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obeymeoasis · 3 years

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Demon Bros React: MC Is Insecure

Warnings: mentions of insecurity surrounding body image, physical appearance, self-worth.

Lucifer

It was the day after a party Diavolo had thrown at his castle. You had had fun for the most part, dancing with the brothers and eating delicious foods prepared by Barbatos.

But you also remembered how it had felt to look around the room and realize you were surrounded by gorgeous demons, not a single flaw on anyone’s face. Doubt and insecurity had begun to creep into your mind, and that feeling had carried over into the next day.

You had only talked briefly with Lucifer at the party because he was too busy interacting with Diavolo’s guests. Every time you tried to catch his eye, you noticed how beautiful whoever he was talking to was and found yourself swallowing down your greeting.

Currently Lucifer was at his desk like always, scribbling down notes and shuffling through papers. You brought him afternoon tea and sat reading in one of his armchairs to keep him company.

You had been telling yourself that you were going to ask him the question that was burning in your mind, but an hour had already passed since you first came in. You tried to distract yourself with your book but the words were fuzzy on the page. Finally, you spoke. “Luci?”

He didn’t look up from his desk when he answered, “Yes, love?”

“Do you... do you ever wish I was more beautiful?”

The scratching of his pen stopped immediately and Lucifer lowered the papers he was holding to show his face, a carefully blank expression revealing nothing. “What exactly do you mean by that question?”

“I mean exactly what I asked. Do you ever wish I was more beautiful? More attractive? As the Avatar of Pride have you ever been... embarrassed to be seen with me?”

At this Lucifer’s expression grew cold and furious. “Has someone... made you feel this way? Has someone made you feel as if you are inadequate?” You shook your head sadly and whispered, “No, just my own brain.”

“Ah, I see. Well pet, I don’t ever wish you were more beautiful because you are the most beautiful being I’ve ever seen. So it would be physically impossible for you to be more beautiful than you are now.”

You snorted. “Luci, that was so cheesy. Your brothers would throw up if they heard what you just said.” Lucifer’s lips quirked up in amusement. “Well, I’m glad I was able to make you laugh. And I do mean what I said. I’ve never once felt embarrassed to be with you; you are my pride, the source of my happiness. If anyone were to suggest otherwise, I would gladly kill them.”

“Luci, we’ve been over this. You can’t just kill everyone who is mildly rude to me.”

Lucifer went back to working on his papers but there was a gentle smile on his face. “Darling, you’ll find that I definitely can. I have a permit.”

Mammon

You were regretting tagging along to one of Mammon’s photo shoots. At first, it seemed like a fun idea getting to look at all the clothes, makeup, and jewelry. Plus, you really wanted to see what Mammon was like when he was working professionally.

It was fun at first, you cooing over how handsome Mammon looked in his outfit and watching him get all flustered and blushy. But then the actual photoshoot started and you watched as Mammon posed with a stunning model.

You tried to not let your insecurities get the best of you. You were here to support Mammon! But as the shoot progressed you couldn’t help but start to compare yourself, keeping track of how they were more beautiful and you more flawed.

The photographer stopped to take a break and Mammon immediately bounced over to you. “MC, did you see me? How does it feel to watch the Great Mammon in his natural element? I look good, don’t I?”

You caressed Mammon’s cheek and feigned a bright smile. “You were amazing Mammon! You look so handsome. And this is such a cool outfit!” But Mammon was somehow always able to tell when you were faking a good mood and he frowned. “MC, is something wrong? You look sad. Did something happen?”

You opened your mouth, an excuse ready on your lips, but found you couldn’t lie right to Mammon’s face. You gestured toward the model who was talking to their manager in the corner. “Do you ever wish I looked like that?”

Mammon cocked his head, confused. “Do I ever wish you had blue hair? Not particularly? Although now that I think about it, blue hair would look cool on you too.”

You sighed. “No, I mean do you ever wish I looked like a model? Sexier? Or prettier?” Mammon thought for a moment, processing your question, and then frowned. “Oh no no no. Treasure, what’s this all about? What happened?”

“Sorry Mams, I didn’t want to distract you while you’re working. I just got really low and insecure all of a sudden. Started thinking about how you should be with someone really beautiful, you know? And sometimes I feel like that’s not me.”

Clearly upset, Mammon rushed to give you a crushing hug, tucking your head underneath his chin. “MC I- I wish I could beam my thoughts into your head. That way you’d really believe me when I say that you’re so precious to me. Every day I wake up and think about how lucky I am to be with you.”

You chuckled a little. “I do put up a lot with you, don’t I.” Mammon gently smacked you on your back. “Hey! I’ve been good lately! But seriously MC, you are stunning. You are gorgeous. And it’s okay if you don’t believe me right now because- because I’ll tell you as many times as you need me to! I’ll tell you a thousand times a day! A million times!”

You tried to blink away the tears in your eyes and held onto Mammon even tighter. “Thanks Mams, I love you so much.”

“Love you too treasure. Your first man’s gonna take care of you, don’t you worry about a thing.”

Leviathan

Usually you liked watching anime with Levi; it was one of your favorite things to do together. Levi was always more happy and lively when watching with you because he was able to express his opinions freely without judgment. And you thought it was adorable how excited Levi got over his favorite characters and storylines.

Today, you were snuggled together on some cushions re-watching an episode of “The Magical Ruri Hanai: Demon Girl”. At first you were enjoying the episode, laughing as Ruri got used to the oddities of the human world. But Levi’s repeated comments about how cute Ruri-chan was, which you usually never minded, started to bother you a bit.

You took a quick glance around the room, noting Levi’s enormous collection of Ruri-chan posters, figurines, and other merch. Levi tapped you on the knee, interrupting your thoughts. “MC, you’re missing the best part! What are you looking at?”

You sighed a little, struggling to act nonchalant. “Sorry Levi, it’s nothing. I’m still watching.” Frowning, Levi paused the episode and turned to look at you. “Hey, what’s up?”

Taking a deep breath, you said “Levi, I’m not Ruri-chan.” He narrowed his eyes in confusion. “Yes... I know?”

You continued, “I don’t look like Ruri-chan. Does that bother you?”

“Does it bother me... that you don’t look like an anime character?” He repeated the question slowly, as if you had asked him the strangest question in the world.

Frustrated, you blurted out “I don’t look like Ruri-chan! I’m never going to be as cute as her!”

Levi looked completely bewildered, his eyes wide and staring at you in confusion. “B-But you are cute! MC, w-what are you even talking about?”

Embarrassed at your outburst you looked down at the floor silently. Levi scooted over toward you so that your knees were touching and he waited until you broke the silence. “Sometimes I wonder if I’m good enough. I think maybe you’d like it if I looked cuter or acted cuter, like the characters in anime.”

Levi hesitated for a moment before quickly grabbing onto your hand, blushing furiously as he did so. "MC, I-I already think you're c-cute. Really really cute. So don't say things like that. And also, I like you because you're you! Not because you're like someone else."

"And you make me really happy. I'm just a gross otaku. I never thought I'd be able to... to find someone like you. Someone who accepts me."

He tried to lock eyes with you but blushed even harder and stared at your joined hands. "Plus, I couldn't to-touch an anime character. But I can touch you. I can hold your hand or give you hugs whenever you need it, o-okay?"

You leaned your head onto Levi's shoulder and closed your eyes, letting the peaceful silence wash over you.

Satan

You were accompanying Satan on a trip to one of his favorite stores: an antique shop that sold all manner of rare books and artifacts. The owner, Ms. Sparrow, was a friend of Satan’s and she welcomed the two of you wholeheartedly.

Today, she looked as gorgeous as she always did. Her chic pearl dress and matching silk gloves shone against her dark skin. Not a curl in her hair was out of place and even the click-clack of her heels on the floor seemed melodious somehow.

You left Satan to look at the books and went wandering off into the various aisles of the store, marveling at all the bits and bobs. In one of the over-stuffed corners you happened to find a glittering silver key on a red velvet ribbon. Taking it in your hand, you went back through to show it off to Satan, wanting to ask him what he thought it opened.

But Satan was busy chatting and laughing with Ms. Sparrow. You watched the two of them for a moment and noticed how well they complimented each other. Both had a certain poise, a kind of confidence and certainty in their movements.

On your walk back to the dorms, you were unusually quiet and Satan noticed. “Pet, is something the matter?”

You hesitated, wondering if Satan was going to find your insecurity childish. “Satan, I’m not very....elegant.”

“Yes, I know. You choked on a piece of bread yesterday. The day before that you tripped over absolutely nothing and fell down.” He smiled, expecting for you to get riled up, but it fell when he saw that you looked dejected. “Love, what is the matter? Have I upset you?”

You avoided his gaze. “Sometimes... sometimes I wonder if I bring you down by being with you. I feel like you deserve someone elegant and sophisticated. Someone who matches you. But I’m not. I’m clumsy and messy and not perfect, like Ms. Sparrow.”

Satan’s eyebrows shot up in surprise. “Ms. Sparrow? What does she have anything to with this?” He turned you around so that you were facing him. “Pet, please look at me. I love you. And I’m not with you in spite of you being clumsy or messy. I love you because you’re clumsy and messy, because those are parts of you and I love all of you.”

He leaned down to press his forehead against yours. “And why would I need someone perfect? Am I perfect? Yesterday you saw me screaming at my cup because I accidentally spilled some tea and burned my finger.”

You shrugged while giggling, “I thought it was a perfectly reasonable response.” You wrapped your arms around his and buried your face into his shoulder. “Thanks, Satan. You always know how to make me feel better.”

He reached down to give you a gentle kiss. “Anytime, love. I’m always here for you.”

Asmodeus

Asmo has a lot of fans across all his social media accounts. That was made perfectly clear the first time you went on a date with him outside. Sitting in the trendy coffeeshop, several people had come up to ask him for a picture or an autograph. He was never shy about you and always introduced you as his sweetheart, cooing about how beautiful you were.

Some days it was okay. You loved seeing the bubbly social-butterfly side of Asmo. He was always so sweet to everyone who came up to him and genuinely enjoyed meeting new people. But other days, your insecurity rose up like a huge wave and dampened everything.

This particular day you were shopping with Asmo in a new boutique that had opened up. You were aimlessly flicking through the racks of clothes when you heard a large squealing.

Two demons ran up to Asmo, talking and gesturing excitedly. You could make out that they followed him on Devilgram and were asking if he was willing to take a picture with them. These demons were some of the most attractive beings you had ever seen. Their clothes were incredibly stylish and their hair and makeup were done flawlessly.

Looking around the shop, in all of the full length mirrors you could see the reflection of Asmo and his beautiful fans. And you looked out of place, like a puzzle piece that didn’t fit in at all.

Tearing up, you grabbed a random pair of jeans off the rack and ran into a changing room. You turned away from the mirror, not wanting to look at yourself, and took deep breaths to try and keep from bursting into sobs. After a few moments Asmo began looking for you, having finished taking pictures. “Sweetheart, are you changing? Let me see what you’re wearing when you’re done!”

At the sound of his voice you burst into tears and your attempts to muffle the noise were futile. Outside the door, Asmo’s voice sounded panicked. “Darling, are you okay? What’s the matter? Please come outside, whatever it is please let me help you!” You hesitated, not wanting to face him, but this made him even more frantic. He started jiggling the doorknob and knocking on the door.

You opened it, afraid that he would accidentally break the doorknob leaving you trapped inside. As soon as he saw you he gathered you in his arms and began making shushing noises while smoothing your hair. “Sweetheart, why are you crying? Please talk to me, please tell me what’s wrong.”

You tried to get the words out in between sobs and hiccups. “A-Asmo, don’t you want someone m-more beautiful? Someone who-who looks g-good with you?” Asmo paused for a moment, processing your words, and then his eyes burned with anger. “Sweetheart, did one of my fans say something mean to you? Did someone make you feel like this?”

You shook your head vigorously. “No, just me.” Asmo breathed a sigh of relief at hearing no one had harrassed you and resumed smoothing your hair. “Oh, darling. You ARE beautiful. You’re stunning, sweetheart. I wish you could see the way I saw you, how adorable and gorgeous you are. And I understand that there are going to be days when you don’t believe me, when you feel like you’re not. But at least don’t go through those days alone, okay?”

You nodded, not trusting yourself to speak without tearing up again.

"Now, let's go get some ice cream. We can eat it while taking a bubble bath."

Beelzebub

You weren’t really sure why Beel liked you coming with him to the gym all the time, even if you didn’t exercise. He said your presence was calming and that it made him focus better, which was odd because a lot of the time you just sat on an unoccupied machine and scrolled through your D.D.D.

Today was much the same, with Beel running on the treadmill and you watching some videos. The gym was pretty empty, just a few students exercising here and there.

Your eyes drifted to Beel who was running without even breaking a sweat. His body was all solid muscle: his arms, legs, and abs looked perfectly chiseled and toned. Last week you accidentally ran into Beel in the hallway and it felt like you had smashed into a brick wall. Beel, on the other hand, was completely fine.

You began to wonder what Beel thought about your body. He could be pretty handsy at times and he wasn’t shy in his affections. But what if there was something he didn’t like? Something that he thought needed changing?

He’s never mentioned anything about exercising to you before. But you thought back to the students you had seen in this gym: all of them were extremely fit with incredible bodies. You couldn’t help but start to compare yourself to them and think that maybe you were lacking.

Just then, Beel finished his run and walked over to you. You weren’t sure what kind of facial expression you were making but it seemed enough to concern him because he asked, “MC, is everything okay?”

“Hey Beel... do you ever wish I had a nicer body?”

He squinted in confusion. “What do you mean by ‘a nicer body’?”

“I don’t know... just better. Whatever nicer looks like for you.”

Beel was quiet for a moment, thinking. “No, I've never wished for that before. I still don't know what you mean by 'nicer'. I love you. And I love your body because its yours. The only thing that matters to me is whether you’re happy. And as long as I'm still allowed to touch you, then I'm happy.”

He looked at you nervously then, biting his lip. "Am I... still allowed to touch you?"

You laughed and reached to give him a hug, loving how safe it felt in his arms. "Of course, big guy. Thanks for making me feel better. You always know what to say."

Beel flushed with pride and closed his eyes in happiness, leaning into your hand as you patted him on the head.

Belphegor

You knew you were dreaming because you were sitting in a R.A.D classroom surrounded by fellow students, but you couldn’t focus on any of their faces. They were blurry, as if someone had smudged them like an artist had smudged some charcoal.

You were at your desk, looking around the classroom, when as if on cue all of the students began to slowly gather around you. They stood there silently for a moment, unmoving, and you felt a shiver go up your spine.

And then one by one the students began to hurl insults at you.

“You’re not good enough. Not good enough for Belphegor.” “You’re ugly, you’re hideous. “You’re unwanted, go back to where you came from.” “You don’t deserve what you have, don’t deserve good.” “You’re weak.” “You ruin others, you ruin everything.”

As they insulted you the students began to draw themselves closer, pushing and shoving to reach you. They almost made a cover over your desk as if to block out all the light. You hunched over your desk, shaking and panicking, trying to curl up to protect yourself.

One of the demons began shaking your shoulder roughly, you yelping in pain. He began yelling in your ear, “Wake up! Wake up!”

“MC! Wake up!”

You startled awake and looked around the room in fear. You were in Belphie’s bed, your pajamas sticking to you with sweat. Belphie was looking at you with concern, one hand still on your shoulder.

“MC, you’re okay. It’s just me. It was just a nightmare.” You let out a sob and buried yourself in his arms while he patted you on the back until your breaths evened out.

“D-Did you see my dream?” you asked. You were nervous about showing Belphie that weak side of you, the insecurities that had been brewing since the two of you had begun a relationship. He looked apologetic. “I did. You were whimpering and shaking in your sleep. I wanted to make sure you were okay.”

He reached over, one hand smoothing your hair, the fingers of his other hand interlaced with yours. “None of what they said was true, you know.” You looked down, embarrassed. “I mean it, MC. You are good enough. You’re beautiful, you’re wanted, you deserve all the nice and beautiful things in the world, you’re strong. And most importantly, you lift others up. You lift me up everyday.”

He lifted up your hand and pressed a kiss against it. “You lifted me out of darkness. I love you so much. And I’ll gladly stay by your side, for as long as you’ll have me.”

You grabbed the front of his sweater to draw him into a rough kiss, lips bruising. “Forever, Belphie. Forever.”

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coffeeandcalligraphy · 3 years

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Since houses with teeth is shelved what will be fostered 7. Also how is FD coming along, i miss the updates😢😢

I’m not sure! I think, honestly, that the “main series” side of Fostered is done (so it ends at 6 books). It’s unfortunate because HWT came at the wrong time in my writing journey. I was in my last year of high school when I finished book 6 of Fostered, which I ended prematurely because I was in “writing puberty” lol where my genre, and how I approached writing greatly changed. I managed to finish a majority of book 6 balancing the older parts of my tastes with the newer, but by the time I got to writing book 7, I just couldn’t balance out these tastes anymore without having a headache or overthinking everything. The problem is that Houses With Teeth is a literary fiction novel with a genre fiction past/cast, and to write it properly, I would essentially have to completely overhaul every single Fostered character, which I do not want to do. I’d have to change backstories, even names, and I want to keep these things the way they are. There isn’t a collective story for the Fostered “squad” anymore! It really died when the dystopian elements died in the series. This is why I prefer the spinoffs more because they’re more intimate character studies. I could see myself writing HWT as a novella or something that follows Reeve, because it would be nice to give her a proper goodbye, but I doubt I will do that. This is a really emotional topic for me tbh because it really panics me to think Fostered will eventually end, but I’ve realized lately the series could be done soon, or at least for the foreseeable future. I really want to start writing things outside of this series, namely other novels, and while I love this series very much, I do think I’ve relied on it in recent years as a crutch to handle my anxiety about writing/in general. I struggle with anxiety when writing any novel that isn’t Fostered, which is weird because I write tons of short stories outside of that universe, but when the work is longer, I just freeze up! I want to work on this, and to do that, I need to take a break from/finish the series, even though the thought of that is terrifying (I think that terror comes from the anxiety)!

As for Feeding Habits, I had to take a huge break from this book this semester, not out of choice, necessarily, but necessity. At the beginning of the term, I was having a hard time writing this book, honestly. I had to switch POVs because I was... miserable lol! But then I got so busy with the term that I couldn’t even write anyway! I’ve been writing it actually in the last few days, and it’s going okay! This book is kind of torture to write sometimes because I am actually incapable of not hating or disliking the writing??? Sometimes I’m not even actively trying but my brain is like no u hate this! Like today, I wrote a good chunk of it, was like this prose?? gross lol, but I’ve made it a policy not to let that mindset stop me from writing because it has done so in the past, and when I go back, the writing is fine, and it was all my shaky perception. This is the only project this happens for??? Don’t know why!

The reason there aren’t any updates for FH is because I haven’t finished the next chapter yet, haha, it’s been months haha university as a writing major hahahahhaa

But here are some recent excerpts if you’re interested!

I wrote this at the very beginning of term. Lonan hitchhikes in the car of Lydia, who’s just picked her children up from school:

They stopped fifteen minutes later at a hospital in Portland. The children were mostly excited about its in-house pizza parlour called Zekes, which blinked in neon red letters. Esther and Jensen barrelled toward the revolving door while Lonan fumbled for his seatbelt, and in the end it was Lydia who had to click the release for him. When the grey belt slinked across his chest, back into its holder, he stared at her for a moment—how her red curls haloed in the sun, how a blot of ink stained her index finger (a paralegal, she could’ve been, a teacher, an accountant) how she smiled, this stranger who trusted him, her face this wide, unsuspecting plane—and then he sobbed.

Not sure if I’ve shared this already? But this is Lonan seeing his ex-girlfriend Glenne for the first time in a while:

She was filling two plastic bottles at the motel’s water fountain when he pulled up. The image of her this suspension of ink-soaked particles. She could’ve been a photograph, bent over the metal box, one hand dialled around the fountain nob, the other guiding a bottle to the greedy blip of water. The sun had settled like a yolk in the sky, frescoed her cheeks in persimmon. This is the same image Lonan stared at as he fumbled into the parking lot, mesmerized, trying to distinguish pixel from skin cell.

Glenne was smaller than he’d remembered, something new about her. Maybe a slyness, or a decomposition, or both. She wore a bleached grey pair of cotton overalls and no shoes. Against the mahogany motel door her blonde hair sparked. A woman on fire as she noticed him, her hands jerking so suddenly, the bottle she was filling disengaged from the tap and the contents splashed to the floor.

(TW: gore) I wrote this in a writing sprints weeks ago where Lonan in this chapter’s fictive present is in this super disconnected space to the point where he *tries (doesn’t really get that far lol) to kill Harrison with a butter knife??

Slit or swan. The knife across his throat like a block of Jenga reslotting. Him in the fridge lightbulb’s reflection, staring at a sealed block of gouda. It would be so easy, his arterial spray like the rays of water splaying the motel’s walkway. Him unsure when the pigment of the cheese’s red wax begins to come from him. Slit or swan. The refrigerator’s hum like the drone of cars dicing the freeway just beyond the parking lot. Remember it. That noise like caribou running.

I also wrote this during that writing sprint and LOVE the radio commentator’s dialogue:

Across the room, Glenne leaned over the nightstand, fiddling with the clock radio. In bursts, what could be heard from the room was this: the microwave whirring, then a jab of 6 o’ clock news, the microwave beeping, then a blast of electropop, the microwave slamming, then a radio host saying Tell me why I should care about almonds, Eileen, literally, tell me why. The microwave beeped again, then finally, a lick of violins pulsed through the speakers.

Wrote this description either today or yesterday??? what is time (TW: body horror-ish)

So much of his face had dried violet after the crash that it was difficult to find a patch of untouched skin. His eye was still bloodshot from where Eliza had burst the ventricle, and a scattering of cuts, small, like grains of rice, constellated his temple. His hair beamed from his head in different lengths. He looked more bird than human and even then, worse than a bird.

^^ confirmation that lonan IS a bird

I also wrote this today! Lonan takes care of Glenne’s baby, Olivia and it is so PURE I cannot handle it! At one point in time, I had a separate Fostered spinoff called ALANNIS planned out where Lonan actually takes on a fatherly role of Olivia who would be older at that point (he’s in his late 20s, I think she was like 7 or 8??) and so it’s so fantastic to see this role come to fruition here since I never thought it would!

The grocery store was a fifteen-minute walk away. With Olivia clinging to his shoulder, Lonan was acutely aware that she could feel his heartbeat. Open valve. Close. Repeat. Hers pulsed right above his heart, a miniature drumming. The sky had bruised purple, misted with clouds.

just imagine my terrifying bird man carrying this lil munchkin it’s SO CUTE!!

working on this chapter right now, so hopefully I’ll finish it and update you soon! <3

#asks #fostered

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comingupforblair · 5 years

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If you want to know why DCEU fans have a hard time listening to criticism of the films and don’t seem interested in engaging with it, there are a few reasons for that but probably the biggest one is pretty simple.

It’s because most of the criticism doesn’t serve a purpose and isn’t worth listening to.

Easily the most common claim I see from people beating up on these films is that they are in fact DC fans. They may even say they love DC more than Marvel and their criticism, which often crosses over into outright vitriol, is an expression of that love, a desire to see them do better whatever that looks like to them (their better version of these films and what they expected from them are usually not even closer to reasonable but that’s another post). They snark because they care.

Even leaving aside the flaws in that kind of mentality, I think we can agree that it isn’t true for everyone who insults and criticizes these films.

They aren’t looking for them to improve or to reach some idealized version of how they can be. They’re just eager to score points by taking petty shots at what is seen as an acceptable target. Maybe they’re Marvel fans with a tribalist mentality or they’re trying to piss off DC fans or they’re just people who are under the impression that saying this is somehow original but their words are not said because of a desire for the creators to get better. They have no interest whatsoever in seeing the franchise improve.

Even when the films that are made exactly to their specifications such as Wonder Woman, Aquaman and Shazam are regarded only with backhanded praise and aren’t seen as enough for them to reevaluate their views on the franchise because they don’t actually want to. Doing that would mean relinquishing an easy target.

Even if Birds of Prey and Wonder Woman 1984 are regarded as some of the finest accomplishments in cinema history, it won’t get people to stop making the same idiotic jokes or repeating the same criticisms we’ve heard a thousand times already. They’ll still be doing it five or ten years from now.

This isn’t even speculation as The Dark Knight was released only eleven years ago and is often held up as one of the best films of the 21st century, a film a lot of people will happily list as one of their favorites and yet it’s still common to see people say that DC/WB should just pack it all in and stick to animation and maybe live-action TV and leave films to Marvel.

Or look at how Wonder Woman was a legitimately remarkable accomplishment, a crucial turning point for the genre that broke through the barriers the MCU had shown little interest in trying to tear down, and still wasn’t enough. It was regarded and still is as an exception, a glitch in the matrix rather than proof that the same approach they had been so vocal about hating could yield results every bit as impressive as those from the MCU.

Or how Aquaman accomplished a level of success something no one could have expected but people are still eager to talk about how the franchise has been a failure even as they put out films that are among some of the highest grossing in history.

Or how the films have all become much lighter tonally and that isn’t enough for them to cease with the endless comments about the films being “grimdark” or complaining about Zack Snyder’s work with the franchise.

The DCEU has hit it’s stride and become what people have wanted it to become and we’re still seeing videos along the lines of “ten problems no one wants to admit about the DCEU” and the same insulting remarks or claims that the franchise has “failed”. So you can understand the frustration DCEU fans are feeling.

Even when the films do something admirable such as giving comic book writers fair compensation for the characters used, something the MCU has noticeably not even tried to do, people still feel a need to pair with an insult or snide comment rather than offer genuine praise for doing something the executives they prefer should be doing but aren’t.

I even saw people say they were upset about WW’s success because they were enjoying seeing DC films “fail”. That should tell you everything you need to know about a good portion of the people offering up their views on these films.

At a certain level, you have to choose which is more important to you: Criticizing these films and the creators behind them in an honest, sincere way or just using them as cheap fodder for jokes and a punching bag to score points off of. A lot of people have chosen the latter.

I remember once seeing a critic I like say how it’s easy to be vicious when you assume the people you’re talking about will never read your words about them. I honestly have to ask what purpose your words are supposed to serve if not for creators to take on board so they can get better.

Criticism and negativity that doesn’t serve a purpose is nothing but petty cruelty. It’s people making cheap insults in a frankly sad attempt to make themselves look clever. It isn’t made with the intention of seeing the films get better or for creators to take on board. It’s just kicking something while it’s already down, usually in an overtly and needlessly personal manner.

Not every person is like this, of course. Many, I’d even say the majority, do sincerely want the films to improve on elements they dislike, even if their methods and expectations for how that is supposed to happen are questionable, and there are people who will give sincere and unambiguous praise where it’s due. But the unfortunate thing is that you always have a vocal minority who are making that kind of discourse harder for everyone else, the ones who just want to hate something or to jump on a bandwagon or have an outlet for their shitty impulses.

This also isn’t unique to these films. It was the same with the Star Wars prequels and that’s a major reason why they are now getting a reevaluation.

You might think this is unfair but remember how people who hate the films are often keen to bring up DCEU fans who say and do shit. They have no problem with the minority coloring the majority’s image when it applies to people they don’t agree with.

There’s also a secondary element to this as people writing these reviews or making these videos are often doing it for an audience. If they’re not making their reviews as videos on Youtube, they’re trying to get clicks on their articles or retweets or reblogs or just approval from other commenters. Criticism that’s designed as much, if not more so, with appealing to an audience in mind as it is supposed to be a reflection of the writer’s intent is almost impossible to take seriously as you can’t distinguish between what the reviewer genuinely believes is an issue with the film and what they’re playing up for the audience as shown by channels like Cinema Sins who are unable to decide wheter their videos are serious or not and who are obligated to always make negative comments, even about things they actually like.

Videos and articles going into detail about how Zack Snyder is the worst are going to get views, regardless of their merit. Even simple accuracy in describing the films is seen as unimportant compared to whatever comedy or fan outrage they can get out of the inaccurate version as evidenced by how often they describe DCEU Superman in ways that show they’re trying to play up or outright invent negative traits of his. Hyperbole gets people’s attention.

People are probably reading this and rolling their eyes, assuming that I want some world where no one says anything critical or negative about anything ever. But what I’m saying is really quite simple and something more people need to do. When you encounter criticism, wheter it’s of something you love or hate, you need to ask what purpose is it serving?

If you’re someone who is negative towards the franchise and expresses those views, be it in a personal or professional manner, what’s your endgame? What do you want to be the end result of your words and actions? What are you going to do if/when that happens? Are you going to change your behavior to suit the new circumstances and be as open with praise as you are criticism? Or are you just going to shift the goal posts?

If criticism and negativity about something doesn’t or isn’t trying to fulfill a more important purpose than just doing the internet equivalent of pulling the wings off a fly or unleashing rage on something or getting clicks, then it isn’t worth taking seriously or listening to and that’s exactly what a lot of negativity towards the DCEU is.

#dceu #man of steel #batman v superman #zack snyder #Wonder Woman #shazam #aquaman

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heyiluvspiderman · 6 years

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behind the masks

Summary: You were the superhero known as El, controller of the elements. You fight crime with the one and only Spider-man. One day, Tony Stark recruits you to help the avengers, and you unknowingly learn who the spider boy truly is.

Genre: Fluff!

Pairing: Peter Parker x reader (gender neutral!)

Warnings: swearing! death! (kinda)

A/N: Gah i really like this one, i’m so sorry if the format is weird, i had to upload this on my phone since tumblr is being a lil bitch. anyways, hope you enjoy!!

Reader’s POV

“Thanks for another fun night El!” the teenage boy’s voice rung out into the late New York night. “My pleasure Spidey boy!” I called back, waving goodbye as he swung back to wherever he called home.

I gave a soft sigh, I loved getting to fight crime with him every night. And I always wondering who he was behind that mask. But we made a deal when we first started fighting together: don’t reveal your identity unless absolutely necessary. I’m still quite curious, but I always put it behind me and enjoy my moments with the web slinger. With that, I turned around and carefully floated down to the fire escape outside my bedroom. I pulled off my charcoal colored spy suit and matching face mask. Not too much damage done tonight, just a couple bruises, nothing new.

I walked over to my dresser and pulled out my favorite pair of sweatpants and a Midtown High school sweatshirt, definitely doesn’t belong to me. I must have stolen it from Peter a while ago.

Speak of the devil, a knock on my window tapped me out of my thought process. My best friend and crush, Peter Parker, smiled at me as I opened up the window so he could climb in. “Coming in a little late tonight are we? I thought we were studying at 7, not 11?” I asked, crossing my arms as I looked at him. He frowned, “I’m sorry, I know I keep doing this to you but,” “Stark internship, I know. Let’s just study, okay? I really don’t want to fail chemistry.” He hesitated, before nodding and sitting on the floor with me.

I really didn’t understand this “Stark Internship” thing, he always shut down whenever I asked about it. I don’t like him keeping secrets from me, but who am I kidding, I hide stuff from him too. Such as the fact that I go by El and fight crime in Queens. Somethings we just keep to ourselves.

Time appeared to pass by faster then I remembered, and soon enough, “It’s 1 in the morning, I think it’s about time I head out.” Peter spoke up, breaking the concentrated silence. I looked at my phone and noticed the time. “Oh geez! Yea you better get out of here, don’t want to give May a heart attack.” He stood up and grabbed his backpack, putting all his books back in. We walked to the window and Peter climbed out, turning around to say his goodbye.

“Oh! I almost forgot, do you want this back?” I asked, pointing down to his sweatshirt I was currently wearing. He paused for a moment, seeming to take in my words. “Nah,” he said, looking down at his hands, beforing looking back at me. “you look cute in it.” My face heated up and I felt a smile grow on my face. “Night (Y/n)!” Peter called out, before climbing up the staircase to his apartment. “Night..” I managed to stutter out, still relishing in his words. He called me cute! In his clothes! Wow!

With that, I snuck back into my room and turned out the lights, then flopped onto my bed. “Jesus Peter Parker, you just have go and make my heart flutter all gross like don’t you.” I said to myself, fully aware he couldn’t hear me. I sighed and closed my eyes, drifting off to a peaceful slumber.

~~~~~~~~~~

I woke to a loud banging on my door, causing me to roll out of bed and slam on the floor. “Jesus fuck what do you want it’s like 5 in the morning!” I moaned out, pulling myself up into a seated position. The door opened, revealing the “genius billionaire playboy philanthropist” that was Tony Stark. I stood up quickly and managed to stutter out a “Uh-I..hi.”

He raised his eyebrow at me and said, “This is the kid arachnid boy talks about? Alright then, I’m Tony Stark but you already know that, and I need you to come with me.” Then left my room. I stood in shock for a minute, before coming to it and getting dressed. I threw on a pair of black pants before putting Peter’s sweatshirt back on. It was warm and I wanted the comfort.

I slipped on my converse and ran down the stairs, to see Tony waiting for me by the door. “Ready kid? Cause your life is about to get turned upside down.”

Avengers towers was huge. No, massive. It appears big on the outside, and it’s fucking gigantic on the inside, the underground levels being triple the size of the exterior. I stood still for a moment, before continuing to follow Tony to wherever he was leading me.

“I’ve been keeping an eye on you for a while, since spider kid never shuts up about his crime fighting duo adventures, anyways. We’re hoping you can join the team for a while, or permanently, depending on how this mission goes.” He paused, bringing up a hologram of my suit, but better. “ We’ve made you a new suit as well, kept the same design, just a couple of upgrades: bulletproof, vibranium metal of course, sourcers to help your power flow faster and keep your energy, and it’s all stored in a necklace. Took inspiration from that Shuri gal. Quite the genius you know.” A silver necklace popped up, with a pearl charm on the end.

He handed it to me, and I attached it around my neck. “So, whaddya say kid? Willing to help out the avengers?” I took a breath and looked up at Tony, a role model of mine since he first came forwards and said he was iron man, he was asking for my help. “Um, I’m confused.” I stated, “Why me? I’m just a teenager from New York, why do you need my help?”

Tony looked a bit taken back, before answering, “Because the avengers are falling apart, and frankly, the world will be too. We need help, I need help, and more importantly, Spider-man is gonna need his partner.” I thought about his words for a bit, this is my chance to make a real change for the world. Save the people who need it.

“I’m in.” A smirk grew on Tony’s face. “Perfect, then suit up. We start now.” With that, he clicked a button and his suit came flying towards him. “Oh you weren’t kidding, um okay.” I looked down at the necklace, unsure of how to make it work. “Tap it with some fire, should pop right out!” Tony called from above. I nodded and put a flicker of fire on my finger. I tapped the charm, and my new and improved suit grew onto my body.

“Okay that’s kinda badass!” I yelled, excitement filling my voice. “Hurry up kid! We don’t have time to play with the new settings!” “I’m coming!” I swirled my hands and made air appear, pushing me into the sky with Iron Man.

“Spider boy is making his way over, get over to the west end of the air carrier. I’ll give you both instructions once you meet up.” I nodded as he flew away. I soared into the air, pushing my way to the location Tony gave me, spotting a familiar red and blue blur coming towards me. “ON YOUR LEFT!” His voice rang out. I pushed a ball of air to him to catch him, and both of us landed on the edge of the air carrier.

“Hey webs, missed ya!” I said, happiness overtaking me. “Missed you too El!” He was about to say something else, before Tony’s voice came ringing in my ears. He must have put an intercom in my new suit. “Alright underoos no flirting on the job. I’m sending you both downtown, we’re getting signs of two quinjets coming down and we need you to find out who or what is in them. Understand me?”

“You got it Mr. Stark!” Spider-man’s upbeat tone responded, I chimed in with my own enthusiastic yes, and we both took off.

~~~~~~~~~~

So turns out, the who was a whole army. The what? Still no idea. “Backup is on the way kids, try and get to the rendezvous point!” Tony yelled out to us, as I took a slam to the stomach, before hurling a fireball at my attacker.

I looked over to search for Spider-man, but couldn’t see his bright suit anywhere. “Spidey?” I called out to the coms, before causing an earthquake and knocking out a circle of alien things. Still no idea what they are. I backhanded another and took off into the sky. I sent a strike of electricity down, giving me enough time to hijack one of the quinjets and take off to the rendezvous spot. I hooked the system up to my coms. “Spidey? Tony? Someone please come in!”

I sat in the pilot seat and put in the location, letting it go into autopilot. I don’t know how to fly a fucking airplane man that’s terrifying.

“El? You there?” Tony’s voice called out. “TONY! Yes I’m here! I lost Spidey, I..I don’t know where he is..I don’t know if he’s even alive.” I let my own words sink in. I’d grown attached to my crime fighting partner, and I just left him for dead out there. “Tony I need to go back he could still be down there getting attacked!” I started freaking out, trying to change the location, when Tony’s voice cut me off. “EL! You will get to the rendezvous point. We know where Spidey is, just..get here soon.”

Ages later, I made it to our spot, and flew into the building. “WHERE IS HE?” I called out. Tony looked up from his computer and saw the angry look in my eyes. “Tony where is he. Please I need to know that he’s safe.” I knew I was friends with Spidey, but I didn’t realize I felt this much about him. I have my precious Peter outside of the superhero world, but Webs was giving him a run for his money.

“He got onto the other quinjet and flew up to their loader, he’s on it right now.” Tony looked distressed. This was his kid, he was in mortal danger, and it was Tony’s fault. “We managed to get into their camera system, but his coms are down. We can’t get a hold of him.” A flash of color appeared on Tony’s screen, and both of us pulled our attention to it.

Spidey was on the side of the wall, trying to break something off. He was struggling to breathe, ripping off his mask, revealing his face.

“PETER!” The realization hit me. How the fuck did I not notice before? The voice, the mannerisms, the science jokes, THE DAMN STARK INTERNSHIP! Peter, THE spider-man, started choking, not getting any air into his system. “TONY HELP HIM! HE CAN’T BREATHE!” Panic was setting over me, as I started having an anxiety attack.

Peter Parker, was not only Spider-man, but he was stuck in space with no way to breathe. There was no way we could send anything up there fast enough to help him. He was going to die up there, my best friend was going to die. There are too many things I have to tell him; I’m El, his crime fighting best friend, I’m in love with him, despite being his best friend.

I looked back at the camera and got one last glance at Peter’s struggling face, before his gripped released and he fell through space.

The next moments were a blur. I remember screams ripping through me, falling to the floor with a slam, an earthquake waving around me. Sobs crashing in my ears, and a sense of rage. I remember Tony picking me up, and carrying me into one of the med bay rooms. I must have been sedated, because I woke up and saw a new face looking down at me.

“I’d be careful sitting up if I were you, you drained a lot of energy earlier, and the sedatives were pretty heavy, slowed down your body’s quick healing.” The man’s voice was calming, as I eased my way to rest my back against the wall. “I’m Doctor Strange, and you are?” “(Y/n), or El. Doctor Strange what happened to Peter? Please tell me he’s okay, I can’t lose him.” I felt another panic attack rising up, but Strange put his hand on my shoulder and I felt myself relax.

“Just relax, he’s fine. I’m a sorcerer, I reversed the time frame and we sent Peter up with a better suit. He’s sleeping right now, but I’m sure he’d be happy to see you.” I let out a sigh of relief. “He knows that time got fucked with right? And that he pretty much died right?” The doctor nodded. “He was in shock for a bit, but was very grateful to know we saved him. Tony wouldn’t have it any other way.”

A small smile graced my lips, I knew Tony cared about Peter, more than he would ever admit. I felt a chill over take my body, noticing I was still in my El suit. “Natasha brought you some clothes to change into. Get dressed and we can make our way to the boy.” He handed me a small stack of clothes, which consisted of my black jeans and Peter’s sweatshirt. I got dressed, and with the help of Strange, I made my way to the room Peter was sleeping in, and snuck in.

“Peter?” I whispered, not wanting to disturb him. I saw his head move around and a small moan of pain come out. I rushed over to his bed and looked at him, concern filling my eyes. “Hey spidey, pretty big secret you hid from me huh?”

His eyes opened fully at the sound of my voice, a wave of shock rolling over his face. He sat up, “(Y/n)? How’d you get here?” I smiled and pulled over the glass from his bedside, refilling it with water from my finger.

“Surprise, you’re not the only one hiding things.” Peter’s mouth fell open before laying back down, “My head hurts too much to handle this right now. You’re El, I’m Spider-man, we’ve been fighting crime together. That’s pretty cool.” His raspy voice said, a tiny smile appearing on his tired face. “Pretty wild indeed.” I agreed. “Well uh..I should um..probably go, you need rest after that.” I started to stand up, when I felt Peter’s soft hand grab mine.

“Stay, please?” He called out, a look of neediness in his eyes. I could never say no to him, with a face like that, how could I? I simply nodded and laid down next to him. Almost immediately, Peter pulled me to him, wrapping his arms around me. I tucked my head under his chin and reveled in the warmth of him.

“You scared the hell out of me Peter. Like actually, I caused an earthquake, I think I almost lit Tony on fire, I was a mess. Don’t you dare do something stupid like that again!” I said, trying to keep myself level. I felt tears building in my eyes though. I couldn’t picture my life without Peter, and for once I had to really experience losing him.

I felt him laugh, and I smiled, glad to have Peter with me. I fiddled with the strings of my hoodie and looked up at him. “I’m serious! I would have to fight crime without you, and I’d never pass a chem test ever again, I would have to find a new crush and god knows that would take forever cause you’ve had my heart for far too long and oh my god I just said that out loud.”

I cut myself off, a look of terror coming over my face. I looked down at my hands, and then at the band-aid on Peter’s shoulder, basically anywhere except Peter’s face.

“Oh wait a second there.” Peter started saying, before sitting up carefully, I slowly followed suit, still avoiding eye contact. “Last part. Say it again.” I mumbled out the sentence, Peter’s eyes scanning my face while I spoke.

I looked up at Peter’s face, getting ready to do the typical ‘it’s fine ignore my feelings’ speech, when his hands grabbed my face softly and pulled me into a kiss. It was gentle and full of passion, making up for every kiss we could have had but were too scared to do, on the off chance that we messed anything up.

We pulled away, keeping our foreheads together, Peter’s hands still on my face. I smiled, locking eyes with Peter. “I..oh my god that really happened!” I whisper-screamed. Peter laughed and pulled me onto his lap, hugging me as close as he could. “I can’t imagine life without you, I really can’t. So please for the love of god say you’ll be mine because this is driving me nuts.” I giggled and pulled back to look at his face. “I’d be honored to be yours.”

We laid down again, talking about everything and anything, just at peace with being together, and official being together.

Glad I finally learned who was behind the mask.

#peter parker #peter parker x reader #peter parker imagine #tom holland #tom holland x reader #tom holland imagines #marvel #marvel imagines #avengers #avengers imagines #spider-man #spider-man x reader #spider-man imagine #infinity war #avengers infinity war

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theinnerworkingsofhappiness-blog · 5 years

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My Best Day

So, I was really excited to do this project because I rarely ever take a whole day just for pleasure and fun. I’m the kind of person who always wants to fill my time with something productive or something that’s bettering me somehow. I had my best day on Easter break and to be honest, if this wasn’t a project for school I most definitely would have spent the day working at my two jobs, doing homework, and working out. I’m really happy that this became something intentional because I think spending time to just slow down and relax was very healthy for me (something I need to consciously do much more).

So, I started my day around 7 waking up to my beautiful cat next to me purring like heaven’s harp. Also, a lovely sunrise over the trees!

I always like to wake up with a few songs playing on my speaker because it gently wakes me up and helps me to feel alive again. I played Feels like Summer by Childish Gambino as I made my bed (cuz I’m conscientious) and got dressed. This song is BEAUTIFUL. Plz listen (if you wish). It was the dreamiest song to wake up to and the lyrics are really beautiful as well. One part of the song I felt really resonated with my theme of slowing down on this day:

Men who made machines that want what they decide 🎶 Parents tryna tell their children please slow down 🎶 Slow down 🎶

I looked up the lyrics on genius to discover a deeper meaning to them and when I clicked on these lines, this popped up:

Maybe I’m oppressed in the sense of adhering to the capitalistic notions of always being “productive” - A lot of things I do I really enjoy and do to better myself but I was happy to finally have unbothered time to engage in my imagination and child-like playfulness.

After getting dressed I went to get a haircut. This was one of the first things that popped into my mind a few weeks ago when I was thinking about what to do for my best day, but I was somewhat concerned because I felt that getting a haircut may be just an activity to achieve beauty, one of the three happiness myths Sonja warns us not to fall into. However, once I really thought about it i realized I didn’t want to get a haircut to achieve beauty (minus executing these split ends) but to just take care of my body and relax. Especially when in school, I’m always either doing homework or working and I have so little time to just take care of myself that I end up feeling like a salted slug (gross, in layman’s terms). Though getting a haircut is not technically a part of the happiness activity of taking care of your body, I’d like to think of it as one, because it gave me the same effect. Plus, everybody knows the head massage is the best part, duh. And once I was done my hair felt like it was crafted by silk worms.

Here’s my before and after pics:

There’s really no noticeable difference, I just thought the first picture was meme-worthy.

After my haircut, around 10:30 I went to get acupuncture. I had never gotten acupuncture before and I wanted to intentionally cultivate a new experience into my happiness day. It was quite the experience. I entered into a calm and quiet community acupuncture room and sat down on a big comfy recliner chair. I then closed my eyes and my acupuncturist starting inserting needles into my hands, feet, legs, ears and face. If I were to relate it to any of the happiness activities Sonja mentioned it would probably be a form of practicing spirituality and taking care of my body. Once all the needles were inserted I felt like I was being supercharged with energy, and felt it was the perfect time to start meditating. I cleared my mind and focused on my bodily sensations. At one point I felt a trail of oil on the top of my hand starting at the tip of my thumb to an intricate squiggle on my hand and then to the tip of my ring finger. In my head I was thinking “wow, how is this dude pouring this oil so intricately?!” I opened my eyes so I could express my amazement to him but no one was there. I realized that the sensation I was feeling was the energy moving through my hand, because acupuncture is used to rebalance and distribute energy. I was super bewildered by this because the physical sensation of oil on my hand felt so so real. After this happened I sat for another 30 minutes meditating until the acupuncturist came and pulled all the needles out of me. I slowly got up and thanked him and then left. This was such a memorable and interesting experience for me and it left me feeling incredibly energized the rest of the day.

After I left the acupuncture place I went home and made some tea. The next item on my happiness list was to have a dance party. Dancing is an absolute passion of mine, along with music, so I wanted to intentionally engage in something that would free my soul. I danced for 3 hours while my cat slept in the corner. I put on some fenty beauty body lava to be #extra and mainly freestyle danced to Melii and Solange. The time went by so seamlessly because I was just in my element, not thinking about anything else. I also pole danced which was the part the provided a nice bit of challenge with all the inversions and twirling (phew). I didn’t intentionally dance to create a flow state, I just wanted to do one of the things that made me happiest, but looking back at it I was definitely experiencing flow, even superflow. As Sonja puts it in her book, “superflow is when you are not only completely absorbed and unselfconscious but absolutely transcendent.” That was definitely my experience!

I recorded this dance party for receipts but I’m just going to spare your eyes cause I don’t think a professor should have to see me bust moves. However I sent a video to my boyfriend and he sent me back a zoomed in screenshot of my cats face:

I think he was just processing how lucky he is to witness such magic!

After my personal dance party I went to therapy, which just happened to fall on the same day as my best day, I mean why not delve into the depths of your own psyche for kicks? I actually talked about how I wanted to do EMDR therapy this summer to reprocess some traumas so that I can be less triggered by certain things and be a better yoga teacher. In my yoga teacher training the week before we had spent about 3 hours learning about trauma and how to be mindful of it when teaching and it kind of activated my own issues. I guess this could objectively sound terrible but I really like talking about deep topics and my therapist is really supportive, so honestly it was enriching to spend a part of my day delving into.

After therapy I went straight to yoga with one of my favorite teachers, Jo-Jo. yoga is another passion of mine and is essentially my spiritual practice. On this day, Jo-Jo really decided to amp it up and it was such a hard class it was comical. I mean this was one of our poses.....

I think everyone was internally crying but also appreciated being invigorated and challenged for the day. For me, it was partially a flow state but also a way of taking care of my body through engaging in physical activity that was strengthening and energizing. Once I got out of yoga I decided to meet up with my boyfriend to get something to eat. We went to whole foods because I was craving the veggie burger they have at their coffee & burger bar. I’m a vegetarian and usually don’t like meat substitutes but the texture and taste of this veggie burger is a lot like meat and is really good. After dancing and doing yoga I was really excited to eat:

It was delish!

Once I finished eating I went to the Frist Art Museum to meet up with my best friend Sami and look at art together. He ended up getting there 15 minutes before they closed so I spent most of the time looking at the art alone, but I didn’t mind. On the first floor there were just an inordinate amount of aristocratic style painting of horses and dogs. They were well painted, but I honestly was cracking up at them.

Here are some below:

Pup family reunion.

Birds looking down with contempt at us uncultured swine!

or Four Birds With No Scone

I really don’t know.

Once I finished looking at all the paintings on first floor I went up to the second floor to see the photography exhibit of Dorthea Lange. This was the total opposite of my experience of the first floor paintings because the pictures were so deeply moving. Dorthea Lange photographed a lot of people in the Great Depression era and looking at the portraits of each of the people she photographed gave me a kind of out of body experience. To see people photographed so crisply almost 100 years ago gave me this sense of wonder of all the people who have been alive and experienced their own worlds. I really felt the the photos she took of these people immortalized them, even if she didn’t have their name or a story to go along with them.

Here are some of her photos:

Since Sami ended up coming too late in time to really look at art with me, we ended up just sitting in my car talking and joking for a couple of hours. This was arguably the best part of my whole day. He’s one of my two closest friends and whenever we’re together we always have a deep heart-warming talk followed by utter wackiness. He told me about how he was having this creative pen pal romance with this girl we went to high school with who now lives in New York. They’ve only been talking through email and they’ll send each other a lot of messages in Spanish to decode as well as collages, videos and other art. It was really inspiring for me to see that kind of creative way of interacting with others. I think over the summer I’m going to send my good friends spontaneous letters in the mail with collages and poems. Relationships are so important to me and if I’m able to enact these little creative love expressions I think that would really incorporate the happiness activity of cultivating relationships and create a lot of tangible meaningful memories.

I’m not sure how we got into our next topic but we started ironically talking about how Sami should just take the genre of mumble rap to the next level and just start rapping nonsense - just sounds with a word thrown in here or there. Somehow he has perfected the art of the annoying japanease boy band singer and this was the foundation of his mumble rap sound. Then I guess I joked about how he should just yell a word that seemed so out of context like “GUMBO!” and he started doing it and created a mumble rap around exclamations of gumbo. I know this probably doesn’t sound funny at all but we were literally CRYING laughing. It was so ridiculous and I think we both share a sense of humor for absurdity and irony. Once we had our sound down, I started talking about how he needed to talk about his raps when being interviewed. His raps didn’t need actual words, they were transcendental, they existed beyond our worldly perception of music and poetry and brought us straight to the essence of God. We both envisioned the dream of a giant crowd of people singing along with him at a festival, sounding like a plethora of various whale sounds. It was beautiful. And hilarious. And when summer hits we’re gonna record our first song ‘shawdy want gumbo’ - my family lives in New Orleans and I visit a few times a year so I’m going to snap the cover art - a picture of gumbo, maybe with his face superimposed on there too. I recorded him just yelling gumbo as a receipt for this beautiful conversation, but I don’t know how to add it to this post. I’m glad I recorded it though, because anytime I listen to it randomly I crack up laughing.

just a cool earring!

The last part of my day was pretty spontaneous as I was planning on going home after hanging out with Sami. My boyfriend called me and told me that one of our friends Julie had just gotten engaged and they wanted to go celebrate at Dave & Busters with us. They had already drank a lot of champagne at their dinner so we went to go pick them up. They were both super happy and Julie was showing me her ring and they were talking about the proposal.

(Also, she has a pet pig.. a video of whom I will post separately)

Lucky for me, my boyfriend is this insane luck magnet whenever we go to Dave & Busters. I mean, he always scores a 1000 ticket win. It’s insane.

We played a lot of games together, it was definitely another workout - especially with the basketball hoop games and air hockey ( I was fierce). It also made me really happy to see people all enwrapped in love and become engaged. I’ve never had close friends get engaged so it was a new experience in that way to celebrate with them (P.S. they’re about 6 years older than me - so they didn’t get eloped or anything).

Heres a photo of them loving and protecting each other from enemy spacebugs:

Once we were cashing in our tickets, I got Julie a “Future Mrs.” tiara, which was comically trashy, but they had lost their card with all their tickets on it so I wanted to use mine to get her something to commemorate her night, in the raw essence. Then we took Julie and Taylor home and I DJ’d some love related songs for them, which they pretty passionately yelled along to, so it was a good move. After that I headed home back to my cats to crawl in bed and process my best day! And sleep, of course. All in all, I’m so grateful for this project because without it I may have not even had this day, and all the hilarious and beautiful memories. This day was so enriching and uplifting for me and reminds me to take some time to just enjoy life. Unfortunately, after writing this whole blog up my computer died and the whole thing was deleted. I was pretty furious when it happened, but I just realized there was no other choice to accept it so I decided to use the happiness activity of cultivating optimism. Not only did I get to relive my best day once, but twice over, and I’m grateful for that.

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superfluffycool · 7 years

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The “John Waters Principle” (and how it relates to SamCait & fandoms)

"Beauty is looks you can never forget. A face should jolt, not soothe."

--John Waters

Around a year ago I read a really interesting book about dating and data by one of the analytics wizards that created OkCupid. It’s called Dataclysm by Christian Rudder and it uses data gathered from the site’s user’s clicks and profiles to explain certain trends.

One thing that I remembered very well from the book was what I’ve nicknamed The “John Waters Principle”. John Waters, for anyone that doesn’t know him, is an indie filmmaker and artist with a quirky, gross out style. Some people love him and some people hate him. BUT the people that love him REALLY love him. Rudder points out that despite Steven Speilberg fans vastly outnumbering John Waters fans, the former’s do not hold meet-ups or spend time lovingly chatting online about their favorite filmmaker in the same way.

The principle posits that stranger, messier, more imperfect things inspire more arduous attention because they appeal to people that genuinely love those things. In the dating world, it means that if you wear funky glasses, and include them in your OkCupid profile pic, you are likely to get fewer visitors, but the ones that visit, are REALLY into girls that wear funky glasses. Quality over quantity.

Outlander is not easily categorized as historical fiction, science fiction or romance. It has elements of all three, which produce the “John Waters Principle” in terms of the type of fans it initially attracts. I know part of why I love Outlander is that it juggles multiple genres simultaneously. If you read a lot (like me!), the blend is intriguing and keeps you on your toes. Fans of romance, historical fiction, or sci-fi might be turned off by the collage.

As for the TV series--the initial fans were book fans, excited to see their favorite books finally adapted for the screen. New fans arrived because of their love of period dramas, romance, or the attractive lead actors. Some of those fans noticed that the chemistry between the show’s stars extended into their interviews, social media interaction, and behind the scenes footage and began fanning over that as well.

Those fans identified as “Shippers” and they represented a small, niche part of the fandom. They were more devoted than the average Outlander fan and were extremely supportive of the show and the two actors (aka SamCait).

Cut to the summer of 2016. I wasn’t in the fandom then and cannot begin to understand the anger and hurt that resulted from a certain Troll’s meddling with Shippers. Maybe some left, but other’s stayed and battened down the hatches of the ship.

Rudder says "Devotion is like gasoline vapor in a piston: Pressure helps it catch...” He said this regarding niche attractions, such as men that prefer overweight partners in a weight-obsessed society. What he means is, the more those men have to defend their attraction, the more devoted they become to it.

It’s easy to see the parallels between the men Rudder mentioned and Shippers, especially since last summer. They’ve both been criticized and attacked for loving a certain thing that differs from the average narrative. BUT neither loving overweight partners, or the chemistry between co-stars is illegal, or immoral.

SamCait Shippers are like John Waters’ fans. We LOVE LOVE LOVE Sam and Cait as well as Outlander. Shippers are the best and are an asset to the success of the show and to the careers of the lead actors! Some people don’t see it that way.

Is Starz crapping on Shippers? Are Sam and Cait? I don’t really know, but I think it’s sad that a group of loyal fans aren’t given much respect for the amount of time, money, and attention we give. Respect includes honesty as well. We’re smart, sane, and mature. Please don’t play games with us. We’d like to continue fanning over the show and the lead actors, but it’s becoming a lot harder.

Rudder says*, "Trying to fit in, just for its own sake, is counterproductive.” Hey Powers-That-Be! Please don’t trade quality for quantity. The OkCupid analytics guy says so.

*For more about Dataclysm, check the article below

http://www.elle.com/life-love/sex-relationships/advice/a14538/ok-cupid-where-is-my-lover/

#samcait #fandom #outlander

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70+ Private Tales on Tips on how to Make Critical Cash On-line!

In terms of creating wealth on-line, all of us have our personal story on how we first received began. For myself, it was truly again within the mid-90s within the AOL Net Diner Chat Room. I used to be making 46×860 graphic banners for folks and their web sites, and they might then ship me a greenback within the mail! Consider, this was approach earlier than something like PayPal was round. After that, I discovered myself on the planet of online marketing, and that’s when issues actually began to scale shortly!

Now that my story, it’s time so that you can examine how others received their begin with creating wealth on-line as nicely. Make sure you learn by means of every of the blogger, enterprise proprietor, and entrepreneur tales beneath to see which you relate to most!

Associated weblog posts and sources:

When did you first understand you may begin making ‘real money’ on-line, and with what technique?

I earned my first “online income” after I scored a job 20 years in the past working with greatest promoting writer, entrepreneur and agent of change Seth Godin at Yoyodyne, which was acquired in This autumn 1998 by Yahoo! In 1997 I used to be on the lookout for one thing thrilling and new and was decided to maneuver again to NY from South Florida and get again into the motion. I made a decision this new factor known as the “Internet” was the way in which to go. I learn an article about Seth Godin and since he talked about that though there have been no present openings, he was all the time looking out for expertise, I used to be decided to work with him at his start-up Yoyodyne. I despatched resumes to most likely 100 corporations and when Yoyodyne known as I knew it was meant to be (there is a little more to the story).

I’ve had a entrance row seat to the evolution of on-line advertising from what was conventional media and commerce first experiencing the transfer to digital, which was nothing greater than easy communication and catalog instruments, to full fledged digital commerce and communication… and now scaled Social Communication which so splendidly incorporates this Relationship element that’s for me, the last word worth. #FollowThePath #RonR… #NoLetUp!

Ted Rubin – TedRubin.com

When folks began asking me to assist them get extra “Likes” on their Fb web page. I noticed that I may run some Like-exchange bots and provides “Likes” to the Fb pages of small companies in my metropolis. It was not “real money” within the sense that it was some huge cash, but it surely was sufficient to maintain me in school whereas I labored on my subsequent startup.

Rafi Chowdhury – Chowdhurysdigital.com

What I believed was actual cash was after I hit about $100/day again in 2010 or 2011 with Maxbounty on NoNo Hair Elimination provide. There have been Three of us controlling all the SERPs and some different strategies principally driving most of their gross sales for that firm, aside from the infomercials they had been operating. I used to be shopping for site visitors in every single place again then, numerous Bing Advertisements and Faceook on the time. These had been the glory days when you may get away with something. I really feel blessed with the ability to make a greenback on-line and never having to exit and get a “real job” regardless that we most likely all work more durable and extra hours than conventional people, and have far more stress. Thanks for studying everybody! Hit me up on Twitter @pmkoom if you wish to join!

Patrick Coombe – Elite-strategies.com

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I’ve heard of so some ways to earn cash on-line. In reality after I began out I used to be so overwhelmed and didn’t know what to strive to have the ability to earn cash. Two strategies I zeroed in are promoting my very own merchandise and promoting merchandise of others (online marketing).

I made my first buck in online marketing. It was near $100. I used to be so new to online marketing however I used to be not impatient with creating wealth. So I didn’t publish critiques with out making an attempt out any product.

I printed a assessment of a product after making an attempt it out myself (with screenshots and so forth. as a tutorial). And that assessment helped me make my first affiliate sale.

That’s after I realized that it’s certainly attainable to earn cash on-line. Then my fast subsequent sale got here from my e-book. I nonetheless depend on these two cash making strategies closely for my enterprise.

Jane Sheeba – Janesheeba.com

In 1997 I used to be massively right into a online game known as Half Life which you may play on-line. However… Web connections had been sort of garbage again then. Dial-up modems largely and some fortunate people had ISDN. So, I rented a small room in a constructing and promoted a LAN occasion. All I actually needed to do was discuss and community with people on the discussion board and we bought out the primary one. You could name this inbound now however actually it was simply relationship advertising. On the identical time I used to be learning laptop science at college and was simply actually within the early internet. Earlier than lengthy I used to be working round 1999 as an online developer and simply naturally ended up serving to the corporate out with search engine marketing and digital advertising. The remainder is historical past I assume.

Marcus Miller – Bowlerhat.co.uk

It began with a buddy who launched Running a blog to me again in 2007. It was the time after I realized about creating wealth by means of sharing my experiences and expertise on-line with different peoples and discussing concerning the merchandise I exploit on each day foundation.

I shortly began a weblog and made my first $100 inside first 60 days. Networking was and nonetheless is an important consider kicking some enterprise on-line. Since that day, I made greater than 30 on-line communities and couple dozens of Affiliate Area of interest web sites.

In 2011, I lastly determined to show my interest into fulltime job after I obtained a proposal to flip one in every of my web site for greater than six figures. That was the true second after I significantly began my Digital Advertising and marketing and search engine marketing profession.

Over the past eight years, I labored on number of initiatives specializing in Adsense, Amazon Affiliate, Clickbank Merchandise, and direct advertising of merchandise that I exploit on each day foundation.

Hamza Sheikh – TheDigitalNerds.com

I attended a web based advertising convention in late 2009 while working a full-time job as GM in a images firm. I bear in mind listening to the audio system as they defined how they made cash on-line and being impressed by the approach to life these companies allowed. A number of of these audio system had million-dollar plus companies they usually had been no smarter than me.

The seed was planted then that an ‘online’ enterprise was what I wished. When issues got here to an finish with my job I had already determined to go surfing. I attempted online marketing with minimal success earlier than my mentor advised promoting on-line advertising companies to offline companies.

I received began reselling web site design and search engine marketing companies, utilizing my mentor’s group to ship the work. As my enterprise grew (which it did shortly) I constructed my very own group in-house.

James Reynolds – SEOSherpa.com

In 2005, there was one week the place I slept maybe 6 hours in a whole week. My buddy Marcus Frind taught me how you can run direct hyperlink AdWords campaigns to True.com and different courting websites on Azoogle. I had expertise operating PPC for shoppers, the place it wasn’t my cash. I received a month-to-month price or wage, as an alternative– like after I labored at Yahoo!

However this time, it was actual cash. So I used to be clicking refresh each jiffy in my AdWords Editor, watching my spend rise sooner than my earnings. After per week, I used to be as much as $1,000 a day in spend and producing $1,400 a day in earnings. I used to be addicted.

I figured that $400 a day was virtually $150,000 a 12 months– sufficient for a good residing.

But, it wasn’t till I received these checks from the FedEx man that I noticed I used to be making “real money”. I’d get these checks and deposit them on the financial institution, questioning it they might bounce. They had been large enough to purchase a pleasant car.

Dennis Yu – BlitzMetrics.com

I made my first few kilos a really very long time in the past, I believe it was 1997. Ecommerce was simply beginning, large manufacturers didn’t perceive the Web and had been very sluggish to maneuver with the occasions. On-line enterprise was ripe for the choosing.

I used to be one of many first affiliate marketeers and managed to construct a bunch of internet sites throughout the vogue business that had been providing companies that the most important manufacturers couldn’t or didn’t wish to. Options like comparisons, interactive dimension charts, superior search actually helped to drive the web sites ahead and usher in a good residing.

Jon Tromans – Jtid.co.uk

First time I noticed I may make actual cash on-line is when I discovered that some bloggers had been making over six-figures per 12 months with online marketing. I made a decision it was time to place away the video games and begin making actual cash. However it wasn’t one thing that I used to be in a position to do instantly.

I began doing a little analysis and I discovered among the secrets and techniques to creating an ideal sum of money. The strategy is straightforward, work exhausting in your weblog, write about subjects which are fascinating to you, but additionally fascinating to a broad viewers, and monetize the content material with affiliate relationships.

As you place within the work, construct an e-mail listing and set up social authority. The best way to capitalize on the content material and social forex is to make use of affiliate relationships to start out creating wealth.

The important thing to creating actual cash on-line is to ascertain a plan of motion and comply with it whereas leveraging one of the best accessible affiliate applications associated to your area of interest.

Oscar Gonzalez – Notagrouch.com

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I earn cash on-line by running a blog at ChristinaAllDay.com.

A number of folks get into running a blog simply to earn cash. I didn’t begin that approach. For me, my life-style weblog was one thing enjoyable to do in my free time. Then, I realized extra about social media, search engine marketing, and technique.

That technique half is a biggie. It means you’re not simply running a blog to weblog, like I did firstly. After I began studying about search engine marketing and how you can discover what folks had been looking phrase for phrase, how many individuals had been looking sure key phrases, and what the outcomes had been for these key phrases, I began seeing extra site visitors. Sure, this implies generally I wrote about issues I wasn’t loopy about, but it surely introduced within the numbers that manufacturers wish to see.

I believe the key is to not concentrate on working much less to make extra. Too many individuals are attempting to do this in on-line enterprise. It’s lazy and ignorant. If it had been straightforward to make “real money” on-line, then everybody would do it. It takes work. As an alternative, concentrate on giving folks what they need on-line.

Additionally, all of us see plenty of bloggers and on-line entrepreneurs selling how they’ll earn cash on-line, however I query what number of of them truly are creating wealth on-line by means of running a blog or one other on-line outlet… or if it’s simply promoting a course about creating wealth on-line. If you wish to earn cash on-line, I counsel you actually vet who you study from. On-line, it’s straightforward to brighten details (or simply make them up), so remember to totally take a look at what you’re studying and who you might be studying it from earlier than investing in schooling if that’s the route you wish to take.

Christina Nicholson – Mediamavenandmore.com _

I began my first on-line enterprise about 10 years in the past; I couldn’t get free time from my job to spend with my then 1-year-old daughter, and I had been pondering for some time about making an attempt to start out my very own enterprise. I didn’t begin out with social media, which got here slightly bit later; as an alternative, I took discover of the rising numbers of digital assistants in addition to the large demand for them.

So, I began pondering of ways in which I may get entangled; in the long run, I made a decision that I wished to assist others, so I began promoting e-books, in addition to toolkit for ladies who wished to arrange their very personal Digital Assistant enterprise. The e-books bought for $50, and the toolkit, for $200. It went nicely, however on the identical time, I began utilizing Twitter and realised the potential social media had for companies – so, I began on the lookout for a approach to get into social media advertising.

Lilach Bullock – Lilachbullock.com

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I believe the primary month I earned income made me understand I may begin making ‘real’ cash on-line. I began this journey as a contract author and was in a position to gross $805 in my first paid month of labor (which was month two of my journey).

On the time it felt epically S-L-O-W, however in hindsight (over three years later), that’s not unhealthy! And one of the best half, is that it’s repeatable for these which are keen to work exhausting, put themselves on the market and provides it a good shot.

Gina Horkey – HorkeyHandbook.com

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I began as a content material author in 2013, Then transfer on to studying about search engine marketing (search engine marketing) whereas having writing gigs on the aspect. Launch my very own weblog in late 2013 to share techniques and methods that I’ve realized and constantly examined over time in search engine marketing. Potential shoppers are coming in as they started to note my content material property – that is the place I began servicing search engine marketing to shoppers as a freelancer. 4 years have handed, I run my very own hyperlink constructing (search engine marketing) firm with 15 workers members servicing 20+ worldwide shoppers all around the world.

Venchito Tampon – Sharprocket.com.ph

That is one in every of my fabled tales…however isn’t all people’s first time? On the time, I had my very own website in a really non-lucrative area of interest. I received’t go into particulars, however I used to be getting numerous nice site visitors, however the area of interest was simply not a money-maker. What I used to be doing proper was search engine marketing.

So I wrote an article on my predictions for the place search was headed, and what measures the major search engines had been prone to make use of over the subsequent 4 or 5 years. To provide you an concept how way back this was, again then virtually no one was trying forward. Having a “vision” was a novelty.

I used to be not within the search engine marketing enterprise, however that article generated three search engine marketing shoppers. That’s after I realized that my web site wouldn’t generate a revenue instantly. It might show to be the staging that may launch a profession selling different folks’s web sites. That profession lasted a number of years, earlier than I started turning extra towards writing.

David Leonhardt – THGMWriters.com

Promoting my design companies and online marketing are my predominant two predominant sources of revenue on-line which together yield 6 figures of income a 12 months. Creating helpful shareable content material, with robust search engine marketing and a trusty e-mail listing have been the keys to success.

Jacob Cass – JustCreative.com

On the age of 17, I received extraordinarily annoyed after taking a handful of jobs and quitting or getting fired from each single one in every of them. I used to be unemployable and knew I may by no means get a job the remainder of my life. I started doing a web based search hoping to seek out others who felt the identical approach I did. I got here throughout a whole lot of entrepreneurs sharing these related issues and I made a decision to launch my first enterprise on-line. I launched a multimedia company throughout my senior 12 months of highschool and I used to be in a position to shortly purchase paying clients after 2 weeks of launching my enterprise. We had been service primarily based and providing digital media companies for different companies. Web site design, web site growth, app growth, social media advertising, video manufacturing and search engine marketing had been all companies that we provided to companies all around the world. This was the primary time I noticed that I may make actual cash on-line.

Jeet Banerjee – JeetBanerjee.com

After I received my first internet growth job on the age of 22 (~2007), I labored with a really small native internet growth company with a really particular area of interest – entrepreneurs creating wealth on-line. We constructed web sites for these folks, whereas I had simply gotten into the “business” of creating web sites – I noticed that folks had been utilizing my expertise to make their whole “business” work! I used to be constructing squeeze pages – the place you needed to choose in to get the goodies on the thanks web page, whether or not or not it’s an eBook, or teleseminar replays, no matter it may be. However I noticed first hand how folks would spend $10, $20, $50, even $195 simply to get entry to a digital good, or data, from an knowledgeable. That was when it clicked, even when I wasn’t all in favour of utilizing these strategies and instruments – it labored – folks had been already doing it. Even when only a few folks per thirty days had been to purchase in, and be pumped about your product, that was a residing and respiratory enterprise proper there. On the identical time I began my very own web site and was watching the AdSense cash trickle in by the pennies. So there have been a number of clear paths to creating “real money” on-line, and these paths had many branching paths linked to them – so I knew that the strategies, the instruments, and the proof of idea was all there at 22 – I simply had to make use of it, and so I did.

Andy Sowards – AndySowards.com

My first indication that you may begin making some critical cash on-line, is after I began to consider creating an internet site of my very own. A part of this course of was the precise join a internet hosting and registering a website identify. Whereas going by means of all the analysis and looking for which host can be greatest, I discovered that many of those internet hosting companies had one thing known as an associates program, which paid out a fee to website homeowners and companions on all referred leads and gross sales. This received me to start out fascinated about alternative ways I may earn cash on-line utilizing online marketing as nicely. I began my website and slowly started including completely different affiliate applications into the combination. It took some time to get issues shifting, however as soon as I began incomes just a few dollars per day, then the fireplace actually began burning and I wished to develop my earnings much more. Online marketing has fully modified the way in which cash is made on the planet at this time together with my life and fervour for entrepreneurship within the course of.

Ninja Weblog Grasp – Blogninja.com

In 1996, I began on on-line internet hosting and advertising firm making among the first database pushed web sites for small enterprise. We had been utilizing a beta model of chilly fusion and dealing with corporations of all sizes. I knew the way forward for commerce and advertising was on-line, so we had been promoting that imaginative and prescient. It was fairly early days so it took plenty of schooling for patrons. We later expanded the copy to turn out to be a service supplier. I believe we received about 10,000 members paying for entry earlier than we bought the corporate to a bigger supplier.

Rick Ramos – HealthJoy.com

I first began realizing I may make actual cash on-line after I began running a blog whereas I used to be recovering in mattress for months after breaking my legs in a development accident. I had plenty of time on my arms and began exploring Web Advertising and marketing. I may see it was attainable to weblog and earn cash by means of promoting. At first, this concerned having adverts on my weblog. Then, I began to maneuver past that and add associates and commenced monetizing different methods by means of sponsored content material. This included sharing insights about numerous merchandise, companies, and corporations. I turned my weblog right into a seven-figure job.

John Rampton – Calendar

I used to be in center faculty and my greatest buddy simply received grounded. We each wished to purchase the brand new Xbox 360 that was popping out and he proposed to start out a enterprise. After pouring by means of a number of concepts we ultimately signed up for a reseller account at Hostgator. Our partnership shortly fell aside however I discovered that I had a ardour for constructing and operating one thing of my very own. After posting adverts on some internet hosting boards I shortly received my first fee through PayPal and I used to be ecstatic. Realizing I may make a residing from my very own creation set me down on a live-changing course.

Cody McLain – SupportNinja.com

While you take a look at the web at this time, there are such a lot of alternative ways to earn cash on-line. From finishing surveys to doing freelance work, the choices are just about limitless. In case you have the suitable info and sources, you possibly can truly create an in-depth PDF information or on-line course to cowl something. Then it’s merely a matter of reaching out to the suitable audiences and seeing whether it is one thing they want to buy. All of it begins with a easy concept and loads of motion.

That is truly how I first received began with on-line advertising. I beforehand had work expertise in IT and left to enterprise out alone. It was presently that I noticed plenty of companies had been exploring completely different choices with their knowledge administration and cloud laptop. I went on to create a easy PDF information on enterprise useful resource planning software program, which truly did fairly nicely. Although I haven’t up to date the course shortly, there’s nonetheless demand for it at this time, and gross sales proceed to trickle in right here and there. It was at that time throughout these first few gross sales that I noticed the true potential of on-line advertising and the way anybody can begin creating and promoting one thing of their very own.

I believe the primary time I ever correctly realised I may earn cash on-line was utilizing a chunk of software program known as Construct a Area of interest Retailer. This allowed customers to arrange eBay area of interest shops on domains again when you may rank with a key phrase wealthy area, some content material and about 100 or so listing hyperlinks. This received me my first success – a $40 fee from eBay. This ultimately result in me to inspire myself to attempt to discover extra methods to earn cash, however that was my first success as an affiliate marketer, and as any individual who invested slightly little bit of money and time this was my first return on my funding. The location did ultimately earn me slightly bit of money – not an enormous quantity however one thing.

Sadly the software program has lengthy since stopped, but it surely did present the inspiration behind one other of my plugins eBay Feeds for WordPress.

Rhys Wynne – Winwar Media

I began my running a blog journey in October 2016. I used to be not realizing the ability of online marketing. Now, I like to put in writing on subjects associated to Web Advertising and marketing, Affiliate Advertising and marketing, internet Internet hosting and so forth.

In my preliminary months of running a blog I’ve written a assessment publish on a internet hosting program and different WordPress merchandise and insert my affiliate hyperlink to the assessment publish. Inside few days I had made a handful of $300+ fee. I used to be actually amazed and this manner I noticed the ability of online marketing and now it’s one in every of major methods to earn cash on-line.

Affiliate Advertising and marketing helps me to monetize my weblog by offering related services and products to my weblog readers. I like to say the professionals and cons of merchandise which I like to advertise because it makes the assessment publish extra real and person pleasant.

To turn out to be profitable in online marketing you must take a look at the services or products first. It should enable you to grasp the each side of the services and products which you wish to promote. This may enable you to create a killer assessment publish which generates extra gross sales and fee.

Vishwajeet Kumar – Imbloggingtips.com

Online marketing was all the time my favourite monetization technique from day one after I began selling CD’s and different music merchandise by means of a fan web site that I created about my favourite rock band. Online marketing permits anybody to start out creating wealth on-line shortly. You don’t must have large sources, you don’t must spend many months (and years) constructing merchandise. You can begin at this time and earn cash at this time. All you want is a few nice content material that solutions questions that actual persons are asking and a approach to combine related merchandise into that content material. With this, you’re able to go and begin creating wealth on-line.

Marko Saric – HowToMakeMyBlog.com

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Making a living on-line is not any straightforward activity when first beginning out, however when you understand there’s a want for one thing and that you could accomplish it higher, that’s when actual enterprise concepts begin to move. That is one thing we noticed within the e-mail advertising and lead technology area. We knew if we may create a 100% clear and bonafide approach to ship high-quality results in companies and types, it will be a hit. It took longer than anticipated, as we’re centered on high quality over amount, however that is the kind of mindset it is advisable have when constructing any sort of brand name or making an attempt to earn cash on-line.

Tim Bourquin – Afteroffers.com

I noticed I may earn cash on-line by means of freelance writing. I had made pennies by means of different strategies however attracted just a few shoppers and noticed this might maintain my enterprise. Being a globe-trotting island hopper, I wished to seek out long run sources of revenue by means of which I may provide useful service and be paid. Enter freelance writing. I developed my writing expertise, received clearer on the worth I delivered to the market and made the extremely uncomfortable however daring step to enter enterprise for myself. I by no means seemed again.

Ryan Biddulph – BloggingFromParadise.com

As a digital service-based enterprise, I discover big advantages to the worth of search engine marketing in my advertising effort. There is no such thing as a different effort that’s fairly so scalable with comparatively little time funding.

The trick is consistency. Producing nice content material and incomes back-links to that content material are the substance of search engine marketing for my firm in 2017.

The outcomes are improbable! I’ve earned shoppers from hundreds of miles away, and it’s a constant technique for incomes new enterprise.

Relating to consistency, nice web site search engine marketing is constructed over time. Outcomes don’t come as you’re employed — it could take months for beneficial properties to lastly be realized. In any case, there’s actually no site visitors distinction when you’re on web page Three or web page 300 (each offers you zero internet site visitors). However when you hit web page 1 on your predominant key phrases, outcomes present wonderful ROI.

Sometimes, the method takes 6-12 months until you’re making an attempt to make content material go viral in a sooner time, however by producing nice content material alongside a constant effort to amass hyperlinks to your content material, you’re going to get there!

Andrew Lowen – NextLevelWeb.com

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Now that I’ve my very own expertise and repair design firm, it’s humorous to look again on the expansion of the enterprise and the way it’s became what it’s at this time. After we had been first beginning out, all of us knew there was an ideal demand for brand design and visible content material advertising companies on-line, however on the identical time, there are many rivals on the market as nicely. As soon as we began to give you new and artistic methods to succeed in new audiences outdoors of conventional advertising and paid search, that’s once we realized the true potential of operating a enterprise on-line. One other necessary notice to make, is that we additionally had the conclusion that we may join with extra folks all over the world and never be centered on simply native markets. This was an enormous win for our enterprise and outreach, as brand and branding is a language all of us communicate.

Srish Agrawal – Srish.com

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The primary time I noticed I may truly make good cash on-line was touchdown my first freelance writing job with an organization that offered me regular work for over two years. The necessity for on-line content material is nice in a number of niches, and over time, I used to be in a position to get a gentle move of labor from a wide range of shoppers, primarily long-term. I used to be making considerably extra working part-time than I ever had at any of my full-time jobs. I finally moved away from this work as I began making extra regular revenue from my teaching companies and merchandise.

Advances in expertise have made it attainable to take action many forms of work remotely, from teaching and consulting to internet design. An important piece of recommendation I’d give nevertheless, is specializing in doing one thing by which you might be really . Pursuing a specific sort of enterprise or service merely since you assume it is going to be straightforward to earn cash on-line doing it’s going to most likely backfire because you may not earn cash instantly, and if that’s your aim above all else, you’ll most likely get annoyed and quit actually quick.

You additionally wish to work in your mindset, and take care of fears and limiting beliefs you might have about working on-line and incomes cash for your self head on. Succeeding on this area requires a really completely different mind-set, and if this isn’t addressed, you’ll not get the outcomes you might be on the lookout for, regardless of how a lot motion you may be taking.

Kelli Cooper – Life Made to Order

I wrote a weblog publish on how you can resolve a really particular technical drawback. Just a few days later, I had somebody emailing me from one other nation asking how a lot I’d cost to easily implement that technical repair for them. I named what, to me, was an absurd value. They paid. I did the duty. It was then that I noticed the really international viewers that you could attain on-line. You’re now not restricted to creating wealth promoting to the identical folks in your small city / metropolis. It’s broad open.

Although my first “real money” on-line was decidedly not attractive – the sheer scale of the chance made me understand that different strategies may work as nicely. I may run an internet site funded with promoting, as a result of, once more, the dimensions of the Web removes geographic limitations. “Making real money online” is identical as “making real money offline” – all of the strategies and markets are the identical. It’s the dimensions that’s completely different – and thrilling.

Nathan Shivar – ShivarWeb.com

Social media and on-line search has been grabbing all the web consideration for the ease-of-money making that they current us with. However, let me be sincere with you – creating wealth on-line shouldn’t be a straightforward activity with all of the competitors on the market.

An intuition for survival in my ardour for digi-related companies and my realization that web supplies us with numerous conventions to earn on-line is when the thought hit me first.

My persevering with surveillance of this discipline has helped me purchase an in-depth data of the mechanisms that it withholds and utilizing this expertise, I can information you to decide on one of the best one on your aim accomplishments.

You must present meticulous consideration to each minutest element if you’re actually planning to adorn this for a long run. Right here, are among the most fascinating journeys that you could take as much as earn cash on-line:

Writing an e-book after which promoting these Creating fascinating apps that present impeccable person expertise Hunt for human intelligence duties, additionally known as as Mechanical Turks. This could earn you a whoppingly excessive sum of money. Create your weblog and market fascinating content material Upwork and 99Designs – Promoting skilled companies throughout these networks Electronic mail advertising Promoting audio books through audible

Vipin Nayar – Acodez

It took me just a few months on-line to essentially work out that the best approach to earn cash was to supply a service (at the very least to start with).

So, I took what I knew (internet design) and began serving to folks out totally free to start out with. Ultimately, I received just a few shoppers and it went from there.

In parallel, I additionally began constructing my viewers and web site and about 6 months in I began to see some site visitors and gross sales for affiliate merchandise. That isn’t one thing you possibly can anticipate from day 1, so plan slightly time if that’s your aim. Companies are far simpler :>

Ashley Faulkes – Madlemmings.com

I began my tech profession working within the gross sales division for a serious internet hosting firm. I spent all day answering questions for individuals who had been all in favour of creating wealth on-line. Most people I spoke with had been all in favour of constructing an internet site for his or her retail enterprise or had been all in favour of creating a web based retailer to promote merchandise. The job was fairly straightforward as a result of we had loads of inbound inquiries coming into our division so it was not a really “hard sell”.

After I first began I didn’t actually know a lot concerning the digital market, inbound advertising, online marketing or the like. The pay was not unhealthy however It actually may have been higher. After just a few years working in Gross sales, I moved over to the Advertising and marketing division. I used to be within the Advertising and marketing & Enterprise Improvement division and was tasked with increasing our associates program. I quickly realized that our associates (the profitable ones) had been making fairly a bit greater than I used to be for selling our merchandise and it was at this level in my profession that I made a decision to make a change.

I stepped away from my skilled profession and determined to leap headfirst into the online marketing world. I knew little or no about online marketing, search engine marketing, e-mail automation and the like. I now take into account myself to know a very good bit greater than your common particular person on this subject material however the business is consistently evolving and there’s all the time extra to study. Online marketing is an extremely aggressive discipline but it surely’s additionally very rewarding, If you’re contemplating making an attempt to earn cash on-line I’d suggest you do loads of analysis previous to leaping in.

Mike Brown – The Running a blog Buddha

I found I may make critical cash on-line by having a nicely optimized actual property weblog. My website Most Actual Property Publicity in actual fact is likely one of the most visited actual property blogs within the nation. What I found is that when you genuinely wish to assist folks you can be rewarded.

As a Realtor in Holliston Massachusetts, my focus has been to offer info that each patrons and sellers can use to make sound selections. The recommendation is predicated on being a prime producing actual property agent for the previous thirty years. With my data I’m able to assist folks resolve their issues.

Very often this has result in folks choosing up the cellphone and asking me to both work with them as a purchaser’s or vendor’s actual property agent. Web leads are nice as a result of those that are calling you might be already bought in your talents.

I’d encourage anybody who likes to put in writing to start out a weblog. It’s a good way to indicate off your experience!

Invoice Gassett – MaxRealEstateExposure.com

In 2004 I noticed I may make actual cash on-line, I believe I did a web based survey and was paid just a few dollars to do it. While the fee was small it opened my eyes to creating wealth on-line. I went on to make a MySpace Layouts web site which generated a very good quantity of site visitors and make me first rate cash. The strategy of creating wealth was utilizing Google adverts and affiliate adverts on the Myspace Layouts web site. Myspace died out in round 2008 so I needed to transfer onto one thing else which was music and leisure centered web sites.

James Norquay – ProsperityMedia.com.au

I noticed that I may begin making “real money” on-line by upgrading my pondering. As an alternative of making an attempt to show the web into an ATM machine, like I used to be deserved cash – I as an alternative requested a basic enterprise query: “What value can I provide to people?” As quickly as I noticed that producing income wasn’t about me, it was about my clients the sport modified. The essential enterprise idea of “value-creation equals revenue” is after I began making “real money”. I realized a high-value service (offering AdWords Administration), and the income adopted.

Michael Erickson – SearchScientists.com

Since 1998, I’ve been creating wealth on-line. The strategy I used to earn cash then and to earn cash at this time hasn’t modified a lot.

After I first began on-line, I used to be younger and broke, however had one robust talent that I used to be in a position to leverage for achievement. I had a expertise for seeing patterns.

For me search engine marketing was only a pure approach to construct a website. search engine marketing in it’s basic kind is simply talking within the language of how folks search.

While you write on this approach not solely does your website rank for what persons are on the lookout for however those self same persons are extra prone to convert since you are chatting with the way in which that they’re pondering. It’s wonderful how straightforward search engine marketing and creating wealth on-line turns into while you understand and perceive this basic fact. So preserve issues easy do some key phrase analysis then use that language as a method of making your website navigation and web page subjects. Should you do that you’ll begin making “real money” on-line.

Allan Pollett – AllanPollett.com

I knew that actual cash may very well be made since 2007 after I labored for an individual who was making extra money promoting on-line guitar classes out the again of his storage than folks working in company jobs within the metropolis. The second time it actually hit me was after I was working with journey and mommy bloggers who had been making greater than many people in company jobs, however had fewer enterprise expertise than us.

The principle technique I discovered was by means of freelance work. However I ended up increasing into completely different channels. I truly detailed the expertise in an annual revenue report on my different website.

There are such a lot of methods to earn an revenue on-line. However I do assume you will need to discover and stick to at least one core drawback that you could resolve so you possibly can scale up that area of interest.

Making the identical revenue that you’d get at a job for employment is unquestionably achievable from doing an exercise on-line. You simply must work out what’s your ‘thing’ within the on-line area after which carve out a slice of the revenue pie for your self.

David James – BusinessGrowthDigitalMarketing.com

I first realized cash may very well be made on-line after I stumbled upon a video introducing Google Adsense. I attempted it out and made just a few dollars, however the fact is that Adsense is one thing extremely exhausting to scale. It’s instantly tied to your site visitors, and as competitors grows site visitors is more durable and more durable to amass.

After I started prioritizing online marketing, that’s when my eyes had been really opened to the chances of creating actual cash. The chance to promote to the identical folks again and again was unbelievable to me on the time and confirmed me that actual companies may truly be constructed on-line.

With good methods in place, online marketing in the suitable market has every little thing that you may need. It’s maybe the perfect substitute for creating an precise product if you’re unable to, or don’t wish to for no matter motive. Between small ticket and large ticket objects, recurring and non-recurring commissions, cross-sells and up-sells, you possibly can take the identical customer and find yourself making fairly a bit of cash – way over an Adsense click on would ever provide you with!

James McAllister – Starlight-Child.com _

I’m a licensed English trainer who loves each writing and modifying. Truly, I like something involving phrases, studying included! As a word-lover who started running a blog in 2013, I found that web site homeowners had been in want of writers for his or her blogs. I truly discovered this out by means of a private expertise with visitor posting. I had visitor posted on Expensive Blogger, and the proprietor, Greg Narayan, liked my writing a lot that he employed me to put in writing a weblog publish for him every month. Thus started my freelance writing profession!

*Associated learn: 10 Classes Realized from My First Freelancing Shopper (who was each My Worst and Greatest Shopper)

Lorraine Reguly – WordingWell.com

The primary second I noticed you may make actual cash on-line was after I was sitting in Bangkok at 11pm one night time in 2010. I posted a assessment on my website of a web based course throughout it’s launch interval. Inside 5 minutes of the launch, I’d earned about $500 in commissions. This was an enormous eye opener for me, and helped me to appreciate there have been extra methods to monetize a website than simply adsense adverts.

Sean Ogle – LocationRebel.com

It was late 2011. I’d had just a few profitable web sites that did rather well by way of site visitors. My first venture made a loss, and the second was doing nice by way of development but it surely was actually tough to earn cash in that area of interest given the sources we had accessible & the extent of competitors.

The worth of offering free content material had been confirmed to me already. However I had my doubts as as to whether I may truly earn cash with a weblog.

So I picked a brand new area of interest that me and went for it. Created a great deal of content material and determined to concentrate on online marketing.

Then after some time, my exhausting work paid off. I received my first cheque by means of the publish. It was round $200 or so. A small quantity contemplating the effort and time I’d invested but it surely proved to me that it was attainable to earn cash with a weblog and that offered the motivation to maintain going.

Adam Connell – BloggingWizard.com

I first realized I may make “real money” on-line after I began working with Zoe Rodriguez, Founder and CEO of ZBody Health. She was utilizing influencer advertising as a car to drive site visitors to her web site. And it was by means of my partnership together with her that I first found the true energy of social media influencers and influencer advertising.

Since then, I’ve branched out into different types of digital advertising, together with search engine marketing, conversion fee optimization, content material advertising and even product launch advertising. However my actual ardour continues to be working with influencers and types to succeed in the suitable viewers, with the suitable content material, on the proper time to drive conversions and maximize ROI.

Shane Barker – ShaneBarker.com

I first made my revenue from AdSense approach again in 2010 and even earlier than that I do know I may earn cash on-line if I can drive extra site visitors from search engines like google to my websites. I all the time consider search engine site visitors is the KEY to creating extra on-line. You need to use that site visitors to place adverts, promote banner adverts, promote affiliate merchandise and what not?

Should you’re simply beginning out, ensure to concentrate on discovering your target market, use correct key phrases and attempt to enhance your search engine site visitors within the first 12 months. Then, determine methods to monetize your site visitors.

Anil Agarwal – BloggersPassion.com

It was promoting companies or software program on-line. It was in about 2012 after I made my first greenback promoting software program from the primary tech startup I’ve ever began known as Mailbird, you possibly can see it right here www.getmailbird.com. It began with making a easy web site with a touchdown web page to gather info from individuals who had been all in favour of what I used to be promoting, then establishing a fee gateway to allow folks to pay. Then I began experimenting with on-line advertising from content material, inbound, search engine marketing and Social Channels. I used to be very attentive to any clients that emailed me with inquiries concerning the product and that enabled me to additionally perceive what was most necessary to Mailbird customers. Then I arrange several types of pricing plans and examined and adjusted them because the enterprise developed.

Andrea Loubier – GetMailBird.com

I first realized I may make actual cash on-line after I launched a free Coming Quickly Web page plugin for WordPress. Within the first month the plugin received over 10,000 downloads and I began receiving characteristic request. I put all these options in a Professional Model and began to promote it. To my shock I bought near Four figures the primary month. It was that second I noticed I may promote software program, particularly a WordPress plugin, and ultimately match and exceed my day job’s wage. That was 5 years in the past and I’m joyful to say I’ve exceeded my expectations.

You all the time hear “find something people want, build it, put a price on it and sell it”. Nicely that’s precisely what I did. I ought to point out nevertheless that I spent near 10 years prior constructing merchandise and making an attempt to promote them. The kicker was I used to be constructing merchandise nobody wished. With my WordPress Coming Quickly Web page Plugin I used to be capable of finding a distinct segment that wanted to be crammed.

The excellent news is there are nonetheless numerous area of interest alternatives on the web ready to be crammed. You would be the particular person to fill it!

John Turner – SeedProd.com

I don’t imply to brag or something (and I perceive it may be exhausting so that you can consider) however… it took me only a few minutes after I received on-line for the primary time (again in December 31st, 1998) to appreciate all of the a whole lot of potentialities that having an internet site would open to me. Together with making a residing out of the Web!

I began on the lookout for how you can construct an internet site and, on the identical time, discovered applications that had been paying web site homeowners to publicize their merchandise.

I made my first dollars by means of online marketing selling on-line casinos. In round one to 2 years, I had earned round $10,000 USD and it was clear to me this was the suitable path to pursue.

Louie Luc – Buzznitrous.com

This isn’t new by any stretch of the creativeness, however I’ll say that E-commerce companies are a rising business for the on daily basis particular person trying to begin a brand new enterprise. We’ve got just lately had a ton of success serving to folks with their E-Commerce gross sales through Fb and Instagram promoting. So we ended up doing plenty of analysis and digging and also you really can create a really profitable aspect (or predominant) revenue by discovering a product that’s nicely obtained by and establishing your personal e-commerce retailer. You will have seen Oberlo and different corporations promoting this and it really can work. After all, you have to have a proof of idea (i.e. will folks purchase your stuff) and know what you might be doing in establishing your E-comm storefront in addition to be versed with social media promoting (after all, corporations like ours will help you out and have a modest funds to present it a go (whole prices for constructing every little thing and having some cash to check out will likely be within the $10Okay-$15Okay vary). However if in case you have an superior concept, you actually can do that this present day and we’re seeing increasingly folks and corporations popping up. We’ve got plans ourselves to present just a few merchandise a go to check out and plan to have this be a pleasant income stream for us in 2018.

David Reimherr – Magnificent.com

I used to be residing in Thailand on a protracted vacation after leaving a job at Microsoft. I used to be decided to determine a approach to make long-term worldwide journey attainable, so I used to be spending on daily basis learning something associated to digital advertising I may get my arms on (which wasn’t practically as straightforward 10+ years in the past).

Someday, I made $zero.40 sending affiliate referrals to motels and lodging web sites, and I used to be over the moon. It wasn’t a lot, however I knew that if I may make $zero.40, I may make as a lot as I wished as a result of the web is infinitely scalable. The subsequent day, I made $400+ utilizing the identical strategies, and though I’ve since pivoted from online marketing to operating a global digital advertising company, I’ve by no means seemed again.

Aaron Agius – Louder.On-line

Again the top of 2007, I used to be a really new, eager, and optimistic blogger. I’d began a weblog about weight-reduction plan/weight reduction, popped Google AdSense on, and was ready for the cash to roll in. To attempt to get some further site visitors to the weblog, I pitched a (a lot bigger) weight-reduction plan weblog with a visitor publish.

They liked it — a lot, they provided me a paid gig. And I made my first $20 from running a blog.

This primary $20 was swiftly adopted by extra, after which a payrise from that editor … inside a few months, I’d secured one other common freelancing gig with a distinct weblog. I’d truthfully no concept after I pitched that first visitor publish that freelance running a blog existed!

It took me eleven months to make my first $100 from AdSense … by which level I’d stop my day job to freelance for a bunch of blogs (and to comply with my fiction writing desires too, by taking a component time Masters in Inventive Writing). 9 years on, I’m nonetheless making a residing on-line, and I nonetheless do a little bit of freelance running a blog as a part of that. Alongside the way in which, I spoke at running a blog conferences and universities, and wrote Publishing E-Books For Dummies, printed by Wiley of their iconic collection.

Ali Luke – Aliventures.com

As a sports activities author and blogger, I first realized I may begin making ‘real money’ when my weblog started to develop and began receiving high quality focused site visitors.

For too lengthy, my internet site visitors numbers confirmed some promise but it surely was solely after I centered on answering folks’s questions and assist fixing their issues that that site visitors turned extra focused.

From studying just a few web advertising blogs and getting inspiration from folks like Zac Johnson, Spencer Haws and my good buddy Louie Luc, I made a decision to run some experiments with Google AdSense adverts and, in a while, affiliate hyperlinks.

My AdSense earnings had been good however I couldn’t actually depend on them as they weren’t that very a lot constant. After I added just a few affiliate hyperlinks to some particular articles, although, I used to be blown away with the outcomes!!

I bear in mind one morning checking my inbox and discovering dozens of latest affiliate earnings notifications. It was proper there that I noticed I may push it as much as the subsequent degree!

Mike Martyns – SoccerGearHQ.com

For me, I noticed it once we scaled our FB adverts from $3k a month to $10ok a month to $100ok a month. We saved rising the funds and couldn’t discover a plateau for diminishing returns. This was in 2014 after I was with a VC backed startup. My life hasn’t been the identical since.

William Harris – Elumynt

It was greater than 10 years in the past however I nonetheless keep in mind that “this it it” second vividly.

Again within the 2000’s period – Google rolled out updates each few months. Site owners would look ahead to the brand new search outcomes to go stay and research the most recent adjustments. In a type of updates, after months of exhausting work, my websites jumped into Google first web page for nearly all focused key phrases in a single day. I used to be getting 2 – 3x site visitors and affiliate gross sales. That was the second I noticed that I’m in one thing large and may go full time into online marketing.

The important thing to my success within the early days was search engine marketing. I used to be a search engine marketing nerd. I did plenty of research and testing to grasp how search engine algorithm works.

Jerry Low – Net Internet hosting Secret Revealed (WHSR)

It’s a humorous but poignant story truly:

I weblog about running a blog suggestions. My reader had a buddy who was all the time criticizing his weblog. Due to this fact, he determined to rent me as a running a blog coach. Consultations are fairly profitable. Getting employed for one-on-one teaching made me understand I may make “real” cash running a blog.

At any fee, the one that employed me had his buddy inform me what to do to assist him. We had a Three-way association in that respect.

The person who employed me has since handed away however he ended turning into among the best running a blog buddies I’ve ever had.

After I consider my late buddy. I bear in mind him fondly. Earlier than he left, he gave me the arrogance that I may make actual cash on-line. Fortunately, I’ve continued to take action ever since.

Janice Wald – MostlyBlogging.com

The time I noticed I may truly earn cash on-line was after I generated my first sale and fee from a child product assessment web site I’d created. I had no earlier expertise in online marketing after I created the positioning, however I did have a core competency doing search engine marketing and content material technique so I knew I may get natural site visitors to the positioning. However I had no clue if I may determine how you can make it worthwhile. The content material that earned me my first fee was this actually in-depth natural child mattress shopping for information that I truly wrote myself. My spouse and I simply had our first child and we’d been mattress procuring, so I had contemporary, first hand data to attract from for the information. Earlier than I monetized it, I performed outreach for the information first and it earned hyperlinks from a bunch of mother blogs, which helped it rank. After I’d completed outreach, I added Amazon Affiliate hyperlinks and Google Adsense. Inside just a few weeks, I made my first Amazon sale of an natural child mattress. It was just a few dollars fee, but it surely was actually thrilling and incentivized me to maintain going. I believe the important thing studying from that first website was doing outreach earlier than I monetized, so it didn’t appear to be my motivation was an online marketing play.

Ken Lyons – Measured SEM

My first contact with operating a enterprise on-line was in 2012 after I chatted with a very good buddy in Las Vegas. He and I come from the identical metropolis in Germany and I knew he began creating wealth on-line on the age of 14. I used to be annoyed in my job and had a nervous breakdown on the age of 23. Clearly, one thing needed to change. He suggested I comply with bloggers like Pat Flynn from Sensible Passive Revenue and research how they earn cash on-line. Being an online developer already, I shortly realized that I may promote my WordPress expertise by means of a weblog. At the moment, my final aim was to stop my job as a guide. I began my first weblog and inside seven months I made sufficient cash to stop my job.

I used the weblog (and nonetheless do) as a platform to promote my WordPress expertise. Over time the enterprise grew into an company with three full-time designers, a venture supervisor, a growth group, two co-founders, and me being the CTO. Running a blog has turn out to be much less necessary for my enterprise, as we constructed significantly highly effective relationships with corporations all around the world. They preserve us busy and we depend on networking and over-delivering to develop our company.

For 2018 nevertheless, we plan to implement a brand new running a blog technique and to considerably “revive” all of our company blogs.

Jan Koch – WP Mastery

After I noticed the primary teaching consumer’s first fee…that’s when the lights actually went on in my head. The case research I had seen had been immediately relatable—not simply aspirational. Positive, I used to be removed from being value my very own case research. However seeing these first few hundred dollars meant quite a bit.

In some methods, an much more necessary turning level occurred months later after I received my first fee of hundreds of dollars from a well-respected advertising knowledgeable. Having a world-class knowledgeable pay for me to assist them with advertising—and pay as a lot I used to make in 4 months at my final job—that, to me, meant I wasn’t simply dreaming of creating a residing off serving to folks get higher outcomes with advertising.

Peter Sandeen – PeterSandeen.com

I all the time wished to start out my very own weblog after I received into web. However, I knew it that we are able to earn cash on-line however wasn’t positive which is the suitable approach. I began All Running a blog Ideas within the final month of 2011. It shortly acquire recognition and inside Three-Four month I used to be in a position to generate my first revenue which was from a WordPress theme associates program. I began getting extra into online marketing by signing up with completely different applications which my readers would love. Inside a 12 months of beginning my weblog I noticed that YES I can truly make fairly good sum of money from my weblog. In the meantime, I additionally labored on few internet growth venture in earlier months of beginning weblog they usually had been in a position to enhance the revenue. Briefly, you possibly can truly make fairly good sum of money from running a blog, when you do your homework correctly and have some endurance.

Ammar Ali – All Running a blog Ideas

I used to be invited to talk at a big actual property convention in 2010, and whereas on the flight dwelling from Atlanta GA I used to be freaking out on the within. You see, I used to be fully broke at the moment in my life and I had spent each greenback I needed to get to that occasion so I may communicate …however with lease due in Three days and no cash in my financial institution I used to be stressed.

It should have been noticeable, as a result of I’ll always remember the second when the particular person sitting subsequent to me leaned throughout the aisle and requested … “Drew, are you okay?

Scott had been a speaker on the convention additionally, and we had turn out to be fairly good buddies in the course of the occasion. When he requested me that query I assume the severity of my state of affairs turned actual as a result of I instantly grabbed my pocket book and outlined a technique for creating wealth on-line.

Inside 15-20 minutes I had outlined a coaching course for realtors: 90 Day Weblog Blueprint.

I leaned over to Scott and confirmed him the define and requested; “do you think Realtors would pay to get access to this course?” He replied enthusiastically “Yes 100% I do!”

After I arrived dwelling, I examined the technique and was shocked …it labored! Inside 2 days of being dwelling I had made slightly over $Four,400 which was greater than sufficient to pay my lease.

From that, the Mailbox Cash System was born.

Drew Burks – EscapeTheJobLife.com

In TimeCamp, we had felt that we are able to make actual cash when the variety of paid clients began to extend. It pressured us to investigate the way in which we take care of the shoppers and perceive higher how you can encourage them to make use of time monitoring software program of their corporations. There’s a stereotype that this type of device is utilized by bosses to invigilate the workers, however in line with our customers, it’s only a delusion. A lot of the employers resolve to implement time trackers as a result of they wish to present the employees that it’s the greatest answer to enhance their time administration expertise primarily based on the productiveness studies they get on daily basis, week or month.

However the way it resulted in our on-line cash success? We began selling an acceptable tradition of enchancment amongst our present and potential customers. It straightforwardly elevated the extent of belief to our software program and triggered the income development.

Ola Rybacka – TimeCamp.com

I attempted a lot of small affiliate applications by means of the years however by no means noticed a lot in the way in which of return. It wasn’t till I began creating helpful content material to go together with fascinating affiliate applications (Amazon Associates for instance) that the month-to-month income turned definitely worth the funding.

Individuals search the web to get the solutions to questions they’ve. Often, we’re trying to study from the expertise of others earlier than shopping for a product. That is the place high-quality product critiques will be key to driving large affiliate gross sales. By being a trusted supply of data on a product persons are contemplating shopping for, they’re extremely prone to click on your affiliate hyperlinks, when you’ve put their thoughts comfy by offering an knowledgeable assessment and constructed their belief.

Excessive-quality, detailed content material is essential to being present in search outcomes the place high quality has turn out to be key to rank. Grow to be a trusted supply of data and folks will belief what you’re promoting.

Ben Brausen – BenBrausen.com

Again in 2006 I’ve already been acquainted with running a blog however I didn’t know that point that you could truly earn on-line. My first weblog was constructed out of ardour however who would have thought that it will turn out to be my doorway to on-line advertising.

Quick ahead a bit, in 2010 somebody in my connection taught me search engine marketing and opened up extra concepts about freelancing. Throughout that point, it wasn’t as rampant as now and folks would mistrust on-line jobs fearing they might fall to scams on-line. Most of the time, elder ones would inform me to ‘find a real job in the real world’ even powerful I’m constantly getting paid through distant work. And it was completely OK!

Mainly, for me making ‘real money’ was synonymous to discovering ‘career online’ which I took step throughout that 12 months. I’ve began working as a contract search engine advertising man in 2010 up till current.

Aside from the SEM companies I provide, I additionally keep collection of passive revenue producing websites I repeatedly keep. They’ve served as my guinea pigs in testing digital advertising methods particularly for search engine marketing and PPC.

Fervil Von Tripoli – FervilVon.com

I had two “aha” moments early on in my on-line profession. The primary was after I had a brick and mortar skilled companies enterprise. I used to be new to the occupation and wanted extra shoppers. It was 2006 which was comparatively early days for small enterprise on-line advertising. I didn’t have a lot of a advertising funds so I began a weblog and realized search engine marketing. Inside 6 months I had extra work than I may deal with. That was after I realized the potential of the web for constructing a enterprise.

My second “aha” second was after I hit $5,000 per thirty days in affiliate commissions through running a blog. I leveraged my search engine marketing data and began two web sites on the aspect. Inside 18 months these two websites had been incomes roughly $5,000 per thirty days. It didn’t take lengthy after that to hit 5 figures.

These had been two very vital milestones in my on-line profession that I’ll always remember.

Jon Dykstra – FatStacksBlog.com

Google AdSense is the primary technique by means of which I attempted to earn cash on-line. Although not a fast cash producing technique, AdSense was nonetheless a tried & examined and trusted technique. Additionally, because it was a free platform and the required eligibility standards had been straightforward, I discovered this technique to be one of the best from the remaining.

One other factor that I completely liked about AdSense is that it allowed me full management as to which adverts seem on my web site, which ensured that the worth proposition of my website was not compromised.

Since then I’ve moved on to Online marketing which has helped me enhance my earnings considerably. This technique has much more scope, due to the rise of quite a few on-line retailers, Amazon, being my favorite. As well as, though online marketing is difficult, when you acquire a agency foothold on this area, it may show to be fairly rewarding.

Nirav Dave – Capsicum Mediaworks

I first realized I could make actual cash on-line, after I obtain my first fee from the affiliate hyperlink on my on-line courting weblog, it a whole lot of kilos. The affiliate hyperlinks ultimately developed into personal model white label courting websites, which was much more profitable than affiliate hyperlinks.

However to get this actual cash I needed to do some good promotion. Within the previous days of search engine marketing internet directories labored very nicely. And it was sufficient to submit your website to few high quality directories and look ahead to outcome.

Evgeniy Garkaviy – Hope Spring Ecards

The second I noticed I may make ‘real money’ on-line was after I obtained my first referred consumer. As a contract author with a small portfolio to work with, and never plenty of expertise, I used to be working with just a few shoppers and making some first rate aspect cash. Which is strictly what I got down to do initially.

Nevertheless, after I obtained a chilly e-mail from an consumer, that had not solely talked about seeing my work on different, outstanding WordPress web sites, but additionally had obtained excessive reward from a consumer I used to be already working with, I knew that there was actually one thing to this freelance writing enterprise and the networking that comes together with it.

And that’s the principle technique I used to construct my freelance enterprise. – networking. Nevertheless, I additionally proceed touse my byline to direct site visitors to my web site, chilly pitch shoppers I’m all in favour of writing for, and ensure that these I already write for are all the time conscious that I’m accessible.

Lindsay Liedke – WPKube.com

I first beginning making actual cash on-line whereas consulting for a small eCommerce firm whereas getting my diploma in Web Advertising and marketing. It was a good way to check out the issues I used to be studying, and it was the primary time ever buying clients over the web. It was enjoyable and thrilling, and it received me hooked!

Harris Schachter – OptimizePri.me

I first began realizing that I may make good cash after I began making greater than my full-time job. I stop my full-time job again in 2008. In reality, it was a manufacturing unit job, and there was plenty of undesirable drama. I resigned from there as a result of the headache there wasn’t value it. Doing my very own factor labored, and I didn’t need to have another person telling me what to do on a regular basis.

Nevertheless, anybody that decides to enter their very own enterprise ought to by no means stop their “daytime job” or full-time till they’ll show to have at the very least sufficient made that they’ll survive and have further for emergencies and for my son. I by no means would’ve resigned my manufacturing unit job if I hadn’t been making sufficient to help myself or my household. It’s a threat to to depart a job on your personal enterprise when you don’t make objectives and preserve them. You by no means wish to be right here “starving artist.”

Nile Flores – Blondish.internet

To be sincere, to start with I had no concept that there was a web based world that might give us a lot cash and freedom in life. It was after I learn the e-book The Laptop computer Entrepreneur which opened up a brand new world of concepts and alternatives for me.

After that, I began my very own weblog and thru the weblog, I received plenty of freelance writing shoppers and that helped me to develop my data, find out about business SOP and earn a residing on-line. In reality, the luckiest second in my life was the time after I may give a sum of $15,000 to renovate his store. And the credit score to all these goes to my determination to step into the web world of freelance writing and running a blog

Swadhin Agrawal – DigitalGYD.com

After getting rejected to work as a barista at Starbucks 10 years in the past, I made a decision to browse the bookstore and stumbled upon a e-book on creating wealth running a blog by Problogger. I didn’t know a lot about running a blog then, however I believed it was going to be enjoyable studying about it.

I began a weblog and wrote about my ardour, which was espresso, a month later, I made my first greenback on-line by means of Adsense. It was the happiest second of my whole life.

That was after I noticed the potential of running a blog and making actual cash on-line, so I began extra blogs, optimised these blogs and monetize all of them by means of Adsense and in a while it went into sidebar adverts. I reached out to those that had been promoting on different blogs and requested them in the event that they wished to promote on mine. It was exhausting work reaching out to a whole lot of blogs, but it surely paid the payments, and it was value it. After just a few months, I flipped them for a extra vital revenue.

Aaron Lee – Wanting Peak

I believe most individuals perceive by now that you could earn cash on-line. The confusion for most individuals is how you can begin. What’s online marketing? What’s drop-shipping? Do I promote companies or merchandise? This might appear overwhelming.

For me, I began with online marketing and located distinctive methods to advertise merchandise. Not solely can I drive income from the associates, however including Adsense is a good way to complement the income on my websites that obtain above-average site visitors.

A few of these distinctive methods to drive affiliate income are to create in-depth tutorials or create instruments that hook into the affiliate merchandise API. Being an online developer, creating instruments is straightforward for me. For others, I like to recommend having a strong understanding of the area of interest you’re trying to go after with and deep understanding of the viewers.

Dario Zadro – ZadroWeb.com

I’ll simply take “online” as being concerned within the digital side of the world. It was by means of search engine marketing. It’s truly a comic story as a result of I first found search engine marketing by means of my internship for a digital advertising firm the place all I needed to do was touch upon boards, blogs, and so forth. and put hyperlinks in my feedback. Mainly, I spammed each feedback part that I discovered.

In a while, after I began my weblog, God and You, I noticed that the one viewers my website had had been my Mother and my brother. So, I made a decision, then and there, to learn the way to extend the site visitors that comes into my website. And that’s the place I noticed that search engine marketing can accomplish that a lot for an internet site. That’s after I determined to find out about search engine marketing by means of trial and error as a result of there have been no on-line tutorials, books, or another knowledge-based weblog about search engine marketing, so I needed to study all of it on my own.

That’s why I began a knowledge-based weblog, seo-hacker.com, to put in writing about every little thing that I’ve realized in my journey in educating myself about search engine marketing. Then, I went on a visit the place I met a lady, and we talked about random issues and I occur to say search engine marketing in passing. Coincidentally, her Uncle was truly on the lookout for somebody that may do search engine marketing for his or her enterprise. So, to make the lengthy story quick, the lady I met set-up a gathering between her Uncle and me, and I requested for fee in the course of the assembly (after all I instructed the Uncle that I used to be not an search engine marketing knowledgeable), and he agreed.

That’s after I realized that search engine marketing will help me acquire cash by means of the trade of my search engine marketing companies, and over time, I began my very own search engine marketing firm.

Sean Si – search engine marketing Hacker

To be frank, I wasn’t conscious of this incontrovertible fact that we are able to even earn cash from blogs. I began my first weblog to share the ideas and tips that I realized whereas experimenting with my laptop computer. I shared just a few theme modifications code snippets that I personally used to tweak the feel and appear of my web site. I used to be utilizing the Mystique WordPress theme at the moment. It was fairly a well-known theme again in 2011-2012. This theme modifications article began getting site visitors and somebody on the Web requested me if I can customise the theme in line with his wants. For a one hour job, he paid me $80. Once more, after just a few days, he employed me for the same job.

Rajesh Namase – TechLila.com

I started running a blog after I had numerous time to me and couldn’t return to my earlier search engine marketing job, as a result of my familial duties. And when Google AdSense paid me the primary buck, I noticed that there was a lot extra potential incomes to be made on-line. It was the primary technique that helped me generate my on-line revenue and as my weblog grew, I explored extra incomes alternatives.

With the launch of a number of blogs, I used to be in a position to set up my footprint. I got here throughout completely different on-line incomes applications and embraced the simplest of them. like most different bloggers, I discovered one of the best strategies after some hit and trials. The strategies that work greatest additionally fluctuate from one blogger to a different and infrequently the area of interest you might be concentrating on. Sponsored and promotional content material has additionally been an efficient technique. Moreover, I’ve additionally embraced some applications much like AdSense.

Nisha Pandey – SEOTechyWorld

My first encounter with the monetary aspect of on-line actions was in 1999. I printed a banner on a webpage and after the weekend I known as the consumer and instructed them that they’d over 10.000 views. They didn’t consider me and we tried it out the week after. The outcomes had been even higher, over 12.000 views. In 1999, we measured customer’s trough a go to counter on the web page. After this expertise, the consumer was keen to make use of banners/ digital advertising and didn’t hesitate to make use of cash on these actions. This additionally resulted in some huge cash occurring testing out what sort of message and design labored. The large (luxurious) drawback at the moment was that every little thing labored.

After these exams and expertise, I noticed that this needed to be one of the best and simplest advertising an organization can do. I used to be impressed with the way in which the advertising labored, imagining that the person is lively and centered on a display screen in entrance of them. As an alternative of strolling subsequent to a poster, listening to radio or watching TV.

I truly didn’t take into consideration the cash, I simply wished to study extra and “ride the internet wave”, and I’m nonetheless using the wave!

Slavisa Gacic – Nettrafikk.no _

I noticed I may earn cash on-line in 2002. I used to be consulting with a DVD etailer serving to them withbusiness growth instruments. I advised to the CEO that we must always attempt to get some site visitors from search engines like google, and he stated to me “Eric, great idea, go do it.” I began engaged on enhancing web page content material, and a 12 months later we had been doing tens of millions of dollars per 12 months from search.

Following that, I received concerned in a small startup with one enterprise accomplice, with a plan to develop the nice majority of our site visitors from search engine marketing. It was an schooling lead gen website. The method we used was that we created tons of content material. We wrote distinctive descriptions of a whole lot of faculties, and likewise for various diploma applications and metropolis school pages.

It labored extraordinarily nicely, and the positioning was very profitable. Primarily based on these early successes, I began doing plenty of search engine marketing consulting as nicely, and that’s what grew into Stone Temple Consulting.

Eric Enge – StoneTemple.com

It’s Time to Begin Making Even MORE Cash On-line!

If you’re already making good cash on-line, congrats! If not, proper now’s one of the best time to get began. With so many alternative methods to earn cash on-line, there’s actually no motive so that you can be sitting on the sidelines for much longer.

For anybody that desires to make use of the excuse they don’t have time or cash, that’s all it’s — an excuse. How a lot time are you spending watching TV each night time? And the way a lot cash are you losing on stuff you don’t want?

With that being stated, beginning a weblog is likely one of the best and most cost-effective methods to get began with a web based enterprise or model of your personal. It actually prices pennies per day, and is one thing that you could construct up and create in your spare time.

Don’t let 2018 be one other 12 months of “I wish I did that…” — take motion at this time!

from Job Search Tips https://jobsearchtips.net/70-private-tales-on-tips-on-how-to-make-critical-cash-on-line/

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