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  • friendsfan367friendsfan367 Posts: 29,362 Member
    @BabyDollAnne I know exactly how you feel. I swear people must just roll their eyes every time I start something new because I do it so often. I usually start off saying yet another challenge. Do you think that your failure to complete any of them is due to feeling that nobody is reading it?

    if people roll there eyes everytime i start again they might be cross eyed by now.i'ii tell you what i say about writing. if you love the story that will show then your readers will love it too.

    i was trying to be encouraging not funny.
  • CathyTeaCathyTea Posts: 23,088 Member
    @BabyDollAnne I know exactly how you feel. I swear people must just roll their eyes every time I start something new because I do it so often. I usually start off saying yet another challenge. Do you think that your failure to complete any of them is due to feeling that nobody is reading it?

    if people roll there eyes everytime i start again they might be cross eyed by now.i'ii tell you what i say about writing. if you love the story that will show then your readers will love it too.

    i was trying to be encouraging not funny.

    You were encouraging! I get excited every time you start over. I bet that Noel and Lauren do, too! :)
    Cathy Tea's SimLit Anthology

    Do you also play The Elder Scrolls Online? You can find me there as CathyTea, too!
  • InfraGreenInfraGreen Posts: 6,693 Member
    @CathyTea @ValoisFulcanelli: Thanks for being voices of reason. ;)

    First, I'm totally stalling on this reply by watching JonTron instead. So nothing has changed yet. :p

    The whole "hummingbird" thing does describe my life-long (so far) journey with writing. More that I've been on-and-off with it as a main passion, and I often left it for other things, only to come back with some knowledge/experience elsewhere. I probably would have been far more mundane of a writer if I didn't stop it in middle and high school to watch cartoons, listen to and obsess over heavy metal, and draw gory things inspired by the worst of it. (But hopefully I get out of this slump by a better way than "someone close to me dies and I give up everything but writing to grieve". Because that was terrible, even if it did give me an idea that may or may not have morphed into parts of Eight Cicadas)

    And I am enjoying this weird slow period of my life...I think. One of the problems is that I get plenty of phone calls from recruiters and I don't want to immerse myself too deeply in anything, lest I miss something important.

    There are two very different responses to #2, so:

    @CathyTea: Your enthusiasm is welcome. I'm right in-between "I have a clear and direct vision for everything that could possibly happen" and "I think of entire arcs right before I write them". And yeah, plenty of professionals leave glaring plot holes and inconsistencies in work they publicly release. That's why we can have entire blogs and shows devoted to tearing apart bad books and bad movies and other bad media. ;) So I'm far from the first to be inconsistent, but yay for perfectionism! I have to be the best!! Even in something that is just an extension of my weirdest hobby. :p

    At least you're supportive.

    @ValoisFulcanelli: Funny enough, I was considering the horribly bizarre family scenario where her legal dad was also her biological grandpa. It would lead to the natural series of events of her biological father impregnating his husband's bio-daughter (totally possible when every party involved is immortal and un-aging and pretty open-minded), and it'd only be a little more creepy than the other relationships made out of screwing in-laws and non-blood family. :p

    The inconsistencies with my general lore might be more of a problem, but I'll see what happens. Maybe I can write it in. I have a feeling that my narrator, while an immortal alien hybrid, is probably about as flighty and fickle and forgetful as I am. :p
    A thousand bared teeth, a thousand bowed heads

    outrun / blog / tunglr
  • MedleyMistyMedleyMisty Posts: 1,188 Member
    edited June 2016
    *takes a seat*

    I've been trying to figure out how to deal emotionally with living on a planet controlled by a species that regularly engages in atrocities and that doesn't seem to be able to make rational collective decisions to solve its problems for...well, I guess my whole life.

    And of course that struggle was thrown into sharp relief this week.

    So I guess my question is - does my work have meaning? Do my Sims stories contribute anything good and decent to the world? Am I helping somehow, adding some small little bit of goodness or beauty?
    Sometimes the darkness and I tell stories.
  • AdamsEve1231AdamsEve1231 Posts: 7,035 Member
    edited June 2016
    *Sits down on the bench*

    I keep typing things out and then deleting them. I'm not sure how to explain. What I want to know is if anyone else builds up things in their heads... and then gets terribly discouraged when nobody else shares your enthusiasm?

    I always seem to do this to myself. I'll get so excited about a new story or a post that I worked really hard on or in this case the end of the first generation of my legacy. Then when I don't get a response or not the response I had expected I get discouraged and depressed.

    Any advice is welcome if you think of anything but mostly I just feel like I'm the only one that does this.

    I think @MedleyMisty and @InfraGreen (and really everyone because I wrote this and then read through more responses and should've read all the way through) answered this really well. I get discouraged too when no one seems to be noticing my Sims or caring about them the way I do. I wonder if I'm doing it wrong or if my voice is just floating away into the chaotic traffic of the world wide web. I try to remind myself that this is something I love and enjoy doing. W

    ould I do it if no one read? Yes because I wrote for over a year before I got my first comment. One of the things I do is write post-it notes of encouragement to myself, reminding myself why I write, and then I stick this near my computer.

    @CathyTea shared a fabulous article awhile back in another forums thread written by Tara Mohr and I highlighted and made a sticky note of this quote to help me when I'm feeling discouraged:
    The reason to write is because you're a woman who loves to write.

    (Substitute man if you're a male reading this.)

    I think I've come to realize no one will love Kass the way I do because she's my creation, my baby. But others can come to appreciate her and connect with her, and that is my hope. In the meantime, hang in there. Like someone else said, just because people don't comment doesn't mean they aren't reading/appreciating.
    Post edited by AdamsEve1231 on
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  • friendsfan367friendsfan367 Posts: 29,362 Member
    *Sits down on the bench*

    I keep typing things out and then deleting them. I'm not sure how to explain. What I want to know is if anyone else builds up things in their heads... and then gets terribly discouraged when nobody else shares your enthusiasm?

    I always seem to do this to myself. I'll get so excited about a new story or a post that I worked really hard on or in this case the end of the first generation of my legacy. Then when I don't get a response or not the response I had expected I get discouraged and depressed.

    Any advice is welcome if you think of anything but mostly I just feel like I'm the only one that does this.

    I think @MedleyMisty and @InfraGreen answered this really well. I get discouraged too when no one seems to be noticing my Sims or caring about them the way I do. I wonder if I'm doing it wrong or if my voice is just floating away into the chaotic traffic of the world wide web. I try to remind myself that this is something I love and enjoy doing. W

    ould I do it if no one read? Yes because I wrote for over a year before I got my first comment. One of the things I do is write post-it notes of encouragement to myself, reminding myself why I write, and then I stick this near my computer.

    @CathyTea shared a fabulous article awhile back in another forums thread written by Tara Mohr and I highlighted and made a sticky note of this quote to help me when I'm feeling discouraged:
    The reason to write is because you're a woman who loves to write.

    (Substitute man if you're a male reading this.)

    I think I've come to realize no one will love Kass the way I do because she's my creation, my baby. But others can come to appreciate her and connect with her, and that is my hope. In the meantime, hang in there. Like someone else said, just because people don't comment doesn't mean they aren't reading/appreciating.

    i plan to read this weekend.my list is longer than my time.
  • AdamsEve1231AdamsEve1231 Posts: 7,035 Member
    @BabyDollAnne I hear ya on the whole start a new story thing and millions of ideas. I've made a commitment to 2 stories right now, with my priority being the first one - Kass's. I make a point specifically with the second one to write and post pretty quickly with little editing. Kass's story on the other hand I edit and plan and plot a lot so it's more time consuming but I can balance this with a less intensive story.

    I try to keep a list of all my story ideas, character ideas, and random stray plots in case I want to come back to it later. I think the important thing is not to overwhelm yourself by over-committing and not to underwhelm yourself by never committing. Find something that works for you and stick to it. It helps to have the community here to encourage and motivate you when you need it.
    With these forums closing down, stay connected.

    Find me elsewhere:
    My EA App ID: livinasimminlife
    Livin' A Simmin' Life Stories
    My Worldbuilding Blog
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  • AdamsEve1231AdamsEve1231 Posts: 7,035 Member
    @rednenemon Don't delete your blog. Don't feel defeated. I know I'm still fairly new at reading your story, but I'm enjoying what I've read and I wouldn't want you to give up just like I'd hope if I was wanting to give up someone would give me a confidence boost. I think it's really neat that you're choosing a non-traditional path and writing a Sims story without pictures. It definitely keeps me focused on the writing. In fact, this is a little bit of a secret in a way, I guess, but I'm sharing anyhow. I often will read the prose first, then go back and look at the pictures because I'm so in tune with prose. This is a compliment to you btw because I can just read the prose without worrying about pictures and that makes me appreciate the story. (Not to say to everyone else, I don't look at pictures because I do; I just have a tendency to read through once and peruse the pictures on the second read through).

    I also will add I have a special spot for the Rackets family because I'm currently writing through the Rackets in my CFT. I enjoy reading what others come up with, even though we all write about the same premades, we all have our own unique take and spin on them. This is the beauty of creativity and kind-of like what I was saying on another forums page - every story is just a combination of 26 different letters (I think I saw this floating on Pinterest) and what makes us unique (this is my add-in to that) is how we choose to formulate those letters.

    Someone once told me to keep everything even if you don't via the blog because you can see where you came from and that helps you to see where you're going, to learn from your mistakes, and to grow as a writer. Sometimes I'll delete entire sections of my stories and save them in a file for later, in case, I come back someday and have a completely new idea about how to resurrect the text. For example, my opening scene with Kass and her boss, Brendon Shore in 2.1 was supposed to happen between Kass and Gage originally (the first love interest). For anyone who's read my work, they'd know this would be a completely different scene.

    Here's the original text: (this segment would have originally been between ch 6-7 in KCLKF)
    “EXCES again?”

    I jumped, startled at the sound of Gage's voice.

    “I'm glad I found you. Your mom called me looking for you. She must've thought we'd be together. She is upset because you missed another family dinner at your grandparents. I promise I won't rat you out..." he said, in his usual teasing manner. "...if you buy me a coffee."

    "Ha! I don't really care if you rat me out. She's concerned about all my late nights at home endlessly researching. That's why I'm here at the Jolt tonight," I explained. "...so she can't come by my room and knock on my door for the millionth time and lecture me through the wall."

    Gage sat down at the table across from me. "She should be concerned. I haven't seen you in days and you've been spending all your time trying to figure out this disease. I'm beginning to think you're obsessed."

    "Obsessed? No! Why does everyone think I'm obsessed? I just want to..." I lowered my voice as I had attracted the attention of a few patrons. "...know... to..." I added more slowly. "...understand... and everyone is making it seem like I have no life and that this isn't worth it, but this is my dad I'm talking about, and my future, and my health. Wouldn't you want to know, Gage? If your biological family had some horrific disease that you could get someday and you'd maybe die? Wouldn't you want to know?" I knocked over the napkin dispenser in my passionate arm-waving.

    "Easy, Kass," Gage repeated, setting the napkins back on the table. "When was the last time you ate something? Here. I'll buy you a bagel sandwich."

    "I'm fine," I shook my head.

    "No you're not, you're shaky and jumpy and agitated. You need to eat," Gage replied.

    "Fine," I conceded, huffed, and closed my laptop. "Sorry I'm not exactly charming company right now."

    "That's okay. We're best friends, Kass, we put up with each other even when one of us is being snippy..."

    "Hey... yeah... okay, you're right. I'm sorry. I'll eat. It should help. But when I'm done eating, can I get a ride?"

    "Yeah, sure, where?"

    "To my dad's. It'd be nice not to go alone."

    Here's what's actually currently posted on the blog.
    “EXCES again?”

    I jumped, startled at the sound of my boss, Brendon Shore’s voice. I jerked forward and knocking my lemonade glass to the floor, feeling my muscles tense.

    “Easy Kassio.”

    “Why don’t you call me Kass like all my friends do?”

    “Because Kassio makes you scrunch up your face all cute,” he smiled, the laughter surfacing in his eyes as he settled into the bar-stool next to me. “Did I give you a heart attack?”

    “Yes, you succeeded. You can buy me lunch,” I said impatiently.

    “Well someone is feisty this afternoon,” Brendon smirked. “I’m taking you out of this dungeon for a real meal if you really want lunch. Why’d you choose this dreary place anyhow? Getting tired of doing all your research at the office or in the library?”

    “Look Brendon, I didn’t invite you down here to critique my choice of locale,” I narrowed my eyes. “Or because I enjoy your harassment while I work. I just needed a ride.”

    “What happened to your wheels?”

    “Broken timing belt.”

    “Ouch! You aren’t going to pay for that on a newspaper salary.”

    “I’m not salary. I’m interning. That’s even less money, and thanks for reminding me.”

    “You’re welcome. Now where do you need to go?”

    “16 Crooked Lane.”

    “Another EXCES victim to interview?”

    “No, my new home.”

    “Really? I take it you decided to decline your mom’s offer to move up north.”

    “Yeah, and I just couldn’t escape your charming company,” I said sarcastically.

    “Well, I’d like to think so,” he straightened on the seat, pulling down on his vest with pride. “Can I at least order a drink before I take you to your new palace?”

    “Thought you didn’t like this dungeon?” I rolled my eyes.

    “The dark dank atmosphere is growing on me,” he signaled the waitress and ordering a drink.

    Completely different scene. Completely different dynamics. I like the second one better and I'm glad I didn't pitch it after I deleted this segment from the first story because it worked out better in story 2.

    I hope this helps and isn't just me being rambly again. Sending *hugs* and hoping you know there are people who love your story. :)
    With these forums closing down, stay connected.

    Find me elsewhere:
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  • AdamsEve1231AdamsEve1231 Posts: 7,035 Member
    @Rainydayz179 I know. I used to get really angsty about it. I still do a bit sometimes, like when I think I have come up with a lovely image and words that I tried my best to make beautiful, and all I get is some likes on Tumblr.

    The change in your blog probably has a lot to do with it. It'll take time to build up a readership again.

    The internet audience is very fickle, and the majority of them are likely to just leave if you move blogs or if you slow down on updates or whatever. It takes time to find the small core of readers who'll stick with you through all that kind of stuff, but they are out there. There's not a whole lot of them, though.

    I think...like we put our souls into our work, and we love it so much, and we want other people to join in that love with us. But honestly the majority of people on the internet aren't here for that. They're here for custom content, or for constant story updates, and I think that a lot of them don't really see the people who create the content they consume as actual people. Also if they aren't content creators themselves, they don't know the amount of work that goes into it. Like the person who commented on Valley once to tell me that she didn't understand why I didn't update more frequently until she started her own story and saw how much work it was. And mind you at the time I was updating once a week.

    And then, even of the ones who do see us as human and who do appreciate the work that goes into what we give them, there are a lot of insecure and shy and anxious people out there who believe that we don't want to hear from them, that they'll be bothering us, who are worried that we'll make fun of their comments. And then of course on our side we interpret their silence as not caring, as meaning that whatever we did wasn't good enough, so it's just a giant circle of angst and anxiety.

    And then add to all that the pressure from the people who tell those of us who are honest about wanting feedback that we should just write for ourselves and never care if anyone reads it, and that it's wrong and pathetic to worry about stats and comments. It's a recipe for misery.

    The only way I've found to get out of that circle is boundaries, and a more accurate assessment of myself and my work and the actual motivations and beliefs of other people. I had to convince my brain that what I write is actually pretty darn good, and that it has worth, no matter how many views and comments it gets. I had to learn a lot about other people, and that they had all sorts of reasons for not commenting or for not reading in the first place that had nothing to do with either me as a person or my work, and that I had absolutely no control over their reactions.

    You can work your fingers to the bone to produce great art, and people will still not care and not comment for all sorts of reasons.

    Also, something I brought up in the Art of Sims Storytelling thread may be helpful here. Dunning-Kruger. People who are incompetent in a field generally can't recognize competence in that field, whether their own or other people's. Also, the more competent you become in a field, the more you can see where you fall short of what's possible, and the more you doubt yourself.

    So what that means for us is that people who aren't competent in writing and storytelling are probably not going to have discerning tastes in Sims stories, and they aren't going to be able to tell the good stuff from the bad stuff, and that therefore you shouldn't judge your work by what they say about it and whether or not they read it. And also, if you have doubts about the quality of your work, that is a pretty good sign that your quality is on the higher end of the spectrum and that you're learning and improving and becoming more competent.

    Like Eminem says in the song Lighters, when you're at the top of your game the other game players are likely not going to feel you. :)

    Thank you. <3 I needed this today.
    With these forums closing down, stay connected.

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  • AdamsEve1231AdamsEve1231 Posts: 7,035 Member
    And then, even of the ones who do see us as human and who do appreciate the work that goes into what we give them, there are a lot of insecure and shy and anxious people out there who believe that we don't want to hear from them, that they'll be bothering us, who are worried that we'll make fun of their comments. And then of course on our side we interpret their silence as not caring, as meaning that whatever we did wasn't good enough, so it's just a giant circle of angst and anxiety.

    Your post was very long and inspirational but this is the part that resonated the most with me. As someone with severe social anxiety it took me a long time to start reaching out to others here on the forums. One of the first was @CathyTea and she was so nice to me that it gave me the courage to interact more. My participation on the threads I follow and the amount I comment on stories I read are directly connected to my mood at the time.

    I will admit that some writers intimidate me and they usually get so many comments on their posts already that I figure they don't need mine.

    I've heard that you should write about what you know personally so I'm trying to add things like anxiety into my stories. It's my hope that someone will read it and either get an understanding of what it's like for others or recognize it in themselves.

    I really resonated with this too. I struggle with anxiety and depression and this is definitely tied to my creativity and imagination when I'm feeling underappreciated. I too sometimes feel intimidated by writers who have a gazillion comments and wonder why they'd want to hear from me, but I do it anyway because I know how I love to get feedback and so I try to comment on nearly everything I read even if it's just a simple, "I like your story!" or "Great chapter." I think all of us, even those who get a lot of comments, can benefit from lending our voice in appreciation for the art form they just created.
    With these forums closing down, stay connected.

    Find me elsewhere:
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  • StormyDayzStormyDayz Posts: 4,035 Member
    ]I really resonated with this too. I struggle with anxiety and depression and this is definitely tied to my creativity and imagination when I'm feeling underappreciated. I too sometimes feel intimidated by writers who have a gazillion comments and wonder why they'd want to hear from me, but I do it anyway because I know how I love to get feedback and so I try to comment on nearly everything I read even if it's just a simple, "I like your story!" or "Great chapter." I think all of us, even those who get a lot of comments, can benefit from lending our voice in appreciation for the art form they just created.

    Awe you make a good point. I'll try harder to comment on every story.

    Also, if you ever need a friendly ear you can feel free to PM me! :)
  • CathyTeaCathyTea Posts: 23,088 Member
    *takes a seat*

    I've been trying to figure out how to deal emotionally with living on a planet controlled by a species that regularly engages in atrocities and that doesn't seem to be able to make rational collective decisions to solve its problems for...well, I guess my whole life.

    And of course that struggle was thrown into sharp relief this week.

    So I guess my question is - does my work have meaning? Do my Sims stories contribute anything good and decent to the world? Am I helping somehow, adding some small little bit of goodness or beauty?

    You asked recently in Art of Storytelling thread about "How do you define literature?"

    For me, much of my definition of literature hinges on the writers' explorations of what it means to live on this planet in human form. Sometimes, the themes are what you mention above: the atrocities that people inflict on each other. Sometimes, the themes might be examining the ways that our biological, evolutionary, chemical, and genetic coding work--and how we can create individually rewarding lives within the context of this coding. Sometimes, themes might simply explore meaning--its presence, its shifting, its lasting, its temporariness, its absence.

    When a writer faces--either head-on or obliquely, either through symbol or through direct representation--these questions of what it means to be a person living in a human form (or any form, really) on this planet (or on any planet, really--or even if someone where to explore what it meant to be unmanifested) then, art results.

    What does art contribute?

    What do we gain when we come across an honest exploration of being?

    You might reflect on how you feel when you see something beautiful and significant and something that helps you feel understanding or even helps you consider new questions. How do you feel, towards the work and the writer?

    Can you identify the gratitude that you feel?

    If so, then realize that I, as a reader, feel that same gratitude towards your work. Would my experience as a human be less if I hadn't read your work? Yes. There is a scene when the darkness begins to respond to and long for the human in your story--I would be less in my understanding and experience if I hadn't read this.

    So... if your work contributes to my experience and understanding as a being who is exploring what it means to be alive on this planet in human form, does your work have value?

    (Of course that's a rhetorical question--so after your resounding "Yes," see if you can feel, for a moment, tangibly within your body and mind, what that value is.)
    Cathy Tea's SimLit Anthology

    Do you also play The Elder Scrolls Online? You can find me there as CathyTea, too!
  • CathyTeaCathyTea Posts: 23,088 Member

    I think I've come to realize no one will love Kass the way I do because she's my creation, my baby. But others can come to appreciate her and connect with her, and that is my hope. In the meantime, hang in there. Like someone else said, just because people don't comment doesn't mean they aren't reading/appreciating.

    Oh! I have things I want to talk about you with Kass, as I'm reading a few chapters every morning (on my nook, so it's awkward to comment). I'm hoping we can have a very long conversation about her, what she means to you, and what it it about her journey that you love and that means so much to you! I'm hoping that we can have this conversation in our Reading Circle, maybe once we're all caught up!
    Cathy Tea's SimLit Anthology

    Do you also play The Elder Scrolls Online? You can find me there as CathyTea, too!
  • lisabee2lisabee2 Posts: 3,708 Member
    @AdamsEve1231 I totally agree with you. I do try to comment on most everything I read .. minimally I "like" it .. for a couple of reasons I read quite a few (no brag intended) and it helps me keep track .. but honestly if I do not at least like it then why am I still reading it. I keep an open heart and an open mind .. ty to recognize that there are levels of talent (being real .. only rarely will you find a John Grisham, JK Rowling or a George Orwell in a simlit group) I find it is easy to appreciate the author as they grow. LOL IDK maybe I am too easily impressed but I am ok with it :) Happy simming today dear fellow bench sitters.
    SebEwnF.jpg
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    New readers can visit here first: In-a-NUTSHELL
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  • ValoisFulcanelliValoisFulcanelli Posts: 672 Member
    @DreamsInPixels Aww, thank you so much! I think I've managed to get a small handful of people obsessed with Gunther, so my mission has been successful! *rubs hands together and makes with the 'Muahaha!' noises* :mrgreen: And yes, I'm still around and currently on Chapter 64, with 65 waiting in the wings as soon as I finish getting the screenshots.

    @MedleyMisty The short answer is "yes". The slightly longer answer is: every single little bit of beauty added to the world counters a bit of nastiness. So the more beauty we can add - however small - the more we're balancing everything out. And yes, we can make a difference.

    I'm sure most of us are familiar with the starfish story by Loren Eiseley, but in case anyone here isnt:
    “Once upon a time, there was a wise man who used to go to the ocean to do his writing. He had a habit of walking on the beach before he began his work.

    One day, as he was walking along the shore, he looked down the beach and saw a human figure moving like a dancer. He smiled to himself at the thought of someone who would dance to the day, and so, he walked faster to catch up.

    As he got closer, he noticed that the figure was that of a young man, and that what he was doing was not dancing at all. The young man was reaching down to the shore, picking up small objects, and throwing them into the ocean.

    He came closer still and called out "Good morning! May I ask what it is that you are doing?"

    The young man paused, looked up, and replied "Throwing starfish into the ocean."

    "I must ask, then, why are you throwing starfish into the ocean?" asked the somewhat startled wise man.

    To this, the young man replied, "The sun is up and the tide is going out. If I don't throw them in, they'll die."

    Upon hearing this, the wise man commented, "But, young man, do you not realize that there are miles and miles of beach and there are starfish all along every mile? You can't possibly make a difference!"

    At this, the young man bent down, picked up yet another starfish, and threw it into the ocean. As it met the water, he said, "It made a difference for that one.”
    It may not seem like it, but every little bit of beauty that people add to the world, be it in the form of writing, art, dance, music, love, laughter and the myriad other things we could define with the word 'beauty'... each little bit of that is like throwing yet one more starfish into the ocean.
    tfb.jpg
  • MedleyMistyMedleyMisty Posts: 1,188 Member
    edited June 2016
    @Rainydayz179 @AdamsEve1231 As a person who had a lot of comments back in the day, I can tell you what my experience of it was like.

    It was extremely isolating. All that attention brought negative attention and gossip and envy and exclusion. And then even the people who didn't do the gossip thing still didn't really treat me like a real person. I guess that intimidation factor.

    I would have loved honest sincere comments from someone who actually wanted to be friends and to really talk.

    Which is why I much prefer my experience in the community now. I get very few comments these days, but they are all sincere and real and friendly and they make me feel valued and included. And if there are trolls still hanging around, I don't know about them.

    I love your comments on Surreal Darkness, @AdamsEve1231.
    Post edited by MedleyMisty on
    Sometimes the darkness and I tell stories.
  • cecerose0208cecerose0208 Posts: 1,521 Member
    I love this thread. I'm enjoying reading what everyone is writing, and the support and inspiration here.

    I read a lot of blogs on my phone, and it's endlessly frustrating that the Like button doesn't work for me on my phone. I try to always comment though, even if all I say is great post. I do that even more now that I'm writing my own story.

    I'm going to make sure I'm doing what I can to let writers know someone is reading and enjoying their stories. I'm sure a lot of people feel similar to what's being expressed here.
  • MedleyMistyMedleyMisty Posts: 1,188 Member
    edited June 2016
    @CathyTea *hugs, many hugs* Thank you, very much a lot.

    I took that test you linked a couple pages ago, and it said that my purpose for being creative was to help and to create positive change and that sort of thing

    So telling me "Just write for yourself and it shouldn't matter if anyone ever responds" isn't helpful, because I don't write for myself. I need to feel like what I write has some purpose and point outside of myself.

    And the only skill I have 10 points in is writing, so that's the only thing I have to give. So it's important to me that it be a worthy present, that there is some point in giving it.

    Actually my next highest skill would be photography, at maybe a 4 or 5, and then after that I'm lucky if I can scrounge up 2 points in any of the other skills, lol.

    Is this the part you mean, about the darkness and its longing for the human?
    Sometimes I whisper into the maze.

    I tell the hedges many things. I tell them about the human, about the walks we took together. I tell them about fishing the human out of the deep blue, and what that took from me. I tell them about the human’s one skin, and all the universes it holds inside itself.

    I slip through the shadows of the hedgemouths, but they do not move. The maze does not answer.

    I arrive at an end of the hedges. The leaves rustle as a breeze blows through.

    I thought the human would be here, at the end. I thought that if I made it through the maze I would see the human again, but there’s only a tree and a rock and high stone walls.

    I step out of the shadows and into the light, and the light burns and burns, and I scream for the human. I scream and scream and it burns and I run the burning into the tree, over and over, and finally the tree is burning too and it is screaming and I am screaming and we are at an edge, but this is not the end.

    The breeze picks up embers from our burning. It carries them to the hedges. The teethleaves begin to blacken and curl in on themselves.

    I scream, “Where is the human? Where is it?!”

    The blackened hedgemouths open and close, open and close, but only smoke comes out.

    The maze does not answer.

    Probably not. You said begins. *searches through earlier chapters*

    Anyway, what you said really does mean a lot. Thank you.

    *squints at the excerpt*

    I used too much alliteration in that line with all the sl and sh sounds, didn't I? Makes it too obvious. But I do need the repetition of the imagery of the hedgemouths, and how they have teethleaves that are quite sharp.

    Edited it and took out one of the sl words, but left both the sh words. That'll work for now, I guess.

    Nope, it didn't. Took out the second sh word too.

    @ValoisFulcanelli I like that story. It's how like when I pick up the worms that I see that are still alive on the sidewalk and move them.

    It gets to me sometimes though that you can't control how open someone else is to the beauty you create. Not as much as it used to, because I've learned a lot about humans and how their tastes and prejudices and attitudes are formed. Still though, it does kind of hurt knowing how many people will never even give my work a chance.

    *squints some more at the excerpt*

    Well, I guess it doesn't matter, because what I write is not beautiful or good.
    Sometimes the darkness and I tell stories.
  • AdamsEve1231AdamsEve1231 Posts: 7,035 Member
    ]I really resonated with this too. I struggle with anxiety and depression and this is definitely tied to my creativity and imagination when I'm feeling underappreciated. I too sometimes feel intimidated by writers who have a gazillion comments and wonder why they'd want to hear from me, but I do it anyway because I know how I love to get feedback and so I try to comment on nearly everything I read even if it's just a simple, "I like your story!" or "Great chapter." I think all of us, even those who get a lot of comments, can benefit from lending our voice in appreciation for the art form they just created.

    Awe you make a good point. I'll try harder to comment on every story.

    Also, if you ever need a friendly ear you can feel free to PM me! :)

    Thank you @Rainydayz179.
    With these forums closing down, stay connected.

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  • AdamsEve1231AdamsEve1231 Posts: 7,035 Member
    As a person who had a lot of comments back in the day, I can tell you what my experience of it was like.

    It was extremely isolating. All that attention brought negative attention and gossip and envy and exclusion. And then even the people who didn't do the gossip thing still didn't really treat me like a real person. I guess that intimidation factor.

    I would have loved honest sincere comments from someone who actually wanted to be friends and to really talk.

    Which is why I much prefer my experience in the community now. I get very few comments these days, but they are all sincere and real and friendly and they make me feel valued and included. And if there are trolls still hanging around, I don't know about them.

    I love your comments on Surreal Darkness, @AdamsEve1231.

    First of all, thank you.

    Secondly, the world has a lot of sucky people who don't know how to treat people like humans. I know you've talked about your experiences before and I thank you for being vulnerable. I also know you've grown from/learned from your experiences and this gives me hope and encouragement. I also just want to give you *hugs* and say I'm glad that things are better now for you.

    Thirdly, I agree with you about the difference between tons of negative feedback and comments and a few honest, sincere comments from loyal and kind fans. I would much rather have the latter than the former. It's easier online to be hateful because it's harder to track, but those people are just trolls, and I wonder how many of them would be man or woman enough to criticize me to my face instead of typing spiteful rhetoric behind a computer screen... not that I want anyone to be speaking negatively in any circumstance. But just because it's easier online doesn't mean it doesn't have an emotional, and in some cases, physical impact on a person, especially the person on the receiving end of things. I don't want to diminish anyone's pain or hurtful experiences and words spoken via a screen or in person can be incredibly damaging. It is my hope that we would all continue to be better in our words and our actions toward one another and that people would speak up against the hate and take a stand against the sometimes dark-oblivion of the internet and make a positive change for the better, uniting against the haters.

    Thank you for reminding us about the humanity behind the screen. I think you made a comment on this to a degree in a previous comment. Writers of SimLit put a great deal of effort, time, and energy into writing their stories and we, as readers, need to respect that time and show appreciation for the effort (which I try to do through leaving comments, but other people can show in different ways). Readers also need to remember there's a face behind the computer screen and we, writers, aren't machines cranking out story segments left and right and sometimes life outside the Sims intrudes. I think the biggest thing is to treat everyone with dignity and respect on or offline. There's a person behind each screenname and character and story and we need to remember they need love, attention, encouragement, understanding, respect, and support just like everyone else here.
    With these forums closing down, stay connected.

    Find me elsewhere:
    My EA App ID: livinasimminlife
    Livin' A Simmin' Life Stories
    My Worldbuilding Blog
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  • SeaDragonSongSeaDragonSong Posts: 2,324 Member
    On another site, I did and to a short extent, still do, have a bit of social anxiety. I joined this awesome thing, and there were several active members, kinda close knit. True, I'd messaged one or two people, but didn't quite find a place yet. One day, I finally ended up so lonely that I messaged somebody, and they became one of my best friends. That happened twice, and I can't imagine what would've happened if I hadn't met them.

    I read several people's stories, but don't quite have anybody that I really talk to on here. I also get the nobody likes my stuff feeling, but I remind myself it takes time, but other times I just run out of inspiration.
    Story_Banner.png
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  • lisabee2lisabee2 Posts: 3,708 Member
    edited June 2016
    Post edited by lisabee2 on
    SebEwnF.jpg
    LisabeeSims
    New readers can visit here first: In-a-NUTSHELL
    #EAgamechanger
  • lisabee2lisabee2 Posts: 3,708 Member
    I am sorry @SeaDragonSong ..
    SebEwnF.jpg
    LisabeeSims
    New readers can visit here first: In-a-NUTSHELL
    #EAgamechanger
  • SeaDragonSongSeaDragonSong Posts: 2,324 Member
    Yeah, it's ok. It's really not been as bad on this site as the other one, and I guess it's because more people share my interests here lol (just a guess though)
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    Twists In Time And Space (Updated December 2nd 2018. New discord server!)
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  • Simcraft81Simcraft81 Posts: 499 Member
    @SeaDragonSong I get that feeling that nobody likes my work as well. It can be frustrating when you want to share something you're proud of yet no feedback. I love to create things and I'll still do what I love even if its for myself :) I'd like to check out your work if you have a link and want feedback. This goes for everyone else as well. Here is a link to my sims work if you're interested
    www.simcraft81.blogspot.com
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