The Official Authors' Hangout Halloween 2023 Contest Support Thread

[Nellymcboatface]

Is there any indication that stories submitted for the contest are approved more quickly than otherwise? I submitted a story to this contest yesterday, and the deadline is still several days away, but I'm naturally hopeful that it will be approved ASAP so it's on the list as long as possible. Anybody have experience that sheds light on this?

I posted mine 6pm UK time Thursday and at work 7:45am Friday it showed posted 50 mins previously...@12 hours !

 

[Fatdog25]

I've noticed that my entries are usually approved by the next day instead of the standard two day wait I usually see.

 

[pink_silk_glove]

Was at 4.75...
Then 1 bombed down to 4.62 in 1 vote...

That's not a bomb. That's just a 1.

 

[MillieDynamite]

One bombs are votes by the same person who repeatedly gives you a one. This is done through different accounts or anonymously using some kind of VPN and clearing their cash. It takes five 5 votes to pull you back where you are from each of the one bombs.

An encouraging first day...
Laural published my story within 12 hours UK time !
Was at 4.75...
Then 1 bombed down to 4.62 in 1 vote...
Sour grapes at the ending I assume !!
Hey ho, it should be swept out at the closing date .... Fingers crossed.
Assuming every other vote isn't 1s !!!
I know I shouldn’t look but the temptation is just too great...
Great entry too, 165 ! WOW !

 

[MillieDynamite]

So, for three days, I've been working on a tale. I've worked and reworked the plot. I'm at about 3,000 words, and a few minutes ago, this light bulb went off in my head. This damn thing is a spooky story for Halloween. Maybe not this Halloween here; maybe it will go to a sale site for now, but it's a Halloween tale if I've ever written one. And yes, I have written a few of those.

 

[SouthernCrossfire]

Is there any indication that stories submitted for the contest are approved more quickly than otherwise? I submitted a story to this contest yesterday, and the deadline is still several days away, but I'm naturally hopeful that it will be approved ASAP so it's on the list as long as possible. Anybody have experience that sheds light on this?

My experience for contest entries has been similar to Nelly's on several occasions where I posted the story early enough but it was later Monday evening this time and was posted on Wednesday.

Yes... my only comment so far is an anonymous one.. but nice...

To my surprise, a batch of several comments hit in a group shortly after I commented, including one anonymous comment (meaning my earlier concern was incorrect). Unsurprisingly, I guess, the anonymous comment has been the only negative one so far.

Nelly, I'd already saved your story on my reading list before you commented so I'll try to make a point to get to it soon.

 

[Kethandra]

It takes five 5 votes to pull you back where you are from each of the one bombs.

That isn’t the right math on votes.
Imagine the story had 94 votes, all 5s for a 5.00 average. Now add a 1 vote. The average is 4.96 (rounded, actually 4.957…)
Now add 5 more 5-votes. The average jumps slightly to 4.96 (precisely, no rounding needed).
You could add 200 more 5’s and the average would still not return to 5.00.
Similarly, though in the other extreme, a story could hypothetically have a perfect 1.00 average for some reason. The next 1 doesn’t drop the average at all (still 1.00), but the 5 5s would raise that enough so as to make it exceeding difficult to ever return to that 1.00 again.

 

[theWollstonecraftWoman]

Math, what a boring conversation.

 

[MillieDynamite]

I wasn't talking about extremes. I was talking on average. It takes more to return to where you were than one vote on the other end. Four fives and a four make your score a 4.8. But four fives and a single one-vote drops the score to 4.2. and another five only brings you to a 4.33. The next five brings your score to 4.43. That's a slow climb.

That isn’t the right math on votes.
Imagine the story had 94 votes, all 5s for a 5.00 average. Now add a 1 vote. The average is 4.96 (rounded, actually 4.957…)
Now add 5 more 5-votes. The average jumps slightly to 4.96 (precisely, no rounding needed).
You could add 200 more 5’s and the average would still not return to 5.00.
Similarly, though in the other extreme, a story could hypothetically have a perfect 1.00 average for some reason. The next 1 doesn’t drop the average at all (still 1.00), but the 5 5s would raise that enough so as to make it exceeding difficult to ever return to that 1.00 again.

 

[Cali_Love]

I submitted my story mid-morning of the 2nd and it was published sometime before midnight PST the same day. That had never happened before. Both the publishing speed AND that I finished an entry to anything before the deadline.

 

[Rustyoznail]

I've had 4k views and 12 votes

It deserves better.

 

[Kethandra]

I wasn't talking about extremes. I was talking on average. It takes more to return to where you were than one vote on the other end. Four fives and a four make your score a 4.8. But four fives and a single one-vote drops the score to 4.2. and another five only brings you to a 4.33. The next five brings your score to 4.43. That's a slow climb.

It is a slow climb, indeed. Extremes are a good way to check if a formula works. Two extremes and a middle will usually let you know if it does. The middle here would be a 3.00 average. In that case, 1 1 and 1 5 returns the average to 3.00 no matter how many votes it had. Same with 5 1-bombs and by 5 5s: back to 3.00.

 

[Kethandra]

My story Malleable was approved in 2 hours. Yes, the contest certainly seems to help with that.

 

[MillieDynamite]

But what we're discussing is the elusive 4.5 rating and the effect of the one bomb. Also, how it devastates that rating and what it takes to recover from it. That's the average that we seek. No, I don't write for a rating, but when I have a 4.5, I appreciate it. I don't appreciate being bombed out of it.

It is a slow climb, indeed. Extremes are a good way to check if a formula works. Two extremes and a middle will usually let you know if it does. The middle here would be a 3.00 average. In that case, 1 1 and 1 5 returns the average to 3.00 no matter how many votes it had. Same with 5 1-bombs and by 5 5s: back to 3.00.

 

[Kethandra]

But what we're discussing is the elusive 4.5 rating and the effect of the one bomb. Also, how it devastates that rating and what it takes to recover from it. That's the average that we seek. No, I don't write for a rating, but when I have a 4.5, I appreciate it. I don't appreciate being bombed out of it.

You’re right, that 4.50 boundary for ‘hotness’ and the big H is critical for a story to get read. One 1-bomb in the first 10 votes is especially devastating. And I will admit that in low-voting categories, I will vote for my own story under my own name to get it to 10 votes and a red H as quickly as possible. If it’s in a high-vote category like I/T, my single vote doesn’t matter: it’s at 10 votes in a hurry.
I assume that the periodic ‘sweeps‘ will remove my vote from my story and that’s as it should be - I just want to get it to 10 votes fast.

 

[MillieDynamite]

No, you can vote on your own stories.

You’re right, that 4.50 boundary for ‘hotness’ and the big H is critical for a story to get read. One 1-bomb in the first 10 votes is especially devastating. And I will admit that in low-voting categories, I will vote for my own story under my own name to get it to 10 votes and a red H as quickly as possible. If it’s in a high-vote category like I/T, my single vote doesn’t matter: it’s at 10 votes in a hurry.
I assume that the periodic ‘sweeps‘ will remove my vote from my story and that’s as it should be - I just want to get it to 10 votes fast.

 

[SouthernCrossfire]

You’re right, that 4.50 boundary for ‘hotness’ and the big H is critical for a story to get read. One 1-bomb in the first 10 votes is especially devastating....

I agree. After three votes, my Halloween story was in the mid-3s. Since there were so many stories already on the list, most of my views were coming from the category board or possibly new story list for a while. Because it was so low, the view count climbed slowly and the climb into the 4s was very slow and excruciating to watch until more readers/voters found it. That's where fans may help in the early going; they'll often give a favorited author's story a chance even if the score is lower than usual due to vote shenanigans (or to people who may genuinely hate a story for some reason).

 

[Rustyoznail]

If you vote on your own story, make sure you read it.

Not going into details, it's just my thought that it might help your long term score.

 

[StillStunned]

I just submitted another story. There's nothing subtle about this one: "Lust Demon's Orgy". A Halloween office party turns into an orgy when someone decides to summon a demon for fun.

 

[BelleCanzuto]

I just submitted another story. There's nothing subtle about this one: "Lust Demon's Orgy". A Halloween office party turns into an orgy when someone decides to summon a demon for fun.

Sometimes obvious is best.

 

[StillStunned]

Sometimes obvious is best.

Yup. "Dear reader, this is a sex story. It features a demon and an orgy. I hope you enjoy it."

 

[SimonDoom]

I posted mine 6pm UK time Thursday and at work 7:45am Friday it showed posted 50 mins previously...@12 hours !

I'm beginning to be peeved. I submitted mine about 32 hours ago and it's still not posted. I've been doing this for almost seven years and never submitted a story that was ultimately denied.

 

[Rustyoznail]

I submitted mine on Friday night (my time) and it didn't go up until Monday. Maybe we should avoid weekends.

 

[Bazzle]

I'm beginning to be peeved. I submitted mine about 32 hours ago and it's still not posted. I've been doing this for almost seven years and never submitted a story that was ultimately denied.

If it doesn't work within 48 hours, I normally expect a rejection letter

 

[yowser]

I'm beginning to be peeved. I submitted mine about 32 hours ago and it's still not posted. I've been doing this for almost seven years and never submitted a story that was ultimately denied.

I think Russ's right, it's likely just a timing thing. No new Halloween stories were posted today. Someone may require a weekend break.