The Official Author's Hangout 2015 April Fool's Day Contest Support Thread

[TxRad]

It's never too early for a bump.

 

[sexnovella]

How do I register for this contest?

How do I register for this contest?

 

[oggbashan]

I am having difficulty with plot bunnies for April Fool.

If it is to be an April Fool story, there will be an obvious twist at the end. Disguising from the reader that is awkward. They expect the story to be an April Fool. How can I make it a surprise when they know there will be a surprise?

 

[Hypoxia]

I am having difficulty with plot bunnies for April Fool.

If it is to be an April Fool story, there will be an obvious twist at the end. Disguising from the reader that is awkward. They expect the story to be an April Fool. How can I make it a surprise when they know there will be a surprise?

Make it a different surprise than what you've telegraphed. Hint and tease along the way, aiming at some obvious twist, then twist 180 degrees off. Suggest that they're incestuous -- but they're interracial! -- but it's incest anyway! Oy!

 

[sr71plt]

Make it a different surprise than what you've telegraphed. Hint and tease along the way, aiming at some obvious twist, then twist 180 degrees off. Suggest that they're incestuous -- but they're interracial! -- but it's incest anyway! Oy!

Yes, I'd reasoned that out, but I think Ogg has a point that having to telegraph stuff (often for readers who can't/won't take responsibility for themselves while reading on a Web site that they probably are too delicate to be reading on anyway) can easily prevent the posting of stories here that are bread and butter in the marketplace.

For my last-posted Lit. story, for instance, I had to put a note on it to explain to Laurel that the whole point of the story was that what might get it kicked out or put in the wrong category here wasn't happening. The whole story revolves on that, and in the mainstream I wouldn't have had to explain that to a submissions editor and I most certainly wouldn't want it put in a proslug for the squeamish (who shouldn't be reading erotica/porn anyway, I think) and ruin the whole hook of the story. (In the case of my story, what looks like incest and possible underage isn't--it's the whole linchpen of a scam. In the mainstream, structuring a story like this wouldn't cause an eye to be batted among the readership.)

 

[HeyAll]

I was apprehensive about this contest when we got to vote for it. But now I think it's great.

I'm working on 4. None of them have a major twist at the end, nor do the story's mention April Fools by name.

But there's a moment towards the middle of each story where a character thought one thing, then was surprised to learn something else.

How do I register for this contest?

Wait for the contest to start. The dates will be on the official link.

The official link will give you a key phrase, something like "April Fools Contest 2015" or something like that.

Paste that phrase into the area that says "Note" when you submit the story.

best of luck

 

[elfin_odalisque]

Got an idea but finding the time to write isn't easy.

BTW Shouldn't it be April Fools' Day?

 

[elfin_odalisque]

Yes, I'd reasoned that out, but I think Ogg has a point that having to telegraph stuff (often for readers who can't/won't take responsibility for themselves while reading on a Web site that they probably are too delicate to be reading on anyway) can easily prevent the posting of stories here that are bread and butter in the marketplace.

For my last-posted Lit. story, for instance, I had to put a note on it to explain to Laurel that the whole point of the story was that what might get it kicked out or put in the wrong category here wasn't happening. The whole story revolves on that, and in the mainstream I wouldn't have had to explain that to a submissions editor and I most certainly wouldn't want it put in a proslug for the squeamish (who shouldn't be reading erotica/porn anyway, I think) and ruin the whole hook of the story. (In the case of my story, what looks like incest and possible underage isn't--it's the whole linchpen of a scam. In the mainstream, structuring a story like this wouldn't cause an eye to be batted among the readership.)

Understand, but this is a pretty simplistic site where nuance and suggestion go over many heads. If you don't want it read by the squeamish, don't post it here. here.

 

[lovecraft68]

Yes, I'd reasoned that out, but I think Ogg has a point that having to telegraph stuff (often for readers who can't/won't take responsibility for themselves while reading on a Web site that they probably are too delicate to be reading on anyway) can easily prevent the posting of stories here that are bread and butter in the marketplace.

For my last-posted Lit. story, for instance, I had to put a note on it to explain to Laurel that the whole point of the story was that what might get it kicked out or put in the wrong category here wasn't happening. The whole story revolves on that, and in the mainstream I wouldn't have had to explain that to a submissions editor and I most certainly wouldn't want it put in a proslug for the squeamish (who shouldn't be reading erotica/porn anyway, I think) and ruin the whole hook of the story. (In the case of my story, what looks like incest and possible underage isn't--it's the whole linchpen of a scam. In the mainstream, structuring a story like this wouldn't cause an eye to be batted among the readership.)

In your example the squeamish is Laurel not the readership. She is the one that freaks out if someone 17 and 364 days old thinks about touching themselves.

Fact is unless you are going really young as in asstr.org styles of stories featuring anine year old being gangbanged the readership does not care.

There are countless under age stories floating on this site which tells us two things. First what we all know, that the screening process is a joke but two? The readers don't care or all these stories would be being reported.

Its the site that needs the 'proslug' of you saying "I know what this looks like, but" not the readers.

Same with 'real rape' and beastie and scat and any of the other faux rules here, its one person claiming they don't want it. The readers will shrug it off and either enjoy it or move to another story.

You might get a bomb for putting peanut butter in someone's chocolate, but beyond that the wringing of hands over these things is at the top.

 

[masterandmargarita]

If it is to be an April Fool story, there will be an obvious twist at the end. Disguising from the reader that is awkward. They expect the story to be an April Fool. How can I make it a surprise when they know there will be a surprise?

I'm struggling with this too. Do you think April Fool's stories will tend to be judged on the quality of the "twist" as opposed to the quality of the story itself?

I have a story on deck set in a tropical location, so it could easily take place on April Fools or during the Summer Lovin' months. For April, people will figure out the twist immediately, for Summer, maybe not. I'm leaning towards Summer.

 

[Hypoxia]

Do you think April Fool's stories will tend to be judged on the quality of the "twist" as opposed to the quality of the story itself?

If a reader finds a story on the respective Contest page, they *may* pay attention to the theme. If they find the story on a Newest page, they might not even know it's a contest entry. In any case, I think the story is read more for itself than for its adherence to the contest's theme. This can be tested, of course. Write a midwinter story and submit it to the Summer contest. See if readers notice.

 

[masterandmargarita]

If a reader finds a story on the respective Contest page, they *may* pay attention to the theme. If they find the story on a Newest page, they might not even know it's a contest entry. In any case, I think the story is read more for itself than for its adherence to the contest's theme. This can be tested, of course. Write a midwinter story and submit it to the Summer contest. See if readers notice.

Good point! I can't believe the stories that I see in the contests, not even trying to acknowledge the theme. I'll just yet leave out the: "The following story is an April Fool's contest entry..." that I'd usually use to introduce the story.

 

[TxRad]

Good point! I can't believe the stories that I see in the contests, not even trying to acknowledge the theme. I'll just yet leave out the: "The following story is an April Fool's contest entry..." that I'd usually use to introduce the story.

Why would you introduce the story, contest or otherwise?

 

[masterandmargarita]

Why would you introduce the story, contest or otherwise?

It seems to be a common practice for contest stories, maybe because people are worried they won't be posted otherwise? I'm with you though, not a fan of those forewords that everyone seems to use. It's awfully tempting to explain away your story before it gets started, which is why a lot of people do it I suppose.

 

[Hypoxia]

Why would you introduce the story, contest or otherwise?

Habit, I guess. All the old pulp SF stories I read decades ago had intros, so I write'em like that, too. Not all pieces need intros, especially essays, but I find them handy for fiction, even if only for an extra layer of snark. Some have said they like my intro to Big Banana.

 

[oggbashan]

If a reader finds a story on the respective Contest page, they *may* pay attention to the theme. If they find the story on a Newest page, they might not even know it's a contest entry. In any case, I think the story is read more for itself than for its adherence to the contest's theme. This can be tested, of course. Write a midwinter story and submit it to the Summer contest. See if readers notice.

Why not, if you are Australian?

Roast turkey and the trimmings on the beach at Christmas, shivering and skiing in July.

 

[TxRad]

It seems to be a common practice for contest stories, maybe because people are worried they won't be posted otherwise? I'm with you though, not a fan of those forewords that everyone seems to use. It's awfully tempting to explain away your story before it gets started, which is why a lot of people do it I suppose.

There is a line in the contest announcement that is copied into the notes when you submit the story. That is all that is needed to get it in the contest. But I do understand what you mean about the forward thing. I've used them once or twice, mostly to thank someone for editing or for an idea.

 

[sr71plt]

I see contest entries not only noting it's in the current contest but also begging for votes (which I find a bit pathetic).

 

[oggbashan]

I have two written, and one that might be an entry, although the characters are rebelling...

 

[Hypoxia]

This can be tested, of course. Write a midwinter story and submit it to the Summer contest. See if readers notice.

Why not, if you are Australian?

Because, last I looked, July in Oz is not Summer. A southern hemisphere XMas tale would perfectly fit the Summer Lovin' contest. Hmmm, maybe I'll work on an Autumn-in-Argentina April Fool's story. Or just ignore or finesse the themes and submit whatever, whenever.

 

[RejectReality]

Because, last I looked, July in Oz is not Summer. A southern hemisphere XMas tale would perfectly fit the Summer Lovin' contest. Hmmm, maybe I'll work on an Autumn-in-Argentina April Fool's story. Or just ignore or finesse the themes and submit whatever, whenever.

The reversed season thing has been done before by Australian authors. It inevitably leads to numbskull comments and low votes.

Of course, it also leads to people slapping said numbskulls with corrections to their dimwittery in the comment section.

 

[sr71plt]

An Australian-setting one that could be fun would be someone from upstate New York, all bundled up in snow gear, arriving in Sydney on April 1st and looking forward to a skiing holiday.

 

[Hypoxia]

An Australian-setting one that could be fun would be someone from upstate New York, all bundled up in snow gear, arriving in Sydney on April 1st and looking forward to a skiing holiday.

That would be a really stupid Syracusan or Albanian who didn't check the forecasts before buying tickets. And I can nominate some candidates from Rochester and Buffalo. Lots of dumb fucks around Rochester, I'll testify. (And the old Eastman Kodak would back me up. They only hired locals for apework.)

Hmmm, here's a seasonal twist. Rochester NY is the per-capita bowling capitol of North America. A champ in a winter bowling league goes to Oz for a world tournament, quite unprepared for Darwin in January. Cue the crocodiles.

Oh, we're still on April Fools? Umm, let's see, Easter is, 5 April 2015. 1 April is Holy Wednesday, midweek in the humongous Semana Santa celebration in Antigua, Guatemala, the world's grandest Holy Week fest except Seville, Spain. Our naïve Syracusan expects early springtime in mile-high La Antigua, not the extended dry season with its heat and smoke; they're overdressed, sweating, choking, cursing. S/he doesn't heed warnings that anything in external pockets will be stolen, and is picked clean. (Holy Week in La Antigua is a pickpockets' convention.) The AF joke comes when they try to pay for sex. Something like that.

 

[TxRad]

Still no ideas.

 

[SandraMustard]

Still no ideas.

The idea hit me when they announced the new theme for this contest. I've been preparing ever since, pulling all-nighters several times a week but I believe I am ready. I have 33 different stories ready for submission, one in each category. I researched the all-time highest rated story in each for inspiration and copied, er wrote mine with just enough difference to declare mine as an original. I'm guaranteed to win.

April Fools, everybody!