July has wound down and gone away, and with it the time for writing in GrowthJuly18 has ended. That means the first few weeks of August are dedicated to reading what everyone’s come up with. There are plenty of first-time entrants in this round, as well as a host of long-time writers, so the mix is going to be startling and diverse.

I know, I know: I said the stories would be released August 1, but then I went to SizeCon at the end of July, and I needed some time to get myself reorganized so I extended the deadline for story submission by a few days. Some people emailed me to find out what had happened, and I apologize, but there’s just no central source to share this information. When I solicit for writers or advertise the stories for revision, I have to write separate messages for Twitter, Tumblr, Giantess City, Deviant Art, the Size Riot newsletter, and even Instagram if I’m really on my game. Most people will hear about updates, but not all, and that’s where confusion starts.

BUT! The writing portion of the contest has concluded, and now over 25 stories are up and online for everyone to read. Go through them all once, just to enjoy them and take them at face value: let their ideas roll around in your skull, listen to how your body responds to them. Walk away for a few days, come back to them, and reread them with an eye toward evaluation and critique:

• Who were your favorite characters?
• Which story was built on the most innovative ideas?
• How did these stories make you feel the deep emotions?
• Which was technically proficient and well-constructed?
• Which one best exemplified the premise of experiencing growth?

The evaluation will be posted at the end of this week, but for now, please enjoy the GrowthJuly18 stories.