The Official Valentine’s Day Contest Support Thread 2026

[EmilyMiller]

Winners announced [at some point] tomorrow. Good luck to everyone who entered

https://www.literotica.com/stories/contest.php/valentines-day-2026

 

[EmilyMiller]

To prepare writers who are entering their first competition here (and are really happy with their current rating) for what can happen in the closing days, here is some actual data from one of my old comp entries. The data is from a story in a low frequency voting category, one in which I could count every vote and determine its value precisely.

Number of non-five star votes in the first eighty votes: 7

Number of non-five star votes in the last six votes before the winners were announced: 3

Using the binomial distribution formula to assess the probability of the second set of events given the first we get 1.85%.

That means the likelihood of the voting pattern in the last six votes being purely due to chance is less than two in a hundred.

People will go on about followers voting early and “regular people” voting later. But, even in a comp, the vast majority of votes are early on. And if you think this factor is a better explanation, well then .

So, new authors, if you suddenly see you much cherished story have its rating dip in the last few days of voting, this is why, and you are not alone. It’s endemic.

UPDATE: the aggregate votes on this story didn’t break 100 during the comp, so the well-documented top lists-related vote manipulation was not a factor

 

[Voboy]

To prepare writers who are entering their first competition here (and are really happy with their current rating) for what can happen in the closing days, here is some actual data from one of my old comp entries. The data is from a story in a low frequency voting category, one in which I could count every vote and determine its value precisely.

Number of non-five star votes in the first eighty votes: 7

Number of non-five star votes in the last six votes before the winners were announced: 3

Using the binomial distribution formula to assess the probability of the second set of events given the first we get 1.85%.

That means the likelihood of the voting pattern in the last six votes being purely due to chance is less than two in a hundred.

People will go on about followers voting early and “regular people” voting later. But, even in a comp, the vast majority of votes are early on. And if you think this factor is a better explanation, well then .

So, new authors, if you suddenly see you much cherished story have its rating dip in the last few days of voting, this is why, and you are not alone. It’s endemic.

UPDATE: the aggregate votes on this story didn’t break 100 during the comp, so the well-documented top lists-related vote manipulation was not a factor

Helpful!

In other words, newbs: keep your optimistic expectations in check.

 

[WittyUserName]

Winners announced [at some point] tomorrow. Good luck to everyone who entered

https://www.literotica.com/stories/contest.php/valentines-day-2026

I would like to thank you all in advance for the prestigious honor of fourth place.

 

[EmilyMiller]

I would like to thank you all in advance for the prestigious honor of fourth place.

Please keep your acceptance speech to under 60 seconds.

 

[EmilyMiller]

Helpful!

In other words, newbs: keep your optimistic expectations in check.

Precisely!

And don’t get too invested in comp ratings. They are regularly manipulated and - in any case - not correlated to the worth of your story. Comps are fun and a way to reach new readers, they are not in any way an objective assessment of merit.

E Miller - recovering rating addict

 

[Jamie6977]

Precisely!

And don’t get too invested in comp ratings. They are regularly manipulated and - in any case - not correlated to the worth of your story. Comps are fun and a way to reach new readers, they are not in any way an objective assessment of merit.

E Miller - recovering rating addict

As much as I'd love to get into one of the top 3, this is very true. I'm still happy with 4th. I've added a dozen or so followers with each comp and have had comments and favorites on some of my older stories. So, exposure may be the biggest benefit to the comps.

 

[EmilyMiller]

As much as I'd love to get into one of the top 3, this is very true. I'm still happy with 4th. I've added a dozen or so followers with each comp and have had comments and favorites on some of my older stories. So, exposure may be the biggest benefit to the comps.

That’s the spirit

 

[WittyUserName]

Please keep your acceptance speech to under 60 seconds.

I wish you'd told me that sooner. What am I gonna do with the two hour speech that leads into me summarizing my story through interpretive dance?

 

[EmilyMiller]

I wish you'd told me that sooner. What am I gonna do with the two hour speech that leads into me summarizing my story through interpretive dance?

Get ChatGPT to summarize it for you

 

[EmilyMiller]

To prepare writers who are entering their first competition here (and are really happy with their current rating) for what can happen in the closing days, here is some actual data from one of my old comp entries. The data is from a story in a low frequency voting category, one in which I could count every vote and determine its value precisely.

Number of non-five star votes in the first eighty votes: 7

Number of non-five star votes in the last six votes before the winners were announced: 3

Using the binomial distribution formula to assess the probability of the second set of events given the first we get 1.85%.

That means the likelihood of the voting pattern in the last six votes being purely due to chance is less than two in a hundred.

People will go on about followers voting early and “regular people” voting later. But, even in a comp, the vast majority of votes are early on. And if you think this factor is a better explanation, well then .

So, new authors, if you suddenly see you much cherished story have its rating dip in the last few days of voting, this is why, and you are not alone. It’s endemic.

UPDATE: the aggregate votes on this story didn’t break 100 during the comp, so the well-documented top lists-related vote manipulation was not a factor

Since posting this, I’m saddened (though not surprised) to have been contacted privately by a few authors of high-rated stories in the Competition. No, I’m not going to make things worse for them by saying who.

It seems a lot of 4️s are hitting at least a few of the top rated stories today and yesterday. Maybe whoever is doing it thinks 4️s are less likely to be swept .

One person had four 4️ votes in a row on a previously highly-rated story. Another copied my historical calculation and got a probability of 0.45% that their recent vote pattern was as a result of pure chance. Thats less than one in two hundred.

Let’s hope these malicious votes get swept, because these fine margins decide competitions.

And again, don’t get invested in winning. The numbers are not always what they seem. And not all bad faith votes get swept.

 

[MelissaBaby]

The usual process involves a final sweep just before the cut off, and the announcement of the winners shortly thereafter. I think that provides a relatively high level of confidence in the final scoring.

However, the winning stories will almost certainly get one bombed within minutes of that announcement. So if you check to see the winners, and they do not show the highest scores, that is not an indication that something was wrong with the tabulation.

This has been happening for years, it comes with the territory. In one of the first contests I entered, I checked the results and I had a 4.95 rating and did not even place. I DMed Laurel to ask her what was up, and she explained to me that in the time between the winners being posted and when I read the results, their scores all dropped, while mine increased.

If the deadline had been an hour earlier or an hour later, the winners list would likely have been different. Keep this in mind when the results come in. And remember, this is supposed to be fun.

 

[StrentWriter]

Since posting this, I’m saddened (though not surprised) to have been contacted privately by a few authors of high-rated stories in the Competition. No, I’m not going to make things worse for them by saying who.

It seems a lot of 4️s are hitting at least a few of the top rated stories today and yesterday. Maybe whoever is doing it thinks 4️s are less likely to be swept .

One person had four 4️ votes in a row on a previously highly-rated story. Another copied my historical calculation and got a probability of 0.45% that their recent vote pattern was as a result of pure chance. Thats less than one in two hundred.

Let’s hope these malicious votes get swept, because these fine margins decide competitions.

And again, don’t get invested in winning. The numbers are not always what they seem. And not all bad faith votes get swept.

Yes noticed my score dropped today as well.

Can we not all just act in good faith?

Very souring for everyone involved I fear.

 

[EmilyMiller]

I think that provides a relatively high level of confidence in the final scoring.

I can only respectfully disagree based on my own repeated experience. Some people know exactly what they are doing and their low votes don’t get swept. I have back to back pairs of one bombs on multiple comp stories that were cast at the 11th hour in each case and which have never been swept to this day.

I’m happy that they have not targeted your work to date, or that your many admirers have rendered their attempted vandalism irrelevant.

 

[EmilyMiller]

Yes noticed my score dropped today as well.

There is nothing to say that scores don’t drop without malice a forethought, it could be random, it could be innocent. But when stories that are in contention all suffer similar downvoting in the final lap, it is at the very least suggestive of an overly competitive entrant looking to cross the finish line first.

Maybe someone could figure out if one story doesn’t get down voted, that would be an interesting observation.

So - for the hundredth time - don’t assume a level playing field. Treat comps as a game.

Don’t worry, be happy

 

[EmilyMiller]

Yes noticed my score dropped today as well.

Can we not all just act in good faith?

Very souring for everyone involved I fear.

As far as I can tell (I’ve not been here that long), there have always been comp shenanigans and there always will be.

Just have your eyes wide open and accept it is what it is.

 

[MelissaBaby]

I can only respectfully disagree based on my own repeated experience. Some people know exactly what they are doing and their low votes don’t get swept. I have back to back pairs of one bombs on multiple comp stories that were cast at the 11th hour in each case and which have never been swept to this day.

I’m happy that they have not targeted your work to date, or that your many admirers have rendered their attempted vandalism irrelevant.

We are not talking about the same thing. I am not talking about the voting, but about the tabulation and reporting of the results. When I saw, in the incident I mentioned, that I had a higher score than the stories that had won, I was disappointed and angry. I did not realize, until I had won a contest, how swiftly the trolls will attack the winners. By the time most people check the results, the scores will have changed, and the winners may no longer have the highest. I just wanted newer folks to understand how that happens

 

[MelissaBaby]

I can only respectfully disagree based on my own repeated experience. Some people know exactly what they are doing and their low votes don’t get swept. I have back to back pairs of one bombs on multiple comp stories that were cast at the 11th hour in each case and which have never been swept to this day.

I’m happy that they have not targeted your work to date, or that your many admirers have rendered their attempted vandalism irrelevant.

And by the way, I have been one bombed out of contention in plenty of contests.

 

[old_prof]

It seems a lot of 4️s are hitting at least a few of the top rated stories today and yesterday. Maybe whoever is doing it thinks 4️s are less likely to be swept .

It would be nice to be getting 4's. After having a reasonable rating (4.77) through 194 votes, my last 26 votes have averaged 2.1, dropping me to 4.47. Of course two of my stories last night lost more than 0.5 in their rating. The number of votes at least protected me somewhat here. I pissed off someone yesterday.

 

[InvisibleHarvey]

Very souring for everyone involved I fear.

Competitions are good for visibility. When I've participated I've seen my contest submissions get viewed at a faster clip than the rest of my stories. I'd like to think that at least a few people who would appreciate my work found it that way.

The scoring system here is its own thing, and it's a topic of endless discussion. Some people like it, and the rest of us are just kind-of stuck with it. The scores you get tell you something, but you have to read a lot of tea leaves to understand what that something is. I think that kind of scrying and debate and argument is its own kind of fun for some of the people here, and the rest of us are stuck with that, too

 

[StrentWriter]

It would be nice to be getting 4's. After having a reasonable rating (4.77) through 194 votes, my last 26 votes have averaged 2.1, dropping me to 4.47. Of course two of my stories last night lost more than 0.5 in their rating. The number of votes at least protected me somewhat here. I pissed off someone yesterday.

That’s rough. Sorry. I’ve got about 30 votes per story and the last few for each were obviously 1 and 2 star. I’m not expecting a miracle but I’m glad I took part.

 

[EmilyMiller]

I think that provides a relatively high level of confidence in the final scoring.

I know most of your comment was to do with the post-announcement bloodbath. But I was specifically replying to the above.

I don’t share your confidence in the sweeps. The vandals have become more sophisticated, the site’s response hasn’t.

I agree it’s meant to be fun. But that means nothing to a tiny minority. Best to take it all with a pinch of salt, I agree.

 

[EmilyMiller]

It would be nice to be getting 4's. After having a reasonable rating (4.77) through 194 votes, my last 26 votes have averaged 2.1, dropping me to 4.47. Of course two of my stories last night lost more than 0.5 in their rating. The number of votes at least protected me somewhat here. I pissed off someone yesterday.

Sorry to hear

 

[IdahoExec]

Sorry to hear

Same experience for my entry. Overall rating has dropped significantly over the last 48 hours. Sad that some are mean-spirited enough to rig something so inconsequential. May their tribe decrease.

 

[EmilyMiller]

Same experience for my entry. Overall rating has dropped significantly over the last 48 hours. Sad that some are mean-spirited enough to rig something so inconsequential. May their tribe decrease.

Sorry - if it’s any comfort, you are not alone