Tips and advice to get more social fuel?

[AspiringSub]

I feel a little embarrassed to ask this, but how does engagement work on Literotica? I wanted to try posting stories cause I like the sense of exhibitionism and validation. In practice I now have the sense a lot of people like my story but I got like ... 2 ... comments?

I have tried now to set up a discord server to maybe be able to chat with people who like my stories, but not sure that will work either.

I'm basically a baby exhibitionist (writing) trying to get my hit, and not sure I'm doing it right. Tips? Advice?

 

[SimonDoom]

You're probably not doing anything wrong. Most of us are chronically disappointed about how relatively few comments come in, considering the effort put into writing the stories and the numbers of views they get. A few ideas:

Some categories of stories get more comments than others. Loving Wives has the most engagement of any category, but it also has the most negative engagement. If you have a tough hide, it's great.

Keep writing. Improve your writing. As you continue writing you pick up more readers, more followers, more favorites, and in the end more comments.

Write good, interesting characters that the readers like. Stories with interesting characters will get more comments. Believe it or not, many readers at Literotica really DO care about things like this.

Become engaged in this forum. You'll get people who are curious about you and your stories. They may read them and comment about them. Be positive toward others and others will likely be more positive toward you.

 

[yowser]

Dear Exhibitionist, you're in the right place, doing the right things. Put a link in your forum signature, it takes time, making friends here is just like real life.

Welcome, and keep writing....

 

[onehitwanda]

Likes beget likes.

 

[AspiringSub]

You're probably not doing anything wrong. Most of us are chronically disappointed about how relatively few comments come in, considering the effort put into writing the stories and the numbers of views they get. A few ideas:

Some categories of stories get more comments than others. Loving Wives has the most engagement of any category, but it also has the most negative engagement. If you have a tough hide, it's great.

Keep writing. Improve your writing. As you continue writing you pick up more readers, more followers, more favorites, and in the end more comments.

Write good, interesting characters that the readers like. Stories with interesting characters will get more comments. Believe it or not, many readers at Literotica really DO care about things like this.

Become engaged in this forum. You'll get people who are curious about you and your stories. They may read them and comment about them. Be positive toward others and others will likely be more positive toward you.

I really appreciate the response! <333

I'm pretty locked in to CNC cause of how my brain is a way But that makes sense <3

Hmm, yeah, makes sense to build up a following.

Gosh, my characters are pretty blank slates and tropey as hell. I can imagine people being happy about certain characters though.

I didn't realize the forum is where the writers hang out. Good to know, thank you!

Dear Exhibitionist, you're in the right place, doing the right things. Put a link in your forum signature, it takes time, making friends here is just like real life.

Welcome, and keep writing....

Aaaaw, thanks! <3

Likes beget likes.

Fair! ^_^

 

[8letters]

You're probably not doing anything wrong. Most of us are chronically disappointed about how relatively few comments come in, considering the effort put into writing the stories and the numbers of views they get. A few ideas:

Some categories of stories get more comments than others. Loving Wives has the most engagement of any category, but it also has the most negative engagement. If you have a tough hide, it's great.

Keep writing. Improve your writing. As you continue writing you pick up more readers, more followers, more favorites, and in the end more comments.

Write good, interesting characters that the readers like. Stories with interesting characters will get more comments. Believe it or not, many readers at Literotica really DO care about things like this.

Become engaged in this forum. You'll get people who are curious about you and your stories. They may read them and comment about them. Be positive toward others and others will likely be more positive toward you.

I agree with SD and am going to add a couple of things to it:
1. Ask for comments at the end of your story. Let readers know that getting comments is important to you
2. Make your story stand out. If it's basically a recycle of common category tropes, there isn't much to comment on. If you do something fresh, in my experience you'll get more comments

 

[StillStunned]

Gosh, my characters are pretty blank slates and tropey as hell. I can imagine people being happy about certain characters though.

Lean into it! Remember: stereotypes bad, but archetypes good. (Don't ask me what the difference is though.)

 

[AspiringSub]

I agree with SD and am going to add a couple of things to it:
1. Ask for comments at the end of your story. Let readers know that getting comments is important to you
2. Make your story stand out. If it's basically a recycle of common category tropes, there isn't much to comment on. If you do something fresh, in my experience you'll get more comments

Oooh, yeah, I was thinking of updating my stories with requests for comments. Good idea <3

I have no idea if my story is different from the norm, and how that may be. I can only see that people really like my first story as far as it's possible to derive that from stats, I think. The title sure is generic, cause I got confused with someone else's story that got posted 2-3 days later, hahaha. But the material ... I dunno? I mean, I started writing cause I struggled to find stories that were exactly the thing I like. So I have just started writing erotica for myself, and now figure I might as well share it and see if that works to tickle my exhibitionism too ^_^

Lean into it! Remember: stereotypes bad, but archetypes good. (Don't ask me what the difference is though.)

Thank you! Yes! <3

 

[EmilyMiller]

Lean into it! Remember: stereotypes bad, but archetypes good. (Don't ask me what the difference is though.)

One has an A in it.

Here to help.

Em

 

[SimonDoom]

Lean into it! Remember: stereotypes bad, but archetypes good. (Don't ask me what the difference is though.)

Phenotypes are where it's at.

 

[ShelbyDawn57]

Phenotypes are where it's at.

So, would it be stereotypical to call a phenotype, a prototype for an archetype?

 

[Voboy]

Likes beget likes.

SO much this.

If it's engagement you seek, you'll do better posting here than relying on your stories to attract comments I think. YMMV, but for many of us, comments are few and far between.

 

[EmilyMiller]

Phenotypes are where it's at.

No Daguerreotypes, surely.

Em

 

[ShelbyDawn57]

No Daguerreotypes, surely.

Em

Thought you’d go for genotypes.

 

[Voboy]

Phenotypes?

 

[EmilyMiller]

Thought you’d go for genotypes.

I’m an old skool gal. Circa 1843.

Em

 

[ShelbyDawn57]

I’m an old skool gal. Circa 1843.

Em

Yet still the picture of youth, I see.

 

[EmilyMiller]

Yet still the picture of youth, I see.

I’m going to break the habit of a lifetime and publicly share a selfie.



And that’s my good side.

Em

 

[Voboy]

Your taste in shirt fastenings is very fashion-forward.

 

[ShelbyDawn57]

I’m going to break the habit of a lifetime and publicly share a selfie.

View attachment 2302569

And that’s my good side.

Em

Nah, not buying it. The city in the picture can’t be over 150.

 

[Priscilla_June]

SO much this.

If it's engagement you seek, you'll do better posting here than relying on your stories to attract comments I think. YMMV, but for many of us, comments are few and far between.

I’ll 3rd this and echo what @EmilyMiller once told me, in that, giving comments, reviews, and discussion of other people’s stories and building relationships with them encourages them to comment back. Fellow authors are the best source of feedback and comments.

 

[EmilyMiller]

Fellow authors are the best source of feedback and comments.

Because, by definition, we love writing. And at least a majority of us are positive about other people writing too. We’re more likely to comment than the average reader.

I don’t read anywhere near as widely here as I could, but I always comment if I read. Unless I hated it, in which case I observe a discrete silence.

Em

 

[EmilyMiller]

[...] in which case I observe a discrete silence.

Yes I am capable of that. Sometimes. When there is a R in the month. And a full moon. On a Tuesday. And I’m feeling like it.

Em

 

[Priscilla_June]

Because, by definition, we love writing. And at least a majority of us are positive about other people writing too. We’re more likely to comment than the average reader.

I don’t read anywhere near as widely here as I could, but I always comment if I read. Unless I hated it, in which case I observe a discrete silence.

Em

I think there was a really interesting thread not too long ago which talked about how do people On AH rate stories. And I think most authors said that if they didn’t like it they just didn't finish it/don’t vote and if they liked it enough to finish it they gave 5 stars.

 

[Voboy]

I think there was a really interesting thread not too long ago which talked about how do people On AH rate stories. And I think most authors said that if they didn’t like it they just didn't finish it/don’t vote and if they liked it enough to finish it they gave 5 stars.

Absolutely.

I spent a decade and a half here, reading happily, and it never occurred to me to comment or to vote... until I started writing. And if I don't like it, I don't rate it. I don't think a low rating, absent feedback, helps much, and I don't have the time for that.