Home ยป Forum ยป Bug Report and Feature Requests

Forum: Bug Report and Feature Requests

User polling

booksnmusic ๐Ÿšซ

Would it be possible to add a polling feature. I'd like to be able to create a poll, for example: "Which do you prefer narrative or dialogue stories?", and get user preferences.

I'm not sure where the best home for such a feature would be. Perhaps a subset of the Blog page. Or a separate link off the site home page "Polls".

Authors could use the response data to learn people's favorite genre's or preferred length, amount or type of sex scene, etc. It would help me craft stories that more people like.

joyR ๐Ÿšซ

@booksnmusic

Authors could use the response data to learn people's favorite genre's or preferred length, amount or type of sex scene, etc. It would help me craft stories that more people like.

It takes only a little time examining the various 'top' lists found linked on the home page to certain the most popular types of story subject.

Will following the popular story types guarantee you a larger readership? No. It won't, authors would write about the things that interest them, however narrow or wide that focus is, are most often those who produce well written work worth reading. Some are popular in the lists, others are less so because their focus isn't the most popular.

Most authors would like their stories read more, but few would sell out just to chase the popular theme of the moment. We are after all talking of stories posted for free, read for free, there is no commercial drive to increase sales.

Some of us even appreciate that our favourite authors would never get published because of the subject or content of their stories, it makes them no less as authors, just appreciated by those who follow them.

John Demille ๐Ÿšซ

@booksnmusic

You can use surveymonkey.com to create a survey and post the question and link in your blog.

Replies:   booksnmusic
booksnmusic ๐Ÿšซ

@John Demille

Not as elegant as a built in feature. Also less likely to be seen by others. But a good suggestion. Thanks.

Dominions Son ๐Ÿšซ

@booksnmusic

Would it be possible to add a polling feature. I'd like to be able to create a poll, for example: "Which do you prefer narrative or dialogue stories?"

Personally, I don't think you can have a good story that either all dialog or all narrative. You have to balance them.

Replies:   REP
REP ๐Ÿšซ

@Dominions Son

I went to a meet and greet at my local book store. The store was hosting an author, best seller type, and asked her if she had a preferred ratio for narrative and dialog.

Her response was a derogatory question of 'What are you some type of engineer?'

I might also add that she seemed self-centered and to have a very high opinion of herself. Stuck-up comes to mind.

awnlee jawking ๐Ÿšซ

@REP

I might also add that she seemed self-centered and to have a very high opinion of herself. Stuck-up comes to mind.

Unfortunately those 'qualities' are more-or-less mandatory these days. Humble, self-effacing authors lose points when considered by publishers because they know those authors are not going to play a significant role in the book promotion process.

Despite what many think of her writing, it was rather satisfying to see that someone like E L James, who was totally out-of-sorts in her initial public interviews, can occasionally succeed despite the system ;)

AJ

robberhands ๐Ÿšซ

@REP

I found the answer to the ratio question rather amusing. So what did the author do in that store to appear stuck-up and self-centered? Did she autograph books?

Replies:   REP
REP ๐Ÿšซ

@robberhands

when considered by publishers

Her answer may have been amusing, but I was trying to learn how to improve my stories and was asking for advice. I found the remark insulting.

She was invited to discuss her books. Instead she talked about herself. Her remark seemed to be very condescending toward her audience as if she thought she deserved to be placed on a pedestal. Her tone of voice was very haughty-toity.

Replies:   Vincent Berg
Vincent Berg ๐Ÿšซ

@REP

She was invited to discuss her books. Instead she talked about herself. Her remark seemed to be very condescending toward her audience as if she thought she deserved to be placed on a pedestal. Her tone of voice was very haughty-toity.

There are various author signing techniques: talk about your book, talk about yourself, or the more successful, find a way to involve the readers/audience rather than leaving them sitting passively as they listen to you drone on.

It sounds like this author was of the 'I'm the celebrity here' crowd (and her insulting engineers was an undeserved low-blow against an entire population segment, who never hurt her in any way (that we know of, at least).

That said, generally the last thing an author wants to deal with during book signings are wanna-be authors seeking advice.

Dominions Son ๐Ÿšซ

@REP

The store was hosting an author, best seller type, and asked her if she had a preferred ratio for narrative and dialog.

Her response was a derogatory question of 'What are you some type of engineer?'

I don't have any specific ratio in mind either, just that I wouldn't likely consider any story that was pure dialog or pure narration to be a good story. And pure dialog vs pure narration was the way I read the OP.

Replies:   REP
REP ๐Ÿšซ

@Dominions Son

I still don't have a ratio. I just write a balance that seems right for the scene.

Dominions Son ๐Ÿšซ

@REP

I still don't have a ratio. I just write a balance that seems right for the scene.

Which I would consider the right way to do it.

Vincent Berg ๐Ÿšซ

@REP

I still don't have a ratio. I just write a balance that seems right for the scene.

Generally, the ratio depends upon your own strengths. If you're good at writing dialogue, you use more. If they suck, you use a LOT less! Generally, authors know their strengths, and focus on those, while avoiding those they continue struggling with.

Switch Blayde ๐Ÿšซ

@REP

'What are you some type of engineer?'

I read her response as creative people aren't engineers. There is no formula.

Vincent Berg ๐Ÿšซ

@REP

Her response was a derogatory question of 'What are you some type of engineer?'

More than anything, it's an incredibly weak comeback for a supposedly successful author. A better quip would have been: "Once you master dialog, maybe you'd have a better idea."

PotomacBob ๐Ÿšซ

@booksnmusic

As a reader who hopes some day to finish a story I'm working on, I believe user polling would be a useful tool.

Back to Top

 

WARNING! ADULT CONTENT...

Storiesonline is for adult entertainment only. By accessing this site you declare that you are of legal age and that you agree with our Terms of Service and Privacy Policy.


Log In