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

[ElectricBlue]

Fair enough. Too bad writers don't have the option to delete comments left on their stories, isn't it?

You can delete comments left against stories.

Go to Works, click on the story, click on the little speech bubble. You can then bin unwanted comments.

 

[Voboy]

You can delete comments left against stories.

Go to Works, click on the story, click on the little speech bubble. You can then bin unwanted comments.

(I suspect that was sarcasm from Bobby...)

 

[KeithD]

(I suspect that was sarcasm from Bobby...)

I took it as such. It was pretty clueless on the issue at that point, though.

 

[ElectricBlue]

(I suspect that was sarcasm from Bobby...)

Difficult to know, with someone new.

 

[panaflora]

Yes, I was surprised to see so few on the list when I checked yesterday. I've submitted two more entries today.

Mine was posted in less than two days. The list is now up to 50 entries. Now to find the time to read them...

 

[KeithD]

Mine was posted in less than two days. The list is now up to 50 entries. Now to find the time to read them...

The number of entries for this contest has typically gone above 100, so this continues to be a low turn out response.

 

[TxRad]

To many other author events going on is part of the reason.

 

[SouthernCrossfire]

I finally made some progress on catching up with work so I could work on my Valentine story…and promptly got sick. I’ve made a little progress over the past few days since I started feeling a little better, but if I can finish this in time, it’s going to be one of my shorter non-750 stories. Maybe that’s a good thing.

 

[JuanSeiszFitzHall]

I finally made some progress on catching up with work so I could work on my Valentine story…and promptly got sick. I’ve made a little progress over the past few days since I started feeling a little better, but if I can finish this in time, it’s going to be one of my shorter non-750 stories. Maybe that’s a good thing.

With only 51 stories posted in 15 days, a story submitted in the latter half of the contest may not be as lost in the background noise as it might be in other contests. Good luck.

 

[MillieDynamite]

I have a story, 3/4 completed, but I don't think I can finish it in time. What's the deadline again?

 

[panaflora]

I have a story, 3/4 completed, but I don't think I can finish it in time. What's the deadline again?

I think it's Feb. 7 but I'll check right now.

 

[panaflora]

I think it's Feb. 7 but I'll check right now.

Yes, it's the 7th. Good luck finishing it!

 

[SouthernCrossfire]

With only 51 stories posted in 15 days, a story submitted in the latter half of the contest may not be as lost in the background noise as it might be in other contests. Good luck.

Thanks, Juan! I've noticed that stories that debut near the end sometimes tend to do well, but that has nothing to do with the timing of my entry in this case!

 

[MillieDynamite]

Yes, it's the 7th. Good luck finishing it!

Okay, I'll get to work and knuckle down, put my nose to the grindstone, let my fingers fly and mind run wild, and see if I can finish my first sort of romance.

 

[alohadave]

You never know for sure what the masses want.

It's usually the exact opposite of what the artist/creator thinks is good.

I have so many pictures that I've taken that I love get no attention, and then some that I just tossed up and wonder why they have so many views and faves.

 

[MillieDynamite]

Okay, I am just letting you guys know. I'm writing for the next four days and socializing. Well, maybe a little socializing.

 

[SomaSlave]

I'm about 3/4 way through my first submission in any contest, let alone this. It's been challenging, as I'm not comfortable in the romance genre, though I'm enjoying the opportunity to stretch. If only my characters would stay in line...the story is growing because they just won't behave the way I think they should. I also set up two constraints ahead of time: I started with the last line and I created a framing device that is driving elements of the story. I'm encouraged by KeithD's comments, as I wasn't sure how well a romance fares in the GM category, though, to be fair, it could also fit in T/C and Group Sex (if that can include a triangle made up of two bodies). However it fares, I'm looking forward to the comments.

And, in case I haven't said so before, thank you to everyone here who has offered me words of encouragement, advice and constructive criticism. My efforts would be much more feeble without you.

 

[RetroFan]

Finally submitted mine this afternoon, it took me long enough to write it, it's a simple enough Erotic Couplings story set in England about a young man and woman who go from friends to lovers in the Big Freeze of 1963.

Not sure why it took me ages to write it for a relatively easy story to read and set in the early 1960s an era I like to write in. Writing a cold weather setting when its summer in Australia, having writer's block, work commitments, COVID last month - all could be factors.

Hopefully the readers like it, Erotic Couplings stories usually do well enough.

 

[Kumquatqueen]

Well, I have a draft which I'll put up in the next couple days. I seem incapable of writing anything shorter than 10-12k (this is just over 12).

I predict Favourites from a few people, with a low score - detailed BDSM with a domme protagonist not wanting to push a guy too far, whom she's got to return to his wife later, isn't obvious Valentine's fare, but it's what I got.

 

[Kumquatqueen]

Just to make sure; a threesome suggests three people romping at the same time, right? My story has three people in one bedroom, and one of them is first fucking with one, and then with the other; there's always one watching. That doesn't justify the keyword 'Threesome', does it?

Given that watching someone have sex is sex in Lit's book, I figure that could be a threesome, simply because the dynamics of more than two people without accidentally sitting on someone's arm or hair get complicated. Once you have 4 or more, you really need someone to sit out sometimes.

On the other hand, that logic would mean I've written a threesome, but the watcher is a gay man not interested in the woman involved, so I've never thought of it as one (ditto a bit later when the woman is photographing the two men). So I guess it can be a threesome if you want it to be and the watcher is interested in the view?

LW readers will probably have other stuff to complain about first.

 

[lovecraft68]

To many other author events going on is part of the reason.

Interesting you say that because I've found myself wondering why even bother with the official contests anymore? I've seen many posts in the last year where authors say they couldn't get something done for a lit contest because they were busy writing for one of the author sponsored ones.

If you take into account how many authors are on this site, then look at the number of entries, even the contests that get over 100 stories is a sad amount. Think about it, this is a site that sees what? 75 or so new stories every day(total guess no one needs to run and look) but many contests that are open for a few weeks often don't crack a hundred? That's telling of the lack of sitewide interest. Now look at any random contest list and remove forum members and look at how many are left. Its not a lot, especially when you figure people like Keith, Ogg, often Heyall will have multiple entries that pad the list.

Short of one Fawc contest back in the day and the Tag Team challenge I created back in 2013 I've never entered an author challenge, only so much time and if I have that time I'd rather support the official one, but not everyone feels the same and there's nothing wrong with that

If the people in the forum are going to start leaning more towards the unofficial contests maybe the site is better off keeping their money in their pocket. Added benefit that with no more contests with a prize and a W then it cuts down on the sniping, trolling and arguing.

Not going to happen, but just a thought.

 

[Kumquatqueen]

I imagine people just write what they're inspired to write, which may not be the official contests, but any deadline acts as a motivator.

I've entered about a third of the official contests in the last few years, more to try to get more readers than any hope of winning. The money is a mere kudos token - it's hardly a reliable way of earning 75 quid. I've also entered half a dozen challenges, for the same reason, usually with a story that happens to already meet the brief (if you write stories about geeks, with articulate women involved, that's Geek Pride and Pink Orchid covered.

I imagine the chance of winning money, however small, motivates some people to post their first story, and the constant flow of new stories brings the readers who in turn bring advertising revenue, so it's worth doing.

 

[GrantBricksly]

Interesting you say that because I've found myself wondering why even bother with the official contests anymore? I've seen many posts in the last year where authors say they couldn't get something done for a lit contest because they were busy writing for one of the author sponsored ones.

If you take into account how many authors are on this site, then look at the number of entries, even the contests that get over 100 stories is a sad amount. Think about it, this is a site that sees what? 75 or so new stories every day(total guess no one needs to run and look) but many contests that are open for a few weeks often don't crack a hundred? That's telling of the lack of sitewide interest. Now look at any random contest list and remove forum members and look at how many are left. Its not a lot, especially when you figure people like Keith, Ogg, often Heyall will have multiple entries that pad the list.

Short of one Fawc contest back in the day and the Tag Team challenge I created back in 2013 I've never entered an author challenge, only so much time and if I have that time I'd rather support the official one, but not everyone feels the same and there's nothing wrong with that

If the people in the forum are going to start leaning more towards the unofficial contests maybe the site is better off keeping their money in their pocket. Added benefit that with no more contests with a prize and a W then it cuts down on the sniping, trolling and arguing.

Not going to happen, but just a thought.

I've been a frequenter of the site for over a decade. (probably close to 2 decades now) An actual member only since 2014. While I did submit a few stories that first year I officially joined, mostly, until the end of last year, I only read.

And Until the end of last year, I never even knew the forums existed. I saw the contest pages on the front page when I came to read things. So I knew about the contests. But As a casual reader, I never looked into what it took to enter one. It was only after I found the forums that I began to consider entering the contests. And potentially the author challenges.

Maybe that's just me. But I think I remember reading once or twice, that the number of authors, and the number of members of the forums had a large discrepancy...Perhaps the problem isn't lack of interest, but rather lack of information. The authors out there that are not here on the forums, simply do not have as much information/notice about the contests as the rest of us do.

Because of the forums, I have a date of when each special contest is going to be throughout the year already...as well as the topics. That means I've had stories planned for a while now. My Valentines Story was finished weeks ahead of time. I'm only days away from finishing my April Fools story...all because of the information on the forums, that other authors don't have.

Maybe that info is available to them somewhere, I'm not sure. But that is my thoughts.

 

[lovecraft68]

I've been a frequenter of the site for over a decade. (probably close to 2 decades now) An actual member only since 2014. While I did submit a few stories that first year I officially joined, mostly, until the end of last year, I only read.

And Until the end of last year, I never even knew the forums existed. I saw the contest pages on the front page when I came to read things. So I knew about the contests. But As a casual reader, I never looked into what it took to enter one. It was only after I found the forums that I began to consider entering the contests. And potentially the author challenges.

Maybe that's just me. But I think I remember reading once or twice, that the number of authors, and the number of members of the forums had a large discrepancy...Perhaps the problem isn't lack of interest, but rather lack of information. The authors out there that are not here on the forums, simply do not have as much information/notice about the contests as the rest of us do.

Because of the forums, I have a date of when each special contest is going to be throughout the year already...as well as the topics. That means I've had stories planned for a while now. My Valentines Story was finished weeks ahead of time. I'm only days away from finishing my April Fools story...all because of the information on the forums, that other authors don't have.

Maybe that info is available to them somewhere, I'm not sure. But that is my thoughts.

That's a good point. The only way to see the forums is lit has a link to them on the home page and I think another if you click stories on the home page.
That's an issue in itself because I think a lot of people here enter the site directly on just the new story page or other bookmarks.

I'm not sure how they could call more attention to the forums, but its something to think about because to your point, people coming here do get more info on the contests and other things as well.

 

[SomaSlave]

I'm about 3/4 way through my first submission in any contest, let alone this. It's been challenging, as I'm not comfortable in the romance genre, though I'm enjoying the opportunity to stretch. If only my characters would stay in line...the story is growing because they just won't behave the way I think they should. I also set up two constraints ahead of time: I started with the last line and I created a framing device that is driving elements of the story. I'm encouraged by KeithD's comments, as I wasn't sure how well a romance fares in the GM category, though, to be fair, it could also fit in T/C and Group Sex (if that can include a triangle made up of two bodies). However it fares, I'm looking forward to the comments.

And, in case I haven't said so before, thank you to everyone here who has offered me words of encouragement, advice and constructive criticism. My efforts would be much more feeble without you.

Whew! I'm finally finished with the first draft (23,000+ words; my longest story by a mile). Tomorrow, I give it the once over, add some section titles and, hopefully get it to my beta reader. His previous suggestions were spot on. We'll see how the full tale goes. As my first plunge into romance, it's probably far too sappy, but there are some twists and my usual obscure cultural references to redeem it somewhat.

I'm learning much from the folks here in AH and I'm looking forward to spreading my wings in my writing.