The now fully official Author’s Hangout Halloween 2025 competition support thread

[BryanRichardson]

I hope to be able to submit one of my stories to publish on the 2nd.

 

[TheDok]

Just a heads up. I submitted my offering three days ago and it has been accepted for publication on the 2nd October It’s Romance entitled ‘The Barmbrack’ with just a hint of the supernatural

 

[EmilyMiller]

Hmm - need to rattle the cage with Laurel as mine is still pending

 

[TheDok]

Hmm - need to rattle the cage with Laurel as mine is still pending

She can’t have that many submissions so maybe yours will be accepted next good luck

 

[EmilyMiller]

She can’t have that many submissions so maybe yours will be accepted next good luck

I PMed her. It’s a lottery whether I hear back.

 

[MillieDynamite]

Speaking of November, which no one was, NaNoWriMo is no more.

 

[TheLobster]

Speaking of November, which no one was, NaNoWriMo is no more.

Every month is a writing month now.

 

[MillieDynamite]

AutoCrit has sponsored a new 90-day competition.

Novel-90

 

[iwatchus]

AutoCrit has sponsored a new 90-day competition.

Novel-90

Is this legit? Doing a quick read of the page, I don't see what's in it for them. I'm really tempted, giving I'm trying to write 3 novels by first quarter next year, I should be able to make one of them fit the schedule. I have other reservations, but I am interested in anyone's experience with Autocrit and what to expect out of this.

 

[dream_yahoozie]

I have a story concept. Similar to Beetlejuice but with sex. I want to do shifting perspective/focus.

How would you do that between the two main characters?

 

[EmilyMiller]

How would you do that between the two main characters?

Like this?

Unconventional

 

[dream_yahoozie]

Like this?

Unconventional

That works. Thanks.

 

[ShelbyDawn57]

I have a story concept. Similar to Beetlejuice but with sex. I want to do shifting perspective/focus.

How would you do that between the two main characters?

I did it with box stories in Boat Talk; MC is the primary narrator. He and secondary character tell each other their stories. It's all first person and was kind of neat to write.

 

[NuclearFairy]

So, if the story isn't explicitly set at Halloween, would it having a supernatural being that could be mistaken for a demon as the love interest be enough to qualify?

 

[EmilyMiller]

So, if the story isn't explicitly set at Halloween, would it having a supernatural being that could be mistaken for a demon as the love interest be enough to qualify?

Sure. My story isn’t set at Halloween. The time of year isn’t specified. But there are lots of spooky critters. A supernatural story would be fine

 

[Voboy]

Submitted.

It did some weird thing whilst downloading, so who knows what will come out...

 

[EmilyMiller]

Submitted.

It did some weird thing whilst downloading, so who knows what will come out...

It is Halloween after all

 

[dream_yahoozie]

It is Halloween after all

Spoky scary storytime

 

[MillieDynamite]

It is legitimate, but you may not realize (or perhaps you do) that NaNoWriMo was originally designed to raise money for libraries. I'm sure this one is the same. My publisher and my Pops both competed every year, contributed money, and took the prizes for completing them, but not always all of them. The goal isn't to win anything, but to get your first draft of the story done.

Is this legit? Doing a quick read of the page, I don't see what's in it for them. I'm really tempted, giving I'm trying to write 3 novels by first quarter next year, I should be able to make one of them fit the schedule. I have other reservations, but I am interested in anyone's experience with Autocrit and what to expect out of this.

 

[iwatchus]

It is legitimate, but you may not realize (or perhaps you do) that NaNoWriMo was originally designed to raise money for libraries. I'm sure this one is the same. My publisher and my Pops both competed every year, contributed money, and took the prizes for completing them, but not always all of them. The goal isn't to win anything, but to get your first draft of the story done.

I had heard of NaNoWriMo but I knew nothing about it. Thanks for the info. I generally don't need an external forcing function for my writing, I do more than enough of that to myself. But I can use all the advice I can get.

 

[MillieDynamite]

It helps you stay disciplined, at least for that month. My editor always gets at least 50,000 words. The story I'm editing for him was written during NaNoWriMo in 2014; it was over 80,000 words at that time. He rewrote and shunk it down to 78,000 or so. He went through it again a month ago, and it is still just over 80,000. It hasn't lost many words so far, as I edited it. Now, I'm doing the creative edit and may grow or shrink. However, it really didn't need much editing, and I'm worried about giving creative advice to the guy who handles line and creative edits for me.

I had heard of NaNoWriMo but I knew nothing about it. Thanks for the info. I generally don't need an external forcing function for my writing, I do more than enough of that to myself. But I can use all the advice I can get.

 

[Trionyx]

Mine was ready to go. Read, reread, edited, re-edited, read aloud, signed, sealed and when I went to deliver, I read it again. Now it has been re-re-edited. I don't know why I do this to a story that will never be a contender, but I do all too often.

 

[EmilyMiller]

Mine was ready to go. Read, reread, edited, re-edited, read aloud, signed, sealed and when I went to deliver, I read it again. Now it has been re-re-edited. I don't know why I do this to a story that will never be a contender, but I do all too often.

Caring about what we write is not a mental illness (that’s what it says here anyway).

 

[bosombuddies]

I have a story concept. Similar to Beetlejuice but with sex. I want to do shifting perspective/focus.

How would you do that between the two main characters?

I tried the shifting perspectives with The Double Date That Didn't End, and the big lessons I took away were:
1. Be mindful of how switching perspectives can disrupt the buildup of tension, especially mid-sex scene
2. It can be tough to maintain tension, uncertainty, and the characters' insecurities when the reader is privy to everyone's internal monologue

 

[UntoldDepths]

I’ve only submitted 3 stories to the site so far. However, I do have an idea for a Halloween one, and some time on my hands. I’ll give it a shot.