Your best story vs. your best score

[Chicklet]

In my experience, my favorite examples of my work are pretty poorly rated. I know it's not true with everyone, but it's true with me. What I'm wondering is if, after you've submitted what you consider to be your "best," if it is given poor scores, does that change your opinion of it? Do you look at a 4.30 next to what you think is the best work you've ever written and at the 4.5 next to your jerk-off story and think "What did I do wrong?" or do you say "Fuck 'em, I'm better than they know."

 

[deliciously_naughty]

In my experience, my favorite examples of my work are pretty poorly rated. I know it's not true with everyone, but it's true with me. What I'm wondering is if, after you've submitted what you consider to be your "best," if it is given poor scores, does that change your opinion of it? Do you look at a 4.30 next to what you think is the best work you've ever written and at the 4.5 next to your jerk-off story and think "What did I do wrong?" or do you say "Fuck 'em, I'm better than they know."

My favorite example of my work is, as ever, For Love of Snow White with 47 votes and an average score of 4.38. My conclusion is that because there is a distinct lack of explicit sex, the rating suffered.

However my highest rated story is Wesley's Woman Chapter 2 with a 4.77 with 35 votes, which I'm satisfied with and feel is deserved because it's a well written and textured story (although why chapter 2 is the favorite is unknown to me)

The story with the most votes is Megan My Dear with 212 votes and a 4.48, which I consider undeserved (too high)

My lowest rated story is It happened one night ch 8 , which ironically is my only E. I was emotionally detached from the story and while I think it's a decent story and that a 3.30 is a lower rating than it deserves, I can't argue that it's one of my best. My next lowest is The Hottest trend with a 4.17 which just proves that satire is a dying art form b/c I think it's a hell of a funny story and so do most people I've shown it to.


My general opinion is that I'm a good writer regardless, but that I've had my weak and strong moments, and while feedback and scores are nice, they shouldn't affect my self esteem as a writer. Having said that, when a story gets slammed (as one of mine recently was) it does give me at least a moment's pause and I'll consider the critique.

 

[pop_54]

Hmmm

If I get scores like that Chicklet darling, I say fuck them, & laugh because I'm worse than they know, hehe.



pops...............

 

[Svenskaflicka]

Most read story of mine: Rise & Shine, Sleepyhead! (88813 readings). Medium score: 3.49

Story of mine that has the highest number of votes: What A Comfort (284 votes). Medium score: 4.08

Story of mine with the highest score: The Sorceror's Boner. Medium score: 4.50


My own 3 favourites: (sorry, just couldn't pick only one)
Best Lil' Whorehouse In MiddleEarth. Medium Score: 4.21
Room-Mating. Middle Score: 4.10
The Sorceror's Boner. Medium score: 4.50

 

[karmadog]

My latest is the story I think is best: Smoke Mirror Whiskey is rated at 4.67 (mu highest rated prose), although it only has fifteen votes. I was surprised that it is rated as highly as it is because I don't think it is particularly erotic, it takes a long time to get to the sex, it's talky, and doesn't have a happy ending.


My highest rated poem, The Hallmark Quickie is by far my highest rated anything at 5.00 (only five votes). I think it's moderately funny, but it is pure doggerel.

My best poem, I think, is Third Floor Shitstorm, which is rated a respectable 4.60.

What have I learned? That I shouldn't underestimate my readers of prose, and that I should probably stick to writing drivel as far as poetry is concerned, as that is my strength.

 

[KillerMuffin]

As it happens my fave story and the best score are the same. If you've never been to the GB or the BDSM forum, then you probably won't find it nearly so amusing as those of us who go regularly.

Lancie Pants

 

[Chicklet]

well since everyone is posting links <fluffs up>

my best rated is Megan & Julie, which makes me happy, but I re-read it recently and had to restrain myself from closing it at points.

My favorite story of my own is End Game

 

[MathGirl]

Cinco

Smoke Mirror Whiskey is rated at 4.67

One of those votes was mine, KDog. It was a 5, and I thought it was a very, very good story.

That "literary" site at Wellseley College picked three of my things. Two were pieces I think of as my best. They're also the least sexual and lowest scoring of everything I've done (about 4.3).

If ya wanna get the votes, ya gotta makem stroke.

MG

 

[karmadog]

Thanks for the compliment, Mathgirl.

If ya wanna get the votes, ya gotta makem stroke.

From the Clinton Political Handbook, I believe.

 

[openthighs_sarah]

The story of mine that I think was the best -- best written, most erotic -- is also the highest scoring one (Eros and Agape). Even though it's rather slow-paced and not exactly filled with sex, it is filled with sexual tension and promise, I think, and that might explain the score.

But my favorite story, the story I put the most into and maybe cared the most about, has the lowest score (Fire and Rain). In some ways that makes me sad, but in other ways I think it's a good thing. That story seems very fragile and delicate and personal to me, and I don't know if I want the whole Lit world responding to it in the same way. And a low vote isn't literary criticism; for many readers, I think it's just a way of saying either "I connected with this" or "I didn't". And if it didn't resonate with the reader in some way, then the vote makes sense, because that reader isn't the right one for my story. And I do want it to resonate... but only for the reasons I put there.

 

[Singularity]

Best Versus Best-Rated

My all-time favorite, that I despair sometimes of surpassing, is Chloe's Obsession. It rated a 4.72, though it is out-voted by a number of my other stories.

Overall, I am quite happy with how the stories are received, though there are a few that are lurking around in the lower regions that I think are (almost) as good as Chloe's Obsession.

The thing that I struggle with isn't so much the low-rated story that I think is damn good and just under-read or under-appreciated.

My problem is more of getting the energy level up high enough and the words flowing powerfully enough to equal or surpass what I consider my earlier best to be. Once I got Chloe out of my system and finished it, all of the new ones seem to pale in comparison, regardless of how they score.

There are many days when I fear that the best one is in the past, and not the future. And that sucks.


Singularity

 

[Croctden]

I jump in

I have five stories ranging from 4.40 to 4.72. I don't really thing of any of them as being far superior to the others, plus they are several different catagories. I would say I would judge my lowest scored story to be the weak sister of the bunch. I also think what I'm writing now is better than anything I have posted.

 

[Madame Manga]

I had to go look in order to recall any of my scores--I'm like many authors here in that I usually only check them when I have a freshly posted story. And again like many of us, I checked them every five minutes when I was new at Lit. ;-)

I'm philosophical about scores. The mathematics involved (thank you, MathGirl) are such that it's easy to drag a story way down with a few votes. Sometimes I think it's a matter of luck--did the right people read it, and did the wrong people avoid it?--but there seems to be a rough correlation of entertainment value with scores.

And I do mean entertainment value, not "quality". It's like the television ratings system. What gets the massive audiences and rakes in the ad dollars? Fluffy sitcoms with cute starlets in them. Those appeal to the masses. What gets the critical raves? Dark, moody dramas with plenty of four-letter words and fat, balding guys in the main roles. They are not produced with similar aims.

There's only a smattering of my work up here, and so far it runs the gamut from 4.00 to 5.00. The "best" story, IMO, is rated 4.00 with 6 votes at the moment. It's Gay Male, though not typical of the genre in that it takes a while to get to the sex. I was askin' for it, I know. ;-)

The Lily-White Boys

The highest rated one with more than ten votes is Group Sex fluff with a sense of humor. It ain't deep. That works in its favor, obviously. It's a 4.67 with 36 votes and 23,000 views. It beats all my other posted stories for volume of response. There's the sitcom factor in action.

Ball in the Rough

There is also a seven-chapter novella with half a dozen votes, straight 5.00, on every chapter but the first. That, of course, is the one that most people read--it has the highest number of views of all the chapters and it's rated 4.29. I know why: it's because the sex doesn't occur until Chapter 2, and because it's one of those dark and moody pieces. Not a lot of people have read past that first chapter, but those who did seem to have liked the story. I'd love to get a few more views and votes on this one if anyone's game. Trade ya feedback. ;-)

Deathbed, Chapter 1

Deathbed, Chapter 2

Deathbed, Chapter 3

Deathbed, Chapter 4

Deathbed, Chapter 5

Deathbed, Chapter 6

Deathbed, Chapter 7

MM

 

[Madame Manga]

As it happens my fave story and the best score are the same. If you've never been to the GB or the BDSM forum, then you probably won't find it nearly so amusing as those of us who go regularly.

I can't type well with tears in my eyes--damn, that was FUNNY. Yes, I visit the BDSM forum and I got the joke--but I didn't actually need to. Sorry, I'm about to wet my pants laughing--must get up from the computer and seek relief.

Da-yum!

MM

 

[MathGirl]

Statistics <sigh>

Originally posted by Croctden I have five stories ranging from 4.40 to 4.72. I don't really thing of any of them as being far superior to the others, plus they are several different catagories.

Dear Croc,
Check out the thread "Statistical Analysis of Voting." It's likely that there really isn't any difference in the voting for your stories.
MG

 

[TheEarl]

My favourite story is Seducing Dawn, because I like the fact that it has a story. My best story is probably Autoerotica, which has met with mixed reviews so far. However my best score goes to my hottest story, Faeophobia: Sarah Meets Satyr. So I guess I can't complain.

The Earl

 

[MathGirl]

Oh, no

My favourite story is Seducing Dawn

Ohmigod, he's one of those guys who are so horny that the crack of dawn looks good to him.
MG

 

[Pookie]

What I believe is my best "story" has the lowest score.

Actually, my lowest scoring "post" is a chapter of a story. It had very little sex in it is why the score was low compared to my other posts, I'm sure. My highest scoring post happens to be a chapter in the same story.


Pookie

 

[pocket rocket]

Okay, well my two cents worth as I have been away for a couple weeks and am behind in lots of ways. I just got home and in a fit of inspiration finished a story I started I think, years ago. Completely changed the direction of it and turned it into a strange dreamlike story. I had a pleasurable time writing it and have received a couple of really great feedback messages about it. I only found out it had been posted this morning because of feedback and went right to see how the score was. I hadn't been on Lit during the time away and was surprised to where I stood as far as views and ratings. My first story is sitting in the 4.53 range. I thought it was a better one than that. Oh, I see. The two incest related tales are rated much higher. Hmmmmmmm.
The new one 'Sorrow and Temptation' is up there in the 4.60 area right now and I am happy about that. I don't look at my scores all that often. The pleasure is in sharing what comes from my imagination. But I did get a buzz from seeing a good score on the stories I felt deserved attention.

 

[jfinn]

Hmmm, not sure I have an absolute favorite story, not even sure at this point I even like any of them. LOL But I suppose I could say the one I think is the best written is also my lowest scoring.

That would be Setting the Wall. Part one has a score of 4.43 and Part two, 4.40. It's a gay story, very edgy, little sex and as unhappy an ending as you can get without a death. Gee, you think that might have something to do with it.

I have a tie for highest scored with two chapters of Amy's Smile, both scoring 4.85. Oddly enough, one of them, Chapter 3 has no sex what so ever and really isn't more than light romantic comedy. Go figure.

Jayne

 

[MathGirl]

Go figure.

Dear Jayne,
I've done that, and it doesn't do a bit of good.
MG

 

[Croctden]

Keep your crazy Voodoo to yourself woman!

Dear Croc,
Check out the thread "Statistical Analysis of Voting." It's likely that there really isn't any difference in the voting for your stories.
MG

I read that before. I read much more than I post [fuck baseball the NFL draft is in three weeks].

Votes are screwed up because I guarantee you most people only vote for stories they finish (and therefore like). Roughly have the time I read I highly rated story I don’t finish it. Lately I’ve tried to make a habit of panning stories I don’t like. I’d love to see the total numbers of 5s and 4s balloted compared to 1s and 2s. Can you say artificial?

While I’m one the subject I don’t doubt people slam stories to stay on the top 500, but think about it: how much pride can you really have in writing the 498th most popular anal story?

 

[TheEarl]

Croc: There are really only 3 types of vote on Lit: 5,4 and 1. Anyone who finishes must like the story and will vote either a 5 or a 4. This is unless they are a wanker in which case they'll vote bomb you with a 1. I don't think anyone ever uses 2 or 3.

The Earl

 

[Madame Manga]

I've given out a few 2s and 3s, but yes, they're rare. If it was that mediocre, I probably didn't finish the story or bother to vote. I always feel bad about giving out low votes unless a story is just plain reprehensible. ;-) For overall consistency it would be better to vote every story what I think it deserves, but heck, there it is. I was not appointed to burst the world's pretty bubble...

MM

 

[Dirt Man]

Piss on the votes, I say...

Croc: There are really only 3 types of vote on Lit: 5,4 and 1. Anyone who finishes must like the story and will vote either a 5 or a 4. This is unless they are a wanker in which case they'll vote bomb you with a 1. I don't think anyone ever uses 2 or 3.

I personally use 2's, and 3's here all the time, and more often than 1's, 4's, or 5's as I vote what the story really is worth in my opinion.

I always feel bad about giving out low votes unless a story is just plain reprehensible. ;-) For overall consistency it would be better to vote every story what I think it deserves, but heck, there it is. I was not appointed to burst the world's pretty bubble...

And you wonder why the crappy stories rise to the top of the listings here?



As for my own stories posted, I write mostly down and dirty. Thus the reason I use the pen name Dirt Man. I make it quite evident what the story is about so that those who open it know what they'll find inside, and thus any excuse for not voting after opening it is a bald faced lie. I don't make flowery statements to garner friends when I think their work needs work. I'm blunt, and to the point in my critique, and thus don't make friends, or influence people here.

If I had any influence on the voting I'd have Laurel change the ratings to 0-6 and make the system automatically erase every 0, and every perfect 6 so that the voting scores would be more accurate as I don't believe that there is a story written that deserves a 0, or a perfect 6. I'm cranky, tired, and haven't slept more than three hours in 4 days, and no longer care what story of mine was best received according to the lame voting system here, nor do I wish to enlighten anyone on which of my own stories I liked the best. Have a nice day.

As Always
I Am the
Dirt Man