 

[lovecraft68]

Interesting, because my first thought was that the OP writes in a low traffic category, but its Romance and Group. Although not the top vote getters, they're generally not as slow as E/V or some other categories, so I do find it strange. Scores are decent, so its not as if the stories are either bad or pissing people off.

As far as the ask for comments disclaimer, I'd be interested to know why people think it works. Maybe it does, but unless someone says to you "I only commented because you asked" you don't know for sure. Readers who have been here for even a little while know you can vote or comment, and I doubt they do or don't based on asking them to.

 

[Helgamite]

Interesting, because my first thought was that the OP writes in a low traffic category, but its Romance and Group. Although not the top vote getters, they're generally not as slow as E/V or some other categories, so I do find it strange. Scores are decent, so its not as if the stories are either bad or pissing people off.

As far as the ask for comments disclaimer, I'd be interested to know why people think it works. Maybe it does, but unless someone says to you "I only commented because you asked" you don't know for sure. Readers who have been here for even a little while know you can vote or comment, and I doubt they do or don't based on asking them to.

could it be like @AwkwardlySet said, that i'm posting too slow? maybe not bringing the traffic in enough to make it worth commenting? I know my first ones brought in comments, but the second not as much.

 

[intim8]

As far as the ask for comments disclaimer, I'd be interested to know why people think it works.

The reply I mede upthred, and the linked thred, give some reasoning on that. Only one attempt do far but my feedback rate is off the charts.

 

[Bramblethorn]

At first it was supposed to be Jessica and David only, then I added Caroline. Thinking this would be a romance story. Would it be a good idea to delete and reupload then in group then?

You can get them moved without deletion, by submitting an edit, but if you want views/comments that might not be effective since they won't show up on the new lists. In this case delete/resubmit might be better though it will mean losing the comments you had already.

If they were completed series, I might suggest just leaving them be, chalking it up to experience and moving on to the next thing, but if they're still in need of completion it's probably worth putting them in the right place.

Re. posting schedule, if you have the kind of temperament that allows you to write the whole story before posting it, I'd encourage doing that. It's not impossible to sustain readership with a monthly posting schedule or even slower - I've done that, because "write the whole story" just doesn't work for me - but it has its challenges.

 

[Helgamite]

You can get them moved without deletion, by submitting an edit, but if you want views/comments that might not be effective since they won't show up on the new lists. In this case delete/resubmit might be better though it will mean losing the comments you had already.

If they were completed series, I might suggest just leaving them be, chalking it up to experience and moving on to the next thing, but if they're still in need of completion it's probably worth putting them in the right place.

Re. posting schedule, if you have the kind of temperament that allows you to write the whole story before posting it, I'd encourage doing that. It's not impossible to sustain readership with a monthly posting schedule or even slower - I've done that, because "write the whole story" just doesn't work for me - but it has its challenges.

I might be too impatient to do a multi chapter write up before posting. one thing I am doing is compiling a compilation of the chapters, then post it as one full booklet or novella. either leaving the chapters as they are, or deleting the chapters and posting the full story.

tho I'm not sure what would be a better category for either of them, as Group isnt giving the comments as I had hoped.

I'm not interested too much in the stats, yet i rely on the comments to help me grow and get better, If i dont get those, i'll be making the same mistakes over and over again.

 

[Cagivagurl]

I would humbly suggest you just move on.
Forget about them and start on your next story...
Accept that you may have erred and treat it as lessons learnt...
Sweating over whether they would have got better views or scores in other categories is wasting time and energy.
You have received some excellent advice here from other commenters for future reference.

Cagivagurl

 

[ElectricBlue]

could it be like @AwkwardlySet said, that i'm posting too slow? maybe not bringing the traffic in enough to make it worth commenting? I know my first ones brought in comments, but the second not as much.

That's typical. The View count nearly always drops off for chapter two, and again for chapter three, so it follows that Comments will be proportionally less. I think that the Views counts for chapter three out to the final chapter are a fair estimate of the number of people who actually read the story. My rule of thumb is that maybe 15% - 20% who open a story will actually finish it, tops.

 

[Bramblethorn]

That's typical. The View count nearly always drops off for chapter two, and again for chapter three, so it follows that Comments will be proportionally less. I think that the Views counts for chapter three out to the final chapter are a fair estimate of the number of people who actually read the story. My rule of thumb is that maybe 15% - 20% who open a story will actually finish it, tops.

I also find that for a series, a lot of readers will save comments for the final chapter so they can comment on the whole story.

For my first series, the first chapter had 44 comments, it then dropped to about 15-20 comments for most of the middle chapters, and then 85 for the final chapter. Second series, 31 comments on chapter 1, dropping to about 5-10 for most chapters, then 54 on the last one.

In the long run, the most reliable way to get views is time and writing more stories.