So...after reading the FAQ and Lazeez's (site owner/operator), along with posting a question on the SOL forums, it seems that voting is seriously flawed. At least in my opinion.
In layman's terms, the higher your vote is than a 6-rating, the less your vote counts. The same is true for low scores; the lower your score is than a 6-rating, the less your vote counts. That means if you think a story rates a 9 or a 10 rating, it carries less weight than someone who thinks the story is only mediocre and thus rates it as a 6. Basically it's been determined that we're too lazy and too stupid to vote accurately.
http://www.flickr.com/photos/94976318@N03/8651976069/in/photostream
The above link is to a screenshot I took of vote distribution for "Saving One Another". As you can see, the rating is a 7.89 as of the time of the screenshot. Funny thing, though, the votes from y'all who took the time to rate my story says it should be around 1.0 points or higher for the rating score. In other words it should be around 8.89 or higher (slightly, if at all).
I also found out that, as an example, my story is rated against every other story on SOL for the "fair" weighted score. That bothers me. A lot. My story shouldn't be rated against a story with a totally different set of readers/fans. How can a Ma/ft romantic story be rated against/compared to a story with a Ma/Ma bestiality story? It can't! Two totally different genres that draw two totally different types of readers. How exactly is this fair? It isn't!
I kept tabs on the votes for my story since last night and I received a total of 6 more votes. 3, assumingly, were 8 or higher ratings. The other 3 were lower than 7.89. How do I know? The 3 assumed higher ratings happened last night while I was asleep. What was the result? Nada. The story rating didn't go up whatsoever. Now, while I was at work, I received 3 votes. What was the result? A drop of 0.04. I checked the graphical chart for the votes and only deduced that the votes weren't a 5-rating or lower.
Basically, thanks for the high ratings, but sorry, your opinion doesn't count for jack. At least in the eyes of SOL. Now, I've considered turning voting off since it's so seriously flawed. Will I? No, simply because I'm worried that turning off voting will not draw readers in because they think that the story isn't any good if it doesn't have any votes. But I'm also in a catch-22 because with the voting skewed so negatively by the site operator, people may not be drawn to read my story because they see a lower rated story and may assume that the story isn't worth reading. From the comments and feedback I've received regarding "Saving", that would be the furthest thing from the truth. This frustrates the bejeezus outta me, to tell the truth.
Ok...I'll get off my soapbox now. As I've said in other blog posts, the updated versions of "Saving" should be posted by this weekend. It'd be sooner, but I've had a touch of the anti-technology bug this past weekend--my modem went tits-up--and I don't know when I'll be able to get it replaced. Shit works differently, somewhat, here in Germany (God how I can't wait to get back to the States!), so I have no clue when I'll get a new modem. Currently I'm using my cell phone as a hotpoint and it's slower than the proverbial snail. So please be patient! And as alwasy, thanks for taking the time to read my story and for all the comments and feedback I've received!
Ultranumb74