What is considered a good download number. Either overall or weekly numbers? What is bad? What is Amazing?
I see my numbers, but I am not sure if they are good or not, since I don't really have a metric to compare them to.
What is considered a good download number. Either overall or weekly numbers? What is bad? What is Amazing?
I see my numbers, but I am not sure if they are good or not, since I don't really have a metric to compare them to.
Download numbers vary depending on a whole host of factors (genre, squick, kink, tense, point of view, writing style, topic, etc.) Some stories by any given author do well, while others don't, often seemingly at random (like when it's released during a slow period during the year, or when everyone is doing something besides writing).
When I started, I'd hit 6,000 downloads for most of my chapters. Now, it's less than half that. (New seems to fire the imagination and curiosity.) 50 seems to be standard for older stories. My older stories on SOL seem to average 50/reads per week, even when they're several years old.
Also, don't forget that your last chapter will never get anywhere close to the downloads your first chapter does. That's just an unfortunate fact of life. Most readers will abandon your story for any number of reasons, which you can only guess at.
Download numbers vary depending on a whole host of factors (genre, squick, kink, tense, point of view, writing style, topic, etc.)
You forgot the most important one -- number of chapters.
Another consideration is what the site counts as a download. Some sites count every time the page is opened as a download, others only count it as a download if the reader transfers a copy of the document to his or her own hardware (or cloud file).
Another consideration is what the site counts as a download. Some sites count every time the page is opened as a download, others only count it as a download if the reader transfers a copy of the document to his or her own hardware (or cloud file).
We've discussed the issues with 'false download counts' before. There isn't anything you can do about them, but most of the download counts you receive are counting anything but (or should that be "butt"?).
I suppose no download statistic is perfect. If (like me) you post chapters irregularly, then earlier chapters will get a boost as readers go back to refresh their memories. If you post frequently, you will get less of this.
So I suppose it is what you are happy with that matters.
My second story in the Unremarkable series is getting more downloads, and higher scores, than the first. So I'm happy with that as the readers are growing and maybe I'm getting better as a writer.
My new story, Beautiful Day, has fewer downloads and a lower score. But it is a romantic tale with no shooting, no blood and guts, and no sex (yet). So I shouldn't be surprised and I'm happy with the response it has had.
So compare your new story with your previous efforts. If you are new, then be happy with a score over 7 and ecstatic with a score over 8. But - most importantly - enjoy your writing and, if you are happy with your effort, then that should be enough.
I suppose no download statistic is perfect. If (like me) you post chapters irregularly, then earlier chapters will get a boost as readers go back to refresh their memories. If you post frequently, you will get less of this.
That's why you need to ignore your 'First Chapter' stats. They'll depress you, and they're inaccurate due to 'look aheads', where your browser will preload the first chapter whenever you examine a story's title page. The latest page is more realistic, except after the story finishes because users will jump to the final chapter to post comments (if you get no comments, you can ignore this factoid).