The now fully official Author’s Hangout Halloween 2025 competition support thread

[amaliajquinn]

If you look at the page from last year, you can see that audio stories were accepted and that (quite remarkably!!) prizes of USD $150, $100, $75 were awarded despite only eight audio entries being listed. If the same rules apply, I'd venture to say that this is virtually the surest bet that you could get for making money from a Literotica contest As to whether the same rules do apply this year - you'd have to confirm with the Powers That Be in their mountain retreat.

Thank you!

 

[StrangeLife]

Silly question from a newbie,

What is a alpha reader versus a beta reader?

Alpha reader: "Hey woman! Go fetch me a beer and prepare to give me a foot massage while I'm reading. And don't talk until I say so. It's distracting."

Beta reader: "I've washed the floor, I did all the laundry, and I just finished mowing the lawn. And of course I'm fine with your mother moving in with us. Will you please allow me to read a little?"

 

[M_K_Babalon]

I'm almost done writing mine.

 

[EmilyMiller]

I'm almost done writing mine.

Cool

 

[sophism]

Hi everyone, just a question! I’ve looked back at all the past posts and it seems that tech issues have been getting solved, but my story was published a couple of days ago and still isn’t on the comp list. I’m about to send a message to Laurel but just need insight whether there’s anything else I can do?

 

[StrangeLife]

Hi everyone, just a question! I’ve looked back at all the past posts and it seems that tech issues have been getting solved, but my story was published a couple of days ago and still isn’t on the comp list. I’m about to send a message to Laurel but just need insight whether there’s anything else I can do?

I can tell that you have the halloween 2025 tag in your story.

https://www.literotica.com/s/the-day-we-bound-ourselves

If you also pasted HALLOWEEN 2025 into the Notes to Admin field like Emily instructs in the original post (I can't check whether you did that), you have done everything you're supposed to do, and your story should automatically be entered into the competition and thus show up on the list.

So yes - messaging Laurel would seem to be the next logical step. Maybe you slipped under the radar by mistake.

 

[Aoife_from_Ulster]

Good news! When Lanterns Glow, publishes tomorrow. If you are in the mood for a not-so-scary romantic Halloween themed story check it out

 

[EmilyMiller]

Hi everyone, just a question! I’ve looked back at all the past posts and it seems that tech issues have been getting solved, but my story was published a couple of days ago and still isn’t on the comp list. I’m about to send a message to Laurel but just need insight whether there’s anything else I can do?

This happened to me. Tell me the story name and I will try to help.

 

[EmilyMiller]

Good news! When Lanterns Glow, publishes tomorrow. If you are in the mood for a not-so-scary romantic Halloween themed story check it out

Yay

 

[EmilyMiller]

Welcome to Day 5 of Halloween

https://www.literotica.com/stories/contest.php/halloween-2025

 

[BryanRichardson]

Are the posting issues better for everyone else?

I submitted a story last night, and it is already scheduled for tomorrow.

It is in Mind Control, and didn’t go where I expected it to when I started writing.

 

[EmilyMiller]

Are the posting issues better for everyone else?

I submitted a story last night, and it is already scheduled for tomorrow.

It is in Mind Control, and didn’t go where I expected it to when I started writing.

The majority of stories have always gone through fine. It’s the minority getting stuck in purgatory that has been the issue. Is that getting better?

 

[TurinTurambar]

Are the posting issues better for everyone else?

I submitted a story last night, and it is already scheduled for tomorrow.

It is in Mind Control, and didn’t go where I expected it to when I started writing.

I submitted mine last night as well and it is already scheduled for tomorrow too. Contest stories get priority I believe. My last submission got stuck in pending limbo for a while but all my contest entries have been processed quickly.

 

[EmilyMiller]

I submitted mine last night as well and it is already scheduled for tomorrow too. Contest stories get priority I believe. My last submission got stuck in pending limbo for a while but all my contest entries have been processed quickly.

Cool

 

[old_prof]

The majority of stories have always gone through fine. It’s the minority getting stuck in purgatory that has been the issue. Is that getting better?

Yesterday was a significant jump in the number of stories appearing. That, and you saying bsky is back again, has me hopeful.

 

[EmilyMiller]

Yesterday was a significant jump in the number of stories appearing. That, and you saying bsky is back again, has me hopeful.

 

[FrancesScott]

I had an idea about this competition today. I don’t know whether I’ll make the deadline, we will see.

The idea seems to have legs, will be another Lesbian romance story. I’ll have to race against the Oct 23rd deadline, but I think I might win it; just!

 

[EmilyMiller]

The idea seems to have legs, will be another Lesbian romance story. I’ll have to race against the Oct 23rd deadline, but I think I might win it; just!

Good luck

 

[MillieDynamite]

Okie Dokie, I stand corrected!

Honey Bunny.

I did that, and still got complaints. That was why I looked for a mem of someone pretending to play Russian Roulette with their hand as a gun. Didn't find it.

That's why last year I advised writers to do their 750 words, then above that insert an intro that describes the event and the challenges to writing a 750 word story then below it have a line that says "Below this line are exactly 750 words" It helps with the slow thinkers.

But now I have.

 

[Duleigh]

Well, that was quite a beating. I knew I shouldn't have put it in LW but it fit the mold and Erotic Horror is a empty wasteland. Lesson learned. I got some of the greatest feedback in my 20 years of writing

followed by the lowest score in my 20 years of writing.

 

[EmilyMiller]

Erotic Horror is a empty wasteland

Tell me about it!

 

[M_K_Babalon]

I submitted mine earlier, hopefully things do what they need to do.

 

[EmilyMiller]

I submitted mine earlier, hopefully things do what they need to do.

Good luck

 

[BryanRichardson]

Tell me about it!

At least we get to stay on the Erotic Horror “New” list for a whole week, right?

About the same number of new stories are being posted in Crossdressing, but the readership is about 5x.

I’m curious to see how Mind Control compares…

 

[dreams_in_words]

Tell me about it!

Well I entered my work in erotic horror not just because it didn't really fit anywhere else, but also as a jest.

It seems like people have a very specific idea what they want from the genre