Your "rating"

[deliciously_naughty]

How much does it matter to you and how seriously do you take them? Do you check it to see where you stand in the top lists or do you not have a clue what any of your stories are rated? How do you view your ratings?

I was looking at mine and was interested to note that a story I had thought was better than others had a lower rating than a story I tossed off in a few hours, did't revise and just posted. Interesting.

I don't take them all that seriously, although I do check them every once and awhile.

 

[Chicklet]

well...

It makes me happy to see a story has a good rating, but I don't fall to pieces if one doesn't do as "well" as the others.

Makes me angry sometimes though when I'm reading through the list of stories, and I see a good rating, and an H next to the story, and I'm like "I'll read that one!" and then I look at it and it's one of mine...Yeah...I'm a dork.

Chicklet

 

[Svenskaflicka]

H? What's that?

 

[Weird Harold]

H? What's that?

Stories that have more than ten votes and anaverage score of 4.50 or better are flagged with a Red H (for "Hot") next to them in the story listings -- although NOT on the authors' pages.

 

[Wildfire427]

Remember you asked

Okay, first things first. I’m a pervert.

I’m not a writing genius or professional. One of my many fantasies does include making money writing literary erotica, but I tend to keep it as a hobby at this time, mostly because I tend to be motivationally challenged. The man that wrote the stories I have posted barely passed high school English. He is also an extreme type “A” personality and a control freak.

With that said, yes I watch and track my reads, votes, scores, list placements and feedback. To know why I do goes a bit deeper. I began writing porn for the purpose of getting my wife in the mood over 15 years ago. It worked. Then. For reasons I still don’t understand, it and anything else I tried stopped working. Searching for safe outlets for my sexual energy (i.e., jerking off) I found Lit. I wrote out my first story and after showing it to my wife and getting NOTHING MORE than the requisite “that’s nice dear” I posted it. Instant addiction.

I got from the Lit readers some of what I wasn’t getting from my wife. Approval of my writing. Feedback and reads and votes fueled my desire and I wrote two more stories and posted them, all three within 4 days. I took some time to enjoy the feedback and votes, thrilling that one of my stories sat at #1 on the top list for two days. Until it started to die. The next story I was working on still sits in a file unfinished.

After my kid got back in school, I had more free time to write. I began to look closer at Lit and what was offered. Noticing the large offering of Incest stories, I decided I would see what I could do there even though I had no real interest in the topic. I now have a series posted with 6 chapters. I still monitor the reads/votes/scores/lists/feedback daily (yep. I don’t have a real life).

I’m at two points now. One, the feedback that flooded in on the first two or three chapters has died to none. In addition, while I could write more stories, they become scene stories vs. character stories. My characters have been there and done that and it seems senseless to me to keep going without positive reinforcement in the way of feedback from people that want to see more.

I did post two stories that were very short with little or no character development. As I would have expected, they didn’t do too well. That tells me that there is a fine line between developing the characters and the sex that they have. Something that I learned from public speaking and fits well here is knowing the audience you write for, especially when hunting for high scores and H’s. I think the reason I didn’t do as well in the BDSM category is some of those folks are very well read. They are looking for true erotic literature. But in my world you can still deliver a good story and sex scenes. And for God’s Sake, run a spell check and read before submitting. Yeah I self edit and miss stuff, but if you don’t know the difference between to, two, and too, have someone help you.

Just don’t ask my wife. She’ll just say, “That’s nice dear.”

 

[peachykeen]

I check mine every so often, and I am pleased that they have been so well recieved, but I don't rely on that for validtion, I know if I've done a good job or not. That said, I always do value and respond to all feedback (when possible),as I like knowing what it is that someone did/didn't like about a story.

 

[tenyari]

I check for a bit whenever I put out a new story. But it doesn't hold too much weight with me.

The feedback emails are more important to me than the numbers. They're what I follow, they tell me what people do and don't like.

Emails tend to last for a few weeks after a posting, and then die off to a random email here and there.

I really go in for them when they're detailed, and if I remember and they're not anonymous I try to reply to them all. If I miss somebody, it's not by intent.

I really enjoy it when I manage to get a full on dialogue with a reader or another author. That's when I learn the most.

But the numbers... I could do without them and not care one bit.

In fact, on ASSM / ASSTR, I don't have them and I personally find this an improvement.

On my 3D art site, I disable the ability of people to rate me, they can only leave feedbacks.

By doing so, I avoid a lot of the idiots that hunt through the galleries and attack those with high ratings or those they develop personal or moral issues with.

I have a gallery at http://www.renderosity.com but I can't say which artist I am there because the name I use there connects to my real name and the link is well known in many of the communities I am involved in.

Eventually, I plan to open a gallery under -Temyari- amd start producing erotic art connected to my stories, once more of them are finished and online

 

[its Leslie]

I never check my ratings, because frankly, the only input I want to hear, is what my buddies on Lit think.

That much said, my buddies occasionally comment. I won't say I am a genius (because then the truth would come out hehe), but my stuff seems to be acceptable.

Worst feedback I ever got was when I mentioned to my mother "I tried writing some erotic fiction the other day" and she responded in a way that was clear, she thought it was not worth reading.

My wife hasn't read any of my stuff, but then my saucy love letters idea bombed, so I know when to quit.

None of my local area friends have ever seen my stuff, but then, I can honestly say, I don't want their opinions heheh .

 

[SlickTony]

Worst feedback I ever got was when I mentioned to my mother "I tried writing some erotic fiction the other day" and she responded in a way that was clear, she thought it was not worth reading.

Oh, Lord, It'sLeslie! You had cojones to even mention that to her. I know what my mother thinks of erotic stories--I'd never dream of telling her.

 

[KillerMuffin]

I check the new stuff for about the first three days and forget about it until I post something new. I'm usually not surprised by what I find. They don't move very much.

 

[its Leslie]

Guess it might be me hehe, but most of my friends (the ones that would matter to me) already know I have long since turfed society's old archaic and largely guilt ridden bullshit notions with respects to "sex".

As such, it is fairly common knowledge I (and my family) indulge a casual attitude to nudity (ie we where clothes when we damn well feel like it). Yes it might be to society "illegal" to sit around my own fucking home naked....fuck society.

My friends know I don't mind masturbating when I feel like it as well (or at least I am not squeemish about talking about it).

All manner of sexuality in my home has been severely editted of society's ages long obsession with the "guilt trip" attached to sex.

That might annoy plenty of people, but having the guilt trip stuffed down my throat by people that worship "original sin" pisses me off too I guess.
Those that want to preserve their dogma intact, won't get any help while on my property at least.

I had hoped my mother might have been able to at least distance herself a small bit from the bullshit stereo typical religiously biased idiocy that can't handle ordinary human reproduction, but unfortunately, she is comfortable with the idea, that "sex" is a thing to keep private "because it's dirty".

Oh well, what can a person do sometimes. If I could change the world, I probably wouldn't. You have to want to do it yourself. I am not interested in forcing change on anyone (I just won't let anyone force me into doing what is in my own right to disagree with).

 

[peachykeen]

Oh, Lord, It'sLeslie! You had cojones to even mention that to her. I know what my mother thinks of erotic stories--I'd never dream of telling her.

I won't tell my mom, because she would want to read it, and talk about them, a lot. I don't think I'm ready to say "So mom, what did you think about that story I wrote about the chick who surprises her boyfriend buy doing him with a strap-on?" and then sit and listen to the answer, especially if her response were to go something like , "Yeah, you know I tried that with your dad once.." Shudder.

 

[tenyari]

Originally posted by SlickTony Oh, Lord, It'sLeslie! You had cojones to even mention that to her. I know what my mother thinks of erotic stories--I'd never dream of telling her.

My mother is a published erotic novelist, and I still don't mention it... largely because she doesn't know how to keep ANYTHING secret... If she knows, everyone she knows knows within 24 hours. The more secretive something is, the faster they all know...

There are things I know about my siblings that I honestly wish I didn't... But on the other hand, at least I've learned not to be -scandalized- by ANYTHING, no matter how shocking...

 

[its Leslie]

You two are obviously luckier than me hehe

 

[Callia]

conundrum

How can a story have 1 view and 5 votes? That's weird, is it not?

Callia

 

[Weird Harold]

Re: conundrum

How can a story have 1 view and 5 votes? That's weird, is it not?

Callia

Votes update as soon as the vote is cast -- views usually update only once a day.

 

[Quiet_Cool]

I pay pretty close attention for a short while after I post a story. Two reasons why: One, I really do want feedback. I want to know what people think of it, and their vote can say enough if they don't actually give me a written response. Two, a higher rating means it will be more likely ot be read in a lot of cases. if people check out the top lists in order to choose something to read, then they'll find your story sooner if you have a higher rating.
Besides, no matter what someone etells you, no one wnats a "1" rating, whether they say they care of not, "1" is a little disappointing.

 

[SlickTony]

I haven't even looked at mine, although on my latest one, the feedback was good, what little I got. Right now it's enough that I see myself in print.

 

[Weird Harold]

Besides, no matter what someone etells you, no one wnats a "1" rating, whether they say they care of not, "1" is a little disappointing.

I think it depends in part on the story whether I worry about a one vote -- my how to essay (the only thing I've got posted as "Weird Harold" currently has six fives and a one out of seven votes. I did apologize to the one voter for not writing any sex in to the checklist for proofing your story formatting before submission. <shrugs> The one vote doesn't bother me at all on that essay -- at least not nearly as much as the ones awarded my other stories. Those bother me a little more because they're more a reflection of how well the stories are written. The one vote on my essay bears no relation to how well I wrote the sex, it's just a nuisance vote.

 

[Coolville]

I track them for a couple of days to see how they are recieved, mostly if I write something in a category that is outside my normal scope. just to see if those who read that category like the story. To see if the story was on the mark.
Other than that, I don't bother.

 

[Softly]

An Idea

We visit the voting system, which we all know, allows malicious
voting.

In my case, if I happen to be working near my computer, I check a new stories votes as often as every fifteen minutes. I have come to recognize when the actual drive-by-shooting is in progress.

My last story, which is still in the new story list had a score of 4.63 with 38 votes. With 41 votes, it dropped to 4.52. This happened in a time span of twelve minutes.

Until Laurel drops the one vote, the malicious voter will be able to vote the top stories off the first page of the top lists, at will.

Weird Harold touched on something of interst when he mentioned that he knew the actual votes.

Now, THAT, would be interesting! I would love to be able to click on something and have the actual votes appear in a list; 5, 5, 4, 5, 3, 5, 5, 4, 4, 5, 1, 1, 1. As an author, I could figure what the score would be without the malicious one votes, and know just how good the story really is.

Laurel once stated that anyone is entitled to vote a one. I would disagree. When they do that on a good story, they lower the story to a position where a reader may miss it. Both Literotica and the reader miss out, don't you see?

 

[VeraGem]

Wildfire, what do you mean: "not having a real life?" I resemble that remark - in fact - I think my little worlds in my little Lit mind are more real than the crap that surrounds me every day. Maybe I need better mind-numbing drugs. The ones that they give me here at the institute are no fun at all.

Chicklet, if you're a dork then I'm in good company! All of my favorite people are dorks too - nice to make your acquaintance!

Once time I found myself, (Yes, 'found myself'), thinking that the readers were dorks because all of what I thought was my best work was rated lower than what I thought was my best crap - but what do I know? Who am I to decide who's right when it's simply a matter of personal taste, after all.

So, just to make myself feel better, I tossed off a cheating story today in about 2 hours, no revisions, only two quick reads to find blatant acts of writer idiocy. Breaking all my own rules and such. I'll tell you what, it was therapeutic. I'm feeling happy, I don't want to go on the cart today! If the story does well I'll be patting myself on the back. If not - fuck 'em, I still had my fun. I hope my characters seem real, because they were to me. If I'm lucky, the readers will believe in them too, if only for a little while.

So yes, I check my ratings all the time - probably too much. I tell myself I don't care if they're bad, but I'm not a good liar - especially to myself. But still, all in all, I write for me.

Does that mean I wish everyone was me? I hope not. The world would be even more fucked-up then...

I'm on a manic swing today - does it show?

PS: Tenyati, I imagine you avatar is your own work. If I'm right, I must say it's pretty damn good work. Mine is also my own work - connected to my own art site that connects, in turn, to 'the real me.' Nice to meet you.

 

[SlickTony]

I am perfectly willing to believe in the existence of malicious votes. I know for a fact that Quid Pro Quo was the recipient of a malicious vote because the voter wrote and told me he was going to do it. He said nothing about it being bad writing; in fact, all the other people I got feedback from said that while it wasn't necessarily what they called erotic, it was a good story. Evidently it wasn't the story this bozo wanted to read. His response came across to me as not only weird but unnatural: if I run into a story that is completely not the kind of story I want to read, I just back out of it and go to something else. Obviously, there was something about the story that struck a nerve with him.

 

[Quasimodem]

When one realizes how many reads and how few votes a story gets, a writer must conclude that he/she is not truly in contact with the readership.

How may people on the Bulletin Boards recognize their name and like them, giving them an inflated score. Alternately, how many dislike them, and give them a deflated score? Which portion of the score represents people voting against elements within the story that disturb them, causing them to vote that category of story down, no matter what their quality? Also, how many writers run afoul of "rating spoilers" set off by a "H" or an "E" rating?

When one considers the number of influences which might prejudice the vote, one can hardly force onself to take the result seriously. For that to be the case, Literocity would have to be set up so that readers could scan a synopsis, including an indication of the length of the story. If they opted into reading the story, the only way out would be to register a vote, or else to crash their computer, causing neither the "vote", nor the "read" to count. (Anybody who is THAT determined not to vote, deserves to have their wishes respected - if not their software.)

Since this would be true of all stories, any tendency to vote harshly would be common to all readers and all stories, except for those stories which really impress the reader.

Until then, "reads" are a fairly accurate indication of whether the story attracted a reader, although it can't prove that it held the reader's interest to the end.

With a few exceptions, "feedback" - of any kind - tends to confirm that the reader actually read the story, and was moved to some sort of response - either favourably, or unfavourably.

But, true value is found only in the final category - the Holy Grail!

Feedback containing reasoned criticism, be it favourably constructive ("I loved your story because ....") or unfavourably abusive ("Your story is shit, and here is the reason ....")

As it stands, a sceptical view of the number of reads, but a thoughtful consideration of any reasoned feedback, are about the only ratings worth a writer's effort to becoming enthused over.

 

[SlickTony]

I have given stories high ratings when they were written well enough so that they gave me a donut, even though they contained elements that I found disturbing or even repugnant. OTOH, I will low-rate stories if I think the writing sucks. If I find some element in the story that I consider a howler, I will call the author on it. I have also complained about things such as too many exclamation points. I have been known to demote a story by a point if it seems obvious it could have used copy editing and didn't get it. Which brings me to another complaint--sometimes I think that the only thing the editors in this place ever look for is to make sure that the characters appear to be 18 or over. Well, that's all very well and I'm all in favor of Literotica staying out of trouble--otherwise I should have to send my stories to that alt.sex site that has an unappealing format--but it seems to me that the job of an editor calls for more than that.