2014 Survivor Rules and Registrations

[Sean Renaud]

I love the contest, however it's impossible to believe that a contest where your score is entirely based on the quantity of stories you put out is encouraging anything but quantity. That's just a naive statement to make.

That's not to say short stories can't be great, that's not to say a lot of love doesn't go into what people put into the contest. Though the rules were specifically changed because the winners weren't so much writing stories as they were things that could pass Lit Muster and that's why we even have the chapter rule. And we didn't even always have the rule about writing in different categories.

Acknowledging facts does not mean I'm bashing the tournament. And most years the contest isn't remotely competitive. The first place writer is usually so far out in front that the second and third couldn't catch him if they pooled their efforts and after the first say seven. . .well as was pointed out before if you remembered to write in each of the special contests this last year you'd place in the money which I have to imagine was never part of the plan.

Again, look at the sheer size of Lit at this point, why would we be encouraging writers to write more stories instead of better stories? As a few authors have pointed out there are categories that are barren, I don't think Chain Stories would even exist if not for Survivors. Yeah I understand it gets some of us out of our comfort zones. So why not several smaller contests designed to do that? Look at the stories cats and pick the 'x' smallest and hold contests specifically for those with prizes for the best? As I said before Lit is far past the point where quantity (at least without being targeted at specific areas) is at all necessary.

 

[RjThoughts]

If the contest offered no prize money and gift certificates, I'd still enter! It's a challenge, and writers SHOULD need a challenge.

 

[Sean Renaud]

If the contest offered no prize money and gift certificates, I'd still enter! It's a challenge, and writers SHOULD need a challenge.

I probably would too if just for the bragging rights. I still think there are probably better ideas that would still offer a challenge however.

 

[xelliebabex]

If the contest offered no prize money and gift certificates, I'd still enter! It's a challenge, and writers SHOULD need a challenge.

I have to agree, that's why I started it last year for the challenge but I also like Sean's idea of perhaps writing in just the categories that have limited numbers and viewership. The votes perhaps would be lower but like the fawker challenges which hold no prize money, people participate for the challenge and interest in how writing to a specific set of parametres challenge them.

 

[Sean Renaud]

I have to agree, that's why I started it last year for the challenge but I also like Sean's idea of perhaps writing in just the categories that have limited numbers and viewership. The votes perhaps would be lower but like the fawker challenges which hold no prize money, people participate for the challenge and interest in how writing to a specific set of parametres challenge them.

Not to mention the scores being lower wouldn't matter because those categories have low scores across the board. Even in the position that a prize was placed we wouldn't be competeting for the monthly prize we'd be competing against those in the contest. Think of it as running a marathon with a hundred pound pack. You aren't gonna beat someone without a pack but if eveyrbody has one it 's still "fair". Worst case scenario there is the people who are comfortable in those categories but don't write because the best gay story will lose to the worst incest story will come out of the wood works. Though ultimately I would consider that a victory for the site.

 

[Remec]

I should like to give official notice of intent to participate (although, we'll see if 2014's New Year's resolution works out any better than 2013's did )

 

[xelliebabex]

Not to mention the scores being lower wouldn't matter because those categories have low scores across the board. Even in the position that a prize was placed we wouldn't be competeting for the monthly prize we'd be competing against those in the contest. Think of it as running a marathon with a hundred pound pack. You aren't gonna beat someone without a pack but if eveyrbody has one it 's still "fair". Worst case scenario there is the people who are comfortable in those categories but don't write because the best gay story will lose to the worst incest story will come out of the wood works. Though ultimately I would consider that a victory for the site.

Are there still monthly contests? There haven't been in the three years i have been writing here I don't think.

 

[BrettJ]

Not monthly contests Ellie, not that I've seen, but frequent contests that tied into the Survivor Contest. Such as Earth Day, Holiday, Halloween and the like.

BrettJ in Canada

 

[Sean Renaud]

It seems like the monthly winners keep getting announced on the front page.

 

[xelliebabex]

Not monthly contests Ellie, not that I've seen, but frequent contests that tied into the Survivor Contest. Such as Earth Day, Holiday, Halloween and the like.

BrettJ in Canada

Yeah the holiday etc. ones are called special contests...

It seems like the monthly winners keep getting announced on the front page.

I guess i should take more notice...
Edited*

I went and checked the front page of the site and the stories page and there is no monthly contest mentioned.
While I respect how long you have been on the site I think maybe there haven't been monthly contests for a while.

 

[Boxlicker101]

These are the last announced winners in the monthly contest:

http://forum.literotica.com/showthread.php?t=848180

As you can see, they were a year and a half behind then, and I guess Laurel decided against continuing.

The "special contests" are usually called theme contests.

 

[Rogueslady]

These are the last announced winners in the monthly contest:

http://forum.literotica.com/showthread.php?t=848180

As you can see, they were a year and a half behind then, and I guess Laurel decided against continuing.

The "special contests" are usually called theme contests.

How do we get our scorecards for this years Survivor Contest if we are able to do it? And just double checking if we enter the themed contest it can not be counted for the Survivor one right? It is either one or the other?

 

[Boxlicker101]

How do we get our scorecards for this years Survivor Contest if we are able to do it? And just double checking if we enter the themed contest it can not be counted for the Survivor one right? It is either one or the other?

I am preparing the scorecard threads now. Yours is one of those that's done. If you enter one story in a theme contest, you have the choice of taking five points for it as a contest entry or one or three or six points in a category. Most people would choose the former. If you enter more than one story in a theme contest, the usual thing is to count one in the theme contest part of your scorecard and allocate the rest of them to the appropriate category or categories.

 

[Rogueslady]

I am preparing the scorecard threads now. Yours is one of those that's done. If you enter one story in a theme contest, you have the choice of taking five points for it as a contest entry or one or three or six points in a category. Most people would choose the former. If you enter more than one story in a theme contest, the usual thing is to count one in the theme contest part of your scorecard and allocate the rest of them to the appropriate category or categories.

Okay thank you very much for explaining that.

 

[Sean Renaud]

My apology. I thought they were still going on.

 

[MTPersson]

Hi. This is me stating my desire to enter this years competition.

M x

 

[robertreams]

I wish to officially sign up for the 2014 Survivor contest please. It inspired me to write about twelve more d\stories than I had planned, now I am about to e-publish a collection of short stroies and novellas. BTW How long does a novella have to be? A Novel?

Thanks to all, especially to boxllcker, for his patience and hard work.

 

[robertreams]

I can speak from an aspect of sandbagging that you all may not have thought of. I guess you could say I sandbagged, but what actually happened is that as I became more and more aware of the contest and it became a larger part of my life, i realized that stories I had written earlier in the year might qualify for different categories in the contest. Then I saw I had a chance to win a small prize and started writing stories and poems at what I would consider a furious pace. I even revived and rewrote some old yellowed manuscripts from my old file cabinet. Earlier in the year I had written many stories which wound up being episodes in longer works because my faithful readers kept demanding more episodes. If I had been allowed to count all of them I would have had about 15 more stories to count, but even then could not have challenged the leaders.

At any rate, if the purpose of the contest was to make me more prolific, it was a rousing success. I have a big enough volume of work now to publish three e-books, the first of which I expect out within the month.

So thank everyone, contestants included for being my inspiration.

Just one more tiny thing -- gay men are MEN!

I want number 36 for immunities.

 

[elphaba69]

I'm in. Let's see if i can get more going this year. So much happen last year all fell to waste side.

 

[subwryter]

I'm in

I'm in

 

[SkylarFalling]

I'd like to play this time, I've been watching you guys do it for too long.

 

[javawarrior]

Story ratings

Box, what would the complications and/or viability be of including another element to the prize structure in the form of average content ratings? In other words, not just counting the volume of content, but taking into account the average rating of that content at the end of the year. You could have a rule that states that turning off voting would disqualify you not from the contest but from that particular honor, and there could be, say, a ten story minimum (so a person with two highly rated stories won't necessarily ensure victory). I would think that you would only have to calculate the average at the end of the year, and only once. I suppose theoretically, anyone could also calculate this on their own as they go. I think adding this element would be, to my thinking, not too much extra work, but would add an interesting dimention to the contest, and would certainly make it more interesting as it would likely result in the recognition of those who produce not just many stories but many highly-rated stories.

 

[javawarrior]

...also, I'd like to play again this year!

 

[Sean Renaud]

Box, what would the complications and/or viability be of including another element to the prize structure in the form of average content ratings? In other words, not just counting the volume of content, but taking into account the average rating of that content at the end of the year. You could have a rule that states that turning off voting would disqualify you not from the contest but from that particular honor, and there could be, say, a ten story minimum (so a person with two highly rated stories won't necessarily ensure victory). I would think that you would only have to calculate the average at the end of the year, and only once. I suppose theoretically, anyone could also calculate this on their own as they go. I think adding this element would be, to my thinking, not too much extra work, but would add an interesting dimention to the contest, and would certainly make it more interesting as it would likely result in the recognition of those who produce not just many stories but many highly-rated stories.

Box just volunteers his time to help run the contest, I don't think he has any particular authority beyond that of a ref and with this being the last year of the contest I imagine any discussion of rules at this point is utterly moot. We have what we have and we get to enjoy it for the next eleven months for one final battle.

That I will surely emerge from victorious.

 

[SusanJillParker]

Box just volunteers his time to help run the contest, I don't think he has any particular authority beyond that of a ref and with this being the last year of the contest I imagine any discussion of rules at this point is utterly moot. We have what we have and we get to enjoy it for the next eleven months for one final battle.

That I will surely emerge from victorious.

Good luck with you being victorious (lol).

I dare you to beat me. I double dare you to win (lol).

I'll be watching you from first place laughing while I'm writing, writing, and writing.

My goal this year is to write at least 5 stories in 30 categories and 7 stories in some categories. Being that this is the last year, my goal is to go out with a bang.

I won 2nd place 3 times, twice as BostonFictionWriter in 2007 & 2008, and as AndTheEnd in 2010. I won the contest in 2011 as SuperHeroRalph and finished in 3rd place under my real name, SusanJillParker in 2012. Again, I won the contest in 2013. I plan on winning the contest again in 2014, that is, unless someone, anyone, can beat me. I dare you. I double dare you to win.

I dare anyone to beat me. C'mon, let's make this a real writing challenge. Being that I coasted last year and only wrote 500,000 words for the contest, I plan on writing 1,000,000 words this year for the contest.

Of course, I write much more than that, but many of my stories are not eligible for the contest.

Good luck to all. I hope everyone beats me.