It's a shame, but inevitable how 99% of people don't want to be accountable for their voting a story a 1. If a story is really that bad, tell the author so, explain why, and help them become a better writer.

I write copy professionally for a living, but if someone better qualified comes along and gives me some constructive criticism, I am thankful.

At least the new measures have stopped all the drive-by negative spam surfer voting. Perhaps that's where most of the 1 votes were coming from in the first place.

I must admit after reading a story i just want to say that i liked it so much . it so much harder to say what you didn't like. as for voting i think maybe people just think oh well it's just a number and us writer's are always more interested in words. I did a creative writing course last year with the Open University and don't think some people where keen to hear whats bad about their writing. I think all comments are ok good or bad you can learn from it all, thats if your serious about being a writer.

You're a good boy.

Now where's the nudey swimming pic gone? Your "fans" would like to see it reinstated, especially that "special" fan

HAve to agree with Nic. Miss the pool av.

Like not agreeing with the last poster - she's nuts and knows it, ok the last 3 ladies that posted.

Bat

The short answer is simple, you have made people accountable for their decisions.

True.

I'm still glad it's there though, we were getting lots of people coming along and voting all the stories a 1 until they got fed up and left. I guess they now just vote lots of 2's instead and then leave

Who's your special fan, DB?

Imagine this scenario Rocco, but on the left, replace the blonde with a dude

"Sex does not thrive on monotony. Without feelings, inventions, moods, [there are] no surprises in bed. Sex must be mixed with tears, laughter, words, promises, scenes, jealousy, envy, all the spices of fear, foreign travel, new faces, novels, stories, dreams, fantasies, music, dancing, opium, wine."
- Anais nin

I put that quote up because I just read it in "The joy of writing sex" one of the many books I'm reading to try to be a better writer. But the question I pose is, are you getting ratings of 1 because people are unsatisfied with the story or unsatisfied with the level of masturbation potential?

Personally I have no problem telling people that their writing could use a little of this or that if I think they are actually trying to tell a story and not just going for the biggest cum factor. I don't have a problem because I welcome constructive feedback on my own stories, in fact I WOULD LOVE to have constructive feedback. But mostly what I get is masturbators either wanting me to help them jerk off or telling me how wonderful their wank was. Ummm...not the way to get me excited, sorry.

But trying to find stories that are actually NOT monotony and do the things that the lovely Anais suggested is like finding a needle in the haystack. I've found a few on your site but far, far, far more are at best, monotonous.

It also means that we as writers have to be unafraid to go out on a limb and push the stories into either silly directions or serious directions. It means that you have to be willing to make a fool of yourself and have people tell you so. It means you can do as I've done and try to push yourself and watch your ratings fall, have yours stories pulled from the site (even if they get back on the site several weeks later ) and never see your name listed as a popular author on the site again.

I've thought of leaving a few low ratings and actually giving reasons why but I see the really HORRIBLE stories that are posted and within hours the rating goes to 220 or something insane like that. I almost did that on a recent story that I found absolute garbage. It wasn't erotic, it wasn't original, and it was anything BUT interesting yet the rating was through the roof! So what's the point? If only 2% of the readers are looking for stories and the other are looking for a good wank, then it's a bit like standing in front of a eighteen wheeler with your hand up saying, "Umm...can you slow down?".

Or maybe a simpler reason is that people are afraid of saying negative things because it will get them flamed.

Cheers!

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I know exactly how DB feels. I've had numerous gay males come on to me in the adult rooms. They were blocked immediately.

"It also means that we as writers have to be unafraid to go out on a limb and push the stories into either silly directions or serious directions. It means that you have to be willing to make a fool of yourself and have people tell you so. It means you can do as I've done and try to push yourself and watch your ratings fall, have yours stories pulled from the site (even if they get back on the site several weeks later ) and never see your name listed as a popular author on the site again."


I'm glad you feel that way Fetish and it's good to know that you can take constructive criticism especially if a story is pulled and not react like some in the past that have thrown a hissy fit about it being pulled and then threaten to pull all of thier stories and pick up thier toys and leave the playground.

"But trying to find stories that are actually NOT monotony and do the things that the lovely Anais suggested is like finding a needle in the haystack. I've found a few on your site but far, far, far more are at best, monotonous."


The problem is that some of the authors on this site are just begining to write and can always use guidance in making them a better writer so their stories become less monotonous. I'm sure that the author you speak of once started that way so it's always good to have patience and always remember that we are limited to our imagination. Some have more imagination then others which provides a different perspective on things but all and all it's a learning process. I have personally grown in various ways as a writer since I have been a member here and I have this site and it's members and my willingness to learn to thank for that.

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Of course I always do when asked....

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