The Authors' Hangout Winter Holidays 2011 Contest Support Thread

[oggbashan]

Winter Holidays

themes: winter holiday traditions (dreidels, gift giving, etc.), cold weather (snow), holiday mythology (Santa, elves), etc.
starts: November 10
closes: December 7
winners announced: December 14

As before, this thread is to encourage authors to write and enter, to support them when the muses fly away, to sympathise when trolls attack, and to shamelessly beg for votes.

For anyone who hasn't entered a themed Literotica contest before:

The advantages are that once you enter, your entry and all your writing gets more attention, votes, feedback and PCs than it would otherwise get. You also get support from members of the Author's Hangout.

The disadvantages are that you will also attract unwelcome attention from trolls and unenlightened critics. The sweeps of duplicated and illegal votes can cause heartbreak. You will probably curse the marking systems and fail to understand how they could possibly have done that to you. It can be a bumpy ride. If you want to know HOW bumpy, read one of the previous contest support threads.

Please ignore the outrageous unsubstantiated claims; the moaning, wailing and gnashing of teeth that occur in this thread over the contest and voting systems and concentrate on the benefits of writing contest entries. Please use the ignore function to remove those people who irritate you most from this or any thread.

If you really want your writing to improve, critics will be a factor. Entering a themed Literotica contest is one of the easier ways to get noticed.

If in doubt, go for it. You have nothing to lose but your virginity, and if you haven't lost it yet, what are you doing here?

Og

PS. And you could be eligible for the Author's Hangout Last Place (tm) Contest and win nothing but the awe and esteem of your fellow-writers.

PPS. This will be the last Og Contest Support thread. Someone else will have to start them for the 2012 Contests, as someone used to start them before I took over.

 

[PennLady]

We appreciate the support threads, Ogg. Thanks for doing it.

 

[Darkniciad]

I'll offer my thanks as well, Og. You have served faithfully for many years, and have earned your retirement.

Are you going to continue the Last Place contest going forward, or do you wish to pass that down as well?

As far as someone taking over the threads in the coming years, I nominate DG Hear, if he should be willing. He's here for every contest anyway, and never has a cross word for anyone.

 

[HeyAll]

Thanks for the threads ogg. It's really a great place for authors to get together, and also a great place for info on this site (props to all the posters for that).


I'm currently working on 2-3 stories for this contest, spread out through the time period. It's always good to see your story on the top of the list and not having to wait several days before it gets posted.

Plus I hope the holidays will mean an increase in readers- at least that's what I'm hoping for.

To the veteran posters, is that really the case? Do holidays mean more readers? Or are readers out on vacation and/or can't read online stories because family is around?

Anyways, good luck to everyone.

 

[Darkniciad]

The winter contest is one of the most popular, and the longest running in terms of the number of days. It typically attracts a lot of eyes, and a lot of stories.

Having three distinct holidays to work with - Christmas, Thanksgiving, and New Years ( as well as cultural variants ) provides a lot of variety for ideas while staying on theme.

Considering your preferred category, HeyAll, I'm sure you're aware of the vast number of setups for Incest stories provided by family get-togethers that is especially helpful for that category in this contest.

The actual holiday ( Thanksgiving is the only one that actually falls during the contest ) will probably be slow, but the season itself doesn't slow down traffic. If anything, weather keeps more people inside, and increases the number of people finding recreation in the computer, which bodes well for Lit authors

 

[oggbashan]

I'll offer my thanks as well, Og. You have served faithfully for many years, and have earned your retirement.

Are you going to continue the Last Place contest going forward, or do you wish to pass that down as well?

...

The Authors' Hangout Last Place (tm) Contests? If there is a need, I'm sure someone can continue them. The rules have appeared in every support thread and the winner can be easily seen from the claims.

The question no one has asked - Why am I retiring from starting these threads?

The answer - I'm not getting younger and my long term health problems are worsening slowly but gradually. I think and hope that I'm not in danger of imminent demise.

What I will be doing while I still can because travel is becoming more difficult, is taking more breaks, travelling more, visiting friends and relations and places I love. While I'm away from home I prefer not to carry a laptop nor to spend time on a computer, so I will be less consistently on line.

 

[Darkniciad]

Didn't want to pry Perfectly legitimate reason, and one that serves both you and the community, since you won't have as much online time to keep up with the threads.

If nobody else gets to it after the winner's announcements, I'll take over posting rules and awarding last place.

I'd rather not be the one to start the threads, as that would only make them more of a target for certain individuals to try to ruin, but I will if nobody else will take on the task.

Regardless of the detractors, I think these threads serve a valuable purpose, and I won't see them fall to the wayside.

 

[HeyAll]

Thank again for the info Dark.

I had always assumed that weekends and holidays would by far have the most traffic, but you made a great point previously that on weekends, the forums seem to have less people.

It's most likely because families are home and there's less time for online fun. Plus if you look at the actual stats, the majority of views/votes come in the morning or during the day when there's more private time for a lot of people. And there's also been a lot of stories posted during the middle or beggining of the week which have gotten a large amount of views/votes.

 

[manyeyedhydra]

The Authors' Hangout Last Place (tm) Contests? If there is a need, I'm sure someone can continue them. The rules have appeared in every support thread and the winner can be easily seen from the claims.

The question no one has asked - Why am I retiring from starting these threads?

The answer - I'm not getting younger and my long term health problems are worsening slowly but gradually. I think and hope that I'm not in danger of imminent demise.

What I will be doing while I still can because travel is becoming more difficult, is taking more breaks, travelling more, visiting friends and relations and places I love. While I'm away from home I prefer not to carry a laptop nor to spend time on a computer, so I will be less consistently on line.

Sad to hear you're no longer going to be running the contest threads. All the best and enjoy squeezing life for all it's worth!

 

[PennLady]

The question no one has asked - Why am I retiring from starting these threads?

The answer - I'm not getting younger and my long term health problems are worsening slowly but gradually. I think and hope that I'm not in danger of imminent demise.

I certainly hope not!

I didn't ask because I figured you had your reasons, and simply not wanting to anymore would be a fine reason for me. I wish you all the best, and it wouldn't hurt most of us (including me) to not be online so much, I'm sure.

 

[DG Hear]

I'll offer my thanks as well, Og. You have served faithfully for many years, and have earned your retirement.

Are you going to continue the Last Place contest going forward, or do you wish to pass that down as well?

As far as someone taking over the threads in the coming years, I nominate DG Hear, if he should be willing. He's here for every contest anyway, and never has a cross word for anyone.

Thanks Dark, it is really much appreciated but I have the humor thread and it's hard enough to keep it going. I'm sure someone will take the helm and drive the ship.

Ogg, the best to you and you can stiil post and write stories. No need to be a stranger.

 

[Darkniciad]

Damn... Anybody else have an idea of who can take the helm? The Valentine's contest isn't all that far from the end of Winter, so we really should have something in place ASAP.

 

[estragon]

Thanks to Ogg for his yeoman service. He certainly deserves our thanks. Best wishes to you, Ogg.

 

[PennLady]

Damn... Anybody else have an idea of who can take the helm? The Valentine's contest isn't all that far from the end of Winter, so we really should have something in place ASAP.

What all's involved in the support threads? Just setting up?

 

[Darkniciad]

Being aware of impending contests, posting the general guidelines of the contests, a little introduction to what the support thread is supposed to be, and getting it out there as a reminder in advance, as Og has always done.

 

[oggbashan]

What all's involved in the support threads? Just setting up?

Yes. Each one needs to be started about a month before the first submission date. You can copy and paste the detail from the 'Welcome Authors. Please Read' thread, and the rest of the text from the last support thread. The only critical details are the thread title and the dates.

Then you let them run their course. The thread starter doesn't have to moderate the discussion, except perhaps to advise newbies or to counter outrageous or poorly-informed mistatements - but anyone posting to the thread could do that.

The Authors' Hangout Last Place (tm) Contest is optional. Again there is little effort - just post the rules when the main contest results are known, and see if anyone wants to claim last.

I can't be sure that I would be available at the right times in 2012 when these threads need to be started. That's why I want someone else to start them.

 

[PennLady]

Thanks, Ogg. I could try; I just wanted to make sure of the time involved. Don't want to promise anything I can't deliver.

 

[estragon]

Above and Beyond the Call

The SA Penn Lady Story--soon to be a major motion picture, coming soon to a theatre near you (I hope).

 

[oggbashan]

One hint: The Valentine's Day support thread needs to be started before Christmas because entries start less than three weeks after New Year.

 

[PennLady]

The SA Penn Lady Story--soon to be a major motion picture, coming soon to a theatre near you (I hope).

You have no idea how boring this would be.

 

[SuperHeroRalph]

I nominate Dark to take over the contest thread, that is, if he has the time and/or the interest.

Good luck in your retirement, Og. I hope you will continue to entertain us with a story or two from time to time.

 

[Darkniciad]

Yeah, I'm sure that would go over well

PennLady is a good choice as well, if willing. We really need someone that he-who-shall-not-be-named doesn't already have a specific, mouth-frothing hatred for.

Fair warning to whoever takes on the task, said troll probably will develop a specific, mouth-frothing hatred for you He'll drag your name through made-up mud every couple of days.

 

[PennLady]

Yeah, I'm sure that would go over well

PennLady is a good choice as well, if willing. We really need someone that he-who-shall-not-be-named doesn't already have a specific, mouth-frothing hatred for.

Fair warning to whoever takes on the task, said troll probably will develop a specific, mouth-frothing hatred for you He'll drag your name through made-up mud every couple of days.

I'm willing to try, as I said. I guess if I try one and it doesn't work, then, well, it's just one. As for that guy, well, that's why they invented ignore.

 

[scouries]

PPS. This will be the last Og Contest Support thread. Someone else will have to start them for the 2012 Contests, as someone used to start them before I took over.


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And hey, if you’re looking for a deal on a great condo I’ve just happen to have a niece who specializes in placing retired Brits in South Florida. She’s an agent for Century Village in Pompano Beach.

Do you like shuffleboard?

Wading?

Oldish babes?

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10 babes for every guy!!!! oggman gets lucky???​

 

[lovecraft68]

Yeah, I'm sure that would go over well

PennLady is a good choice as well, if willing. We really need someone that he-who-shall-not-be-named doesn't already have a specific, mouth-frothing hatred for.

Fair warning to whoever takes on the task, said troll probably will develop a specific, mouth-frothing hatred for you He'll drag your name through made-up mud every couple of days.

Maybe I'll give it a shot. My long series is done, my mother in laws health is finally stable enough that the wife and I won't be all but living in Boston as we have the last couple of months and I will have a lot more free time starting in December, enough free time that I can finally enter the contests myself.

Although only one or two entries. I don't have it in me to do a dozen plus like some authors manage.