What makes a story popular?

cariadferch-usa said:
I had to chuckle at your last sentence, however, "An introduction with a sex scene might boost the initial readers and likes, though that might not last long." was a wonderful play on words. :D
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:D And I didn't even realize that when I wrote it.

catfish27 said:
How do you even find 100 virgins in this day and age? Um... asking for a friend.
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The real problem is not finding them but making sure the first one stays a virgin until you've collected the last one.

cariadferch-usa said:
* All attracted multiple authors.
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I think the more plot, the more difficult it is for others to add to a story.

cariadferch-usa said:
the variable-thingie
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Actually, this might have an impact as well.
If readers start game mode, they can go down a path until they reach a dead end. If they want to read another branch, they have to kind of discard their save game. (reset or go back a few chapters.)
So they might not even access all chapters until they reset the game. (So there might be fewer likes on chapters depending on the branch.)

Collaboration might also be more difficult on game mode stories/chapters.
I think it's way less likely that someone would just shoot out a chapter on another story.
Game mode stories usually need a little more planning and if more authors work on one story, they might more likely work closely together instead of just doing their own thing.
 
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One thing that all of the top stories have in common is a fairly succinct "hook." There might be rules and characters and different plotlines, but the essential idea of the story is clearly stated, either in the title or in the opening. Most of the stories have a very basic premise, which combined with being public means there's room for lots of different takes on that premise, as long or short as anyone wants to make them.

I've thought about trying my hand at starting an open story like that...but I'm still dedicated to finishing what I started. Which will probably never make it into the top ten, but I'm more concerned with getting it done than bumping any of the others off the list.
 
Don't worry about being a like and comment junkie, most of us are, I certainly am. Yes, I write for me first and foremost but if I've got two stories going I'll concentrate on the one with the most likes.

I had a story I loved writing but it was in collaboration with someone else who wrote at a slower speed than me. So to fill the time I started a silly little side project, just a bit of fun, it was a fuckfest incest based thing (1st POV male). The main story I was working on started to get less and less popular and my side project took of big time, so that's what I concentrate on now.

I've got no idea what does and does not make a popular story, but I do know one thing. Above all else you must like it, after that everything else is a bonus.
 
gene.sis said:
I think the more plot, the more difficult it is for others to add to a story.
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I gave this a lot of thought. I think you are spot on. A very complex plot might be enjoyable to read but few would add on to it.

gene.sis said:
Collaboration might also be more difficult on game mode stories/chapters.
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Again, great point. It would be fun to find someone to collaborate on writing responsive chapters with each other but I would guess that chemistry is rare. Sounds a bit like dancing. It could be really sexy or getting one's toes step on a lot.
 
Zeebop said:
One thing that all of the top stories have in common is a fairly succinct "hook." There might be rules and characters and different plotlines, but the essential idea of the story is clearly stated, either in the title or in the opening.
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I totally agree. So many stories start off with a simple list of characters instead of an interesting hook. I tried to have an interesting hook with my last story, whose failure lead to this thread, but soon realized the story was too complicated, so I have strap it. In my new story I tried again to create an interesting hook while this time keeping the plot as straight forward as possible. Basically, I have completely sold out and now am whoring for likes, hence the title: "Halloween Sorority Coven Costume Sex Party: Part II - The Revenge (in 3D)"
 
Dansak said:
Don't worry about being a like and comment junkie, most of us are,
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Thank you for the wisdom and the encouragement. But I have sold out. I scrapped my story that caused this thread and now am working on "Halloween Sorority Coven Costume Sex Party: Part II - The Revenge (in 3D)!" With extra heaving bosoms.
 
I'm not sure I'm the best person to give advice, given my own experiences here over the years, but I'll drop my two cents. To sum it up, I gave up trying to understand the audience here on CHYOA. When I was writing on my old story that had blank-slate characters and an "open world", I was giving the readers what they wanted, so I was the master, the magician, etc. The moment I got tired of that and decided to do a new version and flesh out the characters, the setting, the lore, I stopped giving the readers what they wanted, so I turned into a shitty writer.

My advice, strip your characters of personality and development, give them just some basic traits, and leave the setting as open as you can, then you will have success here. Few writers escape this curse here and I tip my hat off to them.
 
gene.sis said:
What gives you that idea?
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I meant the opinion readers began having of me once I stopped giving them what they wanted. I know I'm not a shitty writer, the content I write now is worlds better than what I used to write back then, but I had fans of the old content saying I'm not a good writer anymore because I didn't want to go back to that open, blank-slate setting.
 
Aww that's a glum assessment of it Duskford. In many ways there is an element of truth to it - blank slate fetish launch pads *are* popular, and a simple hook *does* give the readers a lot of freedom. But there is a large contingent of readers looking for very specific, deeper (emotional depth, plot depth) stories too. They may be less vocal or fewer in number, but that's just a guess based on anecdotal evidence.

As a reader, I know I massively prefer an author with a story to tell, rather then a setting to sketch.
 
gene.sis said:
Given the stats, I would conclude that most of your real fans followed you to your new story.

And from my experience, humans usually dislike changes.
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Yeah, the loyal ones did, but look at the difference in the stats for recent chapters of both stories, kinda hard not to feel a little discouraged. As for changes, I was aware it could cause something like this, but I didn't imagine it would be so bad. Anyway, I think I've derailed cariadferch-usa's topic too much as it is, I just wanted to share a brief opinion on the question he asked based on my own experience.
 
Often the signals such as bookmarks, favorites and likes don’t measure quite what we think they do.

The likes I give change with mood, sometimes liking every chapter in support of the larger project, sometimes because I sense a new author could use the positive nudge I got early. Other times I’m fickle.

As a reader, I find I often read medium quality stories quickly, like they are disposable experiences that might or might not leave an impression. I might blaze through several in a sitting.

The great, emotionally fulfilling stories that I care more about make me slow down, allowing each chapter to have its own space before I come back to read more. I feel a little bad, as if by taking my sweet time I’m withholding likes from great stories and not giving my favorite authors likes on their most recent work.
 
Greyrock said:
Often the signals such as bookmarks, favorites and likes don’t measure quite what we think they do.

The likes I give change with mood, sometimes liking every chapter in support of the larger project, sometimes because I sense a new author could use the positive nudge I got early. Other times I’m fickle.

As a reader, I find I often read medium quality stories quickly, like they are disposable experiences that might or might not leave an impression. I might blaze through several in a sitting.

The great, emotionally fulfilling stories that I care more about make me slow down, allowing each chapter to have its own space before I come back to read more. I feel a little bad, as if by taking my sweet time I’m withholding likes from great stories and not giving my favorite authors likes on their most recent work.
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Yeah, I get that different people use them for different reasons. It still makes me feel good when a new like pops up on a chapter I wrote though :)
 
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Given that I started writing in June I'm pretty inexperienced, and I'm probably pretty unknown. But I think I'm doing decently well given my brief existence on this site and my terrible spelling, so I'll share my own insight even iff they are only based on statistics of 1 too 15 likes (lol). having churned out over 100 chapters since I started probably helped a lot to (I actually can't believe it's really that much, I keep thinking there must be a statistical error)

As a reader I tend to look at the following:

  • cover image; is indeed a big factor for which stories I picked. Having an explicit picture, which seems to the norm tends to turn me away. Though I seem to have a higher tolerance for illustrated explicit covers. Otherwise I tend to go for the ones depicting landscapes, people who contribute to giving an impression of what the story is about and abstract images that entice my curiosity over time.
  • the description: Short and concise explanation of the premise and what to expect. If it's too abstract I'm not tempted, if it's convoluted I just get confused and don't bother. This is what usually gets me to look at Stories without a cover image.
  • Chapter depth: If it's less than 10 chapters deep I usually don't bother either, though I make exceptions for new stories or premises that really catch my eye.
  • Tags: Sometimes I'm just in the mood to read certain things or read something in a story and want to seem more of something similar. And I'll try looking up the tag to find it and click on the story which seems to have it regardless of the above points.
  • Title: This is a tricky one, what kind of tile I'm tempted by depends on what I'm ind the mood for reading. But I do know it has an impact. There are the kinds of titles that I'm tempted to click on right away (click bait I guess) then there are the kind that don't jump out immediately but are memerobal and tempt me over time as I see them pop up on the
  • update date: If a lot of options turn up for the category or tag search I'll usually look at the stories that have been recently updated, that way I can encourage the author and the story feels 'alive'. IF it's been a few years since it was last updated, I get the impression that the author doesn't care bout the story anymore and it feels 'dead'.
What I almost never take into consideration are:
  • Likes or favourites: though if I do I value the favourites higher


I know you said you scrapped your story, cariadferch-usa, but I had a look at the description (haven't read it). I'm guessing it was "the whips of Nyarathotep". If I'd give you my first impression of it as a reader without having read the first chapter I'd say the following.

  • Title: It's interesting. It doesn't tell me anything about what the story is about, but it seems to suggesting the author has put a lot of effort into world building. I'd have a hard time remembering it though, especially the Nyarathotep word, and if I did I would not be able to spell it if I were to look it up. And I might not remember that it's whips either, but think it was wisp or whisp or something. (but maybe that's just my dyslexia)
  • Cover image: It's nice to look at, though I need to do a double take before I realise what I'm looking at. Don't feel like it actually says anything about the story.
  • The summary: My first impression of it was that it was very abstract, and I didn't have a clue where the story would go. On a closer look I'd say the first line about 30-ish and divorced isn't really necessary because I'm guessing I'd find out about that in the first chapter and it doesn't seem like the selling point of your story which is instead the next part. It's abstract but seems to go down the mystery/horror and maybe supernatural route.
  • Category: Misc doesn't give me any information about what I'm supposed to expect.
  • Tags: checked to see if I could get any clues about what type of story it was but didn't see any.
  • Chapter Depth: not deep enough to have gotten to the meat of the story.
  • My Conclusion as a reader: Looks like a story which would be interesting and plot driven in the long run, even though I have no clue what it's about nor what to expect . And likely hasn't reached the interesting parts yet because the story hadn't had time to develop.
Not saying that my opinion as a reader is accurate or even representative (let alone a good way to judge), but I thought you might appreciate the insight in a potential readers mentality.



I write mostly to blow off creative steam without having to slow down and agonise over quality. Which makes this site a perfect platform for that since most readers requirements on that are really low. I'm happy if I get likes and favs (and am over the moon if someone comments) but I get enough from the writing process in itself to power through when a chapter doesn't make a splash.

I started off adding chapters to an old story I enjoyed which hadn't been updated recently. Trudging the CessPond is a pretty big story especially considering that a most of it is written by a single user. The first chapter had enough of a background to give a premise but was otherwise pretty open, and the author tended to throw in chunks of lore when it became relevant. So it felt pretty interesting to contribute to while still feeling like I could bring something new to the story.

So far I noticed the following seemed to get most likes it come to chapter popularity:


  • A fun chapter title with a twist
  • Introducing of a new branch to the story which catches people's interest.
  • a chapter which gave a long backstory to a character who previously had none.
Those seem to be what's gotten most response in terms of likes from readers in my limited experience. Interestingly, none of them actually have sex scenes in them. Though chapters that do have such scenes alway amass more likes than common ones, they tend to have 5-8likes as oboes to the 2-3 for the common chapters. There seems to be more too it though, since. since there are chapters that make a much bigger like splash then I think they deserve, but I just scratchiest up to having ticked people's fetishes.

As for my own story Merfolk Diaries, It's getting way more faves than I honestly think it deserves at this point, since I'm still building up the story. My guess is it's because of the following:

  • A cover picture that stands out: There's an overrepresentation of pink cover images because of all the naked white people. So having one that's mostly has a blue colour pallet draws the eye.
  • A unique premis: Even though the sex isn't novel the fish parts are.
  • Has a lot of lore: Which is very easy to cook up because it's based on the sea IR and therefore may be vaguely educational
  • frequent updates: So far I've published 60 chapters, even though most of them are pure lore and have nothing to do with the story progression it has a side benefit of getting the story to pop up regularly on the front page
That's what I've gathered from my limited writing experience anyway. Hopefully I'm not completely off the dot.
 
As someone who only just started publishing stories about 4-5 days ago, I don't have a lot to add to what's been said, except that I'm surprised by how liberally favoriting is used by a lot of readers.

I thought it'd maybe take 20-30 chapters before I'd start to see readers giving out favorites. Instead it sort of seems to be used to bookmark a whole story? I guess I was taking it too literally haha.
 
SnoopWorg said:
As someone who only just started publishing stories about 4-5 days ago, I don't have a lot to add to what's been said, except that I'm surprised by how liberally favoriting is used by a lot of readers.

I thought it'd maybe take 20-30 chapters before I'd start to see readers giving out favorites. Instead it sort of seems to be used to bookmark a whole story? I guess I was taking it too literally haha.
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I use the favorite button pretty liberally myself for stories I'm interested in. I like having the notification when a new chapter is added.
 
Kineticat said:
I use the favorite button pretty liberally myself for stories I'm interested in. I like having the notification when a new chapter is added.
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I guess I assumed readers would use the bookmark function for that? Especially if they liked one path more than others. Do you use the bookmark function at all?
 
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