Lit Survivor Contest

[Couture]

Was it just me or did anyone actually enjoy the Lit Survivor contest? Did it keep you on the edge of your seats? Did it make you want to read the stories that authors wrote in various categories?

Come on. Come up with something fun. Come up with something that promotes quality over quantity.

 

[KillerMuffin]

You first.

 

[Couture]

How about something like the "Iron Chef"? Not terrible original, I know, but I think it would be much more fun.

Two writers go head to head, they have one week to write a story. Each time the contest is slightly different to keep the writers from preparing in advance.

Readers vote on the best story. This way, readers and writers get involved in the contest.

 

[Guest]

If you want quality stories why offer authors only one week?

 

[Sabledrake]

That's where the "Iron Chef" angle comes in (though admittedly, since I only just woke up I initially thought we were talking about naughty Iron Chef stories, which would be something altogether different ... though the way Fukui always seems to have the hots for whatever little actress they've got in the booth with him and Doc does offer some interesting possibilities ...

Ahem. Sorry. Mind wandered.

The idea of only having a week, and a set "ingredient" or theme, would be kind of neat as an experiment. I'd be interested in giving it a try sometime.

Sabledrake

 

[deliciously_naughty]

Was it just me or did anyone actually enjoy the Lit Survivor contest? Did it keep you on the edge of your seats? Did it make you want to read the stories that authors wrote in various categories?

Come on. Come up with something fun. Come up with something that promotes quality over quantity.

I'm enjoying it right now...it's motivating me to write in categories I never would have and so far it's been very rewarding.

Survivor isn't supposed to be quantity over quality...the writers who participate are all wonderful authors (and you have to be a decent writer to even want to participate, otherwise what's your motivation?). I would argue it's variety and quality plus quantity. My readers have really responded to my branching out in new directions, so I can only say that no one is complaining, or claiming that the quality of my work has gone down.

 

[Guest]

Was it just me or did anyone actually enjoy the Lit Survivor contest? Did it keep you on the edge of your seats? Did it make you want to read the stories that authors wrote in various categories?

Come on. Come up with something fun. Come up with something that promotes quality over quantity.

______

I tend to agree with you, Couture. And d_n, granted, there are some good stories that do make it in to the Survivor Contest, but overall, the published works generally read differently to me. It also forces (immerses) the writer/contestant to venture into areas she/he is not comfortable with or competent. There are a few excellent writers that transcend this like a hot knife cutting through butter, but generally, IMHO, most of the stories in the Contest seem to only be slightly above average quality. And I think, yes, comparisons can be made between what you read in a magazine and what you read in a novel. So, is that the best we can hope for? What if it is? So, what?

But I do think the real measurement of the contest is not necessarily quality, but how well the contestants meet a very tough challenge to write across a broad spectrum of genre's (and maybe, a possible language barrier, as well).

So, Laurel, of course, has her own little rating system with her one-vote "E" (incredibly, I think she still reads every story published on Lit to insure that some wayward writings don't get her in legal trouble, but she or KM could correct me if I'm wrong). So, she's a committee of one and casts it when she's inspired--and she ought to be good at it too, don't you think? (I sometimes wonder, though, how addicting masturbation had gotten to be for her?)

Presently, there is no mechanism that allows a dedicated or even an ad hoc group of people, committee (or, whatever) to review ALL stories and rate them, something like that done in the book reviewing industry, film rating industry, or even in the publication reviewing industry. And why not? It's no secret, really: R/L reviewers and critics get PAID for their time and effort! For the volunteers here, it is incredibly time-consuming and it requires a significant level of dedication from away from one's R/L to participate in the process.

It just goes to show you that it is difficult to establish a process that meet some of the constraints of the site: free membership, free stories, and a need for volunteers to review, edit, and publish.

But it does appears there is a serious effort to experiment with story rating with the new Critics Choice Awards. This is a very interesting concept with lots of merit. Is it the "best" system? Probably not, but none are. What I think we need to look for is something that is the best "compromise". Sure, the Critics Choice Awards may even have bugs, hitches, and hiccups at the start, but I think this idea is on trial as a search to answer Couture's initial question: where can a Lit reader get a recommended list of well-written erotic stories worthy of our reading pleasure?

Maybe there is something better? Other ideas and thoughts?

 

[SlickTony]

I deeply appreciate every H rating I have earned, but if I ever get an E rating as well, I'll know I've arrived.

 

[Guest]

I deeply appreciate every H rating I have earned, but if I ever get an E rating as well, I'll know I've arrived.

_____

I agree, whole-heartedly!

 

[Chicklet]

I enjoyed it

is it stupid of the winner to say she enjoyed the contest? I enjoyed it *before* I was winning, and I won because I enjoyed it.

I enjoyed saying to myself 'Okay, now think of a group sex story' - actually, the group sex category was the one I did last, but some of the other categories did that for me. I would *never* have written for more than two or three categories if the contest hadn't captured my attention. I didn't read *all* of the other entries, but I did read a lot of stories that I wouldn't have if I hadn't seen the names of them on the lists of my fellow contestants.

Chicklet

 

[deliciously_naughty]

I deeply appreciate every H rating I have earned, but if I ever get an E rating as well, I'll know I've arrived.

Hear Hear!

 

[Never]

I like the Iron Chief idea.

 

[Natural Born Eros]

Can we branch this out into an international debate? I'm guessing that the "iron chef" is an American TV show, but I have no idea what it involves. Care to explain?

Eros

 

[Never]

Natural Born Eros:
“Can we branch this out into an international debate? I'm guessing that the "iron chef" is an American TV show, but I have no idea what it involves. Care to explain?”

I have no idea what the ‘iron chef’ is either, however, from the content of his/her post I’m guessing it’s a game show in which two or more people have a set group of ingredients. They have to prepare a meal in a limited amount of time and the persons whose meal is judged the best wins.