I'll be completely honest: sometimes I've been worked too much into a frenzy to be coherent, so I leave it until later. Sometimes later never comes and for that I apologize.
I have only recently joined the site, and had three stories published in the couple of weeks I have been here. I was worried that one story had about 1200 views but only 12 comments. After reading this forum, I can now understand that this score is about average for most stories and writers. I suppose it is the same in real life though. After all, I cannot count how many books I have read, probably the same for everyone here, yet how often does anyone ever write to the author saying how good it was?
All votes here are either 4 or mostly 5. All comments are favorable. It feels like you are not meant to make critical comments, even constructive criticism, in public.
More that 1000 people have read my stories. I have got 12 votes and fewer comments. Is that a massive negative vote, or just people not bother to vote? I do not know.
To me if a site wants better stories and quality stories as it seems this site does, then I feel a push to elicit more comments and votes is appropriate. I know it is harder to do when non-members can view and those views count in the overall viewer count.
But as you do read the comments left here, it seems that many of those views you get could be members who just could not get through a story for some reason whether it be bad grammar, misspelled words, etc. How is that writer ever going to know and be pushed to improve themselves if a comment or score is not left.
I go through spurts where I read a lot and then I'll slow down and enjoy other parts of the site. There have been a few stories where I was alarmed at the bad words and grammar and could not get through the story. Sometimes I found that the author had not signed on to the site in a long time, so no way to contact them. I still tried to leave a comment as to why I didn't fully enjoy the story. But I also tried to let that person know what part of the story I did like and which parts I did not. Trying to keep it very constructive.
As a writer I know I want to hear those things. I need to hear those things if I am ever going to be a better writer.
I know how much time it takes on this site for a writer to write a story. And I know that sometimes you submit that story after hours of working on it, and it still gets rejected. And then you spend even more hours making the corrections needed just to get it approved. I just feel after all that, it is just common courtesy to leave a writer a vote and a comment. Even if that comment is just to say thank you for the time they took and to let them know how much I enjoyed the story. And yes sometimes I have contacted the writer and some of those times have led to becoming friends with that writer.
I always vote without fail.
I don't always comment because sometimes I have nothing to say
I will always vote and comment when I read a story.
As a writer, feedback is important because it is the only way you can gain a realistic impression of your work and know what you need to do to improve.
I read hundreds of stories on Lush before I joined and really wish I had done it sooner.
I don't vote/comment if a story is simply not to my taste and I don't finish it, or if I would vote it less than a 4, just because its not my cup of tea. If I enjoy a story but there's a problem with structuring or phrasing then I will comment and point that out (very politely and encouragingly). Stories I really enjoy, I vote for and comment on fulsomely because great stories and their writers should be encouraged and supported. And that's what Lush is all about.
I personally don't like the "Popularity Contest" mentality that exists on here with a lot of aspects, including the stories. Yes, PLENTY of authors are just that: authors that write for the sake of expression and sharing. There are plenty more on here that are solely "LOOKIT ME!" types that'll spam your InBox with "CHECK OUT MY STORY & BE SURE TO VOTE AND COMMENT! LOL" messages.
I'm always surprised to hear about how someone's story was rejected for composition, grammar, or simple structuring... I figure the MOD mods review the submissions enough to deem them worthy of posting and it seems strict already. While I guess I wouldn't want just pure crap getting posted, at the same time... this IS just expression. Fantasy. An outlet for people. Fine, call it "art" - whatever. That being the case though, EXCEPT for illegal/banned content, why shouldn't people be allowed to share their stories in whatever form they're capable of.
We're allowed to edit them ourselves, so to some extent, being forced through an editing process kinda kills the simply fun of sharing a tale or two.
I love to read! Thinking back , The only stories I have not voted on were some i could not get interested in , A few of those received PMs
As for voting I will not score any thing lower than a 3. Should I find any read that rates a( 1) or a (2) I've abandoned it & started reading another submission.
Couple of times I've publicly suggested that they should proof read,this was followed by a PM. Others said the same thing.... That Author has made wonderful improvements.
Yea I love reading, Am enjoying this site.. Do vote on stories that I finish, also make comments both public & privet..
As far as the comments about stopping stories that don't interest you and not voting. I guess I am not understanding that one.
I fully know that due to the category they are in or by keywords listed that I am not interested in that subject. So I am usually not going to read that type of story whether the person is a friend of not. So I never start them.
I never fully understand why someone even clicks on a story if they know up front that the subject matter is not for them. If by chance I did start reading one, I would not vote on it either because I would want to give it a low rating just because of the subject matter which would have nothing to do with the writer's ability or anything. So I just don't read them.
I got a message from a guy the other day who read or started reading one of my stories. He said he started reading my story and was just not into man on man sex so he couldn't get into it. In fact he found it disgusting.
I didn't know this guy. He wasn't a friend of mine. I didn't ask him to read my story. I just couldn't figure out if he didn't like man on man sex then why in the world did he click on the story when the story is in the Gay section.
Weird.
Joel, I fully understand that part. Sorry for the confusion I might have caused. I have done that several times on here. I'll start out reading a story and the grammar or the shifts in tense, etc are just so bad that I can't get through it. Or I just lose interest. In those cases I will not leave a low score to hurt the writer, but I will either leave a comment or send them a PM. Esp if the story is in a category I like or the premise of the story is good. I just feel the writer will never know unless you say something. And even with that I try to point out what was good about the story as well as why I couldn't get through it.
As to the other about subject matter. That was the part I didn't fully understand. Just as I said if a story is in a category or about something I don't like I wouldn't even begin to read it in the first place. For instance and I don't think those are allowed her but someone wrote a story about scat. That is a total turn off for me. If that was in the key word or the that particular category I am not going to seek it out or ever begin reading it. So I would have no reason to stop reading it.
But if I ever did accidentally come across one, I would not vote on that story because I would have to vote it low and that wouldn't be fair.
Thanks for your kind response.
I guess it goes back to my mom teaching me that if I didn't have anything good to say, don't say anything at all. I prefer to only vote if its a 4 or 5 to me.
I love to read the stories and poems here on Lush, and especially love the audios. I have been here for a little over seven months, and have read a LOAD of stories. I have always left a comment and a score on stories I have read. Unless it was so horrible I couldn't finish it. If I read a story through, I comment and score.
I am the type to always give a five. If I read a story I liked but saw things I didn't much like, I’ll leave a comment on what I liked about it and PM the author if I thought might need changed, fixed or addressed. I think it’s rude as hell for people to be negative in comments for everyone else to see. It encourages others to be jerks too. If you are able to finish a story all the way through there must have been something that you liked enough to do so. So you can comment on that and PM the person on what you didn't.
I don’t see for much excuse for people not to comment or score. It really doesn't take that long. Even if you do a “great job” comment, at least than the author knows you took the time to read it. Not all comments need to do productive. I know I appreciate any and all comments, it shows that the person took the time to tell me what they thought. Even if it is a simple great job.
Just take the time.
Good comments Poppet.
As far as readers I understand that some don't want to comment or score.
I do wonder sometimes more why fellow authors won't score or comment. Especially when they want others to comment or score their stories. Just kind of weird.
(puts on my sarcastic humour before writing this) As a reviewer basing it on real life personal experience non-reviewing badly written stories comes from a pretty traumatic 'Previous BAD Experience from an Author'. Not on this site by the way. Well, apparently in some cases most aren't allowed to have an honest in- to-your-face opinion on badly written stories anymore. I got flamed by an author after posting a personal review of his work. It was a very objective review, I did mark it as such, but I wasted a good deal of my life and my time reading the story and then turn that around with the extra time spent writing the review for his 'needs improvement' shelf. So go figure. LOL! I'd put my 'real' thoughts in there. Anyway, seems the author had some nasty 'cannot take your constructive opinion little missy' comments about it.
Guess what? Some authors need to learn that not everyone can write a good, amazing story at all times. Even shakespeare has a bad one or two. I don't care how technically able you are, how smart, or how much of an industry professional. I don't care if you've been writing X for Y years where Y > Z and Z is my age missy... Just because you've been working on NASA technology since before I was born and I'm not doesn't mean you have the ability to produce a good story at all times that is able to capture a wide audience and instruct them in a given area on how to comment or score. Don't get me wrong. I am just voicing it out that there is some irony of opinions between a writer and a reader. A writer wants an honest review but in their heart i'm saying this to myself they are writing to please and it is fulfilling both mind, body and writing spirit if they were scored high and was given a good review. So now if i read a pretty lame plotted written story I say to myself and proposes a toast to the author 'This too shall pass' (clink).
Mmm.
Like grades in Creative Writing courses, I simply don't believe in "voting" on creative works. There's something shallow about it and I don't think you can qualify a piece of literature with an obscure # as if it means something. It doesn't. I either like the work or I don't. That simple.
If I love a certain piece, I'll be direct and send someone a PM about it. I prefer to let a work stand as is.
Plus, I don't like being influenced by ratings and comments. Amazon turned that into a joke.
If you make it into "authors I follow" or I fav your story, you've done well.
As a writer it drives me nuts that readers don't bother to vote. If they are worried that someone will know what kind of stories they are reading, the privacy settings on profiles can fix that. I don't buy that it is a time issue, it takes a hell of a lot longer to read a story then to click on a number rating.
As a reader the only time I don't rate is when I a) didn't enjoy the story enough to finish it (yes I know a low rating will convey that), b) I try to never rate a story that rates below a 3 because it takes a lot of courage to post your work for all to review, I do not wish to stomp on anyone's feelings, and c) honestly sometimes I just forget (yes lame I know but I am still human).
I have gotten to the point where I am tempted to turn off the rating option on my stories and just focus on how many reads I get.
Sex is not the answer. Sex is the question. "Yes" is the answer. ~Swami X
As a reader, the reason I don't vote or leave a comment is that I'm either too busy looking for the next story that's going to get me there, or I'm trying to clean up and delete my browser history. Come on, let's be honest!
But as an author, I desperately crave the feedback. I can't get enough. And in the interests of reaping what you sow, I'm making the effort to vote and leave comments on the stories of others, starting with my friends and their favourites.
I've found Lush to be a bit of a love-fest, which is all very nice and supportive, and great for encouraging you to keep going. But in terms of helping you grow as an author, I don't think it's necessarily that helpful. How many people do you see on American Idol auditions who have clearly never been told they can't sing?
I vote according to the descriptors. I give a 5 for an excellent story that's well written and has no substantial flaws. I vote 4 for a good story, that might be lacking in one significant area, like a clumsy set up, no character development, a few too many typos etc. A 3 is for an average story, that's still good, but a bit shabby overall and could do with some more work. I haven't yet voted a 2, which is still classed as fair, for those stories that are really only good for getting teenage boys off. And I'm saving 1, or poor, for those that I really can't get through, or regret that I did.
I put a lot of effort into my comments to try and make them as constructive as possible. I highlight what I liked and thought worked well. And if applicable, I point out what might be improved as sensitively as I can. I do it publically, so that other authors can benefit from that feedback. That also keeps me honest, because my name's to it and there's no shortage of people out there who'll stomp on me if I'm out of line.
I think if you're too sensitive to take constructive criticism, turn off the comments on your stories. And if you're too much of an ass to make your feedback constructive, wake up to yourself and go help your mother fold your laundry.
Then again, opinions are like assholes, everyone's got one.
My latest story is a racy little piece about what happens when someone cute from work invites you over to watch Netflix and Chill. Reading over some of the comments here I felt I needed to add something. ..
yes folks here do seem to only want to post comments about how hot a story is and how quickly they got off. Good to know but you seldom read comments like "your characters lack substance" or "your tenses were all over the place." I will vote but only leave comments when I have something constructive to say...if I feel like I need to make comments that are constructive criticism I will contact the author directly and ask if they want my opinion.
Nobody wants to be labeled a douche bag so people do not offee real feedback on stories.
Feedback is great but not all feedback is worth the time it took to type it.
Sex is not the answer. Sex is the question. "Yes" is the answer. ~Swami X
Maybe I used the wrong word, "upset" doesn't quite cover it. It's more like enrage or infuriate. I automatically think, "Well if it doesn't suit your personal style, why the hell are you reading this category?"
"Well, they can just go f___ themselves." 
Without a reason for the low score, it can send all kinds of questions buzzing around in your head. What was wrong with it? Was is poorly written? Were there too many mistakes? Did it not make sense? Was it boring?
Was it stupid? AM I STUPID? WHAT DID I DO WRONG!? WHY DOES THIS READER HATE ME!? 
