The Official Authors' Hangout Winter Holidays 2025 Support Thread

[Duleigh]

 

[NaughteeDragon]

Mine too

 

[MelissaBaby]

I’m about halfway through mine at about 8k words. That’s pretty good for me, I usually end up dashing toward the deadline.

 

[DEFCOM5]

@ChloeTzang and @Duleigh,

After receiving feedback from my beta readers, I have decided not to enter the contest.

It is simply not good enough of a story.

I wanted to thank you for you support and motivation as I wrote something that is unpublishable.

Best of luck to the contestants.

 

[dreams_in_words]

I’m about halfway through mine at about 8k words. That’s pretty good for me, I usually end up dashing toward the deadline.

Dashing towards stuff during the winter is a holiday tradition. Whether it's black Friday sales, getting to airport terminals on time (as seen in the historical documentary Home Alone), or dashing thru the snow in a one horse open sleigh.

Also, Home Alone would have made for a great sex parody for a holiday story. They already had established the "Wet Bandits". Hope no one uses that idea....

 

[Duleigh]

@ChloeTzang and @Duleigh,

After receiving feedback from my beta readers, I have decided not to enter the contest.

It is simply not good enough of a story.

I wanted to thank you for you support and motivation as I wrote something that is unpublishable.

Best of luck to the contestants.

What is "Good enough of a story?"

I'm sure that War and Peace was not Leo Tolstoy's first attempt. I'm sure he released something that people clearly said "It's not War and Peace."

I know for a fact that Lord of the Rings was not J R R Tolkiens second release.

Two people said something you didn't like about the story... So what? I want to tell you a secret: You're not going to win if you don't try, and you'll never be a winner if you first learn to quit.

Every single reader here has published a story that was probably a bad idea to release. For me it was Professional Photographer and Flying Monkey. Professional Photographer was a HORRIBLE story. But the feedback I got! It actually told me where to improve my stories. And many people like the story. You're not going to find people who like it if you leave it on your hard drive. Most of us are here to pick up followers (because it's fun). You don't pick up followers by hiding your work.

Tell you what - finish it up. Tell your beta to concentrate on spelling and grammar and tell them "Let me make the creative decisions" (Because that's YOUR job, not theirs) and go ahead and publish it. If for any reason the reaction from the readers causes you to lose your home or your car, I'll refund your entry fee.

 

[DEFCOM5]

What is "Good enough of a story?"

@Duleigh,
If the first beta reader tells you that the story does not work and the second tells you that they wanted to stop reading halfway through the store but forced themselves to finish, the story is not good enough

Two people said something you didn't like about the story... So what? I want to tell you a secret: You're not going to win if you don't try, and you'll never be a winner if you first learn to quit.

I respect the two readers opinions. I have not any illusion that I could win a writing concept. One thing I learned in my life is that I am not a winner. And it is not because I quit.

Every single reader here has published a story that was probably a bad idea to release. For me it was Professional Photographer and Flying Monkey. Professional Photographer was a HORRIBLE story. But the feedback I got! It actually told me where to improve my stories. And many people like the story. You're not going to find people who like it if you leave it on your hard drive. Most of us are here to pick up followers (because it's fun). You don't pick up followers by hiding your work.

I hear you but I doubt I would get followers if I publish things that the readers will drop halfway through the story or before that. The thing is that I really thought that the story was great. I love my MCs. But my eyes were opened. It a pile of smelling dung (my own words, not their. The opposite. My beta readers were gentle).

Tell you what - finish it up. Tell your beta to concentrate on spelling and grammar and tell them "Let me make the creative decisions" (Because that's YOUR job, not theirs) and go ahead and publish it. If for any reason the reaction from the readers causes you to lose your home or your car, I'll refund your entry fee.

They offered to do the spelling / grammar if I wanted to publish.
I cannot publish what I think will be poorly received at best and hated at worst. Probably ignored or 1 bombed just for fun.

I really appreciate you trying to remotivate me. I really do.

But right now I am hurting and I need to take a step back and regroup and decide if I can/want to do this. I need to think that people might want to read what I write. Right not, I do not believe it.

I do not want to highjack this thread or go "Poor DEFCOM5, let's prop him up". This is not a drama. This is a first world problem.

I felt that I owed you and @ChloeTzang an explanation because you were so supportive. I really appreciated your efforts.

Again, best of luck to all the contestants!

 

[ChloeTzang]

But right now I am hurting and I need to take a step back and regroup and decide if I can/want to do this. I need to think that people might want to read what I write. Right not, I do not believe it.

I do not want to highjack this thread or go "Poor DEFCOM5, let's prop him up". This is not a drama. This is a first world problem.

I felt that I owed you and @ChloeTzang an explanation because you were so supportive. I really appreciated your efforts.

Again, best of luck to all the contestants!

Dude, you are overthinking. I have submitted some crap in my time. It's still there and people are still reading ir. Poor souls. LOL

I treat everything here on LIT as writing exercises and the readers are my personal guinea pigs. Or victims. LOL (not really, but thinking like that makes it easier to post anything). The only way you get better is to write and put it out there, take the slings and arrows of outraged comments, and do it again. It's a good way to prepare yourself for Amazon. LOL. Personally I'd say you put the work in, it was something you wanted to write, put it in and just start work on the next one! And you still have a week or so to do some editing and tweaking - heck, I'm still writing mine.

 

[Rustyoznail]

@DEFCOM5, sit back, take a deep breath, and hit submit. It's all a learning experience. Most of us aren't great writers and just do this for fun.

Take my entry - https://literotica.com/s/an-aussie-christmas-layover

Will it rank in the top ten? Doubt it. Was it fun to write? Yep. If other people like it, great.

 

[talemestories]

Dude, you are overthinking. I have submitted some crap in my time. It's still there and people are still reading ir. Poor souls. LOL

I treat everything here on LIT as writing exercises and the readers are my personal guinea pigs. Or victims. LOL (not really, but thinking like that makes it easier to post anything). The only way you get better is to write and put it out there, take the slings and arrows of outraged comments, and do it again. It's a good way to prepare yourself for Amazon. LOL. Personally I'd say you put the work in, it was something you wanted to write, put it in and just start work on the next one! And you still have a week or so to do some editing and tweaking - heck, I'm still writing mine.

DEFCOM5, I'm in this camp as well. I write to amuse myself most of the time unless I am focused on a contest where I have something specific I want to create.

Crank it out, wait for the 'helpful' comments that may provide insight you haven't considered before, and move to the next piece.

I think the thing that helped me most of all over the years was putting stuff out, looking at it, saying, WTF was I thinking, then doing something better after.

As I explore new categories away from the low hanging fruit, it helps me write in the categories I do enjoy. For example, next year, I am going to push my own limits and do the Survivor series just to see what I can come up with both in volume and quality for categories I normally wouldn't focus on.

I am looking forward to Erotic Horror next year to cast some of my commenters after reading ChloeTzang's comment of 'and the readers are my personal guinea pigs. Or victims. LOL (not really, but thinking like that makes it easier to post anything)'. Hahaha.

 

[Lord_Libido]

@Duleigh,
If the first beta reader tells you that the story does not work and the second tells you that they wanted to stop reading halfway through the store but forced themselves to finish, the story is not good enough

I respect the two readers opinions. I have not any illusion that I could win a writing concept. One thing I learned in my life is that I am not a winner. And it is not because I quit.

I hear you but I doubt I would get followers if I publish things that the readers will drop halfway through the story or before that. The thing is that I really thought that the story was great. I love my MCs. But my eyes were opened. It a pile of smelling dung (my own words, not their. The opposite. My beta readers were gentle).

They offered to do the spelling / grammar if I wanted to publish.
I cannot publish what I think will be poorly received at best and hated at worst. Probably ignored or 1 bombed just for fun.

I really appreciate you trying to remotivate me. I really do.

But right now I am hurting and I need to take a step back and regroup and decide if I can/want to do this. I need to think that people might want to read what I write. Right not, I do not believe it.

I do not want to highjack this thread or go "Poor DEFCOM5, let's prop him up". This is not a drama. This is a first world problem.

I felt that I owed you and @ChloeTzang an explanation because you were so supportive. I really appreciated your efforts.

Again, best of luck to all the contestants!

My worst story is at a 3.33, it's not "bad" enough to get any hate readers or comments. I want more hate readers. Or atleast people motivated enough to say something about my writing. My 19 stories rated 4 and above aren't attracting very much attention so I don't think quality is going to help you. The attention you're getting on this thread right now will help you and your stories more than anything else.

 

[SamanthaBehgs]

DEFCOM5, I'm in this camp as well. I write to amuse myself most of the time unless I am focused on a contest where I have something specific I want to create.

Crank it out, wait for the 'helpful' comments that may provide insight you haven't considered before, and move to the next piece.

I think the thing that helped me most of all over the years was putting stuff out, looking at it, saying, WTF was I thinking, then doing something better after.

As I explore new categories away from the low hanging fruit, it helps me write in the categories I do enjoy. For example, next year, I am going to push my own limits and do the Survivor series just to see what I can come up with both in volume and quality for categories I normally wouldn't focus on.

I am looking forward to Erotic Horror next year to cast some of my commenters after reading ChloeTzang's comment of 'and the readers are my personal guinea pigs. Or victims. LOL (not really, but thinking like that makes it easier to post anything)'. Hahaha.

Okay, I give up on finding it - I bet I'm looking right at it somewhere and just missing it. What is this mythic survivor series everyone keeps talking about?

 

[YmaOHyd]

Okay, I give up on finding it - I bet I'm looking right at it somewhere and just missing it. What is this mythic survivor series everyone keeps talking about?

https://forum.literotica.com/threads/survivor-25-rules-and-registration-thread-read-first.1625487/

It's in the pinned author-organized challenges thread.

 

[SamanthaBehgs]

https://forum.literotica.com/threads/survivor-25-rules-and-registration-thread-read-first.1625487/

It's in the pinned author-organized challenges thread.

I knew it was somewhere I should have seen it but wasn't. Thank you!

 

[DEFCOM5]

@ChloeTzang, @talemestories , @Lord_Libido,

Thank you for the encouragements. I really appreciated them.
They are a balm helping with the hurt.
I have shelved the story. Maybe I will look at it later, maybe never.
Right now, I need to take a step back from writing.

I want to thank for trying to help me and encourage me to continue writing. It helps a lot. I am not ready.

 

[NaughteeDragon]

It’s the little things that make me happy when a new story drops.

 

[RoyalAuthor]

@DEFCOM5 Would you like another set of eyes? I don't want to say there's no such thing as a bad story, but that doesn't mean there aren't some minor changes you could make that would make it a good story. If you're interested in some constructive criticism, I'd be happy to help you identify why your beta readers weren't thrilled with it so you can improve it, or just yourself as a writer. Let me know, happy to help.

 

[RoyalAuthor]

So, we're a week deep. What are everyone's favorite stories in the contest so far (besides their own, obviously)? If you had to recommend someone else's story to the other authors here, whose would you pick?

I'm a big fan of Gifted Student by @Ian_Snow and Snow Fall in Love by @iwatchus

 

[SamanthaBehgs]

So, we're a week deep. What are everyone's favorite stories in the contest so far (besides their own, obviously)? If you had to recommend someone else's story to the other authors here, whose would you pick?

I'm a big fan of Gifted Student by @Ian_Snow and Snow Fall in Love by @iwatchus

Yours. I have yet to read one I love more than yours.

So here's my plug again for The Velvet Ribbon!

 

[NaughteeDragon]

Right now my leaders are Milk From Cookies and Snowfall in Love, even though I almost stopped reading in the first thousand words. The FMC starts as such a bitch it reminded me of being stuck in the car with my wife when she’s feeling bitchy. It gives her lots of room to grow, and it takes talent to evoke that kind of visceral response.

 

[SamanthaBehgs]

Right now my leaders are Milk From Cookies and Snowfall in Love, even though I almost stopped reading in the first thousand words. The FMC starts as such a bitch it reminded me of being stuck in the car with my wife when she’s feeling bitchy. It gives her lots of room to grow, and it takes talent to evoke that kind of visceral response.

I just...okay, I'm going to have to explain to my husband why I am crying now. My score dropped so much last night I just figured having any sort of good rating was a fluke (which is fine, I didn't expect to stay highly rated in a contest with this many great names and writers) and so just to be on anyone's top list is just....wow.

 

[iwatchus]

I'm going to put my vote in for Language Exchange. Read it if you haven't yet.

 

[DEFCOM5]

@DEFCOM5 Would you like another set of eyes? I don't want to say there's no such thing as a bad story, but that doesn't mean there aren't some minor changes you could make that would make it a good story. If you're interested in some constructive criticism, I'd be happy to help you identify why your beta readers weren't thrilled with it so you can improve it, or just yourself as a writer. Let me know, happy to help.

Thank you for the offer but I have shelved the story.
I don't think I could handle someone else telling him that they could not go through the story.
Maybe I will go back to it one day and might take you on your offer.

 

[Actingup]

I'm going to put my vote in for Language Exchange. Read it if you haven't yet.

Your command is my wish. I just did - it’s terrific.

 

[Class37]

Submit a story, it gets sent back due to poor spelling,layout and grammer.

Read it through and agree with that, it did need tidying up.

Spend many hours making sure the spelling,layout and grammar are perfect.

Story gets sent back because they think it's Ai.