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Exploding Topics Pro Review

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[inthedayswhenlandswerefew]

1968 [Chapter 6: Athena, Goddess Of Wisdom]

Series Summary: Aemond is embroiled in a fierce battle to secure the Democratic Party nomination and defeat his archnemesis, Richard Nixon, in the presidential election. You are his wife of two years and wholeheartedly indoctrinated into the Targaryen political dynasty. But you have an archnemesis of your own: Aemond’s chronically delinquent brother Aegon.

Series Warnings: Language, sexual content (18+ readers only), violence, bodily injury, character deaths, New Jersey, age-gap relationships, drinking, smoking, drugs, pregnancy and childbirth, kids with weird Greek names, historical topics including war and discrimination, math.

Word Count: 5.2k

Let me know if you’d like to be tagged! 🥰

💜 All of my writing can be found HERE! 💜

Here at the midway point in our journey—like Dante stumbling upon the gates of the Inferno—would it be the right moment to review what’s at stake? Let’s begin.

It’s the end of August. The delegates of the Democratic National Convention in Chicago officially vote to name Aemond the party’s presidential candidate. His ascension is aided by 10,000 antiwar demonstrators who flood into the city and threaten to set it ablaze if Hubert Humphrey is chosen instead. At the end—in his death rattle—Humphrey begs to be Aemond’s running mate, one last humiliation he cannot resist. Humphrey is denied. Eugene McCarthy, dignity intact, boards a commercial flight to his home state of Minnesota without looking back.

Aemond selects U.S. Ambassador to France, Sargent Shriver, to be his vice president. Shriver is a Kennedy by marriage—his wife, JFK’s younger sister Eunice, just founded the Special Olympics—and has previously headed the Office of Economic Opportunity, the Peace Corps, and the Chicago Board of Education. He also served as the architect of the president’s “War on Poverty” before distancing himself from the imploding Johnson administration. Shriver is not a concession to fence-sitting moderates or Southern Dixiecrats, but an embodiment of Aemond’s commitment to unapologetic progressivism. Richard Nixon spends the weekend campaigning in his native California, a gold vein of votes like the mines settlers rushed to in 1848. George Wallace announces that he will run as an Independent. Racists everywhere rejoice.

Phase III of the Tet Offensive is underway in Vietnam; 700 American soldiers have been killed this month alone. Riots break out in military prisons where the U.S. Army is keeping their deserters. The North Vietnamese refuse to allow Pope Paul VI to visit Hanoi on a peace mission. President Johnson calls both Aemond and Nixon to personally inform them of this latest evidence of the communists’ unwillingness to negotiate in good faith. Daeron and John McCain remain in Hỏa Lò Prison. The draft swallows men like the titan Cronus devoured his own children.

In Eastern Europe, the Russians are crushing pro-democracy protests in the largest military operation since World War II as half a million troops roll into Czechoslovakia. In Caswell County, North Carolina, the last remaining segregated school district in the nation is ordered by a federal judge to integrate after years of stalling. On the Fangataufa Atoll in the South Pacific, France becomes the fifth nation to successfully explode a hydrogen bomb. In Mexico City, 300,000 students gather to protest the authoritarian regime of President Diaz Ordaz. In Guatemala, American ambassador John Gordon Mein is murdered by a Marxist guerilla organization called the Rebel Armed Forces. In Columbus, Ohio, nine guards are held hostage during a prison riot; after 30 hours, they’re rescued by a SWAT team.

The latest issue of Life magazine brings worldwide attention to catastrophic industrial pollution in the Great Lakes. The first successful multiorgan transplant is carried out at Houston Methodist Hospital. The Beatles release Hey Jude, the best-selling single of 1968 in the U.S., U.K., Australia, and Canada. NASA’s Apollo lunar landing program plans to launch a crewed shuttle next year, just in time to fulfill John F. Kennedy’s 1962 promise to put a man on the moon “before the end of the decade.” If this is successful, the United States will win the Space Race and prove the superiority of capitalism. If it fails, the martyred astronauts will join all the other ghosts of this apocalyptic age, an epoch born under bad stars.

The night sky glows with the ancient debris of the Aurigid meteor shower. From down here on Earth, Jupiter is a radiant white gleam, visible with the naked eye and admired since humans were making cave paintings and Stonehenge. But Io is a mystery. With a telescope, she becomes a dust mote entrapped by Jupiter’s gravity; to the casual observer, she doesn’t exist at all.

~~~~~~~~~~

What was it like, that very first time? It’s strange to remember. You’re both different people now.

It’s May, 1966. You and Aemond are engaged, due to be married in three short weeks, and if you get pregnant then it’s no harm, no foul. In reality, it will end up taking you over a year to conceive, but no one knows that yet; you are living in the liminal space between what you imagine your life will be and the cold blade of the truth. Aemond has brought you to Asteria for the weekend, an increasingly common occurrence. The Targaryens—minus one, that holdout prodigal son, always glowering from behind swigs of rum and clouds of smoke—have already begun to treat you like a member of the family. The flock of Alopekis yap excitedly and lick your shins. Eudoxia learns your favorite snacks so she can have them ready when you arrive.

One night Aemond takes your hand and leads you to Helaena’s garden, darkness turned to twilight in the artificial luminance of the main house. You can hear distant voices, chatter and laughter, and the Beatles’ Rubber Soul spinning on the record player in the living room like a black hole, gravity that not even light can escape when it is wrenched over the event horizon.

You’re giggling as Aemond pulls you along, faster and faster, weaving through pathways lined with roses and sunflowers and butterfly bushes. Your high heels sink into soft, fertile earth; the air in your lungs is cool and infinite. “Where are we going?”

And Aemond grins back at you as he replies: “To Olympus.”

In the circle of hedges guarded by thirteen gods of stone, Aemond unzips your modest pink sundress and slips your heels off your feet, kneeling like he’s proposing to you again. When you are bare and secretless, he draws you down onto the grass and opens you, claims you, fills you to the brim as the crystalline water of the fountain patters and Zeus hurls his lightning bolts, an eternal storm, unending war. It’s intense in a way it never was with your first boyfriend, a sweet polite boy who talked about feminist theory and followed his enlightened conscience all the way to Vietnam. This isn’t just a pleasant way to pass a Friday night, something to look forward to between differential equations textbooks and calculus proofs. With Aemond it’s a ritual; it’s something so overpowering it almost scares you.

“Aphrodite,” Aemond murmurs against your throat, and when you try to get on top he stops you, pins you to the ground, thrusts hard and deep, and you try not to moan too loudly as you surrender, his weight on you like a prophesy. This is how he wants you. This is where you belong.

Has someone ever stitched you to their side, pushing the needle through your skin again and again as the fabric latticework takes shape, until their blood spills into your veins and your antibodies can no longer tell the difference? He makes you think you’ve forgotten who you were before. He makes you want to believe in things the world taught you were myths.

But that was over two years ago. Now Aemond is not your spellbinding almost-stranger of a fiancé—shrouded in just the right amount of mystery—but your husband, the father of your dead child, the presidential candidate. You miss when he was a mirage. You miss what it felt like to get high on the idea of him, each taste a hit, each touch a rush of toxins to the bloodstream.

Seven weeks after your emergency c-section, you are healing. Your belly no longer aches, your bleeding stops, you can rejoin the living in this last gasp of summer. Ludwika takes you shopping and you pick out new swimsuits; you’ve gone up a size since the baby, and it shows no signs of vanishing. In the fitting room, Ludwika chain-smokes Camel cigarettes and claps when you show her each outfit, ordering you to spin around, telling you that there’s nothing like Oleg Cassini back in Poland. You plan to buy three swimsuits. Ludwika insists you get five. She pays with Otto’s American Express.

That afternoon at home in your blue bedroom, you get changed to join the rest of the family down by the pool, your first swim since Ari was born. You choose Ludwika’s favorite: a dreamy turquoise two-piece with flowing transparent fabric that drapes your midsection. You can still see the dark vertical line of where the doctors stitched you closed. Now you and Aemond match; he got his scar on the floor of the Breakers Hotel in Palm Beach, you earned yours at Mount Sinai Hospital in Manhattan. There are gold chains on your wrist and looped around your neck. Warm sunlight and ocean wind pours in through the open windows.

Aemond appears in the doorway and you turn to show him, proud of how you’ve pulled yourself together, how this past year hasn’t put you in an asylum. His right eye catches on your scar and stays there for a long time. Then at last he says: “You don’t have something else to wear?”

~~~~~~~~~~

It’s Labor Day, and Asteria has been descended upon by guests invited to celebrate Aemond’s nomination. The dining room table is overflowing with champagne, Agiorgitiko wine, platters of mini spanakopitas, lamb gyros, pita bread with hummus and tzatziki, feta cheese and cured meats, grilled octopus, baklava, and kourabiethes. Eudoxia is rushing around sweeping up crumbs and shooing tipsy visitors away from antique vases shipped here from Greece. Aemond’s celebrity endorsers include Sammy Davis Jr., Sonny and Cher, Andy Williams, Bobby Darin, Warren Beatty, Shirley MacLaine, Claudine Longet, and a number of politicians; but the most notable attendee is President Lyndon Baines Johnson, shadowed by Secret Service agents. He won’t be making any surprise appearances on the campaign trail for Aemond—in the present political climate, he would be more of a liability than an asset—but he has travelled to Long Beach Island tonight to offer his well-wishes. From the record player thrums Jimi Hendrix’s All Along The Watchtower.

When you finish getting ready and arrive downstairs, you spot Aegon: slouching in a velvet chair over a century old, hair shagging in his eyes, sipping something out of a chipped mug he clasps with both hands, flirting with a bubbly early-twenties campaign staffer. Aegon smiles and waves when he sees you. You wave back. And you think: When did he become the person I look for when I walk into a room?

Now Aemond is beside you in a blue suit—beaming, confident, his glass eye in place, a hand resting on your waist—and Aegon isn’t smiling anymore. He takes a gulp of what is almost certainly straight rum from his mug and returns his attention to the campaign staffer, his lady of the hour. You picture him undressing her on his shag carpet and feel disorienting, violent envy like a bullet.

Viserys is already fast asleep upstairs, but the rest of the family is out en masse to charm the invitees and pose for photographs. Alicent, Helaena, and Mimi—trying very hard to act sober, blinking too often—are chit-chatting with the other political wives. Otto is complaining about something to Criston; Criston is pretending to listen as he stares at Alicent. Ludwika is smoking her Camels and talking to several young journalists who are ogling her, enraptured. Fosco and Sargent Shriver are entertaining a group of guests with a boisterous, lighthearted debate on the merits of Italian versus French cuisine, though they agree that both are superior to Greek. The nannies have brought the eight children to be paraded around before bedtime. All Cosmo wants to do is clutch your hand and “help” you navigate around the living room, warning you not to step on the small, weaving Alopekis. When Mimi attempts to steal her youngest son away, he ignores her, and as she begins to make a scene you rebuke her with a harsh glare. Mimi retreats meekly. She has never argued with you, not once in over two years. You speak for Aemond, and Aemond is a god.

As the children are herded off to their beds by the nannies, Bobby Kennedy—presently serving as a New York senator despite residing primarily on his family’s compound in Massachusetts—approaches to congratulate Aemond. His wife Ethel is a tiny, nasally, scrappy but not terribly bright woman, five months pregnant with her eleventh child, and you have to get away from her like a hand pulled from a hot stove.

“You know, I was considering running,” Bobby says to Aemond, chuckling, good-natured. “But when I saw you get in the race, I thought better of it! Maybe I’ll give it a go in ’76, huh?”

“Hey, kid, what a tough year you’ve had,” Ethel tells you, patting your forearm. You can’t tear your eyes from her small belly. She has ten living children already. I couldn’t keep one. What kind of sense does that make? “We’re real sorry for your trouble, aren’t we, Bobby?”

Now he is nodding somberly. “We are. We sure are. We’ve been praying for you both.”

Aemond is thanking them, sounding touched but entirely collected. You manage some hurried response and then excuse yourself. Your hands are shaking as you cross the room, not really seeing it. You walk right into Lady Bird Johnson. She takes pity on you; she seems to perceive how rattled you are. “Oh Lyndon, look, it’s just who we were hoping to speak to! The next first lady of the United States. And how beautiful you are, just radiant. How do you keep your hair so perfect? That glamorous updo. You never have a single strand out of place.” Lady Bird lays a palm tenderly on your bare shoulder. She has an unusual, angular face, but a wise sort of compassion that only comes from suffering. Her husband is an unrepentant serial cheater. “I’ll make you a list of everything you need to know about the White House. All the quirks of the property, and the hidden gems too!”

“You’re so kind. We’ll see what happens in November…”

“Good evening, ma’am,” President Johnson says, smiling warmly. He’s an ugly man, but there’s something hypnotic that lives inside him and shines through his eyes like the blaze of a lighthouse. He pulls you in through the dark, through the storm; he promises you answers to questions you haven’t thought of yet. LBJ is 6’4 and known for bullying his political adversaries with the so-called “Johnson Treatment”; he leans in and makes rapid-fire demands until they forget he’s not allowed to hit them. “I have to tell you frankly, I don’t envy anyone who inherits that den of rattlesnakes in Washington D.C.”

“Lyndon, don’t frighten her,” Lady Bird scolds fondly.

“Everyone thinks they know what to do about Vietnam,” LBJ plods onwards. “But it’s a damned if you do, damned if you don’t clusterfuck. If you keep fighting, they call you a murderer. But if you pull the troops out and South Vietnam falls to the communists, every single man lost was for nothing, and you think the families will stand for that? Their kid in a body bag, or his legs blown off, or his brain scrambled? There’s no easy answer. It’s a goddamn bitch of a quagmire.”

Lady Bird offers you a sympathetic smirk. Sorry about all this unpleasantness, she means. When he gets himself worked up, I can’t stop him. But you find yourself feeling sorry for President Johnson. It will be difficult for him to learn how to fade into disgraced obscurity after once being so omnipotent, so beloved. Reinvention hurts like hell: fevers raging, bones mending, healing flesh that itches so ferociously you want to claw it off.

LBJ gives Lady Bird a look, quick but meaningful. She acquiesces. This has happened a thousand times before. “It was so nice talking to you, dear,” she tells you, then crosses the living room to pay her respects to Alicent.

The president steps closer, looming, towering. The Johnson Treatment?? you think, but no; he isn’t trying to intimidate you. He’s just curious.

“Do you know what Aemond’s plan is for ‘Nam?” LBJ asks, eyes urgent, voice low. “I’m sure he has one. He’s sworn to end the draft as soon as he gets into office, but how is he going to make sure the South Vietnamese can fend off the North themselves? We’re trying to train the bastards, but if we left they’d fold in months. It would be the first war the U.S. ever lost. Does he understand that?”

“He doesn’t really discuss it with me.” That’s true; you know his policies, but only because they are a constant subject of conversation within the family, something you all breathe like oxygen.

“We can’t let Nixon win,” LBJ continues. “It’s mass suicide to leave the country in his hands. The man can’t hold his liquor anymore, getting robbed by Kennedy in ’60 broke something in him. He gets sloshed and shoves his aids around, makes up conspiracies in his head. He’s a paranoid little prick. He’ll surveille the American people. He’ll launch a nuke at Moscow.”

You honestly don’t know what he expects you to say. “I’ll pass the message along to Aemond.”

“People love you, Mrs. Targaryen.” LBJ watching you closely. “Believe it or not, they used to love me too. But I still remember how to play the game. You’re the only reason Aemond is leading the polls in Florida. You can get him other states too. Jack needed Jackie. Aemond needs you. And you’ve had tragedies, and that’s a damn shame. But don’t you miss an opportunity. You take every disappointment, every fucked up cruelty of life and find a way to make it work for you. You pin it to your chest like a goddamn medal. Every single scar makes you look more mortal to those people going to the ballot box in November. You want them to be able to see themselves in you. It helps the mansions and the millions go down smoother.”

“President Johnson!” Aegon says as he saunters over, huge mocking grin. He thumps a closed fist against the Texan’s broad chest; the Secret Service agents standing ten feet away observe this sternly. “How thoughtful of you to be here, taking time out of your busy schedule, squeezing us in between war crimes.”

“The mayor of Trenton,” LBJ jabs.

“The butcher of Saigon.”

Now the president is no longer amused. “You’ve never accomplished anything in your whole damn life, son. Your obituary will be the size of a postage stamp. I’m looking forward to reading it someday soon.” He leaves, rejoining Lady Bird at the opposite end of the room.

You frown at Aegon, disapproving. You’re dressed in a sparkling, royal blue gown that Aemond chose. “That was unnecessary.”

Aegon is wearing an ill-fitting green shirt—half the buttons undone—khaki pants, and tan moccasins. “I just did you a favor.”

“What happened to your new girlfriend? Shouldn’t she be getting railed in your basement right now? Did she have a prior commitment? Did she have a spelling test to study for? Those can be tricky, such complex words. Juvenile. Inappropriate. Infidelity.”

“You know what he brags about?” Aegon says, meaning LBJ. “That he’s fucked more women by accident than John F. Kennedy ever did on purpose.”

“That sounds…logistically challenging.”

“He’s a lech. He’s a freak. He tells everyone on Capitol Hill how big his cock is. He takes it out and swings it around during meetings.”

“And that’s all far less than admirable, but he’s not going to do something like that around me.”

“How do you know?”

“Because he’s not an idiot,” you say impatiently. “He was perfectly civil. And I was getting interesting advice.”

Aegon rolls his eyes, exasperated. “Yeah, okay, I’m sorry I crashed your cute little pep talk with Lyndon Johnson, the most hated man on the planet.”

“I guess you can’t stop Aemond from touching me, so you have to terrorize LBJ instead.”

“Shut the fuck up,” Aegon hisses, and his venom stuns you. And now you’re both trapped: you loosed the arrow, he proved you hit the mark. He’s flushing a deep, mortified red. Your guts are twisting with remorse.

“Aegon, wait, I didn’t mean—”

He whirls and storms off, shoving his way through the crowd. People glare at him as they clutch their glasses and plates, sighing in that What else do you expect from the worthless son? sort of way. You’re still gaping blankly at the place where Aegon stood when Aemond finds you, snakes a hand around the back of your neck, and whispers through the painstakingly-arranged wisps of hair that fall around your ear: “Follow me.”

It’s not a question. It’s a command. You trail him through the living room, into the foyer, and through the front door, not knowing what he wants. Outside the moon is a sliver; the light from the main house makes the stars hard to see. “Aemond, you’ll never believe the conversation I just had with LBJ. He really unloaded, I think the stress is driving him insane. I have to tell you what he said about—”

“Later.” And this is jarring; Aemond doesn’t put anything before strategy. He grabs your hand as he turns into Helaena’s garden, and only then do you understand what he wants. Instinctively, your legs lock up and your feet stop moving. Aemond tugs you onward. He wants it to be like the very first time. He intends to start over with you, the dawning of a new age in the dead of night.

Hidden in the circle of hedges, he takes your face roughly in his hands and kisses you, drinks you down like a vampire, consumes you like wildfire. But your skull echoes with panic. I don’t want him touching me. I don’t want another child with him. “Aemond…”

He doesn’t hear you, or acts like he doesn’t, or mistakes it for a murmur of desire, or chooses to believe it is. He has you down on the grass under the vengeful gaze of Zeus, the fountain splashing, the sounds of the house a low foreign drone. He yanks off your panties, but he doesn’t want you naked like he always did before. He pushes the hem of your shimmering cobalt gown up to your hips and unbuckles his trousers. And you realize as he’s touching you, as he’s easing himself into you: He doesn’t want to have to look at my scar.

You can’t ignore him, you can’t pretend it’s not happening. He’s too big for that. It’s a biting fullness that demands to be felt. So you kiss him back, and knot your fingers in his short hair like you used to, and try to remember the things you always said to him before. And when Aemond is too absorbed to notice, you look away from him, from the statue of Zeus, and peer up into the stone face of Athena instead: the goddess who never married and who knows the answer to every question.

“I love you,” Aemond says when it’s over, marveling at the slopes of your face in the dim ethereal light. “Everything will be right again soon. Everything will be perfect.”

You conjure up a smile and nod like you believe him.

“What did LBJ say?”

“Can I tell you later tonight? After the party, maybe? I just need a few minutes.”

“Of course.” And now Aemond pretends to be patient. He buckles his belt and returns to the main house, his blood coursing with the possibilities only you can make real, his skin damp with your sweat.

For a while—ten minutes, twenty minutes—you lie there on the cool grass wondering what it was like for all those mortals and nymphs, being pinned down by Zeus and then having Hera try to kill them afterwards, raising ill-fated reviled bastards they couldn’t help but love. What is heaven if the realm of the immortals is so cruel? Why does the god of justice seem so immune to it?

When at last you rise and walk back towards the house, you find Mimi at the edge of the garden. She’s on her knees and retching into a rose bush; she’s cut her face on the thorns, but she hasn’t noticed yet. She’s groaning; she seems lost.

You reach for her, gripping her bony shoulders. “Mimi, here, let’s get you upstairs…”

“No,” she blubbers, tears streaming down her scratched cheeks. “Just go away. Leave me.”

“Mimi—”

“No!” she roars, a mournful hemorrhage as she slaps your hands until you release her.

“You don’t have to be this way,” you tell her, distraught. “You can give up drinking. We’ll help you, me and Fosco and Ludwika. You can start over. You can be healthy and present again, you can live a real life.”

Mimi stares up at you, her grey eyes glassy and bloodshot but with a vicious, piercing honesty. “My husband hates me. My kids don’t know I exist. What the hell do I have to be sober for?”

You weren’t expecting this. You don’t know what to say. “We can help make the world better.”

“The world would be better without me in it.”

Then Mimi curls up on the grass under the rose bush, and stays there until you return with Fosco to drag her upstairs to her empty bed.

~~~~~~~~~~

The next afternoon, you’re lying on a lounge chair by the pool. Tomorrow the family will leave Asteria and embark upon a vigorous campaign schedule that will continue, with very few breaks, until Election Day on Tuesday, November 5th. The children are splashing and shrieking in the pool with Fosco, but you aren’t looking at them. You’re staring across the sun-drenched emerald lawn at the Atlantic Ocean. You’re envisioning all the bones and splinters of sunken ships that must litter the silt of the abyss; you’re thinking that it’s a graveyard with no headstones, no memory. Your swimsuit is a red one-piece. Your eyes are shielded by large black Ray Bans aviator sunglasses. Your gaze flicks up to the cloudless blue sky, where all the stars and planets are invisible.

Jupiter has nearly a hundred moons; the largest four were discovered by Galileo in 1610. Europa is a smooth white cosmic marble with a crust of ice, beautiful, immaculate. Ganymede, the largest moon in our solar system and the only satellite with its own magnetic field, is rumored to have a vast underground saltwater ocean that may contain life. Callisto is dark and indomitable, riddled with impact craters; because of her dynamic atmosphere and location beyond Jupiter’s radiation belts, she is considered the best location for possible future crewed missions to the Jovian system. But Io is a wasteland. She has no water and no oxygen. Her only children are 400 active volcanoes, sulfur plumes and lava flows, mountains of silicate rock higher than Mount Everest, cataclysmic earthquakes as her crust slips around on a mantle of magma. Her daily radiation levels are 36 times the lethal limit for humans. If Hades had a home in our corner of the galaxy, it would be Io. She glows ruby and gold with barren apocalyptic fury. You can feel yourself turning poisonous like she is. You can feel your skin splitting open as the lava spills out.

Aegon trots out of the house—red swim trunks, cheap red plastic sunglasses, no shirt, a beach towel slung around his neck, flip flops—and kicks your chair. “Get up. We’re going sailing.”

“I don’t want to talk to anybody.”

“Great, because I’m not asking you to talk. I’m telling you to get in my boat.”

You don’t reply. You don’t think you can without your voice cracking. Aegon crouches down beside your chair and pushes your sunglasses up into your Brigitte Bardot-inspired hair so he can see your face. Your eyes are pink, wet, desperately sad. Deep troubled grooves appear in his forehead as he studies you. Gently, wordlessly, he pats your cheek twice and lowers your sunglasses back over your eyes. Then he stands up again and offers you his hand.

“Let’s go,” Aegon says, softly this time. You take his hand and follow him down to the boathouse.

Five vessels are currently kept there. Aegon’s sailboat is a 25-foot Wianno Senior sloop, just roomy enough for a few passengers. He’s had it since long before you married into the Targaryen family. It is white with hand-painted gold accents; the name Sunfyre adorns the stern. He unmoors the boat, pushes it out into the open water, and raises the sails.

You glide eastbound over the glittering crests of waves, slowly at first, then faster as the sails catch the wind. Aegon has one hand on the rudder, the other grasping the ropes. And the farther you get from shore, the smaller Asteria seems, and the Targaryen family, and the presidential election, and the United States itself. Now all that exists is this boat: you, Aegon, the squawking gulls, the school of mackerel, the ocean. The sun beats down; the breeze rips strands of your hair free. The battery-powered record player is blasting White Room by Cream. When you are far enough from land that no journalists would be able to get a photo, Aegon takes two joints and his Zippo out of the pocket of his swim trunks. He puts both joints between his lips, lights them, and passes you one. Then he stretches out beside you on the deck, gazing up at the September sky.

You ask as your muscles unravel and your thoughts turn light and easy to share: “Why did you bring me out here?”

“So you can drown yourself,” Aegon says, and you both laugh. “Nah. I used to go sailing all the time when I was a teenager. It always made me feel better. It was the only place where I could really be alone.”

You consider the math. “Wow. You haven’t been a teenager since before I was in kindergarten.”

“It’s weird to think about. You don’t seem that young.”

“Thanks, I guess. You don’t seem that old.”

“Maybe we’re meeting in the middle.” He inhales deeply and then exhales in a rush of smoke. “What do you think, should I get an earring?”

“Yeah.”

“Why?”

“It might shock Otto so bad it kills him.”

“I’ll get two.” And then Aegon says: “It’s not cool for you to mock me.”

You are dismayed; you didn’t mean to hurt him. “I wasn’t.”

“Yes, you were. You were mocking me. You mocked me about the receipt under my ashtray, and then you mocked me again last night. I’m up for a lot of things, but I can’t handle that. Okay?”

“Okay.” You turn your head so you can see him: shaggy blonde hair, stubble, perpetual sunburn, the softness of his belly and his chest, flesh you long to vanish into like rain through parched earth. “Aegon?”

He looks over at you. “Io?”

“I don’t want Aemond to touch me either.”

He’s surprised; not by what you feel, but because you’ve said it aloud, a treason like Prometheus giving mankind the gift of fire. “What are we gonna do about it?”

If you were the goddess of wisdom, maybe you’d know.

[vikochub]

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Why TikTok Creators Should Sell Courses

TikTok’s massive reach and diverse audience make it a goldmine for creators. Here’s why selling courses is a game-changer:

Monetize Your Expertise Sure, TikTok offers the Creator Fund and brand deals, but those can be unpredictable. Courses let you cash in directly on what you know. Your followers already love your quick tips—why not give them more and get paid for it?

Build Your Credibility A well-crafted course doesn’t just teach—it screams “expert.” Whether you’re breaking down photography tricks or lifestyle hacks, you’ll boost your reputation as a go-to authority.

Expand Your Reach TikTok’s algorithm is a beast, but its audience is mostly platform-bound. Courses pull in learners willing to invest in education, even from beyond TikTok, growing your influence.

Ride the Online Learning Wave The online education market is exploding—expected to hit $375 billion by 2026. TikTok users are hungry for learning, and you can feed that demand right now.

What Kinds of Courses Work Best?

Your course should reflect what you’re good at and what your followers want. Here are some ideas:

TikTok Growth Secrets: Share insider tips on building followers, increasing engagement, or cracking the algorithm.

Content Creation 101: Teach filming, editing, and producing standout short videos.

Niche Deep Dives: Go all-in on your specialty—think healthy recipes, DIY projects, or digital marketing strategies.

These tie into your TikTok vibe, making it a no-brainer for your audience to sign up.

How to Get Started

Ready to turn your ideas into a course? Follow these steps:

Pick a Platform You’ll need a solid platform to host your course—one with easy uploads, secure payments, and marketing perks. Check out options like VIKOC to launch fast.

Map Out Your Course Pinpoint your key lessons and split them into modules. Start simple, then level up to keep learners hooked.

Mix Up Your Content Blend videos, text, and quizzes to keep things lively. Stick to your TikTok style so it feels familiar.

Price It Right Scope out similar courses to set a fair price that matches your value. Test it out and tweak based on feedback.

Spread the Word Drop teasers on TikTok with hot sounds and hashtags. Team up with other creators or run ads to amplify your reach.

Stay Connected Chat with students, answer their questions, and cheer on their wins. Happy learners spread the word.

Tips to Nail It

Know Your Crowd: Match your course to your followers’ skill level—beginner or pro. Relevance is everything.

Keep It Clear: Break your course into bite-sized chunks with specific goals for easy digestion.

Make It Fun: Toss in activities or live Q&As to spice up the experience.

Push It Hard: One TikTok post won’t cut it—keep hyping your course with fresh videos.

Prove It Works: Share glowing reviews from students to build trust.

What’s the Payoff?

Your earnings hinge on your audience size, course price, and hustle. Say you’ve got 50,000 followers and 1% buy a $40 course—that’s $2,000. Bump that to 100,000 followers and a $50 course, and you’re at $5,000. With killer content and smart marketing, the sky’s the limit.

Real-World Wins

Creators are already crushing it with courses. A fitness TikToker launched a workout plan and had hundreds of sign-ups in weeks. A beauty creator turned her tutorials into a course and doubled her income. These stories prove courses can both pay off and deepen your fanbase.

Why Act Now?

The online learning boom and TikTok’s growing education trend are aligning perfectly. The platform loves creators who bring value, and courses are your ticket to stand out. Whether it’s more influence or bigger paychecks, now’s your moment.

TikTok isn’t just for viral dances—it’s a launchpad for sharing what you know. By creating courses, you can give your followers more while building a thriving side gig. From TikTok tricks to niche know-how, seize this chance to shine in a red-hot market.

[affiliateinz]

7 proven ways to make money with ChatGPT

ChatGPT has exploded in popularity recently as people discover how this powerful AI chatbot can help them in various areas of life and work. Beyond its many personal uses, ChatGPT also presents some interesting opportunities to make money. Here are 7 proven ways to make money with ChatGPT.

Table of Contents

Create Content to Sell

One of the things ChatGPT does best is generate high-quality written content on just about any topic. You can use it to easily create ebooks, blog posts, articles, emails, and more that you can sell or use to drive traffic. The key is churning out great content that people find useful.

The Ultimate AI Commission Hack Revealed! Watch FREE Video for Instant Wealth!

Offer AI Writing Services

If writing isn’t your thing but you see the power of ChatGPT’s writing abilities, you can use the tool to offer writing services to others. Lots of businesses, website owners, authors, and marketers would love outsourced writing help from a skilled AI assistant.

Build Niche Sites to Flip

In the world of internet business, one proven model is to quickly build niche sites based around keywords and then sell those sites for profit. ChatGPT make simple, effective niche sites, valuable keywords that can then be monetized and sold.

The Ultimate AI Commission Hack Revealed! Watch FREE Video for Instant Wealth!

Answer Questions for Money

Sites like JustAnswer allow you to provide paid expertise online in your field of knowledge. While ChatGPT shouldn’t be viewed as subject matter expertise, it can help craft thoughtful, researched answers to people’s questions which you can provide through the site for a fee.

Tutor Students

In a similar vein, using ChatGPT to offer tutoring and help with homework, papers, test prep and more can be a money maker for those good at academics. Students around the globe are always eager to raise their grades and get academic help online.

The Ultimate AI Commission Hack Revealed! Watch FREE Video for Instant Wealth!

Train AIs and Sell Models

Although advanced, some people are already effectively using ChatGPT to train AI models on niche datasets. As AI model creation democratizes, this could become a common way to make money with GPT-based chatbots.

Save Time as a Freelancer

Finally, if you currently freelance online, using ChatGPT will simply help you work faster – saving you time and allowing you to take on more income-generating work without burning out. Writers, researchers, programmers and any creative professionals can benefit here.

The Ultimate AI Commission Hack Revealed! Watch FREE Video for Instant Wealth!

The future possibilities to monetize ChatGPT will grow tremendously in the coming years. But even now in its early days, people are already profiting from this AI in a variety of creative ways. Put it to work as part of your online income strategy.

7 proven ways to make money with ChatGPT

7 proven ways to make money with ChatGPT

Affiliate Disclaimer :

Some of the links in this article may be affiliate links, which means I receive a small commission at NO ADDITIONAL cost to you if you decide to purchase something. While we receive affiliate compensation for reviews / promotions on this article, we always offer honest opinions, users experiences and real views related to the product or service itself. Our goal is to help readers make the best purchasing decisions, however, the testimonies and opinions expressed are ours only. As always you should do your own thoughts to verify any claims, results and stats before making any kind of purchase. Clicking links or purchasing products recommended in this article may generate income for this product from affiliate commissions and you should assume we are compensated for any purchases you make. We review products and services you might find interesting. If you purchase them, we might get a share of the commission from the sale from our partners. This does not drive our decision as to whether or not a product is featured or recommended.

[reggiellewellyn]

If the embarrassment of potentially being caught trying to get a five finger discount on a cost less than five dollars didn't kill him off, having to be walked through the difference between the two superhero publishing juggernauts would have done the job just fine. Try as he may to be interested and engaged for the sake of preservation, Reggie had never been the sort of person who could fake interest in a topic that didn't engage him.

( It provided it's own pros and cons when it came to his time as a podcast host. )

He was about to throw in the towel and declare if he had to hear one more un-fun fact about the two different but same named Captain Marvels he was going to smash his skull against the corner of the counter when reprieve comes in the form of two thumbs up and the ding of the bell.

"Thank you, that was so helpful. So informative. I'm going to leave a google review to end all google reviews for you and this place."

He pats their shoulder before he makes a slow walk towards the store's main door, nearly throwing himself out of it for a faster escape like he might end up followed and re-captured in conversation.

"Go, go, go. Keep going until you can't go any further," Reggie instructs with a hand on the small of Jas' back, ushering them down the street and around the corner before his pace returned to something more leisurely.

"Oh my god. I thought my head was going to explode if I had to do another second of that."

@jasrussell

Jas snorts involuntarily at Reggie's remark, attempting to cover it by clearing her throat awkwardly. This was worst than the time she attempted crowd work at a gig and a member of the audience faked being deaf to fuck with her—Jas had sweated profusely and stumbled over a joke about wishing she was deaf right now too so she didn't have to listen to herself bombing her own set.

"If you think about it we're like a modern Robin Hood and Maid Marian."

Jas rolls the comic up and slips it up her sleeve as soon as he hands it over, guilt prickling at the back of her neck. One comic book wasn't going to put the store out of business and if it did then the owners had other things to worry about than petty theft.

"If I get caught then I'm singing like a canary." Jas warned, clasping her hands together over her chest. "I will be performing like my rent is due and I have three babies at home to feed."

Jas watches Reggie slip into action, momentarily forgetting her role in all of this as she grows invested in watching how his distraction tactic plays out. It was a bold movie, she would be sure to congratulate him on kicking the proverbial hornets nest if they managed to get away with this.

His wide eyed gaze was enough to kick her back into action and while Reggie holds the attention of the store clerk like a dancer on stage, Jas whistles innocently as she inches carefully towards the exit. Jas is half way through the door when she gives Reggie two proud thumbs up before slipping soundlessly outside.

[edxwin-elric]

Rooftop Kiss

Rating: T

Pairing: Todomomo/Todoroki x Yaoyorozu

Disclaimer: I don’t own My Hero Academia.

Word Count: 3k

Title: Rooftop Kiss

Description: Oneshot, fluff

Similar to the school festival, Class 1-A is in charge of hosting a school dance to allow students to destress and have some fun. However, Todoroki is dealing with unwanted input from Endeavor, and Yaoyorozu just can’t understand the logic behind having a dance right now. Both escape the planning to get some air and find each other alone on the roof, needing someone to talk to.

A/N: This is my piece for the  @todomomo-mini-bang-2020​ with Marls_Bars!!

 ffn || ao3

Art by Marls_Bars on Instagram

Shouto

I can’t believe the school is having us organize another recreational function. I mean, the school festival was fun, and I definitely think it brought everyone’s spirits up, but after everything we’ve been through this year? Shouldn’t we be focused more on training our quirks and doing more to dismantle the League of Villains?

“What do you think, Todoroki?”

“Hm?”

I turn toward the voice only to find Sero and Kaminari  holding up a hand painted rocket ship the size of a person.

“I thought the girls wanted a starry night theme.” I frown.

“They do,” Kaminari pipes up instantly. “But rocket ships fly through the stars, so I thought this would be a good idea.”

“Maybe you should run it by Hagakure first–”

My phone starts vibrating in my pocket, and I feel cold run down my spine.

“Hold on,” I mutter. “I have to take this.”

If I don’t answer it, he’ll only keep calling, and since I’d rather him not have called this time, that sounds like a nightmare.

“What do you want?” I ask into the phone, my voice sounding much cooler and controlled than I feel.

“Now, that’s no way to answer your phone.” His non-answer is filled with that threatening edge buried under false politeness. “I am your father, after all.”

“I’m actually in the middle of an important assignment, so if you just called to criticize my phone etiquette–”

He laughs over me, and my stomach twists. Why does everything have to be such a hassle with him?

“Of course not, Shouto, it was just a thought. I called because I want to go over your training schedule. I know your professors have their ideas, but I just can’t seem to let it go without reviewing their plans for you.”

“You mean without comparing and dismantling their plans?”

A bead of sweat drips down my left temple, and I swipe at it with my free hand. I’m frustrated enough as it is with this whole “school dance” thing we’re working on. I hardly need my dad stepping in to screw with my school work on top of it.

“You want to displace me as the number one hero, don’t you?” he asks, his voice darkening. “You want to be the top? If that’s the case, you’d be better off learning from me than from teachers who are required to train all of the future heroes. They don’t have your drive and goals and ambition in mind. Only your quirk.”

My hand balls into a fist and frost begins coating the outside of my jacket.

“I’ve already told you how I feel about your plan,” I remind him. “As much as I think I can learn from you, I also think my teachers have a lot of good insight. I’m going to continue following the curriculum laid out for me here for now.”

“Shouto.” The edge is sharper now.

“Please, don’t call me about this again. Goodbye, Dad.”

I end the call before he can lay into me again, barely resisting the urge to throw the device against a wall. I feel jittery and hot all over and like I need to freeze something or burn something. It’s so intense I think I might explode if I don’t—

“Todoroki, can you help us light some candles?” Uraraka calls from across the large room. “We want to see what they look like in these frosted jars.”

Releasing a slow breath, I feel control return to my body.

“Yeah, sure.” I start across the room toward the group of girls gathered around flowers and candles.

Maybe if I focus on the dance, I won’t have to think about Endeavor. At this point, anything is a welcome distraction.

Momo

After pulling on a large, comfy sleep shirt and some shorts, I hang my wet towel on a hook on my wall before sitting down on the edge of my bed where I begin brushing out my wet hair. I didn’t realize how helpful a hot shower could be on a day like this, but with all the party planning and decorations and the girls with their boy talk, I was feeling a little frazzled.

Just as I’m setting down my hairbrush, my phone dings with a text.

Ochako: Come to the lobby. The girls are having ice cream before curfew.

I start to text back a “sure thing, I’ll be right down” when I pause. If the girls are all together, it’s guaranteed the dance will come up as a topic of conversation, which means potential dates will follow it. The only girl with a date already is Jirou, who is going with Kaminari. (Of course, she hasn’t exactly said it, but I’m pretty sure she was the one who asked him.)

And it isn’t that I don’t want a date or that I mind hearing them talk about the boys. It’s just…there’s so much pressure to have feelings for someone and we’re in high school, and also there are other things I think we should be worrying about like our classes or our quirk training or the growing number of villains who would like to see us bloody and broken and are probably planning a new way to infiltrate the school while we’re deciding what flavor of cupcakes we should serve with the strawberry punch!

Boys just don’t seem all that important right now.

On the other hand, if I don’t go down for ice cream…they’ll probably just come up here. And talk about them then.

I sigh and send my original text back to Uraraka before grabbing a kimono and sliding into my slippers.

When I reach the lobby, Ashido is quick to scoot over on the couch to make room for me while Tsu hands me a bowl with two flavors of ice cream and a spoon.

“We have to remember to thank Todoroki,” Uraraka says as she adds a fresh scoop to her bowl.

“Why?” I glance between them.

“Oh, he froze the table so the ice cream wouldn’t melt,” Hagakure pipes up. “Then he went upstairs.”

“Has he asked anyone to the dance yet?”

I swallow my ice cream and fight the urge to groan.

“I don’t think so,” Ashido says conspiratorially. “Personally, I’d like Eijirou to ask me, though.”

“Aw! You two would be so cute together!” Uraraka squeals.

“Well, if his hair didn’t clash with your skin,” Jirou murmurs. “But that’s barely noticeable,” she says quickly.

“I like his hair,” Ashido sighs. “He looks so cool, and he has such a good heart too. He’ll be an amazing hero.”

“Do you have someone you’d like to go with, Tsu?” Hagakure angles her body toward our green-haired friend, and she looks down at her large hands.

“I have an idea,” she says, shrugging, “but he probably won’t ask me.”

“You can always ask him,” Ashido grins. “Right, Jirou?”

“I don’t know what you’re talking about.”

“Who is it?” Uraraka asks Tsu softly. “If you don’t mind saying.”

“Yeah,” I join in. “Maybe we can come up with a plan.”

I mean, even though boys are not at the forefront of my brain, I do like seeing people happy.

“I’d rather not discuss it really.”

“Oh, well that’s okay.”

No one pushes it, and it goes quiet for a minute before I notice Uraraka sneaking peaks at her phone and blushing.

“Is everything all right, Ochako?”

“What?” she gasps, her phone falling between her hip and the arm of the sofa. “I mean, yes. It’s fine. I’m fine.”

Well, that’s not suspicious.

“Who are you texting?” Ashido asks innocently.

“Nobody,” she blurts. “I mean, not nobody, but no one…important.”

“Oh my God, is it a boy?” Hagakure bounces on her seat. “Which one?”

“Who is it? Tell us!” Mina leans in.

“Fine, it’s…” Her face goes up in flames as she averts her eyes from everyone else’s, “Bakugou.”

Everyone stares at her for a second.

“Um…why?” I frown, breaking the silence. “What does he want?”

“I think…he’s my date?”

“What!” Ashido screeches, reaching for the dropped phone. “Let me see!”

“Bakugou on a date?” Jirou cocks an eyebrow. “That…can’t be right.”

“I don’t know!” Uraraka moans. “He’s being all cryptic, and… I could be reading this all wrong. Forget I said anything. The dance isn’t for another week anyway, and we should go to bed. We have class and more preparation stuff tomorrow.”

“She’s right,” I announce, standing up. “There’s plenty of other things we should be thinking about that aren’t boys.”

“But boys are so cute,” Ashido whines.

“They’ll still be cute tomorrow, Mina. Besides, it’s almost curfew anyway.”

“I guess you’re right.”

We take a few minutes to split up the ice cream for our individual freezers and then head to our rooms for the night. I’m relieved no one asked me if I had a date in mind. I have no idea what I would say. I think it would be fun if we all went together as a group. Then we could have fun with boys or just with each other.

I sigh as I climb under my sheets, resigning myself to sleep. These are things I can worry about tomorrow.

Shouto

“Todoroki? Todoroki!”

“Hm? What?” I blink and turn to the girls who are staring at me in between sharing looks with each other. “Sorry, what was that?”

I try not to yawn around my words. I got next to zero sleep last night because my father wouldn’t stop messaging me about his plans for my quirk training and pro career and…a few other things I really could’ve done without ever knowing about, much less reading in a text at 3am.

“Are you okay?” Ashido asks, giving me a reproachful look. “You seem a little out of it.”

“I’m fine,” I snap, immediately regretting it. “I mean, I’m just tired,” I mumble. “What did you need?”

“We were wondering if you could help us out with the refreshments for the dance. Since your frozen table worked so well for our ice cream party last night, we thought it would be a good idea to have fruit and drinks and maybe ice cream sandwiches on frozen platters or something like that.”

“Yeah,” I answer, my voice coming out as exhausted as I feel. “That sounds fine.”

“Do I need to coordinate with someone specific for that?”

“Oh, well, Yaoyorozu is in charge of the drinks and snacks,” Uraraka chimes in. “But…I’m not sure where she is right this minute.” She glances around, frowning. “Did any of you guys see where she went?”

“I asked if she had a date in mind,” Hagakure says softly. “She got all flustered and said she had to get some air. I really wasn’t sure how to take that.”

“Well, she’ll probably be back in a little bit.” Tsu turns to me. “You can just find her later.”

“Okay. Cool.” I nod and start to walk off, though I have no destination in mind.

My phone vibrates again, and I feel my hands ball into fists. It continues vibrating, and I clench my jaw, resisting the urge to answer just to hang up on him. That or melt my phone in my hand.

“You okay, Todoroki?” Midoriya steps into my red-tinted line of vision.

“I just…need a minute,” I bite out before turning and walking swiftly to the door and down the hall to the stairs.

Students aren’t really supposed to go up on the roof, but at this point, I need the quiet and the peacefulness enough to risk punishment. Taking the steps two at a time, I throw the rooftop door open with more force than is necessary, causing it to bang into the wall.

I pause when I hear a gasp, and look up to see I’m not alone. Yaoyorozu is standing near the edge of the roof, turned back toward the door with a look of surprise on her face.

“Shit,” I hiss under my breath.

“Todoroki,” she stammers, her hand coming up to her neck. “You scared me.”

“Sorry.” I shift my weight awkwardly. I mean, do I stay? I was trying to be alone. “I didn’t realize anyone else would be up here,” I continue.

“Me neither,” she sighs wistfully and turns her back to me, looking out over the campus.

“Is, um, everything okay?” I move closer to her, the door clicking shut behind me. “Hagakure said you were upset…because of a boy?”

Her face goes red, and I regret my words instantly.

“No,” she shakes her head. “I mean, she asked about my date, but I don’t have one, and I don’t really want one. I just…” She sighs and turns to face me. “I feel like this whole dance is just so risky. Like, I understood why the school festival was important—to raise everyone’s spirits and show the world we weren’t caving under pressure, but this is just…”

“A waste of time?”

“Exactly!” Her eyes widen. “I mean, shouldn’t we be focusing on training our quirks and studying, and getting as much hands-on experience under the supervision of the current pros as we can before we’re thrust out into a world full of villains who already have it out for us based solely on the fact we were students at UA?”

“Not to mention who our parents are,” I mutter.

“What?”

“Nothing. I just agree with you, that’s all.”

“It makes me so anxious,” she goes on softer, her hands coming up to rub her arms. “I haven’t been sleeping well, and if I think about it for too long I start to feel lightheaded and breathless… I thought I was going to start crying, actually, when Hagakure was talking to me earlier. That’s why I came up here.”

I swallow, and I reach up to rub the back of my neck.

“Have you, um, talked to Recovery Girl about any of this?”

She nods and takes a deep breath.

“She said it’s normal to experience anxiety after all the trauma we’ve been through. She mentioned medication and went over some breathing exercises and coping statements with me. I just wish… I wish everything would calm down.”

“I wish my father would calm down.”

“What?” She blinks and looks over at me.

“It’s not… My father has been harassing me about my quirk training,” I confess.

“He…probably just wants you to do well.”

I give her a small grin, and shake my head. “You’re too nice, you know that?”

“Well, what is it then?”

“My father…Endeavor,” I say acidly, “has my entire life planned out for me.” Down to the kind of quirk I should look for in a wife. As if I would ever do what he did. “No matter what I say to him, he’s convinced he’s going to take over my training and disregard anything he disagrees with that I’m learning at UA.”

“That’s ridiculous,” she whispers. “He’s really going to do that?”

“No,” I answer harshly, a fist forming at my side. “I refuse to be his puppet.” I sigh, and look at her directly. “I came to UA to learn how to use my quirk most effectively to be the best hero I can be, not just to show how powerful I am. I’m not like him.”

She nods, and I flinch when her hand touches my wrist.

“I know you’re not, Shouto,” she murmurs. “You have a kind heart.”

My fingers uncurl as hers slide down my palm, moving into the spaces between them. When I look down, her hand closes over mine, and I return the gesture without thinking.

“It’s getting dark,” she says softly. “The sun is almost down.”

“I hadn’t really noticed,” I murmur, my eyes still locked on our joined hands.

“We should probably go back in.”

She faces me, and my eyes jump up to hers. My stomach flips, and I feel pink heat my cheeks. Momo is really pretty. I noticed that the first time I saw her, I just…

“What is it?” she asks suddenly, pulling her hand out of mine. “Is there something on my face?” She reaches up to check, and I backtrack in a hurry.

“What? No,” I shake my head. “I, um, just, well…you said you didn’t want a date to the dance, and I wasn’t really planning on asking anyone either, so…what if we went together?”

“You…you’re asking me to the dance?” she echoes.

“Yes. If you want. Just…so you can tell the girls you have a date.”

“Oh, so…just as friends then?”

My stomach sinks with disappointment, and I shake my head again.

“Well, no, um…I mean, you don’t have to go with me if you don’t want to, of course. I just–”

“I would love to go with you,” she interrupts softly. “In fact, I have the perfect dress.”

“Oh, okay.” I start to turn away because my face is hot, and my hands are sweating, and…I feel like I’m using my fire quirk, except I’m not.

“It’s a date.”

I jerk when her lips brush my cheek, turning to watch her go as she starts past me. My hand shoots out automatically, grabbing hers and pulling her back to me.

“Todoroki? What are you?”

“Forgive me,” I murmur, my eyes fixed on her lips.

“What? Why–”

And then I’m kissing her.

Momo

I’m dreaming.

Because if I were actually and truly awake on a rooftop kissing Todoroki Shouto, my heart would stop beating, and I’d drop dead on the spot.

The kiss ends for a split second only for him to tilt his head a little and lean in again. This one is even better than before.

Wow, he tastes good. And his lips are soft. And…and…

This can’t be happening!

I push at his chest a little, and he instantly backs away.

“I’m sorry,” he rephrases his apology. “I just…needed to do that.”

I blink at him, one of my hands coming up to my lips, gently feeling them to make sure they’re real.

That I’m real.

That…this is all real and really happening.

“Yaoyorozu, are you okay?”

“That was beautiful,” I whisper.

Oh no. Am I going to cry? What is wrong with me!

“Well, um, good…” He nods, and shifts his weight, his hand fisting and unfisting at his sides. “We should probably–”

Suddenly, noise from the stairs catch our attention. Voices.

“They’re looking for us,” I murmur.

“We have to go,” he says, grabbing my hand. “If Bakugou catches us, we’ll never hear the end of it.”

“Or any of the girls,” I add.

“You have a point,” he says, pulling the door open. “What if instead of going to the dance, we bail and hide out in the dorm?”

“I…have to work the refreshments table,” I choke out at that unexpected proposal.

“Oh, well, I think I have to help you with that, so that works too, I guess.”

“I feel much calmer now,” I admit as we rush down the stairs. “Talking to you really helped.”

“It helped me too,” he mutters, his hand gently brushing the back of my waist. “And now I’m actually looking forward to this thing.”

“Yeah.” I grin. “Just don’t tell anyone I said that.”

“Your secret is safe with me.”

We hit the entrance to the great room, and we both go our separate ways.

But when I reach the other girls, my lips are still tingling. I just hope they can’t tell.

[snakesnack6]

Youtuber AU!Six the Musical

(Written this few months back and it’s very long, sorry)

Headcannons of Ladies and Waiting and The Palace : here

Catherine of Aragon:

 Guides/Explanations and has her own interview show

Guides as in taking a topic like Taxes, and simplifying the topic enough that adults, teens, and children could understand it

Simple enough that children can understand,but educational enough that it can be used in classrooms and businesses, and such to help people learn taxes and how to do them

Her interview show at first seems like a professional interview with yellow blank room, and two seats until you hear the questions

Questions range from” What is the meaning of life to you?” To,  “Do you know why the chicken crossed the road?”, or even just,” yes or no?”

These are all fan questions, and Aragon always have someone else pick the questions,so they turn out random and weird as possible

A fan made a collage of pictures of Aragon when she reads off a question and has a face of regret because she has to ask it

One of the highest subscribed channel in the group

Has a show with Anne on The Palace, called the The Vs Series

Anne Boleyn:

Mainly Game Commentary and Prank Videos

Starting doing youtube,so she could be home more often for Howard

Also does Comedy sketches w/ Howard and Anna

Help start  The Vs Series with Aragon because they were just so competitive with each other so much it became a regular thing and dragged the rest of queens with them in order to form teams

Streams herself DJing once a week or making a playlist with fans

Currently teaching Jane and Aragon how to play Overwatch,so she can get a team

Dancing or doing something ridiculous off camera while another queen is recording

 When Parr is streaming, Anne either goes to Parr’s room or chat inorder to ask questions like “If Neil A. is just alien backwards, does that mean the moon landing was fake?” to make her lose her place and leaves

Enjoys doing  voice recognition for controls or games that chat can interact with like Keep Talking and Don’t Explode or JackBox Party

Jane Seymour:

DIY and Baking/Cooking Videos

Mainly does DIY when she collabs,but fans enjoy it

Her cooking videos are much relaxing and calming like JunsKitchen and  HidaMari Cooking

Baking videos are a 50/50

It can be calming, and her having fun, or it is a version of  Seymour embracing her inner chaoticness 

Food dye is everywhere, Jane is  on the floor laughing, some possibly might be burning but it's fun to watch in the end

Has a garden and lives on small farm

Has a pig named Chris P. Bacon that shows up in some videos 

Goes to Aragon, Parr, or Anna for a taste test first before going to Anne and Kat

Fans sometimes refer her as Mama Jane, or Mama Seymour but she doesn’t have a clue why 

Anna of Cleves:

Workouts, Parkour,and Dog Vlogs

Workouts can pertain from high intensity cardio, and zumba, to sometime calming as Yoga

Convinces the rest of the queens to do them with her

Usually has a goPro strapped on her for Parkour videos

 Sometimes she trades out Parkour for rock climbs,hiking and skateboards

90% of these type videos are with Anne and Howard

Dogs vlogs are when she is going about her day with her dogs, their care route, or just when she just straps a go pro and lets them run around.

Her dogs consist of a Pitbull, Mastiff, German Spaniel, and the newest addition, a Senior Golden Retriever 

When drama is happening, the camera cuts to her just chilling on the couch with the dogs

Streams/Records herself gaming once in a while, usually when Anne needs a teammate

Other highest subscribed channel in the group

Katherine Howard:

Vlogging,stories, covers, and original music

Did make-up tutorials when she first started

Her vlogs are recorded over the week, and almost doing a recap of it in a single video

Her covers, and om are are her highest viewed and liked videos

Does some challenges with Anne and Anna on her channel

Used to mainly edit Anne’s videos before trying branching out to her own channel

Joins Parr in her reactions or reviews

Had to take a hadius for ‘personal reasons’

Comes back and starts streaming  mainly with Anna, and Aragon

Mainly it’s them taking, making jokes,singing and playing cards or something  

Or its them building some like a table or engineering a whole machine/robot

Their highest viewership was when they started to mess with the programming in a few roombas,somehow added a voice interface and module to them, and the rise of the roombas began

Long time fans notice that she is happier and seems to be enjoying the building than tutorials, which many  have noticed she stopped doing entirely 

Collabs with LiW(Ladies in Waiting) in some of each others’ covers or songs

Catherine Parr:

Mainly Book and Movie Reviews

Also does live reaction with the group

Has a different personally for streaming 

For  streaming like it will start  8 pm and will end between 12-6 am

It's mainly her going deep into theories,unsolved mysteries  and Controversies and possibly solving/answering them

Bulletin boards everywhere,articles everywhere, string everywhere

A truly chaotic stream ,but Cathy does enjoy it

Most likely has her own subreddit and pages for each topic,so fans can send info to help her

Definity running on coffee by hour 3 of the stream,but will stop the stream that day with she either reaches a certain amount of coffee, or certain number of donations

She doesn’t reveal the number so keep going without fans worrying,but they figure out at some point

Anne sometimes shows up to ask a question that throws her off and leaves or joining in the debate entirely  

The one that started The Palace, the queen’s group channel

Edits videos for Aragon and The Palace

(I have more headcannons for this as well as a few fanfics such as how they all met and how Anne and Kat, found out they were cousins with Jane. I have to deiced if I’m gonna post the stories on here or on ao3,but we’ll see)

[awaketake]

In this Exploding Topics Pro Demo I'm going to show you all Exploding Topics Pro features.

And how to use those features to find topics, startups and products that sell!

You might have high quality content but if people are not interested you won't see a lot of results.

And It’s hard to figure out what’s currently popping if you don’t have a trends research tool!

Exploding Topics Pro is one of the best tools to find high interest topics, products, business opportunities... before they even become popular.

If you want to see how it works then watch my Exploding Topics Pro Demo. It will paint a better picture than a review.

This Exploding Topics Pro Demo will be perfect if you are thinking about buying it or learning how to use the tool.

[jcmarchi]

Exploding Topics Review: Uncover Trends Before They Blow Up!

New Post has been published on https://thedigitalinsider.com/exploding-topics-review-uncover-trends-before-they-blow-up/

Exploding Topics Review: Uncover Trends Before They Blow Up!

As an SEO specialist, I’m constantly looking for ways to stay ahead of the curve. After all, SEO isn’t just about optimizing for what’s popular right now, but anticipating what’s coming next. It’s about spotting the trends before they become mainstream, so you can create content that resonates when it matters most. That’s why staying on top of emerging trends is more critical than ever!

I’ve heard a lot about Exploding Topics and was excited to do a personal deep dive into it. Co-founded by Brian Dean (an SEO legend!) it’s a game-changing tool that helps you spot trends before they explode into mainstream consciousness!

What I love about Exploding Topics is that (unlike Google Trends) it doesn’t just show you what’s already trending. It helps you identify trends before they even become popular.

While Google Trends is great for giving me real-time data on what’s hot right now, Exploding Topics digs deeper by analyzing the growth patterns of topics over time so I can spot emerging trends that are on the rise but haven’t hit the mainstream yet. This early insight allows me to create content that’s ahead of the curve, giving me a strategic advantage!

In this Exploding Topics review, I’ll discuss the pros and cons, what it is, who it’s best for, and its key features. Then, I’ll show you how I used Exploding Topics to uncover emerging trends, boost my content strategy, and ultimately stay ahead of the competition.

I’ll finish the article by comparing Exploding Topics with my top three alternatives (Trends Critical, Brandwatch, and Talkwalker). By the end, you’ll know if Exploding Topics is right for you!

Verdict

Exploding Topics is an excellent tool for uncovering emerging trends, creating timely content, and staying ahead of market shifts. However, its cost, limited niche coverage, and occasional fluctuations in trend accuracy may make it less ideal for smaller businesses or highly specialized industries.

Pros and Cons

Helps users discover emerging trends before they become mainstream

Provides fresh ideas for timely, relevant content that resonates with target audiences

Stay ahead of market shifts and adapt quickly to changes in consumer demand

Offers valuable information for making informed business decisions

Easy to navigate and understand

Covers a wide range of industries and topics

Provides access to past trend information

It can be expensive, especially for smaller businesses or individual users

The accuracy of trend predictions may fluctuate

It may not cover all niche industries equally well

Some identified trends may lose relevance quickly

The trends are restricted to predefined categories

The starter plan only allows 10 topic searches

The exact sources of trend data are not always clear

What is Exploding Topics?

At its core, Exploding Topics is a massive trend detection engine that uses artificial intelligence to analyze millions of data points across the Internet. We’re talking everything including Google search data, social media, news articles, and online discussions. It identifies trends at least 6 months before they go mainstream!

Trend Detection Algorithm & Data Sources

The Trend Detection algorithm doesn’t just look for spikes in popularity. Instead, it analyzes the growth pattern of topics over time, looking for sustained, organic growth curves.

For example, let’s say you’re researching sustainable fashion trends. The platform can help you spot bamboo fabric as an emerging trend because it shows consistent growth over the years, not just a temporary surge.

Free vs. Pro Versions

The free version of Exploding Topics gives you access to basic trend data and limited historical information. But if you’re serious about trend research, the pro version is worth investing in!

You get daily trend updates, advanced filters, and trend forecasting capabilities which can help spot potentially profitable niches early on. You’ll also get access to Pro features, like Meta Trends, trending products and startups, and API access (in higher-tier plans).

Pro users can also view very new trends peaking in the last 3-6 months, which isn’t available in the free version. Plus, the historical data goes back several years, allowing you to differentiate between seasonal spikes and genuine long-term trends!

Meta Categories

One thing that took me a bit to figure out was how to effectively use the Meta Trends. These are like trend clusters that show you the bigger picture of related topics!

The Meta Trends feature provides a visual representation of umbrella topics and their related subtopics. When you click on a Meta Trend, you’ll see a diagram with an inner ring of popular micro trends and an outer ring of related trending topics.

When exploring Meta Trends, you might discover how seemingly separate topics are interconnected. For example, a broad trend like “Premium Snacks” might include various related trending subtopics, helping you understand the larger market context.

Using Meta Trends can help you identify emerging niches within broader markets and understand the complex relationships between different trending topics. It’s an excellent way to get a more comprehensive view of trend dynamics beyond individual topic analysis.

While the platform is powerful, it’s not without limitations. Sometimes you’ll need to combine its insights with other research tools like Semrush, Google Trends, or other research platforms to get a well-rounded view of emerging market opportunities!

Who is Exploding Topics Best For?

Exploding Topics is best suited for these types of people:

Bloggers and Content Marketers can use Exploding Topics to find fresh, engaging topics with high search potential, discover content ideas that haven’t been extensively covered, and create content that drives traffic.

SEO Professionals can use Exploding Topics to identify low-competition keywords linked to rapidly growing trends, help clients get quick ranking results, and stand out in competitive digital landscapes.

Investors can use Exploding Topics to uncover promising trends and emerging startups and gain insights into untapped market potential.

Entrepreneurs can use Exploding Topics to validate business ideas, spot market gaps before they become saturated, and position themselves to offer groundbreaking products or services.

Industries with Significant Potential can use Exploding Topics to track trends in technology (AI, machine learning, blockchain), e-commerce, marketing, health, and finance.

Exploding Topics Key Features

This platform comes with eight key features.

1. Trend Tracking

When I first used the Trend Tracking feature, I was impressed by how comprehensive it was. It doesn’t just show you what’s trending. It breaks down the growth pattern with detailed metrics!

The Trend Tracking tool focuses on overall growth patterns, search volume trends, and future projections. It provides the following key features for trend analysis:

Historical data going back up to 15 years

Search volume for the previous month and growth over selected periods

Trend forecasting using AI prediction for the next year (in some plans)

Channel breakdown showing where the topic is most popular on social media

Related trends for additional context

2. Trends Database

The Trends Database has become my go-to resource for research. It’s massive (we’re talking hundreds of thousands of tracked topics across dozens of categories!) It also covers 31+ categories including AI, pets, marketing, tech, food, gaming, design, and travel.

What I love most is the filtering system. You can refine the data by growth rate, time period, and type (brand or non-brand).

The database is updated daily, so you have access to the most current trend information. Each trend includes a graph of historical Google Search volume so you can understand the trend’s growth trajectory and stability over time.

Pro users can export this data into CSV files, making it easy to conduct deeper analysis outside the platform.

3. Trend Analysis

For Trend Analysis, Exploding Topics is really good at providing context. It’s not just raw numbers. You get detailed insights about why a trend is growing!

The correlation analysis has been particularly useful.

For example, you might discover that the rise in “mushroom coffee” is strongly correlated with broader trends in functional beverages and natural nootropics. This kind of insight can help create much more comprehensive content!

4. Trending Startups

The Trending Startups tool is great for staying ahead of industry innovations.

Each startup listing includes:

Company name and description

Founded date

Total funding and latest funding round

Number of employees

Location

Website and social platform links (if available)

It’s an excellent tool for identifying emerging business models and product categories before they hit mainstream awareness.

5. Trending Products

The Trending Products feature saves countless hours of market research. It offers insights into trending products across various categories.

Here’s what sets it apart:

Uses AI and machine learning to analyze data from multiple sources (including Google Search, social media, and e-commerce sites)

Provides growth trends and forecasts for products

Shows top sellers and brands for each product

It also provides monthly sales data for products, average review information, and Google search volume trends to gauge consumer interest.

The tool aims to identify products with long-term growth potential rather than just current bestsellers. You can track products of interest and receive real-time updates on trend data.

6. Meta Trends

Meta Trends might be the most powerful feature for strategic planning. It visually represents umbrella topics and their related subtopics, showing interconnected trends within larger markets.

When you click on a Meta Trend, you see a diagram with an inner ring of popular micro trends and an outer ring of related trending topics. This helps identify fast-growing niche trends within broader markets, providing a list of growing keywords, brands, and products in that niche.

For example, I discovered trending AI chatbots like Yellow AI and Elise AI were all part of a larger meta trend in AI Chatbots. This helped me develop a much more coherent content strategy by providing insights into emerging niches and understanding the complex relationships between different trending topics!

7. Reports Library

The Reports Library offers curated trends and comprehensive analyses delivered weekly. It provides valuable insights that help paint a picture of where markets are heading.

Each report is divided into two main segments:

“Early bird companies”

“Tomorrow’s products today”

In every report, you’ll find:

Four trending products

Four companies making waves

Detailed insights for each trend and company

8. API Access

Exploding Topics offers API access for Pro Business subscribers. The API lets you retrieve and analyze topics in real time, with up to 60 requests per minute.

Key features of the Exploding Topics API include:

Access to trending topics, including descriptions, detection dates, and monthly search volumes

Data on popular e-commerce products, including growth levels and search metrics

Information on trending startups

Historical data going back 15 years, with daily updates

The API can be integrated into existing analytics systems and content planning tools to streamline your workflow. You can even build custom dashboards, create visualizations, and set up automatic reminders or workflows based on trend data.

It’s flexible and easy to use with REST architecture. It’s also managed directly by Exploding Topics for live and accurate data and comes with hands-on support if needed.

Combining These Features

Something I’ve learned is to use these features in combination.

For example, I often start with Meta Trends to identify broad movements, then drill down using the Trends Database, validate with the Products section, and finally use the API to monitor specific metrics automatically. This integrated approach has helped me spot opportunities I might have missed looking at any single feature in isolation.

Just remember that like any tool, these features work best when you have a clear strategy for using them. It took me some time to develop an efficient workflow, but now I can quickly assess new opportunities and make data-driven decisions about content direction.

The real power comes from understanding how these features complement each other. For example, when I identify a promising trend in the database, I can quickly validate it against startup activity and product demand and then set up API monitoring for ongoing tracking. This comprehensive approach has helped me stay ahead of market shifts rather than just reacting to them!

How to Use Exploding Topics

Here’s how I used Exploding Topics to identify rising trends in my niche:

Create an Account

Go to Meta Trends

View All Meta Trends

Select a Trend

Track a Topic

Create a New Project

View Your Project

Select a Topic

Analyze Topic Metrics

View Related Trends

Find Trends in Your Niche

Step 1: Create an Account

I started by going to explodingtopics.com and hitting “Pro” on the top right and then “Sign In.”

After creating an account and signing up for a Pro plan, I was taken to the Trend Tracking tab!

Step 2: Go to Meta Trends

First things first: start with the Meta Trends section which you can find near the bottom of the navigation panel. Instead of getting lost in individual trends, I’ve learned to use this tool to look at broader category movements.

Step 3: View All Meta Trends

To view all meta trends, I clicked “All Meta Trends” on the top right.

Step 4: Select a Trend

From here, I could view all of my meta trends in one place and choose the one I wanted to dive deeper into.

I selected “View Analysis” on “AI Chatbots.”

Selecting “View Analysis” gave me a brief background and analysis of AI chatbots, as well as a chart with two rings:

Inner ring: Micro trends within AI chatbots

Outer ring: Other trends related to AI chatbots

Step 5: Track a Topic

Selecting one of the trending topics presented a graph showing the volume and growth over the past couple of years. Beneath this graph, I could hit “Track Topic” to start tracking it!

When deciding which topics you want to track on Exploding Topics, pay attention to the platform’s trend indicators. Look for trends with:

Steady upward growth trajectories

Increasing search volume

“Exploding” or early-stage status

I’ve had success targeting topics that are just beginning to gain traction but haven’t reached peak popularity. These emerging trends often represent the perfect timing for content creation or business strategy. By identifying trends before they become mainstream, you can position yourself ahead of the competition.

The meta trends on Exploding Topics are an excellent way to discover topics you might think are a single trend but are actually part of a larger movement. It’s a great way to identify niche opportunities within larger markets! If you’re an SEO specialist like me, it’s an excellent way to create content clusters to establish topical authority and really start ranking in the SERPs.

Step 6: Create a New Project

Hitting “Track Topic” opens a small window with existing projects I can add the topic to. Alternatively, I could create a new project, which is what I selected.

Next, I had to give my project a name. I called it “AI Tools” and hit “Create.”

Step 7: View Your Project

Heading over to the “Trend Tracking” tab was my new project and topic! I hit “View Project” to see more.

Step 8: Select a Topic

Hitting “View Project” took me to a page where I could view my topics, growth, and volume within the project. I selected the topic I had just added.

Step 9: Analyze Topic Metrics

This gave me much deeper insights into:

The topics growth over time (up to 15 years!) and project forecast over the next 12 months

What the topic was about

A breakdown of the topic’s activity on each social channel

Key indicators of the topic’s growth, speed, etc.

Step 10: View Related Trends

Below that were trends related to my topic, including their growth metrics.

Step 11: Find Trends in Your Niche

The Trends Database is another excellent tool for finding trending topics in your specific niche. At the top, you can search for specific trends, or look through the different categories.

But don’t just stick to your main niche. Explore adjacent categories too to find even more opportunities!

To find trends in my niche, I selected the “Trends Database” from the navigation menu and filtered through the categories. In my case, I wanted to find more AI trends, so I went to “Technology” and selected “Artificial Intelligence.”

Next, I was presented with tens of thousands of Artificial Intelligence topics I could sort by trends, growth, volume, timeframe, and type (brands or non-brands). I could select any of these topics to get deeper insights and add them to my projects to track over time, or I could export the trend data to a CSV!

The real power of Exploding Topics isn’t just in finding trends. It’s in understanding how to time your content strategy around them.

I’ve found that targeting trends when they’re in the early growth phase, rather than at their peak, usually leads to better long-term results!

Overall, Exploding Topics helped me uncover emerging trends before they hit the mainstream for a competitive edge. By tracking and analyzing trends, I was able to create targeted strategies to boost my content’s relevance and reach!

Top 3 Exploding Topics Alternatives

Herer are the best Exploding Topics alternatives.

Trends Critical

The first Exploding Topics alternative I’d recommend is Trends Critical. I love Trends Critical for its AI tools that simplify turning insights into real-world results! The tool aims to “skip hours of trend research” and offers a unique approach of combining “Trends + AI + Partners = Faster and Better Outcomes”.

Both platforms focus on identifying emerging trends and valuable insights for businesses and individuals aiming to stay ahead of market changes. Exploding Topics casts a wide net across industries, analyzing millions of online interactions to identify trends before they take off. Meanwhile, Trends Critical goes further with insights powered by AI. It offers cross-industry trend integration, real-life trend validation, and customizable tools tailored to specific workflows.

Exploding Topics excels in simplicity, ease of navigation, and providing broad trend insights through predefined categories. On the other hand, Trends Critical offers a more dynamic, AI-driven approach with personalized insights with support for over 50 languages and 40+ AI templates. While Exploding Topics may appeal to those seeking general trends, Trends Critical’s strengths lie in its ability to offer niche, personalized insights and tools for converting trends into actionable strategies.

For a straightforward way to discover broad trends and generate content ideas, choose Exploding Topics. For AI-driven, customizable insights to transform trends into concrete business actions, Trends Critical is the better fit!

Brandwatch

The next Exploding Topics alternative I’d recommend is Brandwatch. Brandwatch is excellent at providing detailed historical context and actionable real-time insights through its advanced AI capabilities. They recently launched an AI-powered React Score that provides real-time brand reputation insights!

Both platforms help identify trends, but their approaches and focus areas differ.

Exploding Topics uses a broad algorithm to analyze millions of searches, conversations, and mentions. This makes Exploding Topics the better choice for spotting under-the-radar trends early. It’s easy to navigate and caters to content creators, marketers, and entrepreneurs looking to stay ahead of emerging markets. However, its predefined categories and limited niche coverage can be drawbacks.

Meanwhile, Brandwatch focuses on comprehensive consumer intelligence with historical and real-time data from 1.7 trillion conversations across diverse sources like social media, reviews, and news. Its AI tools provide deep insights through auto-segmentation, image analysis, and customizable visualizations for large-scale data analysis. Unlike Exploding Topics, Brandwatch offers powerful reporting tools to track and share insights, making it better suited for enterprises.

For a user-friendly tool to spot trends and create timely content, choose Exploding Topics. For a robust platform with deep consumer intelligence and market analysis, choose Brandwatch!

Talkwalker

The final Exploding Topics alternative I’d recommend is Talkwalker. Both tools are designed to help businesses stay ahead of trends, but they approach this goal differently.

Exploding Topics focuses on identifying early-stage trends by analyzing Internet searches and conversations. This is great for finding valuable insights for content creation. On the other hand, Talkwalker excels in social listening, media monitoring, and consumer intelligence. It also comes with comprehensive tools for reputation management and competitor analysis.

Exploding Topics is straightforward and excellent for discovering under-the-radar trends across predefined categories. Meanwhile, Talkwalker offers a broader scope, including crisis management and audience insights. It also uses Blue Silk™ GPT to decode real-time consumer insights and predict future KPIs with high accuracy, among other things. The major difference lies in Talkwalker’s emphasis on real-time monitoring and its ability to connect businesses with influential media partners while Exploding Topics remains focused on trend discovery.

If you’re looking for early-stage trend discovery and niche content ideas, choose Exploding Topics. For real-time insights, social media monitoring, and reputation management, choose Talkwalker!

Exploding Topics Review: The Right Tool For You?

After using Exploding Topics for trend discovery, it’s been an invaluable tool in staying ahead of market shifts and creating content that resonates. The ability to identify emerging trends before they hit the mainstream is something I didn’t expect to be so impactful! I’ve been able to create content around topics that were just starting to gain traction, positioning myself ahead of the curve.

The entire platform is easy to navigate and offers detailed insights, like search volume trends and future projections. I’ve been able to understand not just what’s trending, but why it’s growing. Plus, the Meta Trends feature helped me connect seemingly unrelated trends into larger movements. As an SEO specialist, this has been huge for creating content clusters to establish topical authority.

The only drawback I’d mention is that Exploding Topics doesn’t cover niche industries as deeply as I’d like. If you’re working in a very specialized field, you might find the coverage a bit limited. But for broader trends and content creation, this tool is solid.

If you’re curious about the best Exploding Topics alternatives, here’s what I’d recommend:

Trends Critical is best if you’re looking for AI-powered, customizable trend insights across industries with a focus on real-world applications. It’s a great tool for creating actionable strategies.

Brandwatch is best for enterprises needing advanced consumer intelligence, historical data, and real-time insights from 1.7 trillion conversations across multiple sources.

Talkwalker is best for businesses looking for real-time insights, social media monitoring, and competitor analysis with a focus on media partnerships and reputation management.

Overall, if you’re looking to discover emerging trends early and stay ahead of the competition, Exploding Topics is a must-have. It’s been a game-changer for my content strategy and decision-making, especially when paired with other tools for deeper insights!

Thanks for reading my Exploding Topics review! I hope you found it helpful.

Exploding Topics offers a Free Plan that includes the Trend Explorer, a weekly newsletter with trending topics, and three free Trend Reports each month. Try it for yourself and see how you like it!

Visit Exploding Topics →

Frequently Asked Questions

Is Exploding Topics reputable?

Exploding Topics is a reputable trend discovery tool, earning an impressive 4.9 out of 5 rating on ProductHunt and co-founded by Brian Dean, a well-known SEO expert. The platform has grown significantly, now boasting a database of 779k+ trends and generating $3.2 million in annual recurring revenue, which demonstrates its credibility and value in the market.

Where does Exploding Topics get their data from?

Exploding Topics gathers its data from a variety of sources, including Google Search, e-commerce sites like Amazon, social media platforms, podcasts, and industry publications. This combination of AI and human analysis allows the platform to identify emerging trends effectively.

What is the alternative to Exploding Topics?

Google Trends is a free alternative to Exploding Topics that allows users to see how searches are trending over time, though it requires more manual investigation. The Pinterest Trends Tool is another free alternative that is particularly useful for direct-to-consumer (DTC) businesses looking for product and content ideas.

What is Exploding Topics used for?

Exploding Topics is helps businesses, marketers, and content creators identify emerging trends before they become mainstream by analyzing data from various sources like social media and search engines. The platform provides actionable insights to stay ahead of market shifts, develop strategic content, and make informed business decisions across different industries.

[aurorafreerose]

Don’t Be Late- Ch 4

Summary: Bakugo and Uraraka have their first “argument”.

Writer’s note: Wrote this listening to Loveeee Song by Rihanna and Biking by Frank Ocean!

Word count: 1,593

Read on ao3!

A badly wrought silence hung in the air as Bakugo and Uraraka made their way back from training.  It used to be comfortable, but now it was overtly disjunct. Bakugo was different; something about him was off-kilter. He would look at her every couple of seconds, perhaps to check if she was looking back, and then immediately look away. He did this a few times, and Ochaco could tell through the corner of her eye. The next time, she turned to face him. The moment her deep brown eyes met a pair of striking vermillion ones, they seemed to want to look at anything but her.

Ochaco was the one to break the silence.

"So, is sparring all you do in your spare time?" Ochaco said cheerily.

"What kind of stupid-ass question is that?" barked Bakugo, as if she ought to have known the answer to that question already. He was back to his usual tough demeanor; the small moment of vulnerability she'd glimpsed had all but disappeared. "How the fuck else am I supposed to become number one?"

"Well, you don't have to spend all of your time working." At this, Bakugo looked aggravated, but he didn't interrupt her.

"I'll go out with friends sometimes," she offered earnestly.

Bakugo didn't look too convinced.

"That's a waste of time if I ever fuckin' heard of one." He was supremely disdainful.

"No, it's really fun! I go out with the girls sometimes. We'll study at Momo's, or shop at the mall, or go for walks-"

"And other times, I'll hang out with Iida and-"

"Let me guess. You like being with that shitty nerd, eh?" Bakugo spat the words out of his mouth hatefully. He hadn't even heard his name, and yet a mere reference to him was enough to evoke such a reaction. She'd forgotten how deep his hatred for Deku really was.

Ochaco's face fell mid-sentence. He was right, of course, but she didn't want to admit it. Not to herself, her friends, or him. Not to anyone.

"I-I mean, of course I do! He's my friend!"

"Why the fuck would anyone would want to be friends with a fuckin' loser like him?"

He'd said it spitefully, but there was a touch of genuine curiosity in his tone.

Ochaco flushed. There were so many things she wanted to say to him. It made her angry. The way he spoke so rudely about her friend, and how he didn't seem to care about what she was saying to him. Her hands curled into fists at her side.

But before she got the chance, they were already back at the dorms.

Bakugo swiftly turned away from her, not bothering to wait from her as climbed the staircase and pushed the door open.

Ochaco was still brimming with anger. She was just trying to make small talk, but of course Bakugo proved to be impossible to talk to. Why did she even try? It's not like she'd ever get to know him. Not in a million years. He always had to be angry. He'd turned what could have been a perfectly nice conversation into a bitter mess. Bakugo didn't even have a good reason for it.

Fuming, she walked up the stairs, entering the common room after him.

The girls' eyes widened in awe as Ochaco described her experience with Bakugo. They were sitting on the couch once more, occupying their habitual positions.

"I wouldn't be surprised if I were you, Ochaco-chan. Bakugo's never been likeable, kero."

Tsuyu said this bluntly, but it was a popular opinion. Jirou, Momo, and Hagakure all voiced their agreement, chiming in with their negative opinions of Bakugo.

Mina, however, was the odd one out.

"I mean, he's not that bad..."

The rest of them stared at her in disbelief.

"I'm only saying that because he's friends with Kirishima-kun and Kaminari-kun, and I'm friends with them, so-"

"But he just said he doesn't really care about friendships!" Hagakure objected indignantly.

"He says that, but you don't know if he means it-"

"Why wouldn't he mean it? I wouldn't put it past him!" Jirou retorted.

As Ochaco had expected (but not hoped), their discussion had turned into a heated argument over Bakugo's hypothetical merits. She let out a sigh and leaned back on the couch, her overworked muscles relaxing as she stretched.

He was so hard to deal with, so frustrating, so, so disrespectful...

But she had to admit, there was something intriguing about him. She thought back to their sparring session, and it sent chills down her spine. The way he wouldn't hold himself back against her. The passion she could feel when their bodies met mid-fight, sometimes on the tips of his fingers, as they fought. That explicit intensity of his in full flare as he made every concentrated effort he possibly could to bring her down. The different aspects of him she'd gotten to see as she wore him down, but he'd discarded any trace of them when he knew she was looking.

He was no easy task, Bakugo Katsuki, but she wanted to figure him out. And she wasn't going to let him go without trying.

After all, that's what Deku-kun would do, right?

She glanced out the window to see Deku practicing with his quirk. His conviction had garnered her fierce admiration, and she always thought of him whenever doing something hero-related. She aspired to be like him, to fight like him and think like him. Thinking about how she felt- well, it made her flustered, because what if he didn't feel the same way? That was why she tried to avoid it, but she knew there was something special about him.

Smiling, she leaned in to join the newest topic of discussion amongst them (How does Aizawa-sensei make his hair float?) with a renewed sense of interest.

From across the room, Bakugou, Tokoyami, Kaminari, and Kirishima were sitting around a table. Bakugo'd made himself comfortable, with his arms sprawled around the cushions to either side.

While the others were engrossed in their conversation (Kirishima had brought up the question of which pro hero had the best costume), his eyes found their way to something else as he reviewed the day's events in his mind.

He hated the way Angel Face talked about Deku. Like he was some kind of fuckin' god or something. Bakugo knew he was better than that damn loser in any possible way, and it ticked him off to see anyone praise him. Let alone someone who'd literally just seen the extent of his abilities, ones that had taken fucking years to hone. You couldn't compare his athletic prowess to whatever the fuck that Quirkless nerd could do, some sloppy shit he'd got together in a few months. It was fucking annoying, and she was lucky he didn't explode on her about it right then and there.

As he watched her talk to her friends, her face lighting up with mirth with every laugh and smile, his anger ebbed to give way for... something else. It was a different kind of feeling, and he wasn't accustomed to it at all. Bakugo momentarily forgot the reasons for his irritation as he found himself examining Ochaco from the opposite side of the room.

"So, Ochaco-chan, eh? It isn't like you to be so preoccupied."

Shitty Hair had interrupted his semi-stupor, and was now looking at him with a knowing smirk on his face.

"Oi, shut the fuck up! I wasn't looking at shit!"

"Sure you weren't..."

The cluster of girls, who were pestering a very flustered Momo over her hypothesized feelings for Todoroki, hushed as Bakugo Katsuki approached them. He didn't bother to ask to talk to Ochaco in private.

"Angel Face."

"Yes?"

"Same time, same place?" He was blushing, this time more subtly, but he attempted to fight it as he stared at the floor, hands protruding out of his pockets.

"S-sure!" Ochaco wasn't expecting Bakugo to be the one to schedule their next meeting, but it left her slightly grateful at his willingness to reach out. She was blushing too now, her friends not even bothering to hide their giggles.

He walked away, taking care to rearrange his features into the same haughty expression he usually wore.

"I told you he wasn't that bad!" Mina exclaimed, poking Ochaco in the side.

"I mean, it's pretty good for Bakugo-kun," Momo chimed in, grateful the conversation was no longer revolving around her.

"He was so awkward, Ochaco-chan! Didn't you notice?" Hagakure asked.

"W-what? I didn't think he was awkward! He seemed normal to me!"

They continued to banter back and forth, and the topic shifted to pestering Jirou about Kaminari not long after.

Ochaco couldn't stop replaying every detail of their fight. She buried her head in her pillow, desperately trying to assuage her mind, but every last kick, punch, and dodge were on loop in her brain. She tried to think of Deku instead, which was much more comforting. Thankfully, it worked as she drifted off to sleep.

Or so she thought. Her mind wandered back to when Bakugo had her pinned against the wall, when his body was right against hers. She felt like- searching for the words to describe it, she settled on a prey being hunted down by a predator.

Had she... enjoyed that? No, of course she didn't! Why on Earth would she have been enjoying it? Oh, if Deku could see her now... he'd be reviled. She let out a long sigh. She had more important things to think about.

[alixismix]

>Interesting that our country seems to have the worst gun violence yet Australia doesn't Canada doesn't United Kingdom doesn't Norway doesn't New Zealand doesn't. So how are we different that we can't control this interesting.

>Australia, Canada, UK, and Norway (idk about new Zealand considering its population) is nowhere near Americas numbers. With what I mentioned (population) and other cultural factors in this argument, their main issue, although not with guns, definitely stems from domestic terrorism, to government control. All thanks to the removal of their firearms of course.

>So I guess we will go ahead with thoughts and prayers every time an innocent child is blown apart at least that's what I'm getting from the return posts you are okay with children being torn apart.

>nice. Yeah instead of respecting the deaths or the ppl who are traumatized by them you're using them as a ploy to push your fear mongering. Yes I am a Christian that encourages and welcomes prayers, but that school was already a gun free zone, what more do you want??

>how many cops and law enforcement were at the school Ulvade they had plenty of guns how many were available to take that gunman down.

Cops take bad guys down.

You ppl bitch.

Cops don't do shit.

You ppl bitch.

Cops exist.

You ppl bitch.

>Look, Ulvade was a complete dog shit situation with everyone involved it shouldn't have happened and those cops should be flogged for the lack of action, especially the one with the wife. Fuck them, fuck the parents.

Further more if you actually took ten minutes to research, you can actually find evidence of corruption at play. From the cops taking their sweet time, knowing of the shooter and even letting him shoot up a retirement home across from the school, to the DEMOCRATIC election that took place a week later (on the topic of gun control no less).

All of it was foul play, and if cops aren't going to do their jobs to "serve and protect" isn't that grounds to get a gun to protect my kids? The cop won't and death is not an option for me or my kids.

I'm going to go easy on you for this one tho and cut you some slack since Ulvade literally was talked about for a day or two, and then was dropped. So nobody really knows much of what happened and most of everything dropped it as opposed to a few YouTubers bringing it up a blimp of the year.

>Has Robin Williams said guns with people don't kill people apes with guns kill people.

>Are you going to disprove him? No? Oh ok.

>When all the other civilized Nations have not the kind of death statistics that we have with guns something is wrong.

>yeah guys, like Canada. Where they have free healthcare and free dental and LGBT rep and black ppl and-

-sorry for lack of pixels.

Individual freedoms are definitely a high cost in America, but I would rather take care and look after myself as opposed to the government giving and taking shit from me.

(note: same dude to suggest that cops are incompetent btw)

>And again what people are saying from the post I have reviewed is that you are okay with a child's had exploding has an AK-47 bullet slams into their head splattering their brains on the wall with her blood as an adhesive. That's what you're saying right?

Why and how can you be so casual about talking about kids getting their heads exploded? That's sus.

Anyways-

"a true AK-47 has a fully automatic setting

which is illegal in the United States."

-google.

Criminals breaking the laws. Shocker.

I really have nothing else to add here that I didn't already say. Michael, I do not hate or disrespect your takes, in fact I hope this can open a discussion. You obviously come from a frustrated and scared/traumatized place that just wants the agony to end, even temporarily. I do too. I get it. However I think you're definitely ill informed about the topic at hand. Obviously you can still be anti gun and pro gun free areas, but I also think looking at actual stats could help you better understand the argument and situations a little better. How?

Consider the fact that more gun related deaths are of suicides and not homicides.

Like, instead of going on the ppl who use guns responsibly, share mental health resources and other stuff like that. Just my two cents tho.

Interesting that our country seems to have the worst gun violence yet Australia doesn't Canada doesn't United Kingdom doesn't Norway doesn't New Zealand doesn't. So how are we different that we can't control this interesting. So I guess we will go ahead with thoughts and prayers every time an innocent child is blown apart at least that's what I'm getting from the return posts you are okay with children being torn apart. How many cops and law enforcement were at the school Ulvade they had plenty of guns how many were available to take that gunman down.

Has Robin Williams said guns with people don't kill people apes with guns kill people

When all the other civilized Nations have not the kind of death statistics that we have with guns something is wrong.

And again what people are saying from the post I have reviewed is that you are okay with a child's had exploding has an AK-47 bullet slams into their head splattering their brains on the wall with her blood as an adhesive. That's what you're saying right?

[downahill]

I posted 2,111 times in 2022

242 posts created (11%)

1,869 posts reblogged (89%)

Blogs I reblogged the most:

@casgirl

@downahill

@dogmotifs

@saintcarrie

@legalizegrank

I tagged 759 of my posts in 2022

#riverdale - 88 posts

#spn - 86 posts

#succession - 85 posts

#black sails - 41 posts

#twin peaks - 41 posts

#our flag means death - 39 posts

#hacks - 30 posts

#house of the dragon - 25 posts

#stranger things - 21 posts

#euphoria - 19 posts

Longest Tag: 140 characters

#it's like background noise stress that rn someone is sitting down and reading thee experimental comedy for the ages titled no entrance......

My Top Posts in 2022:

#5

it’s actually so powerful that riverdale started with like the gang does child labor and then gets to a place of the cast singing “bread and roses” and having pro-union plot lines….it’s cinema

20 notes - Posted November 15, 2022

#4

but also riverdale is so good in season two the way it traces how white masculinity, unaddressed trauma, and the availability of guns combine to become the fuel for rhetoric about “safe” communities, gentrification, and policing that instead of impacting the white and wealthy perpetrators of violence — the clifford blossoms or hal coopers — devastates the lives of the serpents, who are poorer and often people of color.

& the fact that this is also the season that introduces jingle jangle, gryphons & gargoyles, and the seasonal riverdale musical episode??? it’s a camp classic with BRAINS with MESSAGES with POWERFUL TOPICAL THEMES!!!!!!!!!!

21 notes - Posted November 19, 2022

#3

when steide makes blackbeard’s piece of silk from his childhood into a pocket square in the moonlight......jaws dropped hearts exploded people died

35 notes - Posted March 25, 2022

#2

“the chain” needle drop........”you came back” “I never left”............laying on the ground looking at each other the whole time they got captured............like YEAH..........OUR FLAG MEANS DEATH IS EVERYTHING..........INVENTED CINEMA AND TELEVISION

36 notes - Posted March 25, 2022

My #1 post of 2022

also so iconic that season one of black sails was just flint waking up every day of 1715 being a cunt causing problems making cryptic statements about his past and having bad sex with miranda. THAT is how you introduce a main character 

2,419 notes - Posted February 17, 2022

Get your Tumblr 2022 Year in Review →

[madhukumarc]

What are affiliate marketing content ideas?

Affiliate marketing is a great way to monetize a website or blog and generate income. Content is a key part of any affiliate marketing strategy, so it's important to come up with creative content ideas that will engage your audience.

“People buy from people they trust and they trust people they like” – Garrison Wynn

Here are the top 5 ideas for affiliate marketing content that you can use to boost your income:

1. Product Reviews: Write reviews of products that you're an affiliate for and include an affiliate link so readers can purchase the product. This is an effective way to showcase the features of the product and help readers understand why it's worth buying.

This can be a great way to attract readers and encourage them to click through and make a purchase. You should also be sure to include keywords in your blog post that are related to the product or service, as this can help with search engine rankings.

2. Tutorials: People love watching video reviews because it gives them a better understanding of the product and how it works. Create tutorials related to products you're an affiliate for, such as how to set up the product and use it effectively.

This helps readers understand the value of the product and can also give them ideas for how to use it in unique ways.

3. Interviews: Interview people who are experts in the field related to the product you're an affiliate for. This helps establish trust between you and your readers, as they can see that you're collaborating with thought leaders in the industry.

4. Comparison Posts: Compare two or more products that you're an affiliate for, such as by comparing their features, pricing, and customer support. This can help readers make an informed decision when choosing which product to buy.

5. Lists: Create lists of products that you're an affiliate for and explain why each one is a good choice. You can also create lists of resources related to the product, such as tutorials, reviews, and interviews.

Pro-Tip: If you're good at doing keyword research, you'll have a wealth of content ideas at your disposal to use for promotion and other purposes. 

You can use resources like Google Keyword Planner, Exploding Topics, Answer The Public, Also Asked, and other premium SEO tools.

These are top notch ideas among the many for affiliate marketing content that you can use to boost your income and engage your audience. But, be creative and experiment with different types of content to find what works best for your purpose and audience.

P.S: Visit Digital Marketing Forum for more such insights and specific answers to most [unanswered] questions.

[aion-rsa]

What We Do in the Shadows Season 3 Episode 6 Review: The Escape

https://ift.tt/eA8V8J

This What We Do in the Shadows review contains spoilers.

What We Do in the Shadows Season 3 Episode 6

When the vampires of Staten Island first took their orientation through the offices of the Vampiric Council, they were warned about the room which enclosed the Sire. The first of all vampires, the one whom all vampires are descended from, and whose demise (probably) means the death of them all. You’d think they might do better than stick him in a stone cell in gratitude. But the vampires on What We Do in the Shadows never plan ahead. In season 3, episode 6, they deal with “The Escape “

One of the gifts the vampires of What We Do in the Shadows has is the power to shirk responsibility. Nandor (Kayvan Novak) honed this skill, we learn during the episode, while still a mortal military head of state. Whenever something went wrong on one of his battlefields, he would blame another country and declare war. Nadja (Natasia Demetriou) passes off her avoidance of responsibility as mere forgetfulness. Yes, she knows she was supposed to remind Nandor to feed the Sire, she even wrote a sticky note. But blame? Fault? These are words which get too easily lost in translation.

The Sire’s proper name, written on an ancient scroll as Goéjlrm, takes on a life of its own. Nandor practices pronunciations before facing the undead press, Nadja struggles through its mangling whenever forced. The situation is presented very well as dire, the stakes, always a dangerous topic for immortal bloodsuckers, are higher than any presented by the series before. The very possibility of total vampire extinction. “We’ve had a good run,” Nandor assures the press, who are desperate for solutions from an underwhelmed ruling body.

Guillermo (Harvey Guillén) takes control in the most passive aggressive way. Since his promotion from familiar to bodyguard, it seems Guillermo is only doing twice the work for half the pay. Tonight, when faced with the possibility that Colin Robinson (Mark Proksch) doesn’t know where on earth he might find water, glasses and ice, no less, Guillermo turns the screws.

There isn’t a dust-buster yet made which can contain the floating vampire Dark Shade (Kristen Schaal) in this episode. She is all over the place, like a dark cloud at a picnic, guiding ants to the entrée. Tonight, her best moment is introducing Nadja and the audience to The Watchers, who have been silently peering over Manhattan from atop their perch on an old gothic building. These gargoyles have always been there, at least since the building went up. It is interesting how we never see the cameramen and the Watchers at the same time. Yet, they too, are waiting, and watching.

But not gossiping. Apparently immortal beings tasked with being vigilant viewfinders become eternal busybodies. Maybe it’s because they are carved in stone and don’t really get out much. “Quid quo pro, Clarice,” the goyles say as the vampires leave them without any naughty nuggets. It’s also very ambiguously amusing how they treat the vampires when they leave. They talk behind their back with a begrudging respect for the very attitude they are trash talking.

Colin Robinson finally finds a new vein of energy to suck tonight, which has double the impact. He’s been running on empty much of the season, as his energy vampire antics hit their peak when power went to his head in season 2. As the vampires head to Ozone Park, Queens, to hunt the roguish, escaped Sire, Colin’s eyes are positively aglow, and without any need for special effects. Earlier in the evening, he posted to a neighborhood website, asking if anyone noticed anything at all suspicious, and it explodes “into an orgy of racism.”

There is a returning character tonight, who is better left uncovered. Baron Afanas spent the last two years buried alive in the backyard of the vampires’ Staten Island home. Not knowing which way he was tossed into the makeshift grave, he’s been digging sideways the whole time, unsure which way is up. The Baron is an ancient vampire, probably the most ancient after the Sire, which proves vampires do not gain intelligence, nor really retain knowledge, in the long years of their everlasting afterlife. His best bit comes when he thinks he is controlling a vehicle he rides on with his mind. It’s actually being guided by a hand-held control stick Dark Shade is playing with. The fun of the scene is how much glee is packed into four little wheels.

The Sire is actually quite a frightening-looking creature, and the scene where Nadja and Laszlo (Matt Berry) track it in the store builds quite a bit of suspense, with or without a magic flute. The horror of it all lingers well into the punch line. Laszlo looks suitably throttled, luckily by plastic bins, and Nadja is truly both terrified and mortified. In a very short moment, she goes from cajoling and indulging to cringing and crying, only to have it land on the silliest of gags. At least it’s quickly a running gag.

The episode ends on a deliciously upbeat note in the wilds of Nutley, New Jersey, where devil dogs roam free, and dinner is as easy as an ad for an Airbnb. Written by Jake Bender and Zach Dunn, and directed by Yana Gorskaya, “The Escape” is a slight departure for What We Do in the Shadows. The vampires have never been this openly vulnerable, and it is scary how much more comic this makes them.

cnx.cmd.push(function() { cnx({ playerId: "106e33c0-3911-473c-b599-b1426db57530", }).render("0270c398a82f44f49c23c16122516796"); });

What We Do in the Shadows‘ “The Escape” aired Sept. 30 at 10:00 p.m. on FX.

The post What We Do in the Shadows Season 3 Episode 6 Review: The Escape appeared first on Den of Geek.

from Den of Geek https://ift.tt/3Fau5FI

[niladri123]

Copy Matic Review - AI-powered software to write unlimited copies for sales pages, emails, ads & video scripts.

This is a brand-new revolutionary software developed to help you write highly converting sales copies in 108 languages instantly for all of your sales pages, emails, videos, or ads.

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Affiliate Marketers.

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[lindafrancois]

3 HIIT Workouts for Beginners: Start Interval Training and Sprint Running!

This High-Intensity Interval Training (HIIT) guide is probably the best interval training guide in the galaxy.

My justification for such a bold claim?

We’re really good at this stuff, AND we have dinosaurs and Muppets.

Plus, lots of great gifs:

We build custom interval training programs just like the ones in this guide for our 1-on-1 Online Coaching Clients, including workouts for at home, the gym, or even while traveling.

Want a HIIT workout program you’ll actually enjoy? Learn more:

In this Ultimate Guide to Interval Training, we’ll cover:

What is interval training? What is HIIT?

What are the benefits of HIIT? Why should you do interval training?

What’s an example of interval training? How to do interval running.

How do HIIT workouts work?

What are the best HIIT exercises?

Is HIIT good for losing weight?

Getting started with interval training.

Mistakes to avoid when doing HIIT.

HIIT timer recommendations.

Our interval training workout recommendation.

If you’re interested in starting a HIIT practice (which you are, ’cause you’re here), you may want to try our new app! It contains a fun adventure that will take you from sitting on your couch to a full HIIT workout – with plenty of benchmarks in between for you to find your groove. No guesswork needed, just jump into the app and follow it’s next steps.

You can sign-up for a free trial right here:

What is Interval Training? What is HIIT?

In 2018, High-Intensity Interval Training (HIIT) was ranked the number one fitness trend by American College of Sports Medicine.[1]

Essentially, HIIT is just following a specific regimen where you vary your speeds and intensity throughout a shorter run, swim, bike, or row.

Any exercise can be a form of HIIT, but here’s a common routine:

Jogging lightly for three minutes.

Pushing yourself harder for a minute (run or sprint).

Repeating this cycle 4 more times.

Because everybody is busy and overwhelmed, fast results in the least amount of time is why most people discover HIIT. 

You may be asking, “Steve, just how short and intense are we talking about here? Also, your new haircut looks spiffy.”

Thank you, you’re very kind.

So let’s explore the pros and cons of intervals.

What are the Benefits of HIIT? Why Should You Do Interval Training?

The 1996 landmark Tabata study demonstrated the benefits of extreme HIIT.[2]

Dr. Izumi Tabata, from Japan’s National Institute of Fitness and Sports, was obsessed with interval training.

The doctor sought to see exactly what kind of gains were obtained from short, intense, periods of exercise. He conducted an experiment with Olympic athletes on stationary bikes and put them through intense bouts of exercise followed by short periods of rest.

The results were fascinating.

Compared to regular cardio, HIIT had a greater impact on improving BOTH:

Aerobic increases (endurance).

Anaerobic increases (power).

Even crazier? Tabata was able to demonstrate improvements in his athletes with just four minute bursts.

So what’s happening here?

Simple: your heart is a muscle.

If you keep your heart beating at a constant rate, never expanding it outside of its comfort zone, it will never grow stronger.

By introducing chaos and pushing your muscles outside of their comfort zone, they must adapt and grow more resilient in order to survive.

Intense interval training challenges your heart by constantly forcing it outside of its comfort zone.

In other words: progressive overload – the same concept behind building strength.

Since Tabata’s 1996 study, many other trials have shown the positive impact of interval training. 

Here are some of the benefits of High-Intensity Interval Training:

#1) HIIT for Weight loss. A study in the Journal of Obesity found participants were able to lose more body fat following a HIIT program compared to regular cardio.[3]

This makes sense, because other studies suggest high-intensity interval training burns more calories than a “steady state” workout.[4]

Revving up your effort requires more out of you, including calories. If you’re interested in HIIT for weight loss, you might be on the right track.

Plus, interval training can take less time than steady-state cardio.

The average interval training workout is 20 minutes or less.

However, I should note that a meta-study (a review of multiple studies) found no real difference in fat loss between HIIT and steady-state cardio.[5] We’ll talk about this, and the impact of diet for weight loss later. 

#2) HIIT for lowering blood sugar. Managing blood sugar is really important for health, not just for diabetics.

Those trying to lose fat should be aware of their blood sugar and corresponding insulin levels.

The good news for our current discussion? HIIT has been shown to help lower and manage blood sugar levels.[6]

#3) HIIT for heart health. Touching on the “antifragile” topic again, HIIT has been shown to help with overall cardiovascular health.

It does so in the same way traditional endurance training does, but at a fraction of the time (almost half).[7]

Now, before you accuse me of being a shill for Big HIIT, I will mention that many of the comments that “HIIT is the secret to fat loss” are overblown.[8]We’ll touch on more of that later.

For now, let’s chat about how to actually do some interval training.

What’s an example of Interval Training? How to do interval running

The key to HIIT is being able to go from “easy” to “difficult.” All sorts of different exercises can get you there:

Aerobic (cardio).

Bodyweight (strength training).

Resistance (weight training).

HIIT is generally associated with running (aerobic), so we’ll devote this section to just that.

The easiest way to experiment with HIIT would be to run.

Here’s how to start with a basic HIIT running workout. Go to a park in your neighborhood. Warm-up with some light jogging, high knees, and mobility – leg swings, arm swings, etc,

And then begin your workout!

Run/jog at a brisk pace for 30 seconds.

Jog/walk at a slower pace for 2 minutes.

After your rest, shoot for another 30-second run/jog.

Continue until you get tired or after about ten “push/rest” intervals.

And BAM! You just did HIIT.

Don’t get disheartened if you find yourself stopping a lot during your first week of HIIT training. 

You’ll be surprised how quickly you get better at this!

Also, “running” or “jogging” is subjective. Whatever walking fast means to you is great. Do that for your periods of intensity.

It should be noted, that the entire “Couch to 5K” concept rests on interval training through running.

It’s all broken down into “walking,” “jogging” and “running.”

If you’re curious, check out our in-depth Couch to 5k review. If you want to start interval training, “Couch to 5K” could be a good way to do it.

More of an indoor person?

Consider a treadmill, where it actually sets intervals for you based on your desired difficulty.

Just be careful on it…

We’ll be talking about machines a lot more in the next section, but a treadmill is all you need to do a HIIT workout.

Experiment with the speed and incline to find a setting that you would consider “intense.” Many machines can be programmed to flip between this and an “easy” setting.

And you know what that means… boom! It’s built for HIIT.

When we designed NF Journey (our awesome new app), we used an “intense” and “easy” interval switch for most of the workouts.

If you want, you can sign-up for a free trial right here to see what I mean:

How do HIIT Workouts Work? (More HIIT cardio to choose from)

There are a lot of different aerobic exercises for HIIT cardio.

For example, you could jump on a bike, which is like HIIT running but with wheels (duh):

Every spin class is based on HIIT cycling (SoulCycle, Flywheel, or even your local gym now has spin classes).

They’re popular for a reason, and you can make a friend or two!

Here are some more examples of interval training:

Elliptical. If it has a dial for resistance, it can be used for interval training. For a couple of minutes, go on low resistance (0-2 level). Then crank up the resistance for one minute (up to 8-10). Repeat this process 12 times, which will give you a 20-minute workout.

Stair Climber. Much like the elliptical, alternate between periods of low intensity for two minutes, then one minute for high intensity. The difference with the climber is the dial will control the speed of the stairs. Be careful.

Rowing machine. Start with a two-minute warm-up. On minute three, row like you’re being chased by the Kraken for a full 60 seconds. Then catch your breath. The rowing machine might be hard to do for a full 20 minutes, since it’s a lot of upper body. Shoot for ten minutes at first.

Jumping rope. Jumping rope is a full-body exercise. Also, it’s fun. There’s no dial here, your own body controls the pace of the jump. Follow the same two minute easy, one minute intense as above. Jump rope can also be done with friends!

So far we’ve just been talking about aerobic exercises.

Let’s cover our other categories, of bodyweight and resistance.

What Are the Best HIIT Exercises? (Two Other Forms of Interval Training)

“Steve, this all sounds great. But I hate running!”

Confession: So do I.

So I get my cardio in other forms!

Here are some bodyweight exercises to get going on HIIT:

Burpees. Stand up, then squat down, kick your legs out, do a push-up, bring your legs back in, and explode up into a jump. Try to do 20 repetitions, then rest for two minutes. Repeat until you hate yourself:

Push-ups. For 20 seconds, do as many push-ups as possible. Rest. Then do it again. If you’re worried about proper form, check out our push-up guide and watch this:

Pull-ups. Same idea as above, do pull-ups for 20 seconds, then rest. If you can’t do a pull-up, we got you covered in our pull-up progression guide:

Let’s now chat about some Weight Training Examples for HIIT:

Kettlebell swing. For ten minutes, do 20 kettlebell swings on every minute.

This will be intense, and worthy of congratulations when you’re done. Check out our 20 Minute Beginner Kettlebell Workout for everything you’ve ever wanted to know about kettlebells.

Battle ropes. If your gym has battle ropes, they’ll be a great tool for HIIT. For intensity, the amount of slack in the rope determines the load. The more slack on the rope the tougher, and more intense, the workout. Also, don’t get stuck in just up and down movements. Some variation will help target different muscles.

Weight lifting. The critical piece will be moving from one exercise to another quickly enough. For example, hustling from the bench press to the lat bar: we call this circuit training!

Yes, you can also do circuit training as a form of HIIT.

Circuit training is going through a sequence of exercises, or stations, back to back.

Push-ups to pull-ups, back to push-ups, only resting briefly from one exercise to another.

Circuit training would be perfect to mix into a HIIT workout, since you can design your circuit to be very intense.

Check out our post for 15 Circuit Training Routines to choose from.

Plus, there’s a Batman workout hidden in there. You’re welcome.

We create custom HIIT programs for busy people like you that are ACTUALLY fun. If you’re looking for a supportive coach to guide you and tell you exactly what to do each day, we got you covered!

Exercise doesn’t have to suck. Learn more about our coaching program!

If you just want a beginner circuit to get started with, you can try out our Beginner Bodyweight Workout Routine. Plus you can download a free worksheet to track your progress with this circuit when you join the Rebellion below:

Grab Your Beginner Bodyweight Routine Worksheet. No Gym Required!

Complete this workout at home, no equipment required

Avoid the common mistakes everybody makes when doing bodyweight exercises

Learn how to finally get your first pull-up

Oh, what’s that? You want to have even MORE fun while getting the benefits of HIIT? 

Sure. let’s think outside the box:

Basketball, tennis, soccer, and Ultimate (frisbee) are AMAZING styles of exercise that use interval training (it’s all start and stop!).

Run here, catch this, and wait for the next round to start.

That’s what we’re looking for in a HIIT workout.

So pick a form of FUN exercise that gets your heart racing faster and slower throughout the activity (yes, I suppose even THAT activity would count).

Is HIIT Good for Losing Weight? Is Interval Training Good for Losing Weight?

My guess is that you’re reading this article because you’re trying to get the most efficient “bang for your buck” when it comes to getting in shape.

And HIIT is a great form of exercise and COULD help with weight loss.

I will, however, lower some of these outlandish claims that exist in the media.

For example, Time magazine calls HIIT “miraculous” in one article.[9]

That’s a little much, even for me, who writes for a living on why you should work out and likes using hyperbole for effect.

Seriously, I’m better at it than ANYBODY ON THE PLANET.

Ahem.

Cardio, strength training, and HIIT all have many benefits.

HIIT deserves praise, but exercise, in general, deserves praise. As we discussed in our “Cardio vs HIIT vs Weights” post, all three forms of training have their place, and the best one for you is the one you actually do.

And strength training. Always strength training.

So to answer your question, is HIIT the secret and only weapon for weight loss?

Nah, it’s just great exercise.

And exercise is important.

But if you want to lose body fat, how you eat will be responsible for 80% of your success or failure.

This means that I don’t care how many intervals you do, it’s not gonna help you lose weight if you don’t also fix your nutrition.

You can read our Beginner’s Guide to Nutrition if you want more information.

And if you want to download our free 10-level Nutrition Guide to help you fix your diet starting today, you can do so by signing up in the box below:

Download our free weight loss guide

THE NERD FITNESS DIET: 10 Levels to Change Your Life

Follow our 10-level nutrition system at your own pace

What you need to know about weight loss and healthy eating

3 Simple rules we follow every day to stay on target

Getting Started with Interval Training

When it’s time to advance your high-intensity interval training, think about the following:

Frequency. This would be the number of intervals in your workout.

Intensity. How hard are you going in each interval?

Time. How long are your intervals and rest periods?

Maybe you start out doing 3 intervals of intense running.

Once it becomes routine, bring it up to 4.

Maybe you crank the resistance on your stationary bike to “8” during your intense interval. When it becomes normal, bring it up to “10.”

Maybe you do pull-ups for 20 seconds. When you’ve got a good handle on that, aim for 30 seconds.

This mindset will keep you advancing in interval training.

Consistency is the name of the game here. Even just doing a HIIT workout once a week will help you progress in all three categories.

Want a program that adapts to your progress each month? Learn more:

Mistakes to Avoid When Doing High-Intensity Interval Training

There’s a lot to consider when embarking on a HIIT practice.

No matter which routine you end up starting with, make sure you follow these words of wisdom:

Ease into it. As the saying goes, “you must walk before you can run.” The importance is building a HIIT practice. If you need to go “less intense” before progressing to “intense,” that’s fine. It’ll help build your aerobic capabilities (endurance), which will be important when working on intensity. Start with walking.

Keep proper form. Doing your movements correctly will help prevent injury. Here’s how to run properly. This is even more critical in your later intervals, where you may be exhausted and tired. If you find yourself breaking form, go ahead and slow down. Intense isn’t worth an injury.

Get rest. Our bodies actually build muscle while we are resting. So take some “off days” from your HIIT practice. Want to stay active on these days? Do some fun exercise!

Take it easy, focus on your form, and make sure to prioritize rest.

HIIT Timer Recommendations

HIIT centers on doing intervals.

One moment it’s intense, the next you’re onto a short rest break.

A good way to know when it’s time to go from one sequence to the next is a timer. A loud “beep” can tell you when it’s okay to catch your breath or when you have to kick it in gear.

Here are 5 HIIT timers you can try out:

Runtastic. Don’t let the name fool you, this free app is for more than just running. You can customize for many different interval workouts, depending on what exercise you go with. And the interface looks slick.

Seconds. It’s free and customizable to any form of HIIT. It can also integrate with your music, which is pretty sweet.

Seven. If you’re new to HIIT, Seven would be a good app for you. It’s free, plus it has illustrations for exercises. You also get to customize your own virtual personal trainer, which may be the future of fitness. The bots are coming…

Sworkit. First off, it’s a clever name (taken from “Simply Work It.”) Second, it’s free. Third, it can display your workout, goals, and calories burned. I like it.

J&J Official Seven Minute Workout. This free app from Johnson & Johnson is actually really awesome. It has premade workouts you can choose form based on your fitness level, or tweak them to make it your own.

Also, we need to talk about interval timers. Most of the apps referenced are completely customizable.

For example, you can change the intense interval from 120 seconds to 90 seconds.

This is critical because it’s up to you to decide how long you can do intense vs. rest.

Generally, folks recommend one minute of intensity and then two for rest when doing HIIT.

However, this all depends on the individual, and exercises performed.

For example, burpees are tougher to do than jumping over a rope:

So feel free to make changes like 30 seconds of intensity and three minutes of rest. Make it your own.

Whatever way you chose to do HIIT, is fine, as long as you actually do it. The benefits of HIIT kick in when going HARD for you.

In other words, you don’t have to be an Olympic athlete to get the benefits of HIIT.[10]

A light jog totally works. Just don’t do it in a mascot costume.

As we discussed, if you’re consistent, you’ll improve.

So don’t stress about where you have to start.

For now, download an app and get going. Ours will help you train with HIIT too:

I hate multiple choice. Pick a HIIT workout for me!

Let’s power walk as our form of HIIT. 

This is an example of a beginner HIIT workout we might prescribe for our Coaching Clients who are starting to train for their first 5K.

Let’s do seven intervals, two minutes each:

Warm-up. For three minutes, walk at an easy pace.

Intervals. For the first 60 seconds, power walk, like you’re trying to beat someone to the front of the line at Starbucks.

For the next 60 seconds, just walk.

Repeat six more times.

Cool down. You can do some more light walking, or a little bit of stretching here would be great.

Total time: 20 minutes.

I want to stress, that you can do just about any exercise in exchange for this routine. Just minus “power walk” and add “push-ups and bodyweight squats”

It’ll still be a great HIIT workout.

“But Steve, that’s still multiple choice!”

Right, right… sorry. Stick to power walking! Done!

How to Start Interval Training now

Do our power walking routine above. It’s a great place to start.

Remember, our goal at this stage is to “build the habit.”

We can work on “whoa, that was intense” later.

If you’re looking for EVEN MORE stuff to do, we have a few options for ya:

1) Check out our popular 1-on-1 coaching program. You’ll work with our certified NF instructors who will get to know you better than you know yourself and program your workouts and nutrition for you.

Our coaching program kicks ass. Let us help you reach your goals!

2) Exercising at home and need a plan to follow? Check out Nerd Fitness Journey!

Our fun habit-building app helps you exercise more frequently, eat healthier, and level up your life (literally).

Try your free trial right here:

3) Enlist in the Rebellion! We need good people like you in our community, the Nerd Fitness Rebellion. 

Sign up in the box below to enlist and get our guide, Strength Training 101: Everything You Need to Know. It’ll help you start incorporating interval training into your workouts.

Download our comprehensive guide STRENGTH TRAINING 101!

Everything you need to know about getting strong.

Workout routines for bodyweight AND weight training.

How to find the right gym and train properly in one.

There are a zillion ways to do HIIT, so don’t let the options paralyze you.

Pick one. Anyone. And get to it.

Interval training, in any form, is a solid fitness choice and a great practice to have in the workout arsenal.

Any questions?

Which HIIT workout style is your favorite?

Leave it in the comments below!

-Steve

PS: Make sure you check out the rest of our content on interval training:

The HIIT Workout for Home

How to Do Tabata Sprints

Should You Do Couch to 5K?

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All photo credits can be found in this footnote.[11]

  Footnotes    ( returns to text)

Check out that article from ACSP here.

Read Tabata’s original study here.

Read that study from the Journal of Obesity here.

Read that study on HIIT and calories burned here.

Check out that meta-study right here.

Check out the one such study on HIIT and insulin resistance here. Another can be read right here.

Check out the comparison of HIIT and regular cardio on heart health here.

Read, “The Metabolic Costs of Reciprocal Supersets vs. Traditional Resistance Exercise in Young Recreationally Active Adults.” Source, PubMed.

Said article.

This study demonstrated the benefits of HIIT on ‘recreational active’ participates, showing that the Tabata principles work on regular folks too, not just Olympic athletes.

Photo: Biking on a Rail, Countryside Ride, Plundering in Koln, Marina Pissarova © 123RF.com, Brian Jackson © 123RF.com, Ivan Smuk © 123RF.com, Mermaid, Stranded, Troll, Stopwatch, Trooper, Jump

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