Pink Orchid: Story Event for Women-Centric Erotica - Official Support Thread

[Rustyoznail]

Edited the original post to add details about the 750 words challenge, which overlaps this event perfectly. I'm also tempted to have an unofficial subchallenge for everyone who writes a 750 word women-centric Valentine's Day story

So 750 words. Hmmm - ow! Bloody plot bunny…

I may just have something brewing. How do you enter both? Just add a suitable note in the notes field?

 

[ElectricBlue]

So 750 words. Hmmm - ow! Bloody plot bunny…

I may just have something brewing. How do you enter both? Just add a suitable note in the notes field?

I think that's how it's been done in the past. They're both Anthology collections (not Contests), so it's a matter of getting Laurel to include the same story in both lists.

The 750 word challenge is definitely a writer's indulgence - to cut and trim a story to the exact word count is the technical challenge, to get a satisfying vignette or micro-story is the creative challenge.

Readers don't like them so much (too short for a stroke), so they tend to get lower scores. From a writer's point of view, though, there's usually some excellent little pieces, because they take longer to write.

Mind you, you can cheat - my A Girl on the Bus, Ch.1, is the 750 word thing, it then grew out to six increasingly longer chapters (Ch.6 was 8k or so) to reward reader patience. Then another two covid chapters, written in the early days of the pandemic.

 

[Omenainen]

So 750 words. Hmmm - ow! Bloody plot bunny…

I may just have something brewing. How do you enter both? Just add a suitable note in the notes field?

Yes, just add all applicable notes in the notes to admin field. I've often entered a story in more than one thing at the time.

 

[YDB95]

Almost done. Trying to finish it off before I start on my Valentine's Day story, but that one might have to take precedence.

 

[Omenainen]

My story is all done and waiting to get published

 

[stickygirl]

My story is all done and waiting to get published

I'll show you mine if you show me yours

 

[NotWise]

Mine is down to the last few scenes, but it still doesn't have a title.

 

[gordo12]

I've given up on mine. I'll still finish it for other purposes, but I don't feel it's meeting the spirit of what was intended here.

 

[JuanSeiszFitzHall]

Mine is pretty close to finished, currently 13.7k words, to be submitted in Mature. With almost three weeks before submittal can happen, I have the luxury of taking two or three days off between edit-and-revise sessions, so I can have fresh eyes each time.

I have a different story in the queue for the Valentine’s Day contest, and my Pink Orchid story wouldn’t fit there, so I won’t be dealing with complications. But it amuses me to think that someone (not I) could try to get a single story into Pink Orchid AND Val’s Day AND 750-word AND Tales of Leinyere AND also illustrate it AND do it in Audio AND make it scan as Erotic Poetry.

 

[NotWise]

I might need an intervention.

My pink orchid story doesn't have a title yet, and I have a history of using titles that don't grab peoples interest. I can't help myself. I just thought of "A Hat for Hope." It's alliterative, and people will get it after they slog through 12K words to the third scene from the end.

My original working title was "Cowboy Tantra." Maybe I should just stick with it. At least people will understand that title fairly early in the story.

 

[Thefireflies]

I’ve hardly had a chance to write since before Christmas so my story hasn’t progressed. I’ll be pushing it and I do want to put a story up, but if it isn’t up to scratch I’m not sure if I’ll make it. Will get a wriggle on when I get the chance.

 

[Jackie.Hikaru]

I might need an intervention.

My pink orchid story doesn't have a title yet, and I have a history of using titles that don't grab peoples interest. I can't help myself. I just thought of "A Hat for Hope." It's alliterative, and people will get it after they slog through 12K words to the third scene from the end.

My original working title was "Cowboy Tantra." Maybe I should just stick with it. At least people will understand that title fairly early in the story.

Tbh If I had only two stories to click on, one called 'A Hat for Hope' and the other 'Cowbow Tantra', I'd click on Cowboy Tantra. Of course this is not knowing what your readership or any other context.

Oh also a well thought out logline might change my answer.

 

[Lovecraft_lore2]

I submitted something for this, 750 word and valentines day.

It was a scene from my Valentines Day Virgin Sacrifice that didn't fit as it was written in the first person from the perspective of a minor background character. It was hard to fit in prophecies leading to the end of the world with a female centered sex story in only 750 words.

 

[Omenainen]

I submitted something for this, 750 word and valentines day.

It was a scene from my Valentines Day Virgin Sacrifice that didn't fit as it was written in the first person from the perspective of a minor background character. It was hard to fit in prophecies leading to the end of the world with a female centered sex story in only 750 words.

Did you submit already? We’re supposed to submit in February.

 

[Lovecraft_lore2]

Did you submit already? We’re supposed to submit in February.

Yes, It is submitted and approved with a posting date of February 1st.

If I didn't submit I would be making endless changes that would not really improve it.

 

[Omenainen]

Yes, It is submitted and approved with a posting date of February 1st.

If I didn't submit I would be making endless changes that would not really improve it.

Okay, wow! Good to know.

I know the urge to endlessly fiddle all too well. Maybe I’ll submit mine soon too.

 

[JuanSeiszFitzHall]

Okay, wow! Good to know.

I know the urge to endlessly fiddle all too well. Maybe I’ll submit mine soon too.

I'm still going to wait a while. In my case, I know that further changes can be worthwhile.

 

[YDB95]

Just proofread mine and then submitted it. I don't want to have the next two weeks to second guess myself on it!

 

[Kumquatqueen]

What was meant to be a short summery story for last summer's competition is now half a bloody novel. The first two chapters are about done, though, each about 25k words, and then there will be two more at some point (third is half done)

No idea what category to stick it in - there's some E/V and lots of enjoying watching but being open about it, some mild BDSM in the background, some group sex, mainly all heterosexual. Or what to call it - I did have "Intense intent in tents" - the cast are staff at a summer camp - but that is frankly a terrible title. Anyone want a read, let me know.

 

[yowser]

No idea what category to stick it in - there's some E/V and lots of enjoying watching but being open about it, some mild BDSM in the background, some group sex, mainly all heterosexual. Or what to call it - I did have "Intense intent in tents" - the cast are staff at a summer camp - but that is frankly a terrible title. Anyone want a read, let me know.

How about 'Tentative'?

 

[Omenainen]

I vote for “Tentative Intent in Tent”!

I’ll read it if you want me to? Send me a PM and I’ll send you my email.

 

[NotWise]

I vote for “Tentative Intent in Tent”!

I’ll read it if you want me to? Send me a PM and I’ll send you my email.

I like the original, but maybe it would do better as the short description instead of the title.

 

[Kumquatqueen]

How about 'Tentative'?

I love puns, but that's not obvious enough - I do wish sometimes you could write a book-size blurb of say 100 words for stories here!

I'm thinking of going for the obvious, instead.
Summer Camp Sex: (tagline) Nice girl embraces being a slut.

Then people who click can see all the tags and content warnings. (I swear 'British English' puts off more readers than 'BDSM'...)

She narrates her own story, from her own perspective, so I reckon it fits the brief. Both female characters are as much in control of their lives and all as the two men are.

 

[SimonDoom]

What was meant to be a short summery story for last summer's competition is now half a bloody novel. The first two chapters are about done, though, each about 25k words, and then there will be two more at some point (third is half done)

No idea what category to stick it in - there's some E/V and lots of enjoying watching but being open about it, some mild BDSM in the background, some group sex, mainly all heterosexual. Or what to call it - I did have "Intense intent in tents" - the cast are staff at a summer camp - but that is frankly a terrible title. Anyone want a read, let me know.

If it were me, I would put "Summer Camp" in the title, because that term is a universally evocative term that conjures up sexy images. Even if we didn't go to summer camp as kids, we can picture it and imagine the fun, sexy stuff that goes on. It's a term that's likely to be searched for.

I suggest NOT getting cute and alliterative with the title. Readers won't care about that. It won't make them more likely to read the story. Truth in advertising. That's the way to go.

 

[JuanSeiszFitzHall]

What was meant to be a short summery story for last summer's competition is now half a bloody novel. The first two chapters are about done, though, each about 25k words, and then there will be two more at some point (third is half done)

No idea what category to stick it in - there's some E/V and lots of enjoying watching but being open about it, some mild BDSM in the background, some group sex, mainly all heterosexual. Or what to call it - I did have "Intense intent in tents" - the cast are staff at a summer camp - but that is frankly a terrible title. Anyone want a read, let me know.

I'd be willing to beta-read, but depending when you want to submit the story, I might not finish and comment soon enough to do you any good. Also, I'm still hoping for a female-identified person to beta-read my story (just under 14k at present). If you're willing to do that, please PM me with your email and how quickly you'd like me to read and comment.