Competition/Monthly Contest

[Zenith77]

Monthly Contests and Competitions seem to be decided based on favourites/voting. The same few names seem to get the recognition each time, and all of them have enough followers to make Putin jealous. Presumably, therefore, this means those with a low follower count have an up-hill battle.

At the risk of sounding petulant, are there any awards or competitions that can be won based purely on quality. thus levelling the playing field?

 

[RejectReality]

All contests are based upon score.

You really have the best chance as a newcomer in the special contests, because those only require 25 votes to qualify. You don't need a large fanbase to reach that number of votes. ( where it might be a real struggle to reach 50 for the monthly contests in some categories ) A good story can pull off a win.

 

[Zenith77]

All contests are based upon score.

You really have the best chance as a newcomer in the special contests, because those only require 25 votes to qualify. You don't need a large fanbase to reach that number of votes. ( where it might be a real struggle to reach 50 for the monthly contests in some categories ) A good story can pull off a win.

That's true in theory, but in practice a low number of votes makes you far more vulnerable to a 1-bomb from someone who would rather see someone else win. RIP.

 

[Bramblethorn]

Monthly Contests and Competitions seem to be decided based on favourites/voting. The same few names seem to get the recognition each time, and all of them have enough followers to make Putin jealous. Presumably, therefore, this means those with a low follower count have an up-hill battle.

At the risk of sounding petulant, are there any awards or competitions that can be won based purely on quality. thus levelling the playing field?

How are you defining "quality"?

 

[RejectReality]

That's true in theory, but in practice a low number of votes makes you far more vulnerable to a 1-bomb from someone who would rather see someone else win. RIP.

BUT...

Most of those low votes are going to be cast by unsophisticated means. While your score may be mediocre at best due to that early 1 or 2 bomb through the contest, it also provides cover. Your score is no longer threatening. It doesn't get bombed and bombed again. Then, when the sweeps run at the end of the contest and that 1 goes away, you suddenly have your high score with enough votes to qualify, and no time for someone to bomb it again, so you end up on the podium.

It's far from unheard of, and some even complain that its unfair because the sweeps more dramatically affect low vote stories.

 

[Jackie.Hikaru]

Are monthly contests still a thing? I figured those were done away with since the last winners announced were for April 2022.

 

[Zenith77]

How are you defining "quality"?

Well, written by me, obviously.

Aside from that, perhaps a minimum-criteria-entry (20+ votes totalling over 4.8, for example) then judged by a panel of, say, Laurel + four friends. Just an idea.

 

[RejectReality]

Well, written by me, obviously.

Aside from that, perhaps a minimum-criteria-entry (20+ votes totalling over 4.8, for example) then judged by a panel of, say, Laurel + four friends. Just an idea.

One of the sites where I post has basically that setup. Minimum votes + a panel of judges. People still complain and say the contests are rigged.

( The fact of the matter is that there's a pool of about 20 amazing authors who enter regularly, so there's just no spots left for anyone else, which is why I no longer bother entering there LOL Contests there don't have the additional exposure avenues they do here, meaning anything that doesn't place gets little/no added value from entering. )

 

[TarnishedPenny]

Z - there is some truth in what you are saying, but consider this.

Long-established authors have a fan base, most of them. So, yes, a big name with a big list of followers has an advantage in that sense. Her name pops up and lots of readers are thinking, "Yes! Wanna see! Wanna see!"

Balanced against that, of course, most big-name authors also have a dedicated troll base, people seeking to feel important by criticizing and down-voting authors they dislike.

And the contests bring in a lot of attention. Entering contests is probably the best way to get one's name known - it's the exposure card. None of the big names were presented with anything. Their 'fame' was earned with a lot of coffee and keyboard time. Moreover, the readers looking at the contest entry list aren't presented with each author's average score or number of followers. Merit plays the major part here - good stories get high-voted, less good ones low-voted.

And then, yes, the politics start, which is why we need sweeps. In this, less well-known writers actually have an advantage; they don't have the same troll base.

So, while I see your point, entering contests is the best way to boost reader recognition and, barring the trolls, the scores are pretty fair, IMHO.

Sincere good luck on your next one.

 

[MelissaBaby]

Monthly Contests and Competitions seem to be decided based on favourites/voting. The same few names seem to get the recognition each time, and all of them have enough followers to make Putin jealous. Presumably, therefore, this means those with a low follower count have an up-hill battle.

At the risk of sounding petulant, are there any awards or competitions that can be won based purely on quality. thus levelling the playing field?

That's not true. I have won two monthly awards, and have a good chance to win a couple more when they are ever caught up. I have 604 followers.

 

[SimonDoom]

Monthly Contests and Competitions seem to be decided based on favourites/voting. The same few names seem to get the recognition each time, and all of them have enough followers to make Putin jealous. Presumably, therefore, this means those with a low follower count have an up-hill battle.

At the risk of sounding petulant, are there any awards or competitions that can be won based purely on quality. thus levelling the playing field?

I think this actually is not true. I have many followers--I rank about number 70 on the all-time list--but I have won only one contest and placed second in another. My stories tend to get many views and favorites but my scores, while usually good, are almost never high enough to win contests.

There are many factors that contribute to winning contests, but I don't think having many followers is one of the more important ones.

There's no way to "fix" the system to make it more focused on quality, because there's no objective standard of quality. Also, in the contests in which slates of nominees are posted and then voted upon, the voting sample size tends to be small, which means the whole value of contests should be taken with a grain of salt. In the one contest that I won, I think my story, in the Toy Category, received maybe 20-30 votes (I don't remember exactly). It's a nice bauble to have, but it doesn't mean that much. The more you try to tighten up the voting system, the fewer people will vote, so what's the point?

 

[MelissaBaby]

I think this actually is not true. I have many followers--I rank about number 70 on the all-time list--but I have won only one contest and placed second in another. My stories tend to get many views and favorites but my scores, while usually good, are almost never high enough to win contests.

There are many factors that contribute to winning contests, but I don't think having many followers is one of the more important ones.

There's no way to "fix" the system to make it more focused on quality, because there's no objective standard of quality. Also, in the contests in which slates of nominees are posted and then voted upon, the voting sample size tends to be small, which means the whole value of contests should be taken with a grain of salt. In the one contest that I won, I think my story, in the Toy Category, received maybe 20-30 votes (I don't remember exactly). It's a nice bauble to have, but it doesn't mean that much. The more you try to tighten up the voting system, the fewer people will vote, so what's the point?

I won Best Humor/Satire last year with 17 votes

 

[NotWise]

My only blue W is on one of my earlier stories. It came at a time when I had very few followers. There have been quite a few special contest won by new authors with little following.

 

[KeithD]

At the risk of sounding petulant, are there any awards or competitions that can be won based purely on quality. thus levelling the playing field?

Not here, with voting and standards (competing standards of well written/turned me on/like or don't like that kink) so open and the author known off the top, no. That's just reality.

 

[Trionyx]

Are monthly contests still a thing? I figured those were done away with since the last winners announced were for April 2022.

Like JOH said, it seems the monthly contests have faded, which is unfortunate. There are some nice stories with good scores that lose out in contests or are not even contest material to begin with. These stories/authors could benefit from a little more publicity with an occasional blue W. And believe me, it ain't about the money! I declined the money for my one paying win and even if I took it, I'd be down to around a nickel or, more likely less, an hour.

 

[Zenith77]

These stories/authors could benefit from a little more publicity with an occasional blue W. And believe me, it ain't about the money!

100% agree. I don't think anyone writes on Lit as a get-rich-quick scheme.

I think we authors should petition Laurel to bring back the monthly awards for kudos only, with no prize money associated.

 

[MelissaBaby]

Like JOH said, it seems the monthly contests have faded, which is unfortunate. There are some nice stories with good scores that lose out in contests or are not even contest material to begin with. These stories/authors could benefit from a little more publicity with an occasional blue W. And believe me, it ain't about the money! I declined the money for my one paying win and even if I took it, I'd be down to around a nickel or, more likely less, an hour.

I don't know what the situation is, but Laurel has said that she does intend to catch them up at some point.

 

[MelissaBaby]

100% agree. I don't think anyone writes on Lit as a get-rich-quick scheme.

I think we authors should petition Laurel to bring back the monthly awards for kudos only, with no prize money associated.

When I've won, I took the money as an Amazon gift certificate and did a pay it forward by using it to buy other author's books.

 

[Bramblethorn]

That's not true. I have won two monthly awards, and have a good chance to win a couple more when they are ever caught up. I have 604 followers.

First prize for April 2022 is thesebeadsofsweat. As of May 2022 they had just 47 followers, though that's since risen to 177 - I expect the contest win brought them a few.

 

[Emotional]

I saw today that May of 2022 award was just done today, so looks like Laurel is getting them caught up.

 

[Trionyx]

I saw today that May of 2022 award was just done today, so looks like Laurel is getting them caught up.

Where? April 2022 is still up on the homepage.

 

[Emotional]

Where? April 2022 is still up on the homepage.

It came up on my notifications it won.

https://literotica.com/s/century-traveler

 

[Voboy]

All of us were newer once. All of us had few followers once. Some of us won our first contest Way Back When. And contests are fairly frequently won by relative newcomers.

In other words, OP, I'm not sure about your premise...

 

[Emotional]

Monthly Contests and Competitions seem to be decided based on favourites/voting. The same few names seem to get the recognition each time, and all of them have enough followers to make Putin jealous. Presumably, therefore, this means those with a low follower count have an up-hill battle.

At the risk of sounding petulant, are there any awards or competitions that can be won based purely on quality. thus levelling the playing field?

My 3rd story won last year after I had only been here three months.

 

[Voboy]

My 3rd story won last year after I had only been here three months.

Good one, too!