#i probably won't follow many league blogs back tbh

[mypoisonedvine]

Hey! Also a fellow writer who posts series on Tumblr (AO3 too).

Same as you, probably, I get likes, mostly likes/kudos and very little comments/reblogs. And I understand, as a reader myself, it is easy/convenient to just double tap or click a button and keep scrolling. And I think, that's what most people do - they consider likes to be feedback.

I think it is important to consider that younger Tumblr users might not know that this is a reblogging platform. A few likes won't do much for exposure (or even feedback - it's like being left on read tbh), but a reblog will make that post branch out like a pureblood wizard's family tree, attract more feedback & will be a godsend if the reader not only reblogs but also adds appropriate tags (hence the "big in [tag]" thing the discover page has), however tagging takes time, is annoying etc etc

I don't support guilting or obligating people to interact with fanworks in any kind - please don't misunderstand! However, a lack of consistent feedback may cause a writer's block or just a loss of interest in posting in the author.

It may be helpful to add a "hit that reblob button if you like my story" every now and then in the header of your fics. It takes 3x the amount of time as pressing a like and - to be honest - as a reader, blogs that just have fanfic reblogs, even without tags, are one of the most I enjoy. So many great authors.

Another coupla tips on gaining an audience:

>> periodic masterlist/masterpost reblogs, I'd say about once in 6 weeks; a single masterpost reblog once a story is finished if your story has it. I occasionally reblob stories that did particularly well or have a larger fandom (ex. Tony Stark vs Loki fandom - I have two Loki stories but they brought in people who are Tony stans too).

>> check out any challenges/bingos/etc your followers or just larger blogs host. participating in them will give you a good shout-out. most writers love to hype up their fellow writers so you may even get a mutual out of this!

>> dark or yandere themed blogs usually attract a large following buuuuuuuttt.... the admins deal with really nasty shit :( there's a community for that (I'm not a part of it) so if you're into that I can drop some @s in your inbox

Hope you don't mind this wall of text from a Tumblr dinosaur 🦖🦖🦖

yes, sadly I've been here long enough to see tumblr lose its identity as a blogging platform and turn into an endless scroll platform like pinterest or instagram.

there was a time when tumblr was in the same league as blogspot, blogger, or wix. it was designed as a platform for bloggers back when that was a lot more of a 'thing'. and it was one of the most creative, unique, supportive communities online for years.

then Yahoo came along and killed the personality that tumblr was known for. then SESTA (Stop Enabling Sex Traffickers Act) brought on the porn ban and a fifth of the users left.

so I'm not surprised people don't understand what tumblr is for, even if I think there are enough "reblogs are important" posts to make it obvious by now. I've been here since 2013 (with the same blog the whole time! my main has a lot of backlog) and it's odd to see how much it's changed. but every reader and commenter means so much to me.

keep in mind that on the app, you can quick reblog by just holding down the reblog button and swiping to whatever blog (if you have multiple) you would like to reblog it to! it's not harder than liking!

I'm not worried about gaining an audience so much as keeping it, really. I just fear that the drop-off in series represents something lacking in the writing!