Stories I Suspect Have Been 1 Bombed

[Swilly]

Reading this thread is making me veeery nervous! I'm a novice writer with no real experience and I'm expecting my first submission to go live in the next few days.

I had no idea everyone here was so picky. It's nice to know that there's a part of the community that's discerning, but I'm also now expecting to be set alight on publication.

Also, hubs? Lists? 1 bombing? I think I'm just starting to know what I don't know. Brutal. Thanks for the heads up, though. I'm looking forward to everyone shitting on me at some point!

A lot will depend upon the category, I think. Certain categories will get hammered because of the content (trolls) and certain categories will get stories one bombed to make sure they stay below the 4.5 score that will give them more exposure. Since it takes 7 ratings of five to make up for 1 one bomb, those intent on dropping the scores of others can do it quite easily with just a little bit of knowledge about IP addresses. That crap will likely never get caught in sweeps.

 

[Darkniciad]

Reading this thread is making me veeery nervous! I'm a novice writer with no real experience and I'm expecting my first submission to go live in the next few days.

I had no idea everyone here was so picky. It's nice to know that there's a part of the community that's discerning, but I'm also now expecting to be set alight on publication.

Also, hubs? Lists? 1 bombing? I think I'm just starting to know what I don't know. Brutal. Thanks for the heads up, though. I'm looking forward to everyone shitting on me at some point!

If your first story is in the Loving Wives category, you certainly want to put on a suit of full plate armor-skin before it posts. The less-than-friendly commenters there seem to take special delight in attacking new authors and female authors. ( Your pen name will be perceived as such, even if incorrect )

Outside of that, as long as you don't have non-con, incest, or M/M content in a story placed in a different category, it probably won't be too bad. If the story is engaging enough, the response may even be dance-a-jig-worthy.

No matter what, you're probably going to be stunned by the number of people who have read your words.

 

[JAMESBJOHNSON]

Missing from the discussion are the statistical realities.

Generally speaking, about 4% of pissed-off customers complain about service or quality or whatever. Most people quietly take their bizness elsewhere, and that's exactly what you see with the traffic numbers for LIT stories with multiple chapters. Readers move on when your wares suck. IF YOU CANT SAY SOMETHING NICE DONT SAY ANYTHING AT ALL is our national motto.

About the same number compliment you.

So when your 5 scores and 1bombs are greater than what people normally award, you gotta wonder about busy alts inflating and deflating the averages. Especially when the stories are better or worse than what the scores indicate.

Folks can come on this thread and talk a good game about lotsa confusing bullshit but most people know how people are, and the name of that game is HOORAY FOR ME & FUCK YOU.

 

[lilmissj95]

If your first story is in the Loving Wives category, you certainly want to put on a suit of full plate armor-skin before it posts. The less-than-friendly commenters there seem to take special delight in attacking new authors and female authors. ( Your pen name will be perceived as such, even if incorrect )

Outside of that, as long as you don't have non-con, incest, or M/M content in a story placed in a different category, it probably won't be too bad. If the story is engaging enough, the response may even be dance-a-jig-worthy.

No matter what, you're probably going to be stunned by the number of people who have read your words.

Thanks, Darkniciad! I probably won't be posting in the Loving Wives category.

Ugh. You have me worried now that I've picked the wrong category. There is a small suggestion of reluctance in my story. It's more that she's confused and feels inexplicably compelled to have sex with him in the heat of the moment. I chose Erotic Couplings because, other than that, it's just a pretty cliched, vanilla teacher(m)/student(f) dom/sub story. Do you think I should change the category?

The editor I chose just never got back to me with edits after 2 weeks so I just threw it up. Maybe this is the price of my rush!

I'm quite excited about people reading my work and learning from the experience. But, aaaaaaah :|

Also, sorry, I didn't mean to take this thread off topic!

 

[Darkniciad]

I wouldn't worry with it being in Erotic Couplings. That category is sort of a grab-bag of all sorts of stories, so the readers venturing there tend to expect the chance of at least some squicky content.

Think you'll do fine, and the subject matter is one that's rather popular. If you have a good title and description line that points that out, the odds are it will draw more readers than your average story in the EC category. Because EC is such a grab bag, some readers avoid it except for authors they know and stories with titles and descriptions that catch their eye.

Threads don't stay on topic anywhere on Lit's forums *laugh*

Thanks, Darkniciad! I probably won't be posting in the Loving Wives category.

Ugh. You have me worried now that I've picked the wrong category. There is a small suggestion of reluctance in my story. It's more that she's confused and feels inexplicably compelled to have sex with him in the heat of the moment. I chose Erotic Couplings because, other than that, it's just a pretty cliched, vanilla teacher(m)/student(f) dom/sub story. Do you think I should change the category?

The editor I chose just never got back to me with edits after 2 weeks so I just threw it up. Maybe this is the price of my rush!

I'm quite excited about people reading my work and learning from the experience. But, aaaaaaah :|

Also, sorry, I didn't mean to take this thread off topic!

 

[lovecraft68]

Thanks, Darkniciad! I probably won't be posting in the Loving Wives category.

Ugh. You have me worried now that I've picked the wrong category. There is a small suggestion of reluctance in my story. It's more that she's confused and feels inexplicably compelled to have sex with him in the heat of the moment. I chose Erotic Couplings because, other than that, it's just a pretty cliched, vanilla teacher(m)/student(f) dom/sub story. Do you think I should change the category?

The editor I chose just never got back to me with edits after 2 weeks so I just threw it up. Maybe this is the price of my rush!

I'm quite excited about people reading my work and learning from the experience. But, aaaaaaah :|

Also, sorry, I didn't mean to take this thread off topic!

I can see where these threads can seem disturbing to someone brand new. Fortunately for me I had already published about 20 stories before I landed here.

Something to take heart in though is that like anything else the crappy stuff gets discussed more then the good stuff. That's the nature of life in general, that bad seems to get all the attention.

A lot of stories DO NOT get hammered. Yes in LW they will because its a tradition of sorts and a badge of honor that every author should eventually try it at least once.

But otherwise unless you really deal the reader something unexpected (like incest in a romance story or along those lines) you should be okay.

Sure you will get a few low votes and an occasional asshole remark, but the majority of voters are fairly decent and are more apt to go with a 4/5 than a lower vote.

If you look in the how to section there is an essay on average scores in categories. You will see that every categories average score is over 4 (except maybe LW I don;t remember) and four is a good score so most people here do vote generously.

For those who pursue and obsess with the Red H at 4.50 that is a different source of bitching and one that should be ignored, if you're over four you're doing well.

Also especially as you are new? Either avoid these threads or take them very lightly you don;t want them getting in the way of your writing. Don;t fret just write.

 

[lilmissj95]

I wouldn't worry with it being in Erotic Couplings. That category is sort of a grab-bag of all sorts of stories, so the readers venturing there tend to expect the chance of at least some squicky content.

Think you'll do fine, and the subject matter is one that's rather popular. If you have a good title and description line that points that out, the odds are it will draw more readers than your average story in the EC category. Because EC is such a grab bag, some readers avoid it except for authors they know and stories with titles and descriptions that catch their eye.

Threads don't stay on topic anywhere on Lit's forums *laugh*

That's what I thought EC would be like - allowing me flexibility with subject matter, but possibly sacrificing the visibility of my piece. I'll just see how it goes. Thanks again!

 

[JAMESBJOHNSON]

I contend that any LIT writer with an H is padding his votes.

 

[sr71plt]

I contend that any LIT writer with an H is padding his votes.

I certainly discount a writer here with over 80 percent H's on stories, yes. At best, it's writing to the lowest common denominator and probably nothing special as a read. At worst I tend to think they've worked as hard to get the Hs as they did to write the stories. But I don't ruminate on it much either way.

 

[JAMESBJOHNSON]

A while back one of STELLAs co-conspirators let the cat outta the bag as to how they inflate and deflate scores for writers STELLA dislikes. And I was invited to test what was told me. I did, and the proof was the real deal.

 

[sr71plt]

For those who pursue and obsess with the Red H at 4.50 that is a different source of bitching and one that should be ignored, if you're over four you're doing well.

Was delighted to see you post this and I've indexed it for the next time you slam my story ratings on the forum, since 92 percent of my stories rank as "doing well" in your view even though I do a lot of story experimentation and don't write for the ratings.

(That's 567 stories at or above "doing well," in case you're counting.)

 

[Swilly]

I contend that any LIT writer with an H is padding his votes.

Not always true JBJ.

I have two that have the H. Perhaps they are in categories that some folks don't care about so they aren't driven down, or maybe I just got lucky. I don't pad votes. That being said, I have six others that are just hanging so close to the 4.5. Anytime they get to a 4.49 or the 4.5, they almost immediately drop down to 4.48 again.

It's ridiculous, but it is what it is.

 

[JAMESBJOHNSON]

Not always true JBJ.

I have two that have the H. Perhaps they are in categories that some folks don't care about so they aren't driven down, or maybe I just got lucky. I don't pad votes. That being said, I have six others that are just hanging so close to the 4.5. Anytime they get to a 4.49 or the 4.5, they almost immediately drop down to 4.48 again.

It's ridiculous, but it is what it is.

Statistically my claim is true, like the claim that all babies have one head. Amsterdam has a museum filled with 2-3 headed kids, but one is the statistical rule.

 

[sr71plt]

Statistically my claim is true, like the claim that all babies have one head. Amsterdam has a museum filled with 2-3 headed kids, but one is the statistical rule.

Your example doesn't match your unsupported statistical claim. Heads and stories are two entirely different propositions.

 

[RoyceConnors]

I don't think the scoring is all that important, as it's messed around with so much. What a writer should be looking at, is the number of views. If a writer has a first chapter that comes out and does well, say 1000 views in a short period of time, how does the second chapter compare to that and so on. It's maintaining a readership over the course of multi-chaptered stories. If there's a continuous decline in views, it would seem the interest fades quickly because of the writing quality, no matter what the story is about.

Most 1 bombs are from disgruntled writers who hate to see someone else's story doing better than theirs is. If all you do here is submit stories, there would be no other reason to receive 1 bombs. Comments and votes are hard to get honestly, so view consistency is more the concern writers need to be aware of.

IMHO

RJ

 

[Darkniciad]

You pretty much have to discount Ch. 01. You're going to have a large number of pure curiosity clickers who will open the first chapter up if the first one they notice is a later chapter. Like anything else you can open up and take a look inside, a whole lot of people put it back down after only a few seconds consideration for innumerable reasons.

How well you maintain from that point forward is relevant, though.

You can apply this to some degree on one-shot stories in the same category as well - especially if you have a lot of work in that category.

There are a lot of things that can throw this off, though. Positioning on the New List, the hubs, toplists, etc. can throw a real monkey wrench in the numbers. I've had middle chapters post in the top 10 position of the new stories list before when the rest had posted in less favorable position, and those middle chapters jumped 30-50% higher in views than the one before.

Ch. 3: 26493
Ch. 4: 37088

One example I dug up out of my own numbers.

If that middle chapter would have happened to be #2, it can make the rest of the chapters look like a serious fail, when it's simply a matter of one chapter being heavily exposed in comparison to the rest.

Have to keep some mitigating circumstances in mind when you're evaluating your numbers.

I don't think the scoring is all that important, as it's messed around with so much. What a writer should be looking at, is the number of views. If a writer has a first chapter that comes out and does well, say 1000 views in a short period of time, how does the second chapter compare to that and so on. It's maintaining a readership over the course of multi-chaptered stories. If there's a continuous decline in views, it would seem the interest fades quickly because of the writing quality, no matter what the story is about.

Most 1 bombs are from disgruntled writers who hate to see someone else's story doing better than theirs is. If all you do here is submit stories, there would be no other reason to receive 1 bombs. Comments and votes are hard to get honestly, so view consistency is more the concern writers need to be aware of.

IMHO

RJ

 

[lovecraft68]

Was delighted to see you post this and I've indexed it for the next time you slam my story ratings on the forum, since 92 percent of my stories rank as "doing well" in your view even though I do a lot of story experimentation and don't write for the ratings.

(That's 567 stories at or above "doing well," in case you're counting.)

4+ is good on this scale. Technically a 3.5 is a decent mark although anything under 4 people consider low.

As for my busting your chops, you have never and most likely will never understand my point is for all your incessant chest thumping about how accomplished you are all your scores should be above and beyond those of us that you look down on with your "good enough for lit" remark.

I am pretty sure you're not a fan of Kid Rock, but he has a song "Cocky"

Part of the chorus is "It ain't bragging motherfucker if you back it up."

For all your talk about your mainstream success and amazing credentials I should not only be seeing a sea of red, but some blue W's as well and I see neither from you.

And before you tout some green E's I as looking at Zeb Carter's page and he has 15 of them. That is not a typo 15.

But all are on one 16 part series. So laurel hands them out to a story she likes. I will take the H or W that came from hundreds or thousands of fans myself thank you.

That's why I rag on your scores, its not that they're crappy its just I would expect far better from such an amazing real world author. I figure if you can sell all the books you claim to have you should be wowing them on this free site.

 

[lovecraft68]

I don't think the scoring is all that important, as it's messed around with so much. What a writer should be looking at, is the number of views. If a writer has a first chapter that comes out and does well, say 1000 views in a short period of time, how does the second chapter compare to that and so on. It's maintaining a readership over the course of multi-chaptered stories. If there's a continuous decline in views, it would seem the interest fades quickly because of the writing quality, no matter what the story is about.

Most 1 bombs are from disgruntled writers who hate to see someone else's story doing better than theirs is. If all you do here is submit stories, there would be no other reason to receive 1 bombs. Comments and votes are hard to get honestly, so view consistency is more the concern writers need to be aware of.

IMHO

RJ

Most chapter series the view and vote totals sink as it goes on but the score gets higher as the disinterested readers wander off and you just have your "fans" voting.

 

[RoyceConnors]

Most chapter series the view and vote totals sink as it goes on but the score gets higher as the disinterested readers wander off and you just have your "fans" voting.

As Dark mentioned, the 1st chapter of my latest, Redwood Nine, is at 5100 views, while the 2nd, dropped to 1700+, but stays consistent through the other chapters. One thing I have noticed, that contributes to more views, is the description of the chapter. The ones that I mention something sexual involved, immediately get more views, than ones that don't mention anything sexual.

The odd thing that I noticed with mine, is that I only use the chapter title in the description and the views are higher than writing 12-15 words for a description.

 

[ktmccoll]

R I think I'm just starting to know what I don't know. Brutal. Thanks for the heads up, though. I'm looking forward to everyone shitting on me at some point!

Don't worry about it. I've been posting on Lit since 2009 and though I may get the occasional 1-bomb, in the long run it doesn't really matter. Though scores of 4.5+ are nice and provide some validation, it's far more satisfying to receive a comment that shows some appreciation for a story that is well told.

 

[Darkniciad]

It may be a function of most of my chapter stories being in Sci-Fi & Fantasy, but I actually seem to get more of a view jump when my description mentions non-sexual action.

 

[sr71plt]

As for my busting your chops, you have never and most likely will never understand my point is for all your incessant chest thumping about how accomplished you are all your scores should be above and beyond those of us that you look down on with your "good enough for lit" remark.

I don't understand it, because it doesn't happen. You are reflecting your own behavior on the boards.

There is no worse asshole on the AH forums than a poster who denigrates the writing of another poster on the forum--and that's you.

 

[sr71plt]

And before you tout some green E's I as looking at Zeb Carter's page and he has 15 of them. That is not a typo 15.

Hmm. I counted 16. But those are all on one story. Mine are spread across seven different categories and a dozen different stories.

And what does Zeb and my success in Green Es have to do with you and your stories? And where have I said anything nasty about Zeb's Green Es or his writing ability? Aren't you the one who supposedly just pays attention to your own shit and doesn't worry about what other's are writing?

That said, I don't bring Green Es up--I only mention them when the asshole that is you is attacking my stories and writing--because, in one response to your claims that I write shit, it's just basically true that I have Green Es and you don't. And that just eats your heart out, or you wouldn't bring them up. And what really eats your heart out is that you can attack my stories on every front but views, story comments (once I've recognized your anonymous posts and erased them), and Green Es.

Was my 80 percent comment directed at you? No, I wasn't even thinking of you, nor do I know what your file looks like at any given time--I don't scrutinize it like you obviously do mine. Do I think you cheat your and my numbers? Absolutely. You got caught cheating on a contest here and you openly attack my stories on the forum, so why wouldn't I believe you cheat scores?

These threads about anonymous trolling of stories, LC? These are about you.

You are obsessed with me. The only one who initiates comparisons and competition is you--who can't even make the most popular lists in your major category.

 

[lovecraft68]

I certainly discount a writer here with over 80 percent H's on stories, yes. At best, it's writing to the lowest common denominator and probably nothing special as a read. At worst I tend to think they've worked as hard to get the Hs as they did to write the stories. But I don't ruminate on it much either way.

I love when you mention me And that part I put in bold proves the opposite of what you say and your entire post screams sour grapes.

I would be interested to see what your thought would be if you had a sea of red like someone like Manyfeathers does. Would you be writing to the lowest common denominator? I think you would say differently then.

But what I find funny is the general attitude here is every story that does not hit 4.5 or at least whatever score the author feels they deserve(so a 5) must be being trolled......

Yet anyone with a lot of H's must be padding their scores. (sadly most of this theory seems to have been caused almost single handed by one person)

So.... On one hand there are no legit great scores or stories, but yet according to some all their stories should be H and they are just being beat down.

So let's rehash this.

The average person who bitches about their score and the scores of others is being robbed of their rightful score, but anyone with a good score does not deserve it.

But if the "robbed" person gets the score he wants then of course theirs is legit

Way too much fretting over this in either instance.

I write here for feedback, fun and a sense of obligation to the people who have followed my work from day one. I don't write for score unless I enter a contest because then it matters otherwise they fall where they fall.

Threads like this just feed the fire and even though I and you know this we both post away, its like a train wreck.

 

[sr71plt]

I love when you mention me And that part I put in bold proves the opposite of what you say and your entire post screams sour grapes.

Where did I mention you in that post? Point it out, asshole. I wasn't even thinking of you. But I guess it's your obsession with me that assumes I am talking about you.

You're an angry, sick man with an inferiority complex. I'd pity you if you weren't suchy an asshole.