Following the Theme

[AMoveableBeast]

When reading the seasonal contest entries, how important is it to you that the authors closely follows the theme? Must it be a strict adherence to the literal letter of the theme, or is it acceptable to loosely stay within the spirit of the contest, particularly in the more focused contests?

For me, I find that some contests are forgiving in the variety in which they may be interpreted, while others are fairly rigid. For instance, I enjoy the Summer Contest more than most because it is so wide-open. With only the loosest of settings--summer--it provides ample opportunity for creativity, as opposed to some of the more strict themes that, in my opinion, tend to funnel the tales too narrowly and result in stories that either seem too similar or that appear to be working overly hard to fit in an unnatural adherence to the theme.

I want to see authors work within the theme, but I wouldn't want to read thirty sex stories centered around "Speak Like a Pirate Day". A half dozen peg-legs in (pun intended) and I'd be a bit burned out on maritime naughtiness.

 

[loquere]

When reading the seasonal contest entries, how important is it to you that the authors closely follows the theme? Must it be a strict adherence to the literal letter of the theme, or is it acceptable to loosely stay within the spirit of the contest, particularly in the more focused contests?

For me, I find that some contests are forgiving in the variety in which they may be interpreted, while others are fairly rigid. For instance, I enjoy the Summer Contest more than most because it is so wide-open. With only the loosest of settings--summer--it provides ample opportunity for creativity, as opposed to some of the more strict themes that, in my opinion, tend to funnel the tales too narrowly and result in stories that either seem too similar or that appear to be working overly hard to fit in an unnatural adherence to the theme.

I want to see authors work within the theme, but I wouldn't want to read thirty sex stories centered around "Speak Like a Pirate Day". A half dozen peg-legs in (pun intended) and I'd be a bit burned out on maritime naughtiness.

I find it okay if they loosely follow the theme.

 

[sr71plt]

I'd have to have a strong sense of the theme to give it a 5 no matter what else was going on with the story.

 

[lovecraft68]

It doesn't have to be strict for me, if the author does give a clever spin on the theme I give them credit for that, but I'm pretty easy with it.

 

[loquere]

There’s a Halloween competition coming up right? What’s the theme for that, erotic horror correct?

 

[sr71plt]

There’s a Halloween competition coming up right? What’s the theme for that, erotic horror correct?

The theme for that is as stated: Halloween. That can include more than erotic horror.

 

[lovecraft68]

Halloween does not always have to be "scary stuff" it can revolve around other things.

All I know is I am anxiously awaiting the number of mistaken identity stories that will be featured, especially in incest. "Jill wears the same costume as her brother's girlfriend, it wasn't intentional...or was it?"

Of all of the tropes beat to death on lit that is the one that drives me crazy.

 

[Handley_Page]

There’s a Halloween competition coming up right? What’s the theme for that, erotic horror correct?

Among other things, I reckon

 

[49greg]

Halloween does not always have to be "scary stuff" it can revolve around other things.

All I know is I am anxiously awaiting the number of mistaken identity stories that will be featured, especially in incest. "Jill wears the same costume as her brother's girlfriend, it wasn't intentional...or was it?"

Of all of the tropes beat to death on lit that is the one that drives me crazy.

Dammit. Now I'll have to do a rewrite.

 

[AMoveableBeast]

Mistaken identity is fairly common. Masquerade balls also seem to be prominent.

 

[sr71plt]

And all entering the contest this year should agree to include it as an element just to watch LC puff up and explode.

I did it once for one of the contests, not knowing it was as overworked as it was. The ratings and comments were fine--none of them said the trope was overdone (but I can see where it would have been). I threw in a vampire; that must have refreshened it.

 

[lovecraft68]

And all entering the contest this year should agree to include it as an element just to watch LC puff up and explode.

I did it once for one of the contests, not knowing it was as overworked as it was. The ratings and comments were fine--none of them said the trope was overdone (but I can see where it would have been). I threw in a vampire; that must have refreshened it.

Yeah but you all have to agree to throw in Pauletta that way scouries gets mad too.


Readers will never complain about things being overdone. That has been discussed before, you can do the same premise over and over and they enjoy it. Maybe because its the familiarity, or they just enjoy the same thing...who knows?

But if I had a dollar for every incest story that was based on a family member catching another one masturbating I's retire tomorrow and they all go over okay.

Every category and theme has theirs and that audience is fine with it. For some reason the identity one makes me roll my eyes, not sure why....Maybe because there is no way in hell I could have sex with another woman and mistake her for my wife. Guess that's a detail I cannot shake.

 

[Hypoxia]

Halloween does not always have to be "scary stuff" it can revolve around other things.

All I know is I am anxiously awaiting the number of mistaken identity stories that will be featured, especially in incest. "Jill wears the same costume as her brother's girlfriend, it wasn't intentional...or was it?"

Of all of the tropes beat to death on lit that is the one that drives me crazy.

That trope can still be revitalized.

But not by me.

I'm planning an H-day Incest mini-trilogy that will NOT feature mistaken identities, costume / orgy parties (not while active, anyway), any of the usual. The only spoiler I can give: the names of the episodes, all in the A TASTE OF INCEST cycle: A TASTE OF PUMPKIN; A TASTE OF TAMALES (Day of the Dead); A TASTE OF SPIRITS. (The first tso are about half-written.) Y'all can draw your own conclusions.

 

[Sammael Bard]

My Halloween Contest Entry has reloves around Demons, angels and stuff. I don't think that fits the bill of Halloween theme.

*sigh*

I've to submit it as a regular entry, I guess.

 

[sr71plt]

Demons and angels can be to theme. My entries this year are all about devils.

 

[Sammael Bard]

Demons and angels can be to theme. My entries this year are all about devils.

My story is set in a medieval era, and the major theme is romance.

I thought Halloween had to be set into a neo modern era with erotic horror.

 

[SecondCircle]

I always thought for the Halloween contest that the theme was Halloween related traditions as well as just scary stuff and horror stories. I mean, scary stuff actually is a Halloween tradition without having to masquerade or trick or treat at all. Sorta like romantic things would fit for VDay without even touching on the 14th itself.

 

[MSTarot]

To me the Theme is like an outline, story notes, timeline, plot ideas.

It's all part of the writing process but once the ball starts rolling and the characters start to interact with each other and new ideas for how the story can snake and twist come along trying to keep it wrenched back to that "theme" trench can often ruin a story, not make it better.

For Halloween I more often than not go for the macabre. I like a story that would be not at all out of place on an episode of the Twilightzone or on Elvira's Mistress of the Dark.

Last years was very Halloween focused,

http://www.literotica.com/s/the-bag-snatchers



while the two from the year before were just meant to be spooky.


http://www.literotica.com/s/a-grimm-tribute

http://www.literotica.com/s/lord-of-devils-night


Like this years will be.

MST



By the way Beast the was an offer for a story review of Devil's Night, back in the summer writing cabin. If you have the time I would still love to have it.

 

[3113]

Theme has to have *some* importance....

When reading the seasonal contest entries, how important is it to you that the authors closely follows the theme? Must it be a strict adherence to the literal letter of the theme, or is it acceptable to loosely stay within the spirit of the contest, particularly in the more focused contests?

I think the whole idea of a contest with a theme is to show off creativity with that theme—stretching it, flexing, morphing it. That said, I don't like it when authors barely touch on the theme. For example, I once read Holiday contest story that was supposed to be all moving and powerful about a gift opened on Christmas morning; but as I read it I kept thinking... "This could take place on someone's birthday, or anniversary or house warming..." I mean, yes, Xmas is the most gift-giving day of the year, but there was nothing else Xmas-y in the story. No trees, no lights, no holiday music at the mall, nothing.

So I felt cheated. Like the author had taken some story they'd meant for something else (a person's birthday) and assumed that because it was entered in the holiday contest and was about a gift that was enough. Let the reader fill in the blanks kinda thing.

If the contest has a theme, then the theme should have some importance. It doesn't mean that the author should be straitjacketed by it, like assuming a Halloween themed story has to be scary rather than, say, comedic or romantic; or that it has to have something supernatural in it rather than being about, oh, bobbing for apples. But long and short of it, if I read and say, "This story could have taken place on any old day" rather than "This story needed Halloween to happen" then I, personally, am not going to be happy with it.

 

[JKendallDane]

All I know is I am anxiously awaiting the number of mistaken identity stories that will be featured, especially in incest. "Jill wears the same costume as her brother's girlfriend, it wasn't intentional...or was it?"

Hmm. I just had a plot bunny bounce across the desk thanks to that comment, LC.

Jill's brother wears the same costume as his sister and seduces her boyfriend into a hot blowjob in a dark closet at the party. The boyfriend enjoys it so much, that he reciprocates and all hell breaks loose when Jill catches them together.

Nah! Probably already been done a hundred times.

 

[Hypoxia]

Exploit the hell out of the theme -- that's what it's for. I'll admit to posting only a total of five entries to three contests in my LIT career (almost 1 year now). I did my best to warp the themes, which provided the overall environments. Throw in the players, and some plot points and gerbils, and the stage is set.

But if the theme is not integral to the story, why bother entering? For the views and votes, of course -- entries get a bit of attention. But that violates the spirit of the contest and even fucks with the idea of 'contest'. Are entries judged on their adherence to the theme, or just their usual strokiness?

As mentioned in a thread about future contests, I like focused themes. Sure, the Summer Lovin' contest's looseness let me adapt an unfinished story from the Tag Team contest. It's set in an early onset of the USA Southwest's summer monsoon season, so that was good enough. But writing for a specific day rather than a season -- April Fool's Day or Earth Day, not Springtime; Hallowe'en, not Autumn -- forces a focus. The writer has to WORK. Good.

The day can even be a character in the story, not just a backdrop, by weaving the ritual events of the day into the plot. Otherwise, the day is just a picture on a calender. So you spent Labor Day fucking instead of marching in solidarity with the workers of the world and THEN fucking? That's nice. [:yawn:]

Hey, there's an idea -- contests for holidays celebrated in different times and ways around the world. We have at least two each Labor Days, Christmases, and Thanksgivings, and numerous New Years: Gregorian, Julian/Orthodox, Jewish, Chinese, Mayan/Aztec, etc. Thus, writers have both focus and flexibility.

Back to Hallowe'en. We already know the costume party / mistaken identity / accidental cheating-incest-whatever tropes will be out in full force. Let's hope for inventive variants. Right. But the theme offers MANY approaches, as suggested above: romantic, spooky, horrorific, comedic, moving. SPOILER: My H-day entry will be set (among other places) at a daytime festival in a hillside cemetery in Guatemala where attendees fly thousands of kites, sending messages to the souls of dead children. Expect shivers.

 

[AMoveableBeast]

This thread is getting me really excited for the Halloween contest, which I was pretty pumped about already. It is my favorite.

In response to some of the comments, I agree that you should use the theme, but what does that even mean? It gets kind of subjective. Take Nude Day (my least favorite). To have adequately worked within the theme, must you construct a tale that revolves around nudity, or exhibition, or must it mention and heavily involve the little know "Nude Day" itself? Do you reward stories with higher scores for doing the latter more than the former?

 

[oggbashan]

To quote Laurel's words from the sticky Welcome Authors! Please Read:

Halloween
themes: scary stuff, costumes, Halloween traditions (trick-or-treating, etc.), etc.

You could include many stories under those themes.

 

[SecondCircle]

This thread is getting me really excited for the Halloween contest, which I was pretty pumped about already. It is my favorite.

In response to some of the comments, I agree that you should use the theme, but what does that even mean? It gets kind of subjective. Take Nude Day (my least favorite). To have adequately worked within the theme, must you construct a tale that revolves around nudity, or exhibition, or must it mention and heavily involve the little know "Nude Day" itself? Do you reward stories with higher scores for doing the latter more than the former?

Hmm, I guess I personally am not very strict on it. I'm more of the former than latter. I always took the "day" contests (VDay, HDay, NDay) to be stories that have to do with the themes that those holidays celebrate, not just what you do on those days.

Valentine's Day is more than just the simple day where you trade chocolates and last minute cards. Its a sort of celebration of love and all. It's the specific time of the year where you celebrate your significant other and the romance you share. So in this case, if someone submitted a romance story without even the mention of VDay or nasty ass chocolates, then it's in spirit of what the holiday stands for.

Same for Halloween. No Halloween contest entries don't HAVE to be scary, but they can be scary and not HAVE to be about Halloween. Halloween kinda also celebrates horror and all that, so around Halloween time, you've got horror movies, haunted attractions, ghost tours, etc. So its the same kind of deal.

Nude Day is kinda lost on me, so I can't really form an opinion on that, but the same concept follows.

That's just my opinion. I think the contest stories don't have to be strictly about the "days" themselves.

Either way, at the end of a themed entry, it should be readily apparet how that story ties into the theme of the contest. You shouldn't ever think, "what the hell does that have to do with Halloween at all?"

 

[sr71plt]

Obviously the contest stories don't have to follow theme closely, because there's no filter to see that they do and a lot of them don't. That said, if a reader wants to consider it important that they do--in the reader's mind--in the reader's rating of the story, that's within the reader's privilege to do so. I see the contests as a contract between the Web site and the author. If the author writes to the intended theme, the author's story gets certain perks plus might win some money. To me, the author's side of the contract is to use the theme in some way--the better (and more clever) way I think they've used the theme, the higher rating I'll give the story.

The reader's/voter's privilege on this point is explicitly covered in the contest rules:

"Story must have an Summer Lovin' theme: summer weather, summer activities, etc. Be creative! Please don't just submit a normal story, throwing in a suntan or a beach. That would not be in the spirit of the contest, and readers (aka voters) would probably punish you for your trickiness."