Poorly performing stories that you still love

[Djmac1031]

It's a terrible metric for authors, honestly. I mean, there are worse ones, but I'll give you two examples right now: Why She Cheated and In Vitro Veritas, the two stories I released yesterday. I know why they each didn't do as well as they probably should have, which is good, but that's me applying a qualitative "fix" in my head to a quantitative issue.

Why She Cheated went into Loving Wives; it could have gone into Romance, but cheating (which is a central part of the story) often goes over like a lead balloon there. Besides, it's specifically what the category is "supposed" to be about: a cheating wife and her affair partner, a guy she meets in a bar. My beta readers loved it, to the point where one told me she cried and another said it was one of her favorite stories I'd ever written. It's at a 4.31 in LW specifically because it does have a compassionate and sympathetic view of a specific cheater and why she cheats, and because of some spoiler-y stuff that's "how to deal with a grown up, modern relationship" stuff. A lot of people in the comments love it. A number specifically hit the spoiler-y stuff as to why they didn't like it. And some flat out said, "Cheating should never be glorified." There are legitimate complaints about it too, i.e., the ending's a little abrupt, but I wasn't trying to write a novella.

In Vitro Veritas is a cuckqueaning story over in Fetish, also at 4.31, that's about a husband/cuckquean/cuckcake relationship that's pretty well established. It's also a love story, of sorts, between the three of them. Someone whose opinion I trust in this particular arena, who is also very highly rated with similar content, said it was excellent, if very dark; there's quite a bit of cruelty involved, but also a very HEA ending. I know, or at least am as certain as I can be, that I picked up 10 followers just off the back of this story, based on the other things/writers they've favorited/followed. If I had dropped it, sight unseen, on a new account, I'm pretty sure it would be an H story, and maybe a highly ranked one. But because it's on the NTH account, the people already following me from LW came to see it and a lot of them DID NOT like it at all, and they told me so in the comments. Even though I said "hey, this is in Fetish, here's the content warnings of what's going to be in here, turn back if you're following me from LW and don't want to see this." I know this because, looking at the front page of Fetish, there are a number of stories in the 4.5+ range that don't have an H next to them, which means they haven't received ten ratings. IVV has received 87.

Both of these stories, IME, are very good stories. One can't find a space that's "right" for it here, and the other is hampered because people don't really follow the guidelines that are given, instead choosing to "Dead Dove" stuff that they are told they aren't going to like, no matter of whether it's technically good and/or the content will be interesting to the people that will like it. The site just isn't set up in such a way as to provide good feedback through its rating system, because that's not really what it's meant to do. And, of course, there are the people that 1-bomb anything a particular writer does because the writer pissed them off at one point for not giving them exactly what they want.

What I'm most reminded of is all of the Amazon reviews that are one stars, with the complaint, "UPS mangled the box in shipping." We get a lot of those here. So don't worry about the ratings so much, and go with your gut, with what trusted beta readers tell you, what's in comments that have useful things to say, and what other writers tell you.

I honestly can't complain about any of my stories ratings.

Some have been read, or at least "viewed," far less than others. Whether because of category or simply not drawing enough interest via title, description, or opening paragraphs, I have no idea.

But most of my stories have high fours. The few that do not are still decently rates in the lower fours.

Only my LW story is rated under a four, 3.76 to be specific. Could be far worse lol.

Maybe I just haven't written something to truly piss off enough readers to get hammered, or maybe it's that I only generally draw a comparatively small audience but those I do draw like my stories.

I can live with that.

 

[Seadog777]

Since you basically asked for a shameless plug from us .

My stories "Decision Time in a Marriage" Parts 1 and 2.
(nominated for I think 2 awards as well).

I think they're really good.
Some errors in them of course, nothing is perfect.

I continue to get emails about how I was able to portray the heartbreak, pain, hurt and agony from both the person who cheated, the person who was cheated on. As well as how the families are affected.

 

[MetaBob]

All of mine. Boo-hoo, I know. Fairly high ratings, occasional seemingly coordinated one-bomb campaigns, I assume because there is often FLR and some readers don't like that, or maybe some other author's supporters felt threatened by my prit-durn good ratings during the two contests I entered.

I mean, I haven't posted that many stories here. The site will tell you that there are about 50, but I usually post by chapter. Then I got tired of that and started getting published for reals. I did take down one novel here. It has done well, as far as I can tell, for the genre, in the published-verse. But I will not abandon this place; it was one of my first online homes, and I will continue to support it. (Thanks, Laurel and Manu!)

One transitional chapter was weak. I know it.

Do any of my stories seem underrated, to me? Well ... really, what's your kink? I try not to kink-shame. I should expect the same from others, but don't.

 

[Bramblethorn]

It used to be that published authors, filmmakers, and musicians might read reviews in various publications, but probably the most important metric for them was sales, box office receipts, and so forth. Now anybody can comment anywhere. But does Brian De Palma (he just popped into my head) care about what is on Rotten Tomatoes or IMDb.com? Does Lady Gaga look at what people are saying about her albums on Amazon? I doubt it.

I suspect more do care than will let on to it, but the wise ones know better than to respond. Or they have PAs who know when to take the phone away from them.

 

[gunhilltrain]

I suspect more do care than will let on to it, but the wise ones know better than to respond. Or they have PAs who know when to take the phone away from them.

I really don't know what most celebrities do about their "fans," and it's certainly different before and after social media. For one thing, it's at an entirely different level from what we are doing here. When one has multi-million dollar film or record deals in the works, what one person in Iowa thinks doesn't mean much. For us, a single comment from such a person, perhaps the only one we get, does register.

Also, the A-listers have true fame, probably going on for a long-time if they can maintain it. For us, 10,000 or 15,000 views is a big deal. With major movies, albums and so forth, millions of buyers are involved, and they probably seem like a faceless mass.

A bit of info I would say about celebrities. 1. They get lots of fan mail, sent to their agents, not their homes, which used to be letters and now may be digital. They generally don't have the time to read it, much less respond to it. I remember Jodie Foster, a long time ago, saying that she looked at none of it. 2. They have genuine security concerns, about stalkers and such, that make our worries look piddling. 3. They do need to show themselves to the public in highly-controlled events such as movie premiers, but even better are media interviews and such. When they do have to go out for other reasons, they seem to usually be cautious, annoyed, or even worried when recognized by the public or the press. The biggest stars may have at least one security person trailing them, sometimes more than one.

 

[JuanSeiszFitzHall]

This thread has drawn so much response that I don’t feel (too) bad about lamenting, yet again, the fate of my deepest trailer. I like what I did with “The Talk,” which in my (misguided?) view is about two people finally realizing that their emotional bond is more important to them than their physiological mismatch, and that their happiness together will override what they choose to do separately because of the mismatch.

https://literotica.com/s/the-talk-14

I am no stranger to low ratings. I have never posted in Loving Wives, yet I have plenty of sub-3.50 scores for what I thought to be good efforts. “The Talk,” however, is in the deepest abyss. In three-plus years, it is rated 2.78 on 36, with 4152 views. Even in my most self-critical moments, I suspect strongly that the main issue is that I posted this in Romance. (Yet it didn’t inspire very high dudgeon among the low-voters; there are only two comments, and one of them is positive.)

As always, I accept that the way to avert such issues would be for me, somehow, to become a better writer. But in the words of a long-time influencer on behalf of spinach, I yam what I yam. (Spinach and yams might go well together.)

 

[Bramblethorn]

I really don't know what most celebrities do about their "fans," and it's certainly different before and after social media. For one thing, it's at an entirely different level from what we are doing here. When one has multi-million dollar film or record deals in the works, what one person in Iowa thinks doesn't mean much. For us, a single comment from such a person, perhaps the only one we get, does register.

Do you think it it really scales like that, though? It'd make sense for somebody with millions of fans not to be affected by a single comment, but human brains don't always do the thing that makes sense. I've seen enough celebrities who have reacted badly to a single negative comment or review to give me the suspicion that they're not so different as to be immune to the criticism of strangers. I know several who have a policy of not reading their own reviews, because it keeps them away from temptation.

A bit of info I would say about celebrities. 1. They get lots of fan mail, sent to their agents, not their homes, which used to be letters and now may be digital. They generally don't have the time to read it, much less respond to it. I remember Jodie Foster, a long time ago, said that she looked at none of it.

Jodie Foster in particular famously had reason to keep her fans at arm's length.

 

[gunhilltrain]

Do you think it it really scales like that, though? It'd make sense for somebody with millions of fans not to be affected by a single comment, but human brains don't always do the thing that makes sense. I've seen enough celebrities who have reacted badly to a single negative comment or review to give me the suspicion that they're not so different as to be immune to the criticism of strangers. I know several who have a policy of not reading their own reviews, because it keeps them away from temptation.



Jodie Foster in particular famously had reason to keep her fans at arm's length.

Look, it must seem obvious that I was speculating. How many A-listers are there in entertainment and how is that defined? Let's say that here are 500, which probably would include most people in an active TV series. All of them are going to react differently, and some are more thin-skinned than others. When I've seen celebrities act defensively, it's usually in some interview when they are bugged by the host; a few walk out.

I've never met any celebrities, much less talked to them.

 

[gunhilltrain]

This thread has drawn so much response that I don’t feel (too) bad about lamenting, yet again, the fate of my deepest trailer. I like what I did with “The Talk,” which in my (misguided?) view is about two people finally realizing that their emotional bond is more important to them than their physiological mismatch, and that their happiness together will override what they choose to do separately because of the mismatch.

https://literotica.com/s/the-talk-14

I am no stranger to low ratings. I have never posted in Loving Wives, yet I have plenty of sub-3.50 scores for what I thought to be good efforts. “The Talk,” however, is in the deepest abyss. In three-plus years, it is rated 2.78 on 36, with 4152 views. Even in my most self-critical moments, I suspect strongly that the main issue is that I posted this in Romance. (Yet it didn’t inspire very high dudgeon among the low-voters; there are only two comments, and one of them is positive.)

As always, I accept that the way to avert such issues would be for me, somehow, to become a better writer. But in the words of a long-time influencer on behalf of spinach, I yam what I yam. (Spinach and yams might go well together.)

Romance can be a tricky category to be in. I have used it a few times, and the results weren't too bad. There have been proposals for an additional category called "Relationships," but that is never going to happen.

I did glance through your story, and I missed whatever the physiological mismatch is (sorry!). Usually Romance readers hate break-up stories (as if those never happen), but otherwise they seem to tolerate most couples who are making a go at it. A true "happily-ever-after" story is best, but it may not be absolutely necessary for them. So I'm not sure what their problem was here. Maybe if I read through it more carefully I could spot what bothered them.

 

[EmilyMiller]

Romance can be a tricky category to be in. I have used it a few times, and the results weren't too bad. There have been proposals for an additional category called "Relationships," but that is never going to happen.

I did glance through your story, and I missed whatever the physiological mismatch is (sorry!). Usually Romance readers hate break-up stories (as if those never happen), but otherwise they seem to tolerate most couples who are making a go at it. A true "happily-ever-after" story is best, but it may not be absolutely necessary for them. So I'm not sure what their problem was here. Maybe if I read through it more carefully I could spot what bothered them.

I’m doing awfully on Romance with this

https://literotica.com/s/desire-163

Em

 

[gunhilltrain]

I’m doing awfully on Romance with this

https://literotica.com/s/desire-163

Em

Okay, I'll take a look at it at some point. I've been spending way too much time on AH. Like I need to mop the kitchen floor, really needs it. And I have to get some coffee and milk at the store. If I don't have coffee, I can't respond to these posts.

 

[jaykaythree]

Each of my stories brings something different to the table, and One In Seven is no exception. It's my lowest rated (4.11), but it does outperform many of my others in terms of views, votes, favorites, and what have ya.

What I think could have caused its low rating was that it's categorized as First Time, but occupies a middle ground between that category and Romance. It's not got a happy ending, though; in fact, I left its ending, such as that is, ambiguous as of the time of its publication (January 22, 2022).

 

[jaykaythree]

I have to get some coffee and milk at the store. If I don't have coffee, I can't respond to these posts.

Now that's priorities ... caffeinated beverages are the nectar of God.

 

[HBuff]

My lowest-rated story is called "Caught in the Crossfire". https://literotica.com/s/caught-in-the-crossfire

It is a Non-Consensual story, so it's meant for readers who have such fantasies. The victims experience a degree of pleasure as required by Literotica's rules; in other words, it is a rape-fantasy story, and NOT a rapist's story.

This was my very first story here on Literotica. I like it because it has a very special flavour. It is written in cinematographic style and depicts a 1938 movie in black & white. It is inspired from Alfred Hitchcock's "The Lady Vanishes". I've changed all characters' names since Literotica forbids non-consensual fanfic.

The very act of changing names and making these changes fit in the story was in itself an act of creativity that I enjoyed. Due to this, the reader gets to know the genesis of the movie that I depict.

Of course, the main reason I love this story is that I depict a very strong fantasy I've always had since the first time I watched "The Lady Vanishes". This is a simple, powerful fantasy --- In the final shootout, the train is captured by the soldiers and they have their way with the main female characters.

I have re-written it for another site that do allow non-consensual fanfic and my new version is improved over this one, which is my "rookie story" on Literotica. As such, it will always have a special place in my heart. I hope I did justice to Margaret Lockwood's timeless beauty.

 

[TxRad]

I don't know if I'd say of was proud of this mess but here it is anyway. 3.83 on 117 votes. I put it in the wrong category.

Star Trek, The Literotica Episodr

 

[jehoram]

I think that the first chapter of "A Very Private Beach" was the best one. It also got the lowest ratings, because the MCs only engaged in a little mutual masturbation.

And I still get surprised when I see somebody favorite "The Stud." I liked the story and its premise and had fun writing it in a voice that differed from the other stories I've written. It hasn't done as well in the ratings, though.

 

[CiaoSteve]

The obvious one for me is the first part of Voyage of Self Discovery
https://literotica.com/s/voyage-of-self-discovery
It rates amongst my 5 lowest rated stories (3 of which are in the 750 word contest), but I don't think is all that bad, and the rest of the 12 part series contains 9 RED H's. I have a good idea on the reason. It is my one and only venture into LW.

Another which I had hoped would do better is the first chapter of Little Sis
https://literotica.com/s/little-sis
Again a mediocre score, followed up by 7 RED H's. Maybe there is a trend here. I think some of the lower ratings came by way of reaction to this being incest but the relationship being between step-siblings, but maybe I'm just not good at opening chapters

The final one is the second chapter of Work Hard, Play Harder (okay, so this bucks the trend as it is not a first chapter)
https://literotica.com/s/work-hard-play-harder-ch-02
I'm guessing this one may be down to category and there not being enough B in there to count as BDSM.

 

[Emilymcplugger]

Hot and Fuzzy part 5. The story was ticking along nicely after several weeks, the part had 5 sex scenes over 4 pages, the plot moved on, character development moved on, it left off on a cliffhanger and 3 one-bomber bastards came along and dropped it to 3.38.

Absolute shits. They’ve killed off views, but seemingly they’ve done this to the stories around me as well.

Clock-knockers, all.

https://www.literotica.com/s/hot-and-fuzzy-pt-05

 

[NotWise]

I took a while to think about this. My most under-appreciated story is Quarter to Midnight. It's a two-part story that starts here.

Quarter to is a two-part contribution to NonCon. Fact is that it's actually a Romance, but it went into NonCon because of events in the opening part, and because sex throughout the story is rough. I didn't think Romance readers would go for either feature. On the other hand, NonCon readers probably didn't like the way the characters' relationship evolved.

I shot myself in the foot by dividing the story into two parts. I should have kept them together. Then it came out on what was probably one of Lit's busiest new-story days. Non-con stories are usually at the bottom of the new story list. I think it came out on page four. On the story hub, part 1 appeared above the fold at the 10th position, and part 2 appeared below the fold.

There may not be a very good place on Lit for stories about broken characters who turn out to need each other. I think Romance readers will tolerate just so much before they back out, and I bet that this story was over their line.

 

[PapaRomantic]

My favorite story of the ones I've written will always be the lowest rated story, because I submitted it to LW and the cheater got away with it. I love the story because it's a deep look at a woman who's lover is killed in a car accident on his way home from a tryst with her, and because he was secret, she can't openly mourn. I did receive many great comments from some very good Lit writers, so that helps vindicate the ratings.

https://www.literotica.com/s/end-of-an-affair

 

[Pabiporffor]

https://literotica.com/s/a-mothers-redemption

This one started off badly after suffering an early one bomb attack in its first few days. Perhaps my own choice of category bares some of the blame. It was a simple idea, a horny but sexually inexperienced girl living in the shadow of her morally flexible mother, who in seeing the error of her ways tries to help her daughter get quality dick.

Although it did recover from it's early low score the number of views never really recovered. What I like about it is it shows not to get to disheartened at a poor start and lit is a marathon not a sprint.

 

[NoTalentHack]

My favorite story of the ones I've written will always be the lowest rated story, because I submitted it to LW and the cheater got away with it. I love the story because it's a deep look at a woman who's lover is killed in a car accident on his way home from a tryst with her, and because he was secret, she can't openly mourn. I did receive many great comments from some very good Lit writers, so that helps vindicate the ratings.

https://www.literotica.com/s/end-of-an-affair

That's a lovely story.

 

[Trionyx]

I am constantly surprised by the scores on my stories. A couple of stories I was particularly proud of haven’t done as well as I had predicted (hoped) and some I was not quite as enthusiastic about have actually done quite well. You never know…

 

[Duleigh]

My Very Dear Cô Dâu was an entry in the Letters of Love challenge, it's a letter home from a very young airman at his first assignment overseas to his wife of just a few months back home. It's a bitter sweet story because he knows they'll be reunited soon, but they were just married and this separation isn't easy on either one of them. People are lining up in droves to read other stories, I know Letters and Transcripts is a vast empty wasteland but even a series tie in isn't helping his poor Cô Dâu (Vietnamese for bride)

 

[dmallord]

So ... my one entry into LW. I was warned ... but that didn't stop me. My goal is at least one story in each category. It seems I violated most of the rules for 'Burning the Bitches' in writing this one. The votes started out at 2.0 and crawled up to a modest fingernail-biting 3.0 over some time. I'm willing to bet it would have done much better in any other category - but NO, I HAD TO POST IT IN AN UNPUBLISHED CATEGORY!

https://literotica.com/s/johnny-diamond-is-a-solitary-man

13.3K views - 7 favorites - rated 3.05 / 278 votes - 13 comments - 6,000 MS Words/2 Lit pages

This sexy allegory recounts Johnny Diamond's life as a young salesman, grown old by the story's end. Diamond reveals how his life substantially changes after losing his true love and struggles through a terrible rebound marriage. I won't spoil the ending, but it's not hard to read the writing on the walls. It's loosely based upon Neil Diamond's song 'Solitary Man.'

Comments range from, “It seemed like you spent too much time trying to be clever and forgot to write a coherent story that all could enjoy.” to “…I come to lit for happy endings, in multiple aspects of the term. However, this was well written, and the message was clear, learning had not occurred.”

Sample sex scene as Johnny stirs Belinda awake in the early morning light:

I planned to keep my cunnilingus edging delicately applied, lightly running my tongue around in circles until her ardor stirred her fully awake. I felt her thighs twitch almost imperceptibly, gradually gliding apart in response. Magically, her mons opened like a dew flower at dawn. Those pooched lips grew puffy and more wanton.
...
"Mmm, Ah," she moaned louder as her eyes sprang open... I smiled as her smoky-hazel eyes blinked and focused on meeting mine. Her face was strained getting last night's look of wanting an aroused dick inside her, again.
…
"Hey, you, ..." she croaked with a grin, "all you had to do was ask...."

I grinned back. Then, with a smile, I chuckled, "Hey, you – wanna fuck?"