Took a first-time leap...

[FoamyinFL]

...and published a story here. I was stunned to see the number of views, and how fast they racked up, until I read a forum note about bots trolling for email addresses. Bots notwithstanding, I've had one positive comment, one "added to favorite stories" and one "added to favorite authors". All in all, it's been fun.

Now I have to decide whether or not to continue with my story where it left off, or is it time to explore something else? I guess that's between me and my muse.

I'd like to hear opinions about the reader demographics...I wrote my story as erotica, rather than as a stroke story. I'm not looking for the path to glory and riches, but I'd like to improve my skills. In your experience, do you receive constructive comments from readers? Does anyone have an estimate on male/female ratios in the readership?

Thanks,

Foamy

 

[sr71plt]

Does anyone have an estimate on male/female ratios in the readership?

No, because any registered poster can claim to be any gender they want--and the anonymous readers don't have to reveal at all. A guess could be made at the composition of the forum from the posts made (mostly old men, not so young women, and underage girls, I'd say), but the forum is just a tiny backwater of the story file readers. And most posting to the forums aren't either writing or reading stories here.

Only thing I might advise on what to write next would be to avoid getting bogged down in a never-ending series that had no goal in sight from the begining if, as you post, you want to improve your writing and storytelling skills.

 

[Verdad]

You can see some site demographics here, but a readership of a particular genre or a particular writer might be very different:

http://www.alexa.com/siteinfo/literotica.com

 

[JackLuis]

Foamy I'd advise trying a new story. I didn't with my first story and spent too long (40 chapters) on one mode (First Person).

As the Pilot said, try to get a full story arch into you next story, if you haven't already.

If you are writing for self-education, keep trying things, until you get a feel for dialog, scene, and emotions.

It doesn't hurt to mention the wet, throbbing pussy now an again either.

 

[PennLady]

...and published a story here. I was stunned to see the number of views, and how fast they racked up, until I read a forum note about bots trolling for email addresses. Bots notwithstanding, I've had one positive comment, one "added to favorite stories" and one "added to favorite authors". All in all, it's been fun.

Now I have to decide whether or not to continue with my story where it left off, or is it time to explore something else? I guess that's between me and my muse.

I'd like to hear opinions about the reader demographics...I wrote my story as erotica, rather than as a stroke story. I'm not looking for the path to glory and riches, but I'd like to improve my skills. In your experience, do you receive constructive comments from readers? Does anyone have an estimate on male/female ratios in the readership?

Thanks,

Foamy

The high number of views doesn't necessarily mean bots. You'll find, if you publish more, that you will (probably) have a big discrepancy between views and votes, and an even bigger one between views and comments. A good rule of thumb is to take it all with a grain of salt. Enjoy the comments for what I hope they are -- positive feedback from random people you don't know.

Only you can decide whether to finish the story. I wouldn't let comments affect that decision. If you have more to say, or an idea to explore, then finish it. If not, then move on.

Sometimes you receive constructive comments, sometimes you don't. You'll have to decide if it's constructive. This isn't a club of authors; it's just a bunch of people who read and write at various levels.

 

[FoamyinFL]

Thanks!

Thanks, gurus, for all of the fast feedback. I appreciate the effort from veterans to explain simple stuff to noobs.

Back to the grindstone. My nose is nearly scabbed over.

Foamy

 

[Zeb_Carter]

Uh, guru's? Oh that just means they have more than...what is it now?...200 posts?