Hoping to find another home

[Shadowlight]

Literature Network has been my safe place for a long time. The forums here have allowed me to express my deepest and sometimes darkest thoughts and secrets. It has allowed me to be judged by the quality of my writing, not by my personhood. I am so truly grateful for that. It's such a liberating thing to be able to feel the depths of my emotions, organize them into words, and release them by writing without the harshness of disdain that most would credit to me as the writer. I just want to say thank you all for that. I've been writing here for a long time. I became a better writer here from people who's talent was immeasurable on this small obscure platform. I'm not sure if some of those people are even still alive. I remember when PrinceMyskin, Dark Muse, MystyrMystyry, Melody, went seemingly dark. I was Dara.cv before I was Shadowlight. It was years in between but this forum, though smaller, was still there for me in my darkest hours. To hear me when I had no one in my world to tell. I used Litnet as my safe place but truly what I needed was safe people, and I found them here. Litnet is dying. The platform is outdated. I can let it go but I don't want to let you all go. So for those few stragglers, those remnant epic poets of Litnet, if there is another place we can call home but still be together, can we? I have been searching Facebook poetry groups and none of them compare to the talent and kinship I found here. Perhaps we can create our own Facebook society? Or perhaps there is another platform you all have moved along to, if so can I be invited? I still need you all. I still have more to feel, to tell, to think, to see, to write. Please can we try to stay together.

[tailor STATELY]

As a straggler, though not a poet of any stature, I share many of your sentiments and have offered my angst at the loss of so many wonderful poets a few times as well. I've missed your voice. LitNet has become a home for me as well. There have even been times when I went dark and was the poorer for it. As to other forums and media I'm interested, if there are others, and staying here until someone turns off the lights or I pass on. You're always welcome to our little Thursdays at Two poetry group (1st & 3rd Thursdays of the month, 2pm - 3pm) at the Georgetown, CA library. It's a very tiny rural library and we're not online/virtual nor anything fancy... but our little group is growing it seems :) Please stay in touch and let us know what you have found... I will try to do likewise.

With warmest regards,

Ta ! (short for tarradiddle),
tailor

[Danik 2016]

@Shadowlight.

I share many of yours and tailor´s sentiments. When I joined Litnet,I guess it was already in the decline, but there were still a lot of nice people around. I am interested in fiction too, I like writing about novels too.

Litnet, even in the reduced form it has today, is still a home for me. I intend to stay as long there are possibilities of fruitful echange and fun here.

I don´t know any other poetry online group. For physical meeting groups in US I live to far away. I log in from Brazil>

[bounty]

off in a slightly different direction, im still of a mindset, perhaps a dead horse one, that the moderators and owner of the site can affect the necessary changes and make an effort to bring older users back as well as attract new ones. on any given day there are many hundreds of people looking at the threads.

[Shadowlight]

@Tailor I will continue to review more Facebook poetry groups and see if there is one befitting. I feel a smaller group with emphasis on quality writing and discussion would be best and if I cant find one I will create one, maybe call it the LitNet Alumni Group! I will notify you guys when I do figure this out. I truly appreciate the invite to your hometown's live poetry reading and will certainly take you up on that offer! I have a bit of social anxiety, especially when it comes to public speaking, or speaking to most people in public LOL but I would love to go to hear some of your readings! And perhaps I could muster the courage to read one myself, I've done it before, it just riles up my anxiety so much that its one of the reasons I found the online platform of Litnet so much more comfortable. I make it more often to Southern California but have wanted to go further north. I truly would love to meet you and stay in touch


@Danik I did not know you were from Brazil, Im surprised! Do you have a Facebook account and would possibly join a group there?

@bounty I know it seems that there could possibly be a Litnet revival with effort but to be honest I just dont see it. It is an outdated platform, not just Litnet,but Forum usage in general. Forums were used at the beginnings of consumer internet use in households, but it has since evolved. Instead of searching for and joining individual websites and their associated forums to have discussions social media platforms like Facebook are a one-stop-shop. You can search for any interest and hobby group and since they are so popular they have much more participation and interaction. Since the app has notifications when content is posted, discussions can happen quicker thus continuing more engagement. They also have a large seemingly unlimited server space. Litnet no longer works on my phone, I have to look at it on my computer. Also it logs me out continually so I am always at risk of my writing being deleted if I dont copy and paste it before submitting. Its glitchy. I think this day has been a long time coming. Ive seen sooo many people leave, I just wish I thought of this salvage attempt sooner.

[Danik 2016]

Thanks for the invitation, Shadowlight. No, I don´t have a Facebook or any social net account. I prefer this forum, even if there are few people.

[Shadowlight]

Its no LitNet, but there seems to be some committed and some talented writers on this Facebook group I found, "Invisible Poets". I'd truly love for those of you interested in joining. Tailor, I really hope to read you there and Hawkman, angelholic, Jerry, and any and all of the LitNetters.

[tailor STATELY]

Thanx... I'll check it out :)

Ta ! (short for tarradiddle),
tailor

[Jerrybaldy]

Hi Shadowlight. I'm only just reading this as I no longer visit often. I totally agree with everything you have said. Facebook wise I left that and all platforms a few years ago as some kind of stance against social media.

I fondly remember Prince, Hillwalker and many many others. I joined in 2010 which now seems like maybe the tail end of the golden years of litnet.

I write rarely these days, no doubt partly due to the sites demise.

If you find or create any other outlet I'd be very interested. My e mail is jeremydsmith65 @ gmail.com in case I stop coming here at all.
All the very best to you
Jerry

[Shadowlight]

Jerry I can't read your email, it is saying it is hidden.

I hope you see this. I've been active on Invisible Poets and Safe Haven poetry and music. I love them both. Please, create a social media if only for these two places mand continue writing.

I'm using my pen name shadowlight so you and tailor can find me