Valentines Day Contest Support Thread.

[StillStunned]

Careful, being lovable leads to scratches behind the ears, and who knows where that can lead...

At a guess, sore skin behind the ear for the scratchee, and (depending on how hygienic the scratchee is) possibly dirty fingernails for the scratcher.

 

[AchtungNight]

I feel the same way about that Hallmark holiday for similar reasons (but not with similar results). I'm going to base my story on that feeling bringing a couple together, turning the tables on reality.

Sounds like fun. Maybe you’ll inspire me. We’ll see.

 

[SouthernCrossfire]

I hate Valentines Day. My ex ruined it for me with constant stress and anxiety she created every year of our relationship until that relationship was over. I’m no longer an observer of this holiday. The heck with it… until I find love again irl. If my heart revives.

Sorry to hear that but hope it heals over time. I had a couple of bad Valentine's Days when I was young and used them as the inspiration for my really over-the-top "Dreaded Days" Valentine's Day story in 2022. Fortunately, there have been a lot of good ones since then, especially since I've had a permanent, year-round Valentine to love.

"Hallmark holiday"? I got a good laugh out of that since it featured in Dreaded Days, too. Here's a short quote from the story:

"...I couldn't care less about a stupid day that once commemorated the Christian saint of romantic love but which is now a big money-making scam."

"I know, Hallmark, Hershey's, and FTD," I groaned.

"Yeah, the card makers and the candy makers teamed up with the floral industry to milk money out of couples who think they might, just possibly, be right for each other. They rarely are, though, but the asshats get rich anyway from leading on poor but hopeful saps like us. No, it's just another lousy day."

 

[MillieDynamite]

You could write a story about it; nothing says it has to be a happy Valentine's Day tale.

I hate Valentines Day. My ex ruined it for me with constant stress and anxiety she created every year of our relationship until that relationship was over. I’m no longer an observer of this holiday. The heck with it… until I find love again irl. If my heart revives.

 

[AchtungNight]

You could write a story about it; nothing says it has to be a happy Valentine's Day tale.

Yeah, but I’m not into sad endings.

 

[SouthernCrossfire]

Yeah, but I’m not into sad endings.

If the memory and the pain allow it, use the inspiration from that pain but write your own beautiful ending the way you'd want it to be.

 

[Duleigh]

Yeah, but I’m not into sad endings.

I converted one of my 750 stories into a full story and since all my stuff is generally light hearted, another writer challenged me to "go dark" so I killed the FMC in a mafia hit just after she married the MMC. It's one of my more popular stories.

 

[AchtungNight]

Maybe sad endings are just on my mind negatively because I just submitted a story with one. “Parting Gift” about my most frequent hero’s first group sex encounter. It’s one of the FMC’s first times, so I put it in that category. They have great group sex, but then he hears one of his partners died in a war years later. It’s still in pending limbo, but hopefully it will make it through. This coupled with seasonal depression is making me a mess right now. I always get nuts around this time of year.

Thx, everyone for the support. I’ll try and fuel it into a good story, maybe. Thinking of our hero suffering emotional trauma from his failed marriage and then a better FMC enters his life. We’ll see if I can get it out. Lots of other stories on my mind too, and I try never to let an event drive my deadlines. Busy life too. But I appreciate your support.

 

[Duleigh]

Ok, gang, we are in support thread mode. Please keep hands and elbows inside the car at all times, please do not rise until the contest comes to a complete stop.

 

[Trionyx]

Yeah, but I’m not into sad endings.

You can use a bad memory or event and still make it have a positive/happy ending. I was able to do it last VD with my story Black Valentines Day so go for it.

 

[StillStunned]

You can use a bad memory or event and still make it have a positive/happy ending. I was able to do it last VD with my story Black Valentines Day so go for it.

This. "Fairytale of New York" is inspired by my struggles with introversion. Spoiler: it has a happy ending.

 

[AchtungNight]

You can use a bad memory or event and still make it have a positive/happy ending. I was able to do it last VD with my story Black Valentines Day so go for it.

That’s the plan if I write my currently planned V-Day story. I also know some people enjoy bad events but I don’t even when I only describe them. I have another Romance story to finish, then a few others, then I may start this work. We’ll see how the muse and I feel.

 

[Duleigh]

Merry Christmas to y'all! and Happy Valentines Day!

 

[MillieDynamite]

Spoken like a writer with a mission...

Merry Christmas to y'all! and Happy Valentines Day!

 

[Duleigh]

Spoken like a writer with a mission...

My job is to help saturate Laura's Data Base with fresh and romantic valentines stories. My personal mission is to inspire folks to submit 100 stories.

 

[EmilyMiller]

@Duleigh - “stand-alone” - can a work feature established characters, so long as it’s not a chapter in a series, but instead a self-contained work? I.e. a story with a discrete beginning and a discrete end.

Em

 

[Duleigh]

@Duleigh - “stand-alone” - can a work feature established characters, so long as it’s not a chapter in a series, but instead a self-contained work? I.e. a story with a discrete beginning and a discrete end.

Em

You bet. Nothing says that you can't write contest stories from an existing 'universe.' I have several stories that were independent, stand alone stories, and they shared a timeline, but each story was complete - exposition, rising action, climax, declining action, resolution. Make sure your push those five points into a readers face.

Each part of a trilogy must have these five points otherwise it's not a trilogy, it's a story with three chapters. The difference between a part of a trilogy and a chapter is a chapter has none of those five points, or may contain one.

Lord of The Rings WAS NOT a trilogy, it was one huge story under three covers. My Enchantress saga is an Octalogy, each one could be entered in a contest because all eight are independent, complete stories that over all tell a sweeping saga.

 

[EmilyMiller]

You bet. Nothing says that you can't write contest stories from an existing 'universe.' I have several stories that were independent, stand alone stories, and they shared a timeline, but each story was complete - exposition, rising action, climax, declining action, resolution. Make sure your push those five points into a readers face.

Each part of a trilogy must have these five points otherwise it's not a trilogy, it's a story with three chapters. The difference between a part of a trilogy and a chapter is a chapter has none of those five points, or may contain one.

Lord of The Rings WAS NOT a trilogy, it was one huge story under three covers. My Enchantress saga is an Octalogy, each one could be entered in a contest because all eight are independent, complete stories that over all tell a sweeping saga.

My stories have lots of climaxes

Thanks for the info!

Em

 

[TruthwithaTwist]

So, mine is mostly finished. It's based on a true story and ties in the old Monkees song "Look Out, Here Comes Tomorrow". It's basically about having to choose between two women when I was in my 20s.

I'm also looking forward to the inevitable feedback of "Do a sequel where you f*ck both girls at once." Because I feel like ANY story I tell where there is a second female character, I get that feedback ... SMH.

 

[StillStunned]

I'm also looking forward to the inevitable feedback of "Do a sequel where you f*ck both girls at once." Because I feel like ANY story I tell where there is a second female character, I get that feedback ... SMH.

To misquote The Last Boyscout: "Water is wet, the sky is blue, and if you write a story with a secondary female character at least one comment will suggest a sequel with a threesome."

Does this happen with stories with a secondary male character too?

 

[FreyaGersemi]

• All submissions must be stand-alone stories created for this contest theme.

I have read all the rules and cannot find an answer to my questions, so...

Can I use characters that I have already developed in an ongoing series, write a stand-alone story (it will have a proper introduction to the characters, story arc, ending, and all of that) and then use that story at a later time as part of a second series of my own?

I'm new here and I would not want to break any Literotica community rules (implied or otherwise). Thank you!

 

[ElectricBlue]

I have read all the rules and cannot find an answer to my questions, so...

Can I use characters that I have already developed in an ongoing series, write a stand-alone story (it will have a proper introduction to the characters, story arc, ending, and all of that) and then use that story at a later time as part of a second series of my own?

I'm new here and I would not want to break any Literotica community rules (implied or otherwise). Thank you!

Yes, you can. The story must be stand-alone at the time of the contest, but what you do with it after that is up to you. As for characters being used in other stories, so what? Same characters, different stories, happens all the time.

Because Contests have prizes, the site requires writers to stick to the rules. The non-contest Anthologies, however, can be approached with more flexibility. Make sure you know which is which!

 

[Duleigh]

I have read all the rules and cannot find an answer to my questions, so...

Can I use characters that I have already developed in an ongoing series, write a stand-alone story (it will have a proper introduction to the characters, story arc, ending, and all of that) and then use that story at a later time as part of a second series of my own?

I'm new here and I would not want to break any Literotica community rules (implied or otherwise). Thank you!

Yes, by all means! Many authors (including me) use existing characters in an existing universe that they built, often with great success because they are familiar with the characters. Heads up - make sure you include proper exposition to explain to new readers who these characters are.

 

[FreyaGersemi]

Yes, by all means! Many authors (including me) use existing characters in an existing universe that they built, often with great success because they are familiar with the characters. Heads up - make sure you include proper exposition to explain to new readers who these characters are.

Thank you!!! I'm looking forward to entering my first contest here!!!!

 

[Devinter]

Thank you!!! I'm looking forward to entering my first contest here!!!!

Looking forward to reading your entry, ma'am.