do you ever wonder

[NotWise]

Like you, I don't get a large number of comments. My longest and best scoring story has 4 comments. I figure if nobody's commenting, nobody's offended but also no one's excited enough to add a note.

As near as I can tell, the best way to get comments is to write a sentimental story that engages readers all the way to the end. That, and making some kind of obvious mistake. Either way, you leave the readers with a need to say something.

 

[KeithD]

As near as I can tell, the best way to get comments is to write a sentimental story that engages readers all the way to the end. That, and making some kind of obvious mistake. Either way, you leave the readers with a need to say something.

And post it to Loving Wives?

 

[TreskaNovell]

I hope the above isn't an accurate reflection of your stories...

In general, people fail to see the flaws in their own work. In my field of work (civil engineering), you should always get a design review to lessen the chance of an expensive mistake slipping through.

As for your original question - I've been told my reports and technical documents are great. I write them for the target audience. Very simple for press releases, more technical when needed.

I've been here about 18 months, published 11 stories with an average score of 4.6, picked up 171 followers, and gained a few friends. I consider myself an ok writer, and that's fine. I'm not trying to write the world's greatest erotic story. I'm writing what I want, and a decent number of people like what I write. Like you, I don't get a large number of comments. My longest and best scoring story has 4 comments. I figure if nobody's commenting, nobody's offended but also no one's excited enough to add a note.

No, its not. Those sentences are horrible. i was typing fast. I'm quite a bit more eloquent when writing. At least, I'd like to think so. I should have cleaned it up before posting. To be fair i use word usually and it cleans up my mistakes so i guess im getting lazy. yikes.

 

[Emirus]

No, its not. Those sentences are horrible. i was typing fast. I'm quite a bit more eloquent when writing. At least, I'd like to think so. I should have cleaned it up before posting. To be fair i use word usually and it cleans up my mistakes so i guess im getting lazy. yikes.

I check my comments on here before posting but, when I read it again after it’s public, if there are any mistakes I correct them. Same thing applies to my stories but not everyone has the same approach, which is up to them. I never use Word or anything similar. I refer to a dictionary if I’m unsure.

 

[Emirus]

Do your ever wonder...If your writing is any good?...i don't like the rating system on lit...if anyone actually even likes them...i like having my ego stroked...

I’ve been publishing stories on here for two and a half years and I know my writing is better than when I began.

This is mainly because of one person, a fellow writer much better than myself. Another reason is help I’ve received by email from a few writers and reading comments and advice given to others on here. Also from reading stories by other writers, although not very often nowadays, and picking up things from both the good stories and the bad.

Even the downright crap which often get red scores, some very high and by longstanding writers, is helpful because you look at them and come away feeling a lot better about your own work.

The rating system on here isn’t the best but, on the whole, gives a general indication to the writer of how some readers felt about their story.

Unfortunately the number of votes is very small compared with how many read it and I think it’s accepted that the number of views is not the same as the actual number who read the story.

Personally, I’d like more comments and would like to be told why someone liked or disliked the story rather than it’s the greatest story ever written or it’s downright s***. Somewhere in between would be very nice even if it’s fairly short.

I like having my ego stroked, both on here and in real life, and I defy anyone to say they don’t feel the same way. I like that some of my stories have the wonderful red icon by them but I’ve learned it’s not entirely accurate. The main fault with it is that many good stories aren’t read as much as they should be because there are undoubtedly readers who only go for stories with that red H.

So the answer to the question is I never wonder if my writing is any good. I just do my best, try and improve, and hope people enjoy reading my stuff.

 

[Fervid]

At first all the trolling and sweeping here not only dented my rosy view of humanity but also made the scores seem artificially manipulated and unreliable. They zoom and dive and sometimes change without a single additional vote being cast. But in the longer run, they tend to settle.

So now, after a year, I do think this site can provide a useful assessment. In my case, all of my erotic stories have settled into a very narrow range of scores, all within 0.2 of each other, which probably indicates an accurate assessment of something.

The question is, what? Since my sex scenes are very uneven, I think writing style, or even spelling and grammar, must be a factor. Granted, though, the sexual dimension muddies the waters if you are looking for a strictly academic assessment of writing quality.

Overall, I think the ratings have been modestly educational and somewhat helpful. I agree it would be interesting to see the individual scores, voter ages and genders, etc., but since that's impractical and the whole thing is free, I guess we are getting what we paid for.

 

[yukonnights]

Thank you!!! youre the first person who told me anything! i started to think the story was really horrible because no one said anything. it was just a short story but yeah, it can go on. i have a lot of trouble seeing my own mistakes when i edit, and this seems to be a common theme among many writers i know. why do we not see it? Im wonderful at editing others stuff, but very poor at my own editing, i dont understand. Maybe because we love our work? have you guys been here for a while? did it take long to build a base? is there certain things your fans like better than others?

I'm glad some of that helped. At least you now know you don't have leprosy or something. Quite often these discussion go off on a tangent of their own — I'm sure there's nothing personal intended. I don't think the building of a Following is as tied to time on the site as it is volume of published works. But in order to get a reader to add you to the list of authors they're following, the quality of the story plays a part.

So, good plot, well told, with few errors. I would have read more of The Glass if there had been more to read. I most often have a series style story completed to the end prior to publishing any part of it. Others find success in doing the parts on a slower pace. I think it's important to make every Part/Chapter end with a hook — and every stand alone story ending with a satisfying resolution.

Anyway, stick around and join the circus — it's a good way to spend some time on a cold day ~

 

[jehoram]

If your writing is any good? I'm going to be honest i don't like the rating system on lit. its very difficult to extrapolate data from. I think it would be cool to know if more guys or girls dig my stories, or if anyone actually even likes them at all, but shit, i don't get a lot of readership. whatever. i write for me, sure, but i like having my ego stroked like a hard cock too. thoughts?

Then your writing is good enough.

I don't have much in the way of validation I've written two books that were well-reviewed and have sold well, but didn't win any prizes. I also one second prize in a non-fiction writing contest sponsored by my local library, and got an honorable mention in the Bulwer-Lytton bad writing contest. That last one is the one I'm proudest of.