The now fully official Author’s Hangout Halloween 2025 competition support thread

[old_prof]

Is that rule posted anywhere? I haven't seen it.

I had been told that by fellow AHers when I started here 6 months ago. And I have seen the moderator warn someone about it.

 

[EmilyMiller]

That may be the case with normal submissions, but I think the effect of malicious voting is actually less regarding contest entries, because of the multiple sweeps.

As I always say. There are dumb one bombs and smart one bombs. At least one person knows how to avoid sweeps and still one bomb with impunity. Which suggests some one who has been around here a while and understands how things work.

 

[MelissaBaby]

As I always say. There are dumb one bombs and smart one bombs. At least one person knows how to avoid sweeps and still one bomb with impunity. Which suggests some one who has been around here a while and understands how things work.

I think that’s likely. But a smart bomber is as likely to target an author in one category as in another.

 

[old_prof]

I think that’s likely. But a smart bomber is as likely to target an author in one category as in another.

But if you are in a category that gets fewer votes (BDSM vs LW, say), you are much more vulnerable to their attack, each 1 hurts much more with 30 votes than 1000 votes

 

[EmilyMiller]

But if you are in a category that gets fewer votes (BDSM vs LW, say), you are much more vulnerable to their attack, each 1 hurts much more with 30 votes than 1000 votes

 

[MelissaBaby]

But if you are in a category that gets fewer votes (BDSM vs LW, say), you are much more vulnerable to their attack, each 1 hurts much more with 30 votes than 1000 votes

I think you may have missed my point, that this strategy makes sense if you have enough followers that the low readership of the category is less relevant.

 

[old_prof]

I think you may have missed my point, that this strategy makes sense if you have enough followers that the low readership of the category is less relevant.

Not all of us have that luxury.

 

[MelissaBaby]

Not all of us have that luxury.

I get that, which is why I said in my first mention that it was a strategy for people with a decent number of followers. I think it's just a fact of Lit life that having more followers gives you an advantage in contests, and in achieving high scores, generally.

 

[Lotus_Kitty]

Are audio submissions supposed to have a 'Halloween 2025 Contest' tag in them?

I put HALLOWEEN 2025 in the notes to the mods section but didn't know about a special tag.

Only just found this thread. Should have checked the forums earlier!

 

[MelissaBaby]

Are audio submissions supposed to have a 'Halloween 2025 Contest' tag in them?

I put HALLOWEEN 2025 in the notes to the mods section but didn't know about a special tag.

Only just found this thread. Should have checked the forums earlier!

It is helpful to add a tag, but not required.

 

[EmilyMiller]

Are audio submissions supposed to have a 'Halloween 2025 Contest' tag in them?

I put HALLOWEEN 2025 in the notes to the mods section but didn't know about a special tag.

Only just found this thread. Should have checked the forums earlier!

There seems to be differing opinions on whether or not audio is included in comps. Some claim that there have been audio entries in prior years, but I have yet to see a link.

 

[Lotus_Kitty]

13 votes is a very on theme number of votes, innit? Don't think I'll even be in the contest without 25 votes but it was such fun making the audio! Here's hoping 12 more people decide to vote before the cutoff!

To anyone who scrambled to finish before the deadline, I was right there with you! Learning experience for next year, for sure. Worked with a wonderful ensemble cast but did not ask them to record their dialogue together. Didn't ask them to record sexy time scenes as reactions to another VAs audio track. Ended up synchronizing dialogue and sexy moans by hand for hours, days! And that's for just 20 minutes of audio! Fun, definitely, but next time I'm saving myself work!

Submit earlier, get seen/heard more? An experiment for next year.

 

[Lotus_Kitty]

There seems to be differing opinions on whether or not audio is included in comps. Some claim that there have been audio entries in prior years, but I have yet to see a link.

There were audio category winners in 2024 but I never saw an audio entry list. :/ I was thus very confused this year about whether audio entries were even accepted into the contest.

 

[EmilyMiller]

There were audio category winners in 2024 but I never saw an audio entry list. :/ I was thus very confused this year about whether audio entries were even accepted into the contest.

It’s not awfully clear, sorry

 

[MelissaBaby]

13 votes is a very on theme number of votes, innit? Don't think I'll even be in the contest without 25 votes but it was such fun making the audio! Here's hoping 12 more people decide to vote before the cutoff!

To anyone who scrambled to finish before the deadline, I was right there with you! Learning experience for next year, for sure. Worked with a wonderful ensemble cast but did not ask them to record their dialogue together. Didn't ask them to record sexy time scenes as reactions to another VAs audio track. Ended up synchronizing dialogue and sexy moans by hand for hours, days! And that's for just 20 minutes of audio! Fun, definitely, but next time I'm saving myself work!

Submit earlier, get seen/heard more? An experiment for next year.

View attachment 2573746

Don’t give up hope, there is usually an uptick in voting after the deadline.

 

[MelissaBaby]

There are way too many stories to expect anyone to read them all at this point, but I would suggest that anyone who has gotten in late and doesn't think they can get the 25 votes needed to quality to post a link to their stories here. Perhaps some of your fellow authors will take a look at your story and cast a vote.

 

[Lotus_Kitty]

It’s not awfully clear, sorry

No worries Thank you for helping contestants.

 

[EmilyMiller]

No worries Thank you for helping contestants.

I’m doing my best, but I don’t work for the site and can only do so much

 

[Actingup]

There are way too many stories to expect anyone to read them all at this point, but I would suggest that anyone who has gotten in late and doesn't think they can get the 25 votes needed to quality to post a link to their stories here. Perhaps some of your fellow authors will take a look at your story and cast a vote.

An honest, wholesome vote, hopefully - no 1-bombs allowed!

What we can also do is to leave encouraging and constructive feedback on stories. If there are things that could have been improved, say so nicely. If it's an absolute stinker, maybe take it into a private message or just stop reading. If it's a shining pearl that puts your own story to shame, say so and leave those 5 stars for all to see. Let's make sure that we behave as we would like all of our readers to behave.

 

[dreams_in_words]

There are way too many stories to expect anyone to read them all at this point

At this point I've been randomly picking something to read before going to sleep every night.

A sexy bedtime story

 

[Voboy]

At this point I've been randomly picking something to read before going to sleep every night.

A sexy bedtime story

I used to do that.

I found it kept me up.

 

[DEFCOM5]

oh I'm definitely out. 219 votes but a 4.41 rating. I'm not gonna bounce back from that even with a sweep.

Still im happy with the story and its generally gotten good reviews.

It is a total shame because the Geek Girl is a well written story

Look, we all know some poorly written story about a son tricking his mom and / or sister into fucking by wearing a Halloween costume they dont recognize him in / mistake him for someone else in will win this thing anyway.

I freaking hope not. That would be sad that the lousiest of lousy tropes wins.
I mean, the mom did not recognize the 14 inches cock from her son she had been masturbating to?

 

[MelissaBaby]

Look, we all know some poorly written story about a son tricking his mom and / or sister into fucking by wearing a Halloween costume they dont recognize him in / mistake him for someone else in will win this thing anyway.

Uh....Erozetta won last year. The year before that, Altissimus won, Jackie.O.Hikaru was second, and Simon was third.

 

[EmilyMiller]

Altissimus…

…had some help.

 

[dreams_in_words]

I found it kept me up.

I've heard there's something you can do to help with that...