2009 News & Views: Discussions and Announcements for the Survivorphile

[CrimsonMaiden]

I have a question about multi chapter stories. I understand the new rules, ie. each story has to be a stand alone piece for the purposes of survivor, but my question is -

If i break a story into two or three parts, so that my readers aren't overwhelmed by a multi page story that might be 8 pages long, can i count the story as a WHOLE for the purposes of Survivor? By this I mean, use it as ONE SUBMISSION in say, Erotic Couplings, eg. My Erotic Story Ch 1-3, even though it was submitted in three chapters?

Sorry if somebody has already raised this issue, but I couldn't find the answer when I roamed the thread...

I'm gonna say... probably not. Besides, if you are going to submit such a long story, why not put it in Novels/Novellas? Those submissions are worth more points than other categories... and you can split it into two chapters if it's 8 Lit pages.

That's my opinion. Lauren will probably weigh in on what she thinks.

 

[geronimo_appleby]

I'm assuming that would make them ineligable for the purposes of Survivor.

In this instance, i'm only asking in reference to longer stories that are split into chapters within the same category to make them more bite-sized, as i often do with my longer ones.

man, this gets complicated. my poor little brain isn't designed to cope with this. i think i'll stick to downloading porn and crime.

- no! i don't mean crime! uhm..?

ah, bugger. the cops are at the door.

... again.

 

[rachlou]

I'm gonna say... probably not. Besides, if you are going to submit such a long story, why not put it in Novels/Novellas? Those submissions are worth more points than other categories... and you can split it into two chapters if it's 8 Lit pages.

That's my opinion. Lauren will probably weigh in on what she thinks.

Okay, that's true enough, but whilst i don't mind submitting something very long to that category, it tends not to get the reads that Romance or EC gets. But no matter, i'll write what i write and submit where it fits the best. I'm not in it to win it...

Thanks for taking the time to answer

 

[starrkers]

I think this was touched on in the plotting and planning thread, and the answer was no, submit is as a whole. But I could be thinking of the new special contest rule.

 

[fieryjen]

I think this was touched on in the plotting and planning thread, and the answer was no, submit is as a whole. But I could be thinking of the new special contest rule.

You're right, there was a discussion about it. I think I was pretty alone with my opinion about that though, at least it seemed that way back on the thread. Eh, anyway, I have no problems with how it was decided (apart from a bit of silent pouting, of course )

 

[wife2hotblk]

OK...as if the newbie is not trouble enough with her questions. My first post here was the 1st Chapter in a 9 chapter 31,000 word novel that I have written. Because of some things I had read here about the abuse a writer received for his interracial stories, I posted it in the Interracial Love category, even though it could have been in either romance, mature or especially novel.

Obviously now that I am in the contest I would be just as happy to take any abuse for its interracial theme and post it where it truly belongs and get my 6 points. Since I have only posted the 1st chapter is there anyway that I could transfer its category?

 

[CrimsonMaiden]

OK...as if the newbie is not trouble enough with her questions. My first post here was the 1st Chapter in a 9 chapter 31,000 word novel that I have written. Because of some things I had read here about the abuse a writer received for his interracial stories, I posted it in the Interracial Love category, even though it could have been in either romance, mature or especially novel.

Obviously now that I am in the contest I would be just as happy to take any abuse for its interracial theme and post it where it truly belongs and get my 6 points. Since I have only posted the 1st chapter is there anyway that I could transfer its category?

Any moving around of categories you wish to do during the year is purely up to you (though we do recommend submissions be moved if they are in the wrong category). Just keep in mind that for any submissions in Novels/Novellas to count for points, they must be at least 7500 words long.

 

[starrkers]

The easiest way to move category is to PM Laurel ( that's Laurel, not Lauren. Laurel is one of the site owners, Lauren is one of us - just another writer, who gives up her time to moderate the Survivor contest along with Crimson)

 

[michchick98]

OK...as if the newbie is not trouble enough with her questions. My first post here was the 1st Chapter in a 9 chapter 31,000 word novel that I have written. Because of some things I had read here about the abuse a writer received for his interracial stories, I posted it in the Interracial Love category, even though it could have been in either romance, mature or especially novel.

Obviously now that I am in the contest I would be just as happy to take any abuse for its interracial theme and post it where it truly belongs and get my 6 points. Since I have only posted the 1st chapter is there anyway that I could transfer its category?

Other than PMing Laurel (http://forum.literotica.com/private.php?do=newpm&u=7) you can resubmit the story with - EDITED after the title, then include in the notes field that you'd like the story moved to a different category...and obviously which category. Although that method (resubmitting) can take the same amount of time it takes for a story to post (up to a week). I usually do the resubmit route, so I can't say if Laurel will act quicker with a direct PM or not.

 

[Lauren Hynde]

Hello, Survivorphiles-

Just a quick note to let you know that I edited the contest rules to clarify a point and simplify another:

a) The first submission in each category will only be worth 3 points (or 6 for Novels and Novellas) if it's in cap level 1. If you use an immunity to fill cap level 1 and, at a later date, add a submission to a higher cap level of that same category, that submission, even being the first in the category, will only be worth 1 point (or 2 for Novels and Novellas).

b) Since immunities are now worth 0 points, there is no practical need to limit the number of immunities that can be used. Therefore, the rule that called for two regular submissions for each valid immunity has been eliminated.

Crimson and I will now be updating the Survivor FAQ, before we create the new scorecards. Please be patient.

 

[fieryjen]

I have a quick question about something I just read in the new FAQ:

Chain Stories. By definition, these are multi-chaptered stories. Each author will only be entitled to one chapter eligible for Survivor per chain. If it is an ongoing chain to which you contributed in the past, no new chapters written by you this year are eligible for points.

Well, I was just wondering why that is - the fact that I can write three chapters for a chain story this year and count one of them for survivor, but if the chain story was started last year and I wrote one chapter for it last year and two more this year, I can't count one of the two for the contest. The only difference is the date of submission of the first chapter I wrote for the chain story that wouldn't be used for survivor anyway. I don't quite get the logic behind it.

It's not of immediate personal concern to me or anything, I'm just curious about the reasoning behind it. Thanks.

 

[Selena_Kitt]

I have a quick question about something I just read in the new FAQ:



Well, I was just wondering why that is - the fact that I can write three chapters for a chain story this year and count one of them for survivor, but if the chain story was started last year and I wrote one chapter for it last year and two more this year, I can't count one of the two for the contest. The only difference is the date of submission of the first chapter I wrote for the chain story that wouldn't be used for survivor anyway. I don't quite get the logic behind it.

It's not of immediate personal concern to me or anything, I'm just curious about the reasoning behind it. Thanks.

Yeah that's a weird one.

 

[Lauren Hynde]

I was just wondering why that is - the fact that I can write three chapters for a chain story this year and count one of them for survivor, but if the chain story was started last year and I wrote one chapter for it last year and two more this year, I can't count one of the two for the contest. The only difference is the date of submission of the first chapter I wrote for the chain story that wouldn't be used for survivor anyway. I don't quite get the logic behind it.

It's not of immediate personal concern to me or anything, I'm just curious about the reasoning behind it. Thanks.

Yes, I see your point. My fear was that someone would just go back to his/her old open-ended chains with familiar characters and storylines and write three more submissions that way. There wouldn't be a fresh concept, just more of the same. I figured the best way to guarantee that freshness, and the challenge, would be to make it so that only the first chapter by an author on any chain counts for points.

But let's discuss it. What would be a better way to do it?

 

[KarennaC]

I would suggest that only the first chapter *submitted and posted in 2009* in a chain story counts; that would seem to me to be a good compromise between the rule as it currently stands and the concern about not being able to add to existing chains to which an author might already have committed another chapter.

On the other hand (because I'm thinking as I write, and I like to argue with myself, lol), there are a finite number of open chains at any given time, and it may be difficult for everyone who wants to participate in Survivor to find enough chains to fill the cap levels they want to fill. So maybe the rule shouldn't exist at all; maybe authors should be able to fill all their chain story slots in one chain if they so desire. After all, in the Novels category, an author could write several chapters of one story with one familiar set of characters and those would still all qualify for Survivor as long as each chapter met the word count minimum; writing several chapters of a chain story with familiar characters is the same idea.

My personal vote would be that authors be able to submit as many chapters as they'd like to commit to in a chain, and have them all count, given that most chains that I've seen will only take one to three chapters from any one author anyway. But if Lauren and Crim don't want to go that way, I think my first paragraph might be a good way to handle it.

 

[Lauren Hynde]

On the other hand (because I'm thinking as I write, and I like to argue with myself, lol), there are a finite number of open chains at any given time...

I would argue with that by saying that there is the potential for as many open chains as you want. Any author not feeling the right vibe from any of the currently active chains can simply get a new one going. It shouldn't be difficult to find others interested: after all, everyone would be needing 3 new chains.

(As for the Novels and Novellas exception, it finds a counterpoint on the need for 7500 words for it to count - even if my initial idea was to not allow for even that exception! lol)

 

[KarennaC]

I need 6 new chains if I'm gonna meet my goal for this year. lol. But I do see your point. It seems harder to think of a chain than of a story, though.

So what do you think of letting the first chain story submission *of 2009* in each chain count for Survivor points, even if it's a chain to which the author had submitted in 2008?

 

[Lauren Hynde]

I'll go with whatever the majority decides. I do think it's important to keep it to one chapter per chain. On whether we only start counting from now on, including active chains, or do it the other way, I'm flexible.

 

[fieryjen]

I do agree that it should be possible for anyone to find enough chains to participate in and I don't think that particular requirement should be loosened.

Could we reach a compromise and let one chapter count even though the author had already contributed to the chain in the previous year if the chapter could be stand-alone (for a chain that doesn't go chronologically).

I guess that's probably much too convoluted, but I just wanted to bring up that many chain story submissions are stand-alone. I'll give this some more thought.

I probably sound confused, sorry about that. I blame being so sick my head's spinning for not being able to think straight. Thanks for indulging me.

 

[starrkers]

I think one story per chain should be enough of a restriction, regardless of past years' participation.

(I probably should mention this does affect me - if a chain from last year is completed, I have one more chapter to contribute).

Some chains, like the Modern Fairytale chain, don't use ongoing characters and would be closed to many survivalists. That would be a shame.

 

[Selena_Kitt]

Sort of an aside to this... if the rule stands as is... if an author STARTED a chain in 2008 but never contributed a story, could they still submit a story to that chain in 2009 and have it count?

 

[fieryjen]

Sort of an aside to this... if the rule stands as is... if an author STARTED a chain in 2008 but never contributed a story, could they still submit a story to that chain in 2009 and have it count?

That would totally apply to me. I was kinda planning on it.

 

[DirtyGeisha]

I want to join!!

I don't have a scorecard yet....do I? -feels like a noob-

 

[starrkers]

I don't have a scorecard yet....do I? -feels like a noob-

No one has yet. Last year's cards have only just been cleared to the archive with the announcement of winners.
Lauren and Crimson are probably giving their eyes and fingers a well earned rest before embarking on the task of creating this year's.

 

[CrimsonMaiden]

Considering how many chain stories a participant might have written for in the past (and that would be many for the top placers, very likely), then I think one chapter per chain per year would be a good limit for me. As was pointed out, many of the chains feature stand alone stories, so it wouldn't necessarily be using familiar characters. That's my 2 cents.

 

[LadynStFreknBed]

Yes, I see your point. My fear was that someone would just go back to his/her old open-ended chains with familiar characters and storylines and write three more submissions that way. There wouldn't be a fresh concept, just more of the same. I figured the best way to guarantee that freshness, and the challenge, would be to make it so that only the first chapter by an author on any chain counts for points.

But let's discuss it. What would be a better way to do it?

I actually liked that idea since different writers have submitted ideas for chain stories that have been largely ignored. It would generate more chain stories and involvement in the ideas that have already been posted.