Every story I post gets 1 star’d

[AwkwardlySet]

Speaking frankly, nothing I've posted here is actually worthy of anything over a 3.5. There are some authors here deserving of 4.5 or higher on their writing, but they are in the minority. Most of us are 3.5 at our best, and there's absolutely nothing wrong with that. The majority of writers on the site are realistically a 2 or under. For every story I finish, there are about twenty I never make it past the first paragraph for. For every story I really like, there are about five that I think are decent.

It was about time somebody said something like this. My opinion and reading experiences here are quite similar, except that I'm still to read an author deserving of the 4.5 bar you mentioned. We're not big on being realistic here.

 

[StrentWriter]

And naturally, not everyone has a Saab; some commute by moose. Other than that, yes, disturbingly accurate.

I’m offended: you surely meant “Volvo” since Saab has not existed for some time…

 

[SugarStorm]

There definitely seems to be a difference between a “real-world” 5/5 and a Lit 5/5. For those of you who’ve been around longer, has it always been this way?

except that I'm still to read an author deserving of the 4.5 bar you mentioned

 

[Erozetta]

It was about time somebody said something like this. My opinion and reading experiences here are quite similar, except that I'm still to read an author deserving of the 4.5 bar you mentioned. We're not big on being realistic here.

A 4.5 here, not "among all authors."

Altissimus, Dreamcloud, Ironiclaconic, and Xarth are the main ones I would put at a 4.5 across their catalog. Some better than others, but all are pretty damn good reading.

There is another writer I recently discovered that might approach that line as well, I need to read more by them, but what I have read of their work is phenomenally cerebral yet also deeply emotional.

 

[TheExperimentalist]

I, too, got my first 1-bomb today. Got a story posted on Saturday. Got a few more views, votes, and favorites on my earlier posted works. Then I see one of my older works go from 32 votes with a 4.69 average to 33 with 4.58, and another from 4.63 / 52 to 4.57 / 53. Even my most viewed story went from 4.6 / 678 to 4.59 / 679 at that time. Oddly, the story I'd just posted went UP by one vote at the same time.

My only theory is that the latest story I posted is a relatively straightforward T/I story with no real surprises, while the previous three contain some niche kinks (the lower viewed two are in fetish and BDSM, i.e. where niche kinks belong)... but honestly, I don't know. I warn people up front that the stories may contain stuff they might not want and to check tags and the spoiler descriptions I always include and not read if it's not what they want, but I guess that some people expect that if they like one story from an author, it's a betrayal if their other stories contain themes they dislike? I don't know. Whatever. It happens. I'm not going to get too worked up over it. It's just a little frustrating how much damage a 1-bomb can do, how hard it is to get an average to go up, and how easy it is to get it to go down.

 

[IWroteThis]

I came to this site *hoping* to land around a 3, which I thought should fall just above average. Instead I'm falling to the actual site average with horribly inflated scores and I'm fine with that.

I was hoping my stories would be closer to 4, but my goal was to write stories that scored at least a 3. I've had a few scares when a story started off with low scores, but so far I've managed to achieve that goal. Don't get me wrong, I really like my HOT icons…

It reminds me a lot of back when I was in high school and too many kids thought A was the base point for grades. Ah, to see their egos shatter when they realized that C was considered average and As required brains and effort to achieve!

 

[TarnishedPenny]

And this right here is a great example of how - without the actual data - we're all just constructing hypotheses. It's entirely possible that the votes on my stories are bimodal, while yours follow a different distribution.

I'd just be interested in getting a look at the total distribution of votes, not just for my own scratchings, but overall - how many 1s, 2s, 3s, 4s and 5s have been given over any given time period. Given the size of this site, a week, even a day would revealing. If the voting follows the 'approved' model, we would probably have a reasonably good bell curve, with most stories being awarded an 'average' 3.

I'd be willing to bet however, that we'd see a curve like a Bactrian camel, with a dip in the middle. Of course, that's just my gut and I have no evidence. I'd still love to see a sample.

 

[SugarStorm]

Volvo, yo.

I’m offended: you surely meant “Volvo” since Saab has not existed for some time…

Guys, it was a joke. We also don’t ride moose here. And it’s not only ice-blondes dancing on the tables anymore, we’re multicultural now. You’ll find brunettes and redheads too. (We do still wear polos, though.)

Saab, the car-making division, left us almost ten years ago. Volvo has huge brand loyalty in Sweden, but across Scandinavia as a whole, Volkswagen and Toyota tend to be more consistently popular.

That said, I do experience a quiet patriotic flutter whenever I see a Volvo out in the wild while travelling.

 

[AwkwardlySet]

A 4.5 here, not "among all authors."

Altissimus, Dreamcloud, Ironiclaconic, and Xarth are the main ones I would put at a 4.5 across their catalog. Some better than others, but all are pretty damn good reading.

There is another writer I recently discovered that might approach that line as well, I need to read more by them, but what I have read of their work is phenomenally cerebral yet also deeply emotional.

I meant on Lit in general. It might be just that the best ones aren't interested in writing the kind of stories I like reading, although I do sometimes stray from my preferred themes.

 

[Erozetta]

I was hoping my stories would be closer to 4, but my goal was to write stories that scored at least a 3. I've had a few scares when a story started off with low scores, but so far I've managed to achieve that goal. Don't get me wrong, I really like my HOT icons…

It reminds me a lot of back when I was in high school and too many kids thought A was the base point for grades. Ah, to see their egos shatter when they realized that C was considered average and As required brains and effort to achieve!

Eh, not really. I managed with zero effort.

 

[Erozetta]

I meant on Lit in general. It might be just that the best ones aren't interested in writing the kind of stories I like reading, although I do sometimes stray from my preferred themes.

What are your preferred themes?

I mostly just read what catches my eye. Words with Friends with Benefits is still hands down my favorite story on here. The wordplay within made me happy. I might be the odd one out here because I don't read to specific kinks or themes. I'm more or less in the, "Well, I don't know if I'm into it, so I guess I should find out!" of thinking about kinks and such. I just know some stories flow seamlessly and pull me in. Those are 4.5 stories. And when a writer can do that consistently across categories and story themes, that's a 4.5 writer to me.

 

[StrentWriter]

Guys, it was a joke.

Sorry, so was mine. My tone doesn’t really come across on the internet.

It has to be said, connoisseurs of Swedish cars know that Saab was always the better brand, but I grew up with Volvos and am very fond of them.

We also don’t ride moose here.

That is a relief. For the mooses. (Moose’s? Meece? Why don’t I know this off the top of my head?)

And it’s not only ice-blondes dancing on the tables anymore, we’re multicultural now. You’ll find brunettes and redheads too. (We do still wear polos, though.)

Saab, the car-making division, left us almost ten years ago. Volvo has huge brand loyalty in Sweden, but across Scandinavia as a whole, Volkswagen and Toyota tend to be more consistently popular.

That’s really interesting to note. Thanks for that, good to know for writing purposes.

That said, I do experience a quiet patriotic flutter whenever I see a Volvo out in the wild while travelling.

Me too! Though not out of patriotism but out of a fondness and nostalgia. The old 240s for example still look great today. Give me a Volvo 240, and star to steer her by…

 

[TheLobster]

It was about time somebody said something like this.

I now expect this thread to devolve into the usual "Okay, maybe most stories on Lit are bad, but <my favorite author who's also on AH> is different! Their stories are sooooo good, you guys!"

 

[YmaOHyd]

Most stories on Lit are bad. There's like 200 of them published every day. But also there are several published every year that are better than some of last year's NYT #1 bestsellers.

 

[pink_silk_glove]

Altissimus, Dreamcloud, Ironiclaconic, and Xarth are the main ones I would put at a 4.5 across their catalog. Some better than others, but all are pretty damn good reading.

I didn't make your list. (loads gun, points in mouth) : P

Altissimus is very good. I'm not really into his themes, but he's top skill around here. Respect.

 

[StrentWriter]

But also there are several published every year that are better than some of last year's NYT #1 bestsellers.

Any particular recommendations?

 

[Kelliezgirl]

I now expect this thread to devolve into the usual "Okay, maybe most stories on Lit are bad, but <my favorite author who's also on AH> is different! Their stories are sooooo good, you guys!"

The AH is the Lake Wobegone of Lit, all the authors here are above average...

 

[Erozetta]

I didn't make your list. (loads gun, points in mouth) : P

Altissimus is very good. I'm not really into his themes, but he's top skill around here. Respect.

I don't even crack my own 3 star list.

I honestly haven't read enough of anyone else to confidently place them in a hierarchy. I've read the most of those four because their writing kept pulling me in consistently. I would literally open a story with the thought of "Meh, this probably won't be my thing." Then I finish it and have to sit with the knowledge that I read and enjoyed something I *shouldn't* have liked.

That is my goal with writing. To rack up as many "You know, this shouldn't work/I shouldn't like this but it does/I did." Comments as I can. I like annoying people by pushing against their expectations.

 

[pink_silk_glove]

ice-blondes

 

[YmaOHyd]

Any particular recommendations?

That's mostly a comment on how bad the state of modern fiction is, especially on the fantasy side.

 

[pink_silk_glove]

That is my goal with writing. To rack up as many "You know, this shouldn't work/I shouldn't like this but it does/I did." Comments as I can. I like annoying people by pushing against their expectations.

Similarly, I like to go against expectations, basically because I like plot twists and having a measure of unpredictability, you know, imagination? I don't aim to annoy though.

However, smut readers don't like surprises. They want an aggressive slutty unicorn to hit them over the head with their fave kink.

 

[StrentWriter]

That's mostly a comment on how bad the state of modern fiction is, especially on the fantasy side.

Still, would be nice to be able to see what you consider to be better than mainstream fiction.

 

[Erozetta]

Similarly, I like to go against expectations, basically because I like plot twists and having a measure unpredictability, you know, imagination? I don't aim to annoy though.

However, smut readers don't like surprises. They want an aggressive slutty unicorn to hit them over the head with their fave kink.

Annoy might be being facetious.

What I mean is, I get agitated/irritated/frustrated when I like something I don't want to like. That's the feeling I'm going for invoking in others. Like, not agitated/irritated/frustrated with the writer, but with myself.

Yeah. I've had mostly good luck with readers who don't mind me playing around with my writing. I don't think I write slutty aggressive unicorns, but maybe I'm wrong about that.

 

[IWroteThis]

Eh, not really. I managed with zero effort.

I have no clue how old you are, but I know things were a lot different in my time than for my kids. I also went to a much smaller school than they did, so I'm sure that made a difference as well.

 

[MillieDynamite]

I don't now, and haven't for some time, worried about the ratings. I'm not good enough to get 5 out of 5 on every vote, and don't believe in perfection in writing any more than I believe it exists in the real world. Add to that the fact that I'm an acquired taste, so new readers are likely not to get the IT in my writing. I'm writing to provoke a reaction, 1s are just as valid as 5s. This is just a fact of my writing; some like it, some don't. I'll never win a contest, and I'm okay with that.