I started putting up my fiction a little under two weeks ago. Things are going well and I reached rank 139, but then I got my first 0.5 rating and it dropped me forty spots. I know lots of people rack up those 0.5 ratings, and as I get rated more they'll have less impact. I guess I'm just a little discouraged.

I know one bad rating is nothing, and of course there will be more. Does anyone have any advice for keeping morale up when you get bad ratings or reviews?

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Honestly, you're doing fantastic. I know it's hard not to let one bad rating tank your mood/enthusiasm, but in the grand scheme of things, you have a ton of positive responses to your work and that's what you should try to focus on-- that, and creating your best work for yourself and not for numerical validation.

Granted, I can't take my own advice, but it's the only thing that's true haha.

Anyway congrats on breaking top 200- it's tough competition out there.

Thanks for the support. I think I just needed to hear from people who copped it themselves. I know what voices I should be listening to, but there is something about those negative responses that just gets to you. They always seem to find that insecurity that assails you when you put something out into the world.

Shirtaloon Wrote: Thanks for the support. I think I just needed to hear from people who copped it themselves. I know what voices I should be listening to, but there is something about those negative responses that just gets to you. They always seem to find that insecurity that assails you when you put something out into the world.

Yeah, well, try writing for years, jumping out of your skin and never getting any reads. You are winning so cherish it. 0.5 rating, pfft.

Just ignore such ratings, do not let them get to you. Keep writing, if they actually find your story to be bad instead of being plainly trolls, eventually negative reviews should pop up. The quality of such reviews can vary and you mostly cannot expect reviews to explain in a unbiased way why your story would be bad to them.

Just let it roll right off your shoulders. You're still ranked quite high and a few good reviews/ratings will get you right back up. You're ranked high enough where you know you're doing something right, so just ignore it and keep on focusing on the story. 

You'll likely receive more .5 star ratings in the future, either from people who truly don't like your story, or those who just want to try and drag you down. Don't give either of them any power over you. 

You got this. 

You're already rank 189? That's insane. Seriously, I took a look at your story and quite frankly, you're doing extremely well for someone who just started two weeks ago. It's been nearly a week for me and Im still only in the 5000s.

Top 200 within 2 weeks? Well no worries mate.the higher you are. The easier to fall. Especially when there are trolls involved. Those who put in 0.5 simply because. Some of them perhaps don't even read your stories. I myself am only top 400 after 5 months.
Even then there are guys with different taste who simply just don't like our type of stories and therefore will put low scores.
Chin up. You are writing for those who like your stories. Not the ones who hated it.

Congratulations! 
Welcome to the club.
I would try to write some stellar words of encouragement but as a Writer, I know that 0.5 will dig into your mind like a festering sore.
Great job on reaching the top 200.
As for the 0.5, expect more. Lots more... ahahaha!
Unless someone throws a critique to follow up that rating, don't bother.

Just remember how generous the vast majority of the userbase is! I also got my first 0.5 recently, and I'm already halfway to recovery thanks to many new ratings.

I created this thread because I was new and nervous and kind of freaking out over my first rating, but the encouragement you've given me has been really nice. I'm really glad to have joined a community full of great people. Thanks, everyone.

Sorry your sad but Fook the salty ones that don't like your story. Imma enjoying it very very much. It is funny and Original.
:D CHEERS (c)

That's why I dislike the rating system because:

- It can be abused. A good rating can be given based on favoritism, or bad rating is given because of competition/jealousy
- It doesn't give any insight into what needs to be improved.

Bad ratings can certainly feel like a kick in the guts. You have the courage put yourself, your work out there and someone puts you down. I was like a raw nerve posting my story up, which I imagine is a fairly widespread feeling. That's why I freaked out when my first bad rating came in and started this thread, but the responses have been great and supportive. Which goes to show that there are plenty of good people in this community, not just drive-by trolls. If you believe in your story, just keep plugging along. I've only been at this for a couple of weeks, and I've gotten the odd bad rating, but the overall response has been really gratifying. More importantly, the support has been vocal, while the (unconstructive) criticism has been silent.

I agree with the others; don't let it get you down.  You'll always get hit by .5-ratings.  Someone has disliked a single scene and written to me about how they rated it as such because I've written a single sentence.  Some people have rated it low because I have psychology/philosophy in some of my serials, and they just don't like how I required them to think.  xD

Some people just don't like bunny-girls or beastkin in general or like cat-girls more and rate it low.  You'll get all sorts of people rating your content with their own personal bias.  Just nod and move on.  Congratulations on the rapid success; I'm glad you found a good fanbase so quickly.  It's actually pretty rare; pop some bottles and celebrate!  Woot!  Party time!  Throw on Congratulations by PewDiePie and JAM out!

^_^7

It's only been ten or eleven days since I posted this thread, but it feels like longer as I crank out the chapters. I am officially no longer sad, having made it all the way to rank three, (shameless brag), which puts me in the company of some great stories. Overall the feedback has been amazing and I am really grateful that people were so nice when I was at my most anxious.

I really like your story, started reading it from when you posted your third chapter and mentioned a long time ago in this very forum.  What I'm trying to say is that I've already given it five stars, but if you want, I can change my rating to 0.5 stars if that makes you happy.

Nooooooo...

As someone who also got a 0.5 rating out of nowhere, don't sweat it. I was severely sad at first but as time passed, it just went away.

In fact, damn, that ranking is incredible that I'm actually envious. Congratulations. :D

I need to work hard on my own story as well. o:

My real problem is translating everything going through my head into actual words people read. I need to improve on that...