Announcing our Advent competition

Quote by KatieTheWriter

I had one idea which was a Wankvent calendar but started writing and realised there is no way I could do it justice in 1500 words. Luckily the inspiration pervert in my brain is working overtime on Christmas and I've now settled on another idea I'm quite excited about. Just need a bit of teasing and polishing.

I get it. The 1500 word limit was challenging for me. I was able to get my story from 1880 words down to 1499. Unfortunately, I feel that the longer version was much better.

Quote by paddlingincognito

I get it. The 1500 word limit was challenging for me. I was able to get my story from 1880 words down to 1499. Unfortunately, I feel that the longer version was much better.

Yeah sometimes an idea is good enough that it deserves more words.

Quote by KatieTheWriter

Yeah sometimes an idea is good enough that it deserves more words.

Fortunately for me, my idea was worth only ~1100 words and I was able to trim a hundred to get it down to Flash Fiction status. 😅 I realized that describing the strip club regulations in Seattle -- no alcohol served, but your $20 cover charge gets you two free soda waters -- didn't really help drive the narrative. My stories often include unnecessary math, science, or history lessons overexplaining things (OMG I'm doing it right now) that can't survive when there's a word count limit.

I've thrown my hat in the ring and managed to trim a nearly 1900-word story to 1499 words. In doing so, the story took a different turn than intended. And I'm honestly not minding that.

Here's the link for anyone interested:

I'll Be Home For Christmas | Lush Stories

I was really struggling for an idea. Now I had one, and it is very, very wicked.... I will never be able to look at an Advent candle the same way ever again. Oh, this is France, we have special ones!

1,498 words, too. I am very happy about that. I will do the usual, and read it back many, many times, and then nervously put it here.

Got my entry in! Usually when the word limit is tight, I end up overshooting by 30-40% and then hacking it back down. Which does enforce a certain discipline on the writing. This time, I aimed for 1500 words, and the first rough draft came in at 1502.

So maybe this one is a bit more undisciplined? It's snarkier than my usual, anyway. See "Presents Cum Early" in my sig.

Quote by AmuseBouche

I was really struggling for an idea. Now I had one, and it is very, very wicked.... I will never be able to look at an Advent candle the same way ever again. Oh, this is France, we have special ones!

1,498 words, too. I am very happy about that. I will do the usual, and read it back many, many times, and then nervously put it here.

A candle, solid and thick ... lol, I am feeling my way towards a sexy Beckett style story (I know, I know,) Gooning for Godot is about 2/3rds written but I am still not convinced I will get it done.

I struggled too, but eventually got one submitted. The lure of a badge was too strong! 🤣

Quote by Shyexhibitionist

I struggled too, but eventually got one submitted. The lure of a badge was too strong! 🤣

You know me too well, I entered my first competition and the end of 2019, having missed three since then my badges overflow. But still another would be swell. I have just read four stories, WW, Kat, Piquet and Joe ... omg! Yours is next.

A few people suggested I write a follow-up to “O Wishmas Tree” I've just submitted it. I'm now thinking it might have been a better entry 🤔 its certainly hotter and more explicit. Ah well it's the badge that counts 🎄

As someone who has entered competitions before, what has it been like? I'd been lying if I said I hadn't thought about entering, but is it more nerve-racking than a regular story for you?

Quote by CuriousAnnie

A candle, solid and thick ... lol, I am feeling my way towards a sexy Beckett style story (I know, I know,) Gooning for Godot is about 2/3rds written but I am still not convinced I will get it done.

A solid and thick candle. 😋 I looked up Gooning for Godot - then I realised it is Waiting for Godot - and you are a very delicious pervert! 😘

It is a candle, a special one, and my story is published - a Vigil to future passions. If you have the time, I would be very honoured.

Quote by Hughtheman

As someone who has entered competitions before, what has it been like? I'd been lying if I said I hadn't thought about entering, but is it more nerve-racking than a regular story for you?

Have some fun, and do your best, this is all. It is a little more nerve-wracking, but the experience is worth it to introduce your writing to as big an audience as you can here. The best of luck! 😘

If anyone wants to amuse themselves while they wait/read/edit, Scotland's lovingly-named gritters are out in full force at the moment, lol.

https://www.traffic.gov.scot/gritter-tracker

They are truly amazing. The humour of Connolly shines through. I love Spready Mercury. Every time I see them I laugh 🏴󠁧󠁢󠁳󠁣󠁴󠁿

Quote by Hughtheman

As someone who has entered competitions before, what has it been like? I'd been lying if I said I hadn't thought about entering, but is it more nerve-racking than a regular story for you?

Not nerve-racking but decidedly more challenging. Especially with a word limit, although a lot of my stories are around the 1500 mark. Go for it!

Quote by Shyexhibitionist

They are truly amazing. The humour of Connolly shines through. I love Spready Mercury. Every time I see them I laugh 🏴󠁧󠁢󠁳󠁣󠁴󠁿

Quote by Hughtheman

As someone who has entered competitions before, what has it been like? I'd been lying if I said I hadn't thought about entering, but is it more nerve-racking than a regular story for you?

Quote by Shyexhibitionist

Not nerve-racking but decidedly more challenging. Especially with a word limit, although a lot of my stories are around the 1500 mark. Go for it!

I suppose if winning was a concern, it would be nerve-racking. Like Shyexhibitionist stated, for me, it's challenging, not nerve-racking. I get off on getting outside of my comfort zone; getting my nerves racked. Nothing racked with this one! Go for it!

Quote by CuriousAnnie

A candle, solid and thick ... lol, I am feeling my way towards a sexy Beckett style story (I know, I know,) Gooning for Godot is about 2/3rds written but I am still not convinced I will get it done.

Here's hoping you get it done! An irreverent CuriousAnnie story about a thick candle being used down under in pursuit of salvation sounds like a winner to me!