Literotica Author-Organized Challenges

[Series 6]

The 750 word challenge was a lot of fun. I'm surprised that there is not a football challenge that would take place at the beginning of the season.

 

[KeithD]

Because you think football is erotic?

 

[Series 6]

Because you think football is erotic?

There could be a lot of things around it. A bet over a game, encounters with players, encounters with cheerleaders, encounters between fans, etc. There are a lot of fans out there and there have been stories written around it. On the surface, is AI erotic? But there is a challenge for it going on with some great submissions.

 

[KeithD]

Guess i'm signing up with those who think this special challenge series is getting a bit out of hand.

 

[Altissimus]

Guess i'm signing up with those who think this special challenge series is getting a bit out of hand.

On the one hand, I agree; on the other hand, I'm partly responsible; and on the third hand you don't have to enter anything, but those that want to can. I think that last point wins.

 

[KeithD]

These exercises do require extra work of Laurel--and thus affect those trying to get posted in the regular list.

 

[SimonDoom]

Guess i'm signing up with those who think this special challenge series is getting a bit out of hand.

I tend to agree. More isn't better. At some point there's a risk that they cannibalize each other. For instance, the Noir event and the Crime and Punishment event happening at nearly the same time.

 

[Altissimus]

These exercises do require extra work of Laurel--and thus affect those trying to get posted in the regular list.

I certainly agree with this. My usual 48-hour turn-around on publishing a new story jumps to 7-9 days when a contest date comes up. But then, I'd have nothing to complain about if I'd entered the contest.

On balance, I like the array of author's challenges - despite having entered only two. I think there's a positive aspect to challenging oneself as a writer, and while there's nothing wrong with turning out numerous high-quality stories in a mold you're familiar with, there's a lot to be said for pushing boundaries and growth, too.

 

[pink_silk_glove]

I tend to agree. More isn't better. At some point there's a risk that they cannibalize each other. For instance, the Noir event and the Crime and Punishment event happening at nearly the same time.

Yea, the C&P one is counter-productive. The Spillane challenge has been established, a challenge to write something dark gritty and noir. That is a challenge to do as it is a niche. Then along comes crime and punishment with a deliberately broad scope. First of all that broad scope isn't very challenging, proven by how many people professed their excitement for C&P because they were literally free to write pretty much anything from simple shoplifting to mass murder. If freedom to write broadly is what you want, I can launch a 'challenge' to write anything you want - a challenge with no rules. Obviously not challenging at all, but the point is made, the broader the scope the less challenging.

Then you have the fact that C&P steps all over the Spillane challenge as C&P's broad scope envelops it entirely. The damage that it did to Spillane is proven in the C&P comments where a couple of writers actually admitted that they had a Spillane idea but would withhold it and modify it to use in C&P instead. Potentially C&P could possibly kill Spillane (an actual challenge) by overrunning it with a challenge that actually isn't all that challenging.

As it is there's what one challenge per month? I think that's enough. That gives us our choice to pick a couple that we like and focus on during the year. We don't need any more, and we certainly don't need any that overlap.

 

[lovecraft68]

I think the author challenges have brought down the site sponsored challenges as far as people entering. I see people post in the official contest support threads that they're going to have to pass because they're trying to finish they're such and such challenge story.

It falls under everything in moderation. These were fun in the beginning when there weren't many, but now there are way to many because everyone wants their own. Like someone said above no one has to enter them, but another point supersedes that and its how much extra waork it is for Laurel and how the rest of the people putting in stories every day pay a price. Keep in mind the AH is a tiny fraction of the authors here, but are pretty much the only ones who enter these things so its just the cool kids getting special treatment.

 

[lovecraft68]

Because you think football is erotic?

Come on Keith, you can't tell me you wouldn't have a field day in GM with football themed stories.

 

[onehitwanda]

Oh, AMERICAN football. Got it.

 

[Jackie.Hikaru]

Oh, AMERICAN football. Got it.

I propose a football event followed by a fútbol event a week after. Then for the hat trick... a Foosball event.

 

[onehitwanda]

I propose a football event followed by a fútbol event a week after. Then for the hat trick... a Foosball event.

Then a kickball event, and a Rugby Union event.

Then we can unleash the Aussies with a Rugby League event so they can fuck everyone else up.

 

[StillStunned]

a Foosball event

Where the players are always hard and the competition is stiff.

 

[StillStunned]

a Rugby Union event

There's the Rugby World Cup going on right now. Players and fans gathering from all over the planet.

 

[MelissaBaby]

I agree with those who think the proliferation of challenges should be reined in. I particularly think that the notion that challenges once “established” should become regular events is misguided.

The Spillane event is a good example. I participated and it was fun. But I didn’t see any reason why it should be repeated. There have been plenty of one time events. And why not a challenge to write like another distinctive author? Hemingway? Vonnegut? Jane Austin?

For the Crime and Punishment event I wrote a western, something wildly different from anything I’d previously done. To me, that’s the benefit of a challenge. There not much challenge involved in doing the same thing again.

 

[oneagainst]

Then a kickball event, and a Rugby Union event.

Then we can unleash the Aussies with a Rugby League event so they can fuck everyone else up.

...which is of course referred to as Footy here... as is Aussie Rules.... But there would be significant overlap with Crime & Punishment, to the earlier point

Also, as the originator of the Midnight at the Lost and Found story event coming up in 4 weeks, I could happily have scheduled it any time but now it's hemmed in between other events. One slot a month, first in best dressed, would ease the pressure @NoTalentHack is under to put one story in each event this year. Won't you think of his fingers?