The Official Authors' Hangout 2023 Valentine's Day Contest Support thread

[TruthwithaTwist]

My story is ready to go! Just waiting for official word to submit.

 

[Duleigh]

Has anyone heard anything from Laurel? I'm still waiting to hear what the official "slug" is for notes to admin, I want to put a link to the Literotica Valentine's day contest announcement in my story, but I can't find one

 

[KeithD]

Nope, still no Valentine's Day Contest official announcement. Someone is still processing stories through, though. I have one scheduled for posting tomorrow.

 

[Duleigh]

Nope, still no Valentine's Day Contest official announcement. Someone is still processing stories through, though. I have one scheduled for posting tomorrow.

Shouldn't it be posting on Friday, the start of the contest?

 

[KeithD]

Shouldn't it be posting on Friday, the start of the contest?

No, until recent contests it's been posted more than ten days before the start of the contest and has been open to receiving entries a week or more before the deadlines. This one is the latest to announce that I know of for almost two decades.

 

[Voboy]

Nope, still no Valentine's Day Contest official announcement. Someone is still processing stories through, though. I have one scheduled for posting tomorrow.

What'd you put as the slug?

 

[KeithD]

What'd you put as the slug?

I haven't submitted any to the contest yet. I'm waiting for a slug from Laurel's official announcement. I don't want to use an incorrect one and have to worry about getting a correction through on a contest entry. The story posting tomorrow isn't a contest entry--it's the usual weekly story.

My impression from what I see is that maybe Laurel is on vacation and has a sub in who is clearing the stories but doesn't know about the contest not being officially announced--and isn't seeing the messages that folks are saying they are sending but not receiving responses to.

 

[Voboy]

I get it.

I had a story clear just the other day for the Leinyere event, in my usual two days. So it's not a screening problem.

 

[Lifestyle66]

I just clicked "Publish" on mine, with the story tag "Valentines Day 2023", and the Admin Note:
"This is for the Valentine's Day 2023 contest. Please publish this on January 13th, and add any other tags which I may have missed which are needed for that contest."

Since I don't expect this to win or even come close (I put it in Loving Wives), no harm done if it isn't there.

 

[KeithD]

I've tried to raise Laurel on the formal announcement via the report button on the 2023 contest schedule post.

 

[Duleigh]

I've tried to raise Laurel on the formal announcement via the report button on the 2023 contest schedule post.

I've reached out to her on Valentines and 750 Word project and an update that's hanging in pending, crickets

 

[Voboy]

Fair enough. She's been telt.

At this point, then we're all in the same boat. Once she gets around to it (for whatever reason), it'll all work itself out.

 

[ChloeTzang]

I've tried to raise Laurel on the formal announcement via the report button on the 2023 contest schedule post.

I've got a couple of messages in on the Hammered event and no response either. I did hear back about Geek Day, but since then, nothing. I'll let you know when I hear back from her as well.

 

[ChloeTzang]

Better hurry Chloe. Four weeks to do 60k words? Just achievable for you.

LOL. Started when I got home this afternoon and 10k into the draft....it was an idea from a couple of years ago that I stalled on, but I've simplified it and shooting for an actual short story for this one - too much else in progress and I have 3 full length novels for publishers I HAVE to get done, as well as a couple of stories I promised readers, and Geek Day and Hammered stories.....

 

[Lifestyle66]

I just now resubmitted my story to Publish after my wife gave me her first read feedback. ONLY three minor grammar corrections, but otherwise "not bad." (From MY wife, that's a major improvement.)

 

[JuanSeiszFitzHall]

Here's the official post, from today, of the starting of engines:

https://www.literotica.com/s/valentines-day-contest-2023-at-literotica

 

[Duleigh]

Trigger has been pulled and my first incest story has been submitted

 

[KeithD]

I'm in times two (so far).

 

[Voboy]

In.

 

[indigogaia]

DON'T DELETE!!!
I've moved stories I really didn't like into a folder marked as "Dead End" and found it quite handy. While I didn't like the stories dropped there for one reason or another, there were parts and vignettes that I found useful to drop into stories that are working. It's a trick that I learned from Harlan Ellison, he never deleted anything he wrote, and tried to sell everything he wrote.

I’m a big fan of this strategy. I love the ability to scavenge great tiny pieces from a subpar larger work. My scrap folder is “The Charnel House”

 

[JuanSeiszFitzHall]

I've finished the first draft. This will probably need a goodly amount of work, so there's no chance I'll be there at the debut. But in the readthrough tomorrow, I should at least make the decision whether it's worth submittal.

 

[dmallord]

Hurrah. My friendly editor whipped my Valentine's Day story into shape. I combed it a few times today, straightened its tie, and polished its shoes until I could see myself in them. Then I sent it off to its first day's appearance in Lit school ten minutes ago.

Good luck to all. I'm really looking forward to reading your stories.

 

[TxRad]

I'm in.

 

[JuanSeiszFitzHall]

Should we be careful what we wish for? The floodgates are indeed open, and on the planned schedule--which means that the contest debuts on Friday the 13th.

 

[GrantBricksly]

My story is DONE!! Final edit will be tonight, then I submit.

Question though..well, clarification: I know that the stories for the special contests cannot be Chapters. (Ie: they must be stand alone stories) But, can the story be connected to another story? The story I've written revolves around the same two main characters that the story I am planning to submit for the winter holiday contest will be. The two stories are separate, stand alone stories. But it is the same couple, with one story even referencing the events of the other briefly. My plan is to build an entire shared universe of stories around the couple/family/friends with stand alone stories. But I want to be sure that that is going to be OK.