#you are not annoying a creator by engaging with their work with your love

[vsaintsin]

One of the homies, earlier this week - "Yeah, I didn't plan on reading your book because I was afraid I'd like it too much and then start driving you insane with questions and talking about it."

I-... My brother in christ WHAT?! If this is an excuse it's a bad one? I don't mind if you don't read it, engagement with my creation is not a stipulation of my friendship. I MIND THAT YOU THINK I OR ANY OTHER WRITER WOULDN'T GO FERAL FOR THAT?! Who do you think I did all this world building and character development for, THE WALL?!

I need a tea and a lie down, I've been deprived of the Rabid Reader. I absolutely cannot get this conversation off my mind, it's rotting my brain.

"Bother" that writer you like. If it actually bothers them they didn't deserve you, but the rest of us sure would be willing to take you.

[the-judicial-assistants-notebook]

y'know, I've been seeing a lot more posts talking about how fanfic, specifically, puts characters into boxes and takes away the nuance of them, and while I think that's an important discussion to have, I also find it quite perplexing? Like, these posts seem to come from people who don't even, or maybe very rarely, consume fics in the first place, and I say that because, if you do consume fics semi-regularly, you kind of learn? how to gage what the stories and characterisation are going to be like based on the tags and summary? Sometimes, you do have to step into the fic to figure it out, but it hardly takes very long to realise if it gels with you or not. Idk, it's not anything serious or important, but it does give me... "girl, what were you doing at the devil's sacrament" vibes, you know?

[psalmsofpsychosis]

This is gonna sound weird, but i'll forever be confused by the feedback artists get. I come across a work on ao3 and i'm like "hmm, the writing style is ordinary and the tone is lackluster, it's okay, there's effort put here so i appreciate it. I estimate this having like, 5 comments and maybe 20-something kodus" and then i look and it's got 95 comments, 500+ kodus, 80 bookmarks. And then there are works that have my soul trying to escape my body like "this is unbelievably intricate and complex and gorgeous and it's such unconventional and fresh and creative take, the writer's voice is so unique and delicate and enticing, i bet this is up there in stratosphere with the amount of feedback this has because it's so exceptional in execution" and then i look and it barely has 8 comments, maybe 20-something kodus, and it's just. It's incredibly confusing to me because i always assume that quality execution where the artist's heart is in it is obvious, other people see it like i do, and they most definitely appreciate it like i do. And there are the few people on the cusp of these two categories, people who write well and get a lot of recognition for it, good for them, but 9 out of 10 cases of good writers i stumble upon, they're practically invisible. This is less of a phenomenon in visual arts because people seem to be more freehanded with those, it's an easier medium to navigate i guess. But literature and fanfic? i'll never understand the way people navigate those. Leaving aside the "first 50 popular fics of any ao3 tag are hot dumpster fire" rule of thumb (which is very true, and the number goes higher the more popular something is), the rest of it just feels like lucky strikes to me and not really a matter of quality execution. It's not a lucky strike, it's the fact that people lean towards supporting their friends and people they love rather than judging the actual quality of the work

[freshthoughts2020]

NARUTO series creator Masashi Kishimoto reacts to Toriyama's passing.

"I honestly don't know what to write about this sudden event.

But for now, I would like to share my thoughts and feelings that I had hoped for one day Mr. Toriyama would ask me about it.

I grew up with his manga, Dr. Slump in the lower grades of elementary school and Dragon Ball in the upper grades, and it was natural for me to have his manga as a part of my life.

Even when I was having a bad day, the weekly Dragon Ball made me forget about it. As a country boy with nothing, that was a relief to me.

I really enjoyed Dragon Ball too much!

I was a college student. Suddenly, Dragon Ball, which had been a part of my life for so many years, came to an end.

I felt a tremendous sense of loss and didn't know what to look forward to.

But at the same time, it was an opportunity for me to truly understand the greatness of the master who created Dragon Ball.

I wanted to create a work like his!

I wanted to be just like him!

And as I followed in his footsteps to become a manga artist, I began to feel less and less lost.

It was because I enjoyed making manga.

By following him, I was able to find new enjoyment.

Sensei was always my guide.

He was my admirer.

I may be annoying to him, but I am grateful to him.

For me, he was truly the God of salvation and the God of manga.

When I first met him, I was too nervous to say a single word.

But after meeting him many times at the Tezuka Award judging, I became able to talk.

I will never forget the slightly embarrassed smile on his face when he and Mr. Oda talked excitedly about how Dragon Ball was fun, as if they were children again and were engaged in a competition.

I just received the news of Sensei's passing.

I feel a tremendous sense of loss, more than when Dragon Ball ended...

I still don't know how to deal with this hole in my heart.

I can't even read Dragon Ball, which I love.

I don't even feel like I can write this message to Sensei properly.

Everyone in the world was still looking forward to your work.

If I could really have one Dragon Ball wish come true...I'm sorry...

That may be selfish of me, but I am sad, Sensei.

Akira Toriyama-sensei, thank you for 45 years of enjoyable works.

And thank you for your hard work.

I am sure that his family members are still deeply saddened by this loss.

Please take care of yourselves.

I pray that Akira Toriyama-sensei may rest in peace."

[rweoutofthewoods]

fanfic/fandom ettiquite guide

Okay, I've seen some things recently that make me think there is some need to make a master post of some general fandom and fic ettiquite just because some people may not know and I think there's a huge wave of fanfic becoming more mainstream especially on apps like tiktok.

If you don't like it, don't engage with it!! I think this above all, is the golden rule of fandom. The internet is made for you to be able to mute, hide, and censor things you don't like. DO THAT! don't make a career off of hating things. This goes along with the three laws of fandom, which u should check out FIRST OF ALL.

DON'T GATEKEEP!! If you're posting about a fic, art, ANYTHING link it, credit it! Don't post a tiktok about a fic and then refuse to give the name. Not only are you failing to credit the creators of this content, but you're taking away from the fact that fandom is a COMMUNITY where content is meant for everyone.

Ao3 is an archive. You're going to see things you might not like or even find offensive or uncomfortable. But fanfic is not meant to be censored. Ao3 is made to be unfiltered, people can post anything and everything. Posting fics on other sites simply to shame their content not only brings MORE attention to it, but it's pointless. If you want a website that is censored go to wattpad. And of course, if you don't like it DON'T READ. You can filter your tags and warnings on ao3 so it won't show you that content.

Along those lines LEARN HOW TO USE AO3. There is no algorithm, it is not tiktok. You don't need to censor words in your tags. Your fics are not magically getting pushed out to people. Make sure you're using "person 1/person 2" for romantic relationships and "person 1 & person 2" for non-romantic relationships. Make sure things like non-con and underage are tagged under the warnings. AND AS A READER, know how to filter ships and tags to find the content you want. You can filter by kudos, certain tags, exclude certain relationships or characters etc. USE IT.

Do not create placeholder fics or other "non fics" on ao3. This is against their terms of service. You can (and probably will) be reported, this annoys people endlessly. We don't want to find a fic and open it to see "I haven't written this yet, sorry!" JUST SAVE A DRAFT OR DO IT IN A DOCUMENT? this seems like way to rack up hits, and it comes across as disingenuous, I don't see a real valid reason to make placeholders.

HOW TO WRITE AN ACCEPTABLE COMMENT: long is not important. A simple "loved this!" will make an author happy. DO NOT say any variation of "update pls?" regardless of how nice you think it is. Authors update when they can.I'm not the only author I've seen unhappy with this. JUST WAIT, either it will be updated or it won't, and either way you will live. If you have nothing nice to say about a fic?? MOVE ON. Don't leave a hate comment.

Do not rate or publicly shit on fanfic! A lot of authors know many people, and the chances of that author seeing whatever you're saying about their work is very high. If you don't like it, click off and read something else. If it's still living rent-free in your mind, that sounds like fan behavior to me. And there is no standard fics are supposed to meet, don't rate them.

Don't cross-post fics. Don't put fics on other sites, don't put translation on other sites. DON'T DO ANYTHING with a fic without checking with the author first. On that note, also don't post fics on GoodReads etc. unless an author explicitly says it's okay.

IF YOU DO NOT MARK YOUR BOOKMARKS AS PRIVATE AUTHORS CAN SEE THEM!! If you're going to say anything that isn't positive, you better mark that as private or better yet, move on. Don't say anything on a public bookmark you wouldn't want the author to read.

YOU CANNOT PROFIT OFF OF FANFIC, don't sell bound fics! Don't bind fics if the intention is to sell them. You're potentially creating a lawsuit for the authors of these fics and putting the existence of fanfic in danger. I've seen multiple authors debating taking fics down because of binding issues, just don't do it. AND IF YOU'RE BUYING BOUND FICS YOU'RE PART OF THE PROBLEM. it's selfish and I wish bad karma upon you.

You wouldn't think I'd have to say this but don't plagiarize or use AI to create fics/art etc. firstly making ai write something IS a form of plagiarism. bUT ALSO just write your own content. If you can't, then writing fics etc. is just not for you. No shame about it!

DON'T ASK AUTHORS TO BETA FOR YOU!! You wouldn't believe how many people have asked me to beta their fics for them, I AM NOT A BETA. I HAVE a beta because my proofreading skills are shit. If someone wants to beta they will offer, or go find a blog or somewhere where people are looking to beta. Like @needabeta You can even make a post asking around for a beta, but don't go bug your favorite authors to proofread your fics.

Really just don't harass authors. Of course, don't be afraid to send nice dms, asks, or comments if their inbox is open, but don't spam them especially if they don't reply. Respect boundaries! Don't send nasty anons, everyone knows this is a sign of jealousy and obsession. You're only succeeding in making yourself look bad. Ask yourself why is this author living rent-free in your mind, hm??

If you don't like a ship, stay away from the content geared towards that ship. There's no reason for you to be in people's inbox harassing them over a ship. It's never that deep. If you truly hate it so much, go consume the content for ships you DO like.

Stay grounded. This goes to both fic authors and readers alike. Hits and popularity are not the mark of a good fic. Getting a lot of hits doesn't mean it's good and NOT getting many doesn't mean it's bad. I'm tired of seeing tiktoks asking "so what's the next big fic?" WHY DOES IT HAVE TO BE A "BIG FIC"? go look through the ao3 tag and find something you like to read, it doesn't have to be what everyone else is reading.

Headcanons are not law. People can think whatever they want about the characters. If you disagree with someone's hc, just move on... and just because a headcanon is popular, doesn't mean everyone has to abide by it. Be creative!

Don't treat artists and authors like celebs! We're all in this together! We're all losers who like the same characters and ships. Of course, compliment and be kind to all creators because we put a lot of time and effort into creating fan content for you all, but don't worship anyone. Don't treat them weirdly or make a post like "omg x followed me!" that's a bit weird. If you want to be excited, dm your friends and giggle together, but acting like authors and artists etc. are celebs only creates the room for people to stop seeing them as normal people and start acting rude or entitled. And many people are uncomfortable with it!!

TLDR; stop creating so much negativity in fandom spaces. At least in MY fandom it's just constantly shitting on ships, fics, art. It's hate anons, antis, and constant fighting about every headcanon. I'M TIRED OF IT! Learn to filter out content you don't want to see, and move on with your life instead of spreading more negativity.

If you have anything you think I should add shoot me a comment or an ask and I will add it! I'm sure I didn't get everything :) this mostly applies to my own experience being in the hp/marauders fandom for a good 10+ years, and I'm sure it varies slightly from fandom to fandom.

[sacerdotessa]

Midheaven in signs

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If you’re an IG page and want to repost this, don’t forget to tag the creator: @sacerdotess4 on IG or @s4cerdotessa on TikTok

Don’t plagiarize, you were born original, don’t die a copy.

I'm back with a new post after a very long time! I missed my tumblr community so much, I'm going to post new things soon!

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Aries Midheaven:

you’re such a competitive individual and an innovator, you’re not afraid of taking risks and being bold. It’s hard for you to depend on other people, you need to be your own leader when it comes to your career. The perfect career path involves a lot of action and dynamism, following every day the same routine is not something that appeals you. As a driven individual, you thrive on challenges and are always seeking new opportunities to grow and learn. You have a natural ability to think outside of the box and come up with innovative solutions to problems. You're not afraid to take risks and push yourself outside of your comfort zone, because you know that's where growth happens. When it comes to your career, you're not content with simply following the crowd. You need to be in control of your own destiny and chart your own path. You have a strong sense of purpose and direction, and you're not afraid to pursue your dreams with relentless determination. The perfect career for you is one that allows you to constantly evolve and adapt. You need to be challenged, stimulated, and engaged in your work on a daily basis. With your competitive spirit and innovative mindset, you're sure to make a real impact in whatever career path you choose

Taurus Midheaven:

Your top priorities are stability, enjoying life and being creative. You prefer to approach your career methodically, following a routine is not something that bothers you. You have amazing taste and expressing your creativity is very important for you. You might enjoy a career path that involves aesthetics and creativity, you might also enjoy a job that revolves around food (you might be a great chef). You should choose a career that aligns with your priorities and natural abilities, for example, exploring opportunities in the creative arts. You could pursue a career as a graphic designer, interior decorator, or fashion designer. Alternatively, you may find fulfillment in the culinary arts, either as a chef or food stylist. Whatever path you choose, be sure to focus on finding a work-life balance that allows you to enjoy the stability and creative expression that you value most. Remember, the most fulfilling career is one that brings you joy and satisfaction in all aspects of your life.

Gemini Midheaven:

You’re such a curious and multitalented individual, you might enjoy exploring multiple career paths during your lifetime. You’re talented when it comes to communications, media, journalism and anything that’s connected with writing. Routine is something that annoys you, you should choose a career path that involves a variety of activities. You’re also extremely expressive, you might be a talented actor. There are many career options that could suit your unique set of skills and interests. You should also consider pursuing a career in public relations or marketing because these fields often involve a mix of writing, communication, and creativity. Another option to consider is working in the entertainment industry, where your expressive nature and love for variety could be put to good use. You could explore opportunities in acting, directing, or even producing. With your natural curiosity and multitalented abilities, the possibilities are endless. Don't be afraid to try new things and explore different paths.

Cancer Midheaven:

Nurturing and taking care of those around you feels like a life mission for you. You’re such an empathetic soul, connecting with those around you and being sure that you’re working on making the world a better place is very important for you. You might be interested in a career that involves being around children or those who need support. Your natural inclination towards empathy and compassion makes you an ideal candidate to work with individuals who need emotional support and care. A career in counseling, social work, or education could be a fulfilling path for you to explore. You have the ability to connect with others on a deep level and understand their needs, making it easier for you to provide the necessary support and guidance. Additionally, your warm and nurturing personality would be a valuable asset in any team or workplace environment.

Leo Midheaven:

You’re such an ambitious individual and you love being in the spotlight. You’re a natural-born leader and you constantly need to attract other people's attention. You might be a good actor, singer or influencer. Being popular and influential seems to be some of your biggest goals. However, it's important to remember to use your platform for good. As a leader and influencer, you have the power to positively impact and inspire others. Consider using your talents and popularity to promote important causes or raise awareness about issues that matter to you. Remember, with great power comes great responsibility. It's also important to stay grounded and humble, and not let fame or attention get to your head. Stay true to yourself and your values, and continue to work hard towards your goals while also making a positive impact on the world.

Virgo Midheaven:

You prefer a career path that brings you stability instead of one that brings you power and fame. Being in the spotlight is not something that appeals you and you prefer to help others instead of being at the center of the attention. Being helpful is very important for you, being a doctor or working in the healthcare field seems to be perfect for you. You might consider becoming a nurse, a physical therapist, or a medical assistant. You might also be interested in working with animals (becoming a veterinarian). If you have a passion for nature, you might consider a career in conservation or environmental science. Whatever path you choose, you can be sure that your desire to help others and make a difference in the world will be fulfilled.

Libra Midheaven:

You might be interested in working in a field connected with communication or art (you might be a great graphic designer), you might also be an amazing stylist or director, you know how to connect the right people and coordinate a team. You’re such a creative person and you love to express yourself, you’re also amazing when it comes to discovering other people's talents and valorizing them. You prefer facts over feelings and you have a logical mind, you might be a good lawyer. Don't be afraid to explore different options and take risks in order to find the right fit for you. Whether it's in the realm of communication, art, or law, there are countless opportunities available for those with this placement. Remember to stay true to yourself and never stop learning and growing in your chosen field. With hard work and perseverance, you can achieve great things and make a positive impact on the world around you.

Scorpio Midheaven:

You’re such a private person, being in the spotlight is not something that appeals you, and working behind the scenes seems to be a better option. You’re such a deep person who enjoys mysteries and taboos, you might be an amazing investigator, surgeon or psychologist. You’re not afraid of taking responsibility and making tough decisions, which makes you a great leader. Your ability to analyze situations and think critically also makes you an asset in any team. Your calm and composed demeanor in high-pressure situations is admirable. You have a great sense of empathy and understanding towards others, which is a valuable trait in any profession. Your dedication and hard work have helped you achieve success in your career, and your determination will continue to take you further.

Sagittarius Midheaven:

You’re an explorer and learning new things seems to be one of your biggest passions. You might be an amazing teacher, those around you love to hear you talking about what makes you feel passionate. You might explore many different career path during your lifetime and you seems to be kinda lucky when it comes to money and finding good opportunities. Your career could also revolve around traveling and exploring new places. Your adventurous spirit is what sets you apart from others. You thrive on the excitement of discovering new things and visiting uncharted territories. You have a natural curiosity and a thirst for knowledge that drives you to explore different cultures, cuisines, and ways of life. Your love for learning is contagious and people around you are drawn to your enthusiasm. As a teacher, you have a unique ability to make complex concepts easy to understand. You have a way with words that captivates your audience and makes them feel excited to learn. Your career path may take you in many different directions, but one thing is for sure – you will never be bored.

Capricorn Midheaven:

You’re extremely ambitious and kinda “obsessed” when it comes to your career. Your reputation is very important for you, being perceived as someone who is important and influential is one of your biggest goals. You have a solid work ethic. You might be interested in finance or business. You’re an amazing leader, you tend to be admired by those around you for your success. However, it's important to remember that success isn't everything. While ambition is a great quality, it's also important to take breaks and prioritize self-care. It's okay to step back and reassess your goals and priorities. Don't forget to give yourself credit for how far you've already come. Remember that being a good leader also means being able to take care of yourself and those around you. Keep striving for success, but don't forget to enjoy the journey along the way.

Aquarius Midheaven:

You’re attracted to unconventional paths, not everybody are going to understand your job. You might try many different career during your lifetime, you’re someone who gets easily bored, starting again is something that makes you feel excited. You might work with technology (you might be a software engineer) or social network, you’re attracted to every jobs that involves technology, innovation and communication. Don't be afraid to take risks and try new things, but also be mindful of your long-term goals and aspirations. With your unconventional mindset and willingness to explore, you're sure to find a career path that suits you and makes you feel fulfilled. Keep an open mind and embrace the journey ahead!

Pisces Midheaven:

You’re not such a consistent person when it comes to your career, living in a capitalistic society is very hard for you. You’re such a creative person with a deep and insightful personality, you love to take care of others and you also love to express yourself through art. You might be an amazing artist and many people could feel inspired by your creations. You might also be a great therapist who has the ability to understand and empathize with others on a deep level. Whatever path you choose, it's important to remember that your unique perspective and talents are valuable and can make a positive impact on those around you. Don't be afraid to pursue your passions and explore different avenues until you find the career that truly fulfills you. With your creativity and caring nature, there's no limit to what you can achieve.

[elysianholly]

Fanworks vs. Published Works

Okay, so, I was on Reddit and there was this discourse of fanfic v. published work, and how the lines are beginning to blur more and more, particularly among readers, and how dangerous this is for fandom spaces because fanfic is not designed for the same sort of engagement one has with a published work. They look similar and feel similar, but equating them can be devastating for fanfic writers, particularly if people start reviewing and critiquing fanworks the same way they do published works.

The comparison on that subreddit—which I had never encountered but might well have been around forever and new to no one but me because sometimes I do live in a cave—was that fanfic is like a potluck. And I love that because it's 100% accurate.

At a potluck, you make something for people to enjoy out of love. It’s really shitty to go to a potluck, then walk up to someone who made what you believe is a subpar casserole and start in like you’re a food critic. You’re missing the point of the potluck. And you’re kind of a dick.

In a restaurant, the rules are different, just like in the publishing industry. You select a restaurant, you pay for a meal, and if the meal isn’t to your liking, you can leave the restaurant a review on Google or Yelp or the platform of your choice (assuming you didn’t just throw a tantrum in the restaurant itself, but that’s another discussion). And sure, YMMV from other diners’ experiences, but even if everyone loves this restaurant and you don’t, it’s perfectly acceptable to leave a subpar review listing the reasons why it didn’t meet your standards. It’s fodder for future diners to consider at this point, less for the restaurant itself. The way book reviews are meant to be for readers, not the author. The author will see it, they might get annoyed, but unless they want their career to go up in smoke, they won’t respond. Just like restaurant owners who go nuclear on bad reviews, word spreads when someone can’t take criticism.

And no, it’s still not cool to critique someone’s potluck dish even if that person is a professional chef. They still elected to invest their time, talent, and creativity to bring that dish to the potluck and are getting nothing out of it but the satisfaction of their dish being enjoyed. The potluck should be a safe space for everyone—the chef knows to expect unsatisfied customers at work; when they’re at play, when they’re relaxed and enjoying something with a chosen community, it’s really shitty to start acting like a customer in the restaurant. You don’t have to love what they brought but keep it to yourself and go try something else.

As a published author, it bothers me a lot more when people invade my fanfic space to be critical than it does any of the 20+ works I have for sale on Amazon and other vendors, and this is why. Fanfic is more personal because it’s unpaid labor created out of love and a desire for community. It’s not a commodity, and treating it like that is how you murder joy and, for some creators, sometimes the drive to ever create again.

So don’t be a dick at the potluck, okay?

[bloggingboutburgers]

First of, I'm a big fan of your work. I love your comics and art and was happy to hear about the engagement 😁

As for my question, I love writing stories and creating OCs/characters. In your recent comic you called out that the only ace/aro rep always seems to be "the creator said so on Twitter" (a problem with a lot of rep. in media).

So I was curious, if I wanted to create an aroace character (and write a story with them), how could I naturally show them being aroace? Do you perhaps have any idea?

Thank you so much for the kind words!^^

Arguably my complaints are ironic because I myself haven't done proper aroace rep in my own fiction thus far – though I guess I'm compensating for that with my current comics, haha 🙈 But also, I've said it before and I'll say it again cus I'm annoying like that – Bojack Horseman did it, in my opinion, so that gives the rest of the media less excuses I guess.

So, again these are my personal views, and they're possibly demanding, but this would be my checklist for ideal aroace rep:

The aro/ace character needs to... BE a character. Actually have arcs, that matter within the story. Whether they're about being asexual or not doesn't really matter as long as THEY matter as a character.

...Ngl I feel they need to matter BEFORE they're revealed as aro/ace too, and obviously after. If they don't, they'll just feel like a placeholder who's just there to tick a box to me.

The fact that they're aro/ace needs to be addressed and not pushed under the rug or left up to interpretation. Leaving things up to interpretation will have so many people interpret them as allo for sure (just like in real life). And conversely, saying they're aro/ace may spark some curious questions and possibly awkward conversations (just like in real life). (...Again tbh Bojack Horseman was great at doing it naturally. The confusion from the ace character themself, the ace character's friend assuming they're gay because yeah that always happens, the MC having a friendly yet clueless "haha you're lucky that'd save me so many problems if I didn't have sexual attraction"... I could go on.)

By that I also mean... Actually NAMING the orientation at some point. If it's not named people who consume the media and don't know such an orientation exists will be none the wiser. (I'm guilty of that myself tbh. In one of my webcomics I had an alloaro character but never had the orientation mentioned within the story, I left it at showing he has sex and him having a conversation with his family explaining he doesn't have a favorite person because he just can't, but I feel like that's not enough, and I've been feeling a bit bad about it.) A good way of bringing that up fairly naturally would be to have the character figure out their orientation within the story, as a way to have the audience learn alongside them; but it could also be played for drama, which I don't think I've ever seen and would like to dabble with myself at some point – like, imagine you have a friend you hold dear who's key to your personal development and suddenly you find out they see you as sex / romance prospects and not as a friend like YOU do? That'd be crushing but that could definitely make for a good conflict. I should try writing that. I'm rambling anyway. Bleh.

Another thing that, to me, is key to the aro/ace experience is that the character may have some moments of questioning their place in the world. Our world is obsessed with sex and romance and fiction exacerbates that to the point where some characters barely even exist if they don't have romance. This could range from "Do I NEED to even identify myself as something" (again, Bojack Horseman did that great) to "Friendship is the most important relationship to me but not to my friends, what if they all abandon me once they find the one person they consider 'more important'". I dunno. I feel like there could be some interesting storylines there. I definitely would love to dabble into that myself a bit more, though I lack the time and talent – those concepts and the lack of things that are done with it live in my head rent-free.

...Actually I feel it could be good to show aro/ace characters as full of heart (if it fits their personality), having their own feelings and emotions outside of the usual romance spectrum, to show that they're just as human and compelling as the other characters. (...AGAIN Bojack Horseman did that great imo, I feel bad that I'm only ever quoting that show but that's still the best example I can ever think of.) Like – betrayal, loneliness, grief, kinship, literally ANY other form of love than romantic love... We feel all of those too, and those deserve to be addressed in stories just as much (if not more) than the pining or simping that's kinda everywhere.

Oh yeah and speaking of being human... Yeah, human. We need more human aro/ace characters. Making it so that only the aliens/gods/demons/robots/whatever are ever allowed to be aro/ace only serves to dehumanize these orientations.

...IIIII think that's it. I might be forgetting some things I'd wanna add on later but I think that covers everything that would make for ideal rep in my own opinion

[horizon-verizon]

The fact that so many people think the Starks are honorable anticolonial fighters and the pinnacle of morality is absolutely insane, they literally built a massive wall to isolated a bunch of people they considered as “savages”, they hunted and slaughtered the Free Folk, the Children of the Forest, giants, exterminated whole houses and clans and took their daughters as “prizes” while conquering the North, etc. The Blackwoods were originally from the North and ruled most of the wolfswood, before being driven out by the Starks and forced to flee south. The Starks are the OG COLONIZERS in ASOIAF.

Even this did not give Winterfell dominion over all the North. Many other petty kings remained, ruling over realms great and small, and it would require thousands of years and many more wars before the last of them was conquered. Yet one by one, the Starks subdued them all, and during these struggles, many proud houses and ancient lines were extinguished forever. — The World of Ice and Fire – The North: The Kings of Winter.

I recently finished a Tiktok series that will probably just be as lost to the internet if we lose TikTok but I had to get out in response to a particular creator who bashes Rhaenyra while also proclaiming themselves as black stans. I think they are really more black stans because they hate Alicent personally and feels the thrill of the side-taking, but that's neither here nor there. 😏

To quote one of my mutuals here [rhaenin]:

It just rings so familiar to the way so many people view the other in real life. Because the Targaryens are overtly, and intentionally written as the other. It's the reason so many people identify with them, and it's the very same reason that other people vilify them. They're not just the in-universe other to the 'default' culture established in the text, but they're also given characteristics that we, the reader and audience, can recognize as other and even sometimes anathema to Western Christian culture. To paraphrase the annoying people that love to cite Ramsay when they feel like it: If you look at a morally complex family surrounded by other morally complex families in a morally complex world in a story that's famed for seeking to challenge your underlying assumptions, and think that their association with fire and brimstone is meant to signify their singular satanic evilness, rather than say... challenge that very Eurocentric assumption, you haven't been paying attention. This vilification mindset where the Targaryens are the singular evil of Westeros is so common to people who seem to want to consume ASoIaF without engaging with the criticisms of the Eurocentric worldview of history at the heart of it. And they end up using the convenient “others” to project all the wrongs of that world onto so they don't need to examine it any deeper. ........... It comes from the same place with how someone pointed out that the baffling bastardphobia that would have medieval peasants giving the side eye is so often people jumping at the chance to “cosplay” as bigots who base their arguments in misogyny and bio-essentialism. Because it's an acceptable channel to indulge in that mindset in a way that they'd often otherwise question, or at least hold back from expressing out of caution.

[helluva-dump]

At this point, the hazbin/helluva critical community has fallen flat. And when I say that, I mean that it lacks potential. Like, I thought we were criticizing about the characters and the show itself. I thought we were talking about it's issues and what Viv could approve on it. But now, these people are just targeting fans of Viv's show who are just going on about their day, taking screenshots of harmful posts and posting it on the critical blog just to shit on them. You can't even consider that "critical" now when you're just being an asshole. They wonder why Viv and her fans think the critics are so bad. On top of that, these people love to make assumptions about Viv harassing Gooseworx all because she's a "terrible person" like please stfu. "She probably did this" and they don't even have any proof. Maybe consider that Viv actually enjoys tadc and it's success? What is all of this "viv is mad because the amazing digital circus is more successful than her shitty shows"? I dunno, man. That critical community is just so fucking dumb and stupid. They're not even talking about the shows anymore. They just bitch and fuss about everything.

For real, I had never seen such a critical community this much of a train wreck as the fandom is.

I mean hell, I engaged with the SVTFOE community before (and that show has the EXACT same problems as Helluva boss) and the critical blogs were very chill.

I feel like what didn’t help is how immature and unprofessional Vivziepop acts publicly. But at the same time…. I can’t really blame her for getting defensive when these antis dogpile her on everything.

And yes, the screenshots making fun of harmless posts of fans were red flags to me. Like dude, we have rabid fans and Stans do that to us, why the hell are you stopping to their level??? (I’m not gonna include the voodoo controversy because that to me needed to be talked about. A lot of POC fans and criticals had every right to discuss that and Viv should had given an apology or explanation over that. With closed religions that always got stereotypes due to colonizers, you need to be careful when writing about them. )

Oh God don’t get me started on the whole Vivziepop and Gooseworks relationship assumptions… that actually annoyed me too and I’m sure there’s no bad blood with them. I get she had bad blood with Tracey and possibly Ashley, but I don’t think it’s fair to assume she’s like this with every indie creator.

Honestly, its both of their fandoms that are acting unhinged. But I even seen hardcore fans of Viv like Dani praising TADC and Gooseworks, so I doubt the whole fandom are planning to sabotage them. TADC isn’t a rain full of sunshine either, they too have so much bad apples there.

Also my big issue with this community I’ve noted some critical blogs that claim they wanna make an original series (well one already made a webcomic) but they NEVER stop bitching about Viv and go on and on how they never do this to their project… unmmm dude? If you constantly compare your project to Viv’s, your gonna lose your audience this way. This can make you come off as an a logger and a very petty person to others. Trust me, this is NOT going to make people want to be interested in your original projects.

It’s also very unprofessional to do this publicly. I get looking at bad writing motivates you how to not to things… but the constant comparing is going to make you look like a very petty person to your outside audience. And they feel like your project won’t have agency on its own without being “better than Helluva/Hazbin.” I say this because I too am working on an indie project I want to make to a webcomic. And I REALLY don’t wanna ruin my reputation that way.

That’s what Zeartist did when he made his shitty ass books and would constantly hitch and whine about twilight on his life journals. And he would always bring up his original series and how it’s “better” and how he wouldn’t write such garbage like Stephanie Meyer.

And guess what???? His books are just twilight 2.0 but even worse 😂😂😂 he ended up doing the exact same thing stephanie did, bitches out over criticism, and yeah a huge hypocritical asshat.

That’s why constantly comparing your project to another person’s to seen as better is NOT a smart idea. Please have some self awareness there if your actually planning to make a webcomic or an original series.

Also… I’ve noticed people that have beautiful startled would waste it on blind hatred. Like that “I HAtE VIVZIEPOP” blog. Like godamn, their art is beautiful but they had an unhealthy hate obsession with Viv… why waste your energy on that when you can make something better?

I’m not talking about rewrites, AUs, or redesigns because to me those are like fanfics and for fun. The stuff I do is mainly just for fanfic fun and a writing/world building exercise for me. But also a little bit of self indulgence since I sitll admire Viv’s characters. You can enjoy something without giving your support to the actual creator. I’m trying to show my support to the team behind it.

(I’m even planning to buy fan merch from one of the clean up artists on their shop. To me it’s the ethical way of getting Hazbin/Helluva merch without directly giving it to Viv but to her artists instead. )

[wwinterwitch]

not letting go — joel miller

summary: joel just really loves the sight of you crying pairing: joel miller x fem!reader word count: 2.2k cw: dacryphilia, blowjob, deep throating/gagging, cum swallowing, brief size kink, rough but sweet joel, dirty talk, pet names (if i missed anything please let me know!). author's note: i wrote this in one sitting and honestly?? kinktober made me do this. that's it. anyways, i hope you guys enjoy it!

a reblog and/or comment really helps me out as a content creator so thank you in advance if you take the time to do either!

navigation | pedro pascal masterlist | read on AO3

There's just something about seeing you cry that really gets Joel going.

He absolutely loves seeing you in such a vulnerable state, sobbing in front of him, so deeply connected to the intimate moment you two are sharing that it inevitably makes you whimper as tears roll down your cheeks. It's a sight he'll never get enough of, and it makes him painfully hard just thinking about your pretty face all flushed and puffy like that.

He needs to see those beautiful tears on your face when he's pounding you hard against the mattress. There's an ache deep within him that screams for the sight of those salty drops to cover your cheeks when he's making you cum for the fifth time in s row. There's nothing he loves more that to hear your soft whimpers and sobs when he fucks you. It doesn't matter if the tears come from pain, frustration, pleasure or all of them combined. He loves it all.

You're a sweet treasure that Joel managed to find out of pure luck a few months ago. His brother wouldn't shut up about taking him out to a bar on his birthday, claiming he's always locked up in his home or buried in work. It was painful to witness such a monotonous life, needing to do something to convince Joel to allow himself some time to relax and have fun. 

Joel eventually agreed, not really expecting much for the night. Maybe a few drinks to make Tommy happy before heading straight back home to sleep, but that's it. He never imagined he'd meet someone so incredibly addictive like you there.

It was almost instant from the moment you two happened to stand next to each other at the bar. Your eyes met his and it was like no one else existed around you, and it didn't take long for Joel to come up with a good enough comment that would inevitably make the two of you engage in a conversation. Casual talks turned into him buying you a drink, to subtle flirting and wandering hands under the table, to him pinning you against the wall of the dimly lit bathroom before claiming your mouth with a passion that made your legs tremble.

Having to go back to Tommy after that was hell. He saw the two of you disappearing down the hall that led to the bathrooms, which meant having to deal with endless teasing and questions about this mystery woman that managed to captivate his seemingly uninterested brother so much that he even had the urge to ask for your number before you had to part ways.

The jokes were evidently annoying, but deep down he couldn't —and didn't want to— stop thinking about the situation. The way you were so eager to please him, the sounds that escaped your mouth, how you bent over the sink with no resistance whatsoever and allowed him to fuck you for as long as he wanted...he was proud of himself, knowing he had a woman so willing to do whatever with him in a bathroom at a bar he probably won't even remember the name of. 

Evidently, he wasted no time texting you with the intention of seeing you again. And he really tried to keep his hands to himself during the entire time you two were having a nice cup of coffee and just talking about whatever, but as soon as he was standing with you outside of your apartment it was practically impossible not to pull you in for a soul-crushing, mind-numbing kiss. His hands at your lower back urging you closer to his body and the faintest of growls that leave him when he's tasting your mouth again was more than enough to earn the ultimate prize of going upstairs and getting under the sheets with you.

It was evident at that point that there was no way he would be able to ever let you go. After a few weeks of casual encounters he's become almost obsessed with the way your body feels pressed up against his, craving to be around you every second of his existence. 

He was more than happy to realize you didn't want to let him go either, slowly starting to form a somewhat formal relationship that, even without a proper name, is stable enough for both of you.

This particular time, a phone-call was responsible for your current situation. He was on his way back home from work when he contacted you to ask if it was okay to meet up tonight at your place for dinner, and of course you couldn't say no to that idea.That is what led you to be on your knees in the wooden floor of your bedroom, patiently waiting for him to remove his pants and boxers.

He watches the way you sit on the floor for him with profound interest, one of his large hands delicately tracing your jawline before he allows you to move. Fire burns in his eyes when he sees you reach out with your small hands to touch his erection that recently sprung free from its confinements, the swollen and neglected tip hitting his abdomen.

You keep a hand at the base of his cock, using the other to stroke him earnestly yet slowly, looking up at him with those goddamn eyes that drive him absolutely insane. Your thumb traces circles on his tip making him rock his hips forward just enough, his body reacting to your touch in the most satisfying way.

He watches in awe as you drool on top of his length with all the saliva you gathered in your mouth, using it as lube to increase the movements of your hand. With each stroke, it was getting harder for Joel to hold back his groans, admiring your work with lustful eyes.

"I missed you," your voice is soft, coated with a hint of innocence that Joel can barely handle as you continue to move your hand. "Missed having this cock in my mouth too."

Barely giving him any time to process your words, you lean your head closer to his erection to put him inside your mouth, trying to fit as many inches as possible. Joel's head falls back for a few seconds, savoring the wetness and warmth that surrounds his cock before looking back down at you. "Fuck, baby," he growls in appreciation of your actions, grabbing a fistful of your hair to keep it out of the way for you.

Eventually, you start bobbing your head so your lips and tongue can replace your hand's work. He'd hit the back of your throat every time you take him inside your mouth, trying your very best not to gag around him. 

It's all too much for him. How you look up at him through your eyelashes with eager eyes, doing anything in your power to take as much of him because he's just so big and your body is so small compared to his. And he knows that if he were to congratulate you for doing a good job for him the walls of your already embarrassingly wet pussy would clench in desperate need of being filled by his cock.

As he starts to lose all self-control, the grip of your hair tightens to keep you in place before he begins his rough assault on your mouth, starting to thrust forward until it's him the one doing all the work while you sit still on your knees with your mouth open.

You show no signs of being against the sudden change of speed and the way he seems to take entire control of the situation. If anything, you seem to enjoy it, eagerly receiving each thrust of his hips as he roughly fucks your face.

His grunts and growls only increase, his eyebrows furrowing in concentration and his mouth hanging agape as he relentlessly moves in and out of your mouth. The roughness of his movements inevitably makes you gag around him, having barely any time to breath or swallow properly, making you drool all over your chin. The grip on your hair is so powerful, in other circumstances it'd be excruciatingly painful.

It's so intense that it doesn't take too long for your eyes to fill with tears, feeling your jaw becoming a little numb and your throat sore. Despite the discomfort and roughness, you feel your underwear absolutely soaked thanks to the way he's aggressively using your mouth to pleasure himself.

The sight of your tears starting to roll down your cheeks make him absolutely insane, a low growl escaping his lips. "Is it too much for you, sweetheart?" he asks you in an almost patronizing tone, enjoying the way you can't responde with him buried so deep inside your mouth. "Is my cock hurting you?"

All he gets are a series of gags and sobs that only encourage his animalistic desire of roughly thrusting inside your mouth until he explodes inside of it. Watching as you whimper and sob around him is everything he needs in this world, making his cock twitch as he aches for the sweet release. It's an uncontrollable feeling that pushes him even further inside your mouth.

Your loudest sob is nothing compared to the sound that he makes when the tip of your nose is pressed against his lower abdomen for the very first time, your mouth swallowing him entirely as he pushes you to the very limit. 

"I bet your throat will be hurting tomorrow," he continues in a lewd voice. "Every time you swallow, you'll remember the way I fucked this pretty mouth."

He pushes forward again, groaning in satisfaction when your nose brushes against the trail of hair on his abdomen, staying like that with you for a few seconds before finally moving out of your mouth, enjoying the way you immediately gasp desperately for air. He silently admires the way you look, absolutely wrecked thanks to him; hair all messy, drool coating your chin, lips swollen, eyes puffy and your entire face red.

The tears continue to roll down your cheeks, the ache in your throat being more intense than ever. Knowing you probably look terrible, you take a second to look down as you begin wiping your tears away, a gesture Joel clearly didn't appreciate.

He grabs both of your wrists and gently pushes your hands away from your face, grabbing your chin to make you look at him. "Here, let me help you," he whispers in an almost sweet voice, his demeanor considerably changing after the way he insisted on putting all his length inside your mouth. His thumb traces your bottom lip delicately while his other hand grabs his cock, putting it close to your face again.

This time however, he doesn't put it inside your mouth. Instead, he guides his cock to your cheeks and uses the tip to wipe the tears off your face. The treatment is so gentle, almost as if the gesture of rubbing his cock on your face wasn't absolutely obscene. It wasn't very useful either, leaving your cheeks coated with a fine line of a mixture of fluids— tears, sweat, saliva and precum.

Once he's done with that, he keeps his cock pressed to your cheek and you allow him to keep you like that, feeling the familiar ache between your thighs when you catch the faintest of smirks on his lips as he admires the sight in front of him. You don't dare to move, looking up at him with glazed eyes as you patiently await his next move.

"I really want to cum inside your mouth," he says in a low voice, the mere idea of it making his cock twitch. "Can you continue?"

He's more than pleased to see the way you nod your head frantically, eager to have him inside your mouth again. Giving you barely any time to prepare, he grabs your hair and resumes his thrusts at the same tenacious pace, making sure to force every inch inside until he's reaching his climax.

When Joel explodes inside your mouth, you inevitably gag a little again due to his cock shooting thick and delicious ropes of cum that quickly travel down your throat. His hips move forward a few more times to make sure all of his load is emptied inside of you, enjoying the way you seem to receive every last drop so obediently and willingly.

He smirks when he moves away from you, watching as you finish swallowing everything he just gave you before you clean your face with trembling hands. One of his hands lightly caresses the top of your head as you clean yourself up, trying to catch his breath after the amazing orgasm he experienced thanks to you.

His hand eventually wanders lower until he's cupping your cheek with one of his hands, and you immediately lean into the touch with a soft smile. "You're perfect," he mutters appreciatively, the honesty in his voice sending shivers down your spine, looking down at you with nothing but adoration.

He helps you to stand up from the ground, immediately capturing your lips in a heated kiss, his tongue invading your mouth in no time. The taste of him makes him groan as he leans further into the kiss, tangling his fingers in your hair as he continues to make out with you.

No. There's not a chance he'll ever let you go.

[valyrfia]

RE: this ask

Sorry about to go off on one, gender studies and online fan culture from an academic standpoint is a special interest of mine because being film and literature student wasn't annoying enough (participatory culture studies my beloved) 

From a general standpoint, I think the reason M/M ships in fiction have always been more popular is because male characters are historically more developed and complex. I think it’s only in recent years have their been an influx of popular F/F ships, with the added development of women on screen (e.g Clarke and Lexa, Kara and Lena, Regina and Emma, Nancy and Robin) - I think there is also a point to be made this has coincided with gender expression, genderqueerness and more general knowledge of being outside the typical gender spectrum. 

I can’t explicitly say that being in M/M fandom spaces encouraged my personal discovery of being transmasc but it certainly helped to have an avenue where I could project onto these “male” characters and see myself in them. I was so uncomfortable in my own body and what I didn’t know at the time as dysphoria, I can see why I didn’t go for F/F ships. 

There are of course a lot of “fandom elders” but young (early to late teens) afab people do make up a large bulk of it and I get why  it may be easier for them to fixate on M/M ships as a, sort of method of exploring their own sexuality and gender expression. F/F ships may hit too close to home and F/M ships are what they are trying to escape from so it leaves M/M ships to project onto. Which, unfortunately then can become warped by the persons own comphet and/or binary ideas about gender. 

A male character may have more stereotypically “feminine” traits (in terms of interests or emotional reactions) and I can see why people who also have those traits would project there own insecurities onto them, reinforcing the feminisation of the male character but not being comfortable enough in your own gender expression to genderbend the character or write them as trans. 

It’s the same reason I think mafia romance, dark romance etc etc is so popular with cishet women because they can read about a fantasy where instead of the very real every day misogyny and violence they face leading to abuse, assault and death, it brings “positives” ; protected, loved, a happy relationship. 

Which, side note. I think this has A Lot to do with y/n, self insert fics becoming “cringe”. Because, I think a lot of people just want to fuck/date a character and feel like they can’t write a self insert anymore, so just project massively onto one character, leading to a lot of these issues. I don’t think Tony Stark/Peter Parker would be as popular as it is if people just let young women write their self insert fic about being Tony Stark’s sugar baby and then we wouldn’t have the wildly mischaracterised version of Peter Parker that we do! 

But, all this being said. I’m talking about fiction. Dean Winchester isn’t actually affected if people online only talk about him in a stereotypically “female” way. 

RPF is a different kettle of fish (and I’m not going in RPF ethics that’s different - I have no issues with rpf creators/consumers to be clear, I am one) because a real person does become affected. Even if you are keeping your fan works and discussions to private spaces, it can leach over into how you speak about the actual person. That’s where it becomes so incredibly important to remember that your RPF version of celebrities are just as fictional as Dean Winchester is. 

sorry I used mr. supernatural as an example, 13 year old me is still alive and kicking in my head somewhere. 

I love to hear your perspective on it with a trans worldview (and academic credentials), and I do agree that that might be a big driver of some young people only wanting to engage with MLM fic and feeling uncomfortable with WLW fic. You've brought up so many great points so I'll try and address them all.

I can add the perspective of a lesbian who was closeted for the first two decades of my life, came out less than five years ago, and still struggles on and off with comphet now. MLM fics in my teens were a way to consume queer content and relationships without having to think about the implications of enjoying consuming WLW content, and I think that's true for a lot of young closeted teens so it's no surprise that some comphet/hetnorm/cisnorm stuff bleeds through there because it's a framework the authors haven't managed to detach themselves from yet.

But yeah, I agree the issue lies with people wanting characters to be self-inserts partially so that they can experience sex, sexuality, and romance without any of the hang ups of thinking about patriarchy. And I agree with your solution: make y/n fics cool again! The ability we have to hallucinate while we read is magic! You can put YOURSELF in as a character's love interest, how cool is that?

Ultimately, yeah. There's nothing wrong with RPF as long as it isn't actually affecting the person that the RPF is based off, but I've seen a lot of takes escaping containment so to say (ie. leaving this website) with takes about the actual racers so obviously picked up through RPF. The main culprits are Charles, Lando, Max in my experience.

[munamania]

oh my god. oh my god. okay i am posting this as a result of seeing the most annoying tiktok ive ever in my life and the general resounding idiocy all around the internet. sorry that made me sound so mean. re bottoms. and from people who claim to be 'cinema majors' and yet are the stupidest people on the fucking planet. okay sorry im heated i promise because i love this so much. you cannot judge a piece of media, its creators, or enjoyers, on the basis of literal content. based on like. the things that happen within the story. it's a story. this one is special because it's an absurd sex comedy. normal logic is not normal logic. are we understanding that base level concept that things have to happen in a story. and conventions within those. anyway you cannot just do this and make conclusions such as 'these filmmakers are trying to harm x community because they included x happening to [insert oppressed identity here].' you cannot do that and pretend youre being intelligent. on top of being some of the most annoying people on the planet: you're simply incorrect! you're assuming bad faith. youre moralizing in a very surface level manner. a very simple dichotomy. im saying this as a kind recommendation and with hope in my heart. in engaging with any media, ask yourself some questions. you can practice them as discussion questions if you'd like here: under what context was this film made? societal, economic, cultural? what audiences do you think they had in mind while creating this? who are the creators? how do they lend themselves to the work? in what ways can other audiences find pleasure and establish an emotional connection through xyz? which characters are audiences meant to feel empathy for and how are they treated? how are other characters treated? what values do certain characters represent? what did you think of them? did you laugh? did you have fun? who punched up who punched down who punched each other? was it fun? these are just some starters to get you using your fucking brains. maybe once you know that you can validate your own intelligence and understanding of your feelings toward media you can let the fuck go and have fun. have fun!!!!!!!! holy shit. it's a comedy. so yeah in the meantime you can step off the back of comedy fans and stop your claims of 'problematic representation.' just because you don't understand and you probably think comedies and their creators are so below you

[secretswiftymarvelfan]

I wanna ask about reblogginggg😭😭🙏

Do you guys (author/writer) prefer reblog or likes? And what kind of reblog? Is the with comment or just reblogs fine? Cause sometimes i really like your story, but idk what i have to say🥹🥹😭🙏!! THANK YOUU

BTW I LOVE YOUR STORY SO MUCH 💓💓💓💓

Hi thank you so much for reaching out I am more than happy to explain reblogging to you and anyone else who doesn’t quite get why us creators go on about it!

Okay at its basic level reblogs are so so much better than likes. Likes do barely anything, there isn’t an algorithm like tiktok or twitter where a highly liked post gets pushed out to others. Honestly the most it does is bookmark that post in your likes, which if you have set to private isn’t going to spread that work any further.

Reblogs however do get posts pushed out further because it allows other blogs who don’t follow the OG creator to see the post, and since fandoms work and survive on engagement this is why creators push for reblogs.

Now to explain what kind of reblogs are better than others essentially I see it as a scale.

At the bottom is likes: they do nothing to benefit the creators

Next is an empty reblog (no tags or comments) these are good because they spread the content further but they don’t help inspire a creator to keep creating

Next is a tagged reblog: these are better because people follow tags on tumble aka #andybarberfanfiction therefore more people can discover it but again doesn’t help inspire the creators

At the top is a comment reblog; these are amazing because they spread the work, tell others why its good and why they should read it and the comments inspire the creators to keep going! They make us do a little happy dance!

Now dropping into a creators ask box is what I consider an add on: you can do it and it boosts what ever option you went for. For example a like and an anon ask is better than just a like. They do however have limited reach because only those who follow the creator will see it when it gets answered so it might help their followers find a fic they missed etc but it doesn’t spread the content further than the creators followers if you get what i mean.

Of course I understand that some people might be hesitant for various reasons but there work arounds:

“I don’t know what to put” just a simple I loved this will do (just don’t ask for an update because that has an adverse effect)

“I like to keep my blog aesthetic and it doesn’t fit that” - create a side blog that’s specifically for reblogging content

“I don’t wanna seem annoying by blowing up their notifications with reblogs” - we love that! There is nothing that makes me happier than when i see multiple comments left on a series etc.

I could honestly go on and on and on about reblogs and engagement and what readers could do to help but I’ve tried to keep it as precise as possible and if other creators have other points that want to chime in on then they’re more than welcome to

I really hopes this help 🩵🩵

[sailor-aviator]

Do you think you'd ever seriously leave the fandom? Give up Tumblr and just post on ao3?

I definitely don't want you to leave, but curious how you're really feeling with all the drama going on.

I think one day, I will leave the fandom, but I think that's more to do with life than anything else. A new hyperfixation will eventually come along and I'll feel the need to write for that instead of TGM.

A friend told me recently that they think I would be happier in a different fandom, one with more engagement and more fans to read what I have to offer, and honestly, they're right. However, I can't control the hyperfixation anymore than I can control what time the sun sets, so y'all are stuck with me for the time being.

Would I post on AO3 exclusively? I think that depends. If I leave Tumblr, then I'm probably going to give up writing fanfic and try to focus on my original fiction again, try to decide if I want to pick up the story I've been working on for almost 11 years now or start fresh with something new. If I find a new fandom that makes me want to continue writing fanfic, then I might just devote my time to that and do a blog rebrand. I've done it before on my old account. Might actually just shift back to that one if I ever decide to leave this fandom.

And that's not to say that I don't appreciate the people who DO read my work because I absolutely do! But, and I said this the other day, I remember when fandom was more of a community versus content creators against consumers, and I miss that. Of course you had your friend groups, but for the most part, people were just excited about the content! Like, idk how to put it, but things feel very...political (?) sometimes, and that's not what fandom is about at all. I don't want people to feel intimidated to talk to me because quite frankly, I'm not an intimidating person. Annoying, sure, but not intimidating.

But as for the drama? I won't lie and say that there wasn't drama back in the days of old either, but I don't remember it being quite this bad. Of course people disagreed, but people were allowed to and everyone knew that it wasn't that serious. Now, it feels like people are afraid to express an opinion without being screamed at by people using the anonymous feature. Like, why is that necessary? Why are there people on here determined to run others off? What do you get out of it?

I'm honestly so surprised I haven't gotten more hate anons in recent weeks, but I have opinions on that that don't need to be made public. However, I shouldn't have to choose between "falling in line" with the status quo and sitting here every time I post an opinion, waiting for someone to send me a nasty message about how I think I'm so great or how I'm the most annoying person in the TGM fandom or whatever other bullshit they come up with without even knowing me.

And of course I'm so grateful for the friends I've made on here, and I love chatting with them about their works or my works if they don't write themselves. I love coming up with new stories to tell, but I have found myself wondering if I should try poking into the Marvel fandom or write for the Boys. After all, this blog was originally supposed to include those two as well and then my hyperfixation stayed on TGM.

Anyway, TL;DR: I don't know, Nonny. There are several factors that go into that decision. Do I want to leave? No. Not yet, anyway. Will I post on AO3 exclusively if I do? Probably won't post at all at that point ngl, but it is what it is at this point, and we aren't at that bridge yet.

[just-antithings]

The harry potter discourse annoys me

Like “the game is offensive” okay and how does harassing and suicide baiting, or assuming the worst out of people who like it, especially trans and jewish folk who like it, help?

And don’t even get me started on the people getting hate for using it to cope with their mental health problems

I’ll start with the disclaimer that harassment and suicide baiting is never okay from any side. If you see someone playing the game then simply block them because at this point if they’re playing the game and promoting it in social media then they already know about the issues and are willing to let them slide so it’s not worth engaging.

However you seem to misunderstand something here. The biggest issue isn’t that “the game is offensive” (although it certainly is). The issue is that the money is going directly toward the oppression of trans people in the UK.

The Harry Potter game isn’t the only offensive game to exist and JKR isn’t the only bigot out there. However people either don’t understand or don’t care about just how influential she is. It’s not just her spouting transphobia on twitter and writing bigotry into her stories. The money she gets from her Harry Potter properties she uses to directly fund anti-trans legislation in her country.

Were you aware that at the start of the year Scotland was set to pass a bill to help transgender people in their country? It would have incredibly eased the struggle trans people go through to transition legally and be recognized as their gender by the law. It was passed through by the Scottish Parliament! But then the UK for the first time in history used their veto power to block this law from going into practice. This is the sort of legislative decision making that your money is going to when you buy the game. Because JKR talked extensively on how against this bill she was. And JKR has outright said that she takes the continued monetary support of Harry Potter as support and agreement to her ideals and she uses that money to donate to organizations and back lawmakers and fund legislative decisions such as this.

Anti-trans sentiment is at an all time high in the UK. Shortly after the game came out there was an article about a trans girl who was murdered by two of her classmates for being trans. These were highschoolers. The rhetoric that is being spread in the UK right now is literally life or death for trans people.

I get that people have an attachment to this series from before it was clear what a horrible person the creator is. I get that some of those people struggle with their mental health or are trans or Jewish themselves. But it’s not about them being comfortable with letting it slide. It’s specifically about the trans people fighting for their lives in the UK.

It doesn’t matter how many trans people from outside the UK say they’re fine with playing the game and giving JKR money. They aren’t the ones being directly harmed by this. It’s only up to those in the UK that JKR is legally fighting against to determine where the line is drawn. And an overwhelming majority have begged people not to buy this game. To not play and promote it on social media for others to see and decide to buy.

There are so many other incredible series out there to discover and fall in love with. And even if you decide you wont do the work to separate yourself from this series, there are plenty of ways to indulge without giving money to its creator. Read or write fanfiction, draw art, start a roleplaying blog, whatever! This game is in no way a need, even for those who feel they rely on the series for their mental health. It is purely a want and buying the game is a decision that your want is more important than the fight for trans rights in the UK. If that’s your prerogative then that’s your decision to make. And while you shouldn’t be harassed for it you should know that it’s the choice your making and people have a right to lose respect for you or cut you out for it.