I would not have believed it. I was under the impression that SOL readers were a hardy bunch. But my latest submission, "Sex Party," a police procedural that has received favorable comments, is stalled in the fives. The story contains a photograph depicting a girl being shot in the head. My other turkey has a screaming woman engulfed in fire.
Are SOL readers placing votes based on the illustration, without reading the story? It's got me scratching my head.
A few possible issues.
There's another thread that indicates a significant number of SOL members don't like illustrations at all.
If you have a story titled "Sex Party" that's tagged as illustrated, people are likely going to expect a illustration depicting sex, or at least a sexy woman, not graphic violence.
Neither the description nor the tags give the impression that the reader should expect violence or rape.
As they say, "A picture is worth a thousand words." Based on the cover with no other information I would think a story with a snuff tag.
I've just read the story. I thought it was pretty decent but the denouement wasn't particularly gripping.
I suspect the title set the expectations for some disappointed readers, who were hoping for a lot more sex (yes, I know the tags say 'Some sex').
They may also have been unhappy at being led to initially sympathise with the antagonist.
NB - my opinion is worth exactly what you paid for it ;-)
AJ
Are SOL readers squeamish?
Absolutely.
The cover of my novel "High School Massacre" is rather bloody. I've had people tell me they didn't read it because of the cover. Ironically, only the first chapter is tha actual massacre. The rest of the novel is finding out who did the killing. But as a thriller in my Lincoln Steele series there's a lot more violence in the novel than that first chapter. Even torture (not sexual). People who like that genre like it. People who don't, don't.
Again, covers should NEVER be accurate, or SHOCKING, as those will immediately turn readers off, who may well enjoy your story. Plus, as noted, many readers prefer imagining the characters themselves, so you're using ANY illustration will piss them off.
But, since cover illustrations (in print and ebooks, at least) they're best if they're general yet NON-Specific. As their entire point ISN'T to illustrate any actual scene, because the whole point of a book cover is to spur the buyer's curiosity.
So run with that, merely suggesting the central conflict, as once the book is purchased, NO ONE will CARE what was on the cover, they'll ONLY care about the actual story. In short, book covers are to draw potential buyers, while the actual story should stand on it's own.
The story contains a photograph depicting a girl being shot in the head.
Deal-killer for me. Although if the story had a "Snuff" tag I wouldn't have opened it.
That said, if the story is properly tagged it's not fair, even if it is common, for a reader to down-rate the story based on its contents rather than how well the story is told.
it. I was under the impression that SOL readers were a hardy bunch
I took a look at the illustration. I'm not even sure you have to be squeamish to find that image off-putting. I like stories with a lot of sex, but I'd have the same reaction to the basic porn, gynecological image of Tab A slot B if that were used to illustrate a story
Agreed, although a better approach is to do a general search for other similar published mainstream books (i.e. published by the mainstream publishers). They have professional designers and illustrators who know how best to promote a story.
So, forget showing a dead girl with a bullet in her brain, as that's ALWAYS a bummer, suggest a throughly depressing story and an unhappy and unsatisfying end. Normal in most police procedural and detective stories, they don't such visceral graphic images, they'll instead show a body lying on the ground, surrounded by a spreading pool of blood.
Part of that appeal is reader speculates 'Which character is that', but if they're lying face down, or covered by a jacket or a sheet, to prevent drawing gawkers, reader won't even know whether its an actual story character NOR even what sex it is, further spurring your potential readers curiosity. Especially since those scenes are typically taken at night, with the police, detectives and the coroner hanging around, discussing the case.
Personally, I'm not particularly squeamish — I just watched Deadpool & Wolverine, where someone being shot in the head is the least of the violence. The difference is, I expected it there.
Your story is titled Sex Party, and the description says it includes a title illustration, so I'd expect an illustration of a sex party, not a graphic illustration of a woman being shot. If I had just started reading the story without having seen this thread, your score would have taken another '1' hit, and I'd have round filed you as an author.
Thank you everyone, for taking the time to respond. From reading your comments, it seems the story did not comply with reader's expectations. My first problem is this narrative is a "Police Procedural" -not a Thriller (no car chase), and not a Mystery (Mr Green did it in the drawing room with the lead pipe), so without a Category, I'm behind the eight ball from the get-go.
Someone suggested it should be tagged as Violence and I admit to missing that one. The tag "Violence" is listed under "Other," and at the bottom of the list. Someone else suggested Rape but there is no rape in the story. Angie lies about being raped and there is no graphic description of a rape. And None-Consensual doesn't work either. She may have been coerced by her mother to attend the party, but Angie agrees of her own free will to fool with Earl.
The description of the party takes close to a quarter of the narrative so "Some Sex" seems appropriate.
I was a bit too cutesy with the Description and could have done a better job guiding the reader into the story. But if they thought they'd be getting Porn, the illustration should have tipped them off. And why would anyone come to SOL for porn. There must be thousands of sites on the web that do porn better.
Okay, I'll leave it at that. I learned a few things and I thank you for helping me out.
Jo-Anne
You could have used the Coercion tag, but i can see what people mean it feels a bit, bait and switch with the title and the story content.
My first problem is this narrative is a "Police Procedural" -not a Thriller (no car chase), and not a Mystery (Mr Green did it in the drawing room with the lead pipe), so without a Category, I'm behind the eight ball from the get-go.
Just read the story. It was rather good.
It should be listed as minimal sex, though, not some sex.
I think the illustration matches the story. It's not a sex story. It's about a murder at a sex party. Even though it was a murder mystery, I don't think there was much violence described.
As to the genre, I consider it a murder mystery. Or maybe crime.
I think the illustration matches the story. It's not a sex story. It's about a murder at a sex party. Even though it was a murder mystery, I don't think there was much violence described.
Yes, but the description of the story doesn't mention anything other than the sex party nor do the tags indicate that it's a police procedural/mystery, so potential readers ought to be excused for expecting a story focused on a sex party.
It's getting 1 bombed because it's advertised wrong and is thus attracting the wrong audience.
I think it would do better if the description clearly indicated that it was police procedural/murder mystery.
but the description of the story doesn't mention anything other than the sex party nor do the tags indicate that it's a police procedural/mystery, so potential readers ought to be excused for expecting a story focused on a sex party.
I never looked at the description or tags. I found the story from this Forum. I looked at the illustration and then read the story, matching the story to the illustration. My bad.
The tags must have been changed because now it's only Ma/Fa. The description does not match the story. I agree, the only thing the reader has to go on then is the title. And as I mentioned in a previous post, I think it should be minimal sex. That could mislead the reader too.
The tags must have been changed because now it's only Ma/Fa.
That was the only tag when I first looked it up.
The illustration was a clue to what might be going on, even without the extra tags. Just sign me
~ Squeamish
The illustration was a clue to what might be going on
Yes, but on SOL, a reader doesn't see the image until they open the story to read it, so it doesn't impact the impression that leads to the decision to read the story.
Im just a reader. I did see your story, clicked to open it, and yes the illustration bothered me. I figured to story description might not match the story + illustration. I did not read it. Was always, if I don't read something to the end, then I don't rate it. It's not fair to the author to vote if I did not read it.
Now, if it had been described as a "who done it crime investigation" then maybe I would have thought different.
Is it possible or ethical, if the author chose, to pull the story, re-work the title and description, then re-post? Then the illustration would match expectations. Only if Jo-AnneWiley chooses to. Would it then recieve a different rating?
Hey happytechguy, and I'm glad the illustration bothered you. I meant it to be disturbing. And sure, if you are squeamish about such things, I apologize. It was not my intent to offend and while, perhaps, it is not my place to draw attention to such atrocities, they do occur with gut-wrenching regularity in a major metropolitan city.
My sin was not writing a Story Description that explained what the story entailed and that some readers might find the content disturbing. Again, for that I apologize. But to go back now and change things seems, somehow, like cheating. So right or wrong, I take responsibility for my work as it stands.
Please don't throw me under the bus. Jo-Anne
But to go back now and change things seems, somehow, like cheating.
I disagree. I strongly suggest you change the description.