What is your lowest rated story, and did you ever figure out the 'Why'?

[ShamBaLa]

3.57 for The Email Stalker. It's not particularly sexy or graphic even with a bi main character. Didn't expect this one to be a high score. A corporate AI bott stalks the guy with cams all over the building. Including the locker room. It's more clever than erotic.

OTOH i have another at 4.65 with just 5 votes and only 2k hits that I think is some of my best work. Can't figure if it's too long or the title is boring.

 

[PapaRomantic]

I read it. I did not think nearly as good as trial separation and Amicable No More. There was no resolution for the cheating bitch.

This is exactly why writing in the LW category is off-putting to many writers - for most readers, the only difference between a high rating and a low rating is whether the "cheating bitch" gets burned or not. There is no thought by readers about the quality of writing or the concept of the story if the "cheating bitch" gets away with it.

Since you took the time to review it in two posts here (which I did not ask for, and this isn't a review thread, but oh well...), I decided I'd counter with a comment left on the story by a very respected LW writer, who did understand what I was trying to do.

"Wow!

I know it’s human nature to judge stories based on our own likes and dislikes but in cases like this it’s too bad we can’t simply judge on the merits of a well written, well thought out, and well executed story.

Yes, she got away with cheating on her husband. There was no retribution, no revenge, no consequences for either cheating party--that right there is enough for 1 star in the minds of many. I’m sure it was the driving force behind the low score but this was an excellent introspective into the mind of someone who loses their lover then has to deal with not being able to truly morn or acknowledge her loss, while at the same time, contend with her guilt.

I gave it 5 stars. I wish I could give it more."

 

[Gamblnluck]

Since you took the time to review it in two posts here (which I did not ask for, and this isn't a review thread, but oh well...),

The title of the thread is 'your lowest score and WHY'. I thought your idea of the WHY was wrong. To do that I had to read the story and semi-review.

And as a side-note if you'd have had the woman find a cutting of the newspaper article under a magnet on the fridge, your story would have gone well into the four's. Same story, same writing, prose etc. And it would have even left to the reader's imagination a realm of possibilities. if the husband did anything or was going to do anything to the wife or let it go and continue with life as is. Maybe he knew the dead guy was screwing another man's wife as well. who knows?

The WHY of the slightly lower score is you ended the story with no resolution. But like is said here many times, you tell your story the way you want.

 

[GrantBricksly]

Santa's Little Helper 4.05 rating (with 255 votes)

My best guess is the issue stems from story length. With the exception of my 750-word challenge story, it is by far my shortest story, with a measly 1.4k words.
I might also have mis-categorized it. Perhaps erotic couplings was not the correct category for it.

I was happy with it when I wrote it. And I have since concluded that longer stories tend to do better.

I might re-read it sometime (I'm very busy with my new series right now) and see if I want to do a rewrite...

 

[Cagivagurl]

My lowest (Score) is 2.3.. why who knows??? Do I care?? No, not really.

It was a very long twisted tale. Poorly written It got what it deserved in reality...
Sometimes, we as writers miss the mark... I think it's important to own it... Say, 'oh well.' Maybe next time...

Did I have fun writing it? Yes...
Did at least a few other reader enjoy it? Yes.
Am I proud of it? Yes...
I posted it as an attempt to write something... Tell a story, express an opinion... In my mind it's a success...
It contains valuable lessons, that I carry into the future...

Cagivagurl

 

[karina_jayde]

One of mine has fallen to a 4.6 (technically my second lowest)

It is entirely due to review bombing after it reached the top 25 in fantasy stories.

I've had other stories drop once they reach the top lists, but those were all standalones or first chapters. For those, a downgrade in ratings kind of made sense, due to exposure to a larger audience.

But this one is the 7th in a series, and the previous entries have not gotten a matching surge of votes since that one reached the top list. So it is very apparent that someone or their fans has been spamming lower votes to drive it out of the top list.

 

[HordHolm]

My lowest is in... TaDAAA! Loving Wives. My only foray into the bear pit so far.

https://www.literotica.com/s/swimming-in-the-rubicon - it has a rating of 3.85 on 171 votes, and actually has some nice comments. I was aware going in that I wasn't going to get a great rating, but I was hoping to crack a rating of 4. Still, I'll take it, particularly with the nice comments.

 

[Dearelliot]

My lowest was 4.22 until today, it seems I had one more read my story and it dropped to 4.16 maybe I don't understand the numbers posted.

 

[Gamblnluck]

My lowest (Score) is 2.3.. why who knows??? Do I care?? No, not really.

Yes you do. Deep inside it pisses you off. You poured yourself into your story as we all do. Even when you think you did a half ass job, you want it appreciated. It bothers when others don't recognize your efforts. BUT it makes you work harder.

 

[Writer61]

My lowest was 4.22 until today, it seems I had one more read my story and it dropped to 4.16 maybe I don't understand the numbers posted.

Looks like that person gave you a lower score.

 

[Dearelliot]

Looks like that person gave you a lower score.

must have been a -1 I cant see how getting a 1 could lower the score 6 points

 

[iwatchus]

must have been a -1 I cant see how getting a 1 could lower the score 6 points

How many votes to you have?

 

[GrantBricksly]

must have been a -1 I cant see how getting a 1 could lower the score 6 points

Ocassionally, the site does a "sweep" and removes what it sees as false votes, spam votes, etc... so it's possible that some votes got removed (possibly even higher votes) and at the same time, you gained votes. So from your point of view you gained 1 vote, but in reality, you lost 3 and gained 4. And perhaps the 4 new ones were all lower, and some of the 3 you lost were higher ones. Thus the lower overall score.

 

[Dearelliot]

How many votes to you have?

only 50 but I had two today so that's why the 6 point drop I suppose...two 1s

 

[iwatchus]

only 50 but I had two today so that's why the 6 point drop I suppose...two 1s

If you were at 48 votes, you probably got a 4 and a 1 as the two votes. That would drop you to a 4.16 Two 1's one have dropped you all the way to 4.1. The 1's really hurt. Just the way the math works if you far above 2.5, which almost every story is.

 

[Cagivagurl]

This might sound trite...
Ignore the scores.... They mean nothing.
Some of the very best stories I have read scored less than 3... Scores are often more about content than quality...
The voting is so heavily weighted in favour of content...
If your story doesn't hit the spot for the readers, they are more likely to vote 1 rather than consider the quality of trhe actual writing....

Just my opinion...
LOL... It helps when I see the score sitting at 2.3

Cagivagurl...

 

[Writer61]

must have been a -1 I cant see how getting a 1 could lower the score 6 points

You said the score went from 4.22 to 4.16, which is a change of 0.06

maybe I don't understand the numbers posted.

Seems likely

 

[Dearelliot]

Yes of course, I didn't think about it being 4.16, a change of 0.06
Sorry about that, guys, my mind doesn't work as well as it used to...I'll be 91 next month, and you'd be amazed at how much the old thinking process slows down

 

[WeShallUnclench]

Also, the fact that he consented meant that no Burn the Bitch storyline was practical - you're only allowed to sleep around on LW if you're going to die at the end.

All of those tales you guys share kinda make me want to write LW stories that REALLY piss the right people off. Something like a proud serial cheating wife who gets to shoot her husband in the end and live happily ever after building a capybara farm with the insurance money? Gotta workshop a bit.

 

[WeShallUnclench]

Didn't concern my lowest story, but remember earlier in this thread I mentioned I entered a summer contest, my story got very low rating, I rationalized it was because the logistics were so awkward (a girl chases down a naked guy through a forest and fucks him in a lake; but the dynamic was so fun to me I was unwilling to stray far from my original vision).

But no, turns out it was review bombing. One sweep, and suddenly all the 1 stars were gone and I got a fairly decent score. I believe the whole competition was plagued by issues like that.

 

[Actingup]

All of those tales you guys share kinda make me want to write LW stories that REALLY piss the right people off. Something like a proud serial cheating wife who gets to shoot her husband in the end and live happily ever after building a capybara farm with the insurance money? Gotta workshop a bit.

We've all thought about it, don't worry! But here is where the LW readers can really surprise you. They admire a good story as long as they feel that the main character is acting in a morally defensible manner. The story you outline would really annoy them, yes, and you would be crucified. But if that wife was cheated on first, then she will have a lot of people on her side. My most read story, and also my highest rated in LW (A Game of Snooker) has a wronged wife cold-bloodily plotting the death of her controlling husband, his lover, and his cousin, getting away with it (she didn't use direct violence, she misdirected them into a violent confrontation with each other), and then running off to Sydney with the artist who was painting her nude portrait. Not one reader believed that she'd done the wrong thing, although many commented that they would never want to be on her bad side.

 

[WeShallUnclench]

We've all thought about it, don't worry! But here is where the LW readers can really surprise you. They admire a good story as long as they feel that the main character is acting in a morally defensible manner. The story you outline would really annoy them, yes, and you would be crucified. But if that wife was cheated on first, then she will have a lot of people on her side. My most read story, and also my highest rated in LW (A Game of Snooker) has a wronged wife cold-bloodily plotting the death of her controlling husband, his lover, and his cousin, getting away with it (she didn't use direct violence, she misdirected them into a violent confrontation with each other), and then running off to Sydney with the artist who was painting her nude portrait. Not one reader believed that she'd done the wrong thing, although many commented that they would never want to be on her bad side.

I believe I said it before but it's funny to me how deeply some people care about "justice" in their erotica. Speficially sex justice.
From some of the anecdotes I hear, one would think some stories are sought out not to get off, but specifically to find some sort of catharsis/vindication

 

[pink_silk_glove]

(a girl chases down a naked guy through a forest and fucks him in a lake;

Aggressive girl goes every length to shag guy should be staggeringly popular.

 

[pink_silk_glove]

I believe I said it before but it's funny to me how deeply some people care about "justice" in their erotica. Speficially sex justice.
From some of the anecdotes I hear, one would think some stories are sought out not to get off, but specifically to find some sort of catharsis/vindication

Certain categories are that way. LW is the obvious one but surprisingly Romance often requires emotional justice. If you don't give it, you risk a poor score. Incest as well. I don't read/write there but from what people on the forum say the concensus seems to be that it absolutely must be consensual and it must be loving etc, or you will risk a poor score. BDSM too. If you don't present that Dom/sub relationship the way that the reader insists that it should be (and opinions vary greatly) you will get pushback.

 

[caleb35]

My lowest rated story is currently rated at 3.47. As for why, I presume that's because it's not that good I have a couple of other stories rated below 4, though, and I can't really tell why. I've never received constructive (or even thoughtful) comments on my works so it's hard to tell. Probably a combination of whichever way the wind is blowing on a given day in a given thread, some detail that either really pleases or irritates readers (maybe both), and some people review bombing.