I think social media has programmed us all to equal our worth to likes, etc. It feels good to be popular. Of course, it does! But seeking validation in numbers can be a big thief of joy.

I try to think about it like this: if you have 1 comment, that person chose you above all others in that particular moment. Is their time and thought only worth something to you if 99 other people like you, too? Someone told me this and it really changed my perspective. Then I thought about if I was that 1 person and read the author complaining about no one liking their story. That made me think, too.

I get that Carlton. ❤️ I wrote some dark stuff when my parents’ Alzheimer’s was really hitting me hard. It helped in a weird way.

Depression’s a bitch because of the negative voices. It doesn’t want you to feel better. Several professionals have told me to speak positives aloud. It’s hard to hear voices in your head when you are talking out loud. it’s hard but try to reach out to others during those times.

The world is in chaos, so I’m back to writing whimsical children’s stories. Ha! I’m trying to manifest some of that, I guess.

You’re a great writer and definitely write stuff that makes us feel!

Hiya, Authors

I’m curious. How does your mental state or mood affect your writing? And does publishing here affect your mental health or mood?

Let me elaborate using my own experiences. I’ve done my most prolific writing here while stressed or grieving the most. It was between 2019-2021. Writing has been a cathartic thing. An escape for me. But it’s a fine line. I can also reach a stress point where I shut down and can’t write at all. It’s funny but Taylor Swift mentioned being worried her songwriting would suffer if she found happiness in all areas of her life. How does your mood or life circumstances affect your writing?

As to the other question, I’ve made an effort to NOT let stats or comp placements or what other authors are doing affect my love of publishing here. It’s only affected me the few times when negative energy was directed at me. How does it affect you? Do you feel down or not want to publish unless you are getting X number of likes, reads, whatever? Do stories’ successes around your story affect your love of writing your own story? Does any of that have lasting effects on your mood? If you get recognized in a comp, RR, EP, etc, are you satisfied and feel like you reached a milestone or do you then feel a pressure to keep receiving those things?

As writers, we are creative beings, and I think our emotions can run higher than others. I’ve always thought creative people can feel things more intensely and differently. It can be a good thing and a bad thing. I’m always trying to find more joy in my life, and I analyze, work on my own mental health often. I’m a work in progress, and it definitely affects my writing.

Thank you, boys!

Sending bestest wishes to Kat on her surgery! ❤️

Hiya, Rumpies

Trying to rest my mind and hands a bit when not working, but needed some connections today. My longest friendship here unfriended me. No reason given just letting me know we wouldn’t communicate anymore. I’m letting myself mourn the loss, and it is a great loss to me, instead of doing my usual run from the pain. I pray he’s ok. He said he was fine, but needed to not communicate any more.

This is why I put up notes if going into hiding for a bit. It’s torture (for me anyway) to be left wondering what happened.

One project done and the last this year going early December, then time off! Yay! Hopefully my carpel tunnel symptoms become dormant once more.

Be kind to one another. Love you all! ❤️

Quote by Klaus_B_Renner

I’m sure it’s foul play!!!

I kid, of course. This was fun, Kimmi! Thank you, and well deserved winners.

Now. Go to bed.

I’m unplugging for a bit now. My fingers in my right hand have gone numb from excessive coding at work. Carpel tunnel sucks!!! It only bothers me at software upgrade time. See y’all in November sometime. Be good. Or bad!

My judge had a really hard time as he loved something about each entry!

Writing_Interest, expressomarkie, and Ellie73 are the judge’s picks in this challenge. :worship:

My son and I are both sure Jimbo in Writing_Interest’s story lives in the hills of Eastern Kentucky.

Thank you all for making this fun! You are all so talented!

No more entries below this post.

Y’all are all amazing! Been fun seeing my judge’s reactions. 😊

Hiya, Rumpies! I’ll be closing up writing challenge and awarding winners Thursday, but need some unplugging. Not handling stress well and have to focus on a huge work thing this weekend and the aftermath, so I’ll be scarce for a bit. But I’ll be back and better.

Y’all be bad while I’m gone!

Quote by David_LeRoy

Good morning all

Congrats to Kim for making top ten!

Thank you! ❤️ I thought all the Rumpies made a great showing, as usual.

I was surprised and happy with the love shown to my shy librarian and her love of the piano and its player.

Well done, podium!!! You nailed it! :worship: Congrats to the Top Ten and all who are brave enough to enter. Many things kept me from reading a lot of entries, but the few I got to were so well done!

Thank you for showing my shy librarian with her quieter obsession love! I’m truly touched as this was a “me” story, and one of my fav writes.

Thank you to Jen and rest of the admin, mods, and judges for all you do for us!

Love to all! ❤️

Quote by typhoon2099

Hello fam bam. How u guys doin?
Does anyone know when the announcement of results of obsession will be out?

The announcement date says today, but with so many entries I wouldn’t be surprised if it was delayed a bit.

Quote by fuzzy1954

Good Luck Kimmi !!

Got any thoughts on last night Chiefs game ??

I think the Chiefs are looking good! The Lions are great, too. I fell asleep and missed the scuffle at the end, though! I wonder if he will get fined or sit out a game.

Quote by wxt55uk

Brilliant, Kimmi. You have my vote... ❤️😊

All I can say is if you don't win on SS with that entry, the other entries must be spectacularly out of this world.

There is another way of looking at it!

If you don't win there, then with my vote, you won over here on LS, the dark side. 😊😘

It’s not on SS. A small press holds the monthly contest online. They get between 400-500 entries, though.

Morning, Rumpies

Once again I’m entering the monthly 53-word contest. The writing prompt word is “plant.” Maybe they won’t overlook my brilliance this month. 🤣🤣😎

Title: Indoor Only

How wonderful when Ines brings me home. I sit by the window, toasty warm, and watch the leaves fall. 

Wait. Why’s Ines outside? Why’s she have a shovel? Why’s she digging a hole? 

Oh no. 

She plops me into the ground and pats the dirt around me. 

Frost arrives overnight. 

Damn it, Ines! 

Cat food? We can get paid in cat food?

Butters approves.

Quote by JustAnotherSapphic

Oh, yeah, my boyfriend and I celebrated one year together on September 1.

Still feels like I've known him longer than that though.

That’s great, Elyse! I’m happy for you!

Early good morning, Rumpies!

It’s a day of coding while watching football. 🏈 Go Jags! Go Rams! Go Chargers! And you better fuckin’ win this one, Chiefs!

Quote by David_LeRoy

Good day, Rumpies

In Saturday October 18 there will be hundreds of No Kings marches throughout the nation.

I will be joining them in Jackson Tennessee. I'm confidant the protest will be peaceful and I'm hoping the local authorities in this red state won't attempt to instigate violence either

I will be stuck home for a merger Go Live, but will be sending you my bestest positive vibes! Stay safe! We like having you around!

Quote by wxt55uk

Honestly, I have no opinion on how the story trending banner should work both now and in the future...

At the moment, I would suggest the only thing that needs to be established is how the current story trending banner works and ask the following: Is it broken? If yes, can we live with it, or is it worth investing to make the changes?

I think Obsolete_Fox answered the question.

Quote by wxt55uk

Good morning Kimmi, I experimented with doing this earlier in the week with an old micro... It got 5 or 6 likes, 1 comment, hit number one on the trending banner for a few hours and then dropped completely off... 🙄

I’m guessing because the others passed you in that time period. Kat and Annie have huge followings! I don’t doubt their suggested stories get nice renewed interest. So, should Lush have date parameters on what can be a Trending story? I don’t think so. I think it just starts down a rabbit hole… just my opinion.

I just look at it differently. If I want more attention, I’ll publish more, read others more, stuff like that. Take it on myself to control my destiny here.

I looked at Kat’s profile and like she said above, she suggests older stories on her profile. One she mentioned has that trending older micro listed as one of the two suggested reads if you scroll to the bottom of that story, probably drawing attention to it again now. And Redheaded Witch is trending in Flash. It’s the other suggested read on her older poem listed on her profile post. Those suggested reads do draw attention back to older stories. The authors trending are prolific writers and have built great followings and probably get nice attention to the stories suggested on other stories… I wouldn’t doubt more attention than some current stories. I still bet Obsolete_Fox is right.

Yup, please start a new post somewhere else to debate site rules. This one is just for a hopefully fun comp, and so far everyone has been great about tweaking their entries when asked.

Great weight loss, Milik!

Quote by JamesLlewellyn

And where would you like massaged, Kimmi?

Everywhere!!!

Thank you all for kindly tweaking and keeping the fun going and bloody sausages in tact! 😊

More typing today. I need a hand massage, please.

Attention you bunch of scary, nasty, wicked, disturbed, talented fuckers: I love a great mutilation as much as the next gal, but I’ve been told it violates Lush content rules about sex and death. I’ll contact you if I’m told by mods yours is too graphic, and you can tone it down.

Thank you for your understanding. Let’s keep it fun and within site rules. :)

Quote by JamesLlewellyn

.

I'll bet you say that to all the scary, nasty, wicked, disturbed fuckers, don't you?

I never met any until I came here, so no. 🤣