The Official Authors' Hangout Halloween 2018 Support Thread

[RejectReality]

This.

You also can't discount the contest stories always being at the very top of the consolidated new stories list. It may not be the go-to place for new stories that it was before the hubs, but it still gets traffic, and there's little doubt that being at the very top of that list has a positive effect on attracting the eyeballs of those who visit it.

The hubs have probably reduced the amount of traffic that being in a contest garners, but it's still there. Back when the main new story list was the only new story list, the effect of that top billing was profound.

It's a hard thing to actually test. There are so many variables that contest/not contest could easily be lost in the wash.

I'll go with the concept. If I post a story to I/T it will be up on the hub for a day, or two days if I'm lucky. That is true regardless of whether or not the story is in a contest. But if it's in a contest then it's up on the contest page for weeks. If it places then it draws attention forever.

Even if you can't prove that a contest entry gets more views., why would you walk away from the opportunity?

 

[ElectricBlue]

Even if you can't prove that a contest entry gets more views., why would you walk away from the opportunity?

The main reason for me not bothering with contests, to be honest, was because when I first joined Lit back in 2014, it was right at the end of The Writers Cabin Wars, and the insane, toxic atmosphere every contest generated - this was before the AHMod was appointed and folk settled down. I couldn't believe the unbelievably vile and juvenile behaviour from several of the more vocal clique leaders.

So my first and only contest entry (I might have been in one other, I can't remember) was a piss-take on contests - which in the event scored quite well and was actually read in the spirit it was intended.

That's when I found out about one-bombs and the whole sweeps palaver, too. At one stage the story's vote count was winding back faster than Christine's speedo in that Stephen King novel (John Carpenter movie), and the scores were up and down every five minutes.

That, plus the fact that I don't give a rat's about Halloween, Thanksgiving, and the Winter and Summer comps are in the wrong seasons for me, so none of contest themes appealed. Also, I'm rubbish at writing to a deadline.

 

[ChloeTzang]

The main reason for me not bothering with contests, to be honest, was because when I first joined Lit back in 2014, it was right at the end of The Writers Cabin Wars, and the insane, toxic atmosphere every contest generated - this was before the AHMod was appointed and folk settled down. I couldn't believe the unbelievably vile and juvenile behaviour from several of the more vocal clique leaders.

So my first and only contest entry (I might have been in one other, I can't remember) was a piss-take on contests - which in the event scored quite well and was actually read in the spirit it was intended.

That's when I found out about one-bombs and the whole sweeps palaver, too. At one stage the story's vote count was winding back faster than Christine's speedo in that Stephen King novel (John Carpenter movie), and the scores were up and down every five minutes.

That, plus the fact that I don't give a rat's about Halloween, Thanksgiving, and the Winter and Summer comps are in the wrong seasons for me, so none of contest themes appealed. Also, I'm rubbish at writing to a deadline.

Wow. And I thought I had a learning curve.

Seasons? Hey, Santa wearing thongs on the beach. Surfs in towed by dolphins.... n meets some sexy Aussie mermaid who dropped by for Schoolies..

 

[SimonDoom]

. Also, I'm rubbish at writing to a deadline.

This is my problem. I've missed more contest deadlines than I've made. My writing speed is extremely variable, and it's unpredictable. Getting caught up in contests ends up distracting me from projects I enjoy more. That said, I've got a story for Valentine's Day that I'm eager to write and I'm going to get started on it as soon as I finish my current one so I get it done with plenty of time to spare.

 

[KeithD]

I have a couple ready for Valentine's day already, including one written with my coauthor (we won this year, and it got my coauthor a couple of TV sets for his vacation rentals in Spain). Anyone who doesn't think there's an advantage to entering the contests is free not to do so. As noted, it puts your story on an extra current list for several weeks.