How far in advance do you start?

[OffNSFW]

When you have an idea for an upcoming event or challenge, I mean.

Right now, I've got a longer story that I've just started on that lands neatly in Summer Lovin'. I'm also well into a project for the A.I. event, and maybe a quarter of a draft for Nude Day.

Anybody else get stuff going this early, or am I the only one who worries that they won't be done without this kind of lead time?

 

[MillieDynamite]

Never far enough in advance... That's why I usually use one that fits, which has been up for sale. Though, they were written for the event of the previous year, but not completed in time.

 

[NotWise]

Usually less than six months in advance. HOWEVER, if I ever finish my story for Chloe's Mike Hammer event, I will have started it years in advance.

 

[TheLobster]

Way, way, too late. I’m still shooting for On the Job for example, and I’ve got like 4k words in of what’s shaping up to be a 20k+ story.

 

[KittyOfSteele]

Top late; mainly because I'm a disorganized woman and I'm still learning to get my stuff together. I do want to make it at least one year in advance though.

 

[RejectReality]

Every so often. Well, at least I used to. Many of my Earth Day stories were started in December or January during my extended time off. Some of my Nude Day and Summer Lovin' stories then started in April during my next vacation.

Depending upon how you want to stretch the definition of 'early' and assuming it ever gets to where I want it, I have a Valentine's story that I first put words on paper for back in 2011. LMAO I tweak it and get a little farther every couple of years. It would be the longest purely lesbian story I've ever written, and I keep second-guessing my portrayal of their evolving thoughts and emotions.

 

[MrPixel]

Timing doesn't matter to me. If I'm inspired by the topic, I'll bang one out in no time. If I have something in the mill that might fit, I'll consider working on it. If I have something simmering on the back burner just needing touch-ups and there's an event on the horizon, I'll hold on to it until the submission window, even if it's months away.

Bottom line? Meh. Whatever.

 

[MelissaBaby]

When you have an idea for an upcoming event or challenge, I mean.

Right now, I've got a longer story that I've just started on that lands neatly in Summer Lovin'. I'm also well into a project for the A.I. event, and maybe a quarter of a draft for Nude Day.

Anybody else get stuff going this early, or am I the only one who worries that they won't be done without this kind of lead time?

Shit, I'm still working on my Pink Orchid story and the deadline was three weeks ago.

 

[Trionyx]

Shit, I'm still working on my Pink Orchid story and the deadline was three weeks ago.

No. that's not the way to look at it. I'd suggest you're 49 weeks early for the next Pink Orchid challenge.

 

[Erozetta]

I created the document for my April fools entry on the 4th of March and entered the story on the 11th.

I created the document for my Halloween entry last year on October 1 and entered it around the 15th of October.

Every time I try to "get ahead" by starting early, I end up not finishing the damn thing. When I think something up on the fly and just go for it, I do much better.

 

[YmaOHyd]

Timing doesn't matter to me. If I'm inspired by the topic, I'll bang one out in no time. If I have something in the mill that might fit, I'll consider working on it. If I have something simmering on the back burner just needing touch-ups and there's an event on the horizon, I'll hold on to it until the submission window, even if it's months away.

Bottom line? Meh. Whatever.

That's kind of where I am. I wasn't going to do an April Fool's story until a few days after stories started getting posted, then wrote my entry in four or five days. The only difference was that on March 1 I had no idea what an April Fool's story would even look like, and on March 3 or whatever I had an idea for a concept, and by March 5 it was the only story I wanted to write.

 

[SimonDoom]

As far as possible. I write most stories slowly, although every once in a while I get one done quickly. At this point, though, I have so many unfinished stories that had been marked for this or that challenge or contest that when the notice goes out I've already got something partly done. So that's how it usually works now. I have several half-finished stories I could submit to the nude day or summer contests in a few months, for example, so I aim to do that.

 

[Voboy]

I write whatever I feel led to write. I don't really plan. I know that, in any given "writing year," I'll want to submit pieces for Halloween, Holidays, Summer, Nude Day, Geek Pride, VDay, and a smattering of others.

Whenever a plot occurs to me, no matter what time of year, I ask myself where it should fit in that writing calendar. Then I write it and sit on it until it's time to post. Occasionally I'm more rushed, but not often.

 

[Voyeurkenneth]

Months in advance for me, considering how painstakingly slow I edit and fiddle. Also, I'm trying to complete my first tour of hitting all the themed contests, so in that sense, I've been giving myself some runway to plan many months ahead. I also want to start participating in the challenges, so I'm working on a sports story for Yay Sports in June (assuming it still happens!)

 

[ElectricBlue]

I'm still stalling on sequels to my story in the first year's Geek's Anthology, also the first year's Mickey Spillane thing. So I start years ahead, I guess.

 

[PennyThompson]

I once turned in a project for an art class in college with the paint still wet, and I have not gotten much better since then

 

[VallesMarineris]

I've been through the Lit yearly cycle a couple of times now, and I keep my favorite challenges (Geek, AI, 750) in mind during the year. If I've got an idea or piece of a story that would fit, I start working on it with that deadline in mind. Seems to work for me.

Or doesn't. I have written a couple of stories that would have worked for other challenges that I don't keep track of, but I seem to only think of them after I've published the story. Sigh.

 

[glynndah]

I'm currently working on a possibly Halloween story which seems to want to be longer than most of my tales. My Nude Day story is written in my head, but alas, there's nothing on paper yet.

 

[JGittes]

I just looked at the creation date for a story I hope to submit to Nude Day this year, January 5, 2024.

 

[glynndah]

I just looked at the creation date for a story I hope to submit to Nude Day this year, January 5, 2024.

I have one I'm working on for the summer contest; February 28, 2014. I might be able to finish it for this year's contest.

 

[mrs_mackenzie]

Usually depends on length and how inspired I feel. A shorter idea I can often be finished in advance of the opening date. Longer ones might take weeks more.

Sometimes I have ideas for an upcoming contest which I'll write down and then revisit when it's nearer the time.

 

[TheLobster]

I once turned in a project for an art class in college with the paint still wet, and I have not gotten much better since then

For Lit contests, I'd consider it a very good sign of the quality of your entry if you submit it while still wet.

 

[SinclairGroupLLP]

I started my submission for the On the Job contest a few days ago. Generally I try start a few weeks out, depending on my schedule for my other stories.

 

[JGittes]

I once turned in a project for an art class in college with the paint still wet, and I have not gotten much better since then

Back in my professional life as a geologist, people always complimented me on doing great work under a deadline. I'd reply it's because I only work under a deadline.

 

[PennyThompson]

Back in my professional life as a geologist, people always complimented me on doing great work under a deadline. I'd reply it's because I only work under a deadline.