The How To Contest Support Thread

[_Lynn_]

Just finished more of the "How-To" entries. I didn't leave comments for everyone, but I did vote.

Now I know where to shop for the condoms, how to put them on, all kinds of positions to polish his sword in and even what fun it is to brush our teeth together.

Oh yes, and how to keep the elephants out of My yard. Just to name a few of the things I have learned this week.

Is there something about "How-To" survive reading all the "How-To" entries? hhmmmmmmm

 

[glynndah]

I thought Glyndah was a good witch?

I am a very, very good little witch. Just ask anyone.

 

[_Lynn_]

I am a very, very good little witch. Just ask anyone.

Yup, that's what she tells us all the time.

 

[glynndah]

Yup, that's what she tells us all the time.

Sshhh! I've almost got some of the newbies convinced.

 

[_Lynn_]

Sshhh! I've almost got some of the newbies convinced.

That is easy to do. Just be yourself.

 

[glynndah]

That is easy to do. Just be yourself.

Thank you. A for the compliment from the good little witch.

 

[MarshAlien]

Thank you. A for the compliment from the good little witch.

Are you two quite finished?

 

[glynndah]

Are you two quite finished?

We might be. Why?

 

[MarshAlien]

We might be. Why?

Just an insatiable curiosity on my part, love. Nice shoes. Nice wand.

 

[glynndah]

Just an insatiable curiosity on my part, love. Nice shoes. Nice wand.

Thank you. The wand comes in very handy sometimes. And just when did you see my shoes?

 

[Rumple Foreskin]

Play nice, children.

Reading over the last few pages, it occured to me that unlike other themed writing contests at Lit, there's as much, if not more, talk in this one about the number of votes as the ups-and-downs of scores. I can't recall so many contestants wondering if their entry/entries would have enough votes after the final sweep to qualify.

Bayou Bill

 

[MarshAlien]

Play nice, children.

Reading over the last few pages, it occured to me that unlike other themed writing contests at Lit, there's as much, if not more, talk in this one about the number of votes as the ups-and-downs of scores. I can't recall so many contestants wondering if their entry/entries would have enough votes after the final sweep to qualify.

Bayou Bill

Well, those of us who don't start writing until Monday morning, and are first time entrants, and are told about something called sweeps that mean that the number of votes that appears in our own records may have nothing to do with the number of votes we'll have when the contest finally ends (am I still in the middle of the first sentence?) probably tend to worry more about the number of votes than hardened veterans such as yourself so. (big breath) Isn't it kind of hard to keep track of other peoples' scores anyway? I mean, I know I could do it, but wouldn't it take like 3 hours or so to finish? And we're all friends anyway, right? Aren't we supposed to wander around giving each other 5's and letting the other people who read the story decide who wins? Seriously, I'm new. Isn't that how it works?

I like your shoes too, btw.

 

[starrkers]

I think the talk of votes is due to the low numbers of them. By this stage in the last two contests I entered (ie the only contests I've entered), my stories were well clear of the qualification mark - both had about 100 votes. This time, I'm still hovering just above qualification (I had 30 votes last time I looked).
Looking at the toplist, it seems most entries (with a couple of notable exceptions) are in the same boat - only just over the qualification line.

eta: Marsh: Yes.

 

[Rumple Foreskin]

Well, those of us who don't start writing until Monday morning, and are first time entrants, and are told about something called sweeps that mean that the number of votes that appears in our own records may have nothing to do with the number of votes we'll have when the contest finally ends (am I still in the middle of the first sentence?) probably tend to worry more about the number of votes than hardened veterans such as yourself so. (big breath) Isn't it kind of hard to keep track of other peoples' scores anyway? I mean, I know I could do it, but wouldn't it take like 3 hours or so to finish? And we're all friends anyway, right? Aren't we supposed to wander around giving each other 5's and letting the other people who read the story decide who wins? Seriously, I'm new. Isn't that how it works?

I like your shoes too, btw.

Sure, I suppose. Kinda. Whatever you say is fine by me. Honest. (I double-dog-dare you to correctly diagram your first sentence )

MA: Well, those of us who don't start writing until Monday morning, and are first time entrants, and are told about something called sweeps that mean that the number of votes that appears in our own records may have nothing to do with the number of votes we'll have when the contest finally ends (am I still in the middle of the first sentence?) probably tend to worry more about the number of votes than hardened veterans such as yourself so. (big breath)
RF: Truth be told, I don't think it's experience so much as the How-To category isn't very active. That may be why Laurel and Manu decided to use a contest to up the number of articles posted in there. However, this is the first How-To I've entered. Some of those who've been here and done that before might see things differently.

MA: I mean, I know I could do it, but wouldn't it take like 3 hours or so to finish?
RF: It doesn't take that long in this contest since there's only one category to check out. Go to the TOP LIST forum, then under "Voting Results by Categroy" HOW-TO. The problem with that is the numbers aren't chiseled in stone. Any sweep, especially the final, can, and usually will, change them. With votes so scarce, there could be a big swing in the final tally.

MA: And we're all friends anyway, right?
RF: Sure, but what about, THEM?

MA: Aren't we supposed to wander around giving each other 5's and letting the other people who read the story decide who wins?
RF: Sorta. I've no idea what "WE" do during contests. I try to give support, but I don't give all five's. That said, I can't recall ever giving an AH regular anything less than a four and I've handed out danged few three's. IMHO, that's not a case of being nice to those I know so much as the reality that while not all the good Lit writers hang out at the AH, a lot do.

One thing I try to avoid is saying anything negative in a PC. If there's some downer I want to share with the writer, it'll come by PM. The problem, as I see it, is bad PC's seem to attract trolls and a feeding frenzy can start.

 

[Guest]

hmmm, good idea

Just finished more of the "How-To" entries. I didn't leave comments for everyone, but I did vote.

Now I know where to shop for the condoms, how to put them on, all kinds of positions to polish his sword in and even what fun it is to brush our teeth together.

Oh yes, and how to keep the elephants out of My yard. Just to name a few of the things I have learned this week.

Is there something about "How-To" survive reading all the "How-To" entries? hhmmmmmmm

Nice title for next year.

How-to's are very very useful. What if you would find yourself on a deserted island with a ... rusty sword. You would want to know how to polish it!


Maharat

 

[Rumple Foreskin]

Looks like there was a sweep last night. I lost four votes but still qualify with one whole vote to spare.

Rumple Foreskin

 

[starrkers]

Looks like there was a sweep last night. I lost four votes but still qualify with one whole vote to spare.

Rumple Foreskin

Yeah, I lost several votes this afternoon and am qualifying by the skin of my teeth (don't think it matters, I'm not in the hunt for a prize, and I think I'm out of the running for last)

 

[Selena_Kitt]

My score didn't move one iota... neither did my number of votes.

 

[Rumple Foreskin]

My score didn't move one iota... neither did my number of votes.

Just proves folks wise enough to RVC your entry are also wise enough not to screw up the process. Some of us have been known to lose track and vote more than once for a story. This time, the best/worst I could manage was to mis-spell you name.

Me, I think, I've voted for all the AH regulars, along with some who are pretty irregular. I'll start work on the others tomorrow.

Rumple Foreskin

 

[l8bloom]

My score didn't move one iota... neither did my number of votes.

I share your puzzlement, Selena ... for reasons at the other end of the spectrum. My # votes dropped from 77 to 36, with a corresponding change in score by a whopping .49.

Have never seen such a wild swing, has anyone else??


L8.

 

[Selena_Kitt]

I share your puzzlement, Selena ... for reasons at the other end of the spectrum. My # votes dropped from 77 to 36, with a corresponding change in score by a whopping .49.

Have never seen such a wild swing, has anyone else??


L8.

wow, that's a big drop for such a little change in score!

 

[Rumple Foreskin]

I share your puzzlement, Selena ... for reasons at the other end of the spectrum. My # votes dropped from 77 to 36, with a corresponding change in score by a whopping .49.

Have never seen such a wild swing, has anyone else??


L8.

There have been some big swings in the past, but to lose over half your votes (41) is a bit mind-boggling. And to have it change the score so (relatively) little is surprising.

Not all votes lost in a sweep are one-bombs. It's not uncommon for folks to lose track and give two or more high votes to an entry. I was going to suggest you enable public comments so absent-minded voters (like me) could leave comments which would remind us of what we'd done. Still, I can't believe that could come close to accounting for all those extra votes.

Rumple Foreskin

 

[l8bloom]

There have been some big swings in the past, but to lose over half your votes (41) is a bit mind-boggling. And to have it change the score so (relatively) little is surprising.

Not all votes lost in a sweep are one-bombs. It's not uncommon for folks to lose track and give two or more high votes to an entry. I was going to suggest you enable public comments so absent-minded voters (like me) could leave comments which would remind us of what we'd done. Still, I can't believe that could come close to accounting for all those extra votes.

Rumple Foreskin

Aha, I just figured it out. It must be Mayor Daley. You know how voting works in Chicagoland. Early & often, & Spot & Puff get to vote too, even if they've been 3 feet under for years.

But I'm still curious about the shoes.

 

[glynndah]

I lost five or six votes and gained .01 vote: I went from 4.49 to 4.50.

 

[Boxlicker101]

Until last night, my entry just barely qualified, but I lost 24% of the votes. and am well short now. At least the score went from under 4.00 to land on the hot list. That last part is kind of nice, but it almost knocks me out of the running for the uncoveted last place (tm) prize.