The Official Author's Hangout 2015 April Fool's Day Contest Support Thread

[RejectReality]

I'd look at it as a chance to test my readership's preferences in a new way. Unless I'm mistaken, you don't have any long stories posted that aren't broken up into single-sitting manageable parts, but you do have a fair percentage of multi-part stories.

On the one hand, that's what your readers are used to, and they may balk at seeing 13 pages at the bottom. On the other hand, you have a lot of multi-parters, and you may discover that your readership will be perfectly happy to have the whole story post at once so they don't have to wait on each chapter.

If you decide to post it as a single submission, and it's on theme, why not post it to the contest?

Entering may skew the results of the experiment a little, but commentary from your regular readers can help balance that.

Okay, I need advice. Here's the problem.

Not even done yet, I have a 45,000 April Fools' story that can easily be broken up into 8 to 10 chapters. Should I submit a 13 Literotica page story or should I not enter it in the contest and break it up as a chapter story? What would you do?

Other than the crazy author, who would sit at his or her computer to read a 45,000 word story when there's plenty of 3,000 word stroke stories to read?

 

[lovecraft68]

Okay, I need advice. Here's the problem.

Not even done yet, I have a 45,000 April Fools' story that can easily be broken up into 8 to 10 chapters. Should I submit a 13 Literotica page story or should I not enter it in the contest and break it up as a chapter story? What would you do?

Other than the crazy author, who would sit at his or her computer to read a 45,000 word story when there's plenty of 3,000 word stroke stories to read?

I would go with it. What will happen is you will see few votes right off the bat, but a lot of favs because early in the day most people are heading to work and can't sit and read something that long.

But as time goes on the votes will come as people get the chance to read it-and many will need more than one sitting- for some reason if you see a lot of immediate votes good or bad, they are bogus as who can read that fast?

I did a 80k 22 page story in Halloween and it finished with about 100 votes which is not bad for the length and EH not being a really high vote total category along with it being my first foray into it.

You have a name, people will read because its you regardless of length.

 

[Carnal_Flower]

What was it someone was saying about Incest stories that go on and on and on with no reason but endless variations on mindless fucking? Sister gets a cream pie! Now that's an intriguing plot. Yell "sister" and "Daddy daughter!" in desperation and yes, your views will go up. All that means is they were attracted by the description. The drop in votes and comments means they didn't care much for what they found. Or who knows, it could be Saturday

After submitting another chapter to my one serial story, I'm surprised to see views trending upward.
Chapter 5 is viewed more than 4, and 6 just dropped yesterday and had been viewed more than either 4 or 5, and will probably pass chapter 3 this morning. Still way under half the views of chapter 1, though.

For whatever reason, votes are way down though on this one: every other chapter has voting at 1.25 to 1.5% of the views, chapter 6 is about half that, .65%.
The only explanation I can think of for both trends is the chapter 6 dropping on a Saturday morning, where casual viewers are more numerous but perhaps not as likely to participate by voting, etc..

 

[lovecraft68]

What was it someone was saying about Incest stories that go on and on and on with no reason but endless variations on mindless fucking? Sister gets a cream pie! Now that's an intriguing plot. Yell "sister" and "Daddy daughter!" in desperation and yes, your views will go up. All that means is they were attracted by the description. The drop in votes and comments means they didn't care much for what they found. Or who knows, it could be Saturday

I came up with that example because for the most part its true and many have been seriously rewarded with that formula.

I'm a 'incest snob' I guess. I will never write and certainly never read anything that mindless.

 

[Hypoxia]

My flash Summer 2014 entry was an Incest standalone -- that generated demands for followups, so I wrote two of those, and I could probably spin that out into an infinite series. Other incest tales could easily be elaborated and extended. Maybe when my muse starts whispering again...

 

[Kethandra]

Again, I'm not sure what - other than offending your sense of appropriate editorial acumen on my Valentine's Day entry - I've done to warrant your insightful and positive feedback on "Support" threads.
To your question: that was me, right around the time I also said I was going to wrap it up, for a couple reasons.

Your other points:
' Sister gets a cream pie! Now that's an intriguing plot.' :
Thanks, I thought both describing a key event in the chapter and tying it into the main theme of the whole story (called A Need For Seed, so just possibly it involves different means of acquiring said Seed) was a sound idea.

' Yell "sister" and "Daddy daughter!" in desperation and yes, your views will go up. All that means is they were attracted by the description. The drop in votes and comments means they didn't care much for what they found.' :
Glad to see you're still honing your remote psychoanalysis skills with both me and the readers. I was indeed desperate to describe the chapter as accurately as possible within the site's constraints. So, in desperation, I used "'daddy' and 'daughter'" to describe the d/d roleplay that was a new element in the story and took up approx half the chapter, and led to the cream pie mentioned above.

Please excuse me if I choose not to follow your implied suggestion that I use descriptions that both don't describe the story accurately and are not intended to attract readers. My personal feeling is that those are two top objectives of the description.

What was it someone was saying about Incest stories that go on and on and on with no reason but endless variations on mindless fucking? Sister gets a cream pie! Now that's an intriguing plot. Yell "sister" and "Daddy daughter!" in desperation and yes, your views will go up. All that means is they were attracted by the description. The drop in votes and comments means they didn't care much for what they found. Or who knows, it could be Saturday

 

[lovecraft68]

My flash Summer 2014 entry was an Incest standalone -- that generated demands for followups, so I wrote two of those, and I could probably spin that out into an infinite series. Other incest tales could easily be elaborated and extended. Maybe when my muse starts whispering again...

YOu could give them 40 chapters and they will always call for more. I think that is the same for most categories though. I suppose its flattering, but I think its important for the author to decide when the story is done, not give in and start producing watered down series to appease the readers, because if you are only continuing for that reason they won't be all that good.

 

[xelliebabex]

Not that I don't like the incest argument that raging but to be back on track...

I found it difficult to write for this contest for a number of reasons. I guess the question remains (for me) where is line between funny and cruel when it comes to pranks and can one call a cruel subterfuge a prank just because of a day name? Is a prank funny or acceptable only because it wasn't played on you? The more I thought about it the less I enjoyed my original bunny.

I think I am going to make this contest on time, with a weird little story that I don't think will do well because of its weirdness, but one never knows maybe those questions don't really factor in most peoples idea's on Aprilfool's Day pranks.

 

[Kethandra]

Not that I don't like the incest argument that raging but to be back on track...

I found it difficult to write for this contest for a number of reasons. I guess the question remains (for me) where is line between funny and cruel when it comes to pranks and can one call a cruel subterfuge a prank just because of a day name? Is a prank funny or acceptable only because it wasn't played on you? The more I thought about it the less I enjoyed my original bunny.

I think I am going to make this contest on time, with a weird little story that I don't think will do well because of its weirdness, but one never knows maybe those questions don't really factor in most peoples idea's on Aprilfool's Day pranks.

Per the contest guidelines, funny and cruel are both okay. As for readers, I assume they would appreciate a cruel trick more if it made sense in the in the context of a character who for whatever reason deserved some cruelty, due to their own previous actions.

 

[sr71plt]

Not that I don't like the incest argument that raging but to be back on track...

I found it difficult to write for this contest for a number of reasons. I guess the question remains (for me) where is line between funny and cruel when it comes to pranks and can one call a cruel subterfuge a prank just because of a day name? Is a prank funny or acceptable only because it wasn't played on you? The more I thought about it the less I enjoyed my original bunny.

I think I am going to make this contest on time, with a weird little story that I don't think will do well because of its weirdness, but one never knows maybe those questions don't really factor in most peoples idea's on Aprilfool's Day pranks.

Just need to think in a broader context of "fool" and "April." It does challenge creativity. But it's a contest, isn't it?

 

[oggbashan]

The official starting flag has been dropped, the starting gun fired...

http://forum.literotica.com/showthread.php?t=1154379

Best of luck everyone in the first ever April Fool's contest.

 

[TxRad]

The official starting flag has been dropped, the starting gun fired...

http://forum.literotica.com/showthread.php?t=1154379

Best of luck everyone in the first ever April Fool's contest.

Until I read this:

- Story must have an April's Fools Day theme: Stories (humorous or otherwise) of surprise meetings, humor, tricks, trick endings, and other themes of deception, chance, and/or misunderstandings (happy or otherwise). Be creative! Please don't just submit a normal story, throwing in a whoopie cushion or April calender. That would not be in the spirit of the contest, and readers (aka voters) would probably punish you for your trickiness.

I had not even the hint of a story. Now i had 500 words. I think it is going to be short but... I've tried to write short before without the result i wanted.

We'll see how it goes. I have a week to the opening gun.

 

[Carnal_Flower]

Ok, to be supportive. Add in a long lost son and make sure to include a mom/son reference. Maybe, "Son watches mom get anal cream pie from bro before joining in the fun while sis loses track of how many times she cums from Daddy's huge horsecock?"

Again, I'm not sure what - other than offending your sense of appropriate editorial acumen on my Valentine's Day entry - I've done to warrant your insightful and positive feedback on "Support" threads.
To your question: that was me, right around the time I also said I was going to wrap it up, for a couple reasons.

Your other points:
' Sister gets a cream pie! Now that's an intriguing plot.' :
Thanks, I thought both describing a key event in the chapter and tying it into the main theme of the whole story (called A Need For Seed, so just possibly it involves different means of acquiring said Seed) was a sound idea.

' Yell "sister" and "Daddy daughter!" in desperation and yes, your views will go up. All that means is they were attracted by the description. The drop in votes and comments means they didn't care much for what they found.' :
Glad to see you're still honing your remote psychoanalysis skills with both me and the readers. I was indeed desperate to describe the chapter as accurately as possible within the site's constraints. So, in desperation, I used "'daddy' and 'daughter'" to describe the d/d roleplay that was a new element in the story and took up approx half the chapter, and led to the cream pie mentioned above.

Please excuse me if I choose not to follow your implied suggestion that I use descriptions that both don't describe the story accurately and are not intended to attract readers. My personal feeling is that those are two top objectives of the description.

 

[HeyAll]

It's interesting to note that the Official Link was posted this morning, and it already has 288 views.

Anyway, I finished editing my first story. It's about a woman who inherits, to her shock, her mother's share in a bondage club. I think it's pretty good.

 

[xelliebabex]

Just need to think in a broader context of "fool" and "April." It does challenge creativity. But it's a contest, isn't it?

True and I did, I guess I worry it is not the fun theme intended, its a bit darker than i would normally write

 

[sr71plt]

True and I did, I guess I worry it is not the fun theme intended, its a bit darker than i would normally write

Mine's not the fun scene either. I think it's creative not to go for the obvious on these themed contests.

 

[lovecraft68]

True and I did, I guess I worry it is not the fun theme intended, its a bit darker than i would normally write

Must be under a bad influence.

 

[lovecraft68]

One of mine has an ending that I feel is fun

The other....Even as I wrote the last few lines I found myself wondering how it will go over. If I let the MC be thrilled with how he was just played,let him think..."Hey at least I got X out of it" it would be fine.

But I ended it with him being appalled at how he was tricked and who did it to him....so we'll see.

The one with the borderline ending is incest and they tend to not like anything that's doesn't end happily.

 

[xelliebabex]

Must be under a bad influence.

Or channeling someone much darker than myself

 

[sr71plt]

Getting close to being able to submit entries.

 

[TxRad]

Got to the last few paragraphs and realized i had screwed things up from about the third paragraph on. Back to the drawing board.

From 1400 words to 115.

 

[lovecraft68]

Has anyone mentioned here, or noticed, the first is a Sunday?

Odd day to start a contest....especially when you consider Laurel hasn't been releasing contest entries on weekends as of late.

I'll wait a couple of days, Sunday starts have never been all that hot for me.

 

[sr71plt]

In the last contest, the first entries were posted the day before the contest was supposed to start.

 

[Laurel]

Has anyone mentioned here, or noticed, the first is a Sunday?

Odd day to start a contest....especially when you consider Laurel hasn't been releasing contest entries on weekends as of late.

I'll wait a couple of days, Sunday starts have never been all that hot for me.

You can start submitting on the 1st. Because it's a Sunday, we won't post the first batch of contest entries until Monday the 2nd.

 

[lovecraft68]

You can start submitting on the 1st. Because it's a Sunday, we won't post the first batch of contest entries until Monday the 2nd.

Thank you for clarifying that.