#i never know whether to tag source blogs in video edits but | Explore Tumblr posts and blogs

pengychan · 5 years ago

Text

[Good Omens] Winging It - Jeremiah 17:9

Summary: Shockingly, attempting to destroy an angel without consulting God first comes with consequences. There is more than one way to fall, and a thousand more ways to inconvenience an angel and a demon who just wanted to be left in peace. Characters: Gabriel, Crowley, Aziraphale, Beelzebub, Michael, Uriel, Sandalphon Rating: T

Prologue and all chapters are tagged as ‘winging it’ on my blog.

A/N: No vintage pornography was mistreated in the making of this chapter.

(A scene was partly based on and amazing comic by @hyunlou, because I loved it so much I could no longer picture the scene going any other way,and also @lunaescribe on my birthday with art - check the fic tag to see both!)

***

“... Is that what they asked you? If you had carnal desires? Were those their exact words?”

“Yes,” Gabriel said, and shifted a little when Łukasz let out a groan, rubbing his temples.

“Why do they speak like they came out of some shitty BBC period drama?” Fabrizio asked, only for Łukasz to entirely ignore him and look back at Gabriel.

“And you said no.”

“I said I don’t think I do-- I am not sure-- and then they left before I could suggest we go out for the evening, and I have no idea why. But they did take the mugs, so--”

“Jesus Christ, mate, they were making a pass at you!”

Gabriel blinked. “... They were making a what?”

Fabrizio cleared his throat before speaking in the fakest, poshest British accent imaginable. “I think what my esteemed colleague is trying to say is that this… what’s their name again?”

“Beel-- Bill.”

“Right. This Bill was trying to politely gauge whether or not you may, perchance, be entertaining the thought of shagging.”

“Shagging?” Gabriel repeated. He was familiar with the term, of course - working in warehouse near the docks had taught him a vast array of terms all generally referring to the same things - but he had no idea why Beelzebub would be asking if he entertained the thought of--

“Shagging them, specifically.”

Gabriel stared. He opened his mouth, gaped a little more, then blinked. “They-- were?” he asked, sounding every inch as bewildered as he felt. The notion was so alien to him, it was hard to wrap his mind around it… and yet, now that it had been clearly spelled out for him, Gabriel felt a sudden desire to reach back into the space-time continuum and smack himself in the back of the head. Unable to do that due to his current limitations as a mortal, he just blinked again. “But... why?”

Forehead firmly pressed on the table, Łukasz snickered. “That’s an excellent question,” he said. “I’m starting to suspect your friend is a rabid moronsexual.”

“A what?”

That caused Fabrizio to burst laughing so suddenly and violently that Gabriel was left with little doubt that he was supposed to feel insulted by the remark. However, he was too baffled to.

“That was never-- it never came up,” he protested.

“Hah! Well, it did now. They brought it up. So, are you?”

Gabriel opened his mouth.

“... Before you go ‘am I what’, allow me to make myself clear. Are you interested in the offer?”

Ah. “I’m… not certain it was an offer, I ought not assume--”

“Let’s say it was. Are you?”

Gabriel hesitated, and this time they didn’t press him for an answer. Which was good, because he honestly did not have one yet; there had been something when he’d held the Prince of Hell in his arms, something that had made him wish he didn’t have to put them down… but the notion of carnal desires was so foreign to him, he had no idea what that would even feel like.

In the end, he sighed. “... I’ll need to do research,” he finally said.

If Łukasz and Fabrizio found it an odd response, which they probably did, they said nothing of it.

“All right. But, my friend, let me tell you something. Whether you want to shag them or not, you’re so smitten it’s not even funny,” Fabrizio said. Gabriel didn’t even try to argue he was not.

Lying is, after all, a sin.

***

Indulging in carnal pleasures was, quite obviously, not the immediate ticket to the lowest circles of Hell that many mortals seemed to believe it was.

It was in some cases, of course, whenever someone forced their own lust on somebody who was anything but a willing participant; those souls had a circle of their own, which was rather cramped as well as boasting a frankly astounding amount of Catholic priests.

A good number of them may have been tempted by demons, though Beelzebub suspected it was a minority, but even in those cases all the forces of Hell had really done was put some rather non-specific lust in their heart; how they let it grow and then acted upon it was entirely their choice.

It was not a circle of Hell Beelzebub had ever had much to do with, as lust did not precisely fall under their expertise, and therefore they did not know the minute details of what was the exact line between simple carnal pleasure and sinful lust. However, they felt reasonably certain in the assumption that carnal relations with a Prince of Hell would, at the very least, be a prominent enough sin to tilt the balance of the scale towards Hell.

And I may be more successful in doing that than I was trying to convince him to push an old lady under the bus.

Just maybe. There were demons who made seduction their weapon of choice when it came to gaining influence over mortals, but Beelzebub was not among them. Plus, when asked if he did have carnal desires, Gabriel had said he didn’t think he did.

But he hadn’t said no, either, which had been his immediate reply whenever they had tried to talk him into any kind of serious sin, and therefore Beelzebub concluded it would be foolish not to make at least an attempt. So they would - but first, they needed to do some research over what carnal relations precisely entailed other than just choosing one out of two models of genitalia and make them fit with the other’s.

They would come across as rather stupid, after all, if Gabriel accepted and they had to reveal they didn’t know the first thing about what they’d just proposed.

***

The dancers should stand facing each other, keep their feet loose and relaxed, standing so that they are facing each other with about an arm's length of space in between them...

By the time he got to the second paragraph, Gabriel had begun to suspect that guide - Learn How To Shag In One Minute - was not precisely what he was looking for. With a frown, he went back to the search results and looked around a bit further.

Ah, so apparently shag dancing was a thing. It looked rather awkward and had no relevance to his research, doubly so as angels did not dance and he certainly had not picked up the habit since becoming mortal, so in the end Gabriel sighed and just put his phone down.

All right, it seemed that the Internet was not a reliable source, regardless of the large amounts of porn that, he had been informed, could be found in it. He had absolutely no intention to come across as a fool if - when? - Beelzebub brought up the matter again, and therefore he needed better sources than dubious websites with excessive amounts of Xs in their name.

A book. Books are more reliable.

Of course Gabriel was not so gullible to think all books could be trusted - he had seen too many outlandish editions of the Bible not to know better - so he would need to be certain the book he got his hands on would be a reputable one.

And he just so happened to know an expert in the field.

***

“Lord Beelzeb--”

“Nothing!”

Dagon blinked, taken aback, when Lord Beelzebub let out a noise that was only slightly more dignified than a shriek and slammed their laptop shut. They had been sitting on their throne, staring at the screen with such keen interest they hadn’t heard her coming in - and now, for some reason, they were sitting on the laptop.

… All right. Dagon would assume that whatever they were looking at was a private matter and not ask, then. She cleared her throat and somehow managed to keep a straight face despite the utter surprise; she had never seen the Lord of the Flies caught so off-guard.

“What do you want!” Beelzebub barked, looking one step away from trying to turn her to ashes. Not that Hellfire could destroy a demon, of course, but it would hurt quite badly and Dagon liked it better when she was not hurt quite badly.

“I, uh, am here concerning the meeting to review the performance of our demons this month,” she said. “If it suits you, we can move the time--”

“You can chair that stupid meeting,” the Prince of Hell snapped. “Now leave. I’m busy.”

“Oh. Is it anything I can help wi--”

“You can help by chairing the meeting in my stead.”

“Ah. Does that mean I am authorized to choose who to punish and what bonuses to award--”

“You’re authorized to do whatever the Heaven you want, as long as you leave me now!”

The flies around Lord Beelzebub’s head buzzed furiously as though to underline the unspoken threat, and Dagon was clever enough not to argue further: a quick bow, and she was out of the throne room as fast as her legs could carry her while still maintaining some composure.

Once alone, Beelzebub let out a groan and rubbed their eyes. They stood, picked up the laptop from their throne, and opened it again. The screen was cracked, but then again the entire thing was so busted it was plainly not supposed to work in any capacity, and Beelzebub had yet to meet a piece of technology that would defy their order to work when they were supposed to.

It sure worked now, as Beelzebub turned it back on and to look at their most recent searches.

how to do courtship how to court human how to court idiot how to kiss human genitalia how penis work how vagina work how to have sex tutorial

The last one led to a rather educational video depicting a man and a woman on a large, round bed. If they squinted, the man even looked a little like Gabriel.

Beelzebub supposed it would do for now, in case they decided to acquire female genitalia for the occasion, but they were still on the fence about that and would probably need to seek more varied videos. Just to make sure they had grasped the main idea, of course.

“Unnecessarily complicated, is what all this is,” Beelzebub, Prince of Hell and Lord of the Flies, declared loudly. Then they leaned back on their throne, reached for one of the mugs Gabriel had bought them, and hit play again.

For research.

***

“Gabriel! It’s good to see you.”

“He doesn’t mean that,” Crowley muttered.

“Come, sit. I’ll make some tea.”

“Feel free to decline, we won’t mind.”

“Tea would be much appreciated, thank you,” Gabriel said, to Crowley’s annoyance, and sat, to his further annoyance, while entirely ignoring his remarks, to his utter annoyance. He looked around the cottage, and if he dared say anything about the decor Crowley would chew his head off, especially after seeing what kind of minimalistic nightmare Heaven was.

“This is… cozy,” Gabriel finally said after a slight hesitation, leaving Crowley just a little miffed that he didn’t, after all, get a good excuse to chew off his head. Yet.

“Oh, we’re still in the process of moving everything,” Aziraphale was saying, picking up the teapot he’d put on the stove only minutes before Gabriel had showed up at the bookstore. With the portal-door between the store and the cottage wide open, the sound of him knocking had carried over and Aziraphale had let him in before Crowley could stop it.

“We will keep the door open between here and my bookstore, it is such a convenient place to store all my books and I am not ready to give it up just yet. Crowley still needs to move some paintings out of his flat, that garish throne and the decoration he stole from a church--”

“I didn’t steal it, the church was bombed.”

“I remember. It was an eventful evening,” Aziraphale said lightly, putting the teapot on the table. “I almost got discorporated, but Crowley came to help me out. He saved us all upstairs so much paperwork.”

“Ah,” Gabriel said, clearly not sure what to say to that. “I mean-- thank you.”

Crowley gave him a long, unimpressed look, and he cleared his throat. “Anyway… where’s here, exactly?”

“That’s on a need-to-know basis and you don’t need to know,” Crowley said, crossing his arms. They both had agreed that neither Heaven nor Hell would ever know where their cottage was, and while Gabriel was technically part of neither, he still counted as a stuck-up archangel as far as Crowley was concerned. Now that he knew about the cottage, something would have to be done about the door connecting it to the bookstore. Maybe a seal, the kind that would keep out anyone who was not the two of them…

“It’s good to know you’re doing well,” Aziraphale was saying, clearly speaking for himself only, and poured tea in all three cups on the table despite the fact Crowley had elected not to sit yet, instead glaring at Gabriel in hopes he would feel uncomfortable enough to leave. “Now, what was that you mentioned about needing research books?” he asked, and brought the cup to his mouth.

“I need pornography books,” Gabriel declared, and the excellent tea Aziraphale had just sipped was sprayed right back out on the table in a fine mist. From his corner, Crowley raised both eyebrows up to almost his hairline.

Well. That was not what he’d expected to hear.

Aziraphale looked down at the mess on the table and on his own clothes before he gave Gabriel a very, very weary look. “You know, don’t you, that there really is no need for codes now?”

Gabriel shook his head. “No, no, it’s not a code. I do need some pornography books.”

Aziraphale stared.

“... For research. As I sa-- Aziraphale?”

No answer: Aziraphale stood, without a further word, and was out of the room within moments, hands up in the air. Whether to find someplace to scream in peace, stare at the wall for a few minutes while scrubbing the mental image out of his brain, or try to clean the tea off his clothes, Crowley was not sure.

He would check on him in a minute. First, he had questions.

“Research, huh?” he said, leaning on the table across a rather bewildered Gabriel, who had somehow expected a different reaction to him asking to borrow pornography books. He grinned, wide enough to almost make his cheeks hurt. There was some amazing mocking material there, he could feel it. “And who is this about? A new friend? A coworker?”

Still stunned by Aziraphale’s reaction, Gabriel answered without pausing a moment to ponder whether he should answer that question. “Beelzebub,” he said, like he was answering a question on what kind of tea he preferred.

Ah.

For a few moments Crowley could only stare, the grin frozen on his lips. He was startled out of it by a sound like breaking glass that, he realized rather belatedly, came from inside his own brain.

No. No no no no. Nope. Nope. Abort, abort.

“Angel!” he called out, his voice a little strangled, and went to search for Aziraphale to make him share with him whatever bleach he was now using on his brain. Behind him, Gabriel spoke up.

“Uh, so can I borrow a book--” he tried to ask, but a slamming door was the only reply he got for a good while.

***

“Oh, this is never going to come out…”

Aziraphale sighed, looking down at his waistcoat, whose front was currently drenched with tea. Of course he could miracle it away, with Gabriel no longer in the position of writing him strongly worded letters about frivolous miracles... but he could feel a headache build up just thinking about Gabriel and looking around for a clean napkin was a rather welcomed distraction.

Until Crowley stepped in, eyes wide.

“Beelzebub,” he blurted out, causing Aziraphale to nearly jump out of his skin and frantically look around. God knew, the last thing he needed to deal with was the Lord of the Flies in his bookstore.

“What-- where??”

“No, I mean--” Crowley let out a pained noise, rubbing his eyes like he hoped to get an awful image off his retinas. “It’s about Beelzebub. Gabriel’s research. On pornography.”

Ah.

“Ah,” Aziraphale said. He needed a few moments for what he’d just heard to entirely sink into his brain. When it did, he barely repressed a shudder. “That is… not… what I was expecting.”

“The Archangel Fucking Gabriel and Beelzebub. It’s in my brain now. Can you miracle it away?”

“I’m afraid that goes beyond my abilities,” Aziraphale said, reaching up to put a hand on his own head to calm the building headache. “If your head also hurts something awful, though, I can help with that. If you can get the tea out of my waistco-- oh. Thank you.” He smiled as Crowley took care of that with a snap of his fingers, the other hand still firmly on his eyes.

“You’re welcome. Now, can we throw him whatever book he wants and then throw him out?”

Aziraphale was very much opposed to throwing books, of course, but shoving a pornography book in Gabriel’s hands and firmly showing him the door seemed the best course of action.

***

“... I can explain.”

“No offence, but we’d really rather you do not.”

Gabriel shifted a little, a heavy leather-bound book in his arms. “Right. Well, er… thank you for the book. I’ll return it once I’ve--”

“Feel free to return it whenever. You’re very much welcome,” Aziraphale spoke quickly, and while he didn’t physically shove Gabriel through the door, he very much did get the message that he really wanted him to leave sooner rather than later. “Best of, er, luck. With your research,” he added quickly, and closed the door behind him.

Gabriel stood on the spot a few moments, blinking in slight confusion, but in the end he shrugged it off - maybe he had caught him in a busy moment - and opened the book to have a quick look.

… Huh. Could a mortal’s spine actually do that?

There was laughter, a couple of children running past him, and Gabriel immediately closed the book. Right, right - looking at pornography in public was frowned upon, so he ought to wait until he was back home. On the way back, he’d purchase a pen and notebook.

In case he needed to write something down.

***

Once their research was completed, Beelzebub was still not certain what it was about the act that so many humans found irresistible - but, they had to admit, their curiosity was piqued. Perhaps a carnal act with Gabriel would pave the way for his descent into Hell, perhaps it would not, but either way they would get to know what it precisely was about, so they would be getting something out of it.

The only thing for them to find out was whether Gabriel would be a willing participant, which was a rather important point because they may be the Prince of Hell but they also had standards. And, all things considered, they got the answer to that rather quickly: they couldn’t be many other reasons for Gabriel to be sitting at his desk with an open book full of pornographic images and a notebook half-filled with notes.

At least, they hoped they were not. Beelzebub found that the idea Gabriel might harbor carnal desire for someone else left them distinctly annoyed.

“I can explain,” Gabriel blurted out as soon as he recovered from the mini heart attack Beelzebub’s sudden appearance in flames and smoke had given in. Quick recovery, they had to give him that. “This is, uh-- this is-- research, for--”

“You’ve given my question some thought, I see.”

“Well--” he finally regained composure, and cleared his throat. “I have.”

“And…?”

“I’m not certain I do have those, uh, inclinations, but I’d be open to give it a try. If you’re so inclined,” he added quickly.

“I see,” Beelzebub said, their voice perfectly collected. Inwardly, however, they felt very much like a Jehovah's Witness who’d just been invited inside to talk after knocking: hadn’t really thought they would get that far and had already forgotten just about everything they had planned to do in the event. So they said nothing else, and stared.

Gabriel said nothing else. And stared.

Needless to say, that was not a promising start.

“... Which one?” Beelzebub finally asked.

“Huh?”

“Which set of genitalia.”

“Oh. I have--”

“I know what you have, I have seen you showering. I’m asking which one I should get now.”

“Ah.” Gabriel glanced at the book as though hoping to find an answer there. “Er… either? We can throw a coin,” he muttered, and dug a coin out of his pocket and handed it to them. “Head for penis and--”

Beelzebub threw the coin, caught it, and looked down at it. “Tails.”

“Right. Well--”

“Do not presume for even a moment I will allow you to be above me.”

“I’m not presuming, I just-- what are those?”

“Notes,” Beelzebub muttered, more than slightly irritated at having forgotten their own script. They shuffled through the clue cards they had pulled out of their back pockets, rather wishing their handwriting did not look like a dying fly had dragged itself across the paper after being dunked in ink.

“... Right. So we have come to the agreement we both consent. At this point, we’re supposed to--” they began, and trailed off when Gabriel did the unthinkable.

He laughed.

“What are you-- hey! Stop laughing!” Beelzebub buzzed furiously, their face suddenly really, really hot. They crumpled notes in their fist and glaring up at Gabriel. “Cease this instant!” they ordered, and were a moment away from kicking him in the shin - how dare he laugh at the Lord of the Flies? - when Gabriel spoke, his laugh dying down to a snicker.

“I-- heh. My apologies. I just--” he gestured to the papers crumpled in Beelzebub’s fist, and then at his own notebook on the desk. “One way or another, we end up with paperwork. I suspect humans are more spontaneous about it.”

Beelzebub huffed. “Well, I am not human,” they muttered, but the anger died down, and they crossed their arms. “If you don’t plan by the book, how do you know if you’re getting things right?”

“Well-- sometimes you don’t know. Humans take chances all the time.”

A scoff. “What a disgustingly human thing to say. Is that how your mind operates now?”

“... I do still find it somewhat frightening,” Gabriel said, quietly, and whatever mockery Beelzebub was about to utter next died in their throat. The look he was giving them was surprisingly open, and he looked painfully vulnerable.

In the end, when they spoke, their voice was just as quiet.

“You have no reason to be frightened,” they said, and burned the note in their fist, letting the ashes fall on the floor. “I usually do punish failure, but I’m willing to make you an exception, I suppose.”

A chuckle, and Gabriel lifted a hand, holding it up almost close enough to Beelzebub’s face to touch the skin. “May I?”

“... You may,” they replied. The touch was warm, foreign and familiar at the same time - did he touch their face like that a long time ago, when they were still Ba’al? - and leaning into it, finding out where it all led, was so very tempting. Ironic, considering that they were supposed to be the one doing the tempting and… and…

No.

“Wait.” Beelzebub reached up to brace a hand against Gabriel’s chest, keeping him at a distance. He immediately stopped, and looked down at them in confusion, their faces only inches apart. “There is a chance this may count as a serious sin.”

Stupid, stupid, stupid. Shouldn’t have told him. He’ll call it off.

Gabriel blinked, and the confused expression turned into a smile. “I figured,” he said, and tilted up their chin. “I think I’ll take the chance.”

… Well, they had given him a fair warning, so their conscience was clear. Would have been clear, if they had one. “You’re a fool,” the Prince of Hell informed him.

“I figured that too,” the fool replied.

What followed was a bit messier and significantly more complicated than expected, but given enough time and attempts, they did figure that out as well.

***

A good while after they had both caught their breath and Gabriel’s heart no longer felt like it was trying to burst out of his chest, Beelzebub had yet to say a word.

But they were still there, even if silent, accepting Gabriel’s arms around them and his quiet breathing against the nape of their neck, and he supposed that was a sure sign they had no complaints. In the end, he dared break the peaceful silence.

“Can you stay for the night?” he asked, his voice low.

“I am Prince of Hell. I can do as I wish.”

“... Do you wish to stay for the night?”

“I can’t see why not,” they conceded, causing Gabriel’s lips to curl into a smile. He said nothing, kissing the back of Beelzebub’s shoulder instead. Of course, they could tell he was smiling right away. “What are you smirking about?”

“Well, it was-- pleasant, was it not?”

Gabriel felt their light snort more than he heard it. “Bragging already, are you?” they muttered, and turned in his arms to face him. Their skin was pleasantly warm. “Do I have to remind you who was leading?”

Of course, there was no need. It wasn’t often that Gabriel found himself in the position of having to look up at the Lord of the Flies, and he hadn’t minded the change. He hadn’t minded at all.

“Oh, I never tried to take credit.” Gabriel dropped a kiss on the bridge of Beelzebub’s nose, gaining himself a frown and a buzzing noise - but no attempt at all to shove him off them. He was dimly aware of the fact that there was a folder in Hell bearing his name which perhaps had just gained a sin in red ink, but he found he couldn’t even begin to feel concern.

“Next time,” Beelzebub was saying, “I’ll try the other set of genitalia.”

“Heh. So there will be a next time?”

The Lord of the Flies did shove him at that, flat onto his back, before they rolled on top of him. They propped themselves up on their elbows, which rested on his chest. It wasn’t the most comfortable predicament, but Gabriel’s muscles still felt like cooked asparagus and he wouldn’t have bothered to protest for anything short of being raked over hot coals.

“We both have researched a great deal more than what we have put in practice, and I don’t see why the time spent on it should go to waste,” they said, tilting their head. “Don’t you agree?”

A smile, and Gabriel dared tilt up his head to try and catch their lips again. He missed, and his mouth rested briefly on their throat instead before he pulled them down against his chest.

“I do,” he murmured. “Wholeheartedly.”

***

“The heart is deceitful above all things and beyond cure. Who can understand it?” --Jeremiah 17:9

***

[Back]

[Next]

#good omens #ineffable bureaucracy #ineffable husbands #archangel gabriel #beelzebub #crowley #aziraphale #winging it

24 notes · View notes

arseneiic · 4 years ago

Text

Short, sweet, and to the point. Follow these rules and we all have a great time.

1. Mutuals only. I must be following you and you must be following me. Only those that I follow can like starter calls, send in character asks, and reply to posts.

1a. I will not interact with non-Mutuals, that includes asks, unless it’s done anonymously and it doesn’t have a url attached. Anyone who breaks this rule will get about a few pardons but after that will be blocked.

2. My time is limited here in what I can do. This means that I am very selective in what I reply to. Doesn’t necessary mean that I am ignoring anyone. Some days I reply to everything and everyone, others I am so burnt out from irl things or work that I just lurk and do the bare minimum. My mental health and well-being comes before anything else.

2a. Replies vary by length and time. I normally work eight to ten hours a day and experience a lot of exhaustion. Unless I don’t see a thread or an ask going anywhere and publicly make a post saying it’s been dropped, consider everything as pending / will do ASAP. Memes are okay to send in late unless it clearly states, not accepting. My timezone is Eastern Standard Time or EST. United States is where I am located at. I am usually online from 10 PM EST to 3 AM EST unless it’s a day off from work, which the online time will vary from 12 PM EST to 3 AM EST.

2b. Role-playing is a hobby, not a job. Do not pester me for replies or asks to be answered. I am not obligated to owe anyone anything on this website. I am human and can’t cater to everyone’s needs. Being persistent here is not going to make me answer yours faster than other people.

2c. Don’t follow, unfollow, and then refollow my blog. It’s not going to make me want to follow you back, ever. It’s annoying and no one is being crafty by doing that. If you continue to do this and it isn’t a tumblr glitch, I will be inclined to block and possibly report for spam.

3. If you do need to break mutuals with me, HARD BLOCK my blog. Don’t just UNFOLLOW or SOFT BLOCK because chances are that I could mistakenly follow you again. And that’s something we both don’t want since it would be quite awkward.

3a. I have the right to unfollow whoever I want to and so do you. Please don’t go on a hunt and try to guilt trip me into following you back again. Just don’t. I can and will tell you the reason why I unfollowed you but other than that, just let me leave in peace.

3b. Personal blogs and non RP blogs will be blocked on site. Please, if you have a side blog let me know through asks so I don’t accidentally block you. IMs are not a good way to let me know since they are closed for non-mutuals.

4. Duplicates are welcomed to follow me. The more the merrier. I do not suffer from same muse anxiety and encourage any of the same muse to follow me. Only request is that you don’t steal my headcanons, edits or icons. Other than that, we should all be able to have a good time. I’m always up for twin verses or alternate universes shenanigans.

4a. Original Characters are allowed to follow me. However, they need to be a little flesh out before I make a decision to follow them back or not. Just a small backstory or biography is all that I need. Headcanons also work if there isn’t an about page but must have about one page worth for me to consider following.

4b. Crossover Characters from other shows are allowed to follow me but I must know about said muse or else I’ll have a hard time whether to follow or not. Few fandoms I won’t interact with because I have no interest in these series are: Avatar the Last Airbender, Avatar the Legend of Korra. ( more to be added ).

5. I am a multi-ship blog. Arsene himself is ageless but his physical form is around 25 when he became a shadow / persona / demon and as such, I will only be shipping him romantically with muses around the 20s to 30s range. Some threads may get a little spicy but nothing that requires a ‘do not read at work’ type of posts. I will tag those post that are suggestive with a ‘spicy: tw & spicy for ts’ and ‘Looks like someone needs proper punishment’ for blacklisting purposes.

5a. I am open to all kinds of ships, not just romantic ones. I also enjoy platonic, rivalry, and familiar bonds. All ships are open to discussions through my IM(s) or otherwise known as Instant Messenger. Chemistry is key. As long as we interact a little, there’s always the chance that both muses can be in a relationship.

6. Things for you to tag for me are: BIRDS, CHAIN LETTERS, ORGANS, DOGS. For the birds and dogs, just in real life ones trigger me. I am fine with cartoon / art / video game ones as they are not real.

6a. Things I’ll tag for you: BLOOD, GORE, DEATH, BODY HORROR, EYE HORROR, INSECTS, MAGGOTS, BRUISES, SCARS, GUNS, KNIVES, CLOWNS. If there are anything I missed that you want tagged, please let me know through IM(s).

7. I am over the age of eighteen. However, I refuse to write smut as I am not comfortable with that subject to begin with. Please never force me to write this with you and if you keep sending things to me in this type of nature, I will report you, no questions asked.

7a. If I see any form of hate and I find out it was you that sent it, I will immediately BLOCK you. No questions asked. Life is too short to send unwanted hate, anon or not. All anon hate and hate towards me and my characters ( s ) in general will be reported and then blocked, no questions asked.

8. My pen name on here is SERE. Obviously, that is not my real name but it’s what I go by. It’s short for ‘Serena’, the English name that DIC gave Usagi Tsukino in the Americanized version of Sailor Moon. It’s pronounced; SIR-REE.

9. I am not a meme source. If you need to reblog a meme from my blog and don’t plan to send me anything, reblog from the source. I hardly get asks as it is, and for you to just use me as a meme source puts a bad taste in my mouth and I feel like I’m being used, which isn’t a good feeling. If you wonder if you should send in a meme to me, please do. I love getting asks. I do hoard them from time to time like a dragon hoards treasure but I do get to them eventually. The more memes / asks, the merrier.

9a. Feel free to turn inbox replies into threads. Just remember to make separate post when replying. Do not reblog threads not meant for you and don’t reblog my headcanons. It’s okay to reblog my asks though if you want them to be keepsakes on your own blog. Also, it’s alright to reblog musings and images from me.

10. I rather not be bothered by callout posts and any potential drama that might accumulate. I am just here to have fun and I hope everyone else can too. Life is too short to spend on certain things that don’t matter in the long run. If I see multiple call out posts from you in a single day or that’s all you post, I will quietly unfollow you.

11. Out of character posts will be on here from time to time. Mostly talking about life in general or me venting once in a great while. If this annoys you, please remember that this is my blog, not yours. You are welcomed to unfollow / block at any time.

11a. The best way to interact with me is to send memes / asks / inbox things. I am always up for unprompted things in my inbox. Also, my instant messenger is always open if someone needs to contact me out of character or to plot something. Don’t hesitate to talk to me. I will try my best to respond.

11b. Not interacting after a month or two with me and my blog will make me silently unfollow you or result in a soft block. Or if you don’t interact with me at all, even out of character. Also, if you are gone for more than 6 months, I consider your blog inactive and will probably assume that you aren’t going to return.

12. I’m really laid-back in nature so don’t feel pressure to reply to anything I send to you. I understand that life happens and that sometimes you just need to unwind from the stress of daily life.

13. For pronouns; either SHE/HER or THEY/THEM is okay with me. My orientation is DEMIROMANTIC ASEXUAL. I love anime, manga, video games, music, drawing, and writing. If you read all of this, then thank you! I won’t ask for passcodes but please still try to remember these at some point. That’s all I ask. <3.

( rules may be updated from time to time so please check here once in awhile. I will also post when these are updated as well ).

#long post: tw #rules;;#laws;;#mobile rules;;#mobile laws;;

2 notes · View notes

arpan-chaudhary · 4 years ago

Text

GetResponse Review & Pricing(2021)

GetResponse

Review & Pricing (2021) – Complete Email Marketing Solution

EMAIL MARKETING, PRODUCT REVIEWS

What’s the first thing that comes to mind when you hear the word “email marketing software”?

Most people think of a tool that could help them manage email contacts, send email campaigns, and create autoresponders to keep their audience engaged.

But what if a tool goes beyond traditional email marketing and becomes your complete marketing automation suite?

What if you could track user activity, design event-based automation sequences, build landing pages, host webinars, and serve customized content that convinces your subscribers to take action – all with one tool?

Well, that’s GetResponse for you.

It’s not as often discussed as ActiveCampaign, Drip, or even MailChimp, but it is one of the most feature-rich and powerful email marketing and automation tools available at a very reasonable price.

You can try its free 30-day trial (no credit card required) to explore its features in detail and determine whether it’s the right choice for you.

But to make your decision easier, this GetResponse review will dissect the product in detail, discuss its most powerful features, share its pros and cons, and analyze its pricing structure so that you know exactly what it offers.

Let’s dive in.

What Is GetResponse?

GetResponse, in operation since 1998, is one of the oldest and most well-known email marketing companies in the world.

But old doesn’t mean outdated.

GetResponse has continued to evolve over the years and offers a visually appealing and user-friendly interface along with advanced email marketing and automation features that are at par with any of its competitors.

It’s a versatile tool that, in effect, is a combination of several different tools under one name. For example, you can host and run webinars in it, create landing pages, design opt-in forms, and set up complete off-site automation sequences.

For many of those features, you’d need separate tools.

In GetResponse, however, you get all of them together.

It was also one of the first email marketing tools to introduce advanced A/B testing features that help you determine which email version is likely to perform better with your audience.

This is why it’s trusted by more than 35000 customers around the world including brands like IKEA and Hilton, and marketers like Neil Patel, Leslie Samuels, and Marcus Taylor.

Let’s dissect the tool further to see what it offers.

The Key Features and Benefits of GetResponse

The real strength of any email marketing software is determined by how much control it gives you in terms of audience personalization, targeting, and, email deliverability.

GetResponse excels in all those areas (plus many other great features)

Manage Your Contacts With Tags and Custom Fields

GetResponse lets you manage your contacts using tags and custom fields.

Custom fields let you collect additional information about your subscribers and use it in creating more personalized campaigns. For example, in addition to the standard “First Name” and “Email Fields”, you can add fields like Gender, City, Currency, Favorite Movie or whatever information you want.

This information goes right into your contact database and you can use it when creating an email campaign. For example, you can use the “City” or “Gender” fields to make your emails sound more relevant to your subscribers.

Tags, on the other hand, are keywords you assign to your contacts to identify them for certain behaviors or actions. For example, you can assign a “Likes Me” tag to any subscriber who regularly opens your emails and clicks on your links.

How does this help?

Instead of launching email campaigns targeting complete subscriber lists, you can create campaigns that are targeted towards the subscribers with certain behaviors (identified by tags).

You can also automatically assign tags to your existing contacts or new leads and add them automatically to different automation sequences.

It all sounds very complex but it really isn’t once you start using it.

Use Advanced Segmentation for Better Targeting

Segmented marketing campaigns are proven to deliver more targeted messaging and better results.

According to WordStream, segmented email marketing campaigns drive a 101% higher click- rate as compared to non-segmented campaigns.

Thankfully, GetResponse gives you detailed segmentation features using which you can create campaigns tailored to the specific needs of your audience.

You can create segments based on email open rate, last opened date, last clicked, location, completion of an email sequence, pages visited on your site, tags assigned, etc.

To create a segment, simply run an advanced search in your contact list and save it as a segment.

For example, you can create a segment of subscribers who signed up to your list but never opened your Welcome Email. Or the ones that opened your Welcome Email but didn’t click on the link inside.

You can also use a combination of different conditions to come up with more refined audience segments that can be targeted for different campaigns.

Create Complex Automation Sequences With Ease

Automation is among the key features of any email marketing tool these days. Companies like Drip, ActiveCampaign, Infusionsoft, etc. have grown tremendously over the years on the back of their advanced automation features.

GetResponse isn’t far behind either.

It offers you all the tools you need to send fixed scheduled or activity-based autoresponders to your audience which are triggered by different actions/inaction.

For example, you can set up a simple sequence of emails that is sent to your subscribers automatically when they sign up to your list, download a content upgrade, or do not open a certain email.

You can use this feature to create complete email courses that are automatically delivered to your subscribers or create autoresponder series to promote different affiliate products.

Use Advanced User Tracking To Maximize Engagement and Revenue

This is where GetResponse truly shines.

Apart from traditional email marketing, it gives you powerful user tracking capabilities that allow you to target your subscribers based on their activities on your website.

To start tracking, all you need to do is to copy/paste a simple script to your site’s HTML code that works in the same way as Facebook Pixel. It’ll track your website visitors and allow you to engage them based on their behavior.

For example, if a subscriber visits your product page but goes away without purchasing the product, you can immediately send a follow-up email asking them to buy the product.

Or you could trigger a complete automation sequence if a subscriber reads a certain blog post on your site or downloads a lead magnet.

You can also assign tags and segments based on the subscriber’s activity on your website.

This feature gives you much deeper access to your subscribers and allows you to engage with them at exactly the right time.

Create Complete Marketing and Sales Funnels With AutoFunnels

AutoFunnels is a recent but powerful new feature in Getresponse that has turned it into a marketing automation powerhouse.

With AutoFunnels you can create complete sales funnels, lead generation funnels, and webinar funnels in just a few simple steps.

What is a funnel?

In sales & marketing terminology, a funnel is a sequence of different steps using which strangers are converted into subscribers, subscribers are turned into leads, and leads are turned into customers and brand advocates.

Source: ZeroGravityMarketing

With AutoFunnels you can create optimized sales funnels that carefully nurture your leads at every step by sending them targeted messaging and ultimately converting them into customers.

These are fully automated sequences that are based on advanced If-Then-Else conditions and respond to the different actions of your audience.

You can build these automation sequences using the simple drag & drop sequence builder that makes it really easy to visualize complex funnel sequences.

In the right panel on the image above, you can see the different elements that trigger various funnel stages, for example, “Subscribed via URL”, “Link Clicked” etc.

You can drag & drop these triggers and add them to your sequences. Using Yes/No conditions you can determine different steps that the funnel campaign would follow.

It really simplifies the whole process of condition-based automation.

AutoFunnels comes with a complete range of design templates and predesigned scenarios.

Each scenario comes with optimized copy scripts written by expert copywriters and tested for maximum audience engagement.

You only need to activate the scenarios depending on your business needs, and tailor them to your campaign.

Design High Converting Landing Pages Within Minutes

Apart from email marketing, you can use GetResponse as a really useful landing page designer as well.

Landing pages come really useful when you’re launching new products, trying to build your email list, promoting special offers, or holding an event like a webinar or a live video session.

It offers a complete landing page design library that has dozens of beautifully designed and fully responsive templates you can use to create, host, and launch high converting landing pages.

The thing I love about this is the drag & drop landing page designer you can use to either edit the predesigned templates or create one completely from scratch.

You can host your landing pages for free on GetResponse with a subdomain or configure them on your own website URL.

The tool also comes with extensive split testing capabilities that help you improve your designs and use the most optimized version of your landing page for your campaigns.

Additionally, you can integrate the landing pages with PayPal, Stripe and other major payment gateways to collect customer payments seamlessly.

Create, Host, and Manage Large Scale Webinars

Webinars are rated among the most effective ways to generate leads and acquire customers. B2B companies, in particular, use webinars frequently for different marketing campaigns.

With GetRepsonse, you get a complete webinar management system that allows you to create host, track, and manage high-performance webinars with ease.

With Getresponse, you can broadcast your webinars live on YouTube or Facebook without any additional plugins.

It also gives you the ability to share files with your audience, send/receive chat messages, use different calls to action during the broadcast, use interactive whiteboards, run split-screen webinars, or partially share your screen with the attendees.

Once the webinar is over, you can allow replays, direct downloads, or sell them as paid products on a landing page.

All of this comes with detailed analytics and audience insights that you can use afterward to further improve your marketing strategy.

Grow Your Email List With Smart Opt-In Forms

You can’t use email marketing unless you have subscribers.

The more engaged and relevant your subscribers are, the more effective your email marketing campaigns will be.

With GetResponse, you have the ability to create attractive opt-in forms on various locations of your website to turn visitors into subscribers.

Its form builder has several predesigned form templates that you can customize and use on your website.

The pop-ups can be activated on fixed time intervals or when a visitor is about to close the browser tab.

Forms can be connected with your email lists from where you can apply different automation sequences, add them to a funnel or send them to an autoresponder series.

Manage The Complete Customer Lifecycle With GetResponse CRM

For enterprise users, GetResponse also offers a complete CRM that seamlessly integrates with your email marketing system and makes it much easier to manage customer communication.

The system lets you manage all your leads in one place, gives you the complete communication timeline, simplifies customer lifecycle management, and gives you a holistic view of your client base.

These were just some of the key features that GetReponse offers in its different pricing plans.

But what exactly are those plans?

Let’s explore the pricing structure in the next section.

GetResponse Pricing & Free Trial – How Much Does It Cost?

With the number of features GetResponse offers, it’s pricing structure seems quite reasonable. The lowest plan starts from $15/month for 1000 subscribers. The rate goes up as your subscriber base increases which means you can increase spending as your business grows.

And here’s the best part.

There are no email sending limits in any of the pricing plans which is great for small businesses in particular.

Here’s a quick look at the pricing structure.

You can save 18% on the total price if you follow an annual billing cycle and 30% if you pay for 2 years upfront.

But things get even better.

To get a taste of what each plan offers, you can sign up for a Free 30-Day Trial without any credit card or payment information. Play with the features, explore the tool, and see if it’s the right choice for you.

In all the plans, you get access to basic automation, contact tagging, automated followups, 200+ email templates, 150+ landing page designs, and 5000 stock photos.

However, advanced features like AutoFunnels, Webinar Funnels, Website Tracking, CRM, etc. are available only to the higher paid plans.

Considering that any beginner level marketer would rarely need advanced automation and CRM this isn’t a major issue.

Overall, you could call the pricing structure of GetResponse, affordable and scalable.

GetResponse Advantages – The Things I Love About It

There’s a lot to like about GetResponse in terms of features, support, and accessibility.

Here are some of our favorite things about it.

A Wide Range of Third-Party App Integrations

GetResponse gives you more than 150 third party integrations with different payment gateways, eCommerce plugins, content management systems, inventory management apps, and many other useful services.

All the apps are divided into different categories can be easily linked/unlinked from your account.

The payment and CMS integrations, like PayPal, Stripe, and Shopify, etc. are useful in particular since almost every marketer needs them.

Awesome Customer Support and Knowledgebase

GetResponse has one of the best customer support functions in the email marketing industry. For the Basic, Plus, and Professional pricing plans, you get 24/7 chat and email support. For Enterprise customers, there’s a dedicated relationship manager as well.

But you’d rarely need support because GetResponse has a detailed customer training program and knowledgebase that covers almost everything you need to know.

You can also enroll for free in a detailed video course on how to use GetResponse to grow your email list and make the best use of it.

On top of that, GetResponse has an awesome blog that regularly publishes detailed articles and tutorials about content marketing, email marketing, conversion optimization, customer success, and many other related topics.

So there’s certainly no shortage of support for you as a GetResponse customer

Great A/B Testing Features

GetResponse was one of the pioneers of split testing features in the email marketing industry. And it’s clearly still one of the market leaders in it.

Whether it’s a one-time campaign or different automation sequences, you can run A/B tests to find out the best converting options.

You can test everything from your subject lines, headlines, and body text to the design template, sending times, and custom fields.

Split testing features also available for opt-in boxes, forms, and landing pages.

Ideal for Affiliate Marketers

Unlike MailChimp and some of the other leading email marketing tools, GetResponse is a lot friendlier towards affiliate marketers.

Several leading email marketing tools strictly prohibit affiliate product promotions and suspend user accounts in case of any violation.

GetResponse is different.

You can easily promote products from ClickBank, JVZoo, CJ, and other leading affiliate platforms to your email list using GetResponse and build a complete affiliate marketing business on it.

You can also configure autoresponder sequences for different affiliate products, run contests, promotions, etc.

This is why it’s an ideal platform for anyone involved in the affiliate marketing business.

A Flexible and Rewarding Affiliate Program

GetResponse itself has a pretty attractive and rewarding affiliate program for anyone who wants to promote it as an affiliate.

It offers two kinds of commission structures – One Time Commission and Recurring Commissions

If you opt for the one-time commission program, you’ll get a flat $100 commission every time your referral becomes a customer.

But if you choose the recurring commission program, you’ll keep receiving 33%, of the pricing plan your referral chooses, every month as long as they’re using GetResponse.

Signing up as an affiliate is also simple and takes just a few steps.

As an affiliate, you’ll also get access to detailed marketing material that you can use to create high converting affiliate campaigns.

GetResponse Disadvantages – The Things They Need To Improve

GetResponse is a great tool but it has some flaws and potential improvement areas.

No Community Groups

It was somewhat surprising to find that GetResponse doesn’t have any active official community groups on Facebook or any other platform where their customers can interact, share ideas, and resolve complaints.

Considering the quality of their customer support (which is great) this is a slight let down since community groups are a really useful way to exchange ideas and understand new ways to use a product.

Design and Functionality Limitations in Forms

Some of the opt-in form template designs look a bit dated. In fact, since GetResponse has been around for so long, many of their form designs are so common you can easily tell if a site is using GetResponse.

Plus, they currently do not offer Welcome Mats and Sliding Opt-In boxes which is a big let down.

No Refunds

GetResponse comes with a 30-Day Free Trial for all its plans.

But once you sign up and pay, there’s no refund in case you quit the service a few days after signing up.

Who Is GetResponse For?

GetResponse is a complete marketing automation suite that is ideal for a number of objectives. Typically it is best for.

Affiliate marketers

Bloggers

Small business websites

eCommerce companies

Online course creators

Marketers who frequently use landing pages and webinars

Non-profit organizations

Complete beginners in online marketing

Who Is GetResponse Not For?

There are a few things GetResponse is not meant for. You should stay away if you’re into any of the following

Mass emailing campaigns to unverified contact lists

Buying email lists and sending spam regularly

Affiliates promoting adult or gambling products

Anyone looking for advanced funnel creation options (ClickFunnels is a better option. Read our complete review here)

GetResponse – Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)

Below are the most common questions people have about GetResponse.

– What is email marketing?

Email marketing is one of the most effective online marketing techniques in which targeted marketing messages are sent via email to well-defined audience segments.

– What is marketing automation?

In online marketing terminology, marketing automation is the process of attracting targeted leads to an email funnel, sending them conditional messages based on their actions and preferences, retargeting them on third-party platforms, and qualifying the leads based on their conversion probability.

– What is Get Response?

GetResponse is a leading email marketing automation software that gives you all the tools and features to build, grow, and engage a highly targeted email subscriber base and turn it into lifelong customers.

– Is

GetResponse

free?

GetResponse offers a 30-Day free trial during which you can use and explore the tool.

– How much does

GetResponse

cost?

GetResponse offers different pricing slabs based on the number of subscribers and product features. You can check out the detailed pricing structure here.

– What are the top

GetResponse

alternatives?

The most popular alternatives to GetResponse are Aweber, ActiveCampaign, and Mailchimp.

– Does

GetResponse

integrate with ClickFunnels?

Yes, GetResponse can be integrated with ClickFunnels.

– Does

GetResponse

have an affiliate program?

Yes, GetResponse offers an attractive affiliate program in which you can either opt for $100 per sale (one-time) or 33% recurring commission for every sale.

– Is

GetResponse

better than MailChimp?

Both GetResponse and Mailchimp are popular tools with their own sets of pros and cons. However, most marketers seem to believe GetResponse has more powerful and diverse email marketing features.

– Is

GetResponse

better than Aweber?

Aweber is a leading email marketing tool that has been around for years. However, GetResponse appears to be the more user-friendly tool with a modern look and better automation features.

The Verdict – GetResponse Is an Email Marketing Powerhouse

Despite being one of the oldest tools in the market, GetResponse is still a strong competitor in the email marketing industry.

It offers all the mainstream email marketing options plus several advanced marketing automation features as well.

Its webinar and landing page builders, in particular, make it an enticing option for internet marketers. And the fact that it encourages affiliate product promotions is another attraction for most online businesses.

Overall, you can call it a complete package for any business that’s looking to grow its subscriber base.

Plus, its affordable pricing and 30-Day Free trial make it a product worth trying. Because in case you don’t like it (which is unlikely) you can simply close your account without paying anything.

So go ahead and sign up for your free GetResponse trial now.

If you have any other questions, feel free to ask in the comments section

#digital marketing #email marketing #digital marketing tool #get response #digital marketing strategy #email marketing tools #email management #online make money #online marketing

2 notes · View notes

bsd-rarepairweek · 5 years ago

Text

Rarepair week 2020 Rules and FAQ

Below you will find the updated and clarified FAQ. This is a long post so make sure you read it carefully before sending any asks.

Rules

1. Please put all nsfw fics under a “read more” and include a basic description of the content (just a fic summary like on AO3). However, for nsfw art, tags and warnings will suffice. Any content that involves ageing up underage characters for the explicit purpose of shipping them romantically or sexually with any character over 18 will not be reblogged. For the sake of not being hypocritical this applies to all pairings with no exceptions.

2. If you are making an edit/graphic/video that utilizes art created by other artists, please make sure you obtain explicit permission to use their work. We will not reblog any submissions that contain plagiarism. (Using someone else’s work as inspiration is allowed).

3. Due to the fact that Soukoku and Shin Soukoku are the most popular ships with one having over 7000 fics and the other over 1700 as well as countless art, we are encouraging other ships. Soukoku and Shin Soukoku are permitted to show up in your submission, but not as the main ship or focus.

4. Remember to tag your submission with #bsd rarepairweek and #day [number] so we can reblog it! However, please keep in mind that if we don’t reblog a submission, it will be because a) the mods missed it in the tags or b) the submission included rape, incest, or pedophilia. These three topics will not be reblogged for personal reasons with mods and a number of participants in the week.

5. Please tag any genderbends with #genderbend. This would allow anyone uncomfortable with the concept to blacklist. (Trans headcanons do not need any tagging!)

6. Finally, due to a high volume of harassment and threats received last year by anonymous users in our inbox we ask that you are respectful and understanding of these rules. They exist so that the moderators (some of whom are minors) are comfortable with running this week as we cannot block any content since we are the ones having to sort through the reblogs. Due to this we will be primarily answering asks that are clarifications on rules and for the comfort of the majority of participants and the moderators these rules are not up for debate.

FAQ

Q: “Do time zones affect when rarepairweek starts?”

A: What time zone you live in and whether or not it’s different from the mods’ doesn’t matter. Rarepairweek begins for everyone on June 1st this year (2020). We will also be accepting submissions for a week after it initially ends (June 14th).

Q: “How do I know if my ship counts as a rarepair?“

A: This is up to your own discretion. However, considering the proportions of fics on AO3, Soukoku currently has ~7700 and shin soukoku has ~1700 we would encourage people to avoid ships such as those due to the sheer volume of content creators.

Q: “What are some examples of things that will not be reblogged?”

A: We will not be sharing any content involving rape, incest, and pedophilia. Anything that is glorifying or absolving Mori of his history of abusive tendencies towards younger characters will not be accepted as it has been every year. This is not up for debate among moderators. If you have fanfic or fanart involving intense or graphic violence just tag it or include warnings (or place it below a cut on a post) and we should be fine.

Q: “How do I submit my work?”

A: Please tag your submission with #bsd rarepairweek and #day [number] and we will reblog it onto this blog. Note, however, that we may not reblog all submissions for the following reasons: a) the mods missed them in the tag b) they contain potentially triggering or disturbing content.

Q: “Can I send in submissions through the submit box?”

A: You are encouraged to send in submissions by posting them in the tags we track rather than sending them through the submit box for the sake of easy source attribution, however, if you do not have a tumblr account or wish to be anonymous for whatever reason, you may use the submit box to submit fanworks.

Q: “Can I submit more than one thing per day?”

A: Yes! Of course! The purpose of this blog is to create more content for ships that don’t usually have as much– so if you have more to share, please do!

Q: “Can I combine prompts from the same day in my work?”

A: Yes!

Q: "Can I submit a fanwork for a day after it has passed/can I still submit something after Rarepair Week is over?”

A: We will still be accepting and reblogging submissions for one week after Rarepair Week is over. However, you are encouraged to make rarepair content all throughout the year (because lets face it, there’s never enough content ;-;).

Q: “Can I submit ot3/poly ships?“

A: Of course!

Q: “Can I submit content for platonic rather than romantic ships?” A: Absolutely!

#//long post #bsd rarepair week #announcements #rules #faq

24 notes · View notes

magic-is-something-we-create · 5 years ago

Text

Get to know me tag!

I was tagged by @hannahs-creations in the original post!!! Thank you, Hannah! sorry im a bit late with it haha

Rules: Answer the questions and tag a few people!

I got a bit long-winded on these answers, so I’ll put them behind a readmore!

1. What made you decide to start writing or arting (assuming you write or do art)?

I can’t say I ever consciously decided to start writing - I’ve just always loved reading, and when I first got a school assignment for a creative story, I decided I never wanted to stop!

In terms of art, though, it was sparked by a similar thing: the Dragonology book. My first story was about a dragon in there, and part of that assignment was to make illustrations to accompany it, and I decided I needed to learn how to draw dragons. From there, I just fell in love with making a blank page into something I could look at and enjoy, and I’ve been drawing ever since!

2. What do you like to do more: photo editing or video editing?

Oh, this is a hard one... Video editing is fun for me, especially because, when I make videos, I tend to do speedpaints with commentary, and cutting my ramblings down to a manageable size is so satisfying. On the other hand, I like taking fairly mundane pictures and making them magical...

I’d say, for satisfaction levels, video editing wins. For the actual process, I think photo editing is my favorite!

3. Which do you prefer: YouTube or TikTok?

YouTube, 100%. The only TikToks I’ve ever seen have been sent to me by friends, and I don’t particularly like short videos like that? If it were Vine, though, Vine would win ;aslkdjf

4. How many books have you read in the last 5 years?

A lot, LOL

My favorite have been Six of Crows, The Stormlight Archive, Red rising, and The Fallen Empire!

5. Do you tend to post more cheery/cutesy things, silly things or more serious things to your blog?

I think silly things are the most common? I like to meme with my WIPs, since I just. love meme culture. And I like making jokes about things - it’s a quick and easy way to get myself to smile!

6. How long have you been on Tumblr? Just ramble for a minute about some changes you’ve noticed about the site.

I made my first Tumblr blog in 2013, and I kept that one up until about April of last year, I think, before I decided to remake.

The biggest change I’ve seen is the shift from sharing things to consuming things, in terms of like, reblog to like ratios and whatnot. Also, the amount of discourse has stayed about the same, but it’s changed in subject for the most part. But fandom discourse is still pretty much the same, just with different shows, now.

Also, reaction gifs have faded out of use pretty heavily since I started. At least, in the areas I’ve been in.

7. If the staff of tumblr came up to you, genuinely wanting advice on how to improve the site, what advice/request(s) would you give them?

I would tell them to rename likes into bookmarks. Also, lift the nsfw ban, and make it so that in order for 18+ blogs to be viewed, the user has to be 18+. Yes, people lie about their age, but so many sex workers lost their audiences and sources of income because of it, and it legitimately threw away a third of the userbase in one hit.

Also, no matter the pressures from other social sites, don’t make this site less anonymous. It’s one of the beauties of Tumblr - I’m never going to have a boss find my blog and know for sure that it’s me.

8. What was the most challenging thing about starting your favorite hobby? How did you get past it, if you ever did?

Well, at the time I started drawing, the biggest obstacle was finding a way to learn. The art classes in school were never trying to teach us how to draw something, just showing us that we could. I ended up getting “How to draw manga” books and looking up stuff on YouTube.

9. What do you think other people think of when they think of you? For instance, with me, most people think about either tomatoes, chinchillas or black cats, depending on the person and how long they’ve known me.

Well, I hope they think of my jokes, first of all a;lskdjf;aslkdfj

But in terms of like, objects or animals? Sketchbooks, pride flags, and dinosaurs.

10. If every animal except one specific species went extinct but you got to pick which one didn’t go extinct, which species would you pick?

Hmmmmmmm... probably Komodo Dragons. I really like big lizards :)

11. What do YOU feel makes the world go round?

Laughter! Or, really, anything that makes people smile!

12. What would you say to a person if you heard them talking shit about your best friend?

This has actually happened before, and they were saying it to my face without knowing we were best friends. I sat there, nodded along, and when they were done, just said “You know they’ve been my best friend for like, 7 years, right?”

They went so pale it was kind of funny.

13. What is the nicest thing anyone has ever said to you that has stuck with you?

This was more something they did, but when I was going through a nasty friend break up, I texted them, and within 5 minutes they were at my house, texting that person furiously, and letting me cry on them, even though they’re not a very emotional person themself ;-; I felt so loved in that moment, you have no idea.

14. What was the greatest piece of life advice you’ve ever gotten?

You have the rest of your life to wake up and decide who you’re going to be that day, and you should never feel bad about changing who that is from one day to the next.

It was said in the context of me realizing that I wasn’t genderfluid, I was transmasc, and my ongoing crisis over whether I’m fully a guy, or if I’m a bit more fluid than that. It’s helped me a lot with accepting that I might not have all the answers right now, and I don’t need all the answers all the time.

15. What one or two aspects of your childhood personality would you bring back to your current personality if you could?

Honestly? My willingness to just make things, and not care about how they turned out. I made so much art that I cringe at now, but I was learning, and that’s all that matters, really.

Okay, this was long, but I’m going to tag: @nothingisliteral, @violetcancerian, and @morgan-s-writes! Apologies if you’ve been tagged before, and as always, no pressure, and if you want to hop in, feel free to say I tagged you!!

#tag game #aboutthewarlord

1 note · View note

trickstruth-a · 5 years ago

Text

Rules

Short, sweet, and to the point. Follow these rules and we all have a great time.

1. Mutuals only. I must be following you and you must be following me. Only those that I follow can like starter calls, send in character asks, and reply to posts.

3b. Personal blogs and non RP blogs will be blocked on sight. Please, if you have a side blog let me know through asks so I don’t accidentally block you. IMs are not a good way to let me know since they are closed for non-mutuals.

5. I am a multi-ship blog. All ships are separate in their own standings. Goro is 17 in the ORIGINAL game and ROYAL remake. I will only ship him romantically with muses that are in the ages between 15 years to 17 years of age ( for the ORIGINAL and ROYAL remake only ).

5b. Is there any ship that you do NOT want forced on you?: I personally don’t ship AkeShu / ShuAke ( the Protagonist x Goro Akechi ). Please don’t force this ship on me. I’ll only except a slow burn for both characters and only that when both the other mun and myself agree to do this.

6. Things for you to tag for me are: BIRDS, CHAIN LETTERS, ORGANS, DOGS. For the birds and dogs, just irl ones trigger me. I am fine with cartoon / art / video game ones as they are not real.

6a. This blog will contain sensitive themes from time to time. However, I will tag common things like those mentioned below. If you need anything tagged, please let me know through instant messaging / IMs. Things I’ll tag for you are but not limited to: BLOOD, GORE, DEATH, BODY HORROR, EYE HORROR, INSECTS, MAGGOTS, BRUISES, SCARS, GUNS, KNIVES, CLOWNS.

7. I am over the age of eighteen. However, I refuse to write smut as I am not comfortable with that subject to begin with and Goro is a minor. Please never force me to write this with you and if you keep sending things to me in this type of nature, I will report you, no questions asked.

8. My pen name on here is SERE. Obliviously, that is not my real name but it’s what I go by. It’s short for ‘Serena’, the English name that DIC gave Usagi Tsukino in the Americanized version of Sailor Moon. It’s pronounced; SIR-REE.

10. I usually am not considered spoiler free. However, I do tag recent released games, which is Persona 5 Scramble. All other games in the Persona 5 series ( original game, dancing in starlight, pq2, and royal ) will NOT be tagged. Follow at your own risk to avoid spoilers.

10a. Knowledge in the Persona series is about ABOVE AVERAGE, please don’t keep pointing out mistakes. I know and will correct them due time.

10b. Please tag the popular ship AkeShu / ShuAke ( Goro Akechi x Persona 5 Protagonist ) / ( Persona 5 Protagonist x Goro Akechi ). I am not a fan of this ship at all and would request it to tagged at all times. Tags can be as simple as ‘akeshu’ and ‘shuake’.

11. I rather not be bothered by callout posts and any potential drama that might accumulate. I am just here to have fun and I hope everyone else can too. Life is too short to spend on certain things that don’t matter in the long run. If I see multiple call out posts from you in a single day or that’s all you post, I will quietly unfollow you.

12. Out of character posts will be on here from time to time. Mostly talking about life in general or me venting once in a great while. If this annoys you, please remember that this is my blog, not yours. You are welcomed to unfollow / block at any time.

12a. The best way to interact with me is to send memes / asks / inbox things. I am always up for unprompted things in my inbox. Also, my instant messenger is always open if someone needs to contact me out of character or to plot something. Don’t hesitate to talk to me. I will try my best to respond.

12b. Not interacting after a month or two with me and my blog will make me silently unfollow you or result in a soft block. Or if you don’t interact with me at all, even out of character. Also, if you are gone for more than 6 months, I consider your blog inactive and will probably assume that you aren’t going to return.

13. I’m really laid-back in nature so don’t feel pressured to reply to anything I send to you. I understand that life happens and that sometimes you just need to unwind from the stress of daily life.

14. For pronouns; either SHE/HER or THEY/THEM is okay with me. My orientation is DEMIROMANTIC ASEXUAL. I love anime, manga, video games, music, drawing, and writing. If you read all of this, then thank you! I won’t ask for passcodes but please still try to remember these at some point. That’s all I ask. <3.

**DISCLAIMERS.

This revived blog has been established since May 23rd, 2020. Independent and not affiliated with any role play group. Written by SERE.

( rules may be updated from time to time so please check here once in awhile. I will also post when these are updated as well ).

#long post: tw #[ Hi. Welcome to Chili's. OOC ]#rules;;#laws;;#rules / laws;;

1 note · View note

bugheadfamily · 7 years ago

Text

In light of reports of stolen creations within our fandom, the question of how our community will handle instances of this going forward has become a concern. We operate with a goal to support, encourage, and unite fans and creators. With that in mind, many fandom entities (including this one) have come to the following conclusion: We have a zero tolerance policy on theft of creative works. That includes plagiarism and theft of art and graphic media. We have put together this message to clarify, to the best of our ability, what those things mean, in a hope to educate and prevent creative theft from occurring.

What constitutes theft of creative works?

PLAGIARISM: The simple definition is "the practice of taking someone else's literary work or ideas and passing them off as one's own." That includes stealing the "language, thoughts, ideas, or expressions" and the representation of them as one's own original work." There are a few clarifications we can give on this.

If you sample a direct passage from another source, word for word, it would need to be quoted and credited correctly (with the exception of things like common colloquialisms, expressions, cliches, and open source works)

Paraphrasing can also be plagiarism. "There is no time in which you should be altering the words of a source in hopes of making them original." [x]

Plagiarism can occur even without copying or paraphrasing of text. Ideas, concepts, and information can be plagiarized as well. If it's not common knowledge or if it's a unique idea, give credit for inspiration - that's all it takes. Fiction finds inspiration all the time, especially in a fandom, that's okay! If you love an idea and what to write your own take on it, all it takes to bypass problems of plagiarism is a simple notation of credit in your notes when you publish.

[Click here for an educational resource on plagiarism]

[Click here for a plagiarism checker, remember that you have to use your best judgement, a score of 0 isn’t expected, see above on commonly used terms etc.]

ART THEFT: Reposting of another person's art, without credit, in many forms is considered theft. Here are some clarifications on this.

If you alter the creator’s art, put it in a graphic, or tag it with your own name (without giving credit to the original artist on your post) that is stealing.

Copying or tracing drawn fanart is stealing. That includes poses, proportions, style, and subject. If you are inspired by another piece and use it to create your own give credit to the original artist for inspiration.

If you find a piece of art on google that you love and you want to put it on your blog, link to the original source if at all possible. If you don't know the origination or who the artist is, you can easily reverse image search through google. On desktop you can right click > search google for image. On mobile you can google "reverse image search" the first link that comes up "https://reverse.photos" allows you to upload a photo and perform the same function. If the art is on tumblr posted by the original artist, REBLOG IT! If it isn't, post the art as a "link" on tumblr instead of uploading it directly (ideally) or post the image, clarify that it is not your work, and link to the original image and give credit to the artist.

If you can't find who originally created the piece of work, or if you don't want to spend time finding them, it is better to appreciate the piece privately and not post it to your blog. If you post it directly to your blog and don't indicate that the art is not yours then it is likely that others will assume that it is.

GRAPHIC MEDIA THEFT: Reposting of another person's graphic edit, manip, gifset, video, etc (without giving credit to the original creator on your post). There are some exceptions.

Everything that applies above about art, is also applicable to graphic media. Graphic media is just digital art in another form - that includes everything listed above. If you find an edit, manip, gifset, video, etc on google, weheartit, pinterest, or the like – try reverse searching them first. Someone took the time to make these things and it’s often a tumblr user.

“I got it from google” or “Credit to original creator” isn’t giving credit.

The statement that taking a piece of created graphic media is justifiable because the original source media doesn’t belong to them isn’t applicable. We are in a fandom, we are all creating from canon source material. Gifs, fan videos edits, and the like, are transformative work.

If you are feeling particularly uncertain as to whether or not you should repost a creative media piece onto your own blog, you can always ask the creator. Fandom creators would be very touched by the respect you are giving their work.

Some clarification on gifs specifically as it has caused a lot of confusion:

If you use a gif as a "reaction gif" to an ask - that is okay. Largely, gifers don't mind if you use a gif as a reaction.

When reposting the gif (without credit) ask yourself "Am I posting this gif to get notes/reblogs?" if you are, it's probably safer to not repost it OR to credit the original gif maker. Gifs take a lot of time to make. More than you would ever expect if you hadn't made them yourself.

Never repost an entire gifset or make a post that is a compilation of other people's gifs solely for the intent of re purposing it as a gifset for your own for notes and definitely don't tag them with #riverdaleedit or any other edit tag. Those tags indicate to source blogs that you have created these gifs.

If you find a gif, upload it to photoshop and add some text or a watermark – you are still stealing. Many gif makers are happy to provide tutorials on how to make gifs! For example: The Bughead Family Discord has a channel which is used to teach and aid others in figuring out how to create! If you want to gif, we are happy to help you do it!

There is a common misconception that if you find a gif on google, it did not come from the ether, 9 times out of 10 it came from a tumblr creator. If you aren’t getting that gif directly from cw or a cast member’s twitter directly and you just found it on google assume it came from a regular person putting their time in for fandom.

All instances of stealing another's work can be avoided by giving credit! Creators of all kind put heart, soul, time, and energy into the work they do. They provide fandom with quality content, free of charge. We love it. It's the blood of fandom. It's the very essence of what fandoms are about and why they even exist. We love something and we create for it, appreciate it, talk about it. Those creators do this for their own joy and share it with us generously. We can give back by doing our best to respect, protect, and encourage that work.

#bughead #bugheadedit #bughead fanfiction #bughead fanart #riverdale #riverdaleedit #riverdale fanfiction #riverdale fanart #psa #creation theft #*admin

257 notes · View notes

withoutshield · 4 years ago

Text

RULES

Short, sweet, and to the point. Follow these rules and we all have a great time.

1. Mutuals only. I must be following you and you must be following me. Only those that I follow can like starter calls, send in character asks, and reply to posts.

5. I am a multi-ship blog. All ships are separate in their own standings. Steve is 25 ( at the age when he was injected with the super soldier serum ). As such, I will only be shipping him romantically with muses his own age ( muses 20-30 ). Some threads may get a little spicy but nothing that requires a ‘ do not read at work’ type of posts. I will tag those post that are suggestive with a ‘spicy: tw & spicy for ts’ for blacklisting purposes.

6. Things for you to tag for me are: BIRDS, CHAIN LETTERS, ORGANS, DOGS. For the birds and dogs, just irl ones trigger me. I am fine with cartoon / art / video game ones as they are not real.

( rules may be updated from time to time so please check here once in awhile. I will also post when these are updated as well

#long post: tw #rules;;#mobile rules;;#laws;;#mobile laws;;

0 notes

maskthrown-a · 4 years ago

Text

RULES

Short, sweet, and to the point. Follow these rules and we all have a great time.

1. Mutuals only. I must be following you and you must be following me. Only those that I follow can like starter calls, send in character asks, and reply to posts.

5. I am a multi-ship blog. All ships are separate in their own standings. I am open to all kinds of ships, not just romantic ones. I also enjoy platonic, rivalry, and familiar bonds. All ships are open to discussions through my IM(s) or otherwise known as Instant Messenger. Chemistry is key. As long as we interact a little, there’s always the chance that both muses can be in a relationship.

6. Things for you to tag for me are: BIRDS, CHAIN LETTERS, ORGANS, DOGS. For the birds and dogs, just irl ones trigger me. I am fine with cartoon / art / video game ones as they are not real.

7. I am over the age of eighteen. However, I refuse to write smut as I am not comfortable with that subject to begin with and most of my muses here are minors. Please never force me to write this with you and if you keep sending things to me in this type of nature, I will report you, no questions asked.

10. I usually am not considered spoiler free. However, I do tag recent released games, which is Persona 5 Scramble / Strikers. All other games in the Persona 5 series ( original game, dancing in starlight, pq2, and royal ) will NOT be tagged. Follow at your own risk to avoid spoilers.

10a. Knowledge in the Persona series is about ABOVE AVERAGE, please don’t keep pointing out mistakes. I know and will correct them due time.

**DISCLAIMERS.

This blog has been established since January 1st, 2021. Independent and not affiliated with any role play group. Written by SERE.

( rules may be updated from time to time so please check here once in awhile. I will also post when these are updated as well ).

#long post;;#rules;;#mobile rules;;#mobile laws;;

0 notes

jjpocketbook · 5 years ago

Text

The Best Blogging Platforms (In-Depth Review)

Disclosure: This content is reader-supported, which means if you click on some of our links that we may earn a commission.

Whether you want to become a blogger for a big-time news publication, share your independent thoughts online, make millions as a blogger, or something in between, it all starts with a blogging platform.

And choosing the right one sets precedence for everything else you do.

But with so many options to choose from, picking the best blogging platform can feel overwhelming.

So to help you out, I created a list of considerations to think about as you go through the process and reviewed the top five blogging platforms on the market today.

By the end of this article, you’ll be well on your way to starting your own blog.

The top 6 options for blogging platforms:

Wix – Best drag-and-drop blogging platform

WordPress.org – Best open-source blogging platform

Squarespace – Best for visual-based businesses

Medium – Best traditional blogging platform

Blogger – Best for personal blogs

How to choose the best blogging platform for you

Choosing a blogging platform is an important decision. And the one you choose depends on what you hope to do with your new blog and how much control you want to have.

So, let’s walk through what to consider as you make your final decision.

Do you want to make money?

This is probably the most crucial question to ask yourself.

If you want to start a personal blog to share your thoughts and experiences, you’re completely fine going with a free blogging platform, like Medium or Blogger.

However, if you want to make money blogging, you have to be careful. Most free platforms don’t let you monetize your blog. So, you need to choose a premium blogging platform that gives you more control, like Wix, WordPress.org, or Squarespace.

Do you already have a website?

If you want to add a blog to a website you already have, I highly recommend looking into your website platform’s blogging capabilities.

This is the easiest way to add a blog to a website that already exists.

Alternatively, you can look into migrating your website to Wix, WordPress.org, or Squarespace. However, I recommend staying with the platform you’re already using if you can.

Customization capabilities

Paid blogging platforms give you more control and design flexibility, allowing you to build a complete website and brand around your blog. And you can customize the look and feel of nearly every aspect of your website.

If you’re serious about blogging as a business, you need that level of control.

For complete flexibility and customization options, go with WordPress.org. And if you want something easier than WordPress, yet still flexible, Wix and Squarespace are great drag-and-drop options.

On the other hand, free blogging platforms don’t give you the ability to customize to that extent. You may be able to change the colors and pick between a few different layouts.

But, you can’t do much aside from that.

With that said, if you’re interested in personal or hobby blogging, you don’t need anything fancy. Free blogging platforms offer everything you need to quickly write content and share it online in just a few clicks.

The different types of blogging platforms

There are several different types of blogging platforms.

And the right one for you depends on what you want to do with your blog.

So, before we dive into my top recommendations, let’s walk through the different types and what they’re used for.

Free

Free blogging platforms come in a variety of shapes and sizes.

They’re perfect for anyone interested in personal or hobby blogging. And it’s the easiest way to write and publish content online quickly.

However, free blogging platforms usually don’t let you make money with your content. You can’t make money with ads, use affiliate marketing, or sell your own products.

Furthermore, they’re very limited in design flexibility and customization capabilities.

You may even be stuck with random ads placed on your blog. And migrating your content from a free platform to another isn’t an easy process. So, they’re not suitable for business bloggers or anyone interested in making money blogging at any point in the future.

Website builders

Website builders are all-inclusive, drag-and-drop design tools that let you quickly build an entire website without touching any code. They’re easy to set up, simple to use, and include a full suite of blogging tools.

However, they’re not free. But web hosting is included with your subscription, and some even offer a free custom domain name for the first year.

Furthermore, you get a significant level of flexibility and customization. But some areas may be limited depending on the blogging platform you choose.

This is a great place to start if you want to make money, but you’ve never built a website before. Just keep in mind that you sacrifice some flexibility in exchange for ease of use.

Open-source

Open-source blogging platforms are free to download and install. They’re completely customizable from the inside out, making them perfect for serious bloggers and business owners interested in building a full-fledged custom website.

However, there’s a steeper learning curve.

But once you get the hang of it, you’ll realize how flexible and customizable this type of blogging platform really is. You can create ecommerce stores, business websites, portfolios, service-based websites, interactive blogs, and more.

With that said, you have to buy web hosting before you can install an open-source software.

But most web hosts make this type of software easy to install with one-click installation.

#1 – Wix Review — The best drag-and-drop blogging platform

If you’re looking for the easiest premium blogging platform, you should go with Wix.

It’s an all-in-one website builder with more than 100 million users worldwide, making it one of the most popular options on the market.

Furthermore, it’s excellent for beginners interested in creating a full-fledged website with a blog included. And Wix’s intuitive drag-and-drop builder makes creating engaging blog content a breeze.

Plus, it includes everything you need to make money with your new blog.

With Wix, you get premium blogging features, including:

500 professional design templates

Industry-leading SEO tools

Rich-text editor

Embed HTML codes

Categories and hashtags

Advanced search capabilities

Writer and editor user roles

Easy image editing

Social media tools

Visitor analytics

Wix is arguably the easiest and fastest way to get your professional website and blog running.

You can also take advantage of their ADI (advanced design intelligence) tool, which creates everything you need to get started in a matter of minutes.

Simply answer a few questions, customize the design, add your website copy, update your images, and you’re ready to start blogging.

Wix offers a free plan, which is excellent for building your site and getting everything ready to go. However, I highly recommend upgrading to a paid plan so you can remove Wix ads and connect a custom domain name.

Paid plans start at $13/mo and increase depending on the features you need.

#2 – WordPress.org Review — The best open-source blogging platform

WordPress.org is an open-source blogging platform with complete design flexibility.

It also powers 38% of the entire internet, including the blog you’re reading right now, making it the most popular blogging platform on the market.

And the best part? It’s free to download and install.

However, you do need web hosting to be able to use it. This usually costs around $3 – $10 per month, so it’s the most affordable option on this list.

With that said, it’s not as easy as Wix. There are a few more steps to get started, but the extra work is well worth it if you’re looking for complete design control and flexibility.

With WordPress.org, you also get:

55,000+ plugins to extend the functionality of your site

Thousands of free and premium themes

The Gutenburg block editor

Advanced user roles and permissions

Powerful media management

A massive community of experts

Infinite design control

The best part is that you have 100% control over your website and blog. Plus, you aren’t tied down by rules and regulations. You can decide what to display, what you don’t reveal, and how you make money.

There are countless ways to get started with WordPress.org. But I highly recommend starting with Bluehost.

It’s the easiest way to get everything you need.

They also include a free domain name for the first year. So, all you have to do is pick a hosting plan, snag your free domain, and use their one-click WordPress installation feature.

#3 – Squarespace Review — The best blogging platform for visual-based businesses

Squarespace is an all-in-one website builder, like Wix. However, it’s famous for aesthetically pleasing templates, making it perfect for visual-based businesses like photographers, designers, and artists.

It’s also straightforward to use. Plus, it includes web hosting services and a free domain for the first year (if you choose an annual premium plan).

It’s perfect for bloggers who want an easy, aesthetic way to share images, videos, and portfolio pieces, along with long-form and short-form blog posts.

And with Squarespace, you create blog posts the same way you create pages.

So, once you learn how the drag-and-drop editor works, you know how to use the entire platform. You also get access to powerful blogging features, including:

Free blogging templates to help you get started

Five unique post layouts for your home and archive pages

Categories, tags, and featured posts

Built-in post scheduler

Contributor permissions

In-depth analytics

SEO and social media tools

Email marketing (additional fees)

Expert customer service

Mobile app

Squarespace isn’t as customizable as Wix or WordPress.org, but it’s perfect for creative bloggers and visual-based businesses looking for something captivating and easy to use.

Paid plans start at $12 per month and increase depending on the features you need.

#4 – Medium Review — The best traditional blogging platform

Medium is a platform that helps readers and writers find new ideas, knowledge, and perspectives. It’s unique because there are no ads present on the platform.

To date, they have over 120 million readers, making this an excellent way to get your content in front of more people. It’s also great if you want to share personal stories and perspectives to get your thoughts out to the world.

However, it’s not a great platform for making money as a blogger. Medium does have a partner program that rewards writers for the amount of time paying members spend reading their content.

But you’ll have a hard time making a decent amount of money on Medium alone.

And you can’t include your own call-to-actions in partner posts. So, you have to choose between making money and growing your email list.

It’s not a flawed model. However, I highly recommend treating Medium as an extension of your Wix, Squarespace, or WordPress.org blog.

To get started, you can create a profile or a publication. Publications look more aesthetically pleasing, and you get more organization and display features. With publications, you can also send newsletters to your followers.

However, it doesn’t really matter which one you choose.

Note: if you use Medium as an extension of your blog, make sure you use their import feature to add existing blog posts. This way, you can add content from your blog to Medium without creating duplicate content for SEO purposes.

#5 – Blogger Review – The best for personal blogs

Blogger is one of the original blogging platforms. It’s been around since 1999.

It’s completely free to use with no paid plans, upsells, or anything like that. And it’s incredibly easy to use. This makes it perfect for personal or hobby bloggers looking to share their thoughts and ideas with the world.

They have several free templates to choose from that govern how your blog looks. However, they’re not very customizable.

You can change the colors and the layout of a few things, but that’s about it.

The platform focuses solely on blogging, so that’s where the majority of their features lie. With Blogger, you get free access to essential features, including:

A free SSL certificate and free domain mapping

Google integrations

Image storage with Google Photos

Integrated ad campaigns

Simple text editor

And while those features are great, the platform is seriously lacking in other departments, including customization, custom post types, and overall design.

Essentially, it’s an old-school blogging platform. It works well for simple blogging, but you can’t create a full-fledged website, so I don’t recommend it if you want to build a brand and make money blogging.

However, since Google’s acquisition in 2003, you can display Google Ads on your blog to make a little extra money on the side.

But, it’s not a sustainable or long-term way to make a full-time income with your blog.

Summary

The best blogging platform for you depends on where you want to take your blog. For personal and hobby bloggers, a free platform like Blogger or Medium is the perfect place to start.

They’re easy to set up, incredibly simple, and the fastest way to start publishing online. Plus, you don’t have to pay anything to share your thoughts and ideas.

However, if you want to make money and turn your blog into a business, free platforms won’t cut it. The easiest premium blogging platforms are Wix and Squarespace, making them perfect for beginners.

However, if you want the ultimate level of control, go with WordPress.org hosted by Bluehost.

The post The Best Blogging Platforms (In-Depth Review) appeared first on Neil Patel.

Original content source: https://neilpatel.com/blog/best-blogging-platforms/ via https://neilpatel.com

The original post, The Best Blogging Platforms (In-Depth Review), has been shared from https://imtrainingparadise.wordpress.com/2020/09/19/the-best-blogging-platforms-in-depth-review/ via https://imtrainingparadise.wordpress.com

0 notes

gukiee · 8 years ago

Text

So??? Wow? I can’t even believe I’m able to make this because where the heck did you all come from so quickly?? I’ve only made this account a couple months ago and the amount of followers I’ve gained in such a short amount of time has really? Blown my mind I don’t know how I ever came to deserve you guys. I’ve made so many friends and had such lovely interactions with you guys I will never begin to explain how thankful I am for you all. You guys really do help get me up in the morning and whenever I’m sad you guys always lift me up so high my heart is so warm for you all.

I really really want to thank everyone who has ever interacted with me, sent me asks, reblogged my content, asked me for advice, given me advice, tagged me in posts, and so on. It’s not even about the numbers honestly, although this is a goal of mine and I am really shocked how quickly it came about, it’s really more about each individual person. You guys are all so sweet and kind to me and I know there’s lots of negative things people say about ARMY’s I have to say that you guys have not let me down at all. I won’t lie I pre wrote a lot of this last night but I came back and edited it and added this because my heart is really pounding so hard now that it’s real and I just??😭😭😭 LOVE you guys wow okay. I know the list isn’t that long, but I put a lot of careful thought into it and wanted it to be a bit more intimate and special. Even if you’re not on this list, I still love you and appreciate you just as much!!!

SO that being said!!

Bolded: Mutuals 💖: You have a special place in my heart ☀️: We don’t talk (much/at all) but you’re my favourite 👀 : I wish we spoke more 💌: There’s a message for you under the read more (sorry in advance)

A-G

H-O

P-#

Messages:

@ask-bts-stuff: I don’t really have much to say here I just wanted to let you know how amazing and adorable your art is. Whenever I’m really down I always look at your blog and it cheers me right up.

@damn-hoseok: My angel😭 You were the first person I spoke to when i created this blog and we clicked instantly. I’m forever thankful that you were my first friend on here. I appreciate all the jokes we share, and staying up/getting up early to watch award shows together while we live react to them. You’re always the person who keeps me informed of new things that are happening and always have links and sources when I need it so I can’t thank you enough for that because I’m?? A disaster. I appreciate and love you to no end and I’m so thankful you’re back from your trip safely I was very stressed out for a month.

@floral-hobi: Dani♡ Even though we don’t talk much (because I’m shy and awkward lmfao) I will forever appreciate the conversations we DO share and all the times you tag me in pictures of guk. You’re one of my favourite blogs and you’re honestly such a sweetheart.

@fullofloveforeveryone: Soli you are my sun, my flowers, my clouds. You were another one of the first friends I made on here and we got very close quickly. You’re like a little sister to me. I’ll never be able to thank you enough for being there when I’ve had panic attacks or when I’ve been stressed out. I know i’ve been really busy with school and we haven’t spoken as much because we’ve both had things going on but I want you to know how much I really love and care about you. I will always be here for you no matter what. When we laugh, we laugh really hard, and when I’m sad you always know how to bring me up. You’re like a breath of fresh air and my appreciation for you is boundless.

@havesometae: Even though we don’t speak much, I think you are the cutest sweetest thing ever. You always supported my writing and any new content I created, always messaging me after to give me your feedback and make me feel better when I was unsure. Your writing has been improving lots and I’m really so so so proud of you. If you ever need help with anything please don’t hesitate to ask. Whenever I was creating new content it was always you who kept me motivated so I thank you for that!

@hob-e: Even though we’ve barely spoken, I think you are really so pretty inside and out. Your love for hobi and your kindness for others really shines through your blog and I always find such great pleasure visiting your blog if I’m stressed out or upset. You’re easily one of my biggest tumblr crushes and although we’ve barely interacted I still? Care about you a lot sdfgh and think you’re really great!!! So never change for anyone!!!!

@junqkookied: MIA. I don’t even know where to start. Whenever we talk my stomach twists in knots a bit because I find you so fantastic and sweet and amazing and I honestly want nothing more than your happiness. I will never be able to thank you enough for sitting down with me and answering all my questions about making gifs or colouring or even just life stuff. You’re always so encouraging when I’m not sure of myself and never make me feel bad when I ask you stupid questions. I miss you all the time and wish I could give you a really big hug sometimes. You’re another person who was one of my first friends on here and I care about you more than the world. I’m always here for you if you need anything I hope you know that.

@mylifeiskpoptrash: I know we don’t speak much (which is mostly my fault because school is kicking my butt) I want you to know that your strength and kindness is really inspiring to me. You always offer to listen to me when I’m down even if you have your own personal stuff going on. You put everyone before yourself and are sosososo sweet my heart is so warm for you. Thank you for being there for me and keeping me company when I’m lonely!

@pingkeujin: Sissi ♡♡♡♡♡♡ You’re one of the people I talk to every single day. I love our stupid snapchat conversations, whether it be over life stuff, asking each other for advice or encouragement, or just sending stupid pictures with filters. I’m so thankful I have someone who shares my adoration for vmin and yoonseok lmfao. I really love the relationship we have where we can talk to each other about serious stuff or our interests, but also 99% of the time we’re sending each other funny videos or memes. I always look to you for reassurance with my content or work when I’m unsure because your input means a lot to me and I really value your opinion. I look up to you a lot. I hope that, because we live relatively close, we will be able to meet up one day♡

@taekookiesandcream: Nakita... the ki to my ki... my kiki soul mate...... We haven’t been talking long but I always get really excited when I see you in my messages. You’re so lovely to talk to and our conversations are always so refreshing even if we’re not talking about anything important. I’m glad you decided to show me what your silver hair looks like because if you hadn’t we wouldn’t be friends. You’re very kind and gentle hearted and I really appreciate that about you. You’re so positive all the time and you really are my sunshine.

@yoongsins: Your art is honestly so amazing, I’m forever thankful I commissioned you for my icon and I will continue to commission you for such in the future! We brief conversations and interactions we have, and I honestly wish we had more! We have so much in common and I think we get along really great. I forever admire how much hard work you put into your art and designs because they’re honestly so beautiful and you’re easily one of my favourite artists on here. Please continue to work hard and be passionate and do what you love!

@yoonmin-smile: God dfhsdsghkjdsj I don’t even know what to write here tbh... I don’t know where to start. Okay. Well, firstly I’m really thankful that you messed up sending me an ask and forgot to click anon. I was having a really bad day that day (probably one of the badder days I’ve had in a while) and you were so kind and soft to me and listened to all of my concerns and gave me advice even though we had never interacted before. We clicked automatically and have become so close so quickly it’s unbelievable. You’re one person I speak to every day. Before I’m even awake in the morning I make sure to check my messages to see what you had to say before anything else because I know you probably sent me a rude guk gif or something sweet for me to wake up to. I appreciate our gif wars. You always remind me to eat well and go to bed early and make sure my homework is done, which is something I’m so thankful for. You’re seriously my big sister and I come to you for everything. Sometimes I talk to you more than my actual big sister. Thank you for sending me pictures and gifs and tagging me in stuff it always makes my day a bit brighter. I love you literally to death and would probably do anything for you. Please never be afraid or embarrassed to open up to me or come to me about things I’ll always be here for you no matter what.

@02tae: Carly... my aesthetics princess sdfghj. You and your blog are ? So pretty my heart always beats a little faster when I see you’ve messaged me or tagged me in stuff (which thank you for doing by the way I always appreciate it so much!!!). Although we don’t talk much (again, because I’m really shy and I think you’re super great and it makes me super nervous to talk to you gfdhjf) I really do love every second we interact with each other. Even the moments we’re not interacting and you just so happen to show up on my dash I always get really excited. You’re so sweet and soft and make my heart so warm and I’m really thankful for you! Please never change I love you lots!!!!

Okay well!!!!! My hand is gonna fall off and my heart is bursting with how much I love my mutuals, followers, or even just the blogs I follow and like a lot. Thank you all for everything♡ Thank you all for putting up with my rants lmfaooo. You guys always give me the most beautiful moment(s) in life. I love you!!!!

#ff #personal #not bts #follow forever #THIS WAS ridiculously long i am so sorry

48 notes · View notes