The Official Author's Hangout Earth Day 2013 Contest Support Thread

[PennLady]

February is nearly over, the groundhog has spoken (or grunted or whatever they do) and spring is on the way. This means greenery, flowers, sniffles, colds and more importantly -- the Literotica 2013 Earth Day contest.

Earth Day (April 22)
themes: nature appreciation, outdoors, etc.
starts: March 28
closes: April 13
winners announced: April 20

So go to that writer's closet, check out the ideas on trees, nymphs, naiads, dryads, the environment, and maybe a Saturday in the park (but not on the Fourth of July, that'd be the summer contest).

If you write your drafts on paper, be sure to recycle.

[ScouriesWorld]

CURRENT CONTESTS:

LITEROTICA

presents the

2013 Earth Day Contest

while the

ASSOCIATION of INDEPENDENT READERS (A.I.R.)

is presenting the second edition of it's

A.I.R. 2013 Sexy April Contest

We challenge all authors contemplating entering one of the contests to try and write a story that will fit the themes of the two contests. GOOD LUCK!

[oggbashan]

Putting ScouriesWorld on ignore improves the appearance of the Authors' Hangout and avoids his fake contest.

[MatthewVett]

Sadly, I think I'll be missing it this year. Some pretty strong inspiration would have to hit me pretty soon, and I have a queue of ideas that don't really fit into any of the contests, sadly.

[sr71plt]

Reminds me. I have to go write that one up.

[HeyAll]

Best of luck to everyone. I'm working on two stories, both outdoors in the forest.

[glynndah]

So, do I have to actually mention Earth Day or is a story with a botanical bent to the sex enough?

[sr71plt]

Originally Posted by glynndah

So, do I have to actually mention Earth Day or is a story with a botanical bent to the sex enough?

Very little goes into policing what a contest story can/cannot be. I'm not sure that any of my entries over the years have specifically referenced Earth Day.

[PennLady]

Originally Posted by glynndah

So, do I have to actually mention Earth Day or is a story with a botanical bent to the sex enough?

Seems to me a lot of the stories do mention Earth Day, if only because it's an Earth Day contest. But there's no rule that says it must be mentioned. And some stories I've read mention it kind of in passing, don't really center the story around it.

[DG Hear]

I've done them on Trees, coal, farming, paper and even political speeches. The sky is pretty much the limit but it doesn't hurt to mention earth day. I'll submit something if I get an idea but I'm not eligible to win. Just like being part of the contest.
DG

[YDB95]

I've already got two stories in the works. One I will definitely finish on time, the other I'm not sure. Regrettably, I'm suffering a bit of writer's block at the moment because I'm bogged down in a frustrating job search - but the next time I get a solid nibble on my resume, I trust I'll feel I've earned a writing break and will get back on that horse. I'm really excited about the longer story, too, it's one of my more original ideas.

[TxRad]

I've got three in the works. One I'm pretty sure I can finish in time.

[hoo_hoo_boo]

Originally Posted by glynndah

So, do I have to actually mention Earth Day or is a story with a botanical bent to the sex enough?

As I see it I write what interests me. I don't like doing what's been done before. I like to think I've got something original. I don't worry about whether it will win or not, that's not the point. I find that generally, I get more comments if I write a story for a competition and it's more challenging. To bind a story to a theme is the challenge of the competition. It's also fascinating to read what others do and compare things like imagination and originality.

If you're desperate to win you can work on creating relationships so people will vote for you. It helps if you submit early. There are also categories that get more votes than others. It's fascinating how it works and isn't necessarily about how good the story is. The story also has to be prose so don't worry- a submission by Shakespeare won't be accepted. How does it feel to be better than him?

It's fascinating to read of the sweeps and realise how desperate people are to win - there seems to be a lot of cheating.

The one thing I hate about it is this thread because it will degenerate into nastiness and as a result I wonder why I've bothered.

[TxRad]

Originally Posted by hoo_hoo_boo

As I see it I write what interests me. I don't like doing what's been done before. I like to think I've got something original. I don't worry about whether it will win or not, that's not the point. I find that generally, I get more comments if I write a story for a competition and it's more challenging. To bind a story to a theme is the challenge of the competition. It's also fascinating to read what others do and compare things like imagination and originality.

If you're desperate to win you can work on creating relationships so people will vote for you. It helps if you submit early. There are also categories that get more votes than others. It's fascinating how it works and isn't necessarily about how good the story is. The story also has to be prose so don't worry- a submission by Shakespeare won't be accepted. How does it feel to be better than him?

It's fascinating to read of the sweeps and realise how desperate people are to win - there seems to be a lot of cheating.

The one thing I hate about it is this thread because it will degenerate into nastiness and as a result I wonder why I've bothered.

Actually, there is very little intentional cheating. A lot seems to be from over zealous fans for the most part. The charges of cheating comes from one source and that source has it's own agenda. he is the self-claimed number one writer on Lit who has never won a real contest. In his mind, if he doesn't win, it is everyone's fault but his.

What nastiness are you talking about? You must be reading different support threads than the rest of us.

[loquere]

Originally Posted by ScouriesWorld

CURRENT CONTESTS:

LITEROTICA

presents the

2013 Earth Day Contest

while the

ASSOCIATION of INDEPENDENT READERS (A.I.R.)

is presenting the second edition of it's

A.I.R. 2013 Sexy April Contest

We challenge all authors contemplating entering one of the contests to try and write a story that will fit the themes of the two contests. GOOD LUCK!

I love you!

[TxRad]

Originally Posted by loquere

I love you!

Please don't quote him. Most everyone has him on ignore for a reason.

[TxRad]

A bump for the real contest thread.

[Darkniciad]

I've been getting blasted for the last month with 50-60 hour weeks ( or worse ) so I'm pretty much in a constant vegetative state by the time I get out of there.

Unless I adjust or this spike eases back into the 40-50 range ( which is still far too much for my taste ) there isn't a chance in hell I'm getting anything written. Add the hour and twenty minutes drive time per day onto that and my child not wanting to go to sleep... It's all I can do to keep my eyes open most of the time.

[Tx Tall Tales]

Originally Posted by Darkniciad

I've been getting blasted for the last month with 50-60 hour weeks ( or worse ) so I'm pretty much in a constant vegetative state by the time I get out of there.

Unless I adjust or this spike eases back into the 40-50 range ( which is still far too much for my taste ) there isn't a chance in hell I'm getting anything written. Add the hour and twenty minutes drive time per day onto that and my child not wanting to go to sleep... It's all I can do to keep my eyes open most of the time.

Same boat here, brother. Luckily my commutes only 30 minutes each way. Getting almost no writing done, damn it. Hope it lets up soon. The readers are already giving me hell.

[carlieplum]

I had a plot bunny bounce by me but I'm damned if I know where to put it. Maybe some suggestions. It's told in a series of present time scenes and flashbacks.

Present time is with a woman and her current husband. (They are not the same ethnicity but I don't think it's enough to make it interracial).

Flashbacks are to her first husband who had this kink about knocking women up on Earth Day. He had this whole secret life of sperm donor but more like stud for hire (except he did it for free) with women he would meet on Craig's list. So most of the sex scenes are him and the various women he impregnated. (For some reason 46 is sticking in my head.)

Where would you put it? Erotic Couplings is the only one that make sense, I guess. Yes? No?

(I also have a conventional story idea about a couple moving off the grid but I need to work out something to make it interesting enough to write or read. At the moment, it is not. I've got good characters but no plot.)

[DG Hear]

Originally Posted by carlieplum

I had a plot bunny bounce by me but I'm damned if I know where to put it. Maybe some suggestions. It's told in a series of present time scenes and flashbacks.

Present time is with a woman and her current husband. (They are not the same ethnicity but I don't think it's enough to make it interracial).

Flashbacks are to her first husband who had this kink about knocking women up on Earth Day. He had this whole secret life of sperm donor but more like stud for hire (except he did it for free) with women he would meet on Craig's list. So most of the sex scenes are him and the various women he impregnated. (For some reason 46 is sticking in my head.)

Where would you put it? Erotic Couplings is the only one that make sense, I guess. Yes? No?

(I also have a conventional story idea about a couple moving off the grid but I need to work out something to make it interesting enough to write or read. At the moment, it is not. I've got good characters but no plot.)

By what you have listed I would probably go with Erotic Couples. It covers most of the bases that you mention.
Just an opinion
DG

[TxRad]

Originally Posted by DG Hear

By what you have listed I would probably go with Erotic Couples. It covers most of the bases that you mention.
Just an opinion
DG

And a good opinion at that.

[carlieplum]

If you have a character in jail for statutory rape with no description of the encounter except to say that is what he was arrested for, will that get a story bounced on the underage rule?

I need my philandering husband in jail. I have a backup idea if people think that will raise a red flag.

[sr71plt]

If there's no description of the act(s) and you don't write it up as glorifying the behavior I don't see where you would have a problem.


I just sent an Earth Day contest entry off for editing, so I should have at least one entered.

[lovecraft68]

Originally Posted by carlieplum

If you have a character in jail for statutory rape with no description of the encounter except to say that is what he was arrested for, will that get a story bounced on the underage rule?

I need my philandering husband in jail. I have a backup idea if people think that will raise a red flag.

Whatever you do, don't mention the age of the "victim" the reader knows what it means and it will fly. If you say "the girl was 16" even with no other detail you're going to get the boot.