The Official Authors' Hangout Summer Lovin' 2024 Contest Support Thread

[nicksouth]

The official rules state that "a story has only to accrue 25 votes to be eligible" for the contest. Although that may not quite offset the idea that a few 5-Star votes could skew the contest, it does help to even the playing field. Also, how many votes do the winning stories usually get? I would guess a few hundred?

But the bottom line is that we're all having fun!!

Yes it's definitely for fun

 

[Morevinila]

Still new here, only 2 stories posted so far. So I have a question for more experienced writers.
Should we as authors answer comments posted about our story, give explanations or should we leave it? How do we, as authors, reply to a comment? I suppose we can't just add an additional comment to the story? Or is it the way it should be done?

 

[SouthernCrossfire]

Also, how many votes do the winning stories usually get? I would guess a few hundred?

That really varies and often varies significantly between the three winners in a particular contest. It's been a while but I think there have been relatively late entries (or ones in typically slower categories) that have won with right around the 25 minimum and (and occasionally one that doesn't get enough to qualify), but others in more active categories (or that were submitted earlier) that have won with lots (my current story has over 700 votes and it's not a barnburner by any means).

 

[Wineandcheese]

Still new here, only 2 stories posted so far. So I have a question for more experienced writers.
Should we as authors answer comments posted about our story, give explanations or should we leave it? How do we, as authors, reply to a comment? I suppose we can't just add an additional comment to the story? Or is it the way it should be done?

I received four comments about the same minor plot issue. It may have been a goof, but not a serious one. There was an easy answer that one could say was implied. I had the character send me an email which I posted as a comment. I don’t know if I should have done that, but I did it. In the same comment I included an answer to another similar minor flaw, again by having the character answer the question.

 

[gordo12]

Still new here, only 2 stories posted so far. So I have a question for more experienced writers.
Should we as authors answer comments posted about our story, give explanations or should we leave it? How do we, as authors, reply to a comment? I suppose we can't just add an additional comment to the story? Or is it the way it should be done?

Up to you. The experience goes either way. Some come back to respond, and I've started conversations that way. The majority never do come back. If there's a major misconception about the story, it doesn't hurt to set the record straight, but you'll often encounter the same claim a few comments later cause not many read all the comments. Email feedback is much the same. If they include an address, I thank them but responses to my emails are far and few between.

Edit: Yes, just add a comment to the story like they do.

 

[MelissaBaby]

That really varies and often varies significantly between the three winners in a particular contest. It's been a while but I think there have been relatively late entries (or ones in typically slower categories) that have won with right around the 25 minimum and (and occasionally one that doesn't get enough to qualify), but others in more active categories (or that were submitted earlier) that have won with lots (my current story has over 700 votes and it's not a barnburner by any means).

I often get my entries in late, just because I’m a terrible procrastinator and I usually have a backup of stories to work on, but there may actually be a strategic advantage to submitting just before the deadline.

My theory is that your early voting is heavily weighted in your favor by your followers, who are likely to make up a disproportionate share of early reads and are predisposed to giving you a high score.

 

[Duleigh]

I often get my entries in late, just because I’m a terrible procrastinator and I usually have a backup of stories to work on, but there may actually be a strategic advantage to submitting just before the deadline.

My theory is that your early voting is heavily weighted in your favor by your followers, who are likely to make up a disproportionate share of early reads and are predisposed to giving you a high score.

If you have a well enough recognized name, dropping your story late is a great strategy. I've seen other writers drop stories at the end of a contest (Chloe) and win mostly because the scores were tallied before the trolls found her.

 

[Bassytian]

I enjoyed writing my entire and still enjoy writing my main series, there is something exciting about people reading what you create. I don't think I will reach the 25 needed at this point but I still loved entering. I would have liked to have had some comments though, I get good ratings but most of my stories get no comments at all and I'm not sure if that's good or bad. I'm sure it's not great to be honest.

 

[Agent0069]

Should we as authors answer comments posted about our story, give explanations or should we leave it?

My approach is stated in my profile: only texts should speak for their author.

I reply with a “thank you” comments if there’s a positive, or detailed feedback, but other than that it’s up to the readers to interpret stories however they want, my job was only to write to the best of my ability.

 

[Rustyoznail]

I enjoyed writing my entire and still enjoy writing my main series, there is something exciting about people reading what you create. I don't think I will reach the 25 needed at this point but I still loved entering. I would have liked to have had some comments though, I get good ratings but most of my stories get no comments at all and I'm not sure if that's good or bad. I'm sure it's not great to be honest.

My view on zero comments and a good score is the story is nice, but a safe, middle of the road effort. People like it enough to vote, but not enough to comment.

I wish I knew, apart from posting in LW, what the magic to more comments is.

 

[Bassytian]

My view on zero comments and a good score is the story is nice, but a safe, middle of the road effort. People like it enough to vote, but not enough to comment.

I wish I knew, apart from posting in LW, what the magic to more comments is.

A fair assessment. We'll see what happens as I write and post more, as my writing improves. I am grateful for the ratings and followers I've gotten, that encourages me to keep going.

 

[Voboy]

My view on zero comments and a good score is the story is nice, but a safe, middle of the road effort. People like it enough to vote, but not enough to comment.

I wish I knew, apart from posting in LW, what the magic to more comments is.

You and me both. I generally count myself lucky to get more than ten comments, total, over a story's entire run.

But a part of the magic, such as it is, is to call yourself BabyGurl4Daddy and post an AV that looks like Tinkerbell. Bet you'd get all sorts of comments then, lol.

 

[Duleigh]

You and me both. I generally count myself lucky to get more than ten comments, total, over a story's entire run.

I get quite a few from regular readers on series entries, but when I step away from a series I don't get a lot, so I entered into LW this year. I used a well known (to my readers) couple to hook up at the farmers market and end up in bed. A young white pastor and a black woman. I did it to troll the LW trolls. A few caught on and were really angry, my regular readers loved it, but some... They didn't catch on that when the pastor's brother walked into the bedroom he caught his brother and his sister-in-law in bed with each other - they just didn't understand and freaked out. What's a pastor doing picking up women? He should be fired!

It's the little things that make writing worthwhile

 

[Morevinila]

@Wineandcheese @gordo12 @Agent0069 -
Thank you for your answers tom y question.
BTW anybody knows what happened to Monthly contest? I wanted to see what type of stories are appreciated by readers by having a look at Monthly contests winners and last time I looked the last one on post was January 2022.
Is it still on or has it been scrapped? If so maybe the site news should be updated to show this. Anybody close to Laurel may be can find out.
Just curious no big issue as such

 

[SouthernCrossfire]

BTW anybody knows what happened to Monthly contest? I wanted to see what type of stories are appreciated by readers by having a look at Monthly contests winners and last time I looked the last one on post was January 2022.
Is it still on or has it been scrapped? If so maybe the site news should be updated to show this. Anybody close to Laurel may be can find out.
Just curious no big issue as such

It still exists but they are behind and it is now typically updated shortly before the annual Readers' Choice Awards begin. Announcements are made but I'm not sure if the threads in the forum are still being updated. The most recent month was December 2023.

 

[Morevinila]

It still exists but they are behind and it is now typically updated shortly before the annual Readers' Choice Awards begin. Announcements are made but I'm not sure if the threads in the forum are still being updated. The most recent month was December 2023.

Where can we find that? I mean the various winners for 2023 - the last one I saw was January 2022 - it would be interesting to read those award winning stories if only to get to know the authors

 

[SouthernCrossfire]

Where can we find that? I mean the various winners for 2023 - the last one I saw was January 2022 - it would be interesting to read those award winning stories if only to get to know the authors

Morevinila, I wrote that wrong. They've released winners through December 2022 for the 2022 RCA which were held in 2023. I don't think there's been anything since then. Sorry for my confusion.

 

[Duleigh]

Morevinila, I wrote that wrong. They've released winners through December 2022 for the 2022 RCA which were held in 2023. I don't think there's been anything since then. Sorry for my confusion.

Yeah, they tend to ignore contests other than the 6 yearly.

 

[Morevinila]

Morevinila, I wrote that wrong. They've released winners through December 2022 for the 2022 RCA which were held in 2023. I don't think there's been anything since then. Sorry for my confusion.

No problem - so no more monthly contests thren?

 

[MelissaBaby]

Where can we find that? I mean the various winners for 2023 - the last one I saw was January 2022 - it would be interesting to read those award winning stories if only to get to know the authors

https://www.literotica.com/contests/index.html

 

[Voboy]

https://www.literotica.com/contests/index.html

Aw. I hadn't realized I'd been shortlisted that month. I'm pleased to be there; it was one of my better stories. Thanks for posting. I never remember where to find those.

 

[Duleigh]

Slight Sweep tonight, got 7 votes removed which helped a little with a story. No H but it's an ego boost.

 

[Morevinila]

https://www.literotica.com/contests/index.html

Thank you

 

[Morevinila]

https://www.literotica.com/contests/index.html

The link leads me to a place where they give the monthly winners for 2022. For 2023, only January is given. Or Am I misinterpreting the information?

 

[ElectricBlue]

The link leads me to a place where they give the monthly winners for 2022. For 2023, only January is given. Or Am I misinterpreting the information?

No. The site is slow to update the monthly contest Information, is all. It's safe to say, "It's not current," but that doesn't mean it's cancelled.