I was looking at the "My Stories" page and I noticed something odd. The latest chapter in the Stark series, Stark: The State of Grace, has less than a thousand hits overall. Compare that to every other chapter, with hit numbers between 2000 and 3000, and you have a bit of a mystery. Add to that the fact that Stark: The State of Grace is actually an authorized extension of fleurie's brilliant and popular Deception of Choice, and that makes it even more unusual that the numbers for the Stark story are so low.
I'm wondering how many other stories get abnormally low hit rates, not because of the content or style of the piece, but just because they become buried in an avalanche of new material as it comes onto BC and pushed off the home page too quickly. The Jewel Box links and sidebar features should help this somewhat, but I'm sure some folks have felt unappreciated, when all they really were was unlucky in the timing of their post.
Just a thought, folks. Not sure there's anything to do about it, but I thought I should bring it to the attention of any new writers out there who might wonder why their posting received less attention than they expected.
*hugs*
Randalynn
Comments
Me neither
Some of what happens to my stories make no sense to me when you look at votes, comments and the other statistics. It seems like the daily, short installment, serials do the best. I would never compare my writing with theirs. There is this "groove" that I get into once in a while, but like wiggling my ears, I don't seem to be able to do it consistently.
Readers are fickle, is perhaps the answer?
You can always have a go
at writing 'daily short installments'. Loads criticise it, but I don't see many trying to outdo me at it, those who have tried seem unable to maintain it. It's not good literature, but it ain't easy either.
Angharad
Angharad
Daily Posting - Easy - NOT!
I had enough trouble doing every 3/4 days with my first story. I can't really imagine how hard it would be to do daily... Well, that's not true, I can imagine the amount of work that's involved, and I do appreciate your effort!
It may not be "good litereature" but it is generally "fun reading" - which sometimes is more important (from my point as a reader). :-)
Annette
Daily!
"You're bleedin' mad!"
"Oh and you're not?"
"Um... well, yeah, ok....but not THAT mad. "
Kristina
ps... "Tis a nice sort of mad though."
Hit counts and Votes
I wrote a short piece a while back called 'The Tree'. It quickly gathered a good number of votes and some of the best comments I've received. It also, surprisingly, continues to be one of my lowest hit counts.
There are a couple of reasons for this I think in my case, the major one being the large number of stories posted in February pushed it off the front page rather quickly. Ironically, several of the stories that helped to push it down were said to be inspired by it, which makes me feel good but...
Well...
...they do say that the literacy of the average speaker of English is steadily declining. Perhaps many don't comment because they're not inclined to reveal any real or imagined flaws in spelling ot grammar a public comment might expose.
Just a theory.
Bone lazy is the other...
Cheers,
Puddin'
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Cheers,
Puddin'
A tender heart is an asset to an editor: it helps us be ruthless in a tactful way.
--- The Chicago Manual of Style
Just Because
:)