The Official (Mostly) Literotica April Fool's Day Contest Support Thread!!!

[Duleigh]

Now that the Valentine's Day contest winners have been announced, (well... they will be) let's get the April Fools Competition Thread rolling:

April Fool's (April 01)

The themes: Stories (humorous or otherwise) of surprise meetings, humor, tricks, trick endings, and other themes of deception, chance, and/or misunderstandings (happy or otherwise)

Starts: March 02
Closes: March 23
Winners announced: March 30

As usual, this thread is to SUPPORT and ENCOURAGE authors to enter stories in the 2023 April Fool's Contest.

Get writing, everyone, and don't forget to copy and paste the phrase "APRIL FOOLS 2023" to the "Notes to Admin" field of the submission

As ChloeTzang said in the writeup for a previous April Fools Thread, many of us find this contest the most difficult of the year - but have a go.

There is an advantage to entering stories in one of Literotica's themed contests, apart from the possibility of winning, and that is that your story gets far more exposure and attention than it would normally do.

Some of that attention might be unwelcome, some abusive, but some could possibly be appreciative and helpful.

Wait for Laurel's notice of the start of the contest as a sticky at the top of the Authors' Hangout before submitting and follow the instructions in that thread.

Have fun everyone! And get started if you haven't already!!!!

GAME ON FOLKS! Here's the official notice:
https://www.literotica.com/s/april-fools-day-story-contest-2023-at-literotica

 

[Duleigh]

My story is almost done already. Last year I wrote a story about a blind guy who played a prank on his girlfriend. Now, fifteen years and three children later it's PAYBACK TIME. Talk about revenge being a dish best served cold.

Some of you might be saying, "That's cruel to play a prank on a handicapped person." still others might say "He had it coming to him." I say, you're both right! Happy Aprils Fool's Day!!!

 

[lovecraft68]

I'm never sure what I find more surprising with this one, that writers struggle with it, or the comments I see from readers on some of the stories that they didn't get where the trick was or how it fit the contest.

This won't be any different, the one I plan on entering plays off the "chance" aspect. Its more of one of life's pranks on two people, than one did it to the other.

 

[Voboy]

I never really enter this one, but this year I've already got two tales that might fit the theme.

 

[GrantBricksly]

I'm just starting to write the final scene of my entry for this year. Not so much of a "prank" as a surprise, but I think it works. And it Catches up with Grant and Isabelle from my Valentine's story, 3 years later, so that's fun too!

 

[Trionyx]

I've got one in the can that could be either AF or Nude Day. Hmmm, I'll have to think about this a bit.

 

[Duleigh]

BUMP!

 

[TruthwithaTwist]

Such a tough contest for me. I have two previous entries - first was one of my top rated … second one of my lowest! It’s weird but I’ve noticed when I tell stories (based on real life events) of girlfriends who were emotional or argumentative or “psycho” - I get a lot more hate!

Comments like “he should have left her“ or “I would have have dumped her”. Really Would ya?

oops. Got off topic! I have my entry ready to go. It’s about hooking up with a friend on the rebound - so it’ll be interesting where it lands with readers.

 

[Djmac1031]

Just put the finishing touches on mine, although I have plenty of time still to edit and tweak.

I'm curious what kinda response it will get; I get the feeling people will either love it or hate it .

 

[Djmac1031]

Question: since this is open for submission pretty much all through March, has anyone through past experience realized it's better to submit early or late in the month?

I'd assume early gives you more time for votes, but later is closer to the actual day in question and might get more attention then?

 

[Duleigh]

Both are right! That's the great conundrum

 

[Voboy]

Question: since this is open for submission pretty much all through March, has anyone through past experience realized it's better to submit early or late in the month?

I'd assume early gives you more time for votes, but later is closer to the actual day in question and might get more attention then?

Someone (I think it was KeithD) pointed out today that all three of the Vday contest winners had posted quite late in the eligibility period.

I believe his implication (supported by my past experiences) is that your scores are often highest shortly after you submit, even though you have many fewer votes and therefore run the risk of one or two outliers throwing you wildly off (or on) the mark.

I almost always post on the very first day of eligibility, and that includes my winners. I did the same this time, and I believe I wasn't all that far off the Vday leaderboard in the end. So possibly posting later might have slipped me into that top three, but the difference in my case was fairly negligible. And, though I like to win, I'm not at all manic enough about it to try to seriously game my submission dates.

It's six to one, half-dozen to the other I suspect.

 

[Djmac1031]

It's six to one, half-dozen to the other I suspect.

I kinda figured that. I have no real aspirations about "winning." I've yet to even come close on the few I've entered.

But I enjoy the challenge of the various contests, IF I actually have a good enough idea.

I like the one I wrote for this one.

I'll probably enter it early; not out of hopes for more "votes" but simply because I want it out there.

Thanks for the feedback.

 

[KeithD]

Question: since this is open for submission pretty much all through March, has anyone through past experience realized it's better to submit early or late in the month?

I'd assume early gives you more time for votes, but later is closer to the actual day in question and might get more attention then?

Try both.

 

[Djmac1031]

Try both.

Sorry, only got ONE idea for this contest lol.

 

[KeithD]

Someone (I think it was KeithD) pointed out today that all three of the Vday contest winners had posted quite late in the eligibility period.

No, that wasn't me. I post early, late, and in the middle. All of the ones I've either placed with and most of the ones that gathered enough votes to qualify were in the "out of the gate" group.

 

[Voboy]

No, that wasn't me. I post early, late, and in the middle. All of the ones I've either placed with and most of the ones that gathered enough votes to qualify were in the "out of the gate" group.

Right you are. It was @BobbyBrandt in this post. My memory blows.

 

[YDB95]

Having been too busy to write anything for the last few contests, I'm hoping I will make this one. I do have a story started at least.

 

[Duleigh]

The official Notification is up!
GAME ON!
https://www.literotica.com/s/april-fools-day-story-contest-2023-at-literotica

 

[Duleigh]

Just in time, my submission just went into Edit Mode last night.

 

[Voboy]

Ooooh! Good.

 

[RetroFan]

I won this contest last year with 'The Lost Hours With Annabelle' but cannot think of anything to write for this year's competition. Maybe some inspiration will come to me over the weekend.

 

[davion2308]

I think this is the year I complete a Gay Male story. April Fool's is pranks and jokes and it's the perfect opportunity for some M/M fun for a lucky guy in a relationship.

 

[Djmac1031]

Awesome. Mine is written. I obviously still have some time to edit and tweak it.

 

[Djmac1031]

Curious, since this is my first time writing for this contest, how readers have responded to it in the past.

Do they appreciate the spirit of the thing? Do they enjoy a good twist, a subversion of expectations?

Or have you gotten negative feedback because they felt fooled or cheated?