What percentage of Hs is 'Good' - or 'Bad'?

[oggbashan]

I have been reviewing my 113 story submissions to detect any trends.

I'd like to know which stories worked, which didn't and which ones sunk without trace.

My current percentage of Hs is 39.01. Some of my stories don't register because they have never reached the dizzy heights of a whole 10 or more votes. I am very pleased to have an E (which doesn't have an H!) and a W which does have the matching H but I can't really count that because it was an essay about Free Speech.

I think most contributors to the AH would be very disappointed with such a low percentage of Hs.

What do you think is a good percentage to have?

Og

 

[davidwatts]

I have been reviewing my 113 story submissions to detect any trends.

I'd like to know which stories worked, which didn't and which ones sunk without trace.

My current percentage of Hs is 39.01. Some of my stories don't register because they have never reached the dizzy heights of a whole 10 or more votes. I am very pleased to have an E (which doesn't have an H!) and a W which does have the matching H but I can't really count that because it was an essay about Free Speech.

I think most contributors to the AH would be very disappointed with such a low percentage of Hs.

What do you think is a good percentage to have?

Og

I think 100% would be a good figure, and I think there are some writers here that have that distinction. Right now I'm at 80% H's (36 of 45) with about 5 that hang barely on the 4.5 edge, falling one way or the other with any vote that follows.

I believe that the longer writers are around, and the more often they express their opinions, the more their scores suffer. Additionally, much of your work that I've read is not of the 30 second wank variety, and requires a little more of the reader in terms of attention and patience. Those are not qualities possessed by some of the visitors passing through here, and many punish the writer who does not provide instant gratification.

I'm still trying to figure out why some stories get read and others don't. I know the title and category has a lot to do with it, along with the day of the week the story comes up first, but I think it's worse to have a story ignored that it is for it to get a low score. The absolute worst is for a story to be loathed AND ignored.

Anyway, your posting shows the actual value of the voting system, because you are one of the finest contributors on the grounds and I've learned much from your work.

 

[Alex756]

I think the percentage of H's doesn't matter at all.

It depends on the quality of your writing and the personal satisafction it gives you.

I'm at a lower percentage than you Og

25%

2 for 8. one doesn't have enough votes. one got 1 bombed when it did good in its catagory for the month. My most well writen story in my opinion doesn't have an H, doesn't bug me one bit.

I know my writing style doesn't appeal to everyone, but it appeals to me. I am much happier writing what I write than trying to write for the majority of Lit in an effort to get H's. If my personal style and what people want occasionally mix, that's fine. However, it is not my goal.

-Alex

 

[Liar]

I have been reviewing my 113 story submissions to detect any trends.

You wanna talk about trends?

You have submitted 113 stories in approx 3 years. That's a whole lotta stories. How many of those did you feel like "hell yeah, this is nice, should get me an H" when you submitted them? I have submitted just a handful of stories, and tossed others that I didn't feel were good enough. So I have a higher percentage of Hs. But you have far more Hs than me.

Also, many of your stories are intended for small target audiences with aquired tastes in a market place categorized for wider audiences.

Those are just wto factors that makes one author's body of work impossible to compare to another's.

 

[oggbashan]

I have 'tossed' far more than the 113. The proportion of posted to not-posted is about 1:3.

The ones that I perhaps shouldn't have submitted, or shouldn't leave, are some contest entries hastily written e.g. 'Halloween Viking', and 'Beach Protest' and two of my earliest postings 'Stag Night' and 'Hen Night'. I leave them posted to remind me that sometime I should edit/rewrite and resubmit.

'Should get me an H'? I never know. I think that some, definitely not all, of my non-H stories are as good as the ones that have Hs.

I know that most of my stories have a limited appeal. Some are VERY limited but can still get an H.

There doesn't seem to be a rational link between what I think is 'good' and what gets an H. Perhaps I should look further.

Thank you for the responses so far. Back to the next story - for a limited audience.

Og

 

[JamesSD]

I'd like to know which stories worked, which didn't and which ones sunk without trace.

My current percentage of Hs is 39.01. Some of my stories don't register because they have never reached the dizzy heights of a whole 10 or more votes. I am very pleased to have an E (which doesn't have an H!) and a W which does have the matching H but I can't really count that because it was an essay about Free Speech.

I think most contributors to the AH would be very disappointed with such a low percentage of Hs.

What do you think is a good percentage to have?

I think it's hard to have a "target percentage". Either you want every story to be recieved well, or you don't care.

I think it's fairly typical for E stories not to be H's. E stories tend to be unique, and Lit is a little like Hollywood, you can be a little clever, but if you get too creative you won't appeal to the masses.

I've submitted a couple stories I knew wouldn't get H's. I've also had more than one where I was dissapointed to see it only hit ~4.45. I've also noticed that with time a lot of those stories creep up; I think the people reading them are more likely to be actively seeking out that sort of story or enjoyed my other work than just clicking the new stories page.

 

[fifty5]

3 versus 113

Hi Ogg,

Maybe the Hs follow (sub)titles more than story quality as such?

My latest (the 3rd!) got slated immediately - and then the penny dropped that although the title and description were accurate as far as they went, they were probably attracting readers who were looking for something very different to what I'd written.

I've resubmitted, putting "- no sex" into the description (not changing the story itself), and only if that's accepted do I think there's the remotest chance that votes or PCs will relate to the writing at all!

Granted that's extreme - and you're not such a twit as I am - but it does illustrate what I'm getting at.

I'd love 18% Hs. I'm actually quite pleased with a 4.43 (31507 views, 70 votes) & a 4.14 (885 views, 14 votes), even given the 2.45 (17548 views, 49 votes) that rolled in during the 3 days since the latest was accepted. Yeah, that's 0.000% Hs - and I'm pleased - and I don't (as yet) accept that my target is wimpishly low.

 

[jeanne_d_artois]

You must be doing something right, Eff, to get that many votes.

As Jeanne, my hit rate of Hs is 1 in 13. As Og I do better but I struggle to get up to 10 votes except in the competitions.

I think it doesn't help when the reader reaches the end of Lit page 1 and sees three or four more...

Jeanne D'Artois, er, Og, er Fag-Ash Lil or Who the heck am I now?

 

[Quiet_Cool]

You have submitted 113 stories in approx 3 years. That's a whole lotta stories.

Yeah, considering I've been around for a year longer, and I only have 6.

My percentage? About 33.3

2 out of 6.

I believe they're all above 4.0, but only 2 break the 4.5 mark.

I'm not disappointed.



Q_C

 

[fifty5]

You must be doing something right, Eff, to get that many votes.

I read a lot...

As Jeanne, my hit rate of Hs is 1 in 13. As Og I do better but I struggle to get up to 10 votes except in the competitions.

From how many views, Ogg? My three rate 1:450, 1:63 & 1:356. The 'prose poem' (a fiddle to get something in below the word limit) aside, I thought my ratio was lower than par?

I think it doesn't help when the reader reaches the end of Lit page 1 and sees three or four more...

Could be. As a reader, sometimes I want to read, other times I just want stroke. My guess is that the latter is more typical.

Jeanne D'Artois, er, Og, er Fag-Ash Lil or Who the heck am I now?

Just D.... - someone I respect.

 

[rgraham666]

I only have one not H.

Disappointed with that.

 

[fifty5]

I only have one not H.

Disappointed with that.

Swank!

How many views and votes?

 

[Rumple Foreskin]

I once did some sampling of Lit stories and, best I recall, about half those submitted end up with an H. Even if that figure happens to be reasonably close, as others have pointed out, it means nothing.

As most old heads know and discerning newbies no doubt suspect, the trick to getting high scores is no big secret. Submit to only a few categories (the fewer the better), emphasize plot over character development, remember most readers want fantasy so avoid "downer" endings, keep the tempo upbeat, include plenty of sex and do so early in the story, submit stories on a regular bases, and when you do, be sure to notify all you "faithful" readers.

Various genres have their own requirements. For instance, with Incest it appears that the closer the relationship, the higher the score.

The Great Og violates practically all those "rules." IMHO, that fact is to his credit as a writer. I've always thought one of the great things about Lit is it giving writers a chance to experiment and try new things. To me, limiting yourself to a tried-and-true vote getting formula in one or two categories comes damn close to resembling grind-it-out work. But if doing so rows your boat, then paddle away.

My stats: 29 stories, 12 categories, 20 H's, 1 W.

Rumple Foreskin

 

[rgraham666]

Swank!

How many views and votes?

Best Scored Story The Orange Slip Score: 4.85 Votes: 270 Views: 17,852

Most Viewed Story Bill and Ruby Score: 4.72 Votes: 104 Views: 27,939

I'm bragging, I know. But I'm in a good mood, so I'm allowed.

 

[impressive]

100% of course. Why strive for anything less?