Valentines Day Contest Support Thread 2025

[FreyaGersemi]

I don't write stories with scores in mind, so I don't craft them with a wide audience in mind. I write for me first and the reader second

Serious question. And, no, this isn't a "humble brag" or "weird flex" or whatever people on Ticktock are saying. Anyone who has read my work can easily see that I have no idea what readers want, let alone the ability to tailor a story to that end. This is an honest and serious question. It may even be better as it's own thread...

Do a lot of people do this? Do people write their stories (especially ones for contests) with higher scores and pleasing others in mind?

Follow-up question:

If you do, could you please tell me how?

 

[MillieDynamite]

Yes, people do. Not me, but I'm just so special.

Do a lot of people do this? Do people write their stories (especially ones for contests) with higher scores and pleasing others in mind?

Now to the second question. Use every trope possible in the category, and have a happy happy ending (or not if you craft it right). But seriously, I haven't taken the time to know about this one.

If you do, could you please tell me how?

 

[SimonDoom]

Yes, people do. Not me, but I'm just so special.

That's what they say.

 

[FreyaGersemi]

Use every trope possible in the category, and have a happy happy ending

It seems that me (Or "I"? Me don't know!) and tropes aren't the best of buddies. In fact, I was writing on here for months before I learned what a trope was. Most of my stories do have happy endings, though. I like people (even imaginary ones) to be happy.

 

[Erozetta]

Serious question. And, no, this isn't a "humble brag" or "weird flex" or whatever people on Ticktock are saying. Anyone who has read my work can easily see that I have no idea what readers want, let alone the ability to tailor a story to that end. This is an honest and serious question. It may even be better as it's own thread...

Do a lot of people do this? Do people write their stories (especially ones for contests) with higher scores and pleasing others in mind?

Follow-up question:

If you do, could you please tell me how?

Yes. A lot of people take the categories into account when writing their stories and cater to the expectations of the reader within that category. For every category there are data points within that category that can be used to, more or less, write a story to a winning formulation of introduction, conflict, climax, resolution. In some categories, like Loving Wives, that's harder to do because the readers there are split into, what is essentially, warring factions.

Can it win contests? Probably.

Is it worth it? Not to me. To me, nothing would kill my enjoyment of writing more than to be told I need to follow the rules for a category with zero deviation. The fun, to me, is in blending the categories to see what shakes out at the end.

My favorite blend is horror, romance, fetish, BDSM, and E/V. Succubi, incubi, vampires, demons and werewolves lend themselves quite well to that combo.

 

[Actingup]

Interested in how you are pulling the data

A wildcard search (using “ “ in the title box) for stories in the past year or all time, sorted by score. That gives a listing of stories, 50 to a page. Then chop off the unscored stories to get the number of scored stories. Calculate the number of stories in each percentile, and then the tedious bit is going through the list to match the percentile (or decile) ranks with the story scores. More detail in the thread. It took a few hours sitting in front of some boring men’s tennis coverage during the Australian Open! It would be much quicker if we could pull down the database of scores, but I didn’t bother asking for that as I very much doubt they would allow it.

 

[nicksouth]

Yes. A lot of people take the categories into account when writing their stories and cater to the expectations of the reader within that category. For every category there are data points within that category that can be used to, more or less, write a story to a winning formulation of introduction, conflict, climax, resolution. In some categories, like Loving Wives, that's harder to do because the readers there are split into, what is essentially, warring factions.

Can it win contests? Probably.

Is it worth it? Not to me. To me, nothing would kill my enjoyment of writing more than to be told I need to follow the rules for a category with zero deviation. The fun, to me, is in blending the categories to see what shakes out at the end.

My favorite blend is horror, romance, fetish, BDSM, and E/V. Succubi, incubi, vampires, demons and werewolves lend themselves quite well to that combo.

For me I picked themes
- Swinging
- Group sex / orgy /gangbang
- Cum worship/love
- Maybe some light BDSM/Spanking

Then I write whatever story is in my head and find out the category. Then if it fits LW, I move it to Group Sex

I don't read or write Incest and so far have had no interest in the NonHuman categories. The rest are likely open though

 

[nicksouth]

A wildcard search (using “ “ in the title box) for stories in the past year or all time, sorted by score. That gives a listing of stories, 50 to a page. Then chop off the unscored stories to get the number of scored stories. Calculate the number of stories in each percentile, and then the tedious bit is going through the list to match the percentile (or decile) ranks with the story scores. More detail in the thread. It took a few hours sitting in front of some boring men’s tennis coverage during the Australian Open! It would be much quicker if we could pull down the database of scores, but I didn’t bother asking for that as I very much doubt they would allow it.

I am wondering it it's worth developing a Python script. I am manually importing my score spreadsheets to GDocs and it's getting irritating

Maybe time for LitTools.py if I have time and it doesn't get blocked

 

[Erozetta]

For me I picked themes
- Swinging
- Group sex / orgy /gangbang
- Cum worship/love
- Maybe some light BDSM/Spanking

Then I write whatever story is in my head and find out the category. Then if it fits LW, I move it to Group Sex

I don't read or write Incest and so far have had no interest in the NonHuman categories. The rest are likely open though

I don't even do that. I sit down at my computer to a blank document and start writing whatever comes to mind. Eventually it takes shape and a story develops.

I am purely a chaotic writer.

 

[Actingup]

Serious question. And, no, this isn't a "humble brag" or "weird flex" or whatever people on Ticktock are saying. Anyone who has read my work can easily see that I have no idea what readers want, let alone the ability to tailor a story to that end. This is an honest and serious question. It may even be better as it's own thread...

Do a lot of people do this? Do people write their stories (especially ones for contests) with higher scores and pleasing others in mind?

Follow-up question:

If you do, could you please tell me how?

I write what entertains me, but I do want to connect with the reader and entertain (or move) them as well. In some of my stories I’m trying to subvert the tropes while maintaining some personal integrity - I guess we all have boundaries that we don’t want to cross.

 

[Five_Inch_Heels]

I don't even do that. I sit down at my computer to a blank document and start writing whatever comes to mind. Eventually it takes shape and a story develops.

I am purely a chaotic writer.

Ditto.

 

[thanagar]

I come with an idea, wait to see if some characters feel like wandering into that idea, then listen to what they tell me they’re doing there.

I know it sounds schizophrenic, but every single time I have ever tried to push plot and story over character, I will get blocked. It’s like they sit there and go “nope, we’re not doing that.”

I don’t use charts or trends. Nothing would come out if I tried.

 

[MillieDynamite]

Not me, they go to hell and back again, coming out more damaged than before. LOL This statement doesn't pass the reading test at times. I'm actually an extremely eclectic writer.

It seems that me (Or "I"? Me don't know!) and tropes aren't the best of buddies. In fact, I was writing on here for months before I learned what a trope was. Most of my stories do have happy endings, though. I like people (even imaginary ones) to be happy.

 

[MillieDynamite]

Sure they do. Keep drinking the Kool-Aid, bro.

That's what they say.

 

[Inkent]

I knew from the get-go (my new catchphrase) that I wouldn't win this contest. A) I'm an acquired taste. B) I don't write stories with scores in mind, so I don't craft them with a wide audience in mind. C) I write for me first and the reader second, so no, I don't stand a chance in most contests. I still have hopes, which are at best now fading, of getting to a 4.5.

I've said exactly the same in a few post. By the way, finally managed to get through "Sam & Kim.."

 

[SimonDoom]

Sure they do. Keep drinking the Kool-Aid, bro.

View attachment 2480631

Kool-Aid, don't knock it. Especially spiked.

 

[Inkent]

I write what entertains me, but I do want to connect with the reader and entertain (or move) them as well. In some of my stories I’m trying to subvert the tropes while maintaining some personal integrity - I guess we all have boundaries that we don’t want to cross.

Subvert the tropes - with you there!

 

[MillieDynamite]

Yeah, I know it's a slog!

I've said exactly the same in a few post. By the way, finally managed to get through "Sam & Kim.."

 

[Inkent]

Yeah, I know it's a slog!

Only when your on a packed commuter train and you have selfish pricks sitting next to you that feel the need to let everyone hear eyery TicTok piece of shite they are swiping through ! Not good for the concentration that one, exp. a story where you need to stay tuned!

 

[MillieDynamite]

Thanks, I sort of needed that.

Only when your on a packed commuter train and you have selfish pricks sitting next to you that feel the need to let everyone hear eyery TicTok piece of shite they are swiping through ! Not good for the concentration that one, exp. a story where you need to stay tuned!

 

[FreyaGersemi]

Subvert the tropes - with you there!

Wait. That's a real thing? I thought I (like MillieDynamite) was special. So if subverting tropes is a thing, then for me to be special and unique like everyone else, I need to subvert the trope subversions. I have a headache just thinking about that.

 

[Five_Inch_Heels]

I come with an idea, wait to see if some characters feel like wandering into that idea, then listen to what they tell me they’re doing there.

Laura wandered into a new place I'd never gone.

Friday will tell me how it went. (Not the V-Day entry that goes up tomorrow).

 

[Five_Inch_Heels]

Bro and Sis out of the gate, headed down the aisle.

 

[Five_Inch_Heels]

Is there a list of submitted stories even it the V-Day tag wasn't used?

 

[FreyaGersemi]

Is there a list of submitted stories even it the V-Day tag wasn't used?

Right on the front page of Literotica. https://www.literotica.com/stories/contest.php/valentines-day-2025