#I'm kind of starting from zero on tumblr and I never got so much support on my drawings

[purisurory]

Thank you so much for all the support you are showing on the Team Star illustration! I'm glad you liked it as much as I do!!

I also keep reading super funny comments in the tags of the A3 ladies piece that make my day and make me laugh so much, thank you SO MUCH!!

#I'm kind of starting from zero on tumblr and I never got so much support on my drawings #rory talks

[thebibliosphere]

I saw your post about ingram, and out of curiosity, is there some advantage to going through the whole self-publishing thing with retailers when you're just starting out? like I mean the way that fandom zines work is that they don't even bother going through ingram or amazon or whatever. they just set up a social media site (usually twitter) to gain followers, open preorders (usually 1-2 months in length) to generate the costs of printing upfront, and then sell anywhere from a few dozen to several hundred copies of their books (usually artbooks, but anthologies exist too). I've seen some zines generate over a thousand orders. they're kind of like pop-up shops, except for books. maybe the sales numbers aren't so impressive to a real author, but the profit generated is typically waaaay more than the $75+ apparently needed for Ingram Spark, so I still feel like new authors could benefit from this method too, especially if they just need some start-up cash to eventually move to ingram if they want to for subsequent runs of their book. I think authors would also have to set aside some of the pre-order money to buy an ISBN number to have printed on their book, and I'm not really sure what other differences there are, but I just wanted to ask about it in case there's some huge disadvantage I'm missing!

So, popup zines work well for some people, and I know some authors who kickstart their work successfully. But for a lot, it's just not feasible as a long-term stratedy. Or even as a means to get off the ground.

Fanzines succeed primarily because an existing fanbase is willing and ready to throw money at something they love. They’ve got a favorite writer or artist they want to support. Supporting all the others is just a happy by-product. They also take a HUGE amount of short-term but intense planning that just doesn’t always jive with how some of us work.

I, for one, would never offer to organize a fanzine. I’ll take part in them as a creator, but I’d rather throw myself off a cliff than subject myself to wrangling that many people and dealing with the legal logistics.

When it comes to authors doing anthologies, it'svery much the same. The success of the funding often hinges on having other big-name authors involved whose existing fans will prop up the project. Or having a huge marketing budget.

Most self-pub authors have zero marketing budget. I’m one of them, and I’m under no illusions that my work would not be as popular and self-sustaining as it is if I didn’t have a large Tumblr blog.

When I thank Tumblr in my forewards, I am utterly sincere. Tumblr brought fandom levels of enthusiasm to an unknown work and broke the Amazon algorithm so hard, that Amazon thought I was bot sniping my way to multiple #1 spots and froze my sales rankings.

That’s not the norm. And while I could probably kickstart my own work as an indie creator, that’s because I’ve put literal decades into building up a readership. I’ve been doing this since I was 16 and realized people thought I was funny. I didn’t know what to do with it or if I’d ever actually write anything, but it meant the groundwork was already there (thank you, past-me). I basically fell upward into my success by virtue of never being able to shut the fuck up and wanting to make people laugh. Clown instincts too strong.

New or first-time authors trying to sell their work without that will find it infinitely harder.

All of that aside, even if an unknown author somehow gets lucky and manages to fund their work, there’s still the question of shipping and distribution logistics. Are you shipping everything yourself? Better hope you’re able-bodied and have the time for it. (for reference, it took me months to ship out 300 patreon hardbacks because of my disabilites. It damaged my back and hands. I couldn’t type for several weeks after I was done.)

Are you going to sell primarily at conventions? Better hope you’re able-bodied, have the time and don’t have cripling anxiety about being in large groups...

Also, will selling a dozen to a few thousand copies in one burst be sustainable in the long run as a career? Not for me. Doing things via Ingram and Amazon means I earn a steady trickle of sales for the rest of my life provided the platforms remain and so long as I keep working and can generate interest in the series, not just when I have funds to pay for physical copies to sell. The one-time (in theory) cost of $75 to distribute through Ingram gets paid off pretty quick that way. And it doesn't require the same logistics as doing the popup/crowdfund.

Ultimately, it comes down to what you are capable of but also the type of work you’re doing. If you’ve got an extended network of fellow creatives who will back you or you’ve got a large following elsewhere, doing it like a popup might work for you.

If you’re an exhausted burnout who can’t fathom the short but intense amount of organization that sort of thing requires, not to mention doing it over and over and over... Ehhhhh. No thank you.

[lookitsstevie]

Okay, this is the last post about this situation since this is getting pointless... I'll just debunk every claim they have and then. Ignore them. Since they won't change. they're telling ME to change 😂

This is a screenshot of their newest post, provided to me from another user (clarifying this since they seem to believe I'm some kind of evil mastermind and sending people to look at them....? People don't listen to me, they have their free will! And most of them also had some stories to tell about this user)

Okay let's start from the beginning:

posted untagged porn on twitter : never happened, already explained. Nobody on twitter saw that either

blocked multiple people on twitter : is blocking.... problematic?

'I just know that a blocklist was involved' : so no evidence 😭 I just blocked everyone in that thread, that thread is a blocklist if there is one

'They have posted about me both on Twitter and on Tumblr' : The twitter thing was because of. This (and this confirms that this person is the same user who tweeted this) (also this screenshot was provided from a friend, since they had me blocked already)

Hid their handle (red) and the other artist's name (teal). Well yeah, I had to clarify that it was nothing personal at that point, since this user was claiming I'm... victim blaming them... by.... blocking

On tumblr? Of course I had to say something since... they're..... telling people not to support me while providing zero evidence why

6. 'making up rumors saying that I'm attacking multiple artists' : again.... where. Also in the screenshot above you were actually attacking multiple artists yes

7. 'sending people to look through my account' : as I mentioned above... PEOPLE HAVE THEIR FREE WILL AND THEIR OWN STORIES. Actually I explicitly stated that people should not go interact with them in the last post....

8. 'just try to speak to me' : HOW?? They have me blocked and I won't make a burner account just to speak to them, and as the one who got accused of being problematic I should let people know that is completely false lmao It's not between them and me anymore. Also look at the screenshot above they were already malicious in November 2022

9. 'coming from a grown adult' : This is a weird thing to say because this person... is also a grown adult iirc. Really why are they trying to frame themselves young and vulnerable, they don't even know if I'm actually younger than them or not

Okay! That's all. As I said this is the last post, I'll pin this for a while since this person would keep making up things about me : ) Thank you so much for reading this!

+ Edited to specify that I have NEVER talked to or otherwise interacted with this person before that weird calling out happened - it's possible I answered them when they commented on my art, but the twitter account is long gone and I can't find anything by search. The only interaction was Me blocking them, Twice (bc of course they made another account to follow me when I blocked their first).

Oh wait, they have sent me a LONG twitter dm when the first blocking happened, but when I checked the message I couldn't answer it; Probably they have already blocked me on that account before I answer, or that account already deactivated. I took a screenshot of it then, bc I had no idea why I can't send them messages back so I wanted to consult my friends : )

[kanmom51]

Hi i saw your post about jikook filming and taking pictures of e/o thru the years...i started tearing up a lil bit.

i'm kinda mad at all the jikook blogs that keeps appearing in my feed lately i'm not following any of them but i do follow the #jikook tag, i even blocked some out of anger because they keep saying jikook are distanced and shit over what exactly? because no new SNS media of the two of them for the past few days??? i admit it's a jikook drought but isn't y'all reaction too much? can't we just appreciate their bond without speculating and speaking for their bond without knowing absolutely nothing that's going on in their lives rn? we don't know shit! and that's it! but if there's ANYthing i'm damn sure about it's jimin and jungkook and their love.

i'm really in need of some wholesome jikook accounts that celebrate sweet and lovely jikook moments, i'm new to tumblr so i'm kinda lost...so i followed you ^v^ you seem like a very adorable and fun mom hehe i think i like your space a lot <3

have a good day!!!

Thank you for your kind words @tinygoo  and welcome to my blog.

💜💜

I kind of feel like maybe not all, but most of the 'jikook blogs' that are talking about them being distant were either not jikook blogs to start with or are more about the shipping and not supporting, expecting or feeling owed the content (like these are two puppets and not actual humans living their day to day lives).

I kind of feel like those that talk about them being distant are mostly young and immature with zero to no good loving and long term relationship experience.

But there are also MANY trolls utilizing this insecurity (which I for one don't get anymore - it comes in waves, it is always proven to be wrong time after time, and still it doesn't seem to go away). They hide as supposed jikook blogs or call themselves ex-jikookers, but they were never believers or supporters of the couple to begin with, and you can see it if you stay around long enough and read all their posts or comments. For the life of me, I do not understand people wasting their time and energy to try and convince people that a certain pair are not a couple, not a couple anymore or were never a couple. Like, I believe that JM and JK are a couple. Do I go to TKK accounts and try to convince them TKK aren't a couple, or try to convince them that Jikook are? Nope. I just don't get it.

This story of distant Jikook has been going on for exactly a year now. Starting when they got back from LA.

All while it was the exact same situation - not seeing them together, not having them to interact AT ALL on SM. stories of them being distant, them breaking up, JK cheating on JM, JM being with a new lover, and it goes on and on and on. All total bullshit. All totally baseless made up fanfics. All because people just cannot see them as two normal (yet super talented and successful) human beings actually having a normal long term loving relationship.

And every single time it gains traction, it's proven wrong by their behaviour with each other, things they say or do or even things we hear from other members (cough Hobi cough).

As you said: "we don't know shit". Not what they are doing workwise (apart from a vague knowledge JM is working on his album), what they are doing in their spare time, who they are spending their time with at work and in their free time (out and about or at home).

There is sooooooo much Jikook content, and although I'd love to get some new content, I do understand their need to stay private and silent at the moment.

So, why not enjoy what they have given us up to this point?

Anyway, I'm babbling away here. Lovely to have you onboard. Hope you enjoy the content in this blog, I will do my best to continue to add more and more in the new year too (I feel like it helps with missing them so much).

And I will take this opportunity to wish you and all my readers Happy new year. 💜💜  

#ask #Jikook #Kookmin #Minkook #Jungkook #Jimin #JK #JM

[silens-oro]

Requiem is such an experience!! And Planet is my favorite off of that album! ugh Planets for me is just such a Kylo Ren/General Hux from Star Wars kind of song, I love it so much. OK Sorry but I'm shifting into super fangirl mode because !!!! SAME! I think it's been around the same time for me too! A friend recommended them to me when I was in 5th grade I think, so around late 2008-ish? I was looking for a song for myspace (lmao) and Bat Country was the first one I heard and they've been my favorite band ever since. You're so lucky you've seen them many times, that is AMAZING! do you have a favorite time you've seen them? I was never allowed to go back in the day and when I finally did in 2013 it kinda sucked because of the people I went with so I'm hoping for another chance soon!

MYSPACE! This is digging up so many memories oh my GOD. I had the deathbat as my profile mouse curser and I thought I was the coolest person alive.

I would like to preface by realizing how ancient I sound by Tumblr standards. I am a fresh 29, but I may as well be 60 with the dates I’m mentioning below. That being said, I can talk about this band until I’m blue in the face. I’ve never met another person who is on the same level so I’m screamin’!!

lmao fun fact: Burn It Down was the FIRST music video I ever watched online and it took HOURS to load because I lived in the country at that point and dial up was actual hell. My mom absolutely freaked out when she saw what they looked like (because our massive Dell desktop WAS in the living room for everyone to snoop at what you were looking at).

I lived in California for a very brief period of time when I was 10 and the only friend I had was my neighbor who was my age so we immediately got along. He was really close with his cousin (she was 18 or 19) but she babysat us together often. ANYWAY she worked at one of the really small diy venues the next town over. Long story short, she dragged us to work with her one afternoon to grab her paycheck or something and they were playing that night. I didn’t get to see them play because I was too young and my parents would’ve 100% murdered the poor girl. BUT I did get to meet them outside while they were smoking lmao. It was the most awkward and weird experience back then because I had no idea who they were (they were so nice but also like “who are these children??”) but I look back on it fondly now.

The first time I got to see them was at Warped in ‘05 from a million feet away because my dad (rightfully so) did not let my 12 year old cantankerous self just waltz into the pits. I had zero fear. I was, admittedly, WAY TOO YOUNG to have been there, but it was an experience.

I think my favorite show was seeing them on the Taste of Chaos tour in ‘08. The lineup was bonkers. If I remember correctly it was A7X headlining with Bullet for my Valentine, Atreyu, Blessthefall (Craig had JUST left and their bassist had to do all the vocals. I remember that distinctly), and some J-Rock bands that I can’t remember as support. I went with my (still) best friend and it was the last tour I saw them on before the Rev passed the following year. They pretty much played their self titled album from start to finish with a few of the classics thrown in. Very, very fortunate.

I think the last time I saw them was at Mayhem Fest in 2014?? I went alone and was able to snag a front row spot at the barricade when they opened the gates for it and it was absolutely incredible. Hearing Requiem live absolutely obliterated me. I still get chills thinking about it.

So between ‘05 and ‘14 I’ve seen them maybe 7 or 8 times??? I wasn’t a huge fan of The Stage (will definitely need to give it another try) so they kind of fell off my radar for a bit. I’d definitely like to see them again if I get the chance because I’ve never seen a bad set from them in any show I’ve been to.

Honestly, I’ve learned by going with people who either can’t handle it or are just not fun concert people to go with that I prefer to go to certain concerts alone. If you’ve never done it before, I highly recommend!

#ask #long response #mutual 🖤🦇 #a7x #grandma mish strikes again #was this like hearing grandpa tell his war stories? lmao akcjsnskd #I’ve lived 1000 lives lmao

[literaticat]

Hello! First, THANK YOU SO MUCH for all your helpful advice! You are a great resource and I know I'm not the only one who appreciates your time.

My question regards fanfic, tumblr and traditional publishing. I've written fanfic for over a decade and am honored to have a significant following. I'm also querying my first original novel. I've blogged about the novel throughout the writing process - nothing identifiable to preserve copyright - but now that I'm pursuing traditional publishing, I don't know how to proceed. I'll be writing under a pen name, so I'm not worried about being doxxed, but how do agents/publishers perceive fanfic writers who go "mainstream"? I'm from the generation where fic writer got sued, so the thought of exposure feels very fraught, but I want to share my work with my community - I wouldn't be where I am without their love and support. I also want agents to know that I have marketability.

So far, I haven't mentioned fic in any query and have kept my new twitter account carefully separate from my tumblr presence. Do I need to start from zero on this, or can I bring my community with me into this new chapter of my life?

Thank you!!!

OK, well. I don't think there's one answer here. My suggestion would be that you trust your gut. I don't really think there's any benefit to mentioning fic writing in your query letter -- though I would DEFINITELY disclose to any agent you want to work with when you are having a call.

I don't think it's a problem -- to me, people who are great at writing compelling fic are great at writing compelling BOOKS, and plenty of authors in one way or another got their start writing fic. BUT, I do think it's probably a good idea to talk this out once you are actually in conversation with somebody, rather than bring it up first thing in the query, simply because there is a slight stigma among some agents/publishers who have never read fic, who might think "oh so they just plagiarize" -- but I think that those who HAVE read fic, would likely be much more generous about that and not have any problem with it.

As for how to bring your fan community into the fold. Well. There have been cases, as I'm sure you know, where fic authors who become trad published authors get excoriated online (for plagiarizing, for being 'problematic', for being a 'diva', among other accusations) once they get a book deal / become successful. I am CERTAIN you have seen the stuff I'm talking about.

Which, like, as long as you aren't plagiarizing, or being problematic, or being a diva, I think you're fine -- but you know that sometimes online fans can get like um .... in their feelings about this kind of thing . . . *cough*JEALOUS*cough* . . . I'm sure your fans are absolutely lovely. But you just know that the bigger your audience gets, the more haters you will get, so like -- as long as you are prepared for that.

I sorta feel like the thing to do is make it an "open secret" in your fan community, as it already sounds like it is to some extent -- in other words, don't link to the fic from your "official" author website/twitter -- but if you feel comfortable, DO tell the FIC community your pen-name and "book" twitter handle -- let them come along your journey as you have been it sounds like, being open and engaging and wonderfully generous and all that stuff, maybe giving THEM special inside info or whatever-- and when you actually have a book that is available for pre-order, hope to goodness they come through for you.

Meanwhile, what you tell your agent is everything -- and what they tell your publisher is something like "They have a sizable and passionate online following for their fic writing, and while this book is not set in that world, fans seem to be excited to follow them" or whatever. You can't COUNT on everyone being on board -- like if you have 500k followers, that does NOT mean you will sell 500k books by any stretch of the imagination -- but it doesn't HURT, that's for sure!

Again though -- I'd trust your gut. I don't know you or your fans, so... grain of salt, as always.

[butch-reidentified]

I'm so so so sorry you're receiving shitty asks! Your wedding photos were beautiful, I wish you and your wife a happy forever <3

😭 thank you!! It's okay, I knew conservatives & TRAs would find their way here over that post. It's just frustrating because

1. I would never ever do that to someone. No matter how much I disagree with someone's view points, their celebrations of love and family are off limits in my mind yk? I mean I don't do ad hominems in general. At least I try really hard not to, and to keep disagreements focused strictly on the topic & making my points/deconstructing theirs.

2. I stick to radblr on here 99% of the time. I don't send hate mail, I don't harass or dogpile people (very rare exceptions in extreme cases like people who defend pedophilia), I don't stalk or dox or attack or insult. I rarely even engage in discourse with people on here. Tumblr is the one place I try to maintain a bit of a bubble. So it seems weird to come after me and attack me or try to start ridiculous rumors or drama, or take cheap shots about my or my wife's appearance. Not that they should do that to anyone of course.

The homophobia I expect and "comprehend" in a sense, because those people are always loud and self-righteous and have no boundaries. We had WBC protesters at our Pulse vigils in 2016. I'm used to that. The non-religious, non-homophobia stuff that's just straight up random personal attacks? That, I dont get.

When I made the first post with my face on that thread, someone accused me of being a male posing as butch for clout?? And after a non-wedding-related thread a few weeks back where I'd vaguely alluded to my wife's medical conditions, I got an anon mocking people with those types of conditions (and flaunting a genuinely embarrassing level of ignorance about such things) while also saying she should call herself nonbinary... bc she's a female with certain genetic medical complications who also doesn't perform femininity on a day to day basis, doesn't remove body hair or own a single skirt, etc.

My adoptive mother also has a genetic condition in the same general sphere, and so does a close friend from college. How can you possibly see nothing wrong with insisting people with such conditions (which often are devastating to learn you have, very stigmatized, and impact patients throughout their entire lives) aren't legitimate members of their sex? Honestly it's even a step worse to me than claiming gnc people aren't legitimate members of their sex. For a group who like to use intersex & related/similar health issues as pawns in discourse, they sure have zero respect for the actual human beings who live with those conditions.

Now, tbf, I knew posting our wedding pics wouldn't elicit an exclusively supportive and kind response. I mean who on earth wants to see homosexual feminist women truly HAPPY? My wife gave permission of course, and she understood that as well. Yet people continue to surprise me with the degree of unprompted and totally needless cruelty they display right out of the gate. It surprises me sometimes, and it definitely makes me feel disappointed in people, but it doesn't really upset me. Typically, they're only angry at my happiness because they haven't found their own, or they're immature/sheltered and have a black and white worldview that lacks the nuance of experience, age, and empathy.

I just hope that I'm right about that, and that most, or even some, of the people who do things like that will grow out of it at some point tbh

#always an unreasonably long answer from me lmao #mine #ask #non anon ask #non anon #the rad wedding #radblr

[munsons-maiden]

When did you start writing/really getting into writing fiction?

P.S. You're an incredibly talented and amazing writer. Thank you for taking the time out of your day to write these beautiful stories for us!

Nonnie that's so sweet of you! 🥺🖤 If my stories can help to brighten the day of another person as much as writing them does for me, I'm happy 🖤

The story how I got into writing is a little sad, so I'm putting it under a cut. The short answer is: I started writing (fan)fiction in school back in 2011 and writing (specifically, writing for Loki), helped me deal with a lot and it still does 🖤

I always loved to write little drabbles as soon as I learned how to write but that was in primary school and the older I got, the less I wrote down the stories that were living in my head, because this spark of creativity slowly left. Which was owed to the fact that I've been bullied for a long time, which, even after I'd found real friends when I was 16 and the bullying finally stopped, left scars, because I always felt I had to be perfect to keep these friends and to keep the bullies away, and it eventually made me stop eating as a means to regain some control. I was at ground zero in 2011, and nobody noticed because I was perfect in hiding it. And then, we went to see the first Thor movie and I fell in love with Loki. I felt his pain and this feeling of swimming against this tide that keeps drowning you, and I couldn't stop crying for this character I was/still am so in love with and who didn't get his happy ending. And that's when the spark was back and I started writing fanfiction, to give Loki the happy ending he deserved. It tore my mind from this destructive cycle of self-hatred and gave me something else to focus on and it helped me realize that, if I could love a character as broken as Loki, I could maybe find a way to at least accept myself. Of course it wasn't only the writing of fanfiction which helped me beat anorexia, but it was the wind in my sails on the way, so to speak, and even a decade later, writing is what always helps me chase the demons away. It's my passion, and Loki is and will always be the (fictional) love of my life. Of course I'm writing for other characters as well, and I'm writing stories with characters of my own, but writing for Loki is what makes me happiest 🥰

But sharing my stories with all the lovely people here on tumblr is the cherry on top and will never be able to thank you enough for your support and kindness 🥺🖤

#kiki answers 🎀 #tw bullying #tw ed

[rpbetter]

Hi Vespertine. Sorry to add to the pile, I promise I will send in some writing related things to compensate later. I also misgendered that user in a comment by accident with she/her. I blocked them, but they still looked at my blog, and they made a post that said by using the wrong pronouns, which they thought was intentional and meant to hurt them, I purposefully called them a hysterical woman stereotype. Obviously that wasn't true. I was just going off a comment someone else made on my blog where they used she/her, and I thought I had to correct myself. It was a case where good intentions, even if I was not happy with the user's behavior or expected to talk to them again, I was still going to use the right pronouns, but my intentions were warped by someone with an agenda. I'm sorry to hear you're getting the same heat. I didn't use my rp blog to interact with the user or talk about them because I was sure something like this would happen, either by them or other people like that callout blog, and I think other people had the same idea. I dodged a bullet there, but I'm still paranoid. I'm paranoid I'll hear a notif and see my rp blog in a callout for this, because someone hunted it down, or a callout for trying to talk to the person who started all the drama. Nobody should be scared to talk about someone on their own blog. Nobody should be scared to talk openly, in general. Nobody should be called out for trying to talk with someone either. This culture of fear is so disturbing to me.

Hey there, Anon!

Oh, I would love that, but you totally don't have to, of course. Don't feel bad for adding on, I'm here for anything at all, and honestly, with the job I'm doing IRL right now, it's really hard for me to concentrate well enough on finishing any of the advice posts (at least, to be the quality y'all deserve). It's a hot topic, it's included so, so, terribly many people in the RPC. It's also one that's generating some great, needed conversations. So, it isn't like you're adding to anything bad, annoying or distracting me, or contributing to the inflammatory side of this.

Hell, it's got to be really nice for some of the people in messages I've received to see proof that they weren't alone in this experience. I can keep publishing the hate anons for exactly that reason, and I can promise people they aren't the only ones (in this or in any such horrible behavior), but it's different to see it coming from a third party! So, thank you for that.

Though, I am deeply sorry that you were treated to more than a ringside seat in this debacle.

It's not very encouraging to be thoughtful and respectful of other people when literally nothing you can say or do will result in anything other than more twisting of your words, and that's a big problem I have with this shit. Things like actual transphobia, intentional misgendering, actual infantalization and shit treatment of ND people, actual harassment, etc. etc. etc. matter. It's just more trivializing of real problems for the sake of blowing nonexistent bullshit up, and that is immensely disgusting to me. The fact that you damn well know someone out there has had the reaction to this behavior of, well, fuck you then, fuck trans people is really upsetting.

Like, yeah, let's be real, if you require social rewards to do the right thing, you have some problems lol but at the same time, you know who does require social rewards to develop themselves? Young people. And the RPC is largely comprised of people in their early twenties who, for a variety of possible reasons, are still at that point

Furthermore, no, it's not anyone's job to be good representation at all times, especially when that performance comes at a cost to themselves, but maybe don't go out of your way to be the person that is the necessary push in the wrong direction of someone's formative experience with people of your community. If it's costing you nothing to not clown on serious issues, but is costing the entire world another bigot for you to clown on serious issues, the choice should be a bit obvious here. Whenever you're in a safe place - physically, emotionally - and capable of that kind of logic, exercise it, damn.

It's definitely a better course of action than playing out skewed activism by vilifying innocent people, more worthy of one's effort than losing their collective shit over a very easy mistake. One that I'd say was even less avoidable in your case. AGAIN, how, exactly is anyone supposed to know this shit when they're blocked? When they aren't subverting the blocks they, themselves, put in place? I know for a fact none of them are looking at the information of the people they choose to try to drive out of the RPC, but everyone else is supposed to make zero reasonable assumptions, check and recheck blogs they have made an effort not to visit for good reason. Sounds absolutely reasonable and sane!

So, you know what? I'm going to be even more offensive here and talk for a moment about why these mistakes are reasonable.

When we see a post and reblog it, it's not unreasonable to assume that the OP had knowledge we didn't. Since we blocked the offending party, but they're discussing them. OP uses the incorrect pronouns, we end using the incorrect pronouns as well. This is not malicious intent. It isn't intentional at all, it's just having a discussion. A discussion that wouldn't have even transpired if they hadn't taken it upon themselves to (what a coincidence) take personal issue with a RPer they repeatedly took out of context and decided to shame for it, before proceeding to get an even bigger stick and pot.

When we decide to block a blog, it's our responsibility to stay off of it. Not go looking at it for any reason. That is now off-limits. When someone blocks us, it's also our responsibility to respect that decision, no matter how outrageous it was, no matter what we might need to verify. That's the issue with blocking when we don't exploit how easy it is to get around blocking on tumblr; we've cut ourselves off from any further meaningful communication, including passive communication like rules and posts. Kind of like how you cannot expect an apology to mean a damn thing when you've blocked everyone you harassed, then made that apology in a post on your blocked blog. Don't put up walls you expect people to see through, then get upset when they can't see through them.

As a community, the RPC is primarily afab. That's never a problem to bring up when someone wants to be angry about their female muse not getting equal attention and so on, but it's a problem to discuss any other time, about any other problem. Dealing with the things that we're socially raised to ascribe to as afab people is that problem. It's reflected in our behaviors, interests, and speech. We may not want to live in a gendered world, we may eschew that, but we were raised in a gendered world and it shows. One which has a lot of complications for being that, like almost everyone feeling safer around afab people by default of the All Men Are Bad, All Women Are Harmless bullshit.

We not only know that the RPC is primarily afab, we tend to assume comfort, especially in hostile situations, by assuming those pronouns in others.

And it so does not matter how much any of us like it, some people have more masculine or feminine tones. Even in text. That means neither that someone's gender identity should be disregarded nor that this text-based presentation is correct, but like every other unfair thing that exists, it's a thing. Like you, Anon, you genuinely come across in tone as primarily neutral, slight lean toward masculine. Even if I wasn't inclined to do so, not knowing you and all, I'd use they/them for you instinctively because that's what your speech is giving me. That isn't any more unreasonable than ascribing another set of pronouns based on the same information.

Oh yeah, I know, lurkers, the difference is that they/them is the appropriate choice when one does not know. I know that logically, but people aren't always operating like robots, weirdly enough. We default to a lot of instinctive behaviors, and we aren't always operating at the top rung of cognition either. Being human works like that, it's really that simple and not malicious if you're not reading that into it.

As we're all aware, it is being read into, and your experience is exactly why; you now feel worried every time you get a notif, you've been outed as a supposed transphobe, and while it is incredibly fortunate you stopped this from transpiring on your RP blog, it still transpired somewhere and has had a negative effect. If they find they correct thing or set of things, they can get so many more people to dogpile you over it. Get enough people to do that, make someone miserable enough, especially people who are already going through a hard enough time already, they'll leave.

It is a terroristic act, and it has the effect of all terroristic acts; people are afraid to exist outside of shifting bounds (that shifting is a part of the terrorism). They can't have an opinion, write any muse/topic they wish, be honest on their own blogs, support the "wrong" topics, muns, or blogs. Attacking people for a mistake, not allowing them to address it either, just furthers all of that. It's showing the community what happens when you aren't on the "right" side, even if that isn't even the case. They certainly turn on their own quickly enough.

So, of course, it's a culture of fear and it is disturbing as hell. No one has any right to make someone feel unsafe over fiction or a hobby or a difference of opinion. Everyone has the right to say whatever they want on their own blogs, to talk openly, and yes, to try to talk to others without feeling at risk.

Even if what someone says is genuinely unpleasant. This isn't the way one handles it. By all means, have a problem with something, have a problem with someone, but grow up and talk to them openly, without bringing everyone you can dredge up to join in. I have no issue with people arguing, I have an issue with bullying. If it's your whole goal to harass people without consequences to the end result of deactivation and lockstep behavior from everyone else, that's what you're doing, folks. Bullying.

If you can't win an argument, especially one your own ass began, in any other way than this, you're not engaging in an argument.

#vespertine #answered #anonymous #callout culture #rp harassment

[moonraccoon-exe]

Hey Coon! Idk if you have already gotten a message from me, I was on mobile and the app crashed :°D so I'm writing again just in case. Anyway, I just wanted to say hi and ask how you're doing! Soon I'll be free from exams and will catch up with stuff, including your fics. Also, you made me read Corqi for the first time and wtf, I love it. I've been reading Among Ruins and idk if you saw my comment, but I want to say it again: you've done a great job with that angst, ahah (*uncontrollable sobs*)

ALSKJDFLKAGJ AKLJASKLF GADKLADJFKLASFJ AKLDGJALKFJ ASLKJALKDGJADKLFJ

GAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAASSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSPS

PURRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRKWOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOODDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDD BUDDYYYYYYYYYYYYYYY!!!!!!!

PURRRKWOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOD BUDDYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYY!

YOOOOOOOUUUUUU

PHENOMENAL CREATURE

MADE OF SWEETNESS, YOU KIND AND ADORABLE THING. PRECIOUS AND KIND HOOMAN WITH A GOOD HEART AND NICE WORDS, YOU MARVELOUS WONDER, YOU BEAUTIFUL THING, HOW DO I SMACK YOU WITH LOVE, HOW- I’M THROWING AT YOU ALL THAT ICANFIND BUT IT’S NOT ENOUGH K AJSDKLJGADKGJAK HOW DO I EXPRESS MY AFFECTION HOW DO I EXPRESS MY APPRECIATION HOW

AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAHHHHHHHHHHHHHH

*INSERT GIF OF BIRD SCREAMING*

YOU APPEAR IN MY INBOX WITH NO WARNING, WHICH BLOWS MY OFF MY CHAIR ENOUGH ALREADY BECAUSE DAMN YOUR PRESENCE ALONE BRIGHTENS MY DAY AND MAKES IT SO HAPPY, AND THEN YOU THROW AT ME BEAUTIFUL AND NICE WORDS AND A LOT OF POSITIVITY, AND THEN YOU TALK TO ME ABOUT ONE OF MY FAVORITE FICS AND PRAISE IT!?!?!?!?

AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH

*COMBUSTING*

*MOONRACCOON.EXE HAS STOPPED WORKING AND CANNOT REBOOT*

*will force self to reboot under the cut hnhgfhg*

AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH

PURRRKWOOD BUDDY AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH

I CAN’T STOP SCREAMING AKSJDKALGJ AKLDGJDLKGJSDG

*GOES AWAY TO TAKE A BREATH*

PURRRKWOOD BUDDY

WHAT ARE YOU TRYING TO DO

MAKE ME HAVE A HEART ATTACK!?!?!?!

YOU’RE KILLING ME WITH ALL YOUR SWEET EXISTENCE. ALL YOUR KINDNESS. I still haven’t properly thank you for the you know what you did in PMs, I just- have taken so long because life has either smacked me with stuff to do or I don’t feel I have the proper words or energy to thank you as I want to do it, it’s really still so beyond me and so mindblowing, I still can’t believe it… OTL

aND THEN YOU DROP HERE WITH MORE SWEETNESS THAT FILLS MY HEART SO MUCH, AAAAAAAAAAAAAAHHH, YOU’RE GIVING ME SO MUCH LOVE, MY HEART CAN’T CONTAIN ALL OF IT KLAJSDKLADJG A *SOBS*

Anyways, buddy, off to answer your message!!

D:

GASPS

Do you mean Tumblr ate a previous ask??? fUCK, FUCK- LISTEN-

If you sent a previous ask, it never made it in!! But if you mean in PMs, yes, it’s there!! Just as I said, and I’m sorry because of how stupid it sounds, but I’ve been waiting when I have the appropriate energy to reply to you as you deserve. I’ve let my conversations pile up and I thinkt hat answering the short ones one by one is easier so to not let them pile up, but they keep piling OTL 

So that’s why I haven’t replied. Yours is one of my prettiest conversations and one that I value a lot so I’ve been trying to answer as it deserves, not just with a random “lol kay”, it’s just…taken me a while OTL

So yes! No asks from you other than these two, and the PMs are there, and I hope to answer soon!

If you meant the comment on AO3, it was there too!! Just exactly the day that you dropped this ask I was going to (and actually did) answer that AO3 comment!!! It was a TREASURE! 

The reason behind it is, the early morning (some hours before you dropped the comment) got very bad for me. Some silly thing here in Tumblr that brought me down on the dumps. I don’t know if you saw it, but there was a week I was like…grey? Like not answering with my usual bubbliness. It was because of what happened, I was trying to contain myself (long story short, some people out of fandom found me via another post, and started making fun of my bubbly and toddler-like attitude when I reply to some posts OTL So I felt embarrassed and observed, like people were clicking my username just to spy and see what I was doing and what else I said hnngnhg).

So yeah, that and another little but diverse things made (have made) of the past 2 weeks sort of messy and miserable in a funny way, hahaha, you know, like the little things such as you’ve got soap on your hands and water runs out, etc. Nothing serious, but it still didn’t help OTL

So just like your PMs, because your AO3 comment was SO MEANINGFUL to me and an absolute treasure, I was trying to be back to my happy self before I replied. That’s why it took me like 10 days to reply! I’m so, so sorry!!! :(

ANYWAY I’M TALKING TOO MUCH AND I  JUST REPLIED ONE SENTENCE OF YOUR ASK AHAHAHA ah OTL

HI HELLO MY DEAREST BUDDY, HELLO!!!

It’s so so so SOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO beautiful to hear from you again!!! I promise to get back to PMs soon so we can talk more often, but yes, it’s so nice and dear to see you around again. It makes me SO HAPPY to see you around, you have no idea. You’re a good friend to me and I value you a lot, so it makes me ECSTATIC to hear from you. Thank you so much for saying hello. ❤

I’m doing okay! I’ve healed really good. As said, just minor struggles like silly one-sided crushes and the soap on the hands, dammit, but that’s okay! I’m healed, there’s food in the fridge, I have my puppo doggo and my family, and life is pretty despite the little bumps in the way :3

What about you, my dear friend? Have you been well? Doing alright and sleeping nice?

Hooray for soon being done with exams!!! It hasn’t been THAT long since you dropped this ask, but are you done now? Or not yet? Either way, I wish you the BEST and greatest of success in your exams, buddy!! I know you’re going to do/did phenomenally FANTASTIC. It feels like you work very hard in what you do, so I have no doubts you’ll do great!! Sending you the MOST LUCKIEST AND MOST MAGICAL, HAPPIEST RACCOONIE VIBES FOR SUCCESS AND GOOD RESULTS!! (ﾉ´ヮ`)ﾉ*: ･ﾟ

*mentions Corqi*

*INSTANTLY HIGH PITCHED SCREECH AND COMBUSTING AND EXPLODES*

“you made me read Croqi for the first time and wtf I love it”

*SCREEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEE-

*EXPLODES*

*ASCENDS TO NINTH HEAVEN*

HOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOLY FUUUUUUUUUU AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH

AKSLDJAJFKL AS JFALKSGJALKDJAKLFJAS KLFAKL JGA

*UNCONTROLLABLY SHORT CIRCUITING AND FLAILING ON THE GROUND*

BUDDY

I COULD GO ON REACTING AND SCREAMING FOR TEN PAGES MORE BECAUSE OF THE EXCITEMENT THAT WHAT YOU SAID MAKES ME FEEL, BUT I WOULD NEVER END GODDAMMIT, JUST KNOW- I’M NOWHERE NEAR YELLING ALL THAT I WANT TO YELL AND YOU CAN’T UNDERSTAND ALL THE SCREECHING I FEEL. YOU CAN’T IT’S SO MUCH. MY WHOLE SOUL IS SCREAMING AND SPASMING ON THE GROUND AND FLAILING LIKE ONE OF THOSE INFLATABLE FLAILING TUBE STICKMAN FIGURES KLASJD AGOIJASFLAKSJFA

*dROWNS*

AAAAAAAAAAAAAAHHHHHHHHHH

Aah, buddy!!!! I know I said it already over in AO3, but the fact that you decided to give Corqi a chance? With one of MY fics!?!?!?! IT’S SO WONDERFUL, YOU HAVE NO IDEA HOW HYSTERICALLY HAPPY THAT MAKES ME KALSJDKALJF ;A;

Buddy, I have literally NO idea how to thank you enough or properly NO IDEA. Zero clue, I have no way on this earth to thank you enough or to let you know how excited all this makes me feel, aaah. Among Ruins specifically is a long story that can come off as boring to many, usually rarepairs do much better with short little ficlets to catch the attention. So the fact that you decided to give the pair a go with the longest fic there is for it? Holy celestial moogles, buddy, that is- so incredible, I have no way to put it in words.

Thank you. Thank you, thank you, thank you. I know I may sound repetitive from what I said over in AO3, but really, the fact that you decided to give both the pairing and that specific fic a go jsut because I’ve been talking about it, thatmeans a lot to me, like you have no idea. I already had enough with not knowing how to thank you for the ko-fi, I’m entirely CLUELESS right now. Your support is really…mindblowing and doesn’t fit in my head. I’m not sure I’ve processed it at all, it’s truly mindblowing and leaves me speechless!!

Thank you. I can’t and won’t say it enough times so you feel it. Just thank you. For all your beautiful support. Thank you for giving Corqi and Among Ruins a chance, it really really means a LOT to me! I was very scared it would have poor reception, but it’s done good enough, and the fact that you started reading it and that you’re enjoying? It feels like one of the most exquisite victories I’ve had. I know it’s just fanfiction, but it’s still writing, it’s MY writing, and it means a lot to me that you gave it a chance…

:’)

Buddy, thank you so much. Your support is so huge, it doesn’t fit in my heart. I have no way to give you back all the mountain of love and support you’ve given me, I try but it just feels like every pebble I give you, you return as a mountain aaah!!

Thank you, thank you, thank you. I’m SO happy that you decided to give it a chance!! I have a lot of future plans for that fic, and I’m really excited to write it all, so it means a lot that you’re enjoying of it. :’)

Thank you so much for thinking I did well on the angst, too!! In all honesty I don’t think I made justice to chapter 6 at all, as it’s more a cinematographic in my head and I don’t think the way I put it into words was enough hnhngfnhfg, but it had a good reception so I’m very happy that you people could capture the sadness of the moment!!!

Thank you so much for your kind words. I’m happy I did well on the angst! It was basically the…core of the story? Like the roots. What gives sense tothe rest. So it was important to me that it turned out okay, and I’m happy you think it did. Thank you so much, it gives me so much confidence and makes me so happy

THANK YOU SO MUCH! ❤

Also, thank you lots for giving Corqi a chance!! I did say as half-a-joke half-a-statement that I was going to drown everyone in Corqi, I just didn’t think I would get to do it ahahaha! I’m happy you’re onto the ship now, though. It’s good to have you here!

I do hope to hear from you soon again, Purrrkwood, buddy!!! You’re a delight to read and a joy to talk with, I could never get tired of your presence. Gods, thank you so much for taking the time and effort of writing to me, you have no idea how happy you’ve made me. :’)

But anyways, that’s it, buddy!! Thanks a lot for everything again, and sorry it took me a while to answer!!

AND OF COURSE I’VE BEEN SENDING YOU THE MAGICAL VIBES!!! Even if I don’t answer straight away, I read my asks as soon as I see them there, and do pay attention. So you can bet all seven rings of my tail that I’ve been sending you SPONGEY SQUISHY MAGIC VIBES. Have they worked?

Even then, I do am gonna send more now because there’s something magical about seeing them written, sO HERE I GO

*FOCUSES*

I’M CHARGING UP.

HNN-

HNNNHGG….

STRESSFUL TIMES, HUH. THESE MEAN BULLIES. HOW DARE THEY APPEAR. 

I CAN’T MAKE THEM GO AWAY BUT I CAN EASE IT AND HELP SO THEY EVENTUALLY FADE SO HERE I GO.

I CHARGE UP.

MY SPECIAL VIBES THAT ARE SPECIFICALLY MADE FOR STRESSFUL TIMES.

MAGICAL MOON RACCOON SPARKLES, DELUXE SPECIAL EDITION, ANTI-STRESS VERSION 2.0

HNNHGNHGHG….

CHARGING….UP…..

C H A R G I N G    U P … .… …

ALL THE MOST MAGICAL

STRONGEST

MOST POWERFUL

SQUISHIEST

SPONGIEST

FLUFFIEST

MOST RINGED AND BOUNCY

BUBBLIEST

MOST JOYFUL

HAPPIEST, LUCKIEST

MOST

POWERFUL

RACCOON VIBES

A L L 

FOR

YOU

GGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYY-

AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH

☆*:.｡.☆*:.｡.☆*:.｡.☆*:.｡.☆*:.｡.☆*:.｡.☆*:.｡.☆*:.｡.☆*:.｡.☆*:.｡.☆*:.｡.☆*:.｡.☆*:.｡.☆*:.｡.☆*:.｡.☆*:.｡.☆*:.｡.☆*:.｡.☆*:.｡.☆*:.｡.☆*:.｡.☆*:.｡.☆*:.｡.☆*:.｡.☆*:.｡.☆*:.｡.☆*:.｡.☆*:.｡.☆*:.｡.☆*:.｡.☆*:.｡.☆*:.｡.☆*:.｡.☆*:.｡.☆*:.｡.☆*:.｡.☆*:.｡.☆*:.｡.☆*:.｡.☆*:.｡.☆*:.｡.☆*:.｡.☆*:.｡.☆*:.｡.☆*:.｡.☆*:.｡.☆*:.｡.☆*:.｡.☆*:.｡.☆*:.｡.☆*:.｡.☆*:.｡.☆*:.｡.☆*:.｡.☆*:.｡.☆*:.｡.☆*:.｡.☆*:.｡.☆*:.｡.☆*:.｡.☆*:.｡.☆*:.｡.☆*:.｡.☆*:.｡.☆*:.｡.☆*:.｡.☆*:.｡.☆*:.｡.☆*:.｡.☆*:.｡.☆*:.｡.☆*:.｡.☆*:.｡.☆*:.｡.☆*:.｡.☆*:.｡.☆*:.｡.☆*:.｡.☆*:.｡.☆*:.｡.☆*:.｡.☆*:.｡.☆*:.｡.☆*:.｡.☆*:.｡.☆*:.｡.☆*:.｡.☆*:.｡.☆*:.｡.☆*:.｡.☆*:.｡.☆*:.｡.☆*:.｡.☆*:.｡.☆*:.｡.☆*:.｡.☆*:.｡.☆*:.｡.☆*:.｡.☆*:.｡.☆*:.｡.☆*:.｡.☆*:.｡.☆*:.｡.☆*:.｡.☆*:.｡.☆*:.｡.☆*:.｡.☆*:.｡.☆*:.｡.☆*:.｡.☆*:.｡.☆*:.｡.☆*:.｡.☆*:.｡.☆*:.｡.☆*:.｡.☆*:.｡.☆*:.｡.☆*:.｡.☆*:.｡. ☆*:.｡☆*:.｡. ☆*:.｡☆*:.｡. ☆*:.｡.o(≧▽≦)o.｡.:*☆ .｡.:*☆ .｡.:*☆ .｡.:*☆ .｡.:*☆ .｡.:*☆ .｡.:*☆ .｡.:*☆ .｡.:*☆ .｡.:*☆ .｡.:*☆ .｡.:*☆ .｡.:*☆ .｡.:*☆ .｡.:*☆ .｡.:*☆ .｡.:*☆ .｡.:*☆ .｡.:*☆ .｡.:*☆ .｡.:*☆ .｡.:*☆ .｡.:*☆ .｡.:*☆ .｡.:*☆ .｡.:*☆ .｡.:*☆ .｡.:*☆ .｡.:*☆ .｡.:*☆ .｡.:*☆ .｡.:*☆ .｡.:*☆ .｡.:*☆ .｡.:*☆ .｡.:*☆ .｡.:*☆ .｡.:*☆ .｡.:*☆ .｡.:*☆ .｡.:*☆ .｡.:*☆ .｡.:*☆ .｡.:*☆ .｡.:*☆ .｡.:*☆ .｡.:*☆ .｡.:*☆ .｡.:*☆ .｡.:*☆ .｡.:*☆ .｡.:*☆ .｡.:*☆ .｡.:*☆ .｡.:*☆ .｡.:*☆ .｡.:*☆ .｡.:*☆ .｡.:*☆ .｡.:*☆ .｡.:*☆ .｡.:*☆ .｡.:*☆ .｡.:*☆ .｡.:*☆ .｡.:*☆ .｡.:*☆ .｡.:*☆ .｡.:*☆ .｡.:*☆ .｡.:*☆ .｡.:*☆ .｡.:*☆ .｡.:*☆ .｡.:*☆ .｡.:*☆ .｡.:*☆ .｡.:*☆ .｡.:*☆ .｡.:*☆ .｡.:*☆ .｡.:*☆ .｡.:*☆ .｡.:*☆ .｡.:*☆ .｡.:*☆ .｡.:*☆ .｡.:*☆ .｡.:*☆ .｡.:*☆ .｡.:*☆ .｡.:*☆ .｡.:*☆ .｡.:*☆ .｡.:*☆ .｡.:*☆ .｡.:*☆ .｡.:*☆ .｡.:*☆ .｡.:*☆ .｡.:*☆ .｡.:*☆ .｡.:*☆ .｡.:*☆ .｡.:*☆ .｡.:*☆ .｡.:*☆ .｡.:*☆ .｡.:*☆ .｡.:*☆ .｡.:*☆ .｡.:*☆ .｡.:*☆ .｡.:*☆ .｡.:*☆ .｡.:*☆ .｡.:*☆ .｡.:*☆ .｡.:*☆ .｡.:*☆ .｡.:*☆ .｡.:*☆ .｡.:*☆ .｡.:*☆ .｡.:*☆ .｡.:*☆ .｡.:*☆ .｡.:*☆ .｡.:*☆ .｡.:*☆ .｡.:*☆ .｡.:*☆ .｡.:*☆ .｡.:*☆ .｡.:*☆ .｡.:*☆ .｡.:*☆ .｡.:*☆ .｡.:*☆ .｡.:*☆ .｡.:*☆ .｡.:*☆ .｡.:*☆ .｡.:*☆ .｡.:*☆ .｡.:*☆ .｡.:*☆ .｡.:*☆ .｡.:*☆ .｡.:*☆ .｡.:*☆ .｡.:*☆ .｡.:*☆ .｡.:*☆ .｡.:*☆ .｡.:*☆ .｡.:*☆ .｡.:*☆ .｡.:*☆ .｡.:*☆ .｡.:*☆ .｡.:*☆ .｡.:*☆ .｡.:*☆ .｡.:*☆ .｡.:*☆ .｡.:*☆ .｡.:*☆ .｡.:*☆ .｡.:*☆ .｡.:*☆ .｡.:*☆ .｡.:*☆ .｡.:*☆ .｡.:*☆ .｡.:*☆ .｡.:*☆ .｡.:*☆ .｡.:*☆ .｡.:*☆ .｡.:*☆ .｡.:*☆ .｡.:*☆ .｡.:*☆ .｡.:*☆ .｡.:*☆

ALL THE MAGIC!

*EXPLODES INTO A THOUSAND SNOWFLAKES*

Ah.

Aah…. I’m ded.

bUT THAT’S OKAY! I’ll recharge the magic later so don’t worry about the maccoonie! :D

I just hope the stressful times can ease and calm down, buddy!!! You deserve happy and good times. I hope school treats you nicely, and life even better. Sending you all the magic not just for luck and success, but also they contain all the raccoonie love this maccoonie feels for you, so I hope that if it fixes nothing, you can at least cheer up!

If you need more magic, you tell me, okay, buddy!? (ﾉ´ヮ`)ﾉ

Lots of hugs back to you!! All the squishy, fluffy raccoonie snuggles, have them askldjalkfj, ALL OF THEM aaah!

I hope you’re having a BEAUTIFUL day or night, buddy! Thanks a lot for everything, and lots of hugs back to you!! ( ´ ▽ ` )

#coonreplies #purrrkwood

[earlgreytea68]

Maybe it's bc I'm from a country whose gov wiretapped innocent people they saw as their enemies but I can't believe people PAY MONEY to get spied on so they what? Don't have to press a button?! I'm not angry or anything just absolutely baffled at how many people ACTIVELY choose this dystopian nightmare shit. Things are bad enough already so I just wonder how both those things (anger about fb&owning alexa) fit together. Not attacking you, just genuinely wondering about the thought process (1/2)

Valid question! Here’s my thought process:

First, the Facebook thing is actually less about the collection and sale of my data than...a really, really long tortured relationship with Facebook that needs to end now. Not that I agree with the collection and sale of my data! Because I don’t! But you should know my long history, because I think it explains my thought process. 

I registered for Facebook early, when you still had to have an edu email address. I thought I had it locked down, private, friends-only. Then, a few years later, my boss walks into my office and closes my door and gives me a talking-to about “inappropriate Facebook posts.” To be clear, I was never a person, like, posting topless photos on Facebook or something, nor was I complaining about my boss really. It was more like, “Ugh, I have to work all weekend, sorry I can’t go to this party!” And she was like, “THAT IS PRIVILEGED INFORMATION THAT YOU WORKED ALL WEEKEND.” And I was like, ...how are you even seeing my Facebook, you’re not my friend? So (a) I was spooked, because when your boss yells at you because of Facebook, it’s terrifying, and (b) I was completely bewildered that she could even see my Facebook. Upon investigation, it turned out that at the time (and this was a decade ago), if you put down where you work, EVERYONE who also put that place down could see your Facebook, even if they weren’t your friend and your Facebook was friends-only. (I think Facebook has changed that policy now.)

So, terrified, I deleted my Facebook. But this was back when not having a Facebook caused this whole public outcry thing and my friends freaked out and so I gave in and re-started a Facebook, posting very little because I was terrified. But I still used it. Until I got depressed and started therapy. My therapist told me to keep a stress journal, where I wrote down whenever I felt a spike of stress, and going on Facebook consistently showed up in the journal as a source of stress. So, upon my therapist’s suggestion, I stopped going on Facebook. I still kept it instead of deleting it because I didn’t want people to freak out the way they did the first time, but I stopped using it. 

Fast-forward many years, and in January of this year, I tried to open a Facebook for the psuedonym I use for novels. Facebook immediately flagged me as suspicious and asked me to prove I was me by uploading a photo. And I was kind of like, ....Why do you need my photo? What’s that going to prove? All I can assume is that, of course, they have a database of what we all look like. How they know I’m not just grabbing  a random photo of the person I’m trying to impersonate off the internet is another question entirely. But I was like, Fine, whatever, I don’t feel like fighting with you, Facebook, so I gave up on having a pseudonym page. 

And then I started thinking: Why did I still have a Facebook? I never go on Facebook. All the stuff had happened with the election, so it wasn’t like people would freak out anymore if I deleted it, they’d totally get it. And I kind of no longer wanted to give Facebook bragging rights about how many users it has by counting me when I don’t actually use it. And Zuckerberg’s attitude seemed to be that if you didn’t like Facebook, you shouldn’t use Facebook. I COMPLETELY disagree with this sentiment on his part because I think it completely ignores how many people can’t opt out of Facebook at this point, but luckily, I can opt out of Facebook. 

...Or so I thought. 

Except that I requested deletion of my Facebook, and they confirmed deletion and said I was scheduled for deletion within two weeks, and then...just never deleted my Facebook. Which I only know because they keep sending me emails about me being tagged and people sending me messages (even though I also keep requesting to be unsubscribed from those emails). (And also my friends still on Facebook confirm for me that I’m still on there.) I don’t know if you’ve ever tried to get in touch with Facebook but...you can’t. It’s impossible. Try not being on Facebook and finding ANY contact information for Facebook other than a paper mailing address. If you find the contact info, please let me know!!! They have zero available email addresses, they don’t respond to their Twitter, and the phone number that circulates online is a dangerous scam stealing your social security numbers (which Facebook knows and warns you about but still doesn’t provide you with any way to contact them). 

So my anger with Facebook isn’t just about gathering and selling my data, it’s the culmination of years of mistrust and knowing it’s not healthy for me in general and then BEING DENIED MY RIGHT TO DELETE IT AND BEING RENDERED COMPLETELY POWERLESS. Like, the longer this has gone on, and the longer I have realized that there is literally nothing I can do to get Facebook to delete my account, the angrier and angrier I have gotten. 

So. That’s Facebook. As for the Alexa, well. You’re right. It sits in my house and is probably recording everything that happens in the house. Which is...basically nothing. I’m only home a few waking hours a day because I work full-time. I travel most weekends, so I’m not there on the weekends. I live alone, so I don’t talk much in my house. I have people over maybe two or three times a year, and then I can unplug the Alexa and stick it out in the garage and I feel relatively okay about that???? I might be kidding myself there, but, if worse comes to worst, I can throw the Alexa out entirely, and I think I’m okay. So I feel mostly in control of Alexa and its eavesdropping on me. 

I worry more about the fact that I’m supporting Amazon in the first place, since I disagree with most of Amazon’s policies. I feel really guilty about that and do want to extract myself from the Amazon dependency I developed. My only shopping option in my town was Wal-Mart, and at the time when I moved there a few years ago I thought it was better to support Amazon than Wal-Mart. Now I’m not so sure about that (although I guess the lesson I’ve been learning is that there is no company I really want to give my money to). 

I also worry more about the fact that I have a smartphone than an Alexa. I was very, very late to adopt a smartphone--years and years after everyone else had them--because I was very wary of them. I’m used to them now, but I don’t like how much information the smartphone has on me. I’ve given up a little bit, because I just...did. But the information the Alexa has is tiny compared to how much my phone has. And we all know that we have our suspicions that the phones are listening to us the whole time. And I *do* talk on the phone. I don’t talk much in my house, but my phone is the device I use to talk on (I talk a lot while walking around the neighborhood, waiting between classes at work, etc.). So the phone is getting every conversation I have, not the Alexa. 

All that said: I don’t know that I can completely disconnect now. I shouldn’t have a smartphone, or a Twitter, or a Tumblr, but I decided that at a certain point what I’m really going to strive to do is be conscious about this technology and work to shape it in better ways. Is this naive and idealistic of me? Yes. Undoubtedly. I have nothing I can say to defend myself on that point. I absolutely should just unplug...but that’s difficult to do, and I do feel like (as the EU is trying here) there are ways to make this technology less dangerous. 

Anyway. That’s my thought process. I think we all make the decisions we feel fit what we’ve considered. I don’t care much for Facebook, so it’s easy for me to disconnect (well, it would be if Facebook would let me, which is part of my major Facebook problem). I find Alexa useful and because I don’t do much around it and it’s connected to less stuff than my cell phone to begin with, it doesn’t bother me as much, and I feel like I can change my mind and get rid of it fairly easily. Of course, I could be wrong about that. I always thought I could delete my Facebook at any time, too.  

Everyone might get done reading this and think, Wow, EGT is an absurd human being who makes zero sense. That is a completely true statement. 

#long post #Anonymous

[unending-happiness]

I'm fairly new to this fandom. There has been so much drama going on, and it kind of worries me that a fandom is so divided. In the past, has the drama ever gotten so bad that certain blogs have been targeted? I've been a part of some fandoms where that has happened.

Hi Nonnie! Welcome! I’m guessing when you say “fandom” that you mean Shadowhunters in general and not just Malec fans, but I’m not sure. Full disclosure, I like to be honest and use lots of words, so lotsa words coming at ya. The truth is that there is no easy answer to this question. I’ll tell you what I know about fandom and drama from my own experience. I’ve been here about a year. I’ll answer this in three parts. (right?! I’m ridiculous)

First: Drama

*sighs* There is ALWAYS drama. Drama Here. Drama In other fandoms. (Which it sounds like you know well) Drama in real life. I know it varies and I have heard some say that SH is way drama heavy while others have said that other fandoms were equal to or worse. Drama happens. People tend to be opinionated. A lot of the time they put stuff out there without thinking of what others will feel about it. People often lack empathy, especially online. My advice on drama both on Tumblr and in life and what I tell my children is this:

You do NOT have to participate in drama. You don’t have to take the bait of someone talking about your favorite character, ship or actor. You don’t have to answer that vile anon. You don’t have to even see any of it. You can unfollow, block, blacklist, whatever it is that you need to do to avoid drama if you so desire. You do not have to give weight and power to negativity. You don’t have to give it oxygen or space. 

That being said, drama and discourse are two different things. I find that I enjoy respectable, well thought out discourse, and so I follow some blogs who are opinionated and I like reading their opinions on how the show could have done some things better, or their character metas. It’s no surprise that a lot of these blogs are writers. Writers, by-in-large, are people who think critically and are careful and measured with their words, because they know the weight and power words can have. Some people don’t like discourse at all, which is fine, so I try to tag mine so it can be avoided if people don’t want to see it. I find that even if I’m not participating in the latest heated argument, I am generally curious and at least want to know why people are carrying on. So I will look things up and see what they are saying. 

For example - yesterday I could see a few people on my dash talking Dom and his Malec comments (intelligently and calmly), but I didn’t know what it was really about, so I wanted read Dom’s interview quotes again. So, (as usually is the case) I knew something was going on, but I saw no real hate or drama on my dash. I searched Dom’s tag looking for his original interview to see what his actual words were. And……I got exactly 4 disgusting posts in before I hit the close button, retreated back to my turtle shell and just messaged a sweet friend asking if she had the interview. So I do SEE it. I know it’s there, but as far as drama on my dash there is pretty much zero. Discourse, about 10%, because I enjoy a good discussion. And what I see I go looking for. Sometimes my curiousity makes my life difficult. But that was my CHOICE to go looking. It’s largely about choices. I choose to follow amazing, kind, sweet, artistic, talented, joyful, loving people. Many of those have followed me back. And my fandom experience is wonderful because of it.

Second: Targeting

I know much less about this than I do about fandom drama. The very definition of targeting is 

a person, object, or place selected as the aim of an attack.

I suppose, based on that definition that, yes, I guess I have in fact seen people targeted in this fandom. Humans can be absolutely terrible and so full of hate. And the SH isn’t in a protective bubble. So, while I have never felt targeted myself, but I have seen my mutuals experience this. Others have indeed selected them to be on the receiving end of their hateful words. Now, what I have seen wasn’t a whole bunch of people attacking one person. It was just one or two attacking one or two. But even that has been very uncommon in my experience. And I don’t know if that is just because of the people I follow or if that is the case with the fandom as a whole. I tend to believe it’s the latter, only because I follow such a wide range of SH blogs with many different personalities, and still don’t see it.

In general the correlation I notice is that the more opinionated you are as a blog and the more discourse you put out, the more opinions you get back. These opinions are frequently in the form of anon asks. The larger blogs also get more nastiness sent their way, because they have a larger audience. I feel like all of this is to be expected.

I’ve had friends delete hateful asks without answering and I’ve had some answer them eloquently and with much more tact and respect than the person doing the attacking deserved. I’ve even known a few who have had turned anon asks off because off temporarily because people were saying terrible things. It all varies based on what the person running the blog can and chooses to do. I’ve followed blogs who get hate spewed their way because they love and defend a certain character, so “fans” of the other character will say nasty things. But, in all of these cases, the hate of a few is largely overpowered by the love of many. All of these people have wonderful friends and people who defend them, support them, and help them. And it is largely diffused because of how they choose to respond. 

Have I seen people attack others? Yes. There are some who will attack others simply because they can. They don’t even need a reason. And is there ever a valid reason for hate anyway? No. Definitely not. And people love the “my thing is better than your thing” drama. Or “your thing is problematic” drama. Do I have strong opinions about my ship? Sure. But I don’t need to hurl them at every person who believes differently. It isn’t necessary or productive. I know nobody could change my mind about my ship, so why would I try to change the opinion of others? Why would I want to?

I personally, have not seen any extreme cases of targeting. Anytime I’ve seen someone get hate, I’ve also seen many come to their defense, and it’s made me proud to be in this fandom. I have heard about extreme targeting happening with blogs who ship a certain less popular ship,  but, I also follow blogs who ship this ship and they seem to have lovely friends and a great support system and I haven’t seen them be attacked. I don’t have much personal experience with this, so it’s hard to answer, but it is my experience that you tend to get back what you put out. If you are confrontational and attack others, then yes, you will get attacked. If you like discourse, you will get discourse. If you wanna just sit on a fluffy marshmallow all day and die of fluff and feels, then you will die of sugary sweetness. I prefer Death by Daddario and Mauled by Malec and I get it daily. It’s fantastic!

THIRD: Tips for a positive fandom experience

This is what I do to make my fandom experience positive. I like kind people. They are my jam. I want nice asks, Tumblr hugs, endless beautiful photos of Matt in my inbox, art and fics from sweet and talented people, all the yelling about Malec greatness, people who support each other, intelligent discussion, empathetic humans.

Full disclosure: I get emotional. I have opinions. I am a serious Malec shipper. I’m on the board of the Alec/Matt Protection Squad. I speak fluent sarcasm. And because of this I’ve gotten the occasionally salty anon. Salt returned. Fair enough. I do make mistakes and I am sure I’ve upset someone before. I also apply this same standard to my friends. I know they aren’t going to be perfect.I know they will have bad days and have a raw emotional response occasionally. They are human and I expect this. Fandom has been a learning curve. But, I try really really hard to be positive and kind. Some hopefully helpful tips.

-Don’t follow just anyone. If I think I might want to follow them, I’ll scroll pretty far down on their blog to see what they post/reblog. If I see hate or negativity, then I’m out of there. I give it 2 posts. If I see even 2 in 50, then I don’t want to be there.

-It’s ok to unfollow anyone. If I do follow someone and I see them posting things hating on other people,  ships, actors, whatever it may be. (not discussions, just words meant to hurt people) then I usually give it about 3 times, and I unfollow. No big deal. I don’t want to see it so I don’t see it. I don’t care if it’s a large blog or a small one or who the person is. It isn’t personal. And NO it is not my responsibility to try and correct the bad behavior of every person who ships the same couple I do. I don’t like when people say that you have a responsibilty to do that. You don’t. I’ll do my part by spreading positivity and light.

-Block anyone who makes you feel unsafe. If I see a person attacking someone on a post or their blog, whatever it may be, I immediately block them as a preventative measure.

-Blacklist anyone/anything. There are times within the fandom that discourse gets to even me,especially if it’s one of the characters I love, So for instance, if a character I love is being heavily criticized after an episode, I will just blacklist either the people saying the things or the relevant tag for a bit. Tumblr savior is your friend. Use it. 

-Keep scrolling. My first reaction to anything that pisses me off or upsets me is to keep scrolling. I don’t need to chime in. I don’t need to start an argument. That person can put whatever they want on their blog and so I Alec level eye roll that shit and move on with my day.

-Talk to trusted friends. If a post just eats at me and I need to discuss it, then i’ll send it to a friend I love and trust. We will discuss it, go back and forth on it, she will talk me down from the “but I really want to set this person straight ledge” and we move on with our days. (my poor bestie is an angel). Amazing friends are so helpful in fandom.

-Think. Before I reblog ANYTHING, I try to think of how it will make my followers feel. If they ship a certain ship or like a certain character, and I post this how will they feel about it. If I think it’ll make someone feel upset or alienated, I scroll on by. If I like and appreciate the humor, sarcasm, sentiment, but I’m a little torn about reblogging it and not sure how people will take it, then I’ll just like it and not reblog.

-Extra think. Same but extra gets applied to posting something of my own. I think about every way that anyone can take it or be hurt by it. And I also think of how I’ll respond if someone reacts badly. I think about my wording, people of other ships, etc. This is original content you are putting out into the world that will get reblogged. You can never get rid of it once it’s out there. Every. Single. Time. that I have said “this will probably get me a salty anon” it has. Every time. I know before I even put something out there what it will most likely bring back. In those cases I have felt that me expressing my opinion on that matter was worth the salty anons. And I’ve never regretted one. I tend to be very sarcastic and opinionated in my tags, because most likely the only people seeing those are my followers and if people follow me they know how I am and they also know where the unfollow button is, so that’s more of a safe space. But, I have gotten anons who specifically referenced my salty tags. 

-Respond carefully. Speaking of salty anons.(I’ve never gotten hate, thankfully) Yeah, you could think of it as this person is coming to your door and being confrontational about what you put on your own damn blog and they are hiding behind anonymity to boot, so really I should be able to say whatever I want back. Right?! No. I push that feeling down and  I respond very carefully. I consider their opinion and their pov. I always tell them I have done as much. I stand by my original opinion, which is easy because I’ve thought it through before I posted, and I am understanding, and tell them that it’s ok if they disagree with me. I do this especially if I think they are trying to bait me. Thanks but no thanks. I’m not about that. I am so extra about this that I have my beta bestie read through a lot of my responses to anons before I post them. Just to be sure I’m not missing anything and I’m giving off the sentiment I want to give off. This formula is pretty good because I’ve never gotten a “level-up” on angry from an anon yet. (knock on wood) I think most often they really just want you to know they were irritated and that you upset them. It’s cool. Message received.

-Tag spoilers and discourse. Maybe not always, but I try really hard. This helps so much. People may follow you but not be able to stand discourse.

-Flood negative with positive. If someone is being mean to someone I follow I block the meanie, and then I yell nice things at the person being attacked. I also send them a sweet ask. I often will also send them a message with support. Light drives out dark. Period. I don’t address the hateful person directly. I do this with the cast and their s/o as well when they get hate. I just send them nice things. It’s easy. Don’t feed the trolls. It only makes them bigger and more angry.

-Spread love. If you love someone’s fic–tell them. If you love someone’s art–tell them.  Reblog the shit out of that with nice tags. If someone’s tags make you happy–tell them. If you think someone is sweet–tell them. Anything nice that goes through your brain. SAY IT LOUD. I cannot stress this enough. If you are shy, just do it on anon. People appreciate that. Love wins, always. 

-Surround yourself with good people. This is the most important thing for a good fandom experience. I have some of the very best friends I’ve ever had in my life because of this fandom. They are amazing people. Some of us are very different and I don’t always agree with them, but I do agree with their methods, their kindness and generosity, with their love and support.

SO, anon. I’m sure you are probably like, wtf is this?! I never asked for a damn novel, crazy!!! And so I’m sorry for this stupid long response. But, this isn’t an easy answer. And I can’t tell you about darkness without telling you how to drive it away. This is all stuff that people around me helped me do when I first started my blog and it’s been such a help. 

I hope this helps and please feel free to send me any more questions you have. Also, I would be more than happy to rec you some positive and kind blogs, if you wish. I follow a lot of Malec, and I’m not sure if you are a Malec fan or not, so I’m not doing that now. But if you tell me what kind of blogs might interest you, I would be happy to rec some! Thanks for asking. I hope you have a beautiful day. I hope your experience in this fandom is fun and wonderful and you don’t get dragged down by the bad side. The good side is so so so so great. Totally worth navigating the shit storms imo. Welcome. I LOVE THIS FANDOM.

:)

#anon #asks #answers #long post #thanks nonnie #i hope this helps #welcome to the fandom! #let me know if I can help in any way #or if you have more questions #sorry for this long ass post #im really passionate about this