Valentines Day Contest Support Thread.

[EmilyMiller]

You type it in word but still paste it into the text editor?
Why?

I don’t trust Microsoft mark-up. Would rather do it myself.

Em

 

[Not2Pervy]

I've just submitted a second story. For those worried about the field getting crowded, I promise this will be my last for this contest. The first one started as an intentional attempt to craft a Valentine's Day story. The second one started as a horny inspiration, which I then saw the opportunity to turn into a contest story. For this site, I'm guessing horny inspiration should score higher, but I will be very interested to see how this turns out.

 

[Duleigh]

I've just submitted a second story. For those worried about the field getting crowded, I promise this will be my last for this contest.

Don't worry, you're good
The target is 5 stories

 

[KeithD]

My second one is also a 750-word entry and has been marked for posting on 1 February. I'm about to submit one in the sr71plt account, though, "Saving Blake's Chocolates."

 

[Kumquatqueen]

Nearly there. The lovely @yowser pointed out an issue (boiled down to 'this bit is confusing, and worse, not sexy) and they were right, so a couple chunks needed rewriting, and the whole thing tightened up a bit.

For some reason my streams of consciousness come out as either progressive tenses or passive voice, or even both. It'll be a much better story, but won't be submitted until at least tomorrow.

 

[MyBareTorso]

Lol. A fragment of a lengthy comment on my story:

"Also, reading about a 'reddened, soupy vag' goes beyond lacking class and elegance."

Well, yes. I agree, in fact. The theme I was going for was not "class and elegance." So thank you, gentle reader. Except that he copped to leaving a 1* for that, which I thought was a bit extreme in a story lasting 25,086 words.

So funny.

Always annoying when a reader down votes you merely because you didn't include something they wanted, or actually 1-bombs you because of one small detail. Gggrrrrr.... Yes, scores aren't everything, but it's still a pain the arse...

 

[Voboy]

Always annoying when a reader down votes you merely because you didn't include something they wanted, or actually 1-bombs you because of one small detail. Gggrrrrr.... Yes, scores aren't everything, but it's still a pain the arse...

I find it amusing. It's nice to remind myself that no matter how hard I try? There will always be someone voting against some random word or phrase that I'm not even thinking twice about using. Nothing to be done about it but to write the way I feel like writing.

 

[Duleigh]

Yes, scores aren't everything, but it's still a pain the arse...

We've all been there, I received a 1 a while ago because they thought using characters that appeared in a different story was cheating. That's why a bit of magic will happen on Valentines day to hopefully get rid of those hate votes

 

[EmilyMiller]

Always annoying when a reader down votes you merely because you didn't include something they wanted, or actually 1-bombs you because of one small detail. Gggrrrrr.... Yes, scores aren't everything, but it's still a pain the arse...

I’m seeing 2 bombs. Maybe in an effort to avoid being swept. The virus is mutating.

Em

 

[Duleigh]

I’m seeing 2 bombs. Maybe in an effort to avoid being swept. The virus is mutating.

Em

Yep, 2s and 3s have hit my favorite works

 

[ShelbyDawn57]

I’m seeing 2 bombs. Maybe in an effort to avoid being swept. The virus is mutating.

Em

Saw a story with over 1k votes drop from 4.91 to 4.89 on 15 votes. Math said average was 2.8. I think you’re right.

 

[UnquietDreams]

I am supposed to be finishing editing my other series, and rewriting chapter one so it doesn't suck.

Instead, I got a title stuck in my head from a comment I made in the Weird Inspirations thread that became a weird inspiration. And now I am trying to write a romantic tale for a day I hate. (Valentine's Day is run by a big syndicate of the De Beers group, Hershey's, and FTD.)

 

[Eisenloewe]

Always annoying when a reader down votes you merely because you didn't include something they wanted, or actually 1-bombs you because of one small detail. Gggrrrrr.... Yes, scores aren't everything, but it's still a pain the arse...

Question from an infrequent author here: Is this more common in the contests/author challenges or does this happen all the time here? It's not like my ego is utterly fragile, but I just got two 1-bombs almost back-to-back (in both cases with no comments), and my vote (and view) count is comparatively low compared to those with dozens of followers so that really hit the score hard.

We've all been there, I received a 1 a while ago because they thought using characters that appeared in a different story was cheating. That's why a bit of magic will happen on Valentines day to hopefully get rid of those hate votes

Seems I have even more to learn here--what is this and how does it work?

 

[alohadave]

Seems I have even more to learn here--what is this and how does it work?

The site does regular sweeps of votes that they consider to be invalid.

 

[joy_of_cooking]

(And to spell it out even further, sweeping means deleting votes that they deem likely to be dishonest, by criteria they do not disclose and discourage speculation about.)

 

[Duleigh]

Valentine's Day is run by a big syndicate of the De Beers group, Hershey's, and FTD

Don't forget Hallmark

 

[Duleigh]

(And to spell it out even further, sweeping means deleting votes that they deem likely to be dishonest, by criteria they do not disclose and discourage speculation about.)

It's magic.

 

[Kumquatqueen]

Right, story done, just need to format and post in the morning.

So much for writing a simple stroke story - it's nearly 20k words...

 

[mrs_mackenzie]

Right, story done, just need to format and post in the morning.

So much for writing a simple stroke story - it's nearly 20k words...

I also finished my story this morning, just needs editing and formatting too. Only 14k words (or less, after editing) so not quite such a big effort. I am very impressed by 20k words!

This is my first entry in a contest so I am interested to see how it goes.

 

[Duleigh]

I also finished my story this morning, just needs editing and formatting too. Only 14k words (or less, after editing) so not quite such a big effort. I am very impressed by 20k words!

This is my first entry in a contest so I am interested to see how it goes.

Welcome aboard!
14k for a first try is quite good!
You watch, as you become a wise and wizen storysmith you'll eventually say, "14K? I can't tell an entire story in just 14k words, that's crazy talk."
Friend Zoned was intended to be the shortest story I've written in a year, and it landed at 27k

 

[luv2custrip]

Do contest stories traditionally take longer to post? I have a hot Valentines story pending now; one of my prior contest entries took ten agonizing days.

 

[EmilyMiller]

Do contest stories traditionally take longer to post? I have a hot Valentines story pending now; one of my prior contest entries took ten agonizing days.

There is a general delay publishing at present due to the new story page changes. It’s been taking closer to four days than 48 hours.

Emily

 

[TarnishedPenny]

Submitted.

 

[Kumquatqueen]

I also finished my story this morning, just needs editing and formatting too. Only 14k words (or less, after editing) so not quite such a big effort. I am very impressed by 20k words!

This is my first entry in a contest so I am interested to see how it goes.

Ha! I can have my characters sit around chatting and all for hours (apparently people read about 15k words an hour?). Taking their fat-chewing rambles (or rather, my addled stream of consciousness), and turning it into an actual story with a beginning, middle and end? There's the challenge, to me anyway.

 

[luv2custrip]

There is a general delay publishing at present due to the new story page changes. It’s been taking closer to four days than 48 hours.

Emily

Thank you Emily. My story “Valentines Day Hot Tub Teen Rescue” is out tomorrow.