Announcing our Obsession competition

Good Luck . I have no doubts your story will be excellent. It’s on my to do list!

Quote by Ellsie_Gee

Submitted my story now, my first ever competition entry! Wow it’s nerve wracking hoping that people will read and like it.

The very best of luck, Ellisie! 😘

Just published! My entry is Secret Sixties, in which my lust and my remorse battle for control of my mind and body. Forced retirement, a burgeoning friendship and a low-sex marriage create a quagmire of conflicting, escalating feelings that tempt me to cheat on my wife.

I have read some excellent stories on Lush set in churches, usually featuring irreverent takes somewhere between sarcasm and sacrilege. My entry, by contrast, presents a more earnest and modern angle on religion as Joe struggles with questions of faith, fidelity and fucking. I hope readers enjoy this exploration.

Quote by joe71

Just published! My entry is Secret Sixties, in which my lust and my remorse battle for control of my mind and body. Forced retirement, a burgeoning friendship and a low-sex marriage create a quagmire of conflicting, escalating feelings that tempt me to cheat on my wife.

I have read some excellent stories on Lush set in churches, usually featuring irreverent takes somewhere between sarcasm and sacrilege. My entry, by contrast, presents a more earnest and modern angle on religion as Joe struggles with questions of faith, fidelity and fucking. I hope readers enjoy this exploration.

Really well done, Joe! 😊

Oh man, this topic really got my juices flowing 🤭 My mind definitely took me to a place I haven’t been before; and I loved it. Submission to follow soon. So excited to read everyone else’s too. There’s some quality 👀 👏

After much wrangling, rewriting, and more editing late nights than I care to admit, I finally hammered my entry into a shape I consider worthy. And here it is:

One Last Fuck To Give

This was a very tough piece to put together. The voice. The plot. The dialogue. The sex. It all needed to fit and I couldn't make it work. For over a week, I've been staring at it and not making progress, deleting stuff, adding stuff, swapping words. Nothing worked, until yesterday when I blitzed through it, moved chunks around, tightened everything, and decided enough was enough.

With not an AI tool in sight, not even a grammar checker, this is 100% imagination and 200% hard graft. Yes, it's 1500 words over my planned length, but the story seemed to need the space, so I listened. Hope the extra is worth it and I would love to hear what people think.

Now I have some catching up to do on other entries. I've only read a handful, and not even got round to commenting on half those.

Quote by WannabeWordsmith

With not an AI tool in sight, not even a grammar checker, this is 100% imagination and 200% hard graft.

AI got nuttin’ on you, MasterWordsmith!

I am pleased to see and read so many good stories in the latest 'Obsession' competition. It is also nice to see so many new authors entering the competition. 😊

Having now read, liked and commented on all 81 (so far) entries, I have to say there wasn't a weak one amongst them. This brings me nicely to my entry, Judged!, which I can now safely say is very different to the other 80 entries. Yes, a bit of self-publicity, but I like to see a higher 'views' number for my story. 🙄😉

I hadn't had much time to read through many competition entries till tonight. The ones I have read are absolutely incredible! Such talent. I have more on my list to read. Two in particular I would have trouble choosing a winner from. I wonder if the judges will think as I do? I wonder what tomorrow’s stories will bring ?

Update. I have read a few more stories!!! Wow! I honestly couldn't pick a winner and they are all totally different. I've shared a few on my profile, but no doubt I've missed a few! Good Luck to the judges trying to choose……. Just glad I dont have to!

I would like to thank everyone that has read my entry thus far. As one of the early entries, this story came to me, & was completed, in only about a day or two after I read the release about the rules.

I am humbled to say that it has become the most well received piece I've submitted to Lush, & honestly, one of the most well rounded pieces I've "penned" thus far as I've learned so much from all of my reading & engaging with others in the community.

Again I would like to thank everyone who has read my story & if you have not, I hope that you might take the time to read it & let me know what you think, positive or negative, bc constructive criticism can only make me improve an amateur writer.

Riley's Neighbor

I counted this morning, and it appears that we currently have 94 entries for the Obsession competition. Will we make the magic century before the closing date? 😜😊

Hey guys I have sent my story out as well but I don't know ehther it has been submitted or not. Why can't I see it on the publisher's site? What can I do to clear this situation ? Can anyone guide me on this?

By the way, do we need to have a good cover image created by our own self putting our name and authors name etc?

How do we win this competition? is it through a judging panel or by the number of vote we get by publishing it here? Can anyone explai nthat as well?

Can we edit our cover picture even after submitting it?

Hi. You get a message from one of the Moderators when your story has been accepted. I make my own cover pictures. They’re not as good as the other authors. I think a few of them use AI for their covers. I’ve never mastered that. If you recall your story to change anything, it then goes back into the queue. Hope this helps. I’m not an expert I’m afraid. The votes aren’t all that stories are judged on. There’s a panel.

Quote by typhoon2099
How do we win this competition?

Write the best story 😂

The competition judging process.

Yes you can edit your story or cover at any time. But as ShyExhibitionst says, it goes back into the queue. If you add a Moderator Note with the resubmission to say you've only made a few edits or changed the cover, we can normally pick those out fairly quickly.

Also, for info: story verification times.

Quote by WannabeWordsmith

Write the best story 😂

The competition judging process.

Yes you can edit your story or cover at any time. But as ShyExhibitionst says, it goes back into the queue. If you add a Moderator Note with the resubmission to say you've only made a few edits or changed the cover, we can normally pick those out fairly quickly.

Also, for info: story verification times.

Thank you WannabeWordSmith. it was useful

Quote by Shyexhibitionist

Hi. You get a message from one of the Moderators when your story has been accepted. I make my own cover pictures. They’re not as good as the other authors. I think a few of them use AI for their covers. I’ve never mastered that. If you recall your story to change anything, it then goes back into the queue. Hope this helps. I’m not an expert I’m afraid. The votes aren’t all that stories are judged on. There’s a panel.

Understood Thank you Shyexhibitionist.

I see we passed the hundred mark for entries. 😊

Quote by wxt55uk

I see we passed the hundred mark for entries. 😊

I think I counted 102

Quote by techgoddess

I think I counted 102

That is what I counted to. 😊

Hello Readers 😇. I’m excited to share my first story published at Lush.

This piece explores the dangerous pull of desire—how a single, fleeting spark can grow into something far more consuming than we ever expect. It isn’t about justifying what’s forbidden, but about revealing the raw, unvarnished truth behind wanting what we know we shouldn’t.

I poured my heart into this one, and I’d be truly grateful if you’d take a few minutes to read it. If it resonates with you, your likes, comments, and shares would mean the world to me. If it doesn’t, I’d value your honest thoughts—because every bit of feedback helps me grow as a writer. Thank you 😊

https://www.lushstories.com/stories/seduction/consumed-by-him-2

Just to advise that I've moved the end date back a few days as we're having issues with submitting stories for publication today. Hopefully it will be resolved tomorrow.

Deadline is Friday 3rd Oct now.

I think I’ve seen that in most past competitions, the front-page banner gets taken down the moment the deadline for entries has passed.

Seems to me the competition isn’t over until the winners are announced. Why not leave the banner up at least until the announcement, or maybe even a couple days longer, to draw more attention to all these wonderful contest entries, highlighting the best of Lush?

Great idea Joe. Maybe point out on the banner that the competition has closed then encourage people to 'Read, Like and Comment.' And is it just me or are reader numbers down for this one?

Quote by joe71
Why not leave the banner up at least until the announcement

Nice idea but it usually advertises "enter the comp" on the banner wording, which is misleading if it's over. And we don't have the capability to change the banner when entries close, nor is it satisfactory to put some text over it due to the different banner colourings and positions (mobile, desktop, etc).

I think we're stuck with it disappearing on closing date, sadly.

Numbers on this may well be down. I’ve read a few but not as many as last time. I did eventually manage to put a story together, but found the theme challenging. Obsession isn’t a theme I would normally choose to read. Perhaps others feel the same way?

Quote by Shyexhibitionist

Numbers on this may well be down. I’ve read a few but not as many as last time. I did eventually manage to put a story together, but found the theme challenging. Obsession isn’t a theme I would normally choose to read. Perhaps others feel the same way?

There are 109 entries, which I suspect will increase by a few once the site is fully working again. I feel that is a good turnout for a competition, especially as you mention, maybe it's not a theme writers would necessarily choose. 😊

However, it is a very broad theme, and I can honestly say you could write an 'obsession' story about just about anything... which includes a Brussels sprout. To understand that, you need to have read the competition story entries. 🙄😉

So far, I have read 107 competition stories (yes, maybe I have too much free time), and in general, the standard of story and the writing to go with them is exceptionally high. So well done to all.