The Official Author's Hangout 2016 April Fool's Day Contest Support Thread

[AMoveableBeast]

In my experience, readers are pretty understanding as far as theme for the contest is concerned. Some contests are more inclusive than others, certainly, but most are pretty soft. V-Day, for instance, can be almost anything, so long as there is a hint of romance. Halloween only need be creepy or the tiniest bit scary. Nude Day will fly with almost amount of nudeness or exposure, really. Summer and winter require only some degree of seasonal importance, it seems. Earth Day was likely the most demanding, and it is gone now.

Many authors cripple themselves with restraints on what a contest entry must be. I just have never seen letter-of-the-law compliance reflected in scores, or rewarded in any way.

This is a creative website that supports out-of-the-box-thinking. And even if you only paid lip service, I think the quality and/or popularity of the story trumps adherence to the theme every time.

 

[oggbashan]

I've just finished my first April Fool story. I started the first draft last July.

It was meant to be the second one, but the first story is getting longer and longer...

 

[Darkniciad]

And even if you only paid lip service, I think the quality and/or popularity of the story trumps adherence to the theme every time.

Maybe as far as the final results go.

Entering in a themed contest and only paying lip-service to the theme just doesn't work for me. The few winners I've ever disagreed with either barely hinted at the theme or didn't come within a million miles of it.

That's why I don't bother with this one. The theme has zero appeal to me.

 

[PennLady]

Ha. Posted in the wrong thread. At any rate, I hope everyone's stories are coming along, and wish I had an idea for one.

 

[Ewobbit]

Ha. Posted in the wrong thread. At any rate, I hope everyone's stories are coming along, and wish I had an idea for one.

Didja hear the one where the well known author pranked her cohort by making them buy that it was an earlier contest still?

 

[AMoveableBeast]

Maybe as far as the final results go.

Entering in a themed contest and only paying lip-service to the theme just doesn't work for me. The few winners I've ever disagreed with either barely hinted at the theme or didn't come within a million miles of it.

That's why I don't bother with this one. The theme has zero appeal to me.

I tend to look most favorably on stories that explore the theme in some innovative or creative way. Those are the ultimate experience. But in the absence of a truly original work, I'll take a well done story that trots at the edges of the theme rather than one that rehashes the usual suspect in a less than stellar fashion.

In my opinion, a bad story covered in Christmas and wrapped in yule and familiar yolk does not trump a fantastic one that merely takes place in the snow.

 

[oggbashan]

I tend to look most favorably on stories that explore the theme in some innovative or creative way. Those are the ultimate experience. But in the absence of a truly original work, I'll take a well done story that trots at the edges of the theme rather than one that rehashes the usual suspect in a less than stellar fashion.

In my opinion, a bad story covered in Christmas and wrapped in yule and familiar yolk does not trump a fantastic one that merely takes place in the snow.

It is very easy, at least for me, to take any part written story and tweak it to fit a particular contest's theme but that doesn't usually produce a story I like.

I prefer to consider the theme when starting a story. My last year's entry Lecturer was to be an April Fool's story from the first word. The story I've just completed was already about deception and trickery and a story I had thought about doing for last year's April Fool. It was an idea and a plot in March 2015, but nothing on the wordprocessor until July.

I prefer to write for the themes of Halloween and Winter Holidays (which I interpret as Christmas) because I get better ideas for them. April Fool? That always strikes me as childish and something people should grow out of before they become teenagers...

 

[AMoveableBeast]

It is very easy, at least for me, to take any part written story and tweak it to fit a particular contest's theme but that doesn't usually produce a story I like.

I prefer to consider the theme when starting a story. My last year's entry Lecturer was to be an April Fool's story from the first word. The story I've just completed was already about deception and trickery and a story I had thought about doing for last year's April Fool. It was an idea and a plot in March 2015, but nothing on the wordprocessor until July.

I prefer to write for the themes of Halloween and Winter Holidays (which I interpret as Christmas) because I get better ideas for them. April Fool? That always strikes me as childish and something people should grow out of before they become teenagers...

I am much the opposite, ogg, concerning Christmas and April Fool's.

I can't think of a Christmas story for the life of me that isn't some tired, too specific, Holiday Hack-job. I suppose that the contest just hits the bottom of my cliche well, drudges up the same mud and bad tropes every time. As if Christmas is Santa and fruit cake and nothing else.

By contrast, I could write a dozen Fool's stories a year. To me, this contest is about deception, misunderstanding, the unexpected. It puts me in mind of things like Momento or some of Shakespeare's more "accidental" narratives. I rarely think of it in terms of pranks or anything relating specifically to the day.

I'm sure, if we look deeply at it, that it's our own limitations that we bring to the contests that hold us back.

I will come knocking at your door when it turns cold again, wasaling for plot points.

 

[Kethandra]

I've been struggling with the Fool's contest this year, as, like others, I enjoy the challenge of being 'on theme,' whether or not the votes actually reward it.

This morning I found an idea I started over a year ago to run with. "The Heroes Bar: Oedipus' Tale" is all about surprise, misunderstanding, and the results of an unexpected coincidence. The twist in this one is that everyone knows the misunderstanding ahead of time, except the characters in the story. I think I'll have to end it before Theseus complicates things.

I've meant to get back to The Heroes Bar for some time, so many ribald tales to be told there, so I'm glad to have this one back on track. After this, Perseus keeps whispering something about a Gorgon, three Fates and one eyeball...

 

[oggbashan]

I am much the opposite, ogg, concerning Christmas and April Fool's.

... As if Christmas is Santa and fruit cake and nothing else.

...

I'm sure, if we look deeply at it, that it's our own limitations that we bring to the contests that hold us back.

I will come knocking at your door when it turns cold again, wassailing for plot points.

Our limitations? I'm sure you're right.

April Fool? I tried last year to stick rigidly to the 1st April idea and found it difficult to produce decent plot lines because I think of April Fool's pranks as juvenile and pointless. That's why last year's entry was set on a University campus because students haven't outgrown silliness. My completed story for 2016 has NO reference to 1st April and is all about deception, as will probably be my other(s).

Christmas? To me it is about the Christian ideal of Peace on Earth, love for your fellow man (and woman), and NOT about the commercialised shopping Christmas. Perhaps that's why some of my Christmas stories have done so well.

Halloween? I can let my wild imagination loose with ghosts, genies, valkyries etc.

I was running out of ideas for Earth Day. I still have a part-completed long story that could be recycled (pun on the plot line) for a Christmas entry without being distorted too much. It's about redemption of a person, renovating her damaged personality back into society, but there are enough twists in the plot to make it suitable for April Fool's as well.

I think one of my limitations is that I try too hard to fit the main theme of each contest. I might write better if I was less prescriptive.

 

[oggbashan]

I've had an evil idea for a Loving Wives story for the April Fool's contest.

Whether I can make the idea into a whole story? Time will tell.

Edited: That story has already got to 1,100 words this evening but that's my lot for today.

 

[_Lynn_]

I have an idea for this one that I'm still working out in my head. The theme doesn't generally interest me, though, so who knows what will happen.

 

[oggbashan]

My first complete story is waiting for me to do a re-read and edit. I have to change the hero's name. I've used that name too often, and it doesn't fit his character.

My second (actually third one started) is getting close to a finished first draft. I have only to type the resolution which I knew before I started writing.

Despite not being wholly inspired by April Fool, it looks as if I might have three entries finished before the end of February.

 

[loquere]

Tell me, is this a Fake Contest? Because I Dont Want To Waste My Time.

 

[Ewobbit]

Tell me, is this a Fake Contest? Because I Dont Want To Waste My Time.

Oh, damn! That would be hilarious.

Message from Laurel; "To all of our April Fool's contest winners, PSYCH!"

(Edit; in all seriousness, it's real. It took the place of "Earth Day", usually known as "ED", because there just wasn't as much interest or even international knowledge of "that tree hugger hippie shit".)

 

[oggbashan]

I still don't believe it. It's two weeks until the contest starts on 1 March.

I already have two finished drafts for this contest.

5,300 words, and

7,700 words

My third draft, originally my second, is at 4,000 words.

The two completed ones need careful re-reading in a week or so.

The third probably needs another 2,000 words.

 

[NaokoSmith]

I'm a bit with Darkniciad on this one, April Fool's doesn't usually appeal to me and I do miss Earth Day; I thought that was a nice contest. Like AMB says, the theme/brief was clear compared to other contests.

Then I remembered that I have a story which is, or could be, about deception and fooling people. Like Ogg's, and probably lots of others, it is (or could be) a Loving Wife ...

LOL, I'm thinking there are a lot of 'could be's there; I haven't got a word on the page and I am up to my neck in teaching with half term starting this week and a visitor coming on Tuesday. Ideal conditions for writing!

 

[HeyAll]

Can anyone recommend me a good editor?

 

[oggbashan]

And we're off and running...

Laurel's official announcement has been posted.

http://forum.literotica.com/showthread.php?t=1284324

I have two completed stories so far, although one might be submitted as jeanne_d_artois. Jeanne's been lazy over the last few months.

 

[TxRad]

I have one finished except for doing the cleanup after the edit. Red ink as far as the eye can see. It is always so messy when literate and illiterate people collide but it is so satisfying. (Free plot bunny to anyone brave enough to touch it.)

 

[lovecraft68]

I have the one, a second one is possible if I can finish the long project I'm working on now in time to get it done before the contest deadline.

 

[oggbashan]

I have the one, a second one is possible if I can finish the long project I'm working on now in time to get it done before the contest deadline.

Life gets in the way of writing; or writing gets in the way of writing for contests.

I've been trying to write a sequel to an earlier story while that story was waiting for an edit to be posted. The edit was to allow the sequel to be feasible. Although posting that edit took time, I took even longer with the draft sequel than I had expected because of offline life matters. Now I need to finish that sequel before I can get back to the possible third contest entry.

 

[Kethandra]

Oh, damn! That would be hilarious.

Message from Laurel; "To all of our April Fool's contest winners, PSYCH!"

(Edit; in all seriousness, it's real. It took the place of "Earth Day", usually known as "ED", because there just wasn't as much interest or even international knowledge of "that tree hugger hippie shit".)

Based on the dates posted for the contest, something is hilarious:
You can begin submitting on (or a little before): March 01
The last day to submit is: March 21 at 11:59EST
Winners will be announced on: February 12

I thought it was only presidential elections in Florida where the results are announced before all the votes are cast or counted.

 

[oggbashan]

Based on the dates posted for the contest, something is hilarious:
You can begin submitting on (or a little before): March 01
The last day to submit is: March 21 at 11:59EST
Winners will be announced on: February 12

I thought it was only presidential elections in Florida where the results are announced before all the votes are cast or counted.

That's not what it says in the OP, nor in Laurel's announcement:

April Fool's (April 01)
themes: Stories (humorous or otherwise) of surprise meetings, humor, tricks, trick endings, and other themes of deception, chance, and/or misunderstandings (happy or otherwise)
starts: March 01
closes: March 21
winners announced: March 28

 

[SandraMustard]

Based on the dates posted for the contest, something is hilarious:
You can begin submitting on (or a little before): March 01
The last day to submit is: March 21 at 11:59EST
Winners will be announced on: February 12

I thought it was only presidential elections in Florida where the results are announced before all the votes are cast or counted.

That's not what it says in the OP, nor in Laurel's announcement:

April Fool's (April 01)
themes: Stories (humorous or otherwise) of surprise meetings, humor, tricks, trick endings, and other themes of deception, chance, and/or misunderstandings (happy or otherwise)
starts: March 01
closes: March 21
winners announced: March 28

You're both right, because she fixed the sticky in between the times you looked. I spotted it about 4:30am and sent her a PM.