The slow tick

[LargoKitt]

You know what's nice? Posting a story that doesn't get a lot of views; but when you check in on it there are a few more viewers. Of course, wet blanket, they could be quick peeks who move on. But it's heartening to imagine a few souls, every few days, sitting back and enjoying that tale. It would be good if more folks voted. Curious that many of my 'hot' stories still have low votes. Comments are good too, especially if I feel I have pushed the limits of my work.

 

[YmaOHyd]

I had a series of ratings come in on something I wrote in April -- literally just one guy or gal or other going through and reading the bits and rating them. Fact of the matter is that ratings and comments come with reads and reads happen when you're in New, or maybe an all-time toplist (and God knows I don't know how those work).

 

[LargoKitt]

I had a series of ratings come in on something I wrote in April -- literally just one guy or gal or other going through and reading the bits and rating them. Fact of the matter is that ratings and comments come with reads and reads happen when you're in New, or maybe an all-time toplist (and God knows I don't know how those work).

Still puzzling. Why the votes when new? I have stories ticking along for years. Therefore they are new to hundreds of people a year. But the votes stay low. Hmm, I wonder how many Lit readers have a 'network" to whom they reccommend stories, and keep a lookout for new hot stuff. I see some 'influencers' here in the forums, but is that significant for Lit readership? Wonder how many folks check in to the forums to find out what is good. For me, the popular and favorite lists don't point at best stories. Why do so many love 'mommy on boys lap' stories? Ask Sigmund.

 

[YmaOHyd]

Still puzzling. Why the votes when new? I have stories ticking along for years. Therefore they are new to hundreds of people a year. But the votes stay low. Hmm, I wonder how many Lit readers have a 'network" to whom they reccommend stories, and keep a lookout for new hot stuff. I see some 'influencers' here in the forums, but is that significant for Lit readership? Wonder how many folks check in to the forums to find out what is good. For me, the popular and favorite lists don't point at best stories. Why do so many love 'mommy on boys lap' stories? Ask Sigmund.

I think it's just as simple as that's how the vast majority of readers find things to read. They look at the toplist section, and they look at New.

 

[GemmaGemmaGemma]

I like it when someone discovers one of your stories and enjoy it enough that they spend the next few hours or days reading and favouriting all of your published work. It's fun seeing a single username like 10 times in a row in your feed, knowing they had a good time with your work

 

[LargoKitt]

I like it when someone discovers one of your stories and enjoy it enough that they spend the next few hours or days reading and favouriting all of your published work. It's fun seeing a single username like 10 times in a row in your feed, knowing they had a good time with your work

I'm kind of waiting for that one. I have a few followers who kind of say, "Thanks for the new one" or "I love (or hate) the second chapter. Be great to see more of that.

 

[iwatchus]

A few months ago, I noticed that the number of views (and votes) slowed down after the first few days (as expected) and more after the story drops off the 30 day list, but after that the vote/view on most of my stories actually went up, not down. The rate of views dropped drastically, so the number of votes slowed as well, but not by as much as the views slowed.

 

[Soixenta]

Mage & Moonshadow Ch. 01 is going very slowly. I thought Erotic Horror was slow, but SF&F is worse. After more than a week it only has 671 views. But there are a handful more every day, and usually one or two new votes as well. So few people are opening it, but quite a lot of them read the story and vote (46/671).

 

[Bazzle]

Yes, I have got a lot of stories on lit...but it amazes me how many readers or bots are quietly clicking on stories months if not years after publishing.

Votes and comments drop off, but there are a silent majority clicking away.

I think I am getting somewhere in the region of 1000 clicks a week. Just got to hope they are silently enjoying my work.

 

[StillStunned]

Yes, I have got a lot of stories on lit...but it amazes me how many readers or bots are quietly clicking on stories months if not years after publishing.

Votes and comments drop off, but there are a silent majority clicking away.

I think I am getting somewhere in the region of 1000 clicks a week. Just got to hope they are silently enjoying my work.

Have you passed the 1 million mark since we last spoke?

 

[Bazzle]

Have you passed the 1 million mark since we last spoke?

I am only a couple of hundred readers/clicks short!

 

[StillStunned]

I am only a couple of hundred readers/clicks short!

Careful, you'll trigger my flashbacks!

Watching the counter for my story slowly, ever so slowly, creep up towards 100k views. It's taken half an hour to get from 99,992 to 99,995.

 

[Bazzle]

Careful, you'll trigger my flashbacks!

I *think* it will happen over night...or some time this week.

 

[StillStunned]

I *think* it will happen over night...or some time this week.

I hope the anticipation doesn't keep you awake tonight!

 

[Bazzle]

I hope the anticipation doesn't keep you awake tonight!

Nah, I think I will be good!

 

[LargoKitt]

Mage & Moonshadow Ch. 01 is going very slowly. I thought Erotic Horror was slow, but SF&F is worse. After more than a week it only has 671 views. But there are a handful more every day, and usually one or two new votes as well. So few people are opening it, but quite a lot of them read the story and vote (46/671).

Another puzzle because my understanding SF&F is a field men and women truly share. People seem to love a Twilight or Sar Trek/Wars set up where anything can happen. And the ways a human or extraterrestrial body can be 'delighted' is limitless. Lot of grads of D&D. LOts of fanboys/grrrls of video games. And are SF&F sex scenes easier to write? "Oh, grab my tentacle Guido!" Inquiring Kingons want to know.

 

[Nynah]

Another puzzle because my understanding SF&F is a field men and women truly share. People seem to love a Twilight or Sar Trek/Wars set up where anything can happen. And the ways a human or extraterrestrial body can be 'delighted' is limitless. Lot of grads of D&D. LOts of fanboys/grrrls of video games. And are SF&F sex scenes easier to write? "Oh, grab my tentacle Guido!" Inquiring Kingons want to know.

My pet theory (for which I have no data or proof, so strictly navel-gazing) for the lower readership in SF&F is that most readers tend to prefer pre-established universes to read about like Star Wars or Game of Thrones since there is already that base level of understanding with regards to the world the story takes place in. Original stories have to take the time to worldbuild, which can be a harder sell to someone looking for a quick fix.

Lit has always skewed more towards publishing original stories, so for that reason, I think it's just naturally more difficult to get readers to invest time in an entirely new sci-fi or fantasy framework. Not saying it can't and hasn't been done, but historically SF&F has always had an uphill battle to climb compared to other categories.

 

[iwatchus]

My pet theory (for which I have no data or proof, so strictly navel-gazing) for the lower readership in SF&F is that most readers tend to prefer pre-established universes to read about like Star Wars or Game of Thrones since there is already that base level of understanding with regards to the world the story takes place in. Original stories have to take the time to worldbuild, which can be a harder sell to someone looking for a quick fix.

Lit has always skewed more towards publishing original stories, so for that reason, I think it's just naturally more difficult to get readers to invest time in an entirely new sci-fi or fantasy framework. Not saying it can't and hasn't been done, but historically SF&F has always had an uphill battle to climb compared to other categories.

I have no idea, but but it feels like lit is not the dominant site for SF&F the way it is for some categories. I don't know if there is a dominant site, but I suspect the readers are spread around much more. Average views in SF&F are actually only about the middle of the pack for categories. But everyone expects Fetish or Letters&Transcripts to have small readerships. But in the larger world, SF&F would probably be the largest category. But people don't come here for that. There are far more options, than say for T/I

At least my guess

 

[EmilyMiller]

The slow tick​

Every time I see this thread, I think…