So I posted the first two chapters of a new story I am writing. I like it a lot and have gotten positive responses from other people on it but I can't seem to get any readers now! I would think that by reading and reviewing other people that many of them would return the favor but so far that has brought in very few people. Any ideas? Or anyone want to read? If so I can leave a summary or something...?

P.S. The story I'm talking about is "Lavender Rose".

yeah, i'm having the same problem. Or rather, I seem to have a lot of readers for my two stories, but not a whole lot of reviewers (that don't just review one chapter, but stay). i kinda hate that -.-

i'll check out your story, if you want me to ;)

Yeah, on my first story I have like more than 10 people who have it as their favorites and as an alert, but i get like no reviews. If you could read my new story "Lavender Rose" that WOULD be really really cool, and I'll be sure to return the favor. Let me know which one you would want read first or whatever. Thanks!!

well, i read your story and enjoyed it ^^ i also left a review.

i don't really care which one you read. the second one is 'shorter', or let's say it only has 2 chapters yet. but it's up to you ^^ thanks to you, too ^^

hi HeatherLee, i've been having that problem too. It's like, i started getting readers and reviews (for, Bittersweet-a man's P.O.V.), and then all of a sudden, people just stopped reviewing. it kinda sucks cuz i thought it was a really good story. i know exactly how you feel. also, it seems as though the authors of all the stories i have on my alert list have stopped writing...so i dunno what's going on. i promise i'll try to read ur story as soon as possible though and review because I know how u feel!

I've noticed that people mainly review in order to get reviews back. That probably explains why they never return. It's sad, really. Oh, and don't click on your stories because it counts if you do it. So if you've done it several times, it's not only that a whole bunch of people checked it out but didn't leave a review .

But yeah, I keep writing, regardless. They eventually review weeks, even months after it's been posted. But only the shortest stuff .

You guys need to give it time, seriously. Be patient.

People are lazy, and they don't always review. It's a fact of life. If they like your story, they might add you to their Alert/Favorites. That's a good thing. It means they really want to read it.

The best way to find good stories is to surf Favorite lists. I find a good story, go to their reviews, find someone who left an intelligent sounding review, and look at their favorites. Chances are a lot of people do it. So if your story is on a bunch of Favorite lists, don't complain. It's a good thing.

Besides, how many people give real, helpful reviews, anyway? Most of them are just saying how good your story is, how much they like it, and a comment on something that happened in that chapter that they particularly liked. It's mostly just an ego boost.

So basically, what I'm saying is, don't get all depressed because you're two chapters in and you only have five reviews. Two chapters? Not a lot. Plenty of people don't want to read really short stories because short means easy to abandon, you don't have much commitment, and it could take ages for an update. It doesn't mean you won't start to get more reviews as you go along.

Totally agree with Inky-Angel for the first two parts: People are lazy, and being on a person's Favorites List is better than getting reviews. That's how I find some of the greatest stories! But you could also say in an author's note at the end of a chapter "Hey guys, I know you're reading! Review me!!!!" or something to that effect. Seems to work. And just for the record, my first story I ever posted on this site only got 2 reviews the first chapter, 3 reviews second chapter, 2 reviews third chapter... But eventually I built up a whole network of readers and reviewers. By the end of the story I had 150 reviews and over 1000 hits!

So don't let it get you down if reviews are slow at first. If your story's good, they'll come.

Ha... Just got a flashback to watching the movie "Field of Dreams." Bad movie. Good quote. lol

I pretty sure almost everyone has that problem. I used to have my story posted on fanfiction.net but since it wasn't exactly a fanfic I was referred to fitionpress.com. But on ff.net I had trouble trying to get reviewers but I found that if you simply make yourself known, talk in forums, advertise your story..etc, then readers will become curious and read your story. And just because someone read your story but didn't leave a review doesn't mean that they didn't like it (as said above) people are just lazy and if you continue to update your story and they really get into it then they might be inspired to leave a review.

I pretty sure almost everyone has that problem. I used to have my story posted on fanfiction.net but since it wasn't exactly a fanfic I was referred to fitionpress.com. But on ff.net I had trouble trying to get reviewers but I found that if you simply make yourself known, talk in forums, advertise your story..etc, then readers will become curious and read your story. And just because someone read your story but didn't leave a review doesn't mean that they didn't like it (as said above) people are just lazy and if you continue to update your story and they really get into it then they might be inspired to leave a review.

Me too. Maybe all of us desperate for readers, should read eachother's stories. That may solve the problem. But none of us are that selfless to do so...

I am totally new from here, I've got a fanfiction account and I don't really know how to start. I mean, I've got a story, in fact two, but I think 'wouldn't it be best to make friends on forums first?'

And I've been putting up my original fiction on my LiveJournal for my ffnet friends to read.

I'm a new author on FP also, I've recently began posting my story, and I have ten reviews for two chapters, and three Favorites/Alerts. But most of my reviews have come from my friends lol, so minus their reviews I have...two . I've seen first-time authors get thousands of reviews, and I have no idea how to get to that place. Everyone who's read it so far has loved it (and my friends can be brutally honest, which is why I wanted them to read and review me). Sigh. It's frustrating. But I guess I'll have to wait it out. If anyone wants to read/review my story, it's called All the Fading Roses :) -Bee

hey this goes out to prada and anyone else.

i'm willing to review back as many, and as in depth as anyone who reviews me

thank you SO MUCH!!

-artificial destiny

hey this goes out to prada and anyone else.

i'm willing to review back as many, and as in depth as anyone who reviews me

thank you SO MUCH!!

-artificial destiny

I will give reviews to people who review me!!!

And they won't be shortr little 'loved it!!' reviews.

PLEASE REVIEW INVISIBLE !!!!!

As much as it sucks to think about, you have to realize that if your story has 1,000 hits. That roughly means 1,000 people clicked it 600 actually read it and 100 are likely to review but only a third of those 100 will.

You can always try advertising, like on MySpace or Face Book pages. It works for a lot of authors, posting bulletins with chapter or story links inside. Or even make little movie trailers for stories. I did that for one. These aren't sure fire ways but they'll get a few more readers, but nothing will ever beat worth of mouth advertisement. All you have to do is to get that one reader who will tell a friend and that friend will tell another and so on. Unfortunately most of us will never get that reader. Meh, we'll keep writing anyway.

In response to crazeedaizee411's reply, I too leave proper reviews. Aren't 'loved it' reviews horrible? But at the same time you have to be grateful that they reviewed at all.

oh, and please message me if you want me to review you back (which story/which chapter etc)

thanks!

It seems to be a vicious cycle. As a reader, I would automatically look for the stories with lots of reviews...

But how does one generate the reviews and therefore attract the readers? *sigh*

P.S. If anyone wants to check out my fiction 'hot off the press' as of last night -- Title: The Art of Seduction; Author: missAtoZ. Leave a review and it will make my day!

That's a bad idea, to look for the ones with lots of reviews. They're overrated. Read the summary. And if you're interested, read the story. I mean, it's like finding novels at the store for me. I generally don't get someone else's opinion, unless if it's really popular... lol. I like just about anything, but yeah. On the other hand, I expect a lot (sorta emphasized) out of a story if it gets a lot of reviews. And it usually doesn't meet up with my expectations.

I agree that choosing a story based on reviews is a bad idea.

Although it can influence the decision a little bit, the summary should matter even more. It's a glimpse into the story, not just how popular it is.

It's like a person.

Would you be friends with someone just because they're friends with a lot of people? Or would you rather be friends with someone who suits you?

Quality over quantity.

Other than that, for those new FP people, just take your time and be patient. Don't be on this site just to get reviews, be on it to write and improve your writing.

That's what counts.

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