The Official Authors Hangout Winter Holiday 2023 Contest Support Thread

[Kumquatqueen]

Its the story of my contest entries. I only get 1 bombs...so I might get up to the ~25 votes...then the sweeps hit...and my scores goes up, but my vote numbers mean a no go!

The only contest I've placed in, I had 26 votes before a sweep, but at least two 1s were discarded. Maybe another vote came in at the last minute? Most of my stories have low numbers of votes - only twice have I got 50.votes in a month, one of which was incest which I don't want to write again.

Lost 6 votes but jumped from 4.60 to 4.79 !
Whooop whooop.
Largest sweep change ever...
Normally 0.02 to 0.04 never as much as that !

I've had 16 or 17 votes overall, now on 12, shifting from 4.07 to 4.83. Which is nice.

 

[Duleigh]

It’s crazy just how prevalent bad faith voting is. It happens all the time, of course, but comps seem to put it on steroids.

I’d hate to think it’s other authors doing it, but you have to wonder.

Em

I know other authors are doing it. I have a story with a perfect 5 with 30 votes, it's been sitting on the top of the SciFi list for weeks and bam - a 1. there's no reader that's going to read through 60k words to drop a 1.

 

[EmilyMiller]

I know other authors are doing it. I have a story with a perfect 5 with 30 votes, it's been sitting on the top of the SciFi list for weeks and bam - a 1. there's no reader that's going to read through 60k words to drop a 1.

Tell me about it. I can’t compete with 30 fives, but I have had a story with 26 5s, 2 4s and then a 1.

That’s the problem with low-traffic categories, the ratings are more vulnerable to the malicious.

Em

 

[ShelbyDawn57]

Tell me about it. I can’t compete with 30 fives, but I have had a story with 26 5s, 2 4s and then a 1.

That’s the problem with low-traffic categories, the ratings are more vulnerable to the malicious.

Em

Not to worry. I've got eight ghost accounts and I'm five bombing the hell out of all your stories. Oh, wait. I probably shouldn't have said that out loud.

 

[MelissaBaby]

As of right now, I’ve had 16 votes removed and my score has not changed. I’m not even going to try to figure that out.

 

[Trionyx]

That’s the problem with low-traffic categories, the ratings are more vulnerable to the malicious.

My story with fewer votes and a lower score jumped ahead of my story with many more votes (3x) and a higher score. It’s my belief stories with high scores and lots of votes tend not to have big changes at sweeps. I’ve seen low volume stories jump way up and into the winners circle.

One thing’s for sure: It ain’t over until it’s over.

 

[Duleigh]

Tell me about it. I can’t compete with 30 fives, but I have had a story with 26 5s, 2 4s and then a 1.

That’s the problem with low-traffic categories, the ratings are more vulnerable to the malicious.

Em

I reported it that ace to TPTB and I'll drop a DM on high this evening to see if I can get it back. A 4 I can take... a 3 will be a butt ache but it's believable, but 30 fives and a 1? It's malicious.

It's back!!! This last sweep looked beyond my contest stories!

Speaking of Malicious, this last round of sweeps actually caught a few low scores and drove my stories where I expected them to be. The first few passes didn't move the scores at all.(Cutting scores out of the middle?)

 

[BBlaketbv]

I lost 10-20 votes.
Story went from 4.55-ish to 4.69.

 

[MelissaBaby]

As of right now, I’ve had 16 votes removed and my score has not changed. I’m not even going to try to figure that out.

I wonder be if there is a lag in the score changing slower than the vote count, because after 4 more votes were removed, score jumped .03 points.

 

[EmilyMiller]

t’s my belief stories with high scores and lots of votes tend not to have big changes at sweeps. I’ve seen low volume stories jump way up and into the winners circle.

Both totally correct.

Em

 

[EmilyMiller]

I lost 10-20 votes.
Story went from 4.55-ish to 4.69.

It’s shocking isn’t it?

Em

 

[EmilyMiller]

Not to worry. I've got eight ghost accounts and I'm five bombing the hell out of all your stories. Oh, wait. I probably shouldn't have said that out loud.

The check is en route to you.

Em

 

[alohadave]

I wonder be if there is a jag in the score changing slower than the vote count, because after 4 more votes were removed, score jumped .03 points.

I've noticed that scores can be 'sticky' after a story has been swept.

 

[MelissaBaby]

My story with fewer votes and a lower score jumped ahead of my story with many more votes (3x) and a higher score. It’s my belief stories with high scores and lots of votes tend not to have big changes at sweeps. I’ve seen low volume stories jump way up and into the winners circle.

One thing’s for sure: It ain’t over until it’s over.

I don’t remember which contest it was but I had a story jump from the high 4.40s into the 4.70s after the last sweep.

 

[Duleigh]

Hmm.... Laurel charged me 2 fives to pull that one. She even took a five from a story that went up yesterday.

She swept 29 votes from non contest stories, I know I lost at least 2 fives. Most of the scores shifted up so I'm quite happy.

 

[Bazzle]

Tell me about it. I can’t compete with 30 fives, but I have had a story with 26 5s, 2 4s and then a 1.

That’s the problem with low-traffic categories, the ratings are more vulnerable to the malicious.

Em

Low traffic, low votes are dangerous in comps

 

[ShelbyDawn57]

The check is en route to you.

Em

Ok... If money's all you got, I guess that will do. I was hoping to hold out for nudes. LOL

 

[Trionyx]

Congrats to the winners!!! Their scores must have been phenomenal.

 

[EmilyMiller]

Ok... If money's all you got, I guess that will do. I was hoping to hold out for nudes. LOL

The check is from Miller Inc. It features the CEO full-frontal.

Em

 

[Trionyx]

I don’t remember which contest it was but I had a story jump from the high 4.40s into the 4.70s after the last sweep.

It must have jumped even more today. Congrats.

 

[StillStunned]

Congrats to the winners!!! Their scores must have been phenomenal.

@MelissaBaby, @Duleigh and @Publius68, congratulations!

 

[ShelbyDawn57]

The check is from Miller Inc. It features the CEO full-frontal.

Em

Yeah, but is Miller Inc in Milwaukee or New Jersey?

 

[EmilyMiller]

Yeah, but is Miller Inc in Milwaukee or New Jersey?

You’ll see when USPS drops it off.

Em

 

[Duleigh]

* 2023 Winter Holidays Contest Winners *

First Place ($150 Cash Prize Winner):
If Only In My Dreams
by MelissaBaby

Second Place ($100 Cash Prize Winner):
Andi's Dream - Joy To The World
by Duleigh

Third Place ($75 Cash Prize Winner):
Father Christmas
by Publius68

 

[Fatdog25]

* 2023 Winter Holidays Contest Winners *

First Place ($150 Cash Prize Winner):
If Only In My Dreams
by MelissaBaby

Second Place ($100 Cash Prize Winner):
Andi's Dream - Joy To The World
by Duleigh

Third Place ($75 Cash Prize Winner):
Father Christmas
by Publius68

Congratulations to all the winners!