Mental illness writers: want to be a guest blogger and have me share your blog too?

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bleeding_writing

This is a great opportunity for new bloggers looking to increase their views, but you don’t have to be new to participate!

Until now, almost all the posts on Lucky Otter’s Haven have been written solely by me (I’m not counting reblogged articles by others, who wrote them for their own sites). But I feel like this blog is in need of some fresh material. I know there are lots of mental illness bloggers on WordPress sharing their own personal stories and struggles, and so many of you are such great writers too, with your own unique style and voice. So I want to extend an invitation to anyone interested in writing for this blog about their own personal experiences in living with a mental illness. I’m especially interested in people suffering from disorders caused by abuse and trauma: Borderline Personality Disorder (BPD), covert narcissism (C-NPD), narcissistic abuse syndrome (NAS), complex PTSD (C-PTSD), Avoidant Personality Disorder (AvPD), Dissociative Identity Disorder (DID), and other dissociative disorders like Psychogenic Fugue syndrome. I’m also interested in mental illness stigma and how that might have affected you, or how you cope with that, if it applies.

wanted

What I’m looking for:

Well written, informative, personal posts describing what it’s like to live with your mental illness, what you do to cope, whether or not you are in treatment or therapy, what works for you, how others react to your disorder, and anything else you think is important about your disorder.

I’m flexible. Your post can be prose, poetry, in essay form, or in list form.  No matter what style you submit your post in, however, it must be your own original work!  If you talk about new research or quote others in your post, make sure they are credited!

What I expect:

When your post is featured on this site, you may not post the same article you write for this blog on your own blog. However, I do HIGHLY encourage you to reblog it to your own blog, and also share it to your social media if applicable.

To show my appreciation for your hard work, I will also share your guest post to all my social media as well (I have accounts on Twitter, Tumblr, Facebook, LinkedIn, Bloglovin’, Reddit, and Google Plus.) Since your post will include a link to your own blog and your Gravatar bio, a lot of people who never heard of your blog before may decide to follow your blog. So if you’re looking for more traffic, more hits, or more followers, this is a good opportunity!

get-more-traffic

If I get enough interested people, what I will do is feature a new guest blogger every week, that way everyone has a chance to be featured on this blog. You might have to wait, but eventually you’ll have your post featured. I’ll probably be featuring one guest blogger once a week, probably over the weekend, because that’s when I have the most time.

I do reserve the right to edit your submitted post, but only for grammar, spelling and general readability. I won’t be doing much more than proofreading and very light editing, if any at all. If I have to edit for length, I will discuss with you first what can be taken out to make it shorter. If it needs beefing up, I’ll let you know that too.

If you change your mind later and decide you don’t want to guest-blog, no problem!  I understand life sometimes just happens.  All I ask is that you let me know, so I’m not waiting on a post that isn’t coming.

Before I get busy reading your posts, first I need to get a list of the bloggers who are interested. If this sounds like something you want to do, please post a link to your blog in the comments, along with a short description of what you will be writing about when you do your guest post. Then I’ll look at each one of your blogs, and then write up a new post featuring all interested bloggers in a list, announcing you as my guest bloggers (similar to Dream Big’s Featured Bloggers Lists). This post will include each blog’s name (with a link to it),  and a short description of what your blog is about.

After the list is posted, I’ll be contacting each of you one at a time to write up your guest post. I’ll probably have you email those to me, but that’s a bit later on.

After all the participating blogs are posted, I’ll share your blog to all my social media. So you get to be shared twice–first your blog, then your guest post! 

For now, if you think you’d like to write a post for this blog, please link your blog in the comments along with a short description and what you want to write about. In return, all I ask is that you reblog this post and share it to your social media (if applicable)!  Spread the word!  I’d like to get as many interested people as possible to participate!

I’ll probably design some kind of badge or logo you can post on your site to show my appreciation.

 

UPDATE:  The turnout was better than I expected. Comments have been disabled.  Thanks everyone!

57 thoughts on “Mental illness writers: want to be a guest blogger and have me share your blog too?”

  2. Hey! I’d be interested. I have depression and ADD. I’d be interested in describing the time I finally accepted my diagnosis and decided my high-pressured job in a firm: the reaction, the disbelief, the difficulty everyone had in reconciling my diagnosis with my highly successful performance as a professional.

    Liked by 2 people

    • Hi, Balletandboxing! I love your username btw. That sounds like it could be very interesting and would be in line with my interest in the stigmatization of mental illness and help in the cause to reduce mental illness stigma. I’ll add your blog to the Guest Bloggers list when I put it together and post it. Thanks for your interest and looking forward to reading your article! I’ll get back to you when I’m ready for you to write it.

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  3. Hey there! I’m interested in participating! I live with a number of mental health conditions, namely depression and anxiety, C-PTSD and BPD, the latter I have struggled with blogging about because of how negatively I feel people react to it. I would however like to write something on C-PTSD which I was diagnosed with last year. I guess it’s been bitter-sweet finally getting someone in the medical fraternity to acknowledge that all my suffering and pain was just that and actually affects me and it wasn’t just be being difficult for being difficult sake! I have had a particularly difficult time dealing with the effects of C-PTSD– night terrors which cause me to scream (I also recently started sleep-running). Tenants I have lived with in the recent past have been most unsympathetic. Anyway, I’ll have a think about this some more and let you know if anything else comes to mind! It is hard tho to differentiate between mental health problems when one lives with a number of them. Managing them all is crazy hard.

    Liked by 2 people

    • People don’t realize how devastating C-PTSD can actually be, and it’s one of the most misunderstood dx’s and people who have it are often slapped with a “personality disorder” label and not treated because so many professionals assume people with PD’s are untreatable. I’m glad you wee able to get an understanding person who realized what the problem really was and didn’t victim blame. I would love for you to write about your experiences for this blog! I’ll add your name to the list. Please make sure to reblog this post. Thanks so much!

      Liked by 2 people

      • That’s true! I mean all these issues, sleep walking and night terrors have just started happening though I’ve always had nightmares. It is really like living in a prison long after the gates have been opened! we really need to raise awareness. Sometimes it feels overwhelming though trying to talk about multiple diagnoses, and I’ve had situations in the past where probing employers used my diagnoses against me! will definitely reblog! Thanks for reaching out!:)

        Liked by 2 people

        • One of my intentions by doing this is to raise awareness. There’s so much stigma and ignorance surrounding the mentally ill. I definiely know how overwhelming talking about it can be when you have more than one dx (I have 4). I’m really looking forward to reading your article, and thank you for your interest!

          Liked by 1 person

  5. Pingback: Mental illness writers: want to be a guest blogger and have me share your blog too? | The Invisible F

  7. I know you are very familiar with my blog, so thank you for the opportunity to share some of what I write. I have been branching out and writing about other things, however my focus is still on mental health and how it affect my wife, myself and the family.

    http://justplainolvic.com/

    Liked by 2 people

    • I would love you to write a guest post here! I’ve been branching out too lately. Make sure to reblog this post, and I’ll feature your blog in a post once I have all my names. You have a good blog. I’ll notify you when I want you to write up your post. Thanks so much!

      Liked by 2 people

  8. I’d love to be able to participate if you feel inclined to allow me. 🙂 I have a specific interest in speaking out on the issue of mental illness stigma and I believe that is what I would focus on in my guest post! My blog is confessions92.wordpress.com

    Liked by 2 people

    • Of course I’d allow you! I’m already following your blog. Please be sure to reblog this post. I’ll feature your blog on my list and notify you when I want you to write your post. Thanks for your interest!

      Liked by 1 person

  10. Pingback: Mental illness writers: want to be a guest blogger and have me share your blog too? | lettersnevermeanttobedelivered

    • I would love for you to share your story here. This weekend I’ll put up the list of guest bloggers and include yours. Thanks for reblogging too. 🙂

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  13. I’m still interested if you would like to have me. I have Bipolar Disorder II and because of that I suffer from a common symptom of mania which is hypersexuality. It’s been a personal focus for me on my blog and I’d love to get the word out there about what happened to me, how real and tragic this symptom is, and ways people can learn to overcome it

    http://bipolarcompass.com/

    Liked by 1 person

    • Hi Jess, did you already comment? I have to look. Anyway, yes! I’d be more than happy for you to write about your experiences with Bipolar II and what you have learned about ways to cope with and overcome it. Thanks!

      Liked by 1 person

  14. I just found out about this opportunity on the Google+ community. I was diagnosed with Bipolar 1, rapid cycling, mixed phases in 2007. My disorder has cost me relationships with family, including my children. I have been to jail several times, and it led me to the man I am in a relationship with today.
    I will be sharing this tomorrow as it’s late here tonight. Thank you for the opportunity to share my story with your readers.

    Liked by 2 people

  16. Hi Lucky! This is a terrific idea. I would be happy to participate, if you’d like. As you know, I blog almost exclusively about Complex PTSD, which I was diagnosed with a few years ago.

    In 1967 when I was fourteen years old, I had a nervous breakdown due to extreme childhood trauma and abuse. My abusive parents committed me to a state insane asylum, where I spent the longest two years of my life. I was released from the asylum at the age of sixteen by a new psychiatrist who determined that I was not mentally ill. Being too young to be released on my own recognizance, I was sent home to a family who did not want me. And I have been the outcast in my family of origin ever since, tainted by the stigma of mental illness.

    Liked by 1 person

  17. I held back on this because of so many diagnoses although I concentrate on my bipolar and write articles on it, I have left my other disorders in the dirt. I suffer from BPD due to trauma and abuse and PTSD from the same sort of story. You are familiar with me although my blog is also religious now also. I am trying to help others in whatever situation they need be it psychological or religious.
    My blog is http://www.tessacandoit.com — Thanks Tessa

    Liked by 1 person

  18. I’m already working on some mental health stuff for elsewhere, but I think I can come up with something original for you. I suffer from CPTSD from traumas throughout my life span from childhood abuse to abusive relationships in adulthood to wartime experience in the military. I have an idea or two specifically on stigmatization. I could probably go in a few different directions.

    My blog is at https://swmseeks.wordpress.com/

    Liked by 2 people

  22. Reblogged this on Welcome to My Life, Part 2 and commented:
    After sharing part of my story yesterday I came across Lucky Otter looking for Guest Bloggers to write about their experiences with mental illness. She’s putting together a series that sounds amazing.
    Please take a moment to read her post. Thank you.

    Liked by 1 person

  23. Pingback: Celebrating Small Victories | Welcome to My Life, Part 2

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