Phantom favorites? · 11:48pm May 17th, 2013
So, all of a sudden, my story "Infallible", which is over a month old, is getting a rush of new favorites.
I haven't touched it or added anything to it since it was published.
There have been way too many favorites and views on the story yesterday and today compared to what it has received over the last few weeks for me to pass this off as a coincidence without at least a little investigation. Does anyone know if it's been posted somewhere that drew in a bunch of views? And if so, could someone tell me where?
UPDATE: Apparently the popular author InsertAuthorHere did a review of it. He's got a pretty big following, so that makes sense. I just wish people would tell me these things sometimes when they happen!
In other news: For those following Hocus Pocus, there's a new chapter coming very soon. Sorry for the wait; school got in the way, as usual.
~PRB
Well the site does have a referral system, just look at the stats on the story.
1087786
I did. The sources seem to be the same ones that have been there for a while.
Maybe someone mentioned the story somewhere without directly linking it? Or maybe some podcast mentioned it or something? I dunno.
InsertAuthorHere did a review on it- http://www.fimfiction.net/blog/165831/fanfiction-review-infallible
So that's probably why
Probably this.
Okay, so, question. Does the fact that someone did a review of your story without your knowledge rustle the jimmies or no?
Please note, I am asking this in complete seriousness. No sarcasm or anything, I legitimately want to know how you feel about this.
1087810
I, personally, am fine with it. I know some people might not be, though.
As for me, any kind of feedback, good or bad, is useful. And of course, I'm getting pageviews out of this deal, so no complaints there, either.
Like I said, I just wish someone would tell me when something relating to any of my work is created.
If it's a review, I'd like to read it, and If it's a piece of fan work, like art, music, or even a derivative story (and I've received all three of those at some point), I'd like to know so I can thank the person who made it.
Other authors, however, may just want to publish their work for their readers to enjoy. If they haven't invested their full effort in it, or if they're new and unsure of their abilities, they may not be interested in having it extensively reviewed. (And, honestly, "Infallible" is one of those stories I tossed together in a short time, so a review for it is a bit pointless because I wasn't using my full narrative skills anyway.) I can understand how other people could be upset by it, even if it personally doesn't matter to me. I know when it comes to GIVING reviews, I don't unless I'm asked to. (Or if they come into EQD's pre-reader queue, but submitting them there is basically asking anyway.)
1087872
I wouldn't say it was pointless. Consider this: I personally consider IAH to be a very good judge of what makes a good story or not. IAH gave "Infallible" a very good review. Ergo, if something you just sorta tossed out there is considered high quality, then it stands to reason that a work you put your full effort into would be even better. Which, incidentally, I believe is the case with your stories.
1088254
Eh, you've got a point I suppose.
That's the thing, though. A story that I didn't put effort into is getting kind of popular, here. Sometimes I wish I could just tell all these people to drop that piece of mediocre writing and pick up one of my novels instead.
I can't really complain. I write stories with the hope that people will like them. If that's the one they choose to like, that works, I suppose.
1088597
I wouldn't discount "Shipping and Handling". I seem to recall it got pretty popular.
And "Infallible" JUST got an awful lot of publicity, so it's getting a boost not unlike and EQD feature. IAH has a lot of followers. And I'll bet a fair bunch start reading your other stories too. But those will take a bit longer for them to go through.
It was a review by IAH that got me reading stories by Mr. Numbers for instance. I went for "The Sweet Meet and Greet". I stayed for everything else.
Interestingly, I just found it by searching "Complete" "Under 10,000 Words" tagged with Celestia. I really enjoyed the story, but I can't say how any one else came upon it in this late hour.
Some things are mysterious I guess.