The Official Authors' Hangout Summer Lovin' 2025 Contest Support Thread

[TheStefanSinadinovicLore]

Quick question

Does it matter what category my story is in, or does it need to follow specific guidelines? I have a draft that I haven’t posted yet, and I think it could be a good fit for the Summer Luvin’ contest. I’m just curious can I use that one, or should I write something new that’s more directly aligned with the contest theme?

 

[TheStefanSinadinovicLore]

Quick question

Does it matter what category my story is in, or does it need to follow specific guidelines? I have a draft that I haven’t posted yet, and I think it could be a good fit for the Summer Luvin’ contest. I’m just curious can I use that one, or should I write something new that’s more directly aligned with the contest theme?

Also is there a limit to how many stories I can submit for the contest?

 

[Voboy]

Quick question

Does it matter what category my story is in, or does it need to follow specific guidelines? I have a draft that I haven’t posted yet, and I think it could be a good fit for the Summer Luvin’ contest. I’m just curious can I use that one, or should I write something new that’s more directly aligned with the contest theme?

Nope. Anything goes.

Readers will punish anything that's TOO off-theme, but it's easy to get around this one. Just mention that it's summer, include a beach, etc.

Also is there a limit to how many stories I can submit for the contest?

Nope. As long as they're all standalone.

 

[lpacphantom]

Just saw this morning's announcement on this contest in the site news (I don't usually go to the homepage, just directly to my favorite categories). I have just submitted a story a couple days ago that fits the theme. I think it's been approved and will publish soon (it's status is "scheduled" as of this morning). I was intending to submit the full story I've already finished writing in several parts, but since this fits the theme so well, I'd like to submit the whole thing to the contest without having the first part published on its own. I'm assuming I should delete the existing submission now and that will prevent it from posting early, then resubmit the whole thing for the contest. This is only my 2nd submission and the last one was a comically long time ago (12.5yrs), so I'm just trying to do this right.

 

[Five_Inch_Heels]

Probably.

 

[Five_Inch_Heels]

Submitted.

Approved for the 15th.

 

[BryanRichardson]

Just saw this morning's announcement on this contest in the site news (I don't usually go to the homepage, just directly to my favorite categories). I have just submitted a story a couple days ago that fits the theme. I think it's been approved and will publish soon (its status is "scheduled" as of this morning). I was intending to submit the full story I've already finished writing in several parts, but since this fits the theme so well, I'd like to submit the whole thing to the contest without having the first part published on its own. I'm assuming I should delete the existing submission now and that will prevent it from posting early, then resubmit the whole thing for the contest. This is only my 2nd submission and the last one was a comically long time ago (12.5yrs), so I'm just trying to do this right.

If you edit it at all it will require you to resubmit it. Do that if you want to include it in the contest, just makes sure you add the correct Notes and Tags.

 

[TheStefanSinadinovicLore]

Do I need to wait until after the 15th to post my story, or can I go ahead and post it now? I'm asking because sometimes stories take a while to get published. I currently have two stories that have been pending for almost a month. So just a bit worried that's all.

 

[crookedletter]

Do I need to wait until after the 15th to post my story, or can I go ahead and post it now? I'm asking because sometimes stories take a while to get published. I currently have two stories that have been pending for almost a month. So just a bit worried that's all.

I believe if you submit it beforehand with the appropriate notes to admin, when approved it will be scheduled to post on the first day of the contest. So if you're ready, I think you can go ahead and submit, just make sure you follow the instructions.

 

[Wineandcheese]

I believe if you submit it beforehand with the appropriate notes to admin, when approved it will be scheduled to post on the first day of the contest. So if you're ready, I think you can go ahead and submit, just make sure you follow the instructions.

You are correct. They hold properly labeled contest stories until the official start date.

 

[Voboy]

Yes. I'm probably going to post mine today. The note to admin is what matters.

 

[8letters]

I believe if you submit it beforehand with the appropriate notes to admin, when approved it will be scheduled to post on the first day of the contest. So if you're ready, I think you can go ahead and submit, just make sure you follow the instructions.

My submission:

 

[TheStefanSinadinovicLore]

Thanks guys

 

[Five_Inch_Heels]

I believe if you submit it beforehand with the appropriate notes to admin, when approved it will be scheduled to post on the first day of the contest. So if you're ready, I think you can go ahead and submit, just make sure you follow the instructions.

 

[PennyThompson]

So I've got a story I'm working on, but the parameters of this particular theme seems very vague compared to most of the contests and writing events...

Do y'all think that a story about a young woman getting caught up in supernatural hijinks on the hottest day of summer in roughly 1930s Appalachia would be appropriate?

There will be descriptions of the weather and heat, a scene at a watering hole, and talk of going off to college in the fall... but most of that is flavor, not critical or central to the plot.

 

[Nynah]

So I've got a story I'm working on, but the parameters of this particular theme seems very vague compared to most of the contests and writing events...

Do y'all think that a story about a young woman getting caught up in supernatural hijinks on the hottest day of summer in roughly 1930s Appalachia would be appropriate?

There will be descriptions of the weather and heat, a scene at a watering hole, and talk of going off to college in the fall... but most of that is flavor, not critical or central to the plot.

I think the vagueness of the theme is part of the selling point. If you look at the entrant field for the past few Summer contests, the content has run such a wild gamut of genres and kinks that I think your premise would be totally fine. As I understand it, the story can be about the experiences your characters have during the summer months. The season can be the window dressing; it doesn't actually have to be a character in the narrative.

Of course I am personally looking forward to whatever you write so I'm already sold on it.

 

[TheLobster]

So I've got a story I'm working on, but the parameters of this particular theme seems very vague compared to most of the contests and writing events...

Do y'all think that a story about a young woman getting caught up in supernatural hijinks on the hottest day of summer in roughly 1930s Appalachia would be appropriate?

There will be descriptions of the weather and heat, a scene at a watering hole, and talk of going off to college in the fall... but most of that is flavor, not critical or central to the plot.

Last year I submitted a story that was essentially a teacher-student romance, except it happened in a summer school. I think the only truly relevant plot point was broken A/C that enabled some scantily-clad teasing, but e.g. the fact that the younger student's friends met by the pool on a hot day could've been easily exchanged for any other venue.

It all worked just fine.

So I believe the question to answer is: does summer, heat, or any of those related elements contribute to the plot at any point, or are they all flavor? If it's the former, I think you're good.

 

[8letters]

So I've got a story I'm working on, but the parameters of this particular theme seems very vague compared to most of the contests and writing events...

Do y'all think that a story about a young woman getting caught up in supernatural hijinks on the hottest day of summer in roughly 1930s Appalachia would be appropriate?

There will be descriptions of the weather and heat, a scene at a watering hole, and talk of going off to college in the fall... but most of that is flavor, not critical or central to the plot.

Summer Lovin' is the only contest I've entered as the theme is so broad. I wrote a story, one of my editors suggested I submit it to a contest, and as it has a women in bikinis, it fit the contest guidelines without any editing.

 

[Norway_1705]

Hi Duleigh, hi everyone, I know I always ask the same questions, sorry.
I have a story about girls in skimpy bikinis teasing a mature man ogling them.

Category: Voyeurism and Exhibitionism. Sure, it's the most banal thing in summer, I know.
But since I'm a bit lazy, I reused the characters from one of my series: names, descriptions, roles.
The story is standalone and can be read without knowing the series, but it could perhaps be seen as a “standalone episode” of a series I've already published.

A bit like the Downtown Abbey movie, which reuses names, characters, and situations from the TV series, but can also be enjoyed by those who are unfamiliar with the series.
Is it acceptable as fiction to submit?

 

[Voboy]

Hi Duleigh, hi everyone, I know I always ask the same questions, sorry.
I have a story about girls in skimpy bikinis teasing a mature man ogling them.

Category: Voyeurism and Exhibitionism. Sure, it's the most banal thing in summer, I know.
But since I'm a bit lazy, I reused the characters from one of my series: names, descriptions, roles.
The story is standalone and can be read without knowing the series, but it could perhaps be seen as a “standalone episode” of a series I've already published.

A bit like the Downtown Abbey movie, which reuses names, characters, and situations from the TV series, but can also be enjoyed by those who are unfamiliar with the series.
Is it acceptable as fiction to submit?

That's perfectly fine. Just make doubly sure nobody would need to read any part of the series in order to fully understand this story. It's got to be completely independent.

Every one of my stories is like that.

 

[Sapphira_Vex]

Hmmm hadn't planned to do this one but maybe I will...

 

[Voboy]

Mine's approved and ready to post on the 15th. "The House Beyond the Mahogany Grove."

 

[GaryDickins]

Question on the timeline.

I have a new story that fits the category. If I put the SUMMER LOVIN 2025 note to Admin in the right place, does that mean they won't start looking at them to publish until August 15?

I've been lurking around here for a bit and haven't submitted before, so I'm not sure how these contests go. Thanks for any clarification.

 

[PapaRomantic]

Question on the timeline.

I have a new story that fits the category. If I put the SUMMER LOVIN 2025 note to Admin in the right place, does that mean they won't start looking at them to publish until August 15?

I've been lurking around here for a bit and haven't submitted before, so I'm not sure how these contests go. Thanks for any clarification.

They will not be published until August 15, but the voting for the contest actually goes until September 5. You could publish it any time between those dates, but the sooner you publish it, the more it will get read and voted on. The first post in this thread has all the instructions on how to submit it for publication.

 

[gordo12]

Thanks for starting the thread! Small typo with the year, unless we want to go back in time to those lockdown days .

Didn't mind the typo on the date considering the stories/story I'll be posting harkens back to those days.