The Official Valentine’s Day Contest Support Thread 2026

[EmilyMiller]

mostly watching this thread for Emily's poetry

Poetry might be a slight exaggeration

 

[iwatchus]

Still 60 days till it opens. What's the hurry. I still expect to get an LS story called Oh Sweetie written in time. Of course, at the rate I've been getting words on paper ...

 

[redgarters]

Mine isn’t heavily sexual either. It’s more romance, love, understanding and struggles of being accepted.

Doubtful I do well based on the category I am publishing it in but it is what I challenged myself as a writer to do.

Looking fwd to reading it

 

[Eosphorus]

I’m hoping to enter this one. I wrote a rough draft which I’m editing now.

Reading the guidelines this evening, though, I’m a little worried my story won’t fit the contest. The line (in bold type, no less) “Submissions must have a Valentine’s Day theme” is what gives me pause. My story is set in a fantasy world. Valentine’s Day isn’t a thing.

Last year, “romantic love” was listed as a thematic element so that’s how I proceeded when I wrote the first draft some months ago. My story is an epic romance against all odds. But no Valentine’s Day specifically because it doesn’t exist. What do we think, am I okay?

 

[Voyeurkenneth]

I’m hoping to enter this one. I wrote a rough draft which I’m editing now.

Reading the guidelines this evening, though, I’m a little worried my story won’t fit the contest. The line (in bold type, no less) “Submissions must have a Valentine’s Day theme” is what gives me pause. My story is set in a fantasy world. Valentine’s Day isn’t a thing.

Last year, “romantic love” was listed as a thematic element so that’s how I proceeded when I wrote the first draft some months ago. My story is an epic romance against all odds. But no Valentine’s Day specifically because it doesn’t exist. What do we think, am I okay?

Sounds like it still fits the spirit of the contest. I'd proceed with it.

 

[EmilyMiller]

I’m hoping to enter this one. I wrote a rough draft which I’m editing now.

Reading the guidelines this evening, though, I’m a little worried my story won’t fit the contest. The line (in bold type, no less) “Submissions must have a Valentine’s Day theme” is what gives me pause. My story is set in a fantasy world. Valentine’s Day isn’t a thing.

Last year, “romantic love” was listed as a thematic element so that’s how I proceeded when I wrote the first draft some months ago. My story is an epic romance against all odds. But no Valentine’s Day specifically because it doesn’t exist. What do we think, am I okay?

I think you will be fine

 

[NaughteeDragon]

Most people won't care about the Valentine's Day theme if you have a really good romance.

FWIW- My approach would be to throw in a couple of mentions of a day when romantic love is celebrated, or a feast day for the love god/goddess since you're in a fantasy world. If they are in a single kingdom, maybe the wedding anniversary of the king and queen is a holiday or feast day. It doesn't have to be important, nor alter your story at all.

 

[NaughteeDragon]

@EmilyMiller - I just noticed your title and was wondering if you are a Pervect or a Pervert?

 

[PennyThompson]

@EmilyMiller - I just noticed your title and was wondering if you are a Pervect or a Pervert?

View attachment 2578434

I figured it was a play on "Imp of the Perverse," though I wonder if Em's Imp comes directly from Edgar Allen Poe, or if it comes by way of Neal Stephenson's Baroque Cycle?

 

[EmilyMiller]

I figured it was a play on "Imp of the Perverse," though I wonder if Em's Imp comes directly from Edgar Allen Poe, or if it comes by way of Neal Stephenson's Baroque Cycle?

@EmilyMiller - I just noticed your title and was wondering if you are a Pervect or a Pervert?

View attachment 2578434

It’s a Poe Spoonerism - kinda

 

[KindredFlame]

I haven't decided if I'm writing it this year. I have a single idea that I'm not inspired to flesh out and I'm having too much fun with the idea of 750 word stories.

And me. I have done four in the last two days. Great fun. I did start another this morning but it’s at 932 words and there is far more meat on the bone in this one.

 

[EmilyMiller]

General announcement

Given @Eosphorus’s question. You don’t have to set you story on Valentine’s. My entry last year spanned a year between two Valentine’s days. You could do a monster fucking romance in space. You can do an elf falling in love with a goblin in a parallel universe. But romance and Valentine’s adjacent stuff is required. Maybe in universe instead of chocolate and flowers you have pangalactic garglebalsters. You could have an enemies to lovers story set on Mount Olympus and featuring Cupid and a male demigod…

 

[Aoife_from_Ulster]

And me. I have done four in the last two days. Great fun. I did start another this morning but it’s at 932 words and there is far more meat on the bone in this one.

I have five stories for the 750-word challenge and three could work for V’Day I am so conflicted

 

[EmilyMiller]

I have five stories for the 750-word challenge and three could work for V’Day I am so conflicted

You can put them in both. But be aware that many people hammer 750 word stories to death and they are less sweepable than multi-page stories.

 

[Aoife_from_Ulster]

You can put them in both. But be aware that many people hammer 750 word stories to death and they are less sweepable than multi-page stories.

If there is something I have learned from you it’s this …

Allow them to say as they wish. Be a duck, let it wash away and believe in yourself as the author, see in yourself the special meanings and love in what we write.

 

[KindredFlame]

I have five stories for the 750-word challenge and three could work for V’Day I am so conflicted

Conflict is a constant state for me. But I do look forward to reading them.

 

[Eosphorus]

FWIW- My approach would be to throw in a couple of mentions of a day when romantic love is celebrated, or a feast day for the love god/goddess since you're in a fantasy world. If they are in a single kingdom, maybe the wedding anniversary of the king and queen is a holiday or feast day. It doesn't have to be important, nor alter your story at all

Thank you. That is exactly what I am going to do!

 

[EmilyMiller]

Rose are red
Violets are blue
The number of days left
Is now fifty-two!

 

[TheRedLantern]

I started on my entry. I'm aiming for a Romance, as I'd really like to try my hand at that genre and this contest feels like a natural fit.

The working title is "Diary Day."

 

[Harley_S_Wilde]

For this, is there a suggestion of which theme stories should or shouldn’t be posted to?


I mean outside if the obvious.

Thanks for your help!

 

[Voboy]

For this, is there a suggestion of which theme stories should or shouldn’t be posted to?


I mean outside if the obvious.

Thanks for your help!

Not sure what you're asking?

It's the VDay contest. Stories should have to do with that holiday specifically, or with some level or romantic love in general. "Cupid, soulmates lost and found, high quality chocolate gifting, etc. Be creative! Please don't just submit a normal story that just happens to contain red roses. That would not be in the spirit of the contest, and readers (aka voters) will likely punish you for your trickiness."

Maybe if you tell us specifically what you're considering, it might help us help you?

 

[Harley_S_Wilde]

Not sure what you're asking?

It's the VDay contest. Stories should have to do with that holiday specifically, or with some level or romantic love in general. "Cupid, soulmates lost and found, high quality chocolate gifting, etc. Be creative! Please don't just submit a normal story that just happens to contain red roses. That would not be in the spirit of the contest, and readers (aka voters) will likely punish you for your trickiness."

Maybe if you tell us specifically what you're considering, it might help us help you?

Thank you. I guess I am a bit worried as I am targeting this challenge as my first story.

I have a love story but it involves a transgender woman. It’s romantic in concept but with the character I feel it would fit the transgender category.

It’s a love found when not looking, love gained, love respected. Sort of a coming out.

 

[Voboy]

Thank you. I guess I am a bit worried as I am targeting this challenge as my first story.

I have a love story but it involves a transgender woman. It’s romantic in concept but with the character I feel it would fit the transgender category.

It’s a love found when not looking, love gained, love respected. Sort of a coming out.

Sounds great!

Personally, I'd just make sure to set it in February and mention the holiday at least once; it doesn't need to be a major theme, as your major theme is already romantic love, but it'll just make it more obvious to those who aren't paying attention!

Welcome to the jungle.

 

[Harley_S_Wilde]

Sounds great!

Personally, I'd just make sure to set it in February and mention the holiday at least once; it doesn't need to be a major theme, as your major theme is already romantic love, but it'll just make it more obvious to those who aren't paying attention!

Welcome to the jungle.

Thank you for your support and feedback.

 

[EmilyMiller]

For this, is there a suggestion of which theme stories should or shouldn’t be posted to?


I mean outside if the obvious.

Thanks for your help!

Welcome

And what @Voboy said. The more romantic, the less Valentines’s day-adjacent it needs to be. The less romantic, the more the time setting might be important. But not every submission needs to be a romance centered on Feb 14th. Your story could even be in a parallel universe (or in a different planet) if it is romantic, or maybe features the Great Feast of the Love God, Uruburitor.