"How do I make my stories POPULAR?"

Quote by nicola
Excellent advice Morgan =d>

Quote by nicola
You forgot to add the part about having a sexy avatar, and befriending all and sundry, to help boost your scores

Quote by colin123
I wish I knew why my stories are popular but I really don't. I base my stories on true events and seem to have a lot of avid readers.

Quote by nicola
You forgot to add the part about having a sexy avatar, and befriending all and sundry, to help boost your scores

Quote by colin123
I wish I knew why my stories are popular but I really don't. I base my stories on true events and seem to have a lot of avid readers.

Quote by crrcrawford
Thanks for the helpful post MorganHawke.

Quote by crrcrawford
Is your list an example of the types of things to be thinking about in most popular stories?

Quote by crrcrawford
Or have you actually done this research and listed the most popular in each category by descending order?

Quote by seeker4


Survey your friends and followers and ask what it is that makes them keep coming back. I suspect it's the true story element, but I haven't read enough of your work to really suggest anything more.

I haven't fussed too much about popularity here. I know there is more I could do but I have limitations with my activity level here due to a need for discretion. I have a few Famous Stories and some other stories leaning that way (i.e. over 20K views) and I am fairly satisfied with that. I figure that someday I'll write a "best seller" (in Lush terms) but I'm not necessarily shooting for it.

Quote by PervyStoryteller
I disagree with the assumption nestling in the question. What I would say is that you can't "make" your stories popular, they "become" popular if they appeal to enough people. That's not to say that you can't do things to increase the visibility of your stories if you have the time, inclination and a flair for self-promotion, but ultimately leading a horse to water doesn't guarantee it will drink. It's clear from the broader culture that incredibly popular stuff often comes about by a happy accident.

It's entirely possible that you can increase the number of views by writing stories that conform to what is already popular. That's grand for you if your own tastes and predilections do conform in that direction, but if they don't, you're not likely to create a very convincing or readable story. By my estimation the easiest way to get clicks is to write about assorted relatives getting it on with each other, but if, as I do, you find that kind of thing utterly mystifying, how would you ever be able to write such a story?

Ultimately you just have to write a story to the best of your ability, accept that you can't please all of the people all of the time, and be grateful for the people who do read and appreciate what you've written.

Quote by LakeShoreLimited
Fortunately, as writers, we don't have millions of dollars on the line. And some of the best writers of all time broke the formulas and set their own rules.

Quote by PervyStoryteller
I disagree with the assumption nestling in the question.

Quote by PervyStoryteller
What I would say is that you can't "make" your stories popular, they "become" popular if they appeal to enough people.

Quote by PervyStoryteller
That's not to say that you can't do things to increase the visibility of your stories if you have the time, inclination and a flair for self-promotion, but ultimately leading a horse to water doesn't guarantee it will drink.

Quote by PervyStoryteller
It's clear from the broader culture that incredibly popular stuff often comes about by a happy accident.

Quote by PervyStoryteller
It's entirely possible that you can increase the number of views by writing stories that conform to what is already popular.

Quote by PervyStoryteller
That's grand for you if your own tastes and predilections do conform in that direction, but if they don't, you're not likely to create a very convincing or readable story.

Quote by PervyStoryteller
By my estimation the easiest way to get clicks is to write about assorted relatives getting it on with each other, but if, as I do, you find that kind of thing utterly mystifying, how would you ever be able to write such a story?

Quote by PervyStoryteller
Ultimately you just have to write a story to the best of your ability, accept that you can't please all of the people all of the time, and be grateful for the people who do read and appreciate what you've written.

Although I’m just a reader, I find this topic very interesting. I did some side reading regarding what “write to order” means. I even bought and read a Morgan Hawke’s book. Well, she is right from many points of view. If you are a professional writer and you want to make a leaving out of this, sooner or later, you will have to do some writing per request and if you want to make good money out of it you must be good at it (“popular”). And those rules that she put in this topic are very helpful. Also, I would add that if you are a professional writer and a Lush employee/contractor probably you have access to some statistics that will give you a big advantage. But I doubt you can do this for a long period of time, if you don’t take pleasure in what you are doing. So, the others that wrote here that they write not looking for popularity, but for their own pleasure and popularity may came even if they don’t follow the rules are also right. Because they are less likely to give up. But I guess the former will have a slight advantage in being more known. This site, being a business and following its own interests, will promote the popular ones. Some are wonderful writers and deserve to be promoted, but I take much more pleasure in discovering myself writers that are not so popular, some have just a few stories, written years ago, but they are really good.

There is less correlation between skilled writing and a story's popularity on Lush than you might suppose.

Quote by Twisted_Skald
Morgan you're giving us the kind of instruction some people pay a fortune to get.

Who are these 'people'? Do you have their contact details? 😊

You don't have to make a story popular. You just have to make yourself popular.

Followers lead to views and views lead to likes. (And now, with Lush coins, actual money.)

Using a bot to send out a mass-mailing of friend requests will pump up your friends and followers and is a sure-fire way to increase story 'popularity.'
It's working for April601, who was the most recent one to spam me with a friend request. And that user has even been deemed 'awesome' by the mods for their numbers.

Forget trying to write better stories. Game the system for points and prizes.

Quote by dlcalguy

You don't have to make a story popular. You just have to make yourself popular.

Followers lead to views and views lead to likes. (And now, with Lush coins, actual money.)

Using a bot to send out a mass-mailing of friend requests will pump up your friends and followers and is a sure-fire way to increase story 'popularity.'
It's working for April601, who was the most recent one to spam me with a friend request. And that user has even been deemed 'awesome' by the mods for their numbers.

Forget trying to write better stories. Game the system for points and prizes.

Are you sure is working that way? I agree on the bot part, but I' m not sure this also works for the likes, as one should hit the button for a certain story. People do this, just because they received a friend request from un unknown user!? Is the superficiality at a such high level!?

Quote by SexFairy

Are you sure is working that way? I agree on the bot part, but I' m not sure this also works for the likes, as one should hit the button for a certain story. People do this, just because they received a friend request from un unknown user!? Is the superficiality at a such high level!?

In all likelihood, yes.

The ones that are popular don't write well.

I'd love to name names. Fuck it, I'll name masterjonathan, that bear, flutter, I think that's their handle, idk. Oh, Sammie too, right? Idk, the one female user always kissing the bears ass. They both can't write.

I still say that many of the Mods write dope art and Kis.

Some of those "poets" are just no Bueno lol

Many would say some popular writers here write well. And many of those writers bring joy to those who read them, so why hate on them?

And many authors write well and are overlooked by readers because the length of stories or chosen genres is only preferred by a few here or they simply get overlooked by the mass production of stories here.

The ladies, in particular, enjoy the words of Fluttered. Poetry is one of those artforms that I think you like or you don't. I'm not sure what makes it "Well written". Subjective, I think, but many here would say he writes well. I enjoy his works because I know him personally. He's a man who's life work has been helping those who can't help themselves. Knowing that, I see his heart in each poem, drawing me to them.

Master Jonathan responded to each reader with a gracious comment and wrote hot sex scenes that many are here for. And he published like clockwork, every Monday and Friday. Many readers here would say he was a good writer and they looked forward to his publishing.

"Bear" is a best-selling author (with a publisher) and very compassionate friend to anyone who needs one. I'd say many think he writes well... very well.

Like all art it's subjective. One person saying a movie is bad or an author can't write doesn't make it so.

I'm not looking for writers to bring me joy nor an orgasm or two(in saying that, some have caused the latter as they know how to speak to the body and brain not just the body, Mister StJames, ok he made me laugh too) I love to read to criticize the writing whether it's a veteran or a newbie. Kis came guns blazing when she published and perhaps because of her open dislikeness of the male form(in the sexual matter and beyond? idk), her work seems to only be read by a few who see her wit and have had proper chats w/ her.

You've just said in plain English the users who I just head shot are liked by friends who will mostly read anything and lie if it's well written or not. These users are a "good friend to you" thus why your critique is skewed.


Goodness sake, flutter wants to sound like Pablo Neruda and just like, no, not even a little. These writers are missing foundation, character development and e m o t i o n. There's no emotion. Even in a hard fuck, while being used, there's one sided emotion.
Some writers use one ply toilet paper thus why it's shit. Either go for Three ply ala (insert your favorite historical writer here) or be a 50 shades of doodoo.

Any of the Story Mods works should be used as an example of what Lush erotica should amount to, even our beloved yet humble SimplyJohn has published sweet yet well written literature.

I don't read to get off, that's a plus and rarely happens while reading certain writers cause it's just that bad of a story. 


And The Human Centepede is still a shit film.

(If we're out of line and ruining this thread, then do delete as i dont want our useless bickering to take over this helpful thread)

I'm glad to know that writing a story that attracts few likes and readers may still be a very good, well-written story. At the end of the day, I want to write about fantasies that turn me on and share these fantasies. I like some external validation, but I don't want to become obsessed with it.

What I mean is that I've seen too many great writers quit due to a perceived lack of external recognition. I'll keep this discussion in mind on days where the going gets tough.

Quote by IMPURETHOUGHTS

(If we're out of line and ruining this thread, then do delete as i dont want our useless bickering to take over this helpful thread)

I don't think uou ruined this thread. All valid points. Just that I think your arguments suit better the 'turn-off, deal breaker" thread. And regarding the "popularity". Some concessions have to be made, as after all, this is a business and it has to make money and popularity usually means that. But yes, easy to bitter here on this thread while I'm not paying 😉.