Tips on Making Your Story More Popular

We all have our own secrets when it comes to the popularity of our stories. So, if you'd like, share your own dirty little secrets on how to extend the number of readers, subscribers, & comments on your story. :D

Here's one for example:
Use good grammar and spelling. No one likes to read a story that doesn't make any sense at all, since it just basically confuses them and causes them to go, "Ew, I'm never reading any shit by this author ever again!" Don't want that to happen, now do we? ;)

Sorry, that's a crappy example.

Lock if inappropriate or in the wrong place, please.

Usually I just whore my story like a cheap protestute. I go to people who I know like my stuff and ask them to check it out. I try not to do it obnixiously, like I mostly stick to my friends who expect this sorta thing from me XD

^ That's a good one. xD

:tehe: I whore my stories out too.
I think just getting around helps as well; like commenting on other people's works and just getting to know some other users who are into the same stuff as you. That's how some of my most faithful readers found me.

That isn't such a useful tip now that I read it, but I tried. XD

I just whore it, too. It's like "Yeah, you should totally read my new story. There's lots of secks." :file:

I whore it, ask friends to read it...just the basics. Also, if someone leaves a good comment, sometimes I'll comment them asking what they did and didn't like. It helps a lot, to get into a reader's mind.

^ I agree dude. And I'm always like "Hey, tell a friend!"

I get the warmsies and fuzzies when people read my stories. :XD

I write awesome stories. :file:

Seriously though, I pimp them a bit in the Pimping and Reccing thread. But that’s about it. It’s better if you can get your story recced I think. At least I pick stories that's been recced when I’m looking for something to read and only occasionally choose to read one that someone pimps.

There are some writers here that are well-known and well-liked. If you get some of them to love your stories you’re all set. It doesn’t automatically gain you a lot of readers, or makes your story popular, but it helps a bit. The biggest advantage however is that you’re so much more likely to receive great reviews. (And when I get those I always try to return the favour. It’s just polite. I only review stories that I want to review though.)

I don’t whore my stories all that much because I don’t care if they get popular. Because, what’s the point of making your stories popular? Besides form having the privilege to be able to reach out to a lot of people. If there’s a bunch of people reading them, loving them, reviewing them and taking something from them to heart that’s what matters to me. But then again, I write not only to just tell a story but to leave the readers something to ponder on and the ultimate goal is to write them something that has an impact on them or their life. Something that may make them revaluate their lives or reconsider their opinions. So if I would be able to choose between very popular stories that people read because they just want a good story or a story with fewer than 100 readers, but all who could take something with them after reading the story, I’d pick the second alternative anytime.

(I make a distinction between trying to make stories popular and trying to reach out to a lot of readers by the way. I'm weird like that. :XD )

Anyway, the best way to get readers I guess is just to write well and get to know people that you think are really good writers, and hopefully that will earn you a lot of reccing. And just slip in the name of your stories wherever you can. And every time you mention the titles of your stories, link them.

And don’t get discouraged, it takes a long time to build a good reputation on here.

Sardonic Grin:

Usually I just whore my story like a cheap prostitute. I go to people who I know like my stuff and ask them to check it out. I try not to do it obnoxiously, like I mostly stick to my friends who expect this sorta thing from me XD

Jenni pretty much said it all. :XD

But Rose had good points too. There's so much shit around here that it takes a while for people to get to your stuff, but if people like it at least a couple of them is bound to remember and recc you.

^Why thank you. :cute: Yes. That’s just the way it is.

Very useful! Thank you!

Yep, just whore them out in the Pimping and Reccing Thread. :XD
And sometimes I'll mention them in WAYT.

I kept a 'smut button' in my siggy for a while, too, which lead to a story which I'm writing at the moment, I Wanna Fuck You Like an Animal, which is basically about secks. [/shameless whoring.] :shifty
And that proved to be pretty successful, but it just didn't fit with my sig now.

^
I do that sometimes too.
I'd have a sentence with the title of my story in it, and there'd be a link to the story.

Angel of :yah:

I kept a 'smut button' in my siggy for a while, too, which lead to a story which I'm writing at the moment, I Wanna Fuck You Like an Animal, which is basically about secks. [/shameless whoring.] :shifty
And that proved to be pretty successful, but it just didn't fit with my sig now.

Stealing that idea

Smashed Pumpkin:

^
I do that sometimes too.
I'd have a sentence with the title of my story in it, and there'd be a link to the story.

Yeah, I saw a few people do things like that, and everyone likes sexy stories! :shifty

Pimp like crazy. Always have a link in your sig. After posting a story, go on an On Writing Thread trawl and talk about it, including links. Pimp and Recc thread. And the Story/Review thread! If you get spotted by Dru on there and she loves it, you may just get a link on her profile :tehe:

Presentation plays a part as well. The layout can catch the eye of someone and make them want to read it.

Having an interesting title helps too.
The School Of Self Destruction always gets new people looking at the summary every time I post a new chapter. Not necessarily reading it, but still, it gets them in.

Also the name dropping and sig-linking work quite well too.

I agree with Smashed Pumpkin. If a story has a good layout I'm more interested in reading it.
I just posted in the pimping and reccing thread for the first time ever, [/n00b] :XD so I guess I'm going to see if that makes my story a bit more popular.