Winter Holiday 2024 Contest Support and Seasonal Story Discussion Thread

[FreyaGersemi]

Mine is an audio story, though, and I'm not seeing any audio stories listed, so I'm wondering if that has anything to do with it. I triple checked that there's no mention of the audio category being excluded in the rules.

I wrote a poem and that's not listed either. Maybe just conventional stories?

 

[Bassytian]

liked it. It really had a good heart <3

Thanks, I’m glad even one person has, but it has blown my other best story out of the water!

I have gotten some criticism for the ending, some people didn’t like the anal at the end. Which is fine, I get it. But me personally, if I were James, and I had a sexy 19 year old sister that offered me access to her asshole for Christmas, it would have been my favorite Christmas ever! But that’s just me, as the youngest of three, I never had an 18-19 year old sister so it’s a fantasy of mine. A lot of us write the stories we do out of wish fulfillment or personal experiences.

I’m not trying to invalidate those who didn’t like it. On the contrary, they all gave me constructive critisicm that will make me a better writer, so I thank them for that!

 

[KathrynLocksley]

If the pattern holds from the last contest (Halloween) it looks like audio gets its own page (https://www.literotica.com/stories/contest.php/halloween-2024-audio) and these don't get listed on the 'main' list. No idea why. You may want to wait, or investigate further...

I can't be a hundred percent, but I could have sworn the Halloween audio entries were on the same list during the run of the contest and separated out during judging. I wish I knew for sure. Or that there was a visible separate audio Christmas list. I haven't been able to find one anywhere.

 

[Duleigh]

Just curious... What do you do when Word and PWA get in a fight over what's correct and what isn't?

I use the "Read Aloud" function in Word and go with whatever sounds right. If you think it sounds wrong, then other people will agree with you.
When they argue over punctuation I usually go with Word.

When that orange line comes up - the style suggestion, I go with what is closest to the way I speak. The Style line HATES the word "That" and I don't mind that, but cutting it out makes the text read cleaner so that's a coin toss. It hates the word "Huge" and I rarely have a problem with it. It always wants to change Huge to Enormous, so I save enormous for something that is really, truly huge.

 

[NotWise]

I've gotten used to that, too, but mine went in Friday night and hasn't been scheduled yet. With the weekend and lots of entries, I'm really not too surprised.

My story was published the same day I submitted it -- submitted about 10AM, posted before midnight.

From past experience, delays in posting contest stories may be caused by something on the technical side of the site, like an update to some detail of the software. Small updates may happen regularly and not necessarily under Laurel's review and control.

She often doesn't publish contest stories on Sunday, but that may change later in the contest. Given her level of commitment, a delay wouldn't be because she forgot or took a day off.

As far as poems and audio goes, the rules don't rule them out, but the rules also use "story" throughout. It's not clear that there's any commitment to publishing either audio or poetry for a contest. What she does with it is up to her. She has shown an interest in promoting audio, especially, so I imagine it will work out in time.

 

[Inkent]

“You appear to have used an inclusive term. Consider ‘cuck’ or ‘whore’ instead.”

LOL I think Anonymous's comments are often longer than my stories!

 

[yowser]

I can't be a hundred percent, but I could have sworn the Halloween audio entries were on the same list during the run of the contest and separated out during judging. I wish I knew for sure. Or that there was a visible separate audio Christmas list. I haven't been able to find one anywhere.

I kept track of the contest, working off the listed page, almost daily and don't recall audio stories being included. Like many aspects of the site it all is a bit unfathomable.

 

[AlexFourways]

I have gotten some criticism for the ending, some people didn’t like the anal at the end.

Did you put a note or warning at the start that the story includes anal? I recently read a story (can't remember which) that was in (EC or R) that in the closing paragraphs had an anal scene and there was a comment... "I was liking it until the shit hole bit, so couldn't go on. 3 stars!" (approximate quote). So if you are not putting a story in Anal but it includes it, best to get those who don't like it to click out immediately, rather than get to the end and down vote your story.

There is a 'Trump' list of Categories (FreyaGersemi referred me to it, but I can't find it ATM) but Anal normally trumps all others. BDSM, Incest/Taboo are other top categories.

 

[NotWise]

Did you put a note or warning at the start that the story includes anal? I recently read a story (can't remember which) that was in (EC or R) that in the closing paragraphs had an anal scene and there was a comment... "I was liking it until the shit hole bit, so couldn't go on. 3 stars!" (approximate quote). So if you are not putting a story in Anal but it includes it, best to get those who don't like it to click out immediately, rather than get to the end and down vote your story.

There is a 'Trump' list of Categories (FreyaGersemi referred me to it, but I can't find it ATM) but Anal normally trumps all others. BDSM, Incest/Taboo are other top categories.

The link would be to Tx Tall Tales Love Your Readers: Categories.

It's an old article at this point, but most of the advise is still relevant. I've always thought he did a disservice to the Romance readers by not pointing out that stories in Romance should actually be Romances. That may seem self-evident, but it somehow isn't -- it certainly wasn't to me when I first came here.

 

[Bassytian]

Did you put a note or warning at the start that the story includes anal? I recently read a story (can't remember which) that was in (EC or R) that in the closing paragraphs had an anal scene and there was a comment... "I was liking it until the shit hole bit, so couldn't go on. 3 stars!" (approximate quote). So if you are not putting a story in Anal but it includes it, best to get those who don't like it to click out immediately, rather than get to the end and down vote your story.

I did not, I didn’t know some readers cared that much about it. But I will definitely keep that in mind for future stories. Ultimately, I’m going to write my stories how I see fit but that is food for thought and I will include a warning should I include an anal scene again (which I likely will, I’m an ass guy).

Thanks for the info, that is helpful advice!

 

[SouthernCrossfire]

My story was published the same day I submitted it -- submitted about 10AM, posted before midnight.

From past experience, delays in posting contest stories may be caused by something on the technical side...

True. My Halloween entry was like your experience, scheduled within hours for posting the next day, but I posted this one so late, I'm going to give until tomorrow to see if it's published or at least scheduled before raising a red flag. Thanks.

 

[KathrynLocksley]

I kept track of the contest, working off the listed page, almost daily and don't recall audio stories being included. Like many aspects of the site it all is a bit unfathomable.

Ah, okay. Disappointing but good to know, thanks. Fingers crossed we'll get our own little page at the very end. Pity, I love feeling involved in the whole contest countdown part of things!

 

[Morevinila]

I have written the first part of the story and now I feel that I can't make the promise of the introuction real. I wrote a flirty first part that kind of grew into something more magical. First I had the premise of two boutique employees that dared eachother to be part of the christmas display. Then I started to write the into changing the perspective to a bystander. I thought to do a little intro and then change back into the display.

But it took a life of its own and sudely if felt like christmas magic had happened. The young woman looking at the display being seduced into participating by what could be the lady Winter herself.

Now I can't go for the sexy yet mundane continuation
Inspiration took me somewhere else. Might have to post it and leave it as a christmas tale without the heavy sex. Its only 1800 words long now.

What do you all think?

I am not an experienced writer but what you describe is what is happening to me all the time, the story writing itself in a direction I didn't foresee in the beginning. In the end, it turns out good (though I do need a good editor because I always have some plausibility and positional problems). IMHO, if you are happy the way it is, just post it with the required warning (no heavy sex) and maybe post it in the appropriate category.
Best of luck.

 

[Actingup]

Just one more published today (total of 85). It was this one: https://german.literotica.com/s/winterfreuden-auf-der-autobahn
Get your translators out.

 

[Rustyoznail]

I wrote a poem and that's not listed either. Maybe just conventional stories?

Halloween had audio stories in a separate section. Not sure why they aren't listed.

 

[DukeofPaducah]

Thanks, I’m glad even one person has, but it has blown my other best story out of the water!

I have gotten some criticism for the ending, some people didn’t like the anal at the end. Which is fine, I get it. But me personally, if I were James, and I had a sexy 19 year old sister that offered me access to her asshole for Christmas, it would have been my favorite Christmas ever! But that’s just me, as the youngest of three, I never had an 18-19 year old sister so it’s a fantasy of mine. A lot of us write the stories we do out of wish fulfillment or personal experiences.

I’m not trying to invalidate those who didn’t like it. On the contrary, they all gave me constructive critisicm that will make me a better writer, so I thank them for that!

No disrespect intended, but something about your comment struck me as funny.
Nothing says Winter Holiday to me more than access to an asshole on Chrismas.
Peace on Earth, Goodwill Toward Men.

 

[Morevinila]

How about a challenge where the Author has to have a pen name that is also the full name of one of their characters and they have to have an encounter with another similar pen name character, but both remaining true to their published characters.

Now I can't imagine who could enter that - but I would be willing to give it a try
?

What do you mean, writing a story involving a character bearing our pen name or change our pen name for that particular story? And you mean adding another writer's penname as a character in the story?

 

[AlexFourways]

What do you mean, writing a story involving a character bearing our pen name or change our pen name for that particular story? And you mean adding another writer's penname as a character in the story?

OK, apart from it being a silly extension to the idea of a challenge, where the only author was Freya Gersemi, I was (ok and a bit of my brain kept thinking about it*) thinking that it would exclude any current author who didn't have a full pen name and an established character with that name.
So, if my character, Alex Huges aka Mr Fourways, is considered to meet the name rules - then for instance:
He and his partner Bella, could meet up on an American vacation with Freya, Alex, Cynthia and Katie. (Note there would need to be either a disclaimer of no involvement or constent from the other author)
Alex and Alex could have fun with Cynthia - possibly Freya at that time very 'with child' and Bella giving Freya and Katie a good time as well. (I told you a bit of my brain has kept thinking about it*).
Now the rules could be more generous in name terms, say allowing Bassytian to add a first name and allowing a new character, but it was a silly idea on a sillier idea. I'll get my coat...

*my excuse is I am an engineer (scientist with poor maths - ok mathmaticians think pure scientists are mathmeticians with poor maths)

 

[AlexFourways]

I did not, I didn’t know some readers cared that much about it. But I will definitely keep that in mind for future stories. Ultimately, I’m going to write my stories how I see fit but that is food for thought and I will include a warning should I include an anal scene again (which I likely will, I’m an ass guy).

Thanks for the info, that is helpful advice!

The link given by NotWise cf Love Your Readers: Categories isn't quite what I recall, but I would agree that Incest is right at the top. Certainly if I was writing a story that had historical reference to non-consent I would include that in the warning (ok I have done 3 Nadine and The Beast*) in a story that otherwise doesn't fit, because it is clearly a BDSM one.
I am writing a story involving Androids** - So Non Human - but anal and in one part BDSM are involved, so again a warnings as appropriate.
So better to loose a potential reader early, or have a reader that carries on, but is forewarned - so fore armed, than 'ambush' them and upset them with a negative effect on ratings and comments.
ALSO I wouldn't rely on TAGS to provide the warning (but would include it) as they are used predominantly to find stories, and AFAIK can't be used to filter out stories.
YMMV
*Originally a Stand Alone story that later had other ideas!
**Concived as a Stand Alone story but (nothing published yet) has four 12k parts and I don't think it will only be four parts!

 

[FreyaGersemi]

What do you mean, writing a story involving a character bearing our pen name or change our pen name for that particular story? And you mean adding another writer's penname as a character in the story?

Okay, this thread discussion has officially gone completely astray from the Winter Holiday Contest... But isn't that what internet discussion threads are supposed to do??

I propose a story about the very first Annual Literotica Convention (Lit Con). It can involve either established fictional Literotica story characters (as @AlexFourways outlined) or Literotica authors or... a weird world where both realities collide (authors and characters coexist). The convention happens at a hotel and the participants are all staying in various rooms for the weekend. And then, of course, shenanigans abound!

So, who's going to write this?

 

[AlexFourways]

Okay, this thread discussion has officially gone completely astray from the Winter Holiday Contest... But isn't that what internet discussion threads are supposed to do??

I propose a story about the very first Annual Literotica Convention (Lit Con). It can involve either established fictional Literotica story characters (as @AlexFourways outlined) or Literotica authors or... a weird world where both realities collide (authors and characters coexist). The convention happens at a hotel and the participants are all staying in various rooms for the weekend. And then, of course, shenanigans abound!

So, who's going to write this?

I'm no expert, but it sounds like a chain story*.
As an example: AlexFourways hooks up with Cynthia (written by AF with FG buy in) then FG writes a story where Cynthia then hook up with another Author or or Author's character - again with their buy in and so forth - except I'm not the best person to head up the chain!
But I did say I'd get my coat!

*assuming I have understood the story type.

 

[NotWise]

Okay, this thread discussion has officially gone completely astray from the Winter Holiday Contest... But isn't that what internet discussion threads are supposed to do??

I propose a story about the very first Annual Literotica Convention (Lit Con). It can involve either established fictional Literotica story characters (as @AlexFourways outlined) or Literotica authors or... a weird world where both realities collide (authors and characters coexist). The convention happens at a hotel and the participants are all staying in various rooms for the weekend. And then, of course, shenanigans abound!

So, who's going to write this?

I think there have already been two actual Lit Cons. So maybe do it about the third?

 

[FreyaGersemi]

I think there have already been two actual Lit Cons.

Really? From what I've heard from some authors, their Literotica presence is somewhat of a guarded secret. Interesting.

 

[NotWise]

Really? From what I've heard from some authors, their Literotica presence is somewhat of a guarded secret. Interesting.

I think that's generally true. The Lit cons were before my time here. Apparently someone had time to organize them.

 

[SouthernCrossfire]

I just saw that Laurel has my entry, "A Fresh Start at Christmas," scheduled for release tomorrow in Romance. Thanks, Laurel!