Introduction
Since becoming a Lobsters member in June 2018, I've submitted a total of 220 stories on the platform. By analyzing this activity, I've uncovered interesting trends that could benefit anyone looking to maximize their impact on such a community. This article will dissect my submission data to derive valuable insights.
Growth Over the Years
My first submission was on June 29, 2018. For the first six years, my submissions were sporadic, but activity surged from mid-2025 onwards. December 2025 marked a peak with 19 submissions that month. Across my 220 submissions, I've accumulated a total of 4472 karma points, with a noticeable acceleration starting in 2025, as indicated by the rise in submission count.
Yearly Overview
The year 2025 was particularly fruitful, with 88 submissions, representing a significant jump from previous years. Although there was a dip in 2023-2024, the average score per story has remained stable since 2020. Submissions in 2025–26 also generated more comments on average.
Most Upvoted Stories
The score distribution of my submissions is heavily skewed. My most upvoted submission is the news of Joe Armstrong’s passing in 2019, which scored 187 votes. This phenomenon highlights the importance of identifying topics likely to captivate the community's attention.
Most Discussed Stories
In terms of comment count, "The tools I love are made by awful people" ranks highest with 88 comments. This indicates that controversial or emotionally charged topics tend to spark more discussions.
Score and Comment Distribution
Roughly two-thirds of my submissions scored 20 points or fewer. The median score is 14, but the mean is dragged up to about 20 by a few outliers. Comments follow a similar trend, with a third of my submissions receiving no comments and a median of just 2 comments.
Score-Comment Correlation
There is a moderate positive correlation between scores and comment counts (Pearson coefficient ~ 0.57). On average, each additional comment is worth roughly one more point of score. This type of analysis can help identify which submissions have the most potential to engage the community.
Conclusion
By analyzing my Lobsters submissions, I've been able to glean valuable insights into the types of content that generate the most engagement. If you're looking to improve your submission strategy, these insights could help you better plan your contributions.
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