What is 'popular'?

[smotp]

Is it the number of viewings?
The number of voters?
Or the score after you hit the magic 10?

I have pieces in a variety of genres and the numbers of viewings is hugely different between them.

Is Transexuals more pupular with the Lit. public than say Sci Fi or Horror?

When do you consider a story is successful?

 

[oggbashan]

Ouch!

That's a lot of questions for one post.

Welcome to the Author's Hangout.

Top Lists and top listed stories go on number of votes.

Until you have 10 votes the score is invisible except to you, and you will not get an H. It is quite common for a story to receive the tenth 5 and appear to have a perfect score. Once that is visible, someone will mark it down.

Viewings aren't really that important. A view means that someone clicked on your story. They may have taken one look and then moved on. The category and your title will determine views. Votes mean that someone has at least got to the end of your story.

Og

 

[Divulgence]

*****

 

[oggbashan]

Yes, those were a lot of questions but I'm awfully glad they asked.

And thank you for the answers!

Congratulations on your "experienced" status.

I didn't answer the last question:

When do you consider a story is successful?

because there are different measures of success. Obviously a top rated story in a category is successful, but a number of positive PCs (Public Comments) is also a sign of success. The most relevant success is getting published for MONEY!

Og

 

[Divulgence]

*****

 

[smotp]

Thanks to Ogbashan

Many thanks for the answers it cleared up some grey areas for me.

I just find it interesting that there is such an apparent variation between the seeming popularity of different genres.

My pieces in BDSM and Transexuals have had in one case more than 15,000 viewings! But some works in Sci- Fi only a few thousand.

Are Lit. readers more interested in kink?

I agree that the final test is publication but the competition is fierce and there seems to be a lot of luck involved.

 

[Jenny_Jackson]

I don't worry about it myself because no one reads my tripe. But a word to the wise...don't post any RAPE stories unless you like death threats.

 

[rgraham666]

I don't worry about it myself because no one reads my tripe. But a word to the wise...don't post any RAPE stories unless you like death threats.

Even just reluctance will garner you some nasty comments.

 

[WarLordwrites]

Is it the number of viewings?
The number of voters?
Or the score after you hit the magic 10?

I have pieces in a variety of genres and the numbers of viewings is hugely different between them.

Is Transexuals more pupular with the Lit. public than say Sci Fi or Horror?

When do you consider a story is successful?

Greetings

I tend to view LIT as less a SF site then others I post in.

So its fair to assume views have much to do with genre. LIT does seem to like "kink" best! Also views are very different chapter by chapter in a serial, with a big fall off afer the first one.

I'm prone to look at views as an indicator though the fact of comments seems to give you best feel for your readers. Votes are so prone to games and slamming to be irrelevant

Publication is one test of popularity or at least someones opinion of the marketability of your story.

It is also a measure of the author's luck!

The "Slush Pile" at one popular Sci Fi publisher is one year deep. To capture the eye and attention of a screener reader is not all about quality of the whole story but mostly about that critical first half page...

I keep paying my dues and learning my craft and mostly having fun, who knows how the journey ends

Enjoy yours

WarLord

 

[pellso27]

well............

When you're PM box is full every morning you know you have done a good job!