Advice for a newbie?

[ninyakitty1998]

Hey all, question for you lovely people. How do you get the ball rolling on readers during your first days? Is it more organic, or is there things I should be doing to attract more readers? I'm new to the site so I thought I'd ask! Any need to knows or advice you have would be great to learn! Thanks for your time friendly folks :)

 

[CharlesEBrown]

From the other posts on the subject:

1. Post 10-20 chapters in your first two weeks if at all possible, then stick to a steady schedule.
2. Have an eye-catching cover (with "sexy people" if possible)
3. Have chapters of a consistent length, generally between 1000 and 2000 words per chapter. If you must go smaller regularly, upload more often; if you must go shorter OR longer occasionally, "warn" the readers in Author's Notes.
4. Have a solid, descriptive title with multiple words.
5. Have a decent summary - not too long, not too boring, but that actually says SOMETHING.
6. Ask for review/feedback swaps in the Story Feedback subforum.
7. Use a lot of tags - but use them correctly.
8. Include smut.
9. Give K5_rakutan's story a one-star rating.
10. Be patient.

I only managed #3, #6, #7 and #10, and may have managed #5 (debatable) - and have one (my second posted) story doing well; the other two are kind of floundering though one was niche-y to begin with so did not really expect it to go gangbusters.
Added covers (no idea how 'eye catching' they are) about a month after the first post went up, and two of the three are at the 20 chapter mark but none hit it in the first two weeks.

 

[beast_regards]

Luck.

Your story would be most likely discovered through the Latest Updates on the front page.

You simply need to catch the interest of enough readers there. Since it displays only cover, name of the story, and chapter name and some tags, you have only a few things to work with.

Cover is important. Chapter should be named, named chapter attracts more readers than the generic ones with just a number. (i.e. better to have "Chapter 1: Smut Strikes Back" than "Chapter 1" only)

Use appropriate tags for your story. If someone searches for your story, he or she does it by tags. Tags are also displayed under the chapter on latest updates. Which tags are appropriate for your story is, well, up to you.

 

[RepresentingDesire]

1. Post 10-20 chapters in your first two weeks if at all possible, then stick to a steady schedule.

Make it so that sometimes a bonus chapter might drop at new time so the it appears on the update list at a different time

 

[TheKillingAlice]

From the other posts on the subject:

1. Post 10-20 chapters in your first two weeks if at all possible, then stick to a steady schedule.
2. Have an eye-catching cover (with "sexy people" if possible)
3. Have chapters of a consistent length, generally between 1000 and 2000 words per chapter. If you must go smaller regularly, upload more often; if you must go shorter OR longer occasionally, "warn" the readers in Author's Notes.
4. Have a solid, descriptive title with multiple words.
5. Have a decent summary - not too long, not too boring, but that actually says SOMETHING.
6. Ask for review/feedback swaps in the Story Feedback subforum.
7. Use a lot of tags - but use them correctly.
8. Include smut.
9. Give K5_rakutan's story a one-star rating.
10. Be patient.

I only managed #3, #6, #7 and #10, and may have managed #5 (debatable) - and have one (my second posted) story doing well; the other two are kind of floundering though one was niche-y to begin with so did not really expect it to go gangbusters.
Added covers (no idea how 'eye catching' they are) about a month after the first post went up, and two of the three are at the 20 chapter mark but none hit it in the first two weeks.

Not trying to piss in your chips, but some of these sound more like a sad testament of humanity's decay than anything.

 

[CharlesEBrown]

Not trying to piss in your chips, but some of these sound more like a sad testament of humanity's decay than anything.

I'm just repeating the advice I see on similar threads. Kind of agree with you but, it also seems to work.

I do suspect the most important one is #7: Tags,

 

[TheKillingAlice]

I'm just repeating the advice I see on similar threads. Kind of agree with you but, it also seems to work.

I do suspect the most important one is #7: Tags,

 

[RepresentingWrath]

Have an eye-catching cover (with "sexy people" if possible)

Tony nerfed sexy meta. If you have overly sexual cover now, you won't get to top 9 trending.

 

[beast_regards]

Tony nerfed sexy meta. If you have overly sexual cover now, you won't get to top 9 trending.

What's overly sexual?

This is overly sexual for Royal Road

7th place on trending

This is overly sexual for Spacebattles

First place on Trending.

 

[RepresentingWrath]

What's overly sexual?

This is overly sexual for Royal Road
View attachment 32421
7th place on trending

This is overly sexual for Spacebattles
View attachment 32422
First place on Trending.

I believe it is something like this one. https://www.scribblehub.com/series/948085/reincarnated-as-a-stepdad-in-a-fantasy-world/

 

[ninyakitty1998]

From the other posts on the subject:

1. Post 10-20 chapters in your first two weeks if at all possible, then stick to a steady schedule.
2. Have an eye-catching cover (with "sexy people" if possible)
3. Have chapters of a consistent length, generally between 1000 and 2000 words per chapter. If you must go smaller regularly, upload more often; if you must go shorter OR longer occasionally, "warn" the readers in Author's Notes.
4. Have a solid, descriptive title with multiple words.
5. Have a decent summary - not too long, not too boring, but that actually says SOMETHING.
6. Ask for review/feedback swaps in the Story Feedback subforum.
7. Use a lot of tags - but use them correctly.
8. Include smut.
9. Give K5_rakutan's story a one-star rating.
10. Be patient.

I only managed #3, #6, #7 and #10, and may have managed #5 (debatable) - and have one (my second posted) story doing well; the other two are kind of floundering though one was niche-y to begin with so did not really expect it to go gangbusters.
Added covers (no idea how 'eye catching' they are) about a month after the first post went up, and two of the three are at the 20 chapter mark but none hit it in the first two weeks.

Thank you so, so much!!!! That really helps me out tremendously!!!!

 

[beast_regards]

I believe it is something like this one. https://www.scribblehub.com/series/948085/reincarnated-as-a-stepdad-in-a-fantasy-world/

I see, there are no stepdaddies on the Internet.

 

[RepresentingWrath]

I see, there are no stepdaddies on the Internet.

You are tearing me apart beast regard.

 

[ninyakitty1998]

this community is already a lot cooler than RR. I've been posting there with somewhat ok success, but I feel like people are more willing to talk to one another and help here. Thanks for all your advice, guys, really.

 

[beast_regards]

You are tearing me apart beast regard.

Don't worry, stepmommy will be gentle.

 

[TheKillingAlice]

this community is already a lot cooler than RR. I've been posting there with somewhat ok success, but I feel like people are more willing to talk to one another and help here. Thanks for all your advice, guys, really.

That's because RR is toxic af. Not all of them, of course, but by and large... it's toxic af.

EDIT: On that note, RR is toxic, Tapas is desperate and SH is just floating on weed fumes, dilluting the air between them. Personal experience, no warranty on any of the things I say.

 

[ninyakitty1998]

That's because RR is toxic af. Not all of them, of course, but by and large... it's toxic af.

Its crazy how it is. Like, my queer book just keeps getting attacked for simply being queer. It blows my mind. A lot authors in for themselves only. Why can't we all just write nice books and enjoy one another's work, lol.

 

[RepresentingWrath]

Its crazy how it is. Like, my queer book just keeps getting attacked for simply being queer. It blows my mind. A lot authors in for themselves only. Why can't we all just write nice books and enjoy one another's work, lol.

Because they do it for money. Not that I am against it, but it changes how you view other authors.

 

[CharlesEBrown]

That's because RR is toxic af. Not all of them, of course, but by and large... it's toxic af.

EDIT: On that note, RR is toxic, Tapas is desperate and SH is just floating on weed fumes, dilluting the air between them. Personal experience, no warranty on any of the things I say.

RR is just WEIRD. Have had some very good discussions there, but then others that went sideways FAST. And very little activity on anything I've written there. Had not expected a lot, but more than I've gotten (a single 3 star review on one of two stories).

 

[TheKillingAlice]

Its crazy how it is. Like, my queer book just keeps getting attacked for simply being queer. It blows my mind. A lot authors in for themselves only. Why can't we all just write nice books and enjoy one another's work, lol.

Haven't had that happen yet, but my two gay romance books haven't reached the gay yet, so that might be it. My main project got stomped though. Like, unnecessarily so. Everybody says that, I know, but getting a 5 Star Review and and not even an hour later a 2 Star, which is coincidentally the lowest you can give without reading the book? Also, that happened for months until my score went below 4 Stars. It didn't really stop, I think, just got less. Anyway, two completely ridiculous Reviews sitting on top of my story page later, someone leaves a 5 Star Review, saying they were worried because of the rating and the critical reviews, that all but said the same, yet with no input on how these things played out. Like, all empty phrases, no substance to their claims, even when I explicitely asked. The Review then went on to say they found it a great story instead. Some people can be super nice, after all.
Don't get me wrong, I have no problem with people disliking my stuff, but I do have a problem with saying a bunch of nothing and pretending that's a valid review. By the way the few things said would also kind of contradict each other or simply make no sense, it also doesn't feel genuine at all.

RR is just WEIRD. Have had some very good discussions there, but then others that went sideways FAST. And very little activity on anything I've written there. Had not expected a lot, but more than I've gotten (a single 3 star review on one of two stories).

Can relate. It's not very active, other than the rating department. And after people haven't said a word in 87 chapters, they come up with "What? I was sure this story was more popular than it is." Well, how, if nobody is gonna say or do anything? I'm genuinely happy you think the story should be more popular, but sorry, I can't do anything about that, that's kind of in the hands of the reader.