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Here I go agine, somewhat emboldened by Angela Rasch. I posted a story five days ago. The first two days 500+ hits, 50 votes and half a dozen comments. OK, not a stellar success. I can live with that, but for the last three days, 300+ hits and virtually NO votes and not a single comment.
I wish that someone would tell me if I'm wasting my time posting here, that I don't gibe with the BC vibe, that there's little interest in what I post, that I'm a lousy writer, anything but this deafening silence. Indifference; disapproval??
It's hard not making this sound like sour grapes. Believe me, it's not. I have no jealousy directed against those writers who are clearly successful here. I'm so glad they are, because I love many of their stories, look forward to them being posted. I think my own comments demonstrate that, and, if I comment, I vote.
I vote without commenting when I want to encourage, but perhaps don't think the story is special enough to comment on.
When I read an old story I ALWAYS comment.
Then I see comments from some readers, opining that a comment or a vote from them makes no difference, and I can only shake my head in disbelief. Sure, we write for our own satisfaction, but if there's no feedback, we're writing into a vacuum, and I can tell you, that is totally off-putting and discouraging,
Joanne
Comments
Molding
I have found that after a couple of days virtually nobody comments on anything of mine. So, it's not just you. I still get the occasional vote on older stories after hundreds of views. I remember receiving a review on one of my older stories, well after it was posted, that didn't so much comment or review, but to ask when I'd be updating. LOL.
It's disheartening to see something that you spent so much time on slip into oblivion. The only thing I would recommend is to redouble your efforts. Try different topics, genres, etc.
My first two stories I posted here are still well below the 2000 hit mark after 30 some odd weeks, while others are pushing the 7000 hit mark.
If it's comments, hits, and votes that you are looking for then you have to please the masses and give them what is popular. If you are writing for your own enjoyment then you can't really complain too much if others don't like it. Either way, I would suggest trying something different, getting a different beta reader, or play out your ideas with others. Maybe they can suggest something that will pump up your story ideas.
~Lili
Blog: http://lilithlangtree.tglibrary.com/
Twitter: http://www.twitter.com/lilith_langtree
~Lili
Write the story that you most desperately want to read.
Now now now, stop whinging .... PLOT SPOILER, DUH!
Just because we're all a bunch of ingrates doesn't mean you can insult us -- says John, tongue firmly in cheek. --
Sometimes it's not knowing what to say, sometimes it's because so much posts sooooooo fast now that BC has hit the big time, so to speak.
-- Yeah Erin your site rocks! --
Plus for first time commentors, loosing you anonymity is a difficult thing. I lurked for a year or so at BC before I first commented.
And sometimes it's because Microsquishy Explorer and Drupal disagree and I can't FRIGEN post, like last night when AEAFOAB was fresh and virginal, IE uncommented.
Oh, I liked your victim turned vampire story. Sucked bigtime, in a GOOD way, -- snicker --
As McGruff says, 'Take a bite out of crime.'
John in Transyl ... Wauwatosa
P.S. Lilith ... look into my ring Bla bl. You are getting sleepy, you will, of your own free will write more fairy stories and the rest of your stuff for that matter ... Now post my vixen of the night! Bla bla!
John in Wauwatosa
Sorry
I have not read or commented on your story. But to be fair, I have not read any of the stories from the Horror contest. I do not like Horror stories, so I am ignoring any stories that say they are apart of that contest.
Jessica Marie
Ditto
The contest topic is one I would frankly go out of my way to avoid reading anything about. My apologies to all the fine writers who have worked so hard to craft tales to enter.
They know they can survive
Comments are like rare butterflies
I agree with you. Multiple readers and very few comments. I used to thikng I was not writing enough to raise some ones conscience and then reality sank in, Maybe I'm writing and they are agreeing and contend in the story enough and feel that a comment may take away from the story.
Mot every one likes the same material, but if you have readers you have people who most likely like what you write.
I try to leave a comment, but some stories lose my interest in the second or third paragraph and I stop reading and go on to something else.
I don't feel qualified to tell someone they are a terriffic writer or thaty they should go back and rethink the story.
Whne I read something that peaks my interest I'll let the author know i enjoyed their story and that it did make me feel good.
With that all said, relax you hae people reading. I posted this morning and no comments after 60 people had read the story and then one appeared. I read it and thanked the person to myself for the support.
Jill Micayla
May you have a wonderful today and a better tomorrow
Jill Micayla
Be kinder than necessary,Because everyone you meet
Is fighting some kind of battle.
What do you want?
500+ hits, 50 votes and half a dozen comments? That's nothing to sneeze at!
So, yes, you are whingeing, Stop it!
Mr. Ram
You're an Aussie
so a strine whine is expected to some extent. I've commented about comments and votes or lack of them too often, so I won't repeat it. I look at number of hits, if mine top 600, I know it's been reasonably well received. Sorry, I don't do horror.
Angharad
Angharad
No Horror
Only bikers as targets of homicidal drivers and open bow hunting season on trespassers.
Michelle B
Whinge away.
Joanne, I don't read many stories I must admit. It takes me all my time to find a few spare moments to write. So I feel guilty about a few people, such as yourself, who have given my such support and encouragement by their comments.
So I have now read 'Users'. And I can assure you that whatever else you may think there is nothing whatsoever amiss with the quality of your writing. Nor of your story telling. Both are way up there with the best. Moreover they go in this instance hand in hand with style matching content admirably.
Actually I wouldn't worry too much about the statistics of readers, votes, etc. The first is a complete lottery. Largely because nobody knows who has read what. All we know is who looked in. And we don't know why they looked in or if they started to read or if they finished the tale.
Actually I think you have done reasonably well even on these flawed criteria. Far better in both 'readership' and votes than for what I regard as my best work.
You really have to write only for your own enjoyment I am afraid. All else is just the worship of false gods. It's a pity because it is so nice when people do take the trouble to comment and one's heart is greatly warmed by the kindness. But you have to remember it is a kindness and not really related to the worth of what you have produced. Just that you have happened to give a fleeting pleasure to people who are close to being on your own wavelength and have the courtesy to tell you so.
Hugs,
Dear Joanne,
I like your stories. I think I always read and vote for them. I vote for about 95% of the stories I read here.
My last comment for you, on your vampire story, was obviously a joke, but I wasn't laughing at you or criticizing your story. I said I liked the story and it was true, I did.
Hugs and Bright Blessings,
Renee
Ready for work, 1992.
Hugs and Bright Blessings,
Renee
Try not to get too hung up
Try not to get too hung up about the number of hits/votes/comments you get. Like Lillith said, writing in different genres can get you different results, but even then it's a bit of a crapshoot, I think. Take VC, for example. I'm averaging 60-70 votes per chapter anymore, and usually get a fair number of comments. But Chapter 102 got 72 votes in the first 24 hours (A record for me, in terms of votes/time), and yet it got comments from only a half a dozen different people. It's also on track to get less hits than chapter 103. So, less hits, less comments, but more votes? How does that make sense?
And getting 300+ hits after the first two days is actually quite impressive. My stories usually don't manage that, they get most of their hits in the first two days and then accumulate them only very slowly after that. It could be that there simply weren't that many people online when your story was posted, and then there were several other stories posted shortly thereafter which pushed yours down on the list and so many people missed it until later. And comments are such a fickle thing that you can't really judge by them on any one story/chapter.
Obviously, though, with all the numbers I'm throwing around, I do exactly what I'm advising you not to, and pay far too much attention to the number of hits/votes/comments that I get, so maybe you should ignore me! ;)
Saless
"But it is also tradition that times *must* and always do change, my friend." - Eddie Murphy, Coming To America
Max! Bring the car around, Max!
I know the feeling Joanne. When I'm feeling down I review my old efforts with my butler Max here in my decrepit Hollywood chateau. The glory days, when a star was a star!
I once overheard someone say that I used to be big in transgendered fiction. To which I reply,
"I'm still big! It's the storysites that have gotten small!"
But someday I'll make my grand comeback. They'll see! They'll see!
I'm ready for my closeup, Ms. DiMaggio...
~~~hugs, Norma
"Government will only recognize 2 genders, male + female,
as assigned at birth-" (In his own words:)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=C1lugbpMKDU
Humble Pie...And A Liar To Boot!
Me and my big mouth! Opens wide and inserts other foot. Plenty of room for more if anyone has spare feet.
However it looks like I've come out an overall (if undeserved) winner through my little rant.
First let me clarify what I said so poorly. I was not bemoaning the number of hits my stories receive. I do know that it's largely luck of the draw, and I am usually so lucky as to wind up posting next to "Football Girl" or one of the super quality serials, so it's a no-brainer to pick which one the audience will go for.
Hell! I know which one I would read first, and then, maybe if I had time....
I also have to admit that votes are usually cast in the first couple of days, as are comments. Votes are nice, and an easy way to say you liked a story, but comments are an author's delight, and what I was REALLY bemoaning was the fact that nobody seems to make them after the first flush of a story.
To me, and I know to other writers as well, they are the true reward one gets for a story, so it HURTS if nobody bothers to comment.
Now let me confess. I opened "My Stories" this morning, being my usual totally objective and non-anal self, to check whether anyone was still reading me, and, lo and behold, no less than six comments, five of them on old stories, thus making a liar out of me.
I danced around the room,torn between the delight of having received said comments and the potential chagrin of having to grovel publicly in abject apology.
So here I go. Grovel, grovel, grovel(that's enough, innit?)
And last but not least, thankyou to those of you who lent a sympathetic ear and gave me the advice on this blog.
I promise to keep my lips zipped in future,
Joanne
I believe
discovering six new comments would only make you...misinformed. And the only advice I could offer you at this point would be to have a wonderful evening, you incredibly terrific and altogether nice person you. Hope this tides you over until more flattery comes your way!
She was born for all the wrong reasons but grew up for all the right ones.
Tutto il mio apprezzamento, cari, Andrea
Love, Andrea Lena
I kind of understand your
I kind of understand your position, but I don't know, maybe I've got too low expectations, but I've posted two stories so far, about 2 weeks and a month ago. 9 and 11 comments, and thirty-odd votes each.
I'm thrilled with that; it kind of freaks me out, actually, to think that thousands (!!) of people have read them, and some 20 people thought to leave words of any kind for me.
That makes me famous, doesn't it? :)
At another site I frequent, the typical ratio is two or three comments per 5,000 reads. I learned from that not to expect feedback, but to consider each one worth its weight in diamonds.
My main reason for writing, so far, has been to 'pay back' the authors that have kept me entertained for 14 years now, since I got my first computer.
Congratulations on the votes, reads, and comments you got! They DO feel good, that's for sure!
Comments
This is not a new topic, but it is one I've not yet spoken to.
#1-This web site does not make commenting very intuitive. Just has "comment" stuck there. For some time I was responding to the last comment listed rather than to the story itself.
#2-Also not exactly intuitive is the word "Vote" appended to the very end of the story. After three or four years I still don't know what the significance of voting is. I click there occasionally but I never see any result other than the number moving upward, so, one might ask oneself, what's the big deal, why bother? (Obviously there is a significance, but .......)
#3-Some people just feel out of their depth in taking on the responsibility of commenting. Others get tired, because a single heartfelt comment can take quite some time. (At least from some of us.)
#4-Finally, I think, Joannebarbarella, that maybe you've temporarily lost some sense of proportion: Can you not honestly feel proud of 800+ hits within one week? Surely that tells you a lot --- and it doesn't seem very negative either.
Leah
#1 Intuitive
The actual wording is "Add New Comment" for the link to add a new comment, I'm honestly at a loss as to how to improve that. :)
Hugs,
Erin
= Give everyone the benefit of the doubt because certainty is a fragile thing that can be shattered by one overlooked fact.
= Give everyone the benefit of the doubt because certainty is a fragile thing that can be shattered by one overlooked fact.
Joanne
I think you are a great writer, most likely better than I am. I do think though, if you are aiming for read hits, votes and comments, to glance at the front page and observe the stories that do get those kind of statistics and maybe write something along the lines of either the genre, topic, or depth of story? I know it's a pretty lousy answer, but honestly, all of the stellar hit stories of recent times do have common threads amongst them. They are catering to the current audience of BCTS just like your stories are. Pull the traits from those stories and use it to your writing advantage.
I do look forward to more of your writings Joanne =^.^=
BigCloset TopShelf
TGLibrary.com
comments and votes
My guess is that almost all comments and votes come from a very small group of regulars to this site, who read stories within a day or two after they are posted. The ones who view stories after that are, as a rule, "tourists" who are not registered with the site and so cannot leave comments or votes.
If it makes you feel better, your comment, vote, and view totals are much higher than mine.
Melissa Tawn
Tourists
Uh, Guest Readers, can comment by logging in as "guest reader" with the password "topshelf" and they can and do vote. But yeah, you're right. Most comments are left by a few dozen regulars, many of whom are also authors.
Hugs,
Erin
= Give everyone the benefit of the doubt because certainty is a fragile thing that can be shattered by one overlooked fact.
= Give everyone the benefit of the doubt because certainty is a fragile thing that can be shattered by one overlooked fact.
guest readers
I am not sure many guest readers know that.
Melissa
Announcement
I rotate the announcement to the top of the page now and then but it seems to have little impact on how many Guest Readers actually use the facility. I suspect that once again, we're dealing with a relatively small number who wish to make the effort to comment but don't care to join as members.
Hugs,
Erin
= Give everyone the benefit of the doubt because certainty is a fragile thing that can be shattered by one overlooked fact.
= Give everyone the benefit of the doubt because certainty is a fragile thing that can be shattered by one overlooked fact.
I don't get much
I don't get much in the way of comments, but I'm content to play second fiddle to the many fine authors here and I know my stuff is amateurish. I honestly don't worry about it.
Not Sure How Relevant This Is...
...but since I go back to stories to read the comments as they come in, I produce additional hits on those stories without those turning into additional votes or (usually) comments, since I've voted already and most likely I either commented the first time through or didn't (and still don't) have anything to add.
I'm a commenter rather than an author here, and I don't know whether there are many others who do that. But if so it'd explain part of the lack of votes/comments on later hits.
Eric
(And FWIW, I'm another of those people who don't read terror, so I didn't read your story.)