The Official Authors' Hangout Summer Lovin' 2024 Contest Support Thread

[SouthernCrossfire]

Just checked my email and found a note from a reader that explained a comment my entry, For the Long Haul, received yesterday. A small, completely jumbled part of my story was republished under another username as that username's first story. I suspect a publication mix-up so I've reported it to Laurel.

What I found encouraging is that even with the horribly incomplete mess that was published, the duplicate story got a favorite and a couple of nice comments mixed in with those noting the problem.

 

[Duleigh]

A small, completely jumbled part of my story was republished under another username as that username's first story.

Wow, sounds like Laurel is having some serious problems. I've also heard problems with submit. My submission yesterday (not a contest story) went superfast.

 

[SouthernCrossfire]

Wow, sounds like Laurel is having some serious problems. I've also heard problems with submit. My submission yesterday (not a contest story) went superfast.

Hope she's okay and that it was just a copy and paste issue. Glad yours went through quickly.

 

[Jorunn]

Just checked my email and found a note from a reader that explained a comment my entry, For the Long Haul, received yesterday. A small, completely jumbled part of my story was republished under another username as that username's first story. I suspect a publication mix-up so I've reported it to Laurel.

What I found encouraging is that even with the horribly incomplete mess that was published, the duplicate story got a favorite and a couple of nice comments mixed in with those noting the problem.

What you saw may be the actual issue -- and that is why the Submit buttons have been disabled. Team Lit may be trying to fix the real underlying issue and/or remove the incorrect stories that leaked through. And they don't want to get a flood of new ones until both issues are resolved.

 

[Rustyoznail]

What you saw may be the actual issue -- and that is why the Submit buttons have been disabled. Team Lit may be trying to fix the real underlying issue and/or remove the incorrect stories that leaked through. And they don't want to get a flood of new ones until both issues are resolved.

As I mentioned, I worked around the submit issue. I hope mine comes out in one piece.

 

[OffNSFW]

Okay, y'all, I am finishing today. I will at the very least have a complete draft for editing within a few hours from now. I am speaking it into existence so that there is no other choice.

I finished the draft as planned--over 24,000 words. I've already breezed through and fixed any typographical mistakes worth fixing. Next step is to add or subtract scene breaks where they make sense, then maybe another read-through just in case. But I'm not planning on doing much more to it, so (fingers crossed) I'll be submitting very soon.

 

[OffNSFW]

I finished the draft as planned--over 24,000 words. I've already breezed through and fixed any typographical mistakes worth fixing. Next step is to add or subtract scene breaks where they make sense, then maybe another read-through just in case. But I'm not planning on doing much more to it, so (fingers crossed) I'll be submitting very soon.

We are in.

And by we, I mean me, my characters, and our various appendages.

 

[Jorunn]

As Mary Shelley wrote, "It's Alive!" - The Submit button is, at least.

 

[Fatdog25]

The end is in sight.

It still isn't the Summer Lovin' story I meant to write but, at this point, it is what it is.

Hopefully, barring any further IRL interference, "The Last Good Knight in Arizona" will go live this coming week. Gotta wrap up the ending, give it a couple of days, then a T2V run through, word balloon it to clean it up, and submit.

It's been a rough month. It ain't gonna get any easier for a while yet, either.

At least my Crime & Punishment entry will keep me busy after this.

 

[SouthernCrossfire]

A small, completely jumbled part of my story [For the Long Haul] was republished under another username as that username's first story. I suspect a publication mix-up so I've reported it to Laurel.

The fragmented duplicate of my story is still up this morning so I sent Laurel another report asking for it to be taken down since yesterday's request may not have gone through.

Being the statistics guy that I am, I'm mentally adding the over 2,000 views, the favorite, and two of the comments the fragment has received to my own story's totals.

 

[mrs_mackenzie]

Finished mine and submitted it, at last. Felt like hard work, this one, but hopefully worth it in the end.

 

[Jorunn]

Finished mine and submitted it, at last. Felt like hard work, this one, but hopefully worth it in the end.

Got my second Summer story submitted last night. Kind of felt the same way. Fought it and kept tweaking it, battled Grammarly for two days, but loved the underlying story too much to abandon it.

Every story you submit is worth it in the end!

 

[Duleigh]

My #2 story has been submitted. I'll let you all know when The Last Road Trip starts to roll.

 

[nicksouth]

One more question about contest entries and series. The rules say to submit everything at once. Which I did.
However i am adding a chapter two (and more)

Do I need to wait until the results are in before submitting part two ? Or is it ok to do it now ?

 

[Duleigh]

One more question about contest entries and series. The rules say to submit everything at once. Which I did.
However i am adding a chapter two (and more)

Do I need to wait until the results are in before submitting part two ? Or is it ok to do it now ?

Submit it as a separate story. The rules clearly say - All submissions must be stand-alone stories created for this contest theme.
If part 2 can't stand alone then submit it for publication but not as part of the contest

 

[nicksouth]

Submit it as a separate story. The rules clearly say - All submissions must be stand-alone stories created for this contest theme.
If part 2 can't stand alone then submit it for publication but not as part of the contest

Yes I definitely won’t submit part two to the contest. Can I though add it to a series with part one ? Part one does stand well on its own

 

[Duleigh]

Yes I definitely won’t submit part two to the contest. Can I though add it to a series with part one ? Part one does stand well on its own

There shouldn't be a problem with that. I advise to ask Laurel just to be sure. Give her a DM and state your case politely. Chances are that she'll take so long to answer the question will be moot.

 

[SouthernCrossfire]

Yes I definitely won’t submit part two to the contest. Can I though add it to a series with part one ? Part one does stand well on its own

Nick, you might consider waiting until after the contest ends before submitting the story as a part 2 so readers won't have any question about the original meeting the rules. Otherwise, if you want to submit sooner, you might do it as a sequel of the characters' ongoing adventures under a different name and then still set it up as a series in your dashboard.

 

[Voboy]

Nick, you might consider waiting until after the contest ends before submitting the story as a part 2 so readers won't have any question about the original meeting the rules.

This is what I would suggest.

 

[nicksouth]

Nick, you might consider waiting until after the contest ends before submitting the story as a part 2 so readers won't have any question about the original meeting the rules. Otherwise, if you want to submit sooner, you might do it as a sequel of the characters' ongoing adventures under a different name and then still set it up as a series in your dashboard.

Yeah I think you are right. I’ll use the time to buffer up part three so im a bit ahead of the reader.

Thanks for the advice !

 

[Wineandcheese]

I’ve had more than one commenter ask about a story point that I don’t see as an issue, but apparently some do. In brief, the question being asked is, “Why didn’t they swap cars?” The answer is so easy: it could have been a stick shift and the kid didn’t know how to drive a stick. I could clarify this easily in a chapter 2, but I’d like a little advice. Is it a good idea to answer criticism by writing a second chapter? Is it better to leave it alone? Maybe just put the answer in a comment?

I’ve thought about writing a second chapter anyway, but I don’t want to clutter it up with clarifications.

 

[Voboy]

I’ve had more than one commenter ask about a story point that I don’t see as an issue, but apparently some do. In brief, the question being asked is, “Why didn’t they swap cars?” The answer is so easy: it could have been a stick shift and the kid didn’t know how to drive a stick.

Yes, and most readers (the nameless masses who haven't commented) are figuring that out for themselves. I doubt it's much of a flaw.

I could clarify this easily in a chapter 2, but I’d like a little advice. Is it a good idea to answer criticism by writing a second chapter?

I get asked for sequels regularly; we all do. I only write one if my muse tells me to. FOR ME, this car confusion wouldn't tickle my muse enough to do so.

Is it better to leave it alone?

Probably. I think it is MOST DEFINITELY not worth submitting an updated version of the same story!

Maybe just put the answer in a comment?

I would do this, if anything, even though the commenters are unlikely to come back and read it. But it would forestall future comments.

I’ve thought about writing a second chapter anyway, but I don’t want to clutter it up with clarifications.

No, I think your instincts are correct: this sounds like an easy one. Just throw in a mention, and make it funny (or self-deprecating might be a better term) for your characters.

 

[Wineandcheese]

No, I think your instincts are correct: this sounds like an easy one. Just throw in a mention, and make it funny (or self-deprecating might be a better term) for your characters.

Thanks Voboy. Precisely what I’ll do.

 

[OffNSFW]

Gah. I submitted on the 23rd, had to make a correction, and I've been pending ever since. Pray for my overdue baby

 

[Devinter]

Gah. I submitted on the 23rd, had to make a correction, and I've been pending ever since. Pray for my overdue baby

... But you definitely didn't leave it in "draft" mode after the correction, right? Worth double-checking. It's an easy mistake to make.