The now fully official Author’s Hangout Halloween 2025 competition support thread

[Aoife_from_Ulster]

I have resubmitted my story, When Lanterns Glow after having two beta readers, one of which is a Lit Volunteer Editor, and a bit of a rewrite. We shall see what happens next.

Look, I do this for fun, for my enjoyment. I don’t have a patron or Amazon account and I am not in this for making money.

Do I agree with the AI policy? Absolutely! I want to continue reading stories written by real people.

I stand on my own two feet and will defend my literary integrity and say I did not use not ppl have I ever used AI to write a story. I freely admit to using MS Word and Grammerly for punctuation and grammerly assistance but I wrote my own smut.

 

[EmilyMiller]

I have resubmitted my story, When Lanterns Glow after having two beta readers, one of which is a Lit Volunteer Editor, and a bit of a rewrite. We shall see what happens next.

Look, I do this for fun, for my enjoyment. I don’t have a patron or Amazon account and I am not in this for making money.

Do I agree with the AI policy? Absolutely! I want to continue reading stories written by real people.

I stand on my own two feet and will defend my literary integrity and say I did not use not ppl have I ever used AI to write a story. I freely admit to using MS Word and Grammerly for punctuation and grammerly assistance but I wrote my own smut.

I hope it gets through

 

[Duleigh]

My entry, Flying Monkey, has been deemed worthy to publish, it goes live tomorrow, 10-06-25 in Loving Wives

The other three stories I have in pending were ignored by High Command even though they've been #$%@&ing sitting there longer. Thanks @Laurel

 

[EmilyMiller]

My entry, Flying Monkey, has been deemed worthy to publish, it goes live tomorrow, 10-06-25 in Loving Wives

Yay!

The other three stories I have in pending were ignored by High Command even though they've been #$%@&ing sitting there longer. Thanks @Laurel

 

[StrangeLife]

Do I agree with the AI policy? Absolutely! I want to continue reading stories written by real people.

I stand on my own two feet and will defend my literary integrity and say I did not use not ppl have I ever used AI to write a story. I freely admit to using MS Word and Grammerly for punctuation and grammerly assistance but I wrote my own smut.

I feel your frustration. Apart from pineapple on pizza and getting cheap underwear for Christmas, nothing is more upsetting than being accused of something you didn't do. And like you say, we write for fun and for the challenge. We're not paid. It doesn't make sense for us to "cheat."

But think about it this way: Maybe your writing is so inhumanly awesome that the mods simply can't believe that person can write that good

 

[Aoife_from_Ulster]

I feel your frustration. Apart from pineapple on pizza and getting cheap underwear for Christmas, nothing is more upsetting than being accused of something you didn't do. And like you say, we write for fun and for the challenge. We're not paid. It doesn't make sense for us to "cheat."

But think about it this way: Maybe your writing is so inhumanly awesome that the mods simply can't believe that person can write that good

Thank you for making my morning brighter.

 

[DEFCOM5]

Silly question from a newbie,

What is a alpha reader versus a beta reader?

How are they different from editors?

How does one goes about finding them?

 

[EmilyMiller]

Silly question from a newbie,

What is a alpha reader versus a beta reader?

How are they different from editors?

How does one goes about finding them?

Here we don’t seem to draw this distinction. But normally an alpha reads as you write, a section or chapter at a time. Whereas as beta reads a completed story that is already essentially ready to publish. But… I don’t see many people referring to alpha readers here, mostly beta.

 

[TurinTurambar]

Finally submitted my own story for the contest. I wrote 15k words than totally scrapped that attempt when I wasn't even close to being done and feeling like the story was dragging and not working correctly. My second try ended up being just under 19k words and it felt much tighter and smoother. The first try fit the theme a little better with spooky supernatural stuff, but hopefully the second still works with plenty of costumes and festive outfits.

 

[EmilyMiller]

Finally submitted my own story for the contest. I wrote 15k words than totally scrapped that attempt when I wasn't even close to being done and feeling like the story was dragging and not working correctly. My second try ended up being just under 19k words and it felt much tighter and smoother. The first try fit the theme a little better with spooky supernatural stuff, but hopefully the second still works with plenty of costumes and festive outfits.

Congratulations

 

[Tenehua_Xochipoca]

Sorry, another noob questions---is something sacrilegious or maybe even blasphemous aloud? Like, it's not the Carpenter's Son lol, but I would say I am pushing some religious boundaries, the way I assume a demon trying to posses a religious woman would.

 

[Voboy]

Sorry, another noob questions---is something sacrilegious or maybe even blasphemous aloud? Like, it's not the Carpenter's Son lol, but I would say I am pushing some religious boundaries, the way I assume a demon trying to posses a religious woman would.

Of course!

Some readers penalize overly polarizing entries, but there's nothing at all wrong with a demon possessing, say, a nun.

 

[Duleigh]

Sorry, another noob questions---is something sacrilegious or maybe even blasphemous aloud? Like, it's not the Carpenter's Son lol, but I would say I am pushing some religious boundaries, the way I assume a demon trying to posses a religious woman would.

There's no rule against it, but I would consider the feelings of the readers. As long as you're not abusing religious texts you should be fine

 

[EmilyMiller]

Sorry, another noob questions---is something sacrilegious or maybe even blasphemous aloud? Like, it's not the Carpenter's Son lol, but I would say I am pushing some religious boundaries, the way I assume a demon trying to posses a religious woman would.

Let me see, I have Satan being a woman called Lucy Morningstar, who co-created the Universe with Alpha (@Djmac1031 ’s character). Alpha later impregnates DJ’s vengeance demon, Cozbi.

Oh and Lucy has been having an affair with first archangel, Oúriēl, for millennia, which they have only just admitted publicly. They have a daughter called Freya / Whitney.

Speaking of @Djmac1031, he also had Cozbi get a terminally ill pornstar to corrupt a [not so] innocent nun, and she might have also done something to fake the messiah’s disappearance from his tomb, including impersonating an angel.

I think you might be OK.

 

[ElectricBlue]

Sorry, another noob questions---is something sacrilegious or maybe even blasphemous aloud? Like, it's not the Carpenter's Son lol, but I would say I am pushing some religious boundaries, the way I assume a demon trying to posses a religious woman would.

The Lit policy doesn't allow overt religious proselytising, but doesn't disallow sacrilege or blasphemy. You might upset some readers, but that's the point, isn't it?!

 

[Duleigh]

You might upset some readers, but that's the point, isn't it?

No, the point is to turn them on.

 

[Djmac1031]

Sorry, another noob questions---is something sacrilegious or maybe even blasphemous aloud? Like, it's not the Carpenter's Son lol, but I would say I am pushing some religious boundaries, the way I assume a demon trying to posses a religious woman would.

As my friend and co-conspirator @EmilyMiller has pointed out, I've, um... dabbled... in some "sacrilegious" storytelling .

from The Seduction Of Darkness:

Nissan 13, 33 C.E.

"What troubles you, my love?"

Cozbi sat on the edge of the bed, naked, her breasts shining in the pale moonlight streaming through the open window.

Her newest lover stood before it, also nude, staring up into the night sky. "The walls are closing in. I have heard the whispers, the grumbling. They will come for us. It is only a matter of time now."

Cozbi stood and moved to him. Her arms enveloped his waist, her breasts crushed against his muscular back.

Her soft hand caressed his flaccid member, trying to coax it back to life.

Her voice whispered lightly in his ear, a hint of fresh wine on her breath. "You could always turn him in."

The man whirled on her angrily, swatting her hand away. "I cannot! I must not! What you speak of is the worst kind of betrayal! I would be damned!"

"You would be saving yourself," Cozbi countered. "It is not you they want. It is him. He is the trouble maker, the rabble rouser. It is his radical teachings that stir the people to rebel against the Pharisees. Against the Empire."

Cozbi pressed herself to him again, pleased to discover the sleeping giant of his manhood stirring from its slumber. "Besides, if he is who he says he is, he should have no trouble escaping capture. And you will have redeemed yourself in the eyes of the High Priests. You will have done your duty to your people and your God, handing over a wicked blasphemer. They cannot blame you if he eludes them, can they?"

The man pondered this. "And what if he does not elude them? They will certainly crucify him."

"Then he is not who he claims to be, is he? And he would deserve his fate."

Cozbi smiled seductively, taking a firm grip on his throbbing organ. This time, he did not object.

"Come back to bed, Judas. Let me ease your worries. Things will look clearer come morning."

⛧ ⛧ ⛧ ⛧ ⛧ ⛧

https://www.literotica.com/s/the-seduction-of-darkness

 

[FrancesScott]

I had an idea about this competition today. I don’t know whether I’ll make the deadline, we will see.

 

[EmilyMiller]

I had an idea about this competition today. I don’t know whether I’ll make the deadline, we will see.

You have until Oct 23rd

 

[amaliajquinn]

Question from a n00b: are audio stories allowed to be entered in this contest?

 

[Djmac1031]

If you want the part that REALLY upset one reader in particular... Cozbi the Vengeance Demon has just finished disappearing the body of a certain Jewish carpenter from his tomb at the orders of the Dark Demon Lord, Asmodeus.

She then questions him about the ruse:

A thought then occurred to her. "I must ask; what was the point of all that? Would it not have been better for them to find the body still in the tomb? To discover he was a charlatan, just another false Messiah?"

"Oh, but you fail to understand the beauty of it," said Asmodeus. "His band of followers are spreading the word of his 'resurrection' as we speak. They are already dying for their belief in him.

"And soon, they will kill for that belief. Their cult will spread like wildfire, leaving chaos and mayhem behind them as they go.

"Wars will be fought in his name. Empires will fall. Even genocide. It will be glorious. And all to serve the purpose of our Master."

I lost at least one reader from it:

Everything was going along well, with the story. Then the part about Christ being a false prophet was so mocking of the son of God, and of course the history of Christianity, in its battle against evil. It was so horrible, I can’t believe even in literary license that the part about “the rotting corpse” thrown into Hell had me so angry, you have lost a reader, for good.

Funny, as a Christian id have thought he'd turn the other cheek...

All this to say you can absolutely write a blasphemous story, just as long as you're okay with some blowback from it lol.

 

[Djmac1031]

I had an idea about this competition today. I don’t know whether I’ll make the deadline, we will see.

if I could ever get my brain to engage, I have a half finished story that might fit the bill but...

 

[iwatchus]

One of the first stories I ever favorited when I created an account a decade ago is called Celestial Matters, which is a battle between demons and angels, told in a mostly sympathetic voice from the demon's perspective. It won a monthly contest in 2013, so blasphemy can do quite well.

 

[EmilyMiller]

Question from a n00b: are audio stories allowed to be entered in this contest?

I have no idea - anyone else?

 

[Actingup]

I have no idea - anyone else?

If you look at the page from last year, you can see that audio stories were accepted and that (quite remarkably!!) prizes of USD $150, $100, $75 were awarded despite only eight audio entries being listed. If the same rules apply, I'd venture to say that this is virtually the surest bet that you could get for making money from a Literotica contest As to whether the same rules do apply this year - you'd have to confirm with the Powers That Be in their mountain retreat.