Ultranumb74: Blog

So, I finally got my new modem and that means I'll definitely be able to post new chapters. This new modem seems worth the cash I forked out for it (130 euros or approx. $150); shit ain't cheap here in Germany though. But it does mean that I'm back up and running. And it seems that this modem won't drop my internet connection like the old one did in the months prior to it going tits-up.

This weekend is my goal for getting the updates posted, including a new chapter. Hopefully the chapter doesn't disappoint!

I also want to thank Libertarian and GToast for acting as my editors. Thanks guys! Hopefully you two can put up with my literary FUBAR's. LOL

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

They are the bane to my existence as I write this story. Obviously, I have had issues with proper usage of them. Believe me, I've received a number of comments about this issue and all have had the exact same tip for figuring out what to use when. Actually, I found the fact that I got so many comments with the same tip for fixing the problem pretty amusing. Rest easy, I'm doing my best to get the problem fixed in the currently posted chapters and will work my damnedest to prevent falling back into the same mistakes with my future chapters.

Speaking of future chapters...

I've finished up chapter 10. I told one of you that commented on it that a certain issue would be resolved/come-to-light(you know who you are :) ). Unfortunately, or fortunately (depends on how you look at it), the chapter went in a completely unplanned direction as I was writing it. For y'all, I don't know when it'll be posted as I want to get my assinine mistakes fixed first. Maybe by this coming weekend. Maybe.

Thanks again for reading and commenting!

I want to start out by saying a huge thanks to everyone who's comment and/or reviewed my story. If you've commented or reviewed my story, I'll try to reply back as soon as I can. I want you, the reader, to feel as though I do care about your opinions. If I don't reply right away, please be patient. I will reply back.

Thanks, especially, for the ones that pointed out some flaws in the story. A couple of them are downright stupid mistakes on my part. I've gone back through the story, yet again, and fixed the errors that have been brought up. I've been fortunate and had someone volunteer to edit my stuff, so I've sent the prologue and first four chapters the editor. Once I get those back I'll post the updated stuff and send the remaining chapters to him to review. In the meantime I'll be working on the next chapter.

I've been surprised that so many people have taken an interest in the situation with Kaitlyn. To address the questions I've received regarding her: no, I haven't forgotten about her; yes, I'll be addressing the problems with Lisa and Kaitlyn and even the problems with Kaitlyn and her step-father, Kyle. In fact, I'll be doing a story with Kaitlyn as the main character, one that's going to go into more depth and not be as romantic as "Saving One Another" is. I'm hoping that by then end of that story, you'll hate Lisa and Kyle as much as I do (in my mind LOL).

Again, if you rate my story and mark it down, please, please, please take a few minutes and let me know why. If there's a major problem that's caused you to mark it down yet don't tell me about, how can I be expected to fix it?

Lastly, a couple readers have brought up how similar my writing style/story is to another author here at SOL. I'll admit that this particular author served as a basis for my attempt at writing in the first person POV, so the original version that's currently posted, in some ways, looks a lot like this other author's stuff. It has not been my intention to appear as if I'm trying to plagiarize his stories. I'd thought I'd worked my own style of story-telling into my story as to not cause this particular issue. Obviously, I failed in that regards. So I have gone back through, in the process of my fourth edit of the story, to correct this issue too. I'm hoping that this story comes across now as my own and stands, or fails, on its own merits or failures. The thought that someone might think I'd plagiarize someone's work seriously bothers me and is something I want to avoid at all costs. What I haven't change in the story, though, (for those of you knowledgeable of this other author) is the whole older-engineer-younger-teen-girl-who-fall-in-love angle. The simple reason being that I'd orginally wanted the main character to be an aeronautical engineer (a career that I've always wanted to work in...but my math skills seriously suck), but in the Boise area there are no major aircraft design companies like Boeing or Northrup-Grumman. Had I not made that change, then the entire story would be different and the locale would be different as well. As I'm originally from the greater Boise area, I know that area like the back of my hand. Changing the story setting, for me, could cause many more mistakes. Hence, that part of the story is going to remain the same.

Again, thanks for taking the time to read and comment/critique my story.

Chapter 9 of "Saving One Another" has been submitted for posting. It is not the final chapter. It's simply the last of the chapter's I'd had mostly finished a year ago. More will come. I promise!

Keep the comments and critiques coming, folks! I aim to please!