The Official Author's Hangout 2016 April Fool's Day Contest Support Thread

[BradBigBrain]

What I propose, if Laurel agrees to it, is to award half of the prize money ($50) to go to the two lowest rated stories ($25 each) by contest author declaration of their end-of-contest rating in the contest, while still meeting the 25-vote minimum vote number. This would be to encourage “plugging away” at it and sticking with the contests. If there are more than two with the same “lowest rating” figure, determination would go to the story(ies) with the most votes. If this doesn’t fly with Literotica, oh well, I was willing to do it—and it only uses half of what I could pull. So, let’s see some specific bids on lowest rating.

That's very generous of you. And magnanimous.

 

[Serafina1210]

Congratulations to the three winners, worthies all. That Other Thread left me feeling vaguely guilty about not participating. Maybe I will sometime soon, if only to swell the progress. Perhaps the fun will return.

 

[lovecraft68]

Wait, we could now place for sucking? That really increases my odds! All I have to do is write another woman on top cuck story like my infamous "Thanks For The Roses" (still a sparkling 2.88 after two years) and I'm in!

 

[sr71plt]

Most likely just this one time for a contest already over. And so far we only have one "sort of" taker.

 

[lovecraft68]

Most likely just this one time for a contest already over. And so far we only have one "sort of" taker.

Jeez, just dash my hopes why dontcha?

 

[oggbashan]

Wait, we could now place for sucking? That really increases my odds! All I have to do is write another woman on top cuck story like my infamous "Thanks For The Roses" (still a sparkling 2.88 after two years) and I'm in!

I used to run the Authors' Hangout Last Place (tm) Contest for each themed contest.

All the winners of the Last Place award won was the awe and esteem of their fellow authors - but it also highlighted some good stories that were just unpopular.

Added: BTB Chapel has joined my list of stinkers. It's not the lowest. Trapped, Hen Party and Stag Party are rated lower (as are a couple of others!).

 

[Kethandra]

Most likely just this one time for a contest already over. And so far we only have one "sort of" taker.

Og's got my 4.23 beat. 47 votes on 8200 views in Incest. It was at 4.10 and 51 votes pre-sweep.

Congrats to all.

Kudos to you, Pilot: you've pointed out your suggestion of doing away with the contest prize money often in the past, so it's nice to see you do something positive and fun with your share.

 

[HuckPilgrim]

That's pretty cool Pilot.

And also cool that Laurel signed off on it.

I don't have a story in this one, but I'd probably be in the (low man) running had I entered.

Pilot, I'm curious how you get such laser specific numbers on voting patterns for your stories? Do you have a way of automatically recording votes? I've tried to figure out something along these lines, but the best I can do is take a manual web scrape and load it into a database. I can see score/vote/view movement over time, but not in the minute-to-minute increments that you're able to relay (unless I spend my time manually recording each minute, which I won't do .

 

[sr71plt]

Pilot, I'm curious how you get such laser specific numbers on voting patterns for your stories? Do you have a way of automatically recording votes? I've tried to figure out something along these lines, but the best I can do is take a manual web scrape and load it into a database. I can see score/vote/view movement over time, but not in the minute-to-minute increments that you're able to relay (unless I spend my time manually recording each minute, which I won't do .

I spend a huge proportion of my time at the computer writing (or editing), as I think could be told by looking at my erotica output and realizing that my mainstream output is also big enough that no one in the mainstream knows I'm also writing the erotica. So, I get up and move around frequently, but, even more, I probably check my small collection of Web sites and my e-mails like every twenty minutes and thus can catch a lot of new votes/comments as they drop. (Like, I'm amazed at how often I get a really nice comment, but I can tell there was no vote in that time period, or, more surprising, I'll get a really nice comment and I can tell they actually voted something less than a 5, if they voted at all.)

In the case of the stats given here, I also knew when to look for what I expected to be malicious votes. I post to most every contest and I post an average of three stories to the general file every two weeks--so I'm frequently checking status of new and contest stories--mine; I don't look at anyone else's. I can see what the patterns are. I can tell when someone has slipped in three zap votes during a quiet time in voting but is the time of day they usually show up--or, in this case, the time of day combined with when the voting reaches that first ten votes or, like yesterday, is in what would be expected to be the last hour of voting. The stats I gave here were voting events that I at least half anticipated and so was there soon after it happened. For this contest, that included when the final sweep was done. (Someone often comments on the contest thread when a sweep has just been done, too.)

 

[HuckPilgrim]

I check my scores (and Amazon, Smashwords results) the same way. I can relate.

I guess when (if) I retire, I'll probably do the same as you. My day job gets in the way of my writing career, but I have to find a way to get these kids through college.

Once again, I'd just like to say I appreciate the spirit of what you're doing with your winnings. If I can get the story I'm working on now over the finish line, I'll be in the next one. It's a real pleasure working alongside a guy that gives it away and thinks about the writers plugging away. Good work!

 

[HuckPilgrim]

And congratulations to all the winners and everyone that entered!

 

[sr71plt]

I check my scores (and Amazon, Smashwords results) the same way. I can relate.

I guess when (if) I retire, I'll probably do the same as you. My day job gets in the way of my writing career, but I have to find a way to get these kids through college.

Once again, I'd just like to say I appreciate the spirit of what you're doing with your winnings. If I can get the story I'm working on now over the finish line, I'll be in the next one. It's a real pleasure working alongside a guy that gives it away and thinks about the writers plugging away. Good work!

Thanks.

Retiring helps. It also helps in my case that, A. my later career was spent in crisis news coverage, reporting, and analysis, which has me dancing around naturally in terms of constantly checking what's happening, writing it up quickly, and being able to discern patterns. Malicious voters fall into a behavior pattern that can be seen and followed. And B. I have very few responsibilities in retirement (and had very few other than the job and my cultural activities when I was working). I had a career of hired staff to handle everything administratively and logistically and having to be prepared to get on the road and disappear for long stretches of time; therefore even on the home front my wife has always handled everything in keeping the ship going and continues to do so and we also have hired help (I'm not sure I could figure out how to change a light bulb--I certainly don't know where the thermostats are or how heating/air conditioning systems operate). My time is totally free if I want it to be. I don't even answer the telephone.

 

[lovecraft68]

I check my scores (and Amazon, Smashwords results) the same way. I can relate.

I guess when (if) I retire, I'll probably do the same as you. My day job gets in the way of my writing career, but I have to find a way to get these kids through college.

Once again, I'd just like to say I appreciate the spirit of what you're doing with your winnings. If I can get the story I'm working on now over the finish line, I'll be in the next one. It's a real pleasure working alongside a guy that gives it away and thinks about the writers plugging away. Good work!

My youngest graduated last year so with the exception of the fact no matter how old they get kids will still need your help from time to time as they get themselves established, we're close to free and clear.

My wife-now that she is over her health issues of the last couple of years is back to making exceptional money in the medical field as well as her own business and I have a decent job supplemented by two internet incomes, writing and still flipping comics on e-bay.

On the downside my company is in a slow death. Over the last three years business has faded, the owner is in his seventies and getting tired and we've lasted as long as we have because his daughter and son in law are there and I think he does it to keep them around and I'm like an unofficial son to him having worked with him since I was seventeen(and dated his daughter for two years)

he made an offer to her and I and two others to take over the place and three of us refused, I am not investing everything I have in a sinking ship. If the place were to close-and I see that within two years if that long-I am fully vested with a 401k that at this point is two years salary and there would be six month severance.

I can collect for a few months and am pretty much looking at taking a long time off from work because I won't need to and depending what happens with a few things might not have to ever do more than part time.

Kind of sad in a way to see a lot of people I've worked with for years worrying and fretting what happens to this place and I'm thinking "Hmmm, not all that bad of a deal"

Lot of writing time coming up soon.

 

[oggbashan]

Just to be clear. I'm not claiming sr71plt's generous offer. I assume it's open to others who might have low scores but higher than mine.

 

[TxRad]

Just to be clear. I'm not claiming sr71plt's generous offer. I assume it's open to others who might have low scores but higher than mine.

I'm with Ogg. I've had my W's and it's all for fun as far as I'm concerned. Low score and no W, is the way to go. That will help motivate the newbies the most.

 

[lovecraft68]

I'm with Ogg. I've had my W's and it's all for fun as far as I'm concerned. Low score and no W, is the way to go. That will help motivate the newbies the most.

So low is the new high?

Let's see...what are my options?

Loving wives with a burn the bastard theme

Any femdom as ogg proves.

Incest but depressing story line and no hea so in other words realism.

All are clunkers to various degrees at least for me anyway.

 

[sr71plt]

Just to be clear. I'm not claiming sr71plt's generous offer. I assume it's open to others who might have low scores but higher than mine.

OK, are there two stories rating above 3.98 (with at least 25 votes) but otherwise low rating that two authors want to bid for $25 each for from this April Fools Day contest? Otherwise the money stays with the Web site.

 

[oggbashan]

A couple of my entries, low rated as they are, have been favorited in the last 24 hours.

Odd.

 

[Kethandra]

OK, are there two stories rating above 3.98 (with at least 25 votes) but otherwise low rating that two authors want to bid for $25 each for from this April Fools Day contest? Otherwise the money stays with the Web site.

If you're leaving money on the table, Pilot, or with the site, send as much or little as you like my way.

4.23 with 47 votes in Incest. About what I should have expected trying to work Boudicia, Jesus, Captain Kirk, Oedipus, and Tarl Cabot of Gor into one two pager.

 

[Kethandra]

A couple of my entries, low rated as they are, have been favorited in the last 24 hours.

Odd.

Not that odd, Og. You write well, and evocatively. It would be a surprise if they didn't find some favoriteers, even if you chose topics and situations that may not be consistently popular on the site.

 

[lovecraft68]

I am proud to announce that according to a feedback I relieved from my contest story I am the master of "Incest bondage"

I hadn't thought much on it, but looking at my list and paid stuff I do have quiet a few that mix those kinks.

Family Ties anthology coming up.

All those people thinking they'll find Alex P Keaton are in for a surprise!

On that note, I did have a crush on "Mallory" from that show

 

[tomlitilia]

OK, are there two stories rating above 3.98 (with at least 25 votes) but otherwise low rating that two authors want to bid for $25 each for from this April Fools Day contest? Otherwise the money stays with the Web site.

It's your money, so not trying to tell you what to do with them. But I've told myself that in the off chance that I'd win a contest, I would try to get the money donated to Amnesty International, or some other organization working towards human rights and free speech. Maybe another way to direct your generous offer in case there are no takers. I'd like to know if it's feasible.
(I ended at 4.71 in this contest, so can't make a claim.)

 

[sr71plt]

It's your money, so not trying to tell you what to do with them. But I've told myself that in the off chance that I'd win a contest, I would try to get the money donated to Amnesty International, or some other organization working towards human rights and free speech. Maybe another way to direct your generous offer in case there are no takers. I'd like to know if it's feasible.
(I ended at 4.71 in this contest, so can't make a claim.)

Thanks, but that misses the point. I'm not taking the money at least partially on the principle that I don't think money should be given. If I take the money and give it to a charity of my choice I've taken the money. Also, donating it to a charity isn't in any way encouraging writers at Lit. to continue their writing, which is the proposal here--sinking it into writing right here. Congrats on the 4.71 finish.

 

[lovecraft68]

I always pay stuff like this forward. Anything I have won here I split between the local spca and providence animal rescue league. Even my survivor amazon cards I used to buy food for the shelters. I give away my share of my dart league winnings as well.

 

[AMoveableBeast]

I keep that shit and invest it in sweatshops and baby seal hunts.

Thanks, Literotica!