Quote by KimmiBeGood

I’m looking for something I haven’t read before in these comps, ya know.

The writing standard is so high, the ones I'm finding myself leaning towards offer something a little extra and "unique". 🙄

Quote by techgoddess

As for badges, I looked yesterday and discovered that after getting the Author 500 badge, the next one isn't until 1,000 stories. It took me 17 years to get to 500, so the likelihood of doubling that number is slim. LOL!

Been reading more Obsession stories. There are some incredible stories in the comp. It'll be hard for the judges, for sure!

There is so much more the site could do with badges, but every time I have raised an idea, there seems to be a resistance to any change... 🙄 As for getting to 1,000 stories, you could limit all future stories to micro's and poetry. 🤣

As for the Obsession competition, I have now read about half of them, and the standard is extremely high... I don't think I have read a weak entry... AND I already have around 10 possible winners and another 15 that should make the top 10! 😳🤣 In hindsight, I have no idea how you can accurately judge obsession stories, as it can be so many things...

Quote by Milik_the_Red

On another note, I’ve taken a short hiatus from writing. I kicked out about 13 stories in two months with some kind of record for me. That equates to about 10% of my total library over the last 16 years so you can imagine what kind of a hot streak I was on.

But I haven’t written anything in the last couple of weeks. I’m hoping to get the inspiration to start something today. Fingers crossed.

Milik. I think we all need to step away from the keyboard at times, as writing stories should be enjoyable and fun. I am sure you will come up with something new, now that you have had your short break. 😊

Quote by Milik_the_Red

100 likes is impressive. I don’t mean to downplay that. I’m happy if a story generates half that

But yours was quite excellent. I simply meant it deserved more. I just wanted to make sure I was clear on that point

Sorry, yes, I understood what you meant... I am happy with 20 likes, and I don't chase them, except for that 100th story. I am hoping that, over time, members here will discover that story and the series of stories that follow it! 😊

Quote by Milik_the_Red

I think even 100 is pretty low for that story and that series you wrote that exceptionally well but congratulations to you

Thank you for your kind comment, Milik... I'm happy. I find getting visibility is difficult, as I tend to write longer, multi-part stories and the choice of stories is higher now than it has ever been. This can sometimes be quite a fickle place...

This is 100% true... For my 100th story here, I thought that I would write something "popular". At the time, I had 128 followers. So I wrote a 2-part, which turned into a 4-part I/F story. Two weeks later, I had 365 followers and all 4-parts scored well over 100 likes, the first well over 200. I am not complaining, the story was a good one, but I know if I had carried on writing I/F I would have been well into the top-most popular authors! 🙄🤣

I am pleased to see your American Football team won. I have not seen any plays yet or the results being in Crete. 😎

I feel the drinks should be on me today, as outside of my I/F series, which went into orbit with likes, comments and requests... I have just had my first story reach 100 likes. 😊 It is in the uniform genre and is called... Cash In Hand 1 - "A Job Opening?" - Part 1 Of 2

So drinks on my tab today... 🍷🍺🤣

Quote by Seeker4

Hope a couple weeks in Greece will clear things out but I'm not really hopeful. There'll be too much going on. I probably need a quieter vacation at some point, just a staycation or a resort or something. Stay put, rest, read, maybe write.

I hope it all settles down for you ape, But if you looking for hot and sunny,then I can vouch that Greece is certainly that atm. 😎

Quote by sprite

that was one fucked up story too. not sure what i was thinking...

You were inspired Rachel… 🙂 and there are a few fucked up stories in the current competition crop, but that is part of the reason as to what makes competitions such fun! 🙄😂

Good morning Rumpies, I have a cup or the finest Yorkshire tea when you open, or perhaps the bar’s not yet closed. 😊

Maybe I’m a little odd, but I would mind being a competition judge! However, it has been pointed out to me, quite rightly, that you cannot enter and be a judge… and here’s the rub, I quite like having those “shiny” comp badges on my profile page. 🥹🤣

So, as many of you know, I will read, like every entry and a few will get the extra favourite like. Then a give a comment and privately a score. I have only got the winner right once, the anti-valentine comp. Doing this, like making the first edit on a story that I have written are my guilty pleasure’s… like I said, maybe I am a little odd… 😜😎

Quote by KimmiBeGood

I can’t read all the comp entries. Too long. Too many. My eyeballs can’t do it while I’m working. The ones I read are great, though. A tough job for judges!

Good morning Kimmi, it being 7pm here in Crete. I use the read aloud function on my laptop with ear phones. I think if I tried to actually read every story, I would be pickled before I got half way. 🙄

I have read about 25 now and you right, the standard is high, maybe higher than ever. 😊 😘

Quote by techgoddess

Popping in to say TGIF! My darling hubby (who worked 40+ hours at his part-time job this week in 3 days) is taking me to Disney’s Animal Kingdom today. Work hard, play harder.

Our annual passes expire at the end of the month. But we will renew. Living less than 2 hours from Disney it just makes sense to have AP. We drive over in the morning, enjoy the parks until lunchtime, and bug out before the return home traffic gets too obnoxious.

Phase two construction started this week. Yesterday I watched them dig the trench where they will pour footings for my garage. Yay! It’ll be a slow process, but if all goes well, we should be able to move back into our garage before Christmas! (but I'm not holding my breath).

Hi all. Enjoy the animal kingdom, we went there years ago, 2012 if I remember right. I hope your hubby enjoys his down time, and the garage build goes well.

I'm still on the sun bed reading competition stories. I loved Obsolete_Fox's story, it is well worth a read. 😀

Quote by Shyexhibitionist

Congratulations. I will look out for it x

Just click on the cover and it will take you straight to my comp story. It was published last night. 🙂

Well, my entry is now in and published. I hope you all find time to read it... 😊

Now, I am looking to read and comment on all the other competition entries. 🙄😳😎

Judged! | Lush Stories

As he sits on his sun lounger reading the obsession comp stories, he raises a glass and wishes the “cuddly” polar bear the best of ‘British’ luck in finding a literary agent. 🙂 A cup of Yorkshire tea for me. Thank you. 😎

I've just had my obsession's companion story published; it's a slightly darker tale than I normally write. 😊

Here is the link: Judged!

Now it's time for me to read, like and comment on as many of the other entries as I can. 😎

I have just popped in for a cup of Yorkshire tea. I hope everyone okay, I'm rather cooking atm other south coast of Crete, although our hotel has air-conditioning so that's cranked up.

Finished my Obsession competition entry this afternoon whilst by the pool. It was strange writing erotica, especially erotica set in snow, surrounded by only partially clad people and the sun beating down. Anyway, it submitted... 🙄😎

I hope the rain disapates and there will be no need for rain coats,Kat. 😊

still - spill

Quote by Seeker4

I get a day there on my Aegean cruise but I plan to spend that taking a tour of Knossos. I have a bit of a thing for the Bronze Age right now.

We are staying on the south side of the island. Although I believe the taxi from the airport will be taking us past Knossos, a place which I believe is Europe's oldest city and one I have never been to. 😎

Quote by fillelapine

Crete sounds beautiful. I did a lot of research on the part of the world for the story I have been writing. It sounds like a paradise.

It is; we have been there many times. I even wrote a novel, which is published here, called "Crete." It is very loosely inspired by the island. Although I have to state, none of the hotels that we have stayed at on the island have been vice dens full of swingers like the one in my book. 🤣😎

Quote by techgoddess

Thanks! ❤️ She mentioned that she is not a piece of property to be given away, but loves the idea of being escorted by the people who raised her as she begins the next chapter of her life. Her brother will be the officiant. 🥰

Just to let you know, Kat. My oldest daughter, who is getting married at the end of next year, is walking herself down the aisle for the reason you mention in your post.

Happy Labour Day to all you Americans. I am unsure if it's a public holiday for federal employees only or if it's a national holiday for all Americans. 🙄 Anyway, enjoy it! 😎

I've just dropped in, as I heard a whisper that Kat was buying all the drinks today. 😈

I've been working on my competition story this morning, and I have nearly finished the first draft. However, it might have to wait, as tomorrow I'm off on holiday to Crete for 3 weeks, although I am taking my laptop with plans to write a little more. As for walking your daughter down the aisle, enjoy it, Kat. 😀 😘

Quote by techgoddess

How exciting! When's the wedding?

Not until the end of next year, literally, New Year's Eve 2026! So, a little way off yet!

Our youngest daughter is also engaged to be married, although there are no wedding dates set yet!

Good luck with those spelling checks, Kat. It sounds like you are already well into the wedding countdown. 😀 😇

Morning Rumpies, I have just popped in for a cup of 'fucking strong coffee' before heading out with my wife to view my oldest daughter's wedding venue, all while holding onto my wallet (just kidding). 😊

Hopefully, I get a chance to work on my comp story later. 😈

PS. Thanks for opening up Lion. 😊

Quote by cybervirgin

My last questions was that I wondered if what kistinpencil meant by "It should also be noted that for some writers in the past, likes were used as a medium of exchange, rather than a measure of a story's merit.", was that some writers agreed to give one another votes in order to bump their story's visibility, merit, etc - a quid pro quo, so to speak

I have never heard of this happening, and I hope that it doesn't. However, I simply do not know. 🙄

For me, I'm happy to keep chipping away. Improving my storytelling craft, building up my follower number, and when I submit something, hoping for likes and some positive comments/feedback. 😊 My greatest pleasure here is interacting with the members, people who follow me. 😎

Quote by cybervirgin

Yes, I think 10% is the absolute upper of scores to views.

Strange someone would leave a comment if they don't leave a score - ok, they may be new & not aware of the Like of Fav buttons?

But I've messaged members who I've seen have read a number of stories of mine to ask them if they liked or not the story but got no reply or reaction.

Do you mean some writers used the scoring as a quid pro quo?

I've never really spent too long analysing the statistics here. However, I have noticed that the likes-to-views ratio seems to change the longer a story is on the site. So, in the first 100 views, my story is quite likely to get 10 likes, but after 500 views, it is unlikely to get 50 likes... it is more likely to be around 35 and so on... 🙄

For example... If anyone in the future writes a famous story, 30,000 views, they are not going to achieve 3,000 likes.

On the favourable comment without clicking the like button, I believe that happens quite often. I know it does with me. Though I have never chased for a reason, when it happens, I think of it as an oversight and nothing more. 😊

I am not sure what you mean by that last question.

I have just finished the 3rd, 'Cash in Hand' story. These are a series of 7 short stories that follow a young couple as they go through life. Each story is in a different genre, and when I have finished the seventh story, I will be just two genres away from obtaining the Ominion badge. 😊

I have just laid out the plot for 'Cash in Hand 4', which I will expand and write in October.

But first, my competition story. It's the only thing I plan to be working on during September, as holidays and travel will be eating into my free time. It won't be the first time that I have worked on a Lush story while sitting by the pool. 🙄

I have enjoyed writing these characters, and judging by the lovely comments I received, many of my readers have too. Here is the link to the first story in the series. Cash In Hand 1 - "A Job Opening?" - Part 1 Of 2

Quote by JamesLlewellyn

.

I quite enjoy canoeing. When I was 15, my father and I canoed down the Hudson River from Albany. It was an amazing journey, but got a little complicated when the river broadened out as the waves got much higher. We eventually had to stop around Poughkeepsie, but it was a fun memory.

Later, my father, younger brother, and a family friend all went for a week-long canoe & camping trip in Kilarney Provincial Park. It was a peak experience, especially the morning of the last day. I wrote about it on the Blue Site.

And more recently, I went canoing with Lady Jay in my canoe, and our son, DiL, and granddaughter in another canoe in a local river. Jay doesn't paddle, so sat in the bow of the boat, in her regalness, while I paddled for both of us.

They say the test of a True Canadian is whether they can make love in a canoe. I haven't tried it recently, but it's tempting…

Quote by JamesLlewellyn

.

I quite enjoy canoeing.

And more recently, I went canoing with Lady Jay in my canoe, and our son, DiL, and granddaughter in another canoe in a local river. Jay doesn't paddle, so sat in the bow of the boat, in her regalness, while I paddled for both of us.

My wife, Caroline, did her share of paddling... In fact, I'm not too proud to say that by the end she was doing more than I, as I realised that my hips and a canoe were not a match made in heaven, and "perhaps" I'm not quite as athletic as I was when I last canoed at eighteen! 🙄🤣

Quote by KimmiBeGood

I have never paddled a canoe, David. I don’t think it would go well… 🙄

🤣🤣 ... Though you will never know until you have tried it! 😜😘

I've just dropped by for a quick beer, a cold one, after spending 5 hours driving back from Wales.

We love Wales and its people, though we don't like the 20mph speed limits; they are like a disease, and they are everywhere, even on the main roads.

The highlight for us was a "paddle" in a canoe down the River Wye for 5.5 miles. The only issues were the lack of water in the river and the fact that I still ache all over 3 days later! 😎

Quote by sprite

the queue has been like this since the beginning of the year. if we wait until it gets manageable again,we probably never have another competition, and that would not be fair to the writers her. people love the challenge and it's a huge perk. it's fun and it pushed people to step up their game and maybe write outside of their normal box. as for a drive, we are constantly reaching out to people to join the team. not everyone is keen on doing so, and we are, admittedly picky on who we bring in. we're added 2 i think in the last 2 months and are waiting on a couple more replies. not everyone wants to or has time to vet stories, which is understandable.

Thank you for updating us, Sprite. 😘 It is appreciated, and I honestly hope it all settles down soon. 😊