The 2024 750 Word Story Challenge Support Thread

[AlexBailey]

Gladly. It’s a challenge. Write in 750 words. that’s the whole point of the challenge.

So when some writers develop their characters or settings in another chapter, another series entry (another story), or elsewhere in their universe (another story) it means that they don’t have to expend any of their current 750 words explaining that background. It means More than one story, thereby at least 750 words times 2 = 1500, had to be read, and 1500 is more than 750. That is completely bypassing the intent of the challenge

My proposal is, improve things next time through more specific instructions. Have everyone partake of the same challenge.

I’m not arguing, just trying to understand what ‘problem’ you are trying to fix.

If the point is basically an exercise for writers for the fun and inspiration, and since everyone has their own personal motivations for submitting their work and so can hold themselves to any standard without repercussions on anyone else, what is the ‘need’ to be more specific about any guidelines?

Do you feel that you or anyone else in the Literotica community has missed out on anything this time around as the ‘rules’ stand?


What harm are you wanting to mitigate?
What improvement are you trying to make?

 

[MrPixel]

I'm going to interrupt things here and post a link to "the 750-word lawnmower story" mentioned yesterday, dedicated to @Duleigh and @pink_silk_glove, who inspired the story:

Do I Have to Edge, Too?

I neglected to put "750 WORDS" in the description line like I usually do. So sue me.

 

[M_K_Babalon]

No it’s not!

Interracial Love
It's all black & white, and white & Asian, and..

I wrote a black and white and Asian story.

How is that not what is advertised?

You read the story, right?

I’ve never been kicked out of noncon - even when writing my own take on it.

Emily

Hadn't had a chance to. I was just using that as an example.

 

[M_K_Babalon]

Gladly. It’s a challenge. Write in 750 words. that’s the whole point of the challenge.

So when some writers develop their characters or settings in another chapter, another series entry (another story), or elsewhere in their universe (another story) it means that they don’t have to expend any of their current 750 words explaining that background. It means More than one story, thereby at least 750 words times 2 = 1500, had to be read, and 1500 is more than 750. That is completely bypassing the intent of the challenge

My proposal is, improve things next time through more specific instructions. Have everyone partake of the same challenge.

First off... even if a 750 is apart of somebody's literary universe, doesn't mean it still isn't a stand alone story, nor does it mean that another story need be read to make sense of it. Same characters or not.

Secondly; who is wasting words with a backstory? I did six of them, only one was written with just enough background to set the scene. Most of them are just that; a scene, a moment.

And even if somebody did two 750 stories that use the same people, or whatever, doesn't mean they're continuing the same story or plot. This challenge is just a fun bullshit around trivial thing we do for ourselves. The main and practically only rule other than word limit is it has to be a single, contained, stand alone story that's complete in 750 words. Having a second rule that sez no chapters and etc, is just saying the other rule in a different way.

You act like there's a publishing deal at stake, being a whole jackass. The only thing at stake is not getting over a 3* rating.

 

[M_K_Babalon]

I'm going to interrupt things here and post a link to "the 750-word lawnmower story" mentioned yesterday, dedicated to @Duleigh and @pink_silk_glove, who inspired the story:

Do I Have to Edge, Too?

I neglected to put "750 WORDS" in the description line like I usually do. So sue me.

Good thing it's not 751 words, jsmiam mighy try and get you lynched for such a blatant disregard of the rule of this awardless not-contest.

 

[Duleigh]

Good thing it's not 751 words, jsmiam mighy try and get you lynched for such a blatant disregard of the rule of this awardless not-contest.

Unless that seven hundred fifty first word is a second chapter, then it's ok. It's protected under the jsmiamian "Chapters Are Exempt Because I Say So" rule

 

[pink_silk_glove]

Unless that seven hundred fifty first word is a second chapter, then it's ok. It's protected under the jsmiamian "Chapters Are Exempt Because I Say So" rule

Uhh, no. He's the one arguing against multiple chapters. You're not very good at this whole debate thing, are you? : P

My vote: Adjust for the future. Require each 750 word story to be completely standalone. No other story should be required to be read, before or after. No series. No parts of series. No chapters. No tricks. No loopholes. No “looking like a series” to benefit scores. No use of pre-established characters, backgrounds. No asterisks.

 

[SouthernCrossfire]

I wrote a standalone 750-word story and then realized there was a chance for a standalone 750-word sequel told from the perspective of a different character.

Then there’s a third from yet a different character’s perspective but I’m pulling it before submitting over the weekend as planned, not due to the comments in this thread but due to comments and complaints received on the second. Yes, both of the first two were related but standalone stories but both could be told better in a longer, deeper format.

The third story in what will be a trilogy will get that treatment.

 

[jsmiam]

I’m not arguing, just trying to understand what ‘problem’ you are trying to fix.

…

Do you feel that you or anyone else in the Literotica community has missed out on anything this time around as the ‘rules’ stand?


What harm are you wanting to mitigate?
What improvement are you trying to make?

It’s making a point. We call it a 750 word challenge. Why not revise the rule for the future (I’m repeating myself) so that people make a fully standalone story in 750 words. Not 1500, 2250, etc.

It’s my favorite event, given that I have less and less time or willingness to write nowadays. I’m proposing improving it for next time. That’s basically what I’ve said all along.

There’s no harm to mitigate. Series, writers, chapter writers, universe writers are within the rules as things stand now because the rules have gaps. That’s fine looking backward. Why not fix when looking forward?

First off... even if a 750 is apart of somebody's literary universe, doesn't mean it still isn't a stand alone story, nor does it mean that another story need be read to make sense of it. Same characters or not.

Secondly; who is wasting words with a backstory? I did six of them, only one was written with just enough background to set the scene. Most of them are just that; a scene, a moment.

And even if somebody did two 750 stories that use the same people, or whatever, doesn't mean they're continuing the same story or plot. This challenge is just a fun bullshit around trivial thing we do for ourselves. The main and practically only rule other than word limit is it has to be a single, contained, stand alone story that's complete in 750 words. Having a second rule that sez no chapters and etc, is just saying the other rule in a different way.

You act like there's a publishing deal at stake, being a whole jackass. The only thing at stake is not getting over a 3* rating.

Reported. My challenge to you, count my insults vs yourself and duleigh. I’m asking you not duleigh. (We’ve established duleigh is a writer, not a counter.)

Nonetheless, my point which seems to have gotten missed is, to that if some background element from a previous story doesn’t need to be included in the current one, then part of the current story was written elsewhere. So the current story wasn’t truly done in anything under 1500 words.

Good thing it's not 751 words, jsmiam mighy try and get you lynched for such a blatant disregard of the rule of this awardless not-contest.

Why not. Reported too. I won’t call you names though.

Unless that seven hundred fifty first word is a second chapter, then it's ok. It's protected under the jsmiamian "Chapters Are Exempt Because I Say So" rule

I probably could have worded my earlier post better. (Everyone else seemed to understand it though, I’m just sayin’). I pointed out the rules as they stand (which is my whole point, the wording needs a tune-up) very ironically don’t expressly forbid chapters either. and that’s my whole point. To continually improve moving forward, make the rules more clear for next time.

I wrote a standalone 750-word story and then realized there was a chance for a standalone 750-word sequel told from the perspective of a different character.

Then there’s a third from yet a different character’s perspective but I’m pulling it before submitting over the weekend as planned, not due to the comments in this thread but due to comments and complaints received on the second. Yes, both of the first two were related but standalone stories but both could be told better in a longer, deeper format.

The third story in what will be a trilogy will get that treatment.

Interesting twist. I like it. You’re not sneaking additional words in via another story.

 

[Duleigh]

I probably could have worded my earlier post better.

Thinking before typing could have guaranteed that

I pointed out the rules as they stand (which is my whole point, the wording needs a tune-up) very ironically don’t expressly forbid chapters either. and that’s my whole point. To continually improve moving forward, make the rules more clear for next time.

That is a lie. The Rule (it's singular) does clearly and concisely forbid chapters. Which makes your point ridiculous and your argument trollish.

The RULE (it's singular) is perfect in it's simplicity. Why do you have such a hard time understanding that a CHAPTER is NOT a COMPLETE STORY?

Let's go to the dictionary

chapter​

noun​

chap·ter ˈchap-tər

1. A main division of a book

What that means in plain English (if English is not your native tongue, which appears to be the case) is that a chapter is a part of something, it is not something in its COMPLETE form. so to enter two 750 word long chapters makes a 1500 word story, which is not the object of this exercise.

So let's make the rules MUCH more clear for Jsmiam

Write a complete story in exactly 750 words.

Interesting twist. I like it. You’re not sneaking additional words in via another story.

Show an actual example of where you have seen this happen. Not a vacuous "Could" There's plenty of 750 word stories out there. You're making an accusation, now back it up

Or why don't you sit down and write something. You haven't entered anything in the 6 years this writers exercise has happened, all you've done is expressed a complete lack of understanding what the word "complete" means.

 

[jsmiam]

Thinking before typing could have guaranteed that

Like how your "once, just once" comment about your own scoring mentions was was actually four times, this thread alone?

Like how I’ve published two stories in the past year, one of which was a 750 word entry last year?

I’m forced to question your reading comprehension.

That is a lie. The Rule (it's singular) does clearly and concisely forbid chapters. Which makes your point ridiculous and your argument trollish.

You are mistaking rules for contests, which typically include the following text (this example is from Valentine's 2024): " All submissions must be stand-alone stories created for this contest theme. We will not accept individual chapters of a larger work submitted separately. If you have a multi-chaptered contest-themed submission, please submit all chapters together as one story submission."

The 750 word challenge rules, which you quote often, are as follows, saying NOTHING about chapters: "Here's your mission - Write a complete story in exactly 750 words. If it's a word less than 750, Lit's bots will reject it, if it's too long some wide eyed reader will spot it (they do!) and call you out on it. Write a story that is EXACTLY 750 words long using Microsoft Word, Google Docs, or Literotica Control Panel Editor word count - no more, no less. Note: each word processor handles word count differently, The story must be 750 words EXCLUDING title, description, tags, etc. Word count includes story text only.

It is allowable to start with a line that reads:
This story was written for the 2024 Literotica 750 Word Challenge, below this line are exactly 750 words:

Submit your story (stories) in any story category February 1st-29th (because February is the shortest month allowed by Literotica)

The list of all participating stories will be posted on March 1st.

Copy and paste this phrase into the Note To Admin section of the submission form: "750 WORD PROJECT 2024" (without the quotation marks).
Please copy and paste this so that a typo doesn't keep your story from participating!
"
In other words, the irony of it all, is although the 750 word rules should, they do not expressly forbid chapters. You are wrong, yet again.

Write a complete story in exactly 750 words.



Show an actual example of where you have seen this happen. Not a vacuous "Could" There's plenty of 750 word stories out there. You're making an accusation, now back it up

I'm forced to go browse two of your stories. Here goes. Your story "750-9 Paul and Andi's" very first sentence is, "Andi finally made it to Canada!" (published 2/4/2024). But, Paul and Andi is a six part series, including the 7 page long "All about Andi's Dream" honeymoon sequence (January 2024) where you talk about them going to Canada on their honeymoon.

That's relatively minor, but nonetheless, you wrote page upon page about Paul and Andi BEFORE publishing your 750 word story about them. Part of your backdrop exists in five previous chapters. Five! (1.25 by your counting methods.)

Or why don't you sit down and write something. You haven't entered anything in the 6 years this writers exercise has happened, all you've done is expressed a complete lack of understanding what the word "complete" means.

Perhaps you missed my four 750 word entries, since I don't disguise them to look like a series, as some do. Then there's also your previously mentioned reading comprehension problem.

"Adventures in Petsitting", 2023;
"Spreading Joy" and "Hot mom's lap time vs. mine", both 2022.
"Skittle Toes", 2021.

Then not counting the 750 word entries, I'm at 4 stories since 2022. Not a lot, as we've discussed, I don't get to write as much any more. That's actually part of why I like the 750 word challenge so much. And why I'd like to see it continue, without loopholes. It's a simple thing. I certainly didn't mean to offend those who wrote their stories based on what the rules say now and in the past. I'm proposing making them better next time.

With that said, I hope others who care about everyone being on an equal footing will step forward. I'm apparently alone in this. But, having proven Duleigh wrong on his counting, his reading comprehension, his benefitting from previously written stories within his own 750 word stories (thereby not writing everything within the 750 word story), and what the rules say (which HE posts frequently), I'll step off.

 

[Duleigh]

"Andi finally made it to Canada!"

You FAILED to mention how the entire paragraph explained how and why the story opened like that, you clearly chose to exclude that fact to pump up your ego behind a lie

"All about Andi's Dream" honeymoon sequence (January 2024) where you talk about them going to Canada on their honeymoon.

I've never heard of All About Andi's dream, someone else must have wrote that, but in All Aboard Andi's Dream they went to the BAHAMAS on their honeymoon. Canada was never mentioned. NOT ONCE. Never did I mention Canada as a honeymoon location. If you would have bothered to read what you were citing as evidence you would have discovered that they took a yacht from out of Florida, but only if you bothered to read a single sentence of the story. You made up that lie completely to stoke your little ego, didn't you.

THere's a big difference the Bahamas and Canada, for one, there's no Palm trees in Canada. For two, there's no hockey in the Bahamas.

You pick pick pick to support a meaningless argument that has no basis in this challenge, and then you troll and troll and troll. Troll on!

 

[jsmiam]

You FAILED to mention how the entire paragraph explained how and why the story opened like that, you clearly chose to exclude that fact to pump up your ego behind a lie



I've never heard of All About Andi's dream, someone else must have wrote that, but in All Aboard Andi's Dream they went to the BAHAMAS on their honeymoon. Canada was never mentioned. NOT ONCE. Never did I mention Canada as a honeymoon location. If you would have bothered to read what you were citing as evidence you would have discovered that they took a yacht from out of Florida, but only if you bothered to read a single sentence of the story. You made up that lie completely to stoke your little ego, didn't you.

THere's a big difference the Bahamas and Canada, for one, there's no Palm trees in Canada. For two, there's no hockey in the Bahamas.

You pick pick pick to support a meaningless argument that has no basis in this challenge, and then you troll and troll and troll. Troll on!

Forgive my typo: As I said, reading your stories was not something I wanted to do, I skimmed, and yes, i made a typo. "All about Andi's Dream" and "All Aboard Andi's Dream", how could I be so careless!

This is toward the bottom, 8 paragraphs from the end of page 1. "Once everyone was seated at the table, John said grace and they dug in and explained to Lucy and Andi that Boxing Day is an old British holiday where "postmen, errand boys, and servants of various kinds" expected to get a Christmas gratuity. It's not a holiday in the US but in Canada le Lendemain de Noel. The day after Christmas is a national holiday, and since Western New York is close to Canada, it's not unusual to see Boxing Day celebrated in the area."

So, again, I'll attempt to stop engaging you, after proving you wrong yet again. Your 750 word story was the sixth entry of a six part series. It CLEARLY benefited from backgrounds and characters established in five prior chapters. How you can try to deny that is beyond me.

With that... I do hope others will step forward in support of "standalone." It's a nice challenge, and would be even nicer if in the future, it evolved to where everyone did the challenge the same way.

 

[Duleigh]

This is toward the bottom, 8 paragraphs from the end of page 1. "Once everyone was seated at the table, John said grace and they dug in and explained to Lucy and Andi that Boxing Day is an old British holiday where "postmen, errand boys, and servants of various kinds" expected to get a Christmas gratuity. It's not a holiday in the US but in Canada le Lendemain de Noel. The day after Christmas is a national holiday, and since Western New York is close to Canada, it's not unusual to see Boxing Day celebrated in the area."

And this is how you announce that you're going to honey moon in Canada on your planet?

Your 750 word story was the sixth entry of a six part series. It CLEARLY benefited from backgrounds and characters established in five prior chapters. How you can try to deny that is beyond me.

No it doesn't. It was clearly and obviously written to entertain a reader who has never touched the series. It never even mentions the series. If the series is not mentioned how can it benefit? Tell me. Show me where it says "Turn to XXX for more information"

The benefit is that the writer is confident with his characters and their construction and can convey to the reader the character more fully, richly, with proper descriptions and flowing narrative. I have spent MANY MANY Days living in the areas that I write about - western NY, Canada, Florida. With your nasty little screed and baseless accusations you are telling me that we are not allowed to write about something we are familiar with.

How sad.

 

[jsmiam]

Your story benefits from being in a series. Your final two parts, each allegedly 750 word stories, had parts of their storyline provided via prior chapters. Things exist for the reader to read, beyond the 750 words of each story on its own.

Additionally, outside the realm of the 750 word contest, its search results, links, the upcoming announcement on March 1, you are ALSO benefitting by getting traffic to the story since it's part of a separate series.

So THIS time, I'm done. I acquiesce that you'll reply to this, thereby getting the last word. Congrats.

 

[Duleigh]

Things exist for the reader to read, beyond the 750 words of each story on its own.

So what? I mean really - SO WHAT?

Additionally, outside the realm of the 750 word contest,

WAAAAhAHAHAHAHAHA It's not a CONTEST genius, it's a writing EXERCISE. You carried on like a 4 year old who's favorite teddy bear was stolen only to find out it's not a contest? This is glorious!

you are ALSO benefitting by getting traffic to the story since it's part of a separate series.

Yeah. So what? More people read my work, that means... I get paid thousands of dollars that you don't get? It means my injuries from my military service will heal over night? I'll be able to walk on water again? Get real. Actually using a story that fits in a series is dangerous because if it's improperly handled you'll lose your readers attention. But how would you know that? You never tried.

I acquiesce that you'll reply to this, thereby getting the last word. Congrats.

As they say, may the best man win.

 

[EmilyMiller]

@Duleigh , @jsmiam and (to a lesser degree) @M_K_Babalon - please stop this. It’s so unnecessary. You’re all decent people most of the time. Clearly you have got under each other’s skins here, but try to be adults about it.

If you wanna insult someone, insult me. You know, the dizzy annoying blonde with the big mouth and a penchant for telling others what to do. Go right ahead.

Emily

 

[Duleigh]

If you wanna insult someone, insult me.

Yer blond and your mom dresses you funny... no wait. That's my sister. Hang on, I have one somewhere....

 

[OffNSFW]

(I apologize if this has been asked before, but there are over 1k posts in this thread.)

Has anyone had a story sent back in error for going over the limit? I just had one bounced back to me for supposedly being around 1500 words. I ran the text through a word counter and it was 750 on the nose.

I understand the mods have to sift through lots of stuff and accidents do happen. I just want to make sure I'm not wasting everyone's time by resubmitting as-is.

 

[EmilyMiller]

Yer blond and your mom dresses you funny... no wait. That's my sister. Hang on, I have one somewhere....

Keep em coming cowboy (I learnt the cowboy from @Djmac1031 ’s Jenna BTW).

My Mom is probably fat as well (she’s actually as skinny as me - love you Mom).

Emily

 

[KeithD]

(I apologize if this has been asked before, but there are over 1k posts in this thread.)

Has anyone had a story sent back in error for going over the limit? I just had one bounced back to me for supposedly being around 1500 words. I ran the text through a word counter and it was 750 on the nose.

I understand the mods have to sift through lots of stuff and accidents do happen. I just want to make sure I'm not wasting everyone's time by resubmitting as-is.

No, never had a 750-word one sent back for anything. Quite a shock that you had one sent back. I assumed Laurel didn't get involved in exercises like this other than list them. Yes, I suggest you just resubmit it, with an explanation in the notes box.

 

[EmilyMiller]

(I apologize if this has been asked before, but there are over 1k posts in this thread.)

Has anyone had a story sent back in error for going over the limit? I just had one bounced back to me for supposedly being around 1500 words. I ran the text through a word counter and it was 750 on the nose.

I understand the mods have to sift through lots of stuff and accidents do happen. I just want to make sure I'm not wasting everyone's time by resubmitting as-is.

It’s a silly event and an exercise in writing. No one is monitoring it, least of all @Laurel

Emily

 

[pink_silk_glove]

Has anyone had a story sent back in error for going over the limit? I just had one bounced back to me for supposedly being around 1500 words. I ran the text through a word counter and it was 750 on the nose.

Sounds to me like you may have accidentally hit ctrl-v twice in the submission box.

 

[MrPixel]

Has anyone had a story sent back in error for going over the limit?

Yes, but it wasn't in error - it was over by 2 words. It is recognized that there are discrepancies in how different word processing apps count words. The "golden standard" seems to be MSWord, but there are two others used to verify counts that I can't recall. Hit any one of those +/- 2 and you shouldn't get kicked back. I mostly use Apple Pages, which for some reason adds two words relative to MSWord.

But I agree with pink, you must have double-pasted into the submission box.

 

[PenumbralVision]

@Duleigh , @jsmiam and (to a lesser degree) @M_K_Babalon - please stop this. It’s so unnecessary. You’re all decent people most of the time. Clearly you have got under each other’s skins here, but try to be adults about it.

If you wanna insult someone, insult me. You know, the dizzy annoying blonde with the big mouth and a penchant for telling others what to do. Go right ahead.

Emily

Yes please. It became really unsettling.