The Authors' Hangout 2011 Halloween Contest Support Thread.

Halloween
themes: scary stuff, costumes, Halloween traditions (trick-or-treating, etc.), etc.
starts: October 1
closes: October 22
winners announced: October 29

As before, this thread is to encourage authors to write and enter, to support them when the muses fly away, to sympathise when trolls attack, and to shamelessly beg for votes.

For anyone who hasn't entered a themed Literotica contest before:

The advantages are that once you enter, your entry and all your writing gets more attention, votes, feedback and PCs than it would otherwise get. You also get support from members of the Author's Hangout.

The disadvantages are that you will also attract unwelcome attention from trolls and unenlightened critics. The sweeps of duplicated and illegal votes can cause heartbreak. You will probably curse the marking systems and fail to understand how they could possibly have done that to you. It can be a bumpy ride. If you want to know HOW bumpy, read one of the previous contest support threads.

Please ignore the outrageous unsubstantiated claims; the moaning, wailing and gnashing of teeth that occur in this thread over the contest and voting systems and concentrate on the benefits of writing contest entries. Please use the ignore function to remove those people who irritate you most from this or any thread.

If you really want your writing to improve, critics will be a factor. Entering a themed Literotica contest is one of the easier ways to get noticed.

If in doubt, go for it. You have nothing to lose but your virginity, and if you haven't lost it yet, what are you doing here?

Og

PS. And you could be eligible for the Author's Hangout Last Place (tm) Contest and win nothing but the awe and esteem of your fellow-writers.

PPS. I've lost count of how many of these threads I've started. I took over when others stopped so support threads have a long history. The search for threads might not work accurately because way back the Authors' Hangout was the Author's Hangout (we never did work out which single Author owned it).

Just doing a search for threads you started seems to get all of them in your history. It will be a while before you've started enough threads to go over the search limit. Before that, I don't have any idea who to look for *laugh*

Odds are that the name change won't matter. Forum sections are identified by numbers in the database, so changing the name shouldn't matter when you search for things pre and post name change.

And, back on the subject of Halloween: Wrapping up my first one, which I've already put in my sig. Still mulling over the next one, though I've started working on the cover.

Better get cracking, everyone. Oct. 01 is the kickoff.

Rules for the A.I.R Contest (which is run in parallel with the LITEROTICA one of the same name are as follows:

Halloween 2011
themes: scary stuff, costumes, Halloween traditions (trick-or-treating, etc.), etc.

starts: October 1
closes: October 22
winners announced: October 29
story length: Minimum 7,000 words, maximum 12,000 words
erotic content: A minimum of three (3) well described penile/vaginal encounters
voting: To be considered for a prize a minimum of 200 non family member votes must bee cast
entries: Each author is allowed only two (2) entries
theme: Stories will be rejected if the minimum theme requirement is not met (LAUREL will adjudicate )
other: Voting and comments must be turned on.

I recommend that you pay close attention to the advice some of the greats drop in and give. Especially enlightening are the views and opinions of writers who are TOP TEN “Most Favorited” or those who are members of the 1000+ VOTE CLUB and/or 100+ COMMENT CLUB. It’s these authors whose works have stood the test of time.

Please do not enter stories in any of the following categories – they’ve been excluded from this contest : Non Human, Sci-Fi, Non Erotic, BDSM, Gay and Romance.

If you really want your writing to improve, critics will be a factor. Entering a themed Literotica/A.I.R. contest is one of the easier ways to get noticed.

[size=+2]Gabrielle L.[/size]
President, A.I.R.
Secretery of the MOST COMMENTED on
and the MOST VOTED on story clubs
and 2011 Survivor Contest Director
Miami Beach, Florida

*sigh*

Well, let's just continue as we were, using this thread for its intended purpose and letting the other thread sit dead. Remember, don't even click it. To quote one of my two favorite Clint Eastwood movies: Don't give the prick the satisfaction.

This contest provides a unique opportunity for the Erotic Horror category, which really doesn't get much play through the rest of the year. If you like to write darker stories, this contest is your chance to shine.

However, there will be a lot of those dark entries in the contest. That means that something lighter can be a nice change of pace for contest readers, attracting lots of comments. Take a stab at humor, romance, or the like to take advantage of that.

Just some things to think about, if you don't have an idea already.

No ideas yet but there is this little itch way back there where ideas bubble.

I'll have to wait and see what comes to the surface.

We're off!

The starting gun has been fired in the sticky at the top of the Authors' Hangout announcing the Halloween contest.

OKay.. I'm in you fuckers! lol

I love halloween stories. Need to figure out my situation...idea...non human sex with a human?? Zombie...halloween costume mix up again? I love those. hmmmm. I'll start writing this weekend hopefully and should have most of it finished. who else is excited!!!???

If a person submits their story a week in advance of October 1st, (first person to submit), is that story going to be at the bottom of the list or the top when the Halloween stories are rolled out?

HeyAll said:

If a person submits their story a week in advance of October 1st, (first person to submit), is that story going to be at the bottom of the list or the top when the Halloween stories are rolled out?

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If you follow the instructions on putting a contest identifier in the notes box, it will be in the contest list at the top--but I don't think that or the general list are structured on a first-in-higher-up-on-the-list basis.

Woohoo!!!! Halloweeeeen contest. My most favorite time of the year. I'm working on a story with my characters from Jersey Summer Love. I have another story started and playing around with a paranormal idea. IF I can find the time. Oh, I'll make the time. Costume fun, here I come!

Nice to see you SethP! I'm sure you'll come up with something twisted and halloweeny.

I've decided to let my masochistic side have it's way with me and outlined a story for this contest. I have not entered one before and am wondering if 'timing' matters.

The contest runs three weeks. Seeing the winner is decided by score, is it an advantage to jump in right out of the gate and take three weeks of abuse or is it better to get in more towards the middle? Or there is no difference one way or the other.

There's no real advantage to when you enter. The only disadvantage regarding timing is if you enter late, there's a greater chance of not qualifying in low-vote categories.

Everything else I've seen in tracking the contests suggests that when you enter has little to nothing to do with the score.

Just noticed the question about the list, but it isn't specific as to which list.

On the day the story posts, it will be listed somewhere near the top of the NEW list. The only things I've ever seen post higher on the list than contest stories are Editor's choice, Text w. Audio, and sometimes Illustrated.

As far as the contest page, that's randomized every time you load it.

Darkniciad said:

Just noticed the question about the list, but it isn't specific as to which list.

On the day the story posts, it will be listed somewhere near the top of the NEW list. The only things I've ever seen post higher on the list than contest stories are Editor's choice, Text w. Audio, and sometimes Illustrated.

As far as the contest page, that's randomized every time you load it.

Click to expand...

I saw the question being whether the timing of submitting a story (here, a contest story a week in advance) would guarantee high listing on the contest segment of the "new" list. My response is that I don't think it does. I think the editor makes up the daily story-by-story lists (other than general placement as you noted) on some formula of her own (my own opinion is that she puts stories/authors she likes better nearer the top), not on a first received/higher on the list than the next one received.

Some others who discuss this on the forum seem to think the same thing--they complain about always being put near the bottom of the list. I could name names, but that would probably be redundant.

Could be right about the nature of the question, SR.

Though there's not much to work with, as there usually aren't very many stories for the contest on any given day, it looks as if those are sorted not so much by time, but by Laurel's choice. I've seen multiple sets of contest stories approved in a single day, and the second set are usually mixed in with the others, rather than all appearing as a group above or below the ones approved earlier.

What the criteria for that choice is, I don't know, but it looks like there's conscious thought in placing the contest stories ( and the regular stories, for that matter ) in the list.

Time of submission shouldn't be a factor.

I meant, let's say a lot of author's submit a Halloween story for the contest a week prior to October 1. Does the person who submitted their story first get their story on top, or does it go below the other stories?


I've always wondered how the stories get stacked.

HeyAll said:

I meant, let's say a lot of author's submit a Halloween story for the contest a week prior to October 1. Does the person who submitted their story first get their story on top, or does it go below the other stories?


I've always wondered how the stories get stacked.

Click to expand...

And that's the question I answered. No, I don't think that it's first-in-first-served on any of the lists. But there's been no statement on that from the web editor, as far as I know (and not likely to be one).

Another day writing like today and I might have a horse for this race.

There is even a second story kicking around in there somewhere.

In fact the second story woke me up a little while ago.

TxRad said:

Another day writing like today and I might have a horse for this race.

There is even a second story kicking around in there somewhere.

In fact the second story woke me up a little while ago.

Click to expand...

I'm jealous. I'm having a hell of a time getting started. Too much Real Life stuff going on. If I can just get a really good start this weekend...I'm in!

you don't have to do it seth!!!!!

scouries said:

you don't have to do it seth!!!!!

http://cdn.screenrant.com/wp-content/uploads/district_nine_ver10_xlg.jpg​

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You don't understand! It's a compulsion! My head will explode if i don't!

http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-PTqbxeZ2sF4/TlKXhMj8DOI/AAAAAAAACu4/z2JJCjmfIC0/s1600/scan26b.jpg

sr71plt said:

And that's the question I answered. No, I don't think that it's first-in-first-served on any of the lists. But there's been no statement on that from the web editor, as far as I know (and not likely to be one).

Click to expand...

Isn't it funny that someone who never participates in the contests is ready to opine knowledgably on the process.

It's a bit of a jungle but contest stories do get 'fast-tracking' and priority.

Yes, that is the advantage of posting to the contests, usually one day or less posting time and the story is usually posted near the top of the daily list.

Not to mention the fun of it all.