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How to get more story view / votes / comments

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Matriarch
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As our site is becoming more and more popular with authors and surfers alike, it doesn't take long for new stories to get shunted off our main page.

This system is fair to authors who submit new stories, but means once it happens, your story is less likely to get read by casual surfers who typically hit our main page first, or head to the first page of the category of their choice.

As an author, you obviously want as many people to view your stories as possible, to vote and comment on them, and send you feedback. How can you increase the visibility of your stories therefore? Here is a quick guide to hopefully point you in the right direction.

If anyone has any helpful suggestions, please feel free to add them to the following.


1. Promote your story or profile page (http://www.lushstories.com/username e.g. http://www.lushstories.com/nicola) on other sites / web pages you have.

This could include your own blogs, other web sites, myspace page, youtube page, other social networking sites etc.

If you don't have a blog, set one up! Start writing your own blog - see this excellent blogger article on blog promotion.

Recommended free blog hosts: blogger.com / wordpress.com / bloglines.com

Social Networking sites: Myspace.com / Facebook.com / Friendster.com / bebo.com / habbo.com - click here for a comprehensive list of social networking sites which suit your country / interests.

You could add story snippets to your blog / web sites, and a link to your lush pages to read more of the story. Or simply add a link to us.

You then need to promote your blog / myspace etc pages in as many places as you can.

2. Do you have any friends / colleagues who would be interested in reading your stories? Choose them wisely though (!) and email them a link. Of course if you want to get an objective view of what independent voters / surfers think, then it's best to avoid this technique, as it will bias results.

3. Other Forums - if you are active in other forums online, add a link to your lushstories.com profile page in your signature / profile area.

4. Article submissions - submit an article with a link to your lushstories.com profile page in it - this can be one of your stories, or another article you have written. there are thousands of article submission sites you can submit to.


If you know of any other useful ways to get more eyeballs on your stories and wish to help other authors, please add to this thread
Lurker
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I've been doing pretty much all of that over time. I've been writing since 2002 or so and after starting to post stories online I discovered things here and there over time. I see most of them in the suggestions above, though word of mouth seemed to work for me pretty well too. Readers telling other readers about my stories seemed to be a part of my audience growth too. From what I gather anyway.
Active Ink Slinger
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I want to thank lush for posting this forum, I am new at writing and have found only the tip of the icefurg, so to speak. I will follw the guidelines set forth in the initial post here, and see where it takes me from there. I have only been writing since late November 2007, so I am in much need to learn the tricks of being viewed and voted on. I think I'm doing OK, so far, as one of the top ranked authors here on lush, there are now a few loyal readers of the tales I spin, and true stories I write about, but as you guys said, if you're not on the first page (which is sometimes for ony minutes) then the casual passer by probably won't get to see.

Agaion, thanks for the tips, I will try them. BTW, I love the site, it has been a blessing for me as a struggling newbie to the task.

Gerald
Matriarch
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Thanks Gerald.

You're doing well - our readers appreciate your stories Keep at it
Active Ink Slinger
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Im really impressed and grateful for the site, its quite therapeutic releasing ones fantasies, and being able to realise that (because Im such an uptight prig lol) that they arent dirty, or nasty, but just an expression of sexuality.

I hope to really sharpen my writing skills and my creativity here, and Im really glad to meet you all.
Lurker
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Hi, Freddy, welcome to the Forum. Yes, as long as people abide by the rules and use good punctuation and grammar, the sky is the limit in expressing their sexuality on here. Far better than other sites!
Matriarch
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Thank you for the kind words freddy. We try and keep this place as open and helpful as possible
Lurker
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Hello...
These are some great tips.
Matriarch
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Quote by jackoffjecht
Hello...
These are some great tips.

i could use all the help i can get...

I have a question tho...

Every time i try to write a story (past 3 times) I finish writing and then i read over it. I see all these mistakes, which i correct, until im pleased.
Then ill read it over for content and realize the story is boring as heck, and is no good...and i wind up not posting it.

What should i do?


Chances are if you find it boring, others will too. Or you might just be too close to the story to be objective about it, so it may not be boring at all!

You could try posting one anyway, and asking what other people think, and see what they suggest you do with the plot etc.
Lurker
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kk ty
Matriarch
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Stories are only lasting a few days on the main page these days, so if you want more votes, story views and comments, follow the advice folks!
Matriarch
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One of our top authors has been experimenting with podcasts recently and his story views have shot up - bravo Knightofpassion for your creativity!
Fireman
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Lush,

I wrote 2 stories. May I ask what do you think of them?
Matriarch
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They're not bad at all Fireman.

Having 2 of the main characters similarly named, Tia and Mia, just confused me though I have to say. I found it hard to follow the plot.

Be careful of overusing the same words and phrases - for example, "I met" below:

Like I said Tia and I had been dating for three months, but I only met her sister once because she went to a different college than we did. When I first met Mia, I realized how much she was a flirt. She was more sexual than Tia. When I met Mia, she oozed of sex from the way she was dressed and the way she talked.

The first time I met Mia,


Keep at it, they are good for first attempts
Matriarch
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Stories are only lasting a few days on the main page these days, so if you want more votes, story views and comments, follow the advice folks!
Lurker
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What about the old fashioned, tried and true methods. Much easier. Perhaps more fun too?

You know, where you create a couple pseudomyms, create a couple character profiles, borrow some pictures of folks from the internet, and have a bit of tekkie know-how to explain the errors when so many characters, or gender-shifting, gets the best of you. In the meantime, you can have fun holding pep rallies for yourself, amusing yourself with your rapier-sharp wit and pre-construed mutual admiring....

Those nutty people do something knda like it all the time. Walnuts....pecans.....no....it was....uh, oh, ACORNs.
Matriarch
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^LOL.

It's best people don't try that (again), they get banned.
Lurker
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How about this idea, fellow Americans?

We ship Jimmy Cahtah to Australia from whence he can monitor votes in emerging democracies in South Asia, and we get Lush over here to monitor those who stuff......er, ballot boxes.

Hmmmm, a new idea for the "Guys ask Gals" forum.....
Lurker
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Another way to increase views of your work is to read and comment on other members' stories. If someone reads my work and leaves a comment (with their username), I return the favour by visiting their profile to check out their writing. I've noticed a few authors do this. It's a great way to support each other, too.
Matriarch
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Very good point sweet_escape.

It also holds true for authors who introduce themselves in the forum here, people are more likely to read your stories if they know a little about you.
Active Ink Slinger
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hiya Jackoffjecht what a great line, it really does make you sit and think.
Lurker
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Quote by sweet_escape
Another way to increase views of your work is to read and comment on other members' stories. If someone reads my work and leaves a comment (with their username), I return the favour by visiting their profile to check out their writing. I've noticed a few authors do this. It's a great way to support each other, too.


I do this frequently. I will try posting this site on myspace instead of copying my stories on there, I've been duplicating my work.
Advanced Wordsmith
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In a word: Titles

...As in better story titles. Many of the tiles I see seem to be tacked on as an afterthought.

I'm most intrigued by stories with good titles--which usually means the title is original and suggestive. Erotically suggestive, for sure. But also clever enough to convey a sense that the story is well considered and intelligently written, and hence, worth reading.

Also, I found that in the Authors menu, you can click on Ratings and getting a global listing ranked from highest to lowest. I've been reading the highest rated authors, looking for techniques that might improve my own stories.

This assumes, of course, that better written stories actually attract more readers.

:sillyasses soapbox::
Lurker
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Quote by SweetHoney000
hiya Jackoffjecht what a great line, it really does make you sit and think.


I assume you are referring to his tagline: If you have nothing worth dying for... then u dont have anything worth living for.


I'd like to counter with something from one of the greatest thinkers the world has ever known - Bertrand Russell: I would never die for my beliefs, because I might be wrong.
Advanced Wordsmith
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Thanks for sharing these useful tips!
Life is too short to waste it on drama. Have fun while you still can.
Internet Sensation
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Just one thing...
Nicola, by writing www.lushstories.com/catnip you do not get to my page. You did miss the members part of it all.
I just realised, I havent really been interested in looking this thread up since I know aslong as people read my work even if it's just a few I am happy.
though I have been sending links to my profile pretty much anyhow so it should be www.lushstories.com/members/catnip.aspx

Keep on posting everyone and don't forget the members and the aspx at the end of your links.
Active Ink Slinger
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I hope this is the correct thread to post this in...if not maybe we could start a tips and tricks thread.

After reading a few stories here and being a member for a while and also posting a couple of stories I thought maybe I'd add a comment or two that may assist other would be authors.

Now I should peface this by saying I do not profess to have the best grammar or writing style known to man. Just thought it might help someone from a readers persepctive.

Anyway's my comments for would be authors are:

1. Consider not writing the entire story in one very long paragraph without any line breaks between natural paragraphs. The reader has a hard time concentrating on the story if it is just a continuous sets of letters/words on a page. The reader may use the story for an eventual outcome and not being able to concentrate is a bitch. So remember your schooling and break up the words/sentences on the page to make it more readable for the end user....lol.

2. The proper english language is not based on mobile phone txt talk, it detracts from the reading if one thinks they are reading a txt message.

3. Try to be as descriptive as possible about the events occurring in your story. Short pieces of information about the events don't allow the reader to become involved in the story.

4. My personal favourite....If your story didn't make you wet writing it, it might not work for others either.

5. A biggy.... remember who is doing what in the story if more than two people involved, detracts from the story if people all of a sudden swap places/roles.

Anyway these are a few of my thoughts that might hopefully help.

Maybe if anyone else has thoughts, they could post them on this thread too to help new authors.

Ducky
Rubber Ducky your the one, you make my life so much fun
Matriarch
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@ Catnip - good idea, it would make it easier for people to remember their profile pages. I think Gav is going to make it happen