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[mare]

I try to tell people that lol. I don't know why they don't want to join. It's free. You get notifications when someone updates and you don't have to post stories to have an account. It also irks me when they tell me to let them know when I've update, then they never tell me they read it. LOL it's so annoying. I just want to know if you liked it or not.

You should stop telling them then. Lazy asses lol

[FrickingKaos]

Yeah I did with the one girl cause I would update, shed ask me if I updated, I would ask what she thought and all she would say is "update again" lol um I have a life, I am not a trained monkey waiting for you to tell me to write. She started getting pushy so I stopped telling her.

[kevmylove]

I also agree with all of you about the reviews. At the begining it used to be a big deal to me...almost like a competition, but now I'm ok with what I get. Although, it would be nice to know who is reading and if they are liking it.

Is it me or are there less readers and reviewers lately? I've even noticed that on the authors I look up to. 

[FrickingKaos]

I've noticed that as well. When I first started writing my new story, I had a bunch of people, now there's only one lol. A lot of people are back to school or away so I can understand that. The story isn't going anywhere and they can catch up at any time.

Your new one looks interesting, Erika. I've been meaning to check it out

[mare]

If you mean decline as of recently, the time of year has a lot to do with that but if you mean decline as in general over the years then yes, I noticed that too. I think the fandom has lost a lot of people over the years. I've been reading my older stuff and when I look at the reviews, a lot of those people aren't around anymore. It's sad but I think that's just the way it goes. There's a new batch of readers but I think there are a lot more who just don't bother to review as we just talked about. Because I'll always have random people pop in and say oh I love that story when are you going to update? And I didn't even know they read. lol

[RokofAges75]

Time of year is definitely a factor - as summer winds down, people get busy either going back to school themselves or with their kids going back to school.  I don't know if reviews have decreased over the years, but I do agree with Mare that it's a different batch of people doing the reading and reviewing.

I know personally, I've averaged way fewer reviews per chapter on the story I'm writing now than Curtain Call last year, but that doesn't surprise me at all given that it's an AU and not about Nick.  It doesn't have as wide of an appeal.  I think AU in general is still a turn-off to some readers, no matter which Boy it's about.

When I compare the amount of reviews CC got to the amount of emailed feedback I got for Broken nine years ago, it's about the same, but the people giving that feedback were different.  The reader base as a whole has probably decreased over the years as the fan base has decreased, but we also have newer readers who weren't reading fanfic ten years ago to replace some of the ones who have lost interest in it.

[FrickingKaos]

I think a lot of the newer people just aren't reviewing like we talked about earlier, but I've noticed a drop as well. This time of year is always that way. Everybody is finishing their summer vacations, getting ready to go back to school like Julie said. It could be a number of things.

[mare]

It's interesting you mentioned competing for reviews, Erika. I'm curious if you meant with your own stories or other peoples? One thing I think people don't keep in mind when it comes to reviews is the amount of chapters that come along with those reviews. It's easy to see a story with 500 reviews and think "That's not fair!!" But then people don't bother to look and notice that the story is over 100 chapters long.
 
There are always exceptions of course but as a general norm, the more chapters there are to a story the more reviews that story is going to have.
 
The way I gauge if my story is doing well review wise is if I have at least double the amount of reviews as I do chapters. So if let's say I have a story with 15 chapters, as long as I have 30 reviews I feel like I'm doing okay and not discouraged and when you really think about it, that's only two people reviewing each chapter. If it's any less then that, that's when I start to doubt myself and don't really want to write on the story that much.
 
Like Julie said, AU's in general probably tend to get less than your normal ones. I know my least reviewed stories are my AUs and my best reviewed stories are the real life documentary style ones like Why I'd do it All Again and this recent one, again because of the amount of reviews versus the number of chapters.
 
So here's a question, how do you gauge your feelings about how well your story is doing? Do you go by reviews or read counts or any other way?  
 
 

[Rose]

I don't judge by read count just cause there's plenty of times I may double check past chapters or when I post click on it again to make sure I didn't miss anything. As for reviews, yeah I look at the ones who are consistent. If people stick with it, I figure I'm doing okay. But even when reviews drop to nothing, if I loved the plot enough I'll stick with it.

[Carter-Orange]

I never even look at the read count because I know that doesn't mean anyone is actually reading it! They could click on and of it, or it could be me checking to make sure it posted correctly, lol.

If I like what I'm writing, then I'll continue with it.  Of course it's nice if someone else likes it too, I'm always happy to see a review.

[julilly]

Yeah seriously, it takes hours for us to write these chapters & about twenty seconds for them to sign up for an account on AC!

Though... as our email would indicate... not everyone knows how to do that. Sigh.

[Purpura Lipstick]

I never even look at the read count because I know that doesn't mean anyone is actually reading it! They could click on and of it, or it could be me checking to make sure it posted correctly, lol.

If I like what I'm writing, then I'll continue with it.  Of course it's nice if someone else likes it too, I'm always happy to see a review.

I look at read count and it's nice to see a read count go up on my older stories since I'm not in those very often to read or check for consistency issues as I write.  *shrugs*  I know it's not a definite on how many people are actually reading but I still like to see it. 

[kevmylove]

Mare it was childish I know but it was a competition in my head with other writers. I would get antsy when I wouldn't get as many as someone else and I would get all happy when I had more than others. Ugh now I think about it and it was so dumb of me cause it came down to what you all have said chapters, genre and the BSB used. Now I am happy with the reviews I get.

 I also agree with you Mare about the 2 reviews a chapter. I've always said a story is doing well if it has at least 2-3 reviews a chapter. We aren't all lucky to get 5+ at least not on every story.

I do check read count just because I notice a really high read count between chapters and I thinkto myself, how many could seriously just click on it and click out lol. I guess I'd be surprised.

[mare]

Though... as our email would indicate... not everyone knows how to do that. Sigh.

This is sadly very true lol

[mare]

Mare it was childish I know but it was a competition in my head with other writers. I would get antsy when I wouldn't get as many as someone else and I would get all happy when I had more than others. Ugh now I think about it and it was so dumb of me cause it came down to what you all have said chapters, genre and the BSB used. Now I am happy with the reviews I get.

 I also agree with you Mare about the 2 reviews a chapter. I've always said a story is doing well if it has at least 2-3 reviews a chapter. We aren't all lucky to get 5+ at least not on every story.

I do check read count just because I notice a really high read count between chapters and I thinkto myself, how many could seriously just click on it and click out lol. I guess I'd be surprised.

Aww it's not that childish. I have a feeling there are a lot of people who do think that way.

I also think consistency or reviewer is important as well. As long as I know I can keep those same two or three people entertained throughout I must be doing something right but if one of them suddenly disappears, I start to question why. I don't mean just for a chapter or are really late on reviewing but if they completely stop.

I never look at my read counts.