Pandering

[Softly]

KM, you are an excellent author.

KM

I am convinced that the person or persons responsible for the voter attack on the "Top Stories" are attacking Literotica, not the author's, as you mentioned.

If your story gets in the top 30 stories, it gets whacked.
I had one story a week ago, come off my page with ten votes. It was a story written before the voting system was up and running. It was number one with a score of 4.70. The next five votes were four ones, and a two. Its score is now a 3,52, which means that it is not listed anywhere but my person page. One day of fame.

My personal favorite story is "Most Loving Man on Earth."
It was number three on the romance list with about 35 votes.
In one day, it got killed. Slowly, it has come back to a 4.13.

Based on all the comments on this subject, the only way to stop this voting scores that has no relation to how good the story is, is for Laurel to record the scores given by every computer. If a voter votes more then one one in a certain time, she could pull that persons file on screen, and see what stories were voted on. If a story was carring an excellent score, and Laurel believes that the vote was not connected to the quality of the story, she could set her servers to not allow that person to have his vote recorded on any story.

Next, I would do away with any cash prize. That would remove
one motive for unfair voting.

For me, I'll just keep writing stories. No one has ever run this gal off. It just is not going to happen.

[Edited by Softly on 05-17-2001 at 09:06 PM]

 

[Ulyssa]

Doing away with the cash prize...

Although that is one solution, it won't stop the voter wars. There are people out there whose only function in life is to find high ranking stories and rate them with ones. It almost doesn't matter who the author is--that is the nature of troll-ness to live under the virtual bridges out in cyberland and express their opinions with the singular vision of their cyclopean eyes.

As Kurt Vonnegut said: "So it goes."

 

[KillerMuffin]

*sigh* Since all the drama queens have gone on to better climes, it is apparently my turn.

Sorry guys.

 

[Dillinger]

No - writing is not a competitive sport.

I've said it several times before, I'll say it again. If it was my choice all voting will be eliminated. And there have been some other excellent alternatives suggested in more than a few other threads.

But its Laurel and Manu's site and they will do what they feel is best.

 

[LustyLovers]

K.M. As a new author (and avid reader) to Literotica, I've been bouncing here and there reading stories in every subject. I read you, and loved you, don't kid yourself, your not lacking in any sense as a writer. I posted several stories got some great feedback then hit the magical ten, got to the toplists and got majorly slammed. Talk about bursting my bubble! I got miffed, then depressed, thinking I must be really horrible. Or that someone saw my work and took an instant hate to me. Then I sat back and started watching. And realized it wasn't me at all, that someone (or someones) just goes from catagory to catagory slamming who ever is on top. Sad but true. I've decided I'm just going to do what I love to do. "Write". "And Read". Please don't get discouraged.

 

[TaffyJ]

I never realized... What an awakening!

I just posted my first story at another site, and heard about "LIT" so here I am checking it out. With the rush I got from my first reader feedback ever, I can understand how a writer could get used to the praise. It's a giddy feeling. But I am shocked to see a writer so consumed with ratings and votes.

Think of it this way: There were writers before you came here who were ranked higher than you. If they hadn't fallen to you, how would you have had your moment of glory? I think it infinitely more interesting if there is a variety of good writing instead of a steady few top dogs. Give us newbies a chance, huh? You can then have the fun of letting us get cocky and knocking us on our asses with a comeback.

Seriously, maybe you could take a break and focus more on other areas of your life if you aren't satisfied with the results of your writing. It should give you fresh perspective for when you are ready to focus on writing again. I go months writing like crazy, then suddenly lose the itch. Then it comes back.

Relax and don't forget why you write in the first place.