#tailor your fandom experience to make you most happy

[allilcat]

Ive been noticing an increase amount of Dreamtwt refugees, and let me preface with saying: Welcome!!! Genuinely, we lovingly welcome you to this happy lil community.

That being said, Tumblr is confusing, between the big etiquette book and the interface that hasn’t changed since 2008 there is a lot to learn. So this is my little attempt to a welcome guide tailored to our lil dream community! Feel free to add your own recommendations and stuff.

Tumblr is a Blogging site, a goog ol relic from ye olden days, your ‘profile’ is your blog, and you can put anything you like on there! However, please do change your avatar and background, we have a massive bot issue here and we tend to auto block someone with a standard avatar.

The main tags for the dream team are as follows: - just their entire usernames, but, those do get hooped up in controversy from time to time. -Dreamblr for the content creator dream

-Dreblr, for C!Dream

-404blr for CC George

-pandasblr for CC Sapnap

-Dtblr for the Dream team

PLEASE REFRAIN FROM USING: #Dream, that’s for people actually posting about their dreams, and #myct as it is mostly used for general MYCT stuff, we prefer to stick to our own spaces.

‘how do I find people?’ you go to any of these tags, find someone you vibe with and click ‘follow’. The algorithm here sucks, and we don’t advice the ‘for you’ page.

On that note, the ‘like’ button is useless, use reblog instead! If you like someone’s hot take, art or stupid shit post, REBLOG. Its how we keep our fandom alive and active here :D

When you reblog you usually keep your comments in the tags, one only really uses the comment section when they DON’T want to reblog. (usually because of le discourse).

Send people asks! People love to chit chat, you can do it anonymously! Tell that one artist youd love to have their brain for lunch! Engage with everyone! We love discussion and open communication here. (prob since there is no real word limit to posts)

Tumblr has developed a nice ‘block liberally, no need to make a fus’ culture. You can block someone for any reason, and it really isn’t a big deal.

On the Tumblr is more relaxed note, we tend to be more relaxed on CC boundaries, since most CC’s do not use twitter. If you don’t like people breaking CC boundaries, even in places where they cant see it, follow the advice above and blockkkkk!!!

Please spell out words! Don’t censor triggering words at it can fuck with people’s filter settings, by censoring these words you put people in more risk.  

Now for some technical advice: Most tumblrina’s turn on ‘hide likes and follower count’ . Any blog can have 4 people following it or 4000, we like to keep it mysterious.

Also turn of ‘best content first’- once again, the algorithm is not to be trusted.

Furthermore, you can really personalize your Tumblr experience and please do! Under ‘account’ you can find many options to filter the content you see, make use of it, for your mental health sake.

#Dreamblr #404blr #pandasblr #dreamwastaken #sapnap #georgenotfound #dtblr

[door-insurance]

Revisiting life is strange and its fandom is really bittersweet

I don’t think the fandom is completely dead, it’s not what it used to be and I accept that but it’s bittersweet

also I don’t wanna gatekeep anyone from discovering LiS late, I don’t believe in “true fans”- I’m glad we’re still getting fandom babies hehh, thankfully there is a lot of fan materials to be discovered

I just wanna be a sentimental fool about the life is strange fandom, I was there when the first episode came out I was as old as the characters and it was an event, a moment that can never be replicated- the barbenheimer for tumblr lesbians

We never had a game like this before, it felt tailor made for us and we went crazy

It was fun, you’d just log on tumblr and find new fanart of your favorite character or ship- inside jokes and shitposts were rampant, a couple of fan writers and artists came together and made a fan game- “Love is Strange” where Max gets to romance Chloe, Kate, Victoria, Amber (tell me I’m not the only who remembers shrektoria and Rachel eating a salad while laughing meme)

I made fanart and memes and they blew up but I lost that account

They’d call us sjw trash on YouTube and make fun of the game, we didn’t give a shit

But I think it was around before the storm where i started to lose interest and was burnt out, also I just didn’t like the direction they went with for the game I thought it was an unnecessary edition to the main story (Rachel didn’t need a complicated backstory, Elliot, too much conflict for 3 episodes) and I don’t think I was the only one cause this is where the fan art and fic updates started to slow down

Then I moved on to other things, other fandoms- shit happens.

Life is strange was just another part of my cringey teenage self who the hell cares I was cringe

But now I’m an adult, I have responsibilities and anxieties that I never knew I’d have to deal with- i went through a lot in the last 8 years sometimes I wish I was still that cringey ass teenager. This year was particularly bad, lost someone I loved

I stumbled upon old fan art on Pinterest and it reignited my love for the first game, I felt happy that I had something to take my mind off and goddamn revisiting the fandom years later is so bittersweet. I miss my old fandom mutuals, the blogs that used to update everyday were last active 5 years ago and most of the og fan artists had either rebranded or had left, one of them got hacked

Tumblr doesn’t make it easy for you to look up older posts, you have to rely on old blogs, Google or Pinterest (kinda made it my mission to archive what I can find)

There are new artists doing their own thing and I love that for them! Also people still write fanfics and update them, when I have the time I sketch out my fave characters and ships- it seems like there is a vocal community on tiktok but idk i don’t wanna go there

But it’s not what it was and I accept that, shit happens I’m glad I got to experience it during its peak and that I was left with good memories and content I can still enjoy

I’ve definitely seen shittier and deader fandoms

Before LiS and Steven universe there weren’t a lot of spaces that let you enjoy wlw ships, they were either upstaged by yaoi stuff or fetishized (deviantart) this game and its fan base helped me accept my identity as a lesbian, told me it’s not a fetish when two girls hold hands

#life is strange #lis #life is strange fandom

[twotales]

I've been considering starting up writing SGA/SG-1 Fanfics recently and I was wondering if you had any advice for a (relatively) new author?

Hello, sweet anon! (Sorry for the late response, things have been a bit hectic over here.)

First, I want to say, whaaa, someone is asking me for advice!? 😳

Secondly, Dude! We would be so happy to have a new Stargate writer in our midst. I'd say our fandom is one of the more inclusive ones out there and we are all incredibly grateful for more content.

🤔 Hmm, advice for writing/posting, or interacting with our fandom? (I assume just writing/posting.) (If you are wondering about becoming a part of our fandom and the feel of it, just ask me that question as well.)

The best and most simple advice I think is: Read. Read. Read! Write. Write. Write!  Watch. Watch. Watch! But you probably want more xD

Writing:

Writing is the easiest part for me. I write every day. I'm kind of a freak like that.

If you're having trouble with writing, there are some things I do. (not in any order.)

I use a habit tracker, I love stats and this tracker has a lovely design and a sweet little overview. Plus you can have separate widgets on your home screen for each habit, you don't have to go into the app every time you do one, simple press. I love it. But I don't sweat it if I miss a day or a few or more. I just want to have the widgets as a reminder, it keeps me from forgetting, I do have a small goal of doing at least one of my habits by the end of each day. Writing happens to be my easiest habit to accomplish. (Hence the writing everyday xD)

You don't have to write a lot. Even if it's just a bit of editing, a paragraph, or a single word, that's enough. You opened up the document, you thought things, you tried.

Don't share all of your ideas with others. Some people can thrive on this, (if you do, just ignore this advice.) but I am not one of those people. I lose steam for an idea if I give too much away. I also cannot for the life of me write a long fic and post it as I write. SCHEDULED WRITING!? NOPE. I write the entirety of a long fic before I publish them. Sometimes I publish chapters and edit them as I publish, but the meat of everything is there.

So, take as much time as you need.

When you feel satisfied with a fic, sit on it, wait a couple of days, weeks, months, and reread it. New eyes, even if they are your own eyes can really help. (I don't always do this, but it can help with certain fics, esp long ones.)

Lay somewhere, chill and just daydream about your idea/story. This is working on your story too and I find that this makes me just type down thoughts as they come.

Make the time. It doesn't have to be a ton. My partner only writes for five, maybe ten minutes a day. He laments how little he writes but I always ALWAYS say.

“You do write though and that is the most important thing.

I also have a very specific writing system to keep myself from getting stuck, and disorganized, but that's a whole thing and this is already getting long. (If you do want to hear about it though, feel free to ask.)

Posting:

This is the hard part for me. No matter how many fics I have written, posts I have made, gifs, what have yous. I always get a bit overheated and my guts feel like bees are trying to escape them.

If you're having trouble posting there are a few things that I think can work depending on why you're worried about posting.

Mistakes: Misspelled words, flow, that sort of thing. Get a beta. They're several individuals in our community who are amazing betas. (I could contact them for you if you need a connection.) There are different kinds of betas as well so you can tailor your experience in that regard. But, sometimes you don't want a second opinion and that's okay too. You can always edit it whenever you read it again anyways (assuming you are going to reread your fanfics. Which I do.😊)  and remember, many of us don't care about that sort of thing, we will just enjoy the story despite mistakes. General anxiety? Well, I can't do much about that. (I suffer from it myself, see bees in my guts above). Just remember that this is supposed to be about something you love. Yes, writing is work, but writing fanfic should be fun. Should be for you! These are stories you want to tell, stories you want to read, and things you want to fix and expand on. Everyone else is just along for the ride, getting off at the next stop, or maybe they don't even want to come in the first place and that's okay. The destination is yours.

The main point is to just do it. If you need help, ask, (already ahead of some people just for asking me for advice, which I am still shocked about) if you're nervous about them saying no just ask anon and connect after you get a yes. If you're worried about your writing that's okay, It's a very personal thing, it's normal. Accepting this can lessen the worry. (I was terrified of posting fic for about idk eight years or something.) And remember you never have to keep up with or write the same as someone else, we are all different and have different processes, I think the best thing you can do is figure out what works for you.

If you're nervous about content though, again understandable, but honestly people rarely care, and in our fandom people are chill af. Ship and let ship. AUs, crack, ooc, obscure kinks, OCs. We accept them all.

Just make sure to tag correctly. People have guides to help with that.

Wow, this got long, whoops. Sorry, I can't help myself. I have Rodney word-vomit vibes.

#writing #fanfic #stargate #advice #twotales talks #did I do this right? no clue #love you guys #anon #asks #this got LONG I AM SORRY

[akookminsupporter]

Hi there. I understand and agree with a lot of what you say about how the atmosphere of the fandom has changed recently, but just a gentle reminder that you have the power to tailor your online experience into what makes you happy. You can steer the discourse in the direction you like. You can block or ignore anons that don't adhere to your blog's guidelines. You can focus on the aspects of fandom that you enjoy the most and avoid what makes you annoyed. And remember that protecting your own mental health is paramount so if you've come to a point where you feel the need to step away a bit, that's ok too. I really hope you're able to find pleasure in the fandom once again because I do enjoy your blog a lot. Take care.

Hello, anon. How are you?

The thing is, I HAVE TRIED! That's why I made guidelines for my blog but a lot of people don't give a shit. I make posts reminding everyone what I don't want to talk about and 5 seconds later I get an Ask about it ahahahaha. I want to believe that the people who do that are people who don't follow my blog but it's still annoying but most of all frustrating. And that's the problem.

You guys seriously can't imagine how many Asks I delete and block on a daily basis.

I definitely have to be stricter with my blog, maybe this way I can feel more in control but above all, comfortable.

Thanks, anon!

#anon #ask #confessions of a tired jikooker

[juicequeen21]

I have always had an asexual Light headcanon since I first joined the fandom 8 years ago. Maybe it's because I'm on the ace spectrum myself but he just seems completely uninterested in any sort of sex, from either men or women, and rebuffs Misa's advances continually. That, and he seems to exploit people's romantic and sexual interest in him without ever actually seeming to be interested himself. He never seems aroused in the series by anything. I just like that about him y'know? It feels kinda weird to me that a lot of people in the fandom will oversex him when he's so... nonsexual in the canon

To start I absolutely love this headcanon and I see all your points and agree that none of what Light does has to do with sex.

This is no hate to you so please don’t take it that way, I will offer up a perspective of why people sexualize him. Like you, most people find characters that they like or relate to and they put a lot of their own traits on to that character (I know I do this a lot personally), and there is nothing inherently wrong with that. People like to think (for the most) part of their favorite character either being like them or actually like them, so that will be a small part for many people. Also for people who do experience sexual attraction not everything they do is sexual, they could go months without doing anything sexual or relating to sex and that doesn’t they don’t experience sexual attraction.

I think everyone should have headcanons that make them happy and are something they enjoy. I don’t think head canons should be looked at for how much they can be supported by canon or anything like that. I also don’t think of head canons as something that are strict and rigid, I have tons of headcanons that often contradict each other. I think thoughts, ideas, head canons, aus, are meant to be adapted and tailored as much as you like. If you see one of my head canons and don’t like half of it, CHANGE IT! Apply aus to different characters, customize things, have multiple thoughts that conflict, do what ever makes you happy.

This has become a big jumble of thoughts that are hard for me to articulate and sort out. I would absolutely love to hear more about peoples thoughts on/about asexual Light! Or any kind of Light tbh! Thanks anon for sending this in, and I’m sorry my response is lackluster 💕💕

[littlekingbergara]

(Catching up on Watcher anon again, sorry for all the asks!) I would love to fully join the fandom honestly but I’m too nervous for some reason like I feel like I haven’t watched enough or that I won’t make any friends cause everyone’s already friends with each other 😭

omg you never ever have to apologize 💖💖 i love answering asks. don't be afraid to interact w the fandom!! (i know so helpful) everyone that i've met through this has been so nice and the cool thing about making friends on the internet is that if you don't vibe with someone you don't have to continue interacting with them. personally the block function is my best friend <3 not so much here though mostly twitter and tiktok. here i just choose to not engage.

i used to be very very anti-fandom Personally because there was always some kind of drama or discourse that made it not fun anymore so i just kept to myself and wrote my little (not little) tags and made my little posts for myself. and then people started engaging with me and i was like 😳 but it's also really fun to share ideas and talk to people and just be kind! i love kindness! that's something i love about the watcher community is that everyone is so kind and welcoming and supportive. i've literally only been Actively in fandom for like? a few months?

i think it's most important that you tailor your online experience in a way that makes yourself happy bc ultimately that's what this is for. we're all just having fun here. if you build it they will come. just keep doing what makes you happy.

#i totally get what youre saying though like that's the reason i'm not active in wiscord bc it does seem like everyone there is already #friends w each other and it can be hard to gauge when is the right time to say something or if you're interrupting something but it's also #okay to not interact on that level. it's okay to just find a little group of people who you feel comfortable talking to and interacting wit #you don't have to be super creative and make big contributions like artists and gifmakers and fic writers you just have to be kind!! #i hear you though it is so so scary to talk to people you view as So Cool but listen. they are just normal people. #with whom you already have a common interest! clearly! #if you're uncomfortable talking directly just say what you want to say in the tags lmao people seem to like it. i know i love reading #everyones tags on my posts. #anon #💌

[ruina6471]

The art of "reaching in" and draw a card.

Once in a while you'd encounter some bizarre clients you didn't know initially what their deal is. This strange client served as a chance for me to experience that a "reach" for Tarot card divination does exist, and is a very important concept. I will explain what reach means later.

///

She came to me half a year ago, so it's been a while now-- I refer to my clients as 'they' pronoun, because most of them stay strictly anonymous on PLURK and would not tell me any information other than necessary, but this client wanted the process off PLURK anonymous board.

She requested a Google meeting. She wanted to know how her relationship with the current boyfriend would go. She will only give me the exact question once we meet online and proceed the divination that very evening. I did not think much of it.

HOWEVER, once I opened up the Google Meet for her, she dropped a bombshell- she DOES NOT HAVE A BOYFRIEND... well, not in the physical realm at least. She is a fandom dream girl, meaning, she *imagines* herself to have a relationship with an anime character. Now she wants to know "what her boyfriend/anime character thinks about her".

OK.

I have one policy- I do NOT ask for any information, unless the client gives it up willingly and on their own accord. She has no intention to tell me who this "anime guy" is, so be it. I shuffle the cards.

///

This is when I felt very distinctly "the reach", which in fact always existed, but I wasn't conscious of it before, until I reached for a different space.

This time, when I dipped my finger into the pile, I felt a tighter, narrower astral space, sort of like "a human's mental plane" whence I draw information from, instead of the usual broader and wider universal space-time (no, I refuse to call it Akashic record, no use throwing terminologies I don't partake in around here).

I drew Prince of Disks and Queen of Swords from Crowley Thoth.

I told her- Your boyfriend is a world builder. He would go off the edge of universe, find an empty place, and build an empire from scratch. It is not an "inclusive" empire, but a world tailored to him that he could truly rule, and he'd like to rule this kingdom with you.

He is probably a CEO from a troubled multi-million company. Unlike his Wolf-of-Wall-street appearance, his life is not on easy mode. He does not have anything handed out to him on a silver platter, so he does not trust anything that is given to him like a free gift. It must've been a trap from his competitor.

His tendency is seen from the Queen of Swords. He does not like women who act pretty and girlish, he would despise damsels in distress. I think CEOs are secretly like that. He actually like women with a brain, with ambition, and is even more business savvy than him. You must be a talented co-ruler, a co-CEO, to be his girlfriend, otherwise he wouldn't have high opinion about you. Thankfully, you value intelligence over beauty yourself.

///

Then she revealed her anime dream boyfriend to be Leona Kingscholar

WHO is this???

I'm sorry, I am so old I don't watch a lot of animes anymore. But the client told me she was so happy and so satisfied with this reading, it was exactly what she thought would come out.

///

So, instead of focusing ONLY on how to interpret cards-- the more important issue is, HOW do these cards come about on your reading table? Is it purely by chance, a 1/78 mathematical probability that a card would be drawn? Of course not, or I'd advice you go to ChatGPT to do a reading for you, you don't have to waste money on Ruina.

In the end of the day, a good divinator has to reach out and grab the information somewhere-- whatever mental magical exercise works for you in order to experience that, just do it, because that makes a whole lot of difference for your clients.

#fortune telling #tarot reading #tarotblr #tarot cards #tarotcommunity #tarot card story time #tarot #crowley thoth

[konigbabe]

FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS

What's your main blog here on Tumblr?

It's @konigbabe-interact. I had it since 2018 when I only started to write fanfics but with how my writing kept on evolving, I decided to start a fresh new blog so that one is abandoned and I only use it for interactions and as a sort of archive for all my writings.

Who are you?

⇢ My full name is Monika but on the internet, I go my Moni or Mikki; mid-20s; European (Slavic, to be more specific); university student

⇢ I'm a woman; my pronouns are she/her.

What is your blog about?

⇢ This blog is focused on writing fan-fiction-focused stories. I don't usually write full chapter fanfictions (as I can't really stick to one story for a longer period of time), so most of my work is short (one-shots, headcanons, drabbles...).

⇢ My works are [mostly] reader-insert stories, in which readers can imagine themselves as part of the narrative.

Is this your primary blog?

⇢ No; this blog is secondary, meaning I cannot really communicate with my readers through comments or do much of anything else.

What fandoms do you write for?

⇢ Anything I'm currently interested in or obsessed with, whether it be a game, a tv show, anime or a film.

⇢ You can also see who I'm willing to write for in my writing list.

What are your NOs with your writing?

⇢ I don't write non-con, yandere, dumbification, somnopholia, daddy/mommy kink, piss/scat kink, incest, heavy degredation, extreme gun/knife play, underage characters x reader (not gonna age up underage characters just so they're 18+), eating disorders & self harm, body image issues and anything related to such topics.

⇢ I don't write about real people (celebrities), I focus solely on fictional characters.

⇢ I won't change canonicaly comfirmed sexuality of characters in my writings (for example if a character is canonicaly gay, I won't write "x fem!reader" with him)

Do you take requests? Do you write POC, m!reader, etc?

⇢ No, I don't take requests (actively); but you can still share your idea with me and if inspiration strikes, I might write it. I do take 'requests' for drabbles and thirsts any day any hour.

⇢ You can request a poc!reader but please bear in mind that I am a white person. I try writing my stories with as little detail to reader as possible so it fits as many people as possible. Writing a story tailored to a poc!reader may take me a little more time than usual, as I would need to do more research to make sure I'm accurately representing the experiences and distinct perspectives of people of color in my work.

⇢ I don't really write for m!reader as I'm not familiar with writing M/M but I'm okay with gn!reader and F/F.

AUTHOR'S NOTE: If this faq didn't provide you with the answers you were looking for, don't hesitate to reach out to me directly via my inbox. I'll be more than happy to answer your questions and also make sure to add them to this list for future reference.

#faq #konigbabe

[vaicomcas]

Hi. Kinda new to the fandom (as new as anyone who has been in Tumblr for a while can be) and while I've never watched a single episode, I found myself reading a lot of Supernatural fics which made Castiel one of my favorite characters. I really love him (and it's obvious a lot of people do too with the way they write him most of the time)

I can't share the same grievances about how the other characters treat him though the element of him being treated as an accessory and barely a character with his own agency (despite being lovingly written) is something that I do find in a lot of fics and is a pet peeve of mine.

That said, would you happen to have any good fanfic recommendations with Cas in it?

Thanks for asking anon! It is so fascniating to meet a Cas fan who knew him through fics and not the show! I wish I could be in your mind to experience what that is like. I am so grateful for your post, because I derive so much joy knowing that the wonder and brilliance of Castiel defeated the efforts of both the show and elements of fandom that ceaselessly reduce him to an accessory of the Winchesters.

Fanfic recommendations are tricky, because they are so personal in nature. Everybody has different taste. I don't know if you like happy endings vs sad ones, if you like hurt/comfort type, if you like body horror, or if you like romance including destiel. I have to run to tend to my activities of the day, but I will make a list later in the day. if you tell me a little more about your likes I can try to tailor an answer.

Also, since you asked, I am going to shamelessly plug my own alternate Season 15 fic. It is totally Castiel-centric (but it does have a sad ending).

https://archiveofourown.org/works/38105848/chapters/95188396

#ask

[centaurianthropology]

One thing I would love to see fandom get away from is an obsession with canon.  So many fans seem unhappy when what they wanted to see doesn’t become canon, and I am here to tell you that this is exactly what fandom should be for!  

Canon is great and all, and if you’re jiving with it, fantastic.  But if you’re not, if canon veers in a direction you don’t enjoy, or there are just aspects of canon that aren’t your thing, then fandom is exactly the place you should be able to disregard them.  Explore whatever rabbit hole you like.  Create alternate timelines to suit your tastes, ship non-canon ships, ship all the ships, end things differently.  Do what you like, and stop getting hung up on what canon says.  Fandom should be about pursuing your joy, even if (and often especially if) that joy veers of the well-trod canon paths.

Canon is a guideline that brings us all together.  It’s not the law.  It’s not the only path you can walk.  Please, I’m telling you, the sooner you give up canon fundamentalism and embrace the fanon that makes you happiest, the healthier and happier everyone is going to be in fandom.

#fandom #things I would like to see #who cares what canon says? #tailor your fandom experience to make you most happy #random Sunday musings #canon fundamentalism #is a really weird trend #and I have no idea what made it so prevalent amongst current fans

[ao3commentoftheday]

Greetings. I’m not sure how to phrase this without sounding like fandom drama, but I need some advice.

I’m in a fandom that is dominated by one person, but it’s not a Mean Girl sort of situation. This person is very talented and welcoming. But

I think they’re lonely and have a need to be needed that ends up being unintentionally used to manipulate emotionally vulnerable people while attempting to help them. There’s also a hero worship cult around them, and I don’t think they realize how much they encourage it by speaking like an absolute authority on most topics.

Now, it feels like you’re excluded from fandom if you don’t do everything the way they do and provide them with “you’re the best in our fandom and no one else can ever compare” praise. If you don’t do that, it feels like your fanworks won’t be anointed as “good” by them and, following that, the rest of the fandom.

Those who are selected by them as the best artists in the fandom are the ones who provide them with heaps of praise and tailor their work to this person’s exact preferences. I used to do this, and I had that attention from them. Now I don’t do this, and my work doesn’t get that attention from them. My work/skill level hasn’t changed. It feels like you’re an outsider if you’re not “in the club”, and I don’t want to be in the hero worship club anymore.

I know this can’t be just my experience with them, but I often leave my moments in the fandom feeling crazy.

I’m polite and happy to interact, but not in the same way their favorites do. I still love my fandom and making fanworks in it, but I feel like an outsider. How do I still keep my distance, not hurt either of us, and still enjoy the fandom while dealing with this elephant in the room?

A person doesn't have to be mean or rude for you not to want to hang around with them. And a Big Name Fan (BNF), even when they're kind, can sometimes turn a fandom into an unwelcoming space.

Everyone likes them, so everyone shows they like them. But if someone doesn't show their like, they seem like a hater in comparison. The BNF themself might never realize it, but their fans/followers go into overprotective mode and the next thing you know, lines are drawn.

It's fine to like fellow fans. It's fine to dislike them. It's fine to have no strong feelings one way or the other. If you're getting annoyed by this person or the people they surround themselves with, start unfollowing. You can even block them if you want to. Blocking isn't some horrible weapon you wield against the worst of the worst (although it can be). It's just a way to remove things from your dashboard that you don't want to see.

Spend time interacting with the fans you do like. Talk to them. Send them asks. Comment on their fics. Make a Discord together. Let those other people do their thing over in the corner where you don't have to see them.

#asks and answers

[lolbatty]

Just a quick blurb about some of the stuff I’ve been feeling and struggling with lately about my slowly ending toxic relationship and other stuff..

So far the worst part for me has been convincing my childhood abandonment trauma brain that it’s OKAY to let this person go... that because of many valid actual damn reasons I witnessed they were not a great person for me to spend time with or put energy into.  They didn’t listen to me when I was speaking, did things for me only out of guilt, refused to introduce me to any of their friends or family, continually minimized my feelings, and lied to me constantly about their intentions for the relationship.

I think one of the more nefarious things about the relationship was that another person was involved that I didn’t know about at the beginning, an ex that they were still super close with.  I was trying so hard to be understanding, so scared that I was just being jealous or overbearing when I felt the fear grip me inside after discovering their relationship.  At one point this person even moved into their house, and I wasn’t allowed to come over anymore because ‘they’d get jealous’.  I believed badly tailored lies to keep me around because I was too scared to let them go, especially during the full-swing of the pandemic when I had no one else to be close to. I really valued this person.  I really wanted to believe that relationships are just complicated and messy and it wasn’t them still being in love with this other person, prioritizing them over me, but every instinct inside of me was screaming and every friend I talked to about it looked at me like I was crazy for trying not to be upset or suspicious.  I ignored my intuition, figuring that I was just overreacting.   Even now that we’ve broken up and are slowly drifting apart this other person is still a big part of their life, while their interactions with me are dwindling to nothing (a good thing obviously, but still painful for that inner child).  I should be happy, but part of me is insanely envious of this connection they have, even a little furious.  It triggers a very primal wound from my earliest years.

When I was growing up (4-11yrs) my I worshiped my Dad but he always had a lot of girlfriends, when I spent time with him in the summers I often had to ‘compete’ with these full grown women for his attention because he prioritized his relationships with them over his relationship with me.  It was heart breaking, and gave me a very unhealthy idea of what was expected of XX bodied people to attract and keep attention.  It also gave me a very DEEP and abiding wound centered around jealousy and envy which is haunting me the most right now with my current healing process.  Old, untouched parts of me are churning beneath the surface of my consciousness, altering my ability to regulate my emotions and think logically about how much better off I am not having this crap in my life.  I am SO PISSED OFF that this other person was -chosen- over me.  And even though I never met them, I always hear this ancient voice inside my head wondering.. what do they have that I don’t?  Why wasn’t I good enough?

It’s not that I want this destructive thing in my life, logically I know I should be singing and fucking dancing, howling at the damn moon because I escaped this invalidating cycle of bread crumbing, lying, gaslighting and back burnering.  I know I deserve better.  I want so badly to have better.  But there is so much pain inside of me from these deep old traumas, and I have a lot of really old scars that need to be re-examined and addressed.  In some ways I am grateful for this horrible experience because of everything I’ve learned about my anxious attachment, childhood trauma, complex PTSD and how it relates to my inability to have normal, healthy relationships. 

But I’m also pretty mad about the last two years of my life being an emotionally damaging experience, in the midst of a pandemic, shortly after the sudden and depressingly tragic death of my alcoholic, narcissistic father.

I’ve changed.  I don’t even remember what it was like to be me before 2018.  I don’t draw anymore.  I don’t post anymore.  Commissions are a struggle.  I miss the days of endless artwork and music and fandoms.. cruising tumblr and getting occasionally yelled at for making semi problematic statements because of my own personal growth.  I often find myself wondering about the artists I used to follow who also disappeared.  Where have they gone?  Are their lives getting better?  Worse?  Are they still with us?  I miss them the way I miss the old version of myself.

The years have not been cruel, but they have not been kind either.  This latest battle has been an eyeopening experience.  At almost 35 years I am just now learning I’ve been operating from these cornerstone hangups as if it were normal, like they were something that would get better or change over time if I ‘found the right person’.  But now I know I never will find the right person, not until I find myself, because I will always push away the people who love me and self sabotage anything good.  It’s too uncomfortable, too unfamiliar.  I wanted to get married one day, start a family and build a future for my loved ones, but right now it feels like I’m still clawing my way up to ground zero.

From everything I have seen about attachment disorders, there is definitely hope, but I will need a lot of counseling.  I have to change my relationship with myself before I can stop seeking out this same bullshit situation I’ve once again found myself breaking free from.  As of now, I’m finally understanding why I keep finding myself here.

To anyone else also dealing with childhood PTSD and attachment problems... this wound can be healed.  It takes time and understanding and a lot of hard personal work but it can be done.  Don’t give up on yourself, don’t give up on love.  Get help.  Learn stuff.  Stay the course.  Short term pleasure is not worth the long term pain.  Sit on your throne, let people approach, maintain boundaries.  Give those people time to show you how they are going to behave towards you, how they are going to treat you.  I know it’s hard but it’s worth it.  Avoid jumping into physical intimacy quickly, it’s especially toxic when you have attachment disorders.  Don’t let people walk all over you, NO ONE is cool enough, accomplished enough or attractive enough to be allowed to get away with treating you like shit.  Not ever.  And if someone shows up who genuinely likes you, DO NOT search for reasons to prove them wrong.. I know it feels creepy or scary to be loved but they don’t want anything from you other than your heart, and that’s a good thing.  Embrace it. 

If you’re still here, thanks for reading.

#update #self #toxic relationships #childhood trauma #CPTSD #attachment disorder #anxious attachment

[voltage-vixen]

The Man in the Damn Red Suit

‘Tis the Season of Smut Challenge Day 3

Prompt: “Who needs Santa when you have me?” (NSFW)

Fandom: Love Unholyc

Pairing: Sol x MC (Female)

“The boss told me he should be out to meet you in a few minutes,” one of Ripeato’s most loyal employees informed MC as he was finishing locking up the shop. “Everything in the store should be all set for the evening, so the two of you will be able to enjoy your plans once Sol resolves everything in the back.”

“Thank you,” MC replied, slightly bowing her head and waving goodbye. “Merry Christmas to you, and a Happy New Year in case I don’t see you again before then.”

“You too, my dear,” the employee tipped the black fedora on his head in her direction before disappearing out the front door.

Tomorrow was Christmas day and she and Sol were going to spend the rest of Christmas Eve together, and lead into the next morning to celebrate their first holiday together as a couple. Walking over to gaze out the window while waiting for Sol, MC’s lips curled upwards when she noticed a man dressed up as Santa collecting last minute holiday donations.

“How thoughtful,” MC chirped to herself, her heart warming at the sigh of such thoughtfulness during such a giving time of year. “It’s so wonderful to see people volunteering their time like that. What a kind man he must be.”

“Miss me, babe?” Sol’s husky voice suddenly rang into her ear, the scent of his cologne drifting in the air since he was now settled against her. “Because I’m about to show you right now how kind of a man I can be too.”

I-Is he jealous of Santa Claus?!

MC never had an opportunity to questions his motives, since the calloused pads of the tailor’s fingers firmly gripped onto the curves of her waist, eliciting a sensual moan from his woman when he roughly pushed her up against the glass of the window. Sol’s nimble movements of his hands exaggerated hitching her dress above her waist, nudging his knee in between the silk of MC’s thighs to compel them apart. Sinking slowly to his knees, Sol’s teeth found the fabric of the lacey pair of underwear she was wearing. His heated breath trickled down the back of her thighs as he dragged them down her legs at a tantalizing pace, evoking MC to tremble in an anticipatory lust.    

The thin material soon was discarded onto the floor; Sol’s moistened lips pressed down on the lines of her calf. A jolt of pleasureful heat rippled through the veins of her body when Sol’s broad palms powerfully gripped onto MC’s ankles. His tongue deliberately ascended and traced the contours of her legs, gracefully gliding until connecting with the sensitive nub that sparked pure bliss under the duress of Sol’s touch.

“So sweet,” Sol murmured, his mouth humming along the velvet of her folds in appreciation for how divine MC tasted. “So sweet and all mine. Remember that I’m the only one that can make you melt this way. Not some random guy in a damn tacky red suit.”

She didn’t know whether to laugh at how cute he acted when he was jealous, or to mewl at the delightful way her coils tightened in her lower belly from all the things he was doing to drive her wild. However, body decided for her by quaking as her toes reacted by curling to the heavenly tremors fanning the flames of desire within her. Her knees buckled and her hips swayed from each enticing lap of tongue fervently stroking away at the swell of her womanhood. One of Sol’s long fingers reached to apply the extra caresses she needed in surplus of his tongue to finally deliver MC to experience pure euphoria.

“Come here, love,” Sol huffed, encircling MC deep into the buffed muscles of his chest. “I should be thanking you for such a delicious treat. You always taste sweeter than any cake I could eat.”

“Sol,” MC scowled, her cheeks tinted a faintish pink. Playfully swatting at him, he swiftly dodged her attack by rolling over to straddle her and allot him the advantage. Her relied had been pleasant, but it wasn’t enough to leave her satisfied. She wanted more. “That’s not fair to say when I haven’t even tasted you yet tonight.”

Temptation flooded Sol as his cock twitched uncomfortably against the constriction of the seams in his pants when her lust coated eyes flashed him an invitation to prevail on with the fun right then and there. Feelings that were inflamed by jealousy, were now being driven by a pining to consume MC with all the love he had to offer, connecting both on a physical and emotional level. God, did he want her. Having MC underneath him slick in sweat from her orgasm, as her body slightly quivered still sensitive from the spoils of his earlier affection was pure torture for him. Surely sins from his past were forcing him to repent by withholding now.

He wanted her, but Sol recalled their itinerary for this Christmas evening and that wasn’t about to be ruined because he couldn’t control the urge to keep it in his pants. Putting on his best poker face to mask his disappointment, Sol sat up and began to rise until MC promptly lifted her legs and entangled them around the cuts of his waist.

“I know, but they can wait,” MC pleaded, nodding her head to meet and reassure his concerned gaze. “I love you for making plans for us, but I also love you so much that I require having you now.”

Entwining her fingers in between Sol’s, she longingly glanced up at him. MC rested her free hand on the side of Sol’s cheek, her fingertips rubbing small circles to console him.

“Otherwise, maybe I’ll need to ask Santa-”

Smooch!

The empty threat was enough to rile up Sol into a frenzy enough where his lips collided into hers. His kisses were frantic and needy, each one more aggressive than the last. Sol’s fingers frantically raced and curled into MC’s hair before joining their bodies together as one.

Outside of Ripeato, the Christmas lights twinkled and sparkled through the window of shop onto the couple lost in their passion for each other. As far as Sol and MC were concerned, Christmas had come early this year, and both were never more grateful for that guy in the damn tacky red suit.  

#'tis the season for smut #love unholyc #love unholyc sol #love unholyc smut #love unholyc fanfic

[marshmallowprotection]

Can I ask something outside Mysme? What do you think the most comfortable social media? Just curious tho🏃‍♀️

What do I think is the most comfortable social media? Well, that could be a different answer for everybody. You're going to find good things and bad things on every single social media, you just need to make sure that you tailor your experience on those websites to be something positive. I've always been comfortable over here on Tumblr. That's because I know how this website works best and I know how to interact with like-minded people. I don't really like the Twitter interface so I don't use it very often other than looking at fanart. I use Instagram a little bit more because there's a lot of active people in Fandom, but I'm not really interested in their interface either. I don't like the way their timeline is set up. That's just a website problem, not really about the people on it.

So I would say, it doesn't really matter which social media you're using. As long as you make sure to interact with things that make you happy and block the stuff that doesn't do it for you, then you're going to make a fun time for yourself.

[ladyvader23]

Why I Think FanFiction is Important and Should be Normalized

I like to listen to youtube or podcasts while I play video games, usually on informational subjects. The other day I thought, “Maybe there’s some interesting fanfic commentators out there like there are for fiction writers!” 

Oh boy. I was wrong. 

There were a few one off videos. There’s one wonderful channel that I already knew about that talks about it (ColeyDoesThings). But the majority of videos were so negative. They were usually making fun of fics they considered bad or creepy, as if that represents all fanfic.

On top of that, I’ve met a lot of people both online and in real life who are either afraid to admit that they write fanfic, or they think fanfic is weird because of these popular depictions of fanfic in media. 

Before I continue, I think it’s really important to say that it’s totally fine to not want to talk about your writing or reading habits. I had a friend who had to hide writing fanfic because her parents would ground her if she did. I’ve had other friends who just see it as a hobby and they don’t want to draw attention to it, and I’ve had some who hide it because they’re legitimately worried about how people will react. That’s completely valid and I totally support that 100%. Do what makes you happy and safe! 

For me, though, I make it a point to be open about the role fanfiction has in my life. Without fanfiction, I wouldn’t have the job I have, or the friends I’ve made. I wouldn’t feel like me without it. For a long time, fanfiction was the only support I had to pursue who I wanted to be. 

This is my story. 

I have a learning disability. That in itself is a really long story, so to make it short, it made writing really, really difficult. English was consistently my lowest grade throughout my entire childhood and teen years. My English teachers HATED me. I can count...maybe two or three teachers who treated me like my writing had any worth? 

And what was worse is that I didn’t even know what I had to explain it to anyone until halfway through high school. By then, any “help” the school system had ever offered me was tailored to issues I didn’t have, and my mother had to explain every single year to my IEP coordinators what help I actually needed. 

I started writing fanfic probably when I was in seventh grade? It was hand written and was for Final Fantasy 10. I never published it, but I still remember the plot. My first published fanfic was for InuYasha. It was collaborative with my cousin, and it was reaaaaally badly written. I don’t even remember the title, actually, but it was a wild fic. It was my first real opportunity to experience fandom, to hear anything back from readers about what they thought of my writing. And I learned from that experience. I learned even more as I branched out to other fandoms. And because I had readers, it encouraged me to actually practice by writing more. 

While fanfic comments can be negative and unproductive, I’ve had plenty of readers very nicely point out “hey, when someone else starts speaking, that’s a new paragraph.” Literally, I’d NEVER known that before someone said it in a review. I’ve also had people point out good grammar resources that I could use. I had people offer insight on how story structure works and doesn’t work. I learned about giving characters real flaws. I learned about creating conflicts that people actually care about and relate to. Most of these comments weren’t meant to educate, necessarily, but when people reacted a certain way, I wondered, “Why do they feel that way? What did I do right, what did I do wrong? How can I improve?” Then I tried out whatever I learned in a new story or chapter. 

And yeah. Sometimes people just don’t jive with a story, or they’re trolls. But you know what? I learned from that too! I learned how to respond or not respond when people just don’t like what you’ve written and there’s nothing you can really do about it. That’s a skill I’ve translated into other parts of my life outside of writing. 

Through all of this, from my first fanfic to the ones I write now, I’ve learned so much about my writing and about who I am as a person. I’ve had the opportunity to meet so many cool people from all over the world, which in itself has been a seriously positive, life-changing experience! 

But much of my life, I was constantly being told that I couldn’t do it, to not even bother trying. I’d go to school where I had teachers who took one look at my IEP and before they’d even given my writing a chance, treated me like a failure. I once tried to show one of my teachers one of my stories. It was a Twilight fanfic (I was sixteen and it was the height of the craze). I knew my teacher loved Twilight, and I’d seen her make connections with other students over their shared interest. I just wanted to connect with her, too, to show that even though my strength isn’t in what she wanted me to write, I still mattered. I still had a place in her classroom. But I didn’t even finish asking her to read a little before she told me she was “too busy” (and then proceeded to give me an F because I did the entire worksheet, not “just the even number questions.” Like seriously, what?). 

It was really conflicting. On one hand, fanfic was so much fun, I had positive and constructive feedback on my stories, and I felt like I’d improved enough to go toe-to-toe with anyone else naturally gifted in writing. On the other hand, I had every authority figure in my life telling me to not bother. When I went to college, I really wasn’t sure I knew what to do. I had dreams to be a writer, but maybe people online were just being nice and I was better off doing something else. 

But I signed up to major in English anyway, and to my surprise, my college professors were way more supportive. Feedback was actually constructive. I didn’t have any kind of IEP equivalent attached to my name or record, which...brings up a lot of other concerns I have about the American education system because seriously, why are we judging people’s abilities like that??? But for the first time, I felt like I had a real chance. I graduated in English education, and though I left education because I have a lot of issues with how America runs its education system, I still work in a job where I write their entire policy and procedures. I literally write all day, and when I’m done with work, I write either my fanfiction or my own personal WIP. 

If I hadn’t had any of that positive experience with fanfic and the community that surrounds it, I wouldn’t have made the decision to do English as my major in college. I wouldn’t have a job I love. I wouldn’t have the friends I have. I feel like as a whole, I wouldn’t have as much passion as I do for stories...which is a HUGE part of who I am! 

I talk openly and positively about fanfic because there are others out there who might be like me. If all they hear about is how dorky or weird or creepy fanfic is, then that might scare them off. And what if fanfic leads them to supportive, wonderful friends? What if it leads them to a career option that makes them really happy? Or, you know, what if they just want to have a lot of fun and fanfic can do that for them (because you can totally just have fun, you don’t HAVE to learn or get anything else from fanfic)? 

I think we need to normalize fanfiction. Yes, there are negatives, we shouldn’t not address those, but when it’s positive, let’s talk about that! I think this particular site is really good at that, but I mean in real life. Maybe on other platforms too, I don’t know. I just have a lot of feelings about why fanfic is so important, and I just wanted to share my story to at least explain some of that. 

Feel free to add your own experiences, I’d love to hear them from either writers of fanfic or readers! 

#writing #fanfic #my story #long post #personal

[mariaiscrafting]

i saw you talk about “blocking etiquette” in one of your posts and i was wondering if you could briefly explain that? my blog is a baby (i joined in march) so i really don’t know any of the unspoken social rules haha. i feel i should know this before i say anything ever thats dream critical lmao

also saw you have a ton of asks so feel free to answer or not there’s no obligation ! take care of urself it seems like a lot to handle rn

I'd like to preface this by disclaiming that I've been on Tumblr since 2014, so I think I have a good sense of blocking etiquette as it's evolved with Tumblr culture, but I might still be presumptuous/wrong about some things.

Anyways. So, on Tumblr, there's generally always been a "block first, ask questions later" mentality. No matter the fandom, people kinda just unfollow or block people at will because Tumblr's algorithm is so shit at recommending things for people that unfollowing/blocking are really the primary ways to tailor what you don't want to see. So, if you frequent a search term/tag search, like "dream smp," you'd likely block someone who posts things frequently to that tag, but whose content you dislike. Blocking is, obviously, still used as a means to stop interacting with just plain assholes, as it is on every social media site. But more times than not, Tumblr users block blogs for neutral reasons related to how they want to tailor their social media experience, rather than a personal vendetta against someone.

Frankly, from my perspective, this was the main use of block lists back in the day. They weren't so much ways to truly hate on anyone's blog since anyone deemed a true asshole would likely spur a reporting campaign against them, rather than an addition to a blocklist. No, Tumblr blocklists were almost always so people who frequented certain tags simply... didn't have to put up with some people. If there was a wave of problematic shippers inundating a fandom/character tag, of TERFs inundating trans/feminism tags, or something similar, they would likely be put on a blocklist simply because Tumblr users wanted a comprehensive list of people they might come across, but didn't want to have to see posts from. Along a similar vein, a lot of mcytblr blogs advocate simply blocking people who post imagines in the main mcyt/dream smp tags, rather than harrassing each and every one of them into fixing their tag habits. Like, they're just annoying, really, and this social media site is so big that just blocking the ones who frequent the tag is so much easier than anything else.

One notable difference about Tumblr blocking as compared to Twitter blocking is the malintent behind Twitter blocking. Twitter fandom subtwts will advocate for blocking someone particularly if they're being cancelled/a Twitter user simply dislikes them enough. In addition, I've seen more than one Twitter user unironically say that they block people who unfollow them, as if following/unfollowing them were a personal affront, and blocking people were some component of this social game that reeks of cliqueness and high school levels of maturity.

That isn't to say that Tumblr blocking etiquette doesn't have pitfalls, because it has many. The main one I've noticed is that, especially in smaller fandom spaces, someone who's considered problematic might be enmassed blocked by lots of users in that fandom, and effectively be shut out of that fandom. If they're put onto a blocklist, a problematic post is circulated enough, or they're blocked by enough "big blogs" in the fandom, these users can be kept from reblogging, liking, or sending asks to a large part of the fandom they participate in. Vague posting doesn't really get you anywhere on Tumblr because of how insular each blog is, as opposed to Twitter, where screenshotting someone's profile who's blocked you and/or complaining very obviously about someone blocking you without naming them is commonplace and can be easily spread throughout a subtwt. This means Tumblr blogs who were mass blocked end up reaching much less members of their fandom, cannot really stand up for themselves in the face of mass blocking unless they're infamous enough for people to recognize their name, or participate in the discourse that promoted their blocking in the first place. While I haven't really experienced this, all of this is taken from what I've observed mutuals and recognizable blogs going through over the years.

Another note is that this website is kinda fucked, coding-wise. We all know this. This means that there are a million holes in the blocking system that make it even more annoying to navigate when people have blocked you, and that ends up getting more people blocked than maybe should be.

First of all, those imagine blogs aren't just posting in the main tags for shits and giggles, or to be cumbersome and clutter the main tags. They're doing it because Tumblr is dying, and even in a fandom as big as mcytblr, it's almost impossible to boost/promote your original content. The Tumblr algorithm sucks at spreading awareness about popular posts, more and more Twitter refugees means less and less people who fucking reblog > liking posts, and basically the only way posts can blow up anymore is by being found through a tag that is trending or frequently browsed through the "most recent" setting. This includes dream smp and many smp character names, so obviously imagine blogs are going to take advantage of this and maintag. It's the reason mcytblr constantly tags "m*necraft" despite being told off, time and time again, for doing so by mineblr. And it's the reason I've likely been blocked by many people- because I had to make the decision between spreading awareness of a post that took a lot of effort and that I thought was important enough to main tag despite being critical/negative, or keeping mcytblr happy by not cluttering their bias's tag with a crit post. Sure, some of mcytblr likely blocked me because they thought I was annoying/disagree with me, and that's fine. But I'm sure many blocked me for the same reason I block imagine blogs and mineblr blocks dream smp stans- because they wanted to peruse their fave's tags, and they simply blocked a random blog that posted something they didn't like, without really thinking much of it.

Second of all, side blogs kinda fuck up how blocking works. It's annoying as hell to see a post you really like in the main tag/search, only to find that the person blocked you upon trying to reblog. Because of sideblogs, people will oftentimes block a sideblog because it's that user's fandom blog, without blocking their main, so the user is left kinda seeing their stuff time and time again, without being able to interact with it.

Speaking of how fucky the code is because of the blogging system, reblogs make it even worse. Most social media sites simply make it so a blocked user cannot see another user's profile, posts and all. But Tumblr not only allows this, it kinda fucks up the search function by sometimes allowing people you've blocked/who've blocked you to show up in main tag searches, it didn't take into account the fact that you can still see an OP's post when someone else reblogs it, and Tumblr didn't think to just fucking fix all these holes and just wholly omit someone's posts if they've blocked you, or you've blocked them. So, despite blocking people, you can still be logged in and see all their shit, and they can see yours. It's kind of annoying as fuck.

#a nyways this was so fucking long why did i do this #im so bored im gonna play minecraft bc fuck my life and responsibility or whatever #asks #tumblr meta #mcyt #dream smp #tumblr #blocking #also i didnt proofread this i apologize if its relatively incoherent