How do you deal with a lack of audience response?

Look, I think anyone who has written something and then set their work loose into the world has been down this road. you've sunk countless hours into plotting, drafting, writing and editing something only to be met with mild indifference.

This is the first time it's really happened to me.

I've been working on off (mostly off, unfortunately) on a fic for two years, and posting chapter by chapter. Up till know I've always received some kind of response, a rating, a few sentences of review, and even in depth concrit from time to time. After ages of struggling I finally got a long, climactic (and I mean that literally) chapter done and I was extremely proud of it, only I haven't recieved any sort of reaction from anyone about it. I mean, I've had over 600 new hits, but no ratings or reviews, and ratings don't even require an account.

I'm not angry or spiteful about it, as I had gone several months without updating the thing due to writers block, family issues and general creative listlessness, but I had still expected to see some sort of reaction from people and silence is very disappointing for me, especially after all the helpful, encouraging feedback my previous chapters had garnered.

How do you deal with general ignorance from your readers? Does it get you down? Does it encourage you to write even more to attract attention?

Also, while I would love feedback, just like every other writer here, can we please not go fishing for reviews? Just talk about your experiences. If you want to offer someone feedback or concrit contact the person by PM and exchange links there.

Question, if you had long time fans, would they more likely give feedback if your latest chapter turned out disappointing or up to standard?

I suppose it depends what happens in the chapter, if it's something that had been built up to for some time I'm sure they'd say something. As it is though I'd assumed my few regular reviewers haven't yet read it, seeing as it hasn't been updated in so long. But I think they would be more likely to call out on a decline in quality rather than simple stagnation.

Then just be patient I guess.

I could imagine how it feels like though, being proud of a chapter and you just can't control your excitement of how your fans will think of it . Even if they have read it but haven't reviewed, don't worry, I know when I myself am impressed with a work and review it, I scramble my brain on finding the right words to express how I feel about it.

I only have about a couple of fans so far but I've only been at it for a few months with hiatuses in between and am aiming to make my series better as it goes on. I guess I do also get motivated when I don't have much feedback, to get to the more exciting parts of my series. Even if my audience don't actually reach that part, for some reason.

I did get some fan art though :D

edited 18th Apr '13 7:50:27 AM by PsychoFreaX

Being a writer is a thankless job. :P

I do not often receive replies to the material I put out there on the interwebz. And yeah, sometimes it makes me feel bad that no one liked it enough to comment on it. My very first story that I put out there four years ago only has just shy of 600 views. But hell, I can live with six hundred. It's 600 more than I expected.

My most recent entry got two favs and two watches in as many days, which is actually the most favs any of my entries have. >_>

And I suspect it's only because I put in a very brief, very undetailed masturbation scene. I don't usually put sex and shit like that in my stories, but I felt it would contribute to that particular one.

I wouldn't say that I'm the best thing to happen to western literature (well, I actually probably would, but not seriously :P) so I don't really expect a glowing five hundred page testimonial from the most prestigious literary critic in the world about the depth and sheer brilliance of my work, but it's nice once in a blue moon to log on to comments like "Nice story." or "You really should continue." or something like that.

Just out of curiosity, can you link to your story, or at least tell us where it's located?

Mention masturbation —> someone wants to read it.

edited 18th Apr '13 2:50:37 PM by Eagal

Someone who actually matters?

I find that the best way to hold onto a fanbase are regular updates.

Updating once a year tends to kill that.

As for dealing without one, I can't really say for sure if pimping the story or just writing more chapters in hopes that someone will notice your regular updates is better.

Yeah sure, it's posted on ygal, adultfanfiction and archive of our own (though the original section of AO 3 is a writers wasteland, you'd be lucky to get 10 views or so for every chapter) I'll happily pm you a link directly if you want one.

I'd rather not pimp my story though, as much time as I've sunk into it I know it's very flawed, and I'd rather not go shoving it into peoples faces. It's not that there's anything wrong with asking for attention, goodness knows we all appreciate it, but I always feel kinda cheap for pimping it out. I mean, it's not as if people haven't been supporting me in it already. People have their own stuff to worry about. There's nothing worse than being a attention seeking at my age, I should be over that sort of thing, you know?

It doesn't really bother me because when I write, I'm not doing it for a response. I'd be lying if I said I didn't check how many hits the stories I make get near-compulsively for a few hours after posting, but I'm never really writing for the response that I get.

I just wait while writing new stories or making/playing new games.