It's still amazing that with the same theme every story is completely unique. They are so well written and from the heart. I connected with each character and plot. Just amazing everyone!
It's 795 words and uses 9 pictures. (I keep thinking I won't use as many pictures as the max, and then every month, I either hit the max or come really close.)
I hope author's notes aren't included in the final word count, because I've got some adjustments to make if they are. ^_^;;
Very excited to read the other July entries as they come in. Fantasy is one of my favorite genres.
Congratulations to @MenaBuchner, @TheAemaSimming, @LauraAnneB, @CitizenErased14, @Qnshr5 and a special congratulations to @SoulGal7 for winning THREE times in a row!!! I think SoulGal7 has to sit the next one out, so someone else can take the first place for a change (just kidding)! But seriously, she's clearly cut out for this challenge and knows what she's doing. Everyone had great stories as usual - can't wait to join you again!
This was a nice surprise to wake up to! Thanks to whoever voted for my story, and congratulations to all the other winners!
I agree about how good all these stories always are... my favorite thing about this challenge is getting a little taste of everybody’s unique writing and screenshot style through the entries. Thanks again to @lisabee2 for reviving the short story challenge! I had missed it a lot!
@SoulGal7 continues to threaten to snap away half her competition and I'm here for it, tbh. I like the gamble. Also want to shout out everyone who wrote a gay story. @CathyTea@LauraAnneB@Xantheanmar are the real MVPs of June.
@SoulGal7 continues to threaten to snap away half her competition and I'm here for it, tbh. I like the gamble. Also want to shout out everyone who wrote a gay story. @CathyTea@LauraAnneB@Xantheanmar are the real MVPs of June.
This was a lovely thing to wake up to...and yes, I'm just waking up at 11 am ...I am just recovering from Wiseman's party...it was chaos and I got sunburned...but I think it went well. So happy to have placed. And congrats @MenaBuchner, @LauraAnneB, @SoulGal7, @CitizenErased14, @Qnshr5!
@InfraGreen - Oh my gosh, I am laughing at that pic you created. Thank you, that made my day & @divanthesimmer - thanks for the vote of confidence and thinking "I know what I'm doing" lol Now, if that were the case, I would be a bestselling author. Oh, I wish! lol
Anyway, I had actually come here to congratulate all the winners for June's short stories @MenaBuchner, @LauraAnneB, @CitizenErased14, @Qnshr5, @TheAemaSimming. And congratulations to everyone who entered, as all the stories were fantastic. Again, my sincere thanks to @lisabee2 for continuing this challenge.
And, to @divanthesimmer that maybe I should sit July out so someone else can wear the "crown", (and it was just by 1 point - again - really someone else could have won), well, that may just happen, as I really haven't gotten inspired by July's theme.....YET!!! lol
Wow! Thank you! This is really makes my day because I've had a health scare this past week and the doctor today thinks that it's just a bad infection but they need to do some more tests to be sure. I couldn't sleep last night because I was in so much pain and so terrified. Knowing it's (fingers crossed) not the worst case scenario is a weight lifted off my shoulders and your appreciation for my story is the icing on the cake. So thank you!
And what wonderful company to be in @MenaBuchner@TheAemaSimming@LauraAnneB@SoulGal7@CitizenErased14 Congratulations! Thank you @lisabee2 not only is this helping me rediscover writing, but because of the great work I've read here I subscribed to a couple of short story magazines because I've realized that I really enjoy short stories (I used to be exclusively into novels). Full confession, I was more excited to read the stories in this challenge this month than the professional published writers in my magazines!
@SoulGal7 continues to threaten to snap away half her competition and I'm here for it, tbh. I like the gamble. Also want to shout out everyone who wrote a gay story. @CathyTea@LauraAnneB@Xantheanmar are the real MVPs of June.
Thank you for the Comic Sans, it made this less scary. But in case it hasn't been said enough times, congratulations to the winners! I'm excited to see what everyone comes up with this month.
Catastrophe Theory: If, through loose ends, we could resume/Unrav'ling defects from the loom/And soften as the shuttle mends---/Then save for me a few loose ends! Haunted: Picture Oscar Wilde dating Willy Wonka, also Oscar Wilde is still dead
First, let me point out it was NOT a landslide by any means .. at one point we had a 4 way tie for first!
One of the things that Jo -aka SoulGal07 - does very well is get her story AND the challenge (aka you) out there.
This month I was glad to see Cathy, Charlii Mai, Laura, Amanda, Rae, Angela and Mena promoing in FB and/or twitter (not to forget two lovely simmers who promo'd even tho they did not submit this month - Luke and Divan). So FAB! (Sorry I hope I did not miss any that I saw out there).
Harnessing the power of social media is important. We cannot expect them to come if they do not know about it.
Let us also not forget that some who have larger reading audiences are sharing with their audiences and therefore increasing exposure to those who may not have as large of a readers base (I imagine many have gained new readers). You know a lot of bloggers guard their reader's lists with a wary eye!
So you see getting the placement banner is gravy on some already FAB potatoes. All are winners.
Just today I was tagged in this tweet "I've recently stumbled across a very interesting website by @lisabeesims1. It has some great writings from our fellow Simmers. There's even a monthly writing challenge! When you get a minute, check it out. Enjoy! #Writing #Sims4" You will note that this is not about ME being wonderful ..it is about YOU being wonderful and it is about Simlit being wonderful! BTW TY Mena for bringing this to Jack's eye AND I do hope he will pop in with a magical treat.
When I set out on this journey I had high hopes to bring Simlit back into the light AND WE are doing it .. let's not give up now!
First, let me point out it was NOT a landslide by any means .. at one point we had a 4 way tie for first!
One of the things that Jo -aka SoulGal07 - does very well is get her story AND the challenge (aka you) out there.
This month I was glad to see Cathy, Charlii Mai, Laura, Amanda, Rae, Angela and Mena promoing in FB and/or twitter (not to forget two lovely simmers who promo'd even tho they did not submit this month - Luke and Divan). So FAB! (Sorry I hope I did not miss any that I saw out there).
Harnessing the power of social media is important. We cannot expect them to come if they do not know about it.
Let us also not forget that some who have larger reading audiences are sharing with their audiences and therefore increasing exposure to those who may not have as large of a readers base (I imagine many have gained new readers). You know a lot of bloggers guard their reader's lists with a wary eye!
So you see getting the placement banner is gravy on some already FAB potatoes. All are winners.
Just today I was tagged in this tweet "I've recently stumbled across a very interesting website by @lisabeesims1. It has some great writings from our fellow Simmers. There's even a monthly writing challenge! When you get a minute, check it out. Enjoy! #Writing #Sims4" You will note that this is not about ME being wonderful ..it is about YOU being wonderful and it is about Simlit being wonderful! BTW TY Mena for bringing this to Jack's eye AND I do hope he will pop in with a magical treat.
When I set out on this journey I had high hopes to bring Simlit back into the light AND WE are doing it .. let's not give up now!
I fully agree with all of this. This is what it's all about - doing something you're passionate about and doing it with people who are as passionate as you about the same thing. I don't have friends or family outside this amazing community who play this game or share my love of reading and writing. To have such a warm, welcoming community who shares my interests (all of YOU guys), means the world to me. This IS my second family.
I want to take a moment and thank @lisabee2 for bringing this awesome challenge back, everyone else for being so supportive through your comments here and on my blog and thank you @CathyTea for introducing me to Simlit, getting me to play The Sims 4 and always being such a supportive, caring and wonderful friend. May this challenge get bigger and better and be around for a long time!
First, let me point out it was NOT a landslide by any means .. at one point we had a 4 way tie for first!
One of the things that Jo -aka SoulGal07 - does very well is get her story AND the challenge (aka you) out there.
This month I was glad to see Cathy, Charlii Mai, Laura, Amanda, Rae, Angela and Mena promoing in FB and/or twitter (not to forget two lovely simmers who promo'd even tho they did not submit this month - Luke and Divan). So FAB! (Sorry I hope I did not miss any that I saw out there).
Harnessing the power of social media is important. We cannot expect them to come if they do not know about it.
Let us also not forget that some who have larger reading audiences are sharing with their audiences and therefore increasing exposure to those who may not have as large of a readers base (I imagine many have gained new readers). You know a lot of bloggers guard their reader's lists with a wary eye!
So you see getting the placement banner is gravy on some already FAB potatoes. All are winners.
Just today I was tagged in this tweet "I've recently stumbled across a very interesting website by @lisabeesims1. It has some great writings from our fellow Simmers. There's even a monthly writing challenge! When you get a minute, check it out. Enjoy! #Writing #Sims4" You will note that this is not about ME being wonderful ..it is about YOU being wonderful and it is about Simlit being wonderful! BTW TY Mena for bringing this to Jack's eye AND I do hope he will pop in with a magical treat.
When I set out on this journey I had high hopes to bring Simlit back into the light AND WE are doing it .. let's not give up now!
I fully agree with all of this. This is what it's all about - doing something you're passionate about and doing it with people who are as passionate as you about the same thing. I don't have friends or family outside this amazing community who play this game or share my love of reading and writing. To have such a warm, welcoming community who shares my interests (all of YOU guys), means the world to me. This IS my second family.
I want to take a moment and thank @lisabee2 for bringing this awesome challenge back, everyone else for being so supportive through your comments here and on my blog
and thank you @CathyTea for introducing me to Simlit, getting me to play The Sims 4 and always being such a supportive, caring and wonderful friend. May this challenge get bigger and better and be around for a long time!
I also would thank @CathyTea and @mastressalita who were my mentors and BUTT kickers when needed and darling @VIRTUALEE who got me started in the first place. #justpayingitforward
A few years ago, (has it been that long now?), I was a total newbie and didn't even know what SimLit was. I was introduced to it by @CathyTea in The Pen Pal Project. I created a blogger site, and didn't even know how to post photos on here. Anyway, I enjoyed that challenge very much, and it is still active today on the forums, so check it out. So many good stories on there. Then, I finished that and I wanted to do another challenge and saw the Murkland challenge by @Brennachan - I was one of the first ones to try that challenge, along with @lisabee2 . There were a lot of us doing that challenge and there was also a Facebook Group. If you are looking for a wonderful challenge with a lot of group support, I highly recommend The Murkland Challenge. We had so much fun and there was so much support from that group, that I felt really happy doing that challenge and just kept blogging.
And that's what this group is. Supportive and fun and why I enjoy coming here and sharing and of course for @lisabee2 's zest for Simlit. And that's what this is about, doing something that you love, getting support, challenging yourself, having fun and being encouraged. It's not about winning, because just by writing, we are all winners getting the word out about SimLit.
Thanks Lisa. I probably should give this month's contest a shoutout though. I'm slackin'
I wish I had more to say about my simlit journey but most of the key players are not on this forum (or occasionally just awful, awful people). I've had a miserable last year in simlit and I'm fighting the urge to quit every day until I remember that I've sunk seven years into this
It's not about winning, because just by writing, we are all winners getting the word out about SimLit.
Are winners allowed to say "it's not about winning"? Or is that a non-winner thing best used when consoling myself with a tub of ice cream?
Ah, well. It's not about winning.
There, now we've got all our bases covered. (*heads to the freezer--because I will take any excuse for ice cream*) ^_^
In all seriousness, @SoulGal7, congrats to you and everyone else who took a banner this time around. Romance has never been my strong suit, writing-wise, but I do enjoy reading it from people who can pull it off well.
@InfraGreen Sorry to hear your last year was so difficult. I've had times like that in my writing journey, for sure. I hope everything is looking up for you now.
Watch me mash together Sims and Pokémon to tell a story about battling glitches in Penny Saves Paldea. Updated every other Thursday.
Thanks Lisa. I probably should give this month's contest a shoutout though. I'm slackin'
I wish I had more to say about my simlit journey but most of the key players are not on this forum (or occasionally just awful, awful people). I've had a miserable last year in simlit and I'm fighting the urge to quit every day until I remember that I've sunk seven years into this
I'm sorry you had a bad year with Simlit. I often want to give up too, because I start to doubt myself and can't always come up with the best story. I also tend to procrastinate and get new ideas for stories, essentially abandoning my stories. That's why I think this challenge is the best for me - much easier to write a short story than one that's like 100 chapters long. I also don't have many followers, but I recently decided that I'm mainly writing for myself. To get my creativity out there and see what I can accomplish. If people like my stuff, that's awesome, but I'm not doing it to please everyone. With that said, I'm done writing this months entry, but I'm having issues with my slow Internet (especially uploading screenshots) and my game quitting on me. I hope I can post it before the deadline - I'll try my best.
Thanks Lisa. I probably should give this month's contest a shoutout though. I'm slackin'
I wish I had more to say about my simlit journey but most of the key players are not on this forum (or occasionally just awful, awful people). I've had a miserable last year in simlit and I'm fighting the urge to quit every day until I remember that I've sunk seven years into this
HUGS Girl ... I saw you promo in group .. you are fine
There are some awful folks out there and some hide behind smiles. BUT I do think that most of us just get too focused in on our own story ... writing makes us so vulnerable. I always feel like I am filleting myself open and always risking rejection.
It is no big secret that I have been ignored by the established Simlit community for years (and you know well that is #truth) I have VERY few readers from that community (and do I love them dearly) .. it hurt a lot at first but I learned to be ok with all that. For years I blamed someONE but I don't anymore. Truth is that one cannot be led where they don't want to go .. besides life is too short not to get along. The bottom line was ... I either had to quit or find a new audience and lo and behold I find that once I took my eyes off the established community and counted them as a sad loss there are hundreds of hungry readers ready to consume (even tho my fare has been far too light these past months).
I often feel like a peddler woman shouting "buy my wares .. buy my wares" and quite often they do. The reality is they don't know you have anything to offer unless you tell them.
So dear Anglea .. I hope this gives you some encouragement (but you have 7 years in and so you know that there are ebbs and flows) things will get better.
Thanks Lisa. I probably should give this month's contest a shoutout though. I'm slackin'
I wish I had more to say about my simlit journey but most of the key players are not on this forum (or occasionally just awful, awful people). I've had a miserable last year in simlit and I'm fighting the urge to quit every day until I remember that I've sunk seven years into this
I'm sorry you had a bad year with Simlit. I often want to give up too, because I start to doubt myself and can't always come up with the best story. I also tend to procrastinate and get new ideas for stories, essentially abandoning my stories. That's why I think this challenge is the best for me - much easier to write a short story than one that's like 100 chapters long. I also don't have many followers, but I recently decided that I'm mainly writing for myself. To get my creativity out there and see what I can accomplish. If people like my stuff, that's awesome, but I'm not doing it to please everyone.
With that said, I'm done writing this months entry, but I'm having issues with my slow Internet (especially uploading screenshots) and my game quitting on me. I hope I can post it before the deadline - I'll try my best.
While I will not divulge specifics .. I will tell you that within the top 5 veteran's there were so many trading places that my eyes were blurry from the dizzying spinning bouncing yoyo that was the vote! There is no one who has any cause for head hanging ... I did not even venture a guess until I clicked 5 min after midnight ...
HOWEVER, that being said I will not eliminate anyone's reason for ice cream consumption ... Ice cream is wonderful .. winner or non-winner.
@lisabee2 Ooh, celebratory ice cream?! (Also, I've never tried Blue Moon ice cream, but the picture alone is making me wanna try!)
Also, doesn't surprise me that the vote was so close! These stories were really awesome and all so different! And once more, let me thank you for reviving this challenge! You do so much to help make our community heard, and it means the world
Hey @divanthesimmer (and anyone else who needs to hear it), you write because there's some deeper truth inside of you that you want to share, but isn't ready to come out yet. Nobody save the blissfully self-unaware ever puts a story out into the world feeling it's perfect; no creative work is really ever done. But you're writing for the right reasons, to hash something out for yourself and maybe form a meaningful connection with other people, and writing vulnerable statements like the one you just made is the crucial first step towards that. IMO. So know you're not alone in this, even if you're seeing people in different stages of their journey.
Blogging is an interesting platform because unlike a published work, one can easily go back and compare the earlier and later posts, so that the evolution of the author's style is on full display. It's a refreshing and honest route where the goal may not necessarily be perfection, but to showcase improvement and change in a way that can inspire others to share their own imperfect stories.
Also, I know you already know this, but a reminder. You don't wrote a 100-chapter story. You write one chapter at a time. You actually probably already knew all of the above, but I'm having a blast yelling overarching statements into the void.
I'm new, so this is the first I'm hearing about @lisabee2's and @InfraGreen's experiences, which sound frustrating. I don't know what to say except you both seem like a wonderful presence in the community; I'm glad you both stayed long enough to welcome a new crop of authors.
On the topic of vulnerability, I'm still coping with the fact that trying to forge my own path instead of sticking with established approaches means I have to put massive amounts of effort into developing something new, for every piece, effort that often goes unnoticed. It isn't true that most great stories have already been told. It's that the current popular archetypes of story have undergone thousands of years of improvement, morphing them into something that most modern writers can only mildly improve or update for a modern audience. The first time an idea is introduced, it's going to look rough and amateur compared to the concepts that have been polished over millennia. Many people experience this. For me, it's been the defining aspect of my work, hobby and professional, and like I said, it's an ongoing battle to cope with looking rough and amateur while also dumping unjustifiable amounts of brainpower into something maybe two people read, because my work doesn't have the benefit of being similar enough to another work to share its established audience. But I'm happy for those two people if reading it makes them feel less alone.
I don't need advice or support regarding the above; the solution is to wait and put myself out there, and I'm allowed to feel a bit frustrated in the interim. Speaking of! There's an update that completely changes the meaning of Grey Wedding, one that I considered too dark/heavy to post on this thread. If you're in the mood, though: Option 3.
SimLit is an interesting genre because the fictional characters have agency outside the author's heads. I'd like to do what I can to extend the genre's reach, if part of that means promoting existing authors and producing content that appeals to readers outside the community. (Part of me wants to share my grammar and usage training to those who want it, but only if solicited. It's quite rude for a newcomer to barge in and moan about pleonasm and 'that' vs. 'which' and the difference between en- and em-dashes and ellipsis overuse. Maybe that's something for the future once I get my sea legs here.) So thanks once again, @lisabee2, for putting this together! Your good intentions, and the good intentions of others, have made this a competition that manages to avoid all the toxic parts of what competition entails. I hope it grows to the point where more people see that.
Post edited by Dollyllama108 on
Catastrophe Theory: If, through loose ends, we could resume/Unrav'ling defects from the loom/And soften as the shuttle mends---/Then save for me a few loose ends! Haunted: Picture Oscar Wilde dating Willy Wonka, also Oscar Wilde is still dead
Comments
Monthly Simlit Short Story Challenge June 2019 and the Winners Are
LisabeeSims
New readers can visit here first: In-a-NUTSHELL
#EAgamechanger
What a charming little fairy Clover is
LisabeeSims
New readers can visit here first: In-a-NUTSHELL
#EAgamechanger
Check out my SimLit blog here: https://ageekylegacy.wordpress.com/
Follow me on Twitter @divanthesimmer
Follow me on Tumblr: https://www.tumblr.com/dashboard/blog/divanthesimmer
Origin ID: divanthesimmer
I agree about how good all these stories always are... my favorite thing about this challenge is getting a little taste of everybody’s unique writing and screenshot style through the entries. Thanks again to @lisabee2 for reviving the short story challenge! I had missed it a lot!
@SoulGal7 continues to threaten to snap away half her competition and I'm here for it, tbh. I like the gamble.
outrun / blog / tunglr
I love that pic!
Check out my SimLit blog here: https://ageekylegacy.wordpress.com/
Follow me on Twitter @divanthesimmer
Follow me on Tumblr: https://www.tumblr.com/dashboard/blog/divanthesimmer
Origin ID: divanthesimmer
McGinnis Legacy Forum Thread
AemaSimming's SimBlog
Anyway, I had actually come here to congratulate all the winners for June's short stories @MenaBuchner, @LauraAnneB, @CitizenErased14, @Qnshr5, @TheAemaSimming. And congratulations to everyone who entered, as all the stories were fantastic. Again, my sincere thanks to @lisabee2 for continuing this challenge.
And, to @divanthesimmer that maybe I should sit July out so someone else can wear the "crown", (and it was just by 1 point - again - really someone else could have won), well, that may just happen, as I really haven't gotten inspired by July's theme.....YET!!! lol
Twitter
Simblr
And what wonderful company to be in @MenaBuchner @TheAemaSimming @LauraAnneB @SoulGal7 @CitizenErased14 Congratulations! Thank you @lisabee2 not only is this helping me rediscover writing, but because of the great work I've read here I subscribed to a couple of short story magazines because I've realized that I really enjoy short stories (I used to be exclusively into novels). Full confession, I was more excited to read the stories in this challenge this month than the professional published writers in my magazines!
Thank you for the Comic Sans, it made this less scary. But in case it hasn't been said enough times, congratulations to the winners! I'm excited to see what everyone comes up with this month.
Haunted: Picture Oscar Wilde dating Willy Wonka, also Oscar Wilde is still dead
One of the things that Jo -aka SoulGal07 - does very well is get her story AND the challenge (aka you) out there.
This month I was glad to see Cathy, Charlii Mai, Laura, Amanda, Rae, Angela and Mena promoing in FB and/or twitter (not to forget two lovely simmers who promo'd even tho they did not submit this month - Luke and Divan). So FAB! (Sorry I hope I did not miss any that I saw out there).
Harnessing the power of social media is important. We cannot expect them to come if they do not know about it.
Let us also not forget that some who have larger reading audiences are sharing with their audiences and therefore increasing exposure to those who may not have as large of a readers base (I imagine many have gained new readers). You know a lot of bloggers guard their reader's lists with a wary eye!
So you see getting the placement banner is gravy on some already FAB potatoes. All are winners.
Just today I was tagged in this tweet "I've recently stumbled across a very interesting website by @lisabeesims1. It has some great writings from our fellow Simmers. There's even a monthly writing challenge! When you get a minute, check it out. Enjoy! #Writing #Sims4" You will note that this is not about ME being wonderful ..it is about YOU being wonderful and it is about Simlit being wonderful! BTW TY Mena for bringing this to Jack's eye AND I do hope he will pop in with a magical treat.
When I set out on this journey I had high hopes to bring Simlit back into the light AND WE are doing it .. let's not give up now!
LisabeeSims
New readers can visit here first: In-a-NUTSHELL
#EAgamechanger
I fully agree with all of this. This is what it's all about - doing something you're passionate about and doing it with people who are as passionate as you about the same thing. I don't have friends or family outside this amazing community who play this game or share my love of reading and writing. To have such a warm, welcoming community who shares my interests (all of YOU guys), means the world to me. This IS my second family.
I want to take a moment and thank @lisabee2 for bringing this awesome challenge back, everyone else for being so supportive through your comments here and on my blog and thank you @CathyTea for introducing me to Simlit, getting me to play The Sims 4 and always being such a supportive, caring and wonderful friend. May this challenge get bigger and better and be around for a long time!
Check out my SimLit blog here: https://ageekylegacy.wordpress.com/
Follow me on Twitter @divanthesimmer
Follow me on Tumblr: https://www.tumblr.com/dashboard/blog/divanthesimmer
Origin ID: divanthesimmer
I also would thank @CathyTea and @mastressalita who were my mentors and BUTT kickers when needed and darling @VIRTUALEE who got me started in the first place. #justpayingitforward
LisabeeSims
New readers can visit here first: In-a-NUTSHELL
#EAgamechanger
And that's what this group is. Supportive and fun and why I enjoy coming here and sharing and of course for @lisabee2 's zest for Simlit. And that's what this is about, doing something that you love, getting support, challenging yourself, having fun and being encouraged. It's not about winning, because just by writing, we are all winners getting the word out about SimLit.
I wish I had more to say about my simlit journey but most of the key players are not on this forum (or occasionally just awful, awful people). I've had a miserable last year in simlit and I'm fighting the urge to quit every day until I remember that I've sunk seven years into this
outrun / blog / tunglr
Thank you. I always appreciate your thoughts and comments!
Are winners allowed to say "it's not about winning"? Or is that a non-winner thing best used when consoling myself with a tub of ice cream?
Ah, well. It's not about winning.
There, now we've got all our bases covered. (*heads to the freezer--because I will take any excuse for ice cream*) ^_^
In all seriousness, @SoulGal7, congrats to you and everyone else who took a banner this time around. Romance has never been my strong suit, writing-wise, but I do enjoy reading it from people who can pull it off well.
@InfraGreen Sorry to hear your last year was so difficult. I've had times like that in my writing journey, for sure. I hope everything is looking up for you now.
I'm sorry you had a bad year with Simlit. I often want to give up too, because I start to doubt myself and can't always come up with the best story. I also tend to procrastinate and get new ideas for stories, essentially abandoning my stories. That's why I think this challenge is the best for me - much easier to write a short story than one that's like 100 chapters long. I also don't have many followers, but I recently decided that I'm mainly writing for myself. To get my creativity out there and see what I can accomplish. If people like my stuff, that's awesome, but I'm not doing it to please everyone. With that said, I'm done writing this months entry, but I'm having issues with my slow Internet (especially uploading screenshots) and my game quitting on me. I hope I can post it before the deadline - I'll try my best.
Check out my SimLit blog here: https://ageekylegacy.wordpress.com/
Follow me on Twitter @divanthesimmer
Follow me on Tumblr: https://www.tumblr.com/dashboard/blog/divanthesimmer
Origin ID: divanthesimmer
HUGS Girl ... I saw you promo in group .. you are fine
There are some awful folks out there and some hide behind smiles. BUT I do think that most of us just get too focused in on our own story ... writing makes us so vulnerable. I always feel like I am filleting myself open and always risking rejection.
It is no big secret that I have been ignored by the established Simlit community for years (and you know well that is #truth) I have VERY few readers from that community (and do I love them dearly) .. it hurt a lot at first but I learned to be ok with all that. For years I blamed someONE but I don't anymore. Truth is that one cannot be led where they don't want to go .. besides life is too short not to get along. The bottom line was ... I either had to quit or find a new audience and lo and behold I find that once I took my eyes off the established community and counted them as a sad loss there are hundreds of hungry readers ready to consume (even tho my fare has been far too light these past months).
I often feel like a peddler woman shouting "buy my wares .. buy my wares" and quite often they do. The reality is they don't know you have anything to offer unless you tell them.
So dear Anglea .. I hope this gives you some encouragement (but you have 7 years in and so you know that there are ebbs and flows) things will get better.
LisabeeSims
New readers can visit here first: In-a-NUTSHELL
#EAgamechanger
cannot wait to read it
LisabeeSims
New readers can visit here first: In-a-NUTSHELL
#EAgamechanger
HOWEVER, that being said I will not eliminate anyone's reason for ice cream consumption ... Ice cream is wonderful .. winner or non-winner.
I pick Blue Moon (my fav)
LisabeeSims
New readers can visit here first: In-a-NUTSHELL
#EAgamechanger
Also, doesn't surprise me that the vote was so close! These stories were really awesome and all so different!
Hey @divanthesimmer (and anyone else who needs to hear it), you write because there's some deeper truth inside of you that you want to share, but isn't ready to come out yet. Nobody save the blissfully self-unaware ever puts a story out into the world feeling it's perfect; no creative work is really ever done. But you're writing for the right reasons, to hash something out for yourself and maybe form a meaningful connection with other people, and writing vulnerable statements like the one you just made is the crucial first step towards that. IMO. So know you're not alone in this, even if you're seeing people in different stages of their journey.
Blogging is an interesting platform because unlike a published work, one can easily go back and compare the earlier and later posts, so that the evolution of the author's style is on full display. It's a refreshing and honest route where the goal may not necessarily be perfection, but to showcase improvement and change in a way that can inspire others to share their own imperfect stories.
Also, I know you already know this, but a reminder. You don't wrote a 100-chapter story. You write one chapter at a time. You actually probably already knew all of the above, but I'm having a blast yelling overarching statements into the void.
I'm new, so this is the first I'm hearing about @lisabee2's and @InfraGreen's experiences, which sound frustrating. I don't know what to say except you both seem like a wonderful presence in the community; I'm glad you both stayed long enough to welcome a new crop of authors.
On the topic of vulnerability, I'm still coping with the fact that trying to forge my own path instead of sticking with established approaches means I have to put massive amounts of effort into developing something new, for every piece, effort that often goes unnoticed. It isn't true that most great stories have already been told. It's that the current popular archetypes of story have undergone thousands of years of improvement, morphing them into something that most modern writers can only mildly improve or update for a modern audience. The first time an idea is introduced, it's going to look rough and amateur compared to the concepts that have been polished over millennia. Many people experience this. For me, it's been the defining aspect of my work, hobby and professional, and like I said, it's an ongoing battle to cope with looking rough and amateur while also dumping unjustifiable amounts of brainpower into something maybe two people read, because my work doesn't have the benefit of being similar enough to another work to share its established audience. But I'm happy for those two people if reading it makes them feel less alone.
I don't need advice or support regarding the above; the solution is to wait and put myself out there, and I'm allowed to feel a bit frustrated in the interim. Speaking of! There's an update that completely changes the meaning of Grey Wedding, one that I considered too dark/heavy to post on this thread. If you're in the mood, though: Option 3.
SimLit is an interesting genre because the fictional characters have agency outside the author's heads. I'd like to do what I can to extend the genre's reach, if part of that means promoting existing authors and producing content that appeals to readers outside the community. (Part of me wants to share my grammar and usage training to those who want it, but only if solicited. It's quite rude for a newcomer to barge in and moan about pleonasm and 'that' vs. 'which' and the difference between en- and em-dashes and ellipsis overuse. Maybe that's something for the future once I get my sea legs here.) So thanks once again, @lisabee2, for putting this together! Your good intentions, and the good intentions of others, have made this a competition that manages to avoid all the toxic parts of what competition entails. I hope it grows to the point where more people see that.
Haunted: Picture Oscar Wilde dating Willy Wonka, also Oscar Wilde is still dead