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

[EmilyMiller]

I think there are some glitches this morning. I searched the Halloween 2025 tag this morning and nothing from last night’s posts are listed. In particular I wanted to make sure my new story was on the list.

Tags are always a day late - or at least some of them

 

[WeShallUnclench]

Question - am I right to think you only need the 25 votes on october 30th (day of the competition), not on october 23rd (last day of submission)? Wouldn't make much sense to allow people to submit on the last day if logically they cannot instantly get the votes.

And will the stories with fewer votes be "purged" from the list on the last day, or will they remain and just not qualify for the winner selection?

 

[Voboy]

Question - am I right to think you only need the 25 votes on october 30th (day of the competition), not on october 23rd (last day of submission)? Wouldn't make much sense to allow people to submit on the last day if logically they cannot instantly get the votes.

You are right. 25 votes at the end of the contest, which is the 30th. That makes sure all the entries have a week to get the 25.

And will the stories with fewer votes be "purged" from the list on the last day, or will they remain and just not qualify for the winner selection?

Nope. They remain on the list.

 

[MissKittenSK]

I don’t see an October story on your works list - then that seems to be glitching as well . Can you post a link?

Thank you Emily - this is the link: https://www.literotica.com/s/the-castle-come-play-with-us

It has only jst come up on my audio list on my profile, they tend to take up to 24 hours to show up there, even when they show up on the audio new posts page

 

[EmilyMiller]

Thank you Emily - this is the link: https://www.literotica.com/s/the-castle-come-play-with-us

It has only jst come up on my audio list on my profile, they tend to take up to 24 hours to show up there, even when they show up on the audio new posts page

I’ll PM @Laurel

 

[EmilyMiller]

Welcome to Day 20 of The Halloween 2025 Competition

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

 

[DEFCOM5]

@EmilyMiller, each time I think your daily art has peaked, you outdo yourself.

Lily and Emma as Han Solo and Princess Leia. I love it!

Cannot wait for tomorrow picture!

 

[Beachsyrf]

Ha! In the past, when the whim hit me, I'd imagine how I could secretly explore my occasional cd fantasies with my gf (who would NEVER suspect or understand!) by "suggesting" we both crossdress, her as a man, and me as a woman, for Halloween costumes. I'm certain she'd think it was funny and agree but she'd be shocked to see my anatomical reactions as I began to put on my "costume" ..... ..... "Why is your dick so hard .... and leaking?!?!?"

 

[ShelbyDawn57]

Got mine in under the wire. A fun little romp called 'Girls Will be Girls' about dressing up at work and the consequences.

 

[BryanRichardson]

Ha! In the past, when the whim hit me, I'd imagine how I could secretly explore my occasional cd fantasies with my gf (who would NEVER suspect or understand!) by "suggesting" we both crossdress, her as a man, and me as a woman, for Halloween costumes. I'm certain she'd think it was funny and agree but she'd be shocked to see my anatomical reactions as I began to put on my "costume" ..... ..... "Why is your dick so hard .... and leaking?!?!?"

In case you didn’t see it:
https://literotica.com/s/lookalike-spouses-swap-clothes

 

[ShelbyDawn57]

Ha! In the past, when the whim hit me, I'd imagine how I could secretly explore my occasional cd fantasies with my gf (who would NEVER suspect or understand!) by "suggesting" we both crossdress, her as a man, and me as a woman, for Halloween costumes. I'm certain she'd think it was funny and agree but she'd be shocked to see my anatomical reactions as I began to put on my "costume" ..... ..... "Why is your dick so hard .... and leaking?!?!?"

Duh, because hot women dressed in men's clothes if fucking sexy.. Yeah, that's it.

 

[SouthernCrossfire]

For those who've participated in past contests and past Halloween contests, in particular, how is your viewership on this one in comparison to past events?
I'll share my experience after a few responses.

 

[ShelbyDawn57]

For those who've participated in past contests and past Halloween contests, in particular, how is your viewership on this one in comparison to past events?
I'll share my experience after a few responses.

This will be my third time to enter this contest. I don't expect to win, but entering a contest usually ramps up viewership on all my stories, so I think it's worth the effort.

 

[EmilyMiller]

For those who've participated in past contests and past Halloween contests, in particular, how is your viewership on this one in comparison to past events?
I'll share my experience after a few responses.

Way down, but not sure how much of that is due to the graveyard of Erotic Horror. I published my Halloween comp entry in the same category last year (how fucking stupid am I?) So far this year - with what is IMO a better story - I’m down on views (3,000 vs 5,000) and WAY down on rating. Like approaching my worst rating if you exclude LW and 750 word stories.

 

[BrokenSpokes]

Welp, I barely made it over the finish line!

I just submitted my Halloween story The Ring for publication!

 

[BrokenSpokes]

Welp, I barely made it over the finish line!

I just submitted my Halloween story The Ring for publication!

And it looks like it will go up Thursday, the 23rd! I'm DEAD last! Wooo! Spooky!

 

[yowser]

For those who've participated in past contests and past Halloween contests, in particular, how is your viewership on this one in comparison to past events?
I'll share my experience after a few responses.

This has been the oddest contest ever. Stories published that don't make 'the List' (or are delayed.) The contest is not included on the main stories page while the summer contest is still there. Engagement, whether due to tech issues or just reader apathy, is subnormal. Mostly only tales in the two killer categories have high views.

 

[EmilyMiller]

This has been the oddest contest ever. Stories published that don't make 'the List' (or are delayed.) The contest is not included on the main stories page while the summer contest is still there. Engagement, whether due to tech issues or just reader apathy, is subnormal. Mostly only tales in the two killer categories have high views.

It’s been a tragedy of errors

 

[DEFCOM5]

As it is the first time I participated in a competition, I must believe that I am the one responsible for all the calamities that have affected the competition.
It worked great in prior years and this year is a comedy or tragedy or errors and the only difference is my participation!

 

[M_K_Babalon]

Way down, but not sure how much of that is due to the graveyard of Erotic Horror. I published my Halloween comp entry in the same category last year (how fucking stupid am I?) So far this year - with what is IMO a better story - I’m down on views (3,000 vs 5,000) and WAY down on rating. Like approaching my worst rating if you exclude LW and 750 word stories.

I didn't put mine there this year, mainly because there wasn't any horror. It hadn't originally dawned on me until this thread, that EH doesn't get a lot of readers, votes, or what have you. It was simply ghost isn't tantamount to horror. Casper and Samara don't move in the same circles. I've attempted to write one [survival] horror story with my other name, and one—I guess you could call it a psyhic thriller. It's not really in my wheelhouse.

 

[MelissaBaby]

Way down, but not sure how much of that is due to the graveyard of Erotic Horror. I published my Halloween comp entry in the same category last year (how fucking stupid am I?) So far this year - with what is IMO a better story - I’m down on views (3,000 vs 5,000) and WAY down on rating. Like approaching my worst rating if you exclude LW and 750 word stories.

My previous Halloween stories have all been in Erotic Horror and got significantly more views at this point than my current one. I suspect the increasing number of entries and the glut of "events" are at least partially responsible

 

[Voboy]

I suspect ... the glut of "events" are at least partially responsible

This. The elephant in the room.

@SouthernCrossfire, all my numbers this time around are quite noticeably lower than usual. As Emily points out, I think it's likely [she and] I didn't quite understand EH, though I've posted plenty of stories there and I've never had this particular problem.

Many of us have been saying, for some time now, that there are simply too many "events" and contests. Every time I open the AH, it seems there's another support thread for yet another event. I don't necessarily fault the organizers, but I think it's just simply too many for the readers' bandwidth.

But mostly, I think I misjudged my category.

 

[FrancesScott]

For those who've participated in past contests and past Halloween contests, in particular, how is your viewership on this one in comparison to past events?
I'll share my experience after a few responses.

I wasn’t here for last Halloween. But I had a Lesbian story in Summer Lovin’ and I have another Lesbian story in Halloween and the views / votes are pretty much the same (approx. 15k and 240).

 

[talemestories]

For those who've participated in past contests and past Halloween contests, in particular, how is your viewership on this one in comparison to past events?
I'll share my experience after a few responses.

For me, as a first time competitor, it's raised my Halloween story to my second most viewed story of all I have done (not that the numbers are huge, I know) so I think the visibility helps (as does the category). I expect it will reach most viewed story of all of mine by the end of the exposure period. While I will stroke my ego and say it's been the increase in my writing prowess, the exposure was hugely important for sure.

Looking forward to the next contest as well as Halloween next year to see how viewership compares.

 

[talemestories]

It’s been a tragedy of errors

It certainly appears as though there are technical issues that are plaguing the board on a whole.

How is the admin team doing? Ill? Personal issues?

Seems like something has been hindering things.

I do hope all gets resolved as I have enjoyed writing for the site.