The Official Authors' Hangout Summer Lovin' 2025 Contest Support Thread

[getnakedgoswimming]

I just noticed that the list of participating stories seems to be randomized every time you load the page. I appreciate that detail!

 

[PapaRomantic]

I just noticed that the list of participating stories seems to be randomized every time you load the page. I appreciate that detail!

I like this feature also - it's really the only proper way to present a contest list.

But it makes it difficult for me to remember which stories I've already read, and apparently I'm too lazy to jot down my previously read titles somewhere to help.

 

[Five_Inch_Heels]

Links should change color ... dim a bit.

 

[8letters]

Crashin' and burnin', but so is 8letters.

My story is 15 pages. It's very typical for my long stories to start low as the early votes are probably from people who bailed on the story. But its rating when I first checked on it was 3.75, which is the lowest I can remember any of my stories ever being rated. Will see.

 

[Soixenta]

I've submitted mine! "Lightskirt", 6.8k words. One expert on sin encounters another. A threesome in the park.

Approved to go live tomorrow!

 

[LightningSeed]

My story is 15 pages. It's very typical for my long stories to start low as the early votes are probably from people who bailed on the story. But its rating when I first checked on it was 3.75, which is the lowest I can remember any of my stories ever being rated. Will see.

In LW, 3.75 is like winning a Pulitzer.

 

[Five_Inch_Heels]

Two clunkers in a row may be a signal.

 

[RoyalAuthor]

It’s always so fun to post in Loving Wives on contest day and wake up to sub-2 scores.
The scores always come up but I’m fascinated by the LW crowd that can’t wait to give 1’s to all the stories posted before they even possibly have time to read them.

Even so, it comes with the LW territory. Happy Contest Day all!

I'm never touching that category with a ten-foot pole. It would make my constant refreshing of my works page after publishing a new story depressing for a whole other reason lol.

 

[LightningSeed]

It’s not so bad. I love the passion of the readers. It’s an emotionally invested group.

 

[Actingup]

I'm never touching that category with a ten-foot pole. It would make my constant refreshing of my works page after publishing a new story depressing for a whole other reason lol.

There are lots of other threads about this. I don’t want to derail this thread with yet another LW discussion, but I’d encourage you to look past the LW scoring to the enormous engagement (and frequently helpful critical analysis) from readers in LW. If you score a red ‘H’ in LW, you know you’ve kicked a big goal. But even if you don’t, you’ll find plenty of people who really appreciate decent writing and will be fair in their commentary. If you respect the audience, they will reward you.

 

[dirk2024]

The Love Yacht
A man is set up for a prank, but who will be the victor?
today in Romance Stories

PUBLISHED Hot 4.61 / 265 12 4.2k 6

It's a short story, only 3 Lit pages and my first entry into Romance. My first challenge as well.

 

[nicksouth]

Man, I have a draft but I have 28,000 words of a 12,000 word story to edit!

 

[TheLobster]

Man, I have a draft but I have 28,000 words of a 12,000 word story to edit!

Sounds like your 12k word story might soon be hitting 30k then

 

[nicksouth]

Sounds like your 12k word story might soon be hitting 30k then

Exactly! For some definition of "Soon"

 

[NikkijMaadison]

I'm a newcomer to contests. I have entered a challenge before.

I'm trying to understand the voting/rating. I submitted two stories. One in the taboo/incest category (Once You Get a Taste of Her!) and one (Beach Day for Drew, Chloe, and Katy) in the transgender category. Most of my submissions are in the transgender category. I know the former is a tough category to please the readers, and I have minimal experience writing in this category. I'm not sure what to expect.

Are the ratings genuine? Do I need to check my ego at the door?

I'm doing better in the transgender category.

I know I have a lot to learn as a writer, and I assume I have a lot to learn about ratings. Do they get better over time?


Nikki

 

[nicksouth]

I'm never touching that category with a ten-foot pole. It would make my constant refreshing of my works page after publishing a new story depressing for a whole other reason lol.

Yeah LW is my worst rating by far. Done with the judgement over there around certain things.

 

[dirk2024]

I'm a newcomer to contests. I have entered a challenge before.

I'm trying to understand the voting/rating. I submitted two stories. One in the taboo/incest category (Once You Get a Taste of Her!) and one (Beach Day for Drew, Chloe, and Katy) in the transgender category. Most of my submissions are in the transgender category. I know the former is a tough category to please the readers, and I have minimal experience writing in this category. I'm not sure what to expect.

Are the ratings genuine? Do I need to check my ego at the door?

I'm doing better in the transgender category.

I know I have a lot to learn as a writer, and I assume I have a lot to learn about ratings. Do they get better over time?


Nikki

There are people here that are good at tracking the various statistics about stories, viewership and ratings. But one thing that pops out to me is these are stories #6 and #7 in a series. So any new (to you) readers who come in as a result of a challenge would feel compelled to read stories #1 - 5 first, which they might want to do. (some people have posted here that story stats drop off as more stories are added on to the series.)

Challenge stories are probably best left to stand-alone stories. imho

 

[NikkijMaadison]

There are people here that are good at tracking the various statistics about stories, viewership and ratings. But one thing that pops out to me is these are stories #6 and #7 in a series. So any new (to you) readers who come in as a result of a challenge would feel compelled to read stories #1 - 5 first, which they might want to do. (some people have posted here that story stats drop off as more stories are added on to the series.)

Challenge stories are probably best left to stand-alone stories. imho

thank you for your feedback

 

[NotWise]

thank you for your feedback

Both stories are pretty short by Lit standards.

Also, unless the rules have changed, chapters in longer stories aren't eligible to win a special contest. The don't have chapter numbers in the title, and that might be the only reason Laurel let them into the contest.

 

[Voboy]

Also, unless the rules have changed, chapters in longer stories aren't eligible to win a special contest. The don't have chapter numbers in the title, and that might be the only reason Laurel let them into the contest.

If they are not standalones, they should not have been approved as part of the contest... They're not "eligible to win" because they are not eligible for entry.

 

[PapaRomantic]

I'm a newcomer to contests. I have entered a challenge before.

I'm trying to understand the voting/rating. I submitted two stories. One in the taboo/incest category (Once You Get a Taste of Her!) and one (Beach Day for Drew, Chloe, and Katy) in the transgender category. Most of my submissions are in the transgender category. I know the former is a tough category to please the readers, and I have minimal experience writing in this category. I'm not sure what to expect.

Are the ratings genuine? Do I need to check my ego at the door?

I'm doing better in the transgender category.

I know I have a lot to learn as a writer, and I assume I have a lot to learn about ratings. Do they get better over time?


Nikki

I read your story in T/I. My thought is that the incest readers can be fairly hard on a writer when there's more than incest involved. I don't know if that's the case with your story, but Aunt Nikki isn't what many of them come to that category for. Even if you hit all their correct buttons, there will still be some who will be upset if there's no pregnancy involved, or if the incestual couple brings another one into their relationship, or other very specific items they want to see.

They like what they like, and they will tell you if you don't make that happen for them.

 

[Soixenta]

I've submitted mine! "Lightskirt", 6.1k words. One expert on sin encounters another. A threesome in the park.

Lightskirt (6.1k words, Erotic Couplings, no specific kinks besides a little light spanking) is live!

 

[TheLobster]

Looks like @Actingup was right and I needn't have worried about getting the requisite number of votes in First Time. Not that I'm gonna be anywhere in the running, of course, but it doesn't look half-bad so far:

 

[Actingup]

Looks like @Actingup was right and I needn't have worried about getting the requisite number of votes in First Time. Not that I'm gonna be anywhere in the running, of course, but it doesn't look half-bad so far:

View attachment 2558403

Don't write yourself off! After 41 votes, 4.73 is very respectable as that will have included a couple of negative voters.

 

[NikkijMaadison]

I read your story in T/I. My thought is that the incest readers can be fairly hard on a writer when there's more than incest involved. I don't know if that's the case with your story, but Aunt Nikki isn't what many of them come to that category for. Even if you hit all their correct buttons, there will still be some who will be upset if there's no pregnancy involved, or if the incestual couple brings another one into their relationship, or other very specific items they want to see.

They like what they like, and they will tell you if you don't make that happen for them.

Thank you for your feedback.