Winter Holiday 2024 Contest Support and Seasonal Story Discussion Thread

[Actingup]

I saw something like that once when ActingUp had posted, so I think it might be a glitch in calculating times and dates from different timezones. Date for me is 29th November, what is it for you?

I see local time, but it might be system dependent. I’m in a UTC+11 time zone and posting at 7:29 am local (Saturday morning) - how does that come through for you?

 

[Inkent]

29th @ 21:00. I think it was the browser in all honesty, did make me chuckle

 

[Candy_Kane54]

I have thoroughly re-edited my story and submitted it again without using Grammarly, just 2003 MSWord's editing features. We'll see if it passes the AI filter now ...

 

[Inkent]

I have thoroughly re-edited my story and submitted it again without using Grammarly, just 2003 MSWord's editing features. We'll see if it passes the AI filter now ...

Good luck, hopefully gets through

 

[AlexFourways]

In a fit of madness (FreyaGersemi confirmed I was), starting on Tuesday I have done a fan fiction story behind the song Chrismas Rappin' by the Waitresses. Just submitted it so it won't be classed as AI!
I agonised over Romance, which it is, and Erotic Couplings, which it also is, but there was no wineing and dining, so EC won. I have done my best to get the American English vocabulary right - but might get burned!
Now if instead of just mentioning second base, I had gone for a home run, then I could have gone for Anal and got more readers!

WOW - Just checked and it is showing...
The Waitresses - Christmas Rappin'
The things not in the song: ‘cause450 words aren’t that long.
12/01/2024 in Erotic Couplings Stories
PUBLISHED

That is mind blowing!!!!

 

[Actingup]

2 more published.. now 111.

While I'm writing, can I ask for a word of advice? I have another story almost ready to go. It's a gentle romance dealing with the long-term effects of post-traumatic stress. The two main characters are in their 70s. I feel that that age kind of pushes it towards Mature and some way beyond.... but I'm thinking of just putting it into Romance, because love knows no age limit. Any thoughts?

 

[AlexFourways]

Romance is defined as "Drama, love, risk, and happily-ever-afters." I had considered my late entry for that instead of Erotic Couplings, but rejected it partly on a comment that it should include 'Wining and Dining.'
Mature is defined as "May / December lust & love affairs." Now clearly it is December / December so (reading again and realising no comma after December) it can't be that. OK it could be but be prepared for some flack!
YMMV as ever!

 

[Inkent]

While I'm writing, can I ask for a word of advice? I have another story almost ready to go. It's a gentle romance dealing with the long-term effects of post-traumatic stress. The two main characters are in their 70s. I feel that that age kind of pushes it towards Mature and some way beyond.... but I'm thinking of just putting it into Romance, because love knows no age limit. Any thoughts?

However you dice it, still Romance. You can guarantee that Mr. Angry from the depths of nowhere will bitch that it should be somewhere else

 

[oneagainst]

Night Duty Manager just went live - a little window into The Multiplicity

 

[Rustyoznail]

@Actingup, at face value I'd go romance.

 

[Candy_Kane54]

Woo hoo! My story passed the AI filter after I re-edited it (without using Grammarly) and will be published tomorrow!

 

[Rustyoznail]

Congrats Candy. It must be annoying for everyone dealing with AI issues.

 

[NotWise]

While I'm writing, can I ask for a word of advice? I have another story almost ready to go. It's a gentle romance dealing with the long-term effects of post-traumatic stress. The two main characters are in their 70s. I feel that that age kind of pushes it towards Mature and some way beyond.... but I'm thinking of just putting it into Romance, because love knows no age limit. Any thoughts?

The Romance readers want an HEA ending, or at least Happy For Now. If that's what you have then it can go in Romance or in Mature. There are fewer category police in Mature, but I haven't always had a lot of success there, so maybe I don't know what I'm talking about.

The Romance readers might go for a story with an ending that is merely poignant, but I wouldn't bet on it.

 

[Morevinila]

@Actingup - To me, it is clearly a case of romance, even if it is with 'mature' people. We tend to associate romance with happy ending but a well written story will still make it through (love story is a typical example)
@Candy_Kane54 Happy for you - your perseverance has paid, wishing you the best of luck for the contest.

 

[MelissaBaby]

The Romance readers want an HEA ending, or at least Happy For Now. If that's what you have then it can go in Romance or in Mature. There are fewer category police in Mature, but I haven't always had a lot of success there, so maybe I don't know what I'm talking about.

The Romance readers might go for a story with an ending that is merely poignant, but I wouldn't bet on it.

My Valentine's Day story, The Broke Stem Rose has a very melancholy ending, but scored a 4.85 in Romance. It's risky, but it can be done.

 

[ElectricBlue]

I saw something like that once when ActingUp had posted, so I think it might be a glitch in calculating times and dates from different timezones. Date for me is 29th November, what is it for you?

Time in Australia and New Zealand is always tomorrow for the US. Keep up

 

[Actingup]

@Actingup - To me, it is clearly a case of romance, even if it is with 'mature' people. We tend to associate romance with happy ending but a well written story will still make it through (love story is a typical example)
@Candy_Kane54 Happy for you - your perseverance has paid, wishing you the best of luck for the contest.

Thanks @Morevinila , @NotWise , @Rustyoznail , @Inkent , @AlexFourways for your wisdom - Romance it is (and yes it has a Happy Ever After ending, although at that age, the 'ever after' has caveats attached)

 

[Actingup]

116 now, including the new one from young master Fourways, and one from @Trionyx (well-known author of the Hallmark classic, 'How to fuck without saying "fuck"'). Stiff competition, as always I guess.

 

[AlexFourways]

116 now, including the new one from young master Fourways, and one from @Trionyx (well-known author of the Hallmark classic, 'How to fuck without saying "fuck"'). Stiff competition, as always I guess.

View attachment 2436018

Not so much of the 'young' haven't you noticed my musical tastes? BTW did you use a time machine to get the information to draw your eerily accurate projection? (or have you been revising it?)
I'm sure some manager, poltician or similar must have said. "The best way to meet a target is to revise it to fit performance."
And now I recall that some American commuter rail service had a 'dynamic' timetable, which was constantly updated to match (to the nearest 5 mins) the actual running times. Not surprisingly, their trains ran to time, within a 5 miniute error allowance.

 

[Actingup]

Not so much of the 'young' haven't you noticed my musical tastes? BTW did you use a time machine to get the information to draw your eerily accurate projection? (or have you been revising it?)
I'm sure some manager, poltician or similar must have said. "The best way to meet a target is to revise it to fit performance."
And now I recall that some American commuter rail service had a 'dynamic' timetable, which was constantly updated to match (to the nearest 5 mins) the actual running times. Not surprisingly, their trains ran to time, within a 5 miniute error allowance.

It's just a line of best fit, so yes it revises every time. I was expecting a more complicated polynomial, but actually the rate of publication has stayed pretty constant (ignoring the weekend/holiday variations). The first versions of the graph were suggesting around 160 stories all-up - it's now slightly less, but there could also be a late surge. So still 150-160?

 

[Trionyx]

116 now, including the new one from young master Fourways, and one from @Trionyx (well-known author of the Hallmark classic, 'How to fuck without saying "fuck"'). Stiff competition, as always I guess.

Hallmark classic?

 

[Wineandcheese]

Since my winter story was being stubborn and refused to let me write it, I dove on and started on my Valentine’s Day story. 2K words in and it’s flowing pretty well. Unless this story starts talking to the other one, or they both go on strike or something, I’ll be ready for Feb.

 

[Duleigh]

2 more published.. now 111.

While I'm writing, can I ask for a word of advice? I have another story almost ready to go. It's a gentle romance dealing with the long-term effects of post-traumatic stress. The two main characters are in their 70s. I feel that that age kind of pushes it towards Mature and some way beyond.... but I'm thinking of just putting it into Romance, because love knows no age limit. Any thoughts?

View attachment 2435382

Go romance, it's worked for me every time I tried it. I save "exotic" categories like Mature for the 750 word challenge.

 

[Inkent]

Since my winter story was being stubborn and refused to let me write it, I dove on and started on my Valentine’s Day story. 2K words in and it’s flowing pretty well. Unless this story starts talking to the other one, or they both go on strike or something, I’ll be ready for Feb.

Echo your sentiments. I have one fairly hefty Halloween tale that started well, then lost its way along with an AI one for the AI challenge earlier this year that I ran out of time with.

Waiting for next years competition timetable to arrive and take a leaf out of your book get an early start

 

[AlexFourways]

I'd say The Waitresses - Christmas Rappin' was doing well with 1253 views in 13 hours, but it has had (AFAICT) two 1 bombs amongst the 19 votes so a Grinch laden 4.21/19 despite being on three favourites! Also either a lot of 4s or some 2s in the pot as well!