Who's Your Data?

I’m a prisoner in my home with time on my hands.

Over the years, I’ve made the statement many times that there is very little correlation between the quality of writing and the number of hits, quotes, and kudos.

To test this -- I took the last ten stories I’ve posted on BC. . .that still are posted as free stories and listed them in order of the best to worst. They’re my stories, I can do that. Unlike kids, having a favorite story is allowed.

1. https://bigclosetr.us/topshelf/fiction/72501/texas-two-step

2. https://bigclosetr.us/topshelf/fiction/13815/if-you-ve-got-m...

3. https://bigclosetr.us/topshelf/fiction/76095/novitiate

4. https://bigclosetr.us/topshelf/fiction/56557/have-heart

5. https://bigclosetr.us/topshelf/fiction/66981/her

6. https://bigclosetr.us/topshelf/fiction/60818/adventure-treme...

7. https://bigclosetr.us/topshelf/fiction/69102/lucky-you-betcha

8. https://bigclosetr.us/topshelf/fiction/72670/my-daddy-was-fa...

9. https://bigclosetr.us/topshelf/fiction/74080/elicit-behavior

10. https://bigclosetr.us/topshelf/fiction/67911/prep-school

Now let’s take a look at the Hits, Comments, and Kudos for each.

Story Hits / Comments / Kudos

Two- Step 4659 / 38 / 240

Money / Honey 4173 / 17 / 75

Novitiate 3838 / 26 / 156

Have a Heart 5255 / 12 / 183

Her 2412 / 15 / 172

Tremendous Two 2732 / 13 / 175

Lucky 4438 / 21 / 186

Family Bassman 1446 / 14 / 109

Elicit Behavior 2544 / 16 / 169

Prep 4823 / 31 / 254

The story I ranked at the bottom had the most kudos -- and second most comments. The story I ranked as second best – and easily could have ranked as the best – had the lowest number of kudos. Hits are all over the place with the bottom story having the second most hits.

I’m not saying that authors shouldn’t take pride in their hits, comments, and kudos. I AM saying that a lack of any of those doesn’t mean your writing sucks.

Here’s a simple test. When you get done writing a piece, ask yourself -- If my muse ever asks me to write a similar story would I do it. If the answer is “yes” you probably enjoyed the process and that’s the goal.

Jill