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

[NaughteeDragon]

If the death/violence isn't sexualised - if you don't write it to arouse the reader - it seems to be OK. I have a story where the POV character stabs a man as he's masturbating over her. I have space vampires suck the souls out of people during sex - and another character then have sex with the soulless bodies while the vampire seduces another character.

The Devil's Mistresses does a great job of this. One of the few stories I've ever read where succubi are actually scary, and they are fucking terrifying. They are doing this whole mother daughter thing as they suck the guy's soul out through his dick. It is twisted. One of the only erotic horror stories I've ever liked. That story creeps me out just thinking about it.

 

[NaughteeDragon]

My Halloween story is in beta right now. It's my first BDSM story. I've got a friend that his into the scene and his girlfriend is going to look it over for me after Rosh Hashanah. I'm hoping it does well but it is a little long clocking in at 26k words.

 

[EmilyMiller]

EM is asking for spooky.

FWIW I don’t think my entry is very spooky. As I say above, more Scary Movie than The Shining. It does have the two protagonists “creating” a very famous late 1990s pop song when they go back in time to 1995. It also pays homage to a 1990s supernatural teen TV show, and a seminal (not semenal) late 1980s movie. But it does have a panoply of supernatural creatures, including the two protagonists.

 

[DEFCOM5]

They only publish the top three, so you will tie with me for fourth place. No humiliation involved.


Just write the story you want, it will be fine.
People will read it, some people will vote for it, and some people will comment on it. Some of those comments will even be supportive and helpful. The ones that aren’t can be ignored.

Glad to know that my ranking won't be public.

I doubt few will vote or even comments based on my very limited experience.

I have done R/NC (sorry EM) mainly for building viewership as my entries in Erotic Couplings has very little traction.

I wanted to try a different genre and the Halloween is a good reason to branch out.

Now I think that the the worse that can happen is the story is so bad that I burn the manuscript i.e. delete the word file.

 

[DEFCOM5]

Don't overthink it, and don't stress yourself. We're all here to have fun. Draw up something that YOU are happy with. EM is asking for spooky. Who's to say what spooky is? Supernatural/magical sounds like a good story. The only thing you have to worry about is getting the Notes to Admin right. That's the only thing that gets you into the contest.

I thought that the notes had to include HALLOWEEN 2025 and also a tag saying HALLOWEEN 2025

Is there more to it?

By the way, thank to everyone who has been answering my questions. I appreciate the support as I felt lonely as a lit writer.

 

[MelissaBaby]

FWIW I don’t think my entry is very spooky. As I say above, more Scary Movie than The Shining. It does have the two protagonists “creating” a very famous late 1990s pop song when they go back in time to 1995. It also pays homage to a 1990s supernatural teen TV show, and a seminal (not semenal) late 1980s movie. But it does have a panoply of supernatural creatures, including the two protagonists.

I wrote a really horrific story and gave it a fun, cutesy title.

 

[M_K_Babalon]

Got an idea involving a local haunted hotel. Also trying to think of something using a zombie.

I'm hoping to enter this contest. My current idea is a haunted hotel that fits into my fictional universe. I've never done a supernatural angle, so I'm nervous about it. We'll see if I manage to finish.

Hmmm...?

 

[M_K_Babalon]

I thought that the notes had to include HALLOWEEN 2025 and also a tag saying HALLOWEEN 2025

Is there more to it?

By the way, thank to everyone who has been answering my questions. I appreciate the support as I felt lonely as a lit writer.

Yep, that's pretty much it.

 

[Jorunn]

It’s October! Exorcists are being dispatched to timid writers in order to expunge those erotic and spooky plot bunnies and turn them into stories.

 

[StrangeLife]

I posted this on another thread. It’s relevant to the comp:

—

Can I just say that it appears that the majority of stories are going through OK. But it does seem that a significant minority are getting stuck. And that those getting stuck includes established authors (like me in my own small way).

I don't normally pay too much attention to my submissions after I shoot them off, but I've been following this subject with some trepidation since seasonal challenges are kinda time critical. I doubt that a story featuring vampires, witches and ghosts would do well in the Christmas challenge.

After a few submissions that went reasonably well, this is how I would sum up a viable publishing strategy.

Short story: Give it 48 hours.
Longer story: Give it 72 hours.
Pending for more than a week: Resubmit.
Still no result: Contact admin.

If everything fails: Quit writing and take up glue sniffing...

 

[EmilyMiller]

First Halloween stories cumming tomorrow!

 

[mrs_mackenzie]

Just submitted mine (should have done it yesterday). Quite pleased with it, although it's very simple and fun. No demonic hellspawn in sight.

 

[Jorunn]

Just submitted mine (should have done it yesterday). Quite pleased with it, although it's very simple and fun. No demonic hellspawn in sight.

You are a fine writer. Let us know when it comes out. Mine is pending since 29 September. Tracking these might give other writers an idea when to expect their own stories to appear.

 

[PennyThompson]

I had high hopes for a story for this one, but so far it has not crystalized like I wanted it to... After chatting with a couple of people I've decided not to force it unwillingly into theme.

I might still think about a shorter, lighter piece before the end of the month, if I can gather together enough motivation

 

[EmilyMiller]

In a little more than eight hours, the first Halloween 2025 stories will be published. I wonder what the eventual story count will be?

 

[EmilyMiller]

I wonder what the eventual story count will be?

Has to be done…

 

[NuclearFairy]

My story now has a date for tomorrow.

 

[Voboy]

In a little more than eight hours, the first Halloween 2025 stories will be published. I wonder what the eventual story count will be?

666, obviously.

 

[EmilyMiller]

My story now has a date for tomorrow.

Cool

 

[Jorunn]

My story now has a date for tomorrow.

I submitted on the evening on 29 September. At 10 AM (Eastern time US) today, the timestamp changed to “1 hour ago”. I did nothing to my story. It seems to have jumped queues, or become lost in the maze. Now I sit in Pending with “8 hours ago”. Not encouraging.

 

[iwatchus]

I submitted on the evening on 29 September. At 10 AM (Eastern time US) today, the timestamp changed to “1 hour ago”. I did nothing to my story. It seems to have jumped queues, or become lost in the maze. Now I sit in Pending with “8 hours ago”. Not encouraging.

The historic belief was that date change was when it emerged from the automated checks. Not necessarily bad news.

 

[EmilyMiller]

I submitted on the evening on 29 September. At 10 AM (Eastern time US) today, the timestamp changed to “1 hour ago”. I did nothing to my story. It seems to have jumped queues, or become lost in the maze. Now I sit in Pending with “8 hours ago”. Not encouraging.

Something really weird is happening.

 

[Voyeurkenneth]

In a little more than eight hours, the first Halloween 2025 stories will be published. I wonder what the eventual story count will be?

If we're playing Price is Right, I'm gonna guess 177.

 

[DEFCOM5]

In a little more than eight hours, the first Halloween 2025 stories will be published. I wonder what the eventual story count will be?

I will vote 155 entries!

 

[talemestories]

Glad to know that my ranking won't be public.

I doubt few will vote or even comments based on my very limited experience.

I have done R/NC (sorry EM) mainly for building viewership as my entries in Erotic Couplings has very little traction.

I wanted to try a different genre and the Halloween is a good reason to branch out.

Now I think that the the worse that can happen is the story is so bad that I burn the manuscript i.e. delete the word file.

Just have fun with the writing piece.

Halloween is always a fun way to share tales no matter who has their tail being lifted.