The Official Authors' Hangout Winter Holidays 2025 Support Thread

[iwatchus]

So yeah, I'm 100% out of the running. Thought so!

I came from 4.79 to get a post-sweep 4.91 and finish second in Nude Day. People in the 4.7's can still win a prize. (But I will not, even at a 4.77 this time)

 

[GemmaGemmaGemma]

Mine is at a 4.79 on my profile and a 4.77 on the story page. Pretty happy with that for my first contest. Also my first story in romance, so was nice to tick off a new category. I had my story written and uploaded way in advance and it went up on the first day, which probably helped get some more eyes on it.

Haven't got my valentine's idea yet but just saw it starts in a month. Will try and come up with something

 

[TheLobster]

There's no broom fine enough to sweep my 4.53 into a winning range, but at least it seems to be holding above H level for now.

 

[WriterPerson314159]

I came from 4.79 to get a post-sweep 4.91 and finish second in Nude Day. People in the 4.7's can still win a prize. (But I will not, even at a 4.77 this time)

Yeah - I just set a cutoff of 4.8 arbitrarily. There’s not enough data to do any kind of rigorous analysis.

 

[iwatchus]

Yeah - I just set a cutoff of 4.8 arbitrarily. There’s not enough data to do any kind of rigorous analysis.

I don't think I got as many 1's this time as last time (and I have twice as many votes as I did that time) so I don't expect as much of a bump.

But other prize winners have commented on a similar line of having a big comeback during sweeps. I would say anyone above 4.75 should not give up all hope unless you have tracked each vote carefully.

 

[RoyalAuthor]

I'm doing pretty well at this point, but I've never seen more than a 0.02 point swing during sweeps, despite the fact that I'm certain (like mathematically certain) that there are a bunch of one bombs in my number. Not expecting to see much movement, but who knows?

 

[Lord_Libido]

Wow, seeing all these people arguing over who's super high score is the highest makes me feel, small. I'm not even in this contest in any meaningful way.

I'm at 4.05 and happy, because it means that statistically most people at least like my story. It makes me thankful knowing that people like my story even if they don’t think its amazing.

Also considering that the story is highly experimental (i.e. weird as fuck) I'm actually convinced most people are being kind.

Thank You for being kind to me.

 

[WittyUserName]

I came from 4.79 to get a post-sweep 4.91 and finish second in Nude Day. People in the 4.7's can still win a prize. (But I will not, even at a 4.77 this time)

Interesting. Good to know! Still, I'll try not to get my hopes up. 4.68 right now. Mine was pretty bad the first day, around 4.0, so I know I got a handful of 1's the first day. But, we already had a sweep and they weren't removed, I don't think.

 

[Voboy]

Wow, seeing all these people arguing over who's super high score is the highest makes me feel, small. I'm not even in this contest in any meaningful way.

The old conventional wisdom was that it's impolite, unwise, or otherwise undesirable to discuss specific peoples' scores; prior support threads didn't really feature those kinds of posts.

As with so much else here, things have changed. Sometimes for the better, sometimes for the worse.

 

[Lord_Libido]

The old conventional wisdom was that it's impolite, unwise, or otherwise undesirable to discuss specific peoples' scores; prior support threads didn't really feature those kinds of posts.

As with so much else here, things have changed. Sometimes for the better, sometimes for the worse.

Yeah I can see that. I think it helps that I mostly enter contests to get my writing out there. For me, the score is only useful as a way to understand what people think of my writing.

 

[WittyUserName]

Yeah I can see that. I think it helps that I mostly enter contests to get my writing out there. For me, the score is only useful as a way to understand what people think of my writing.

I didn't notice any arguing? Either way, yeah, the best thing about contests is to get your work in front of more viewers. This contest seems to have done a great job of that for most.

 

[RoyalAuthor]

My apologies if it's against etiquette here. I'm just a numbers nerd, and the whole rating system/sweeps/contest scores thing plays right into that.

Definitely not trying to argue about whose score is highest. I just treat these contests as a way to get eyes on my work, not really hopeful about actually winning.

 

[Lord_Libido]

My apologies if it's against etiquette here. I'm just a numbers nerd, and the whole rating system/sweeps/contest scores thing plays right into that.

Definitely not trying to argue about whose score is highest. I just treat these contests as a way to get eyes on my work, not really hopeful about actually winning.

I'm an autistic redneck. I don't know shit about etiquette. I just feel a bit overwhelmed.

 

[MelissaBaby]

The old conventional wisdom was that it's impolite, unwise, or otherwise undesirable to discuss specific peoples' scores; prior support threads didn't really feature those kinds of posts.

As with so much else here, things have changed. Sometimes for the better, sometimes for the worse.

Before long you'll be able to bet on the contest results on online gambling sites.

 

[WittyUserName]

I'm an autistic redneck. I don't know shit about etiquette. I just feel a bit overwhelmed.

I'm autistic as well, but my gun rack doesn't have a gun rack, unfortunately. Sorry if talking about numbers is considered impolite.. I wasn't aware of that.

 

[srosa]

I find the numerical speculation interesting.

I'm returning to Literotica after a while away. It's been an interesting puzzle for me to figure out what of the many links are still relevant and aren't just dead (or dormant) ends. For example, a link to an official Literotica podcast that seemed to have just a few episodes, and maybe from long ago? And in the official rules of this contest, comparisons between this contest and the monthly contests, with a link to monthly contests ending ostensibly in January 2023?

 

[WriterPerson314159]

If talking about scores is unwelcome, then maybe those who want to do it should have a separate thread, but that might be more effort than necessary. I, too, am a numbers geek (you’d never guess by my username, would you), so I find it interesting.

 

[HuckPilgrim]

Wow, my two novel-length (novelette, maybe) stories didn't get a whole lot of views/votes this time. I've never done long stories for a contest before so maybe I fucked it up somehow.

I got a comment chastising me for not using tags. The anonymous poster specifically called out the 15 lit-page length. I really didn't understand the relationship between tags and story length, but I'm guessing they wanted clues to what the story is about? I mean, why not just read a few paragraphs? Or, if your going to comment, why not just ask, "What's this story about?" or "What tags would you put on this story if you were the kind of author who tags stories?"

 

[Off_base]

My apologies if it's against etiquette here. I'm just a numbers nerd, and the whole rating system/sweeps/contest scores thing plays right into that.

Definitely not trying to argue about whose score is highest. I just treat these contests as a way to get eyes on my work, not really hopeful about actually winning.

The etiquette changes on personal whims, depending on who's participating at any given time.
Nerd on, Sir.

 

[Voboy]

Numbers talk isn't really a problem; like I said, things change. So it's reasonable to think these support threads will too.

I was just making a historical observation. Once upon a time, it was believed there were tactical considerations involved in keeping quiet: it was thought that mentioning one's own score would attract bombers to it. Some of that might have been superstition!

My feeling these days is that the bombers come for us all regardless, so nerd on you numbers boffins! The courtesy aspect still makes sense to me, so I'll refrain.

 

[ChloeTzang]

I was just making a historical observation. Once upon a time, it was believed there were tactical considerations involved in keeping quiet: it was thought that mentioning one's own score would attract bombers to it. Some of that might have been superstition!

It was pretty much reality that anyine with high scores what one-star bombed down. Happened to me a time or two. I think some of it was someof the writers back then who were bit too competive and some was just trolls. It hasn't been anything like as bad the last 2-3 years. Five years ago every story I entered was hammered down to under 4.5 almost out the gate.

 

[Trionyx]

I’ve watched the score on one of my stories slowly creep up and once it hits a certain point, it immediately gets knocked down with a one bomb, and yes, I do the math. It always happens when the score reaches the exact same level. (And the story is not remotely in contention for a prize.)

I wonder if it is one person and if they have the story on a tracking program that alerts them when my modest score reaches the threshold. Oh well, I enjoyed writing it and apparently many people have enjoyed reading it.

 

[EmilyMiller]

I’ve watched the score on one of my stories slowly creep up and once it hits a certain point, it immediately gets knocked down with a one bomb, and yes, I do the math. It always happens when the score reaches the exact same level. (And the story is not remotely in contention for a prize.)

I wonder if it is one person and if they have the story on a tracking program that alerts them when my modest score reaches the threshold. Oh well, I enjoyed writing it and apparently many people have enjoyed reading it.

I’m terrified to mention my final Lit comp entry here (A Belated Christmas Gift) lest it be bombed under the 3.00 level.

As is very evident from most days on AH as well, I live rent free in more than one person’s mind .

 

[dreams_in_words]

As is very evident from most days on AH as well, I live rent free in more than one person’s mind .

You live rent free in my mind, but for probably different reasons.

Like idolation, humourous, well spoken, easy to follow, informative, and gosh darn you're pretty in your profile pic

 

[dreams_in_words]

I may be part of your fan club