#just takes some practice to learn

[ellaenchanting]

WHAT IS MINDFULNESS VS HYPNOSIS ACCORDING TO ELLA ENCHANTING (haver of opinions)

One misconception that I often hear amongst hypnosis geeks is that "mindfulness" is basically a normie-safe word for "hypnosis"- that hypnosis and mindfulness practices are essentially the same thing.

This is a hard misconception to disprove- in fact, "hypnosis" and "mindfulness" are often defined really vaguely and in different ways by different people so- they could often very well be refering to the same thing!* I know when I first learned about mindfulness practices, I dismissed them as "just" repackaged hypnotherapy- something I already knew a lot about. However, in doing so, I was neglecting ideas that turned out to be a really useful self-improvement tools.

If you're of a similar mindset, drawing a distinction between the two may also be really helpful for you.

MINDFULNESS:

So, the end goal of mindfulness is learning a kind of grounded way to self reflect. It's a potentially really helpful skill for people who get caught in thought spirals** or overwhelming emotions. A big goal for people learning the skill is to be able to observe thoughts and emotions without entirely buying into them OR dismissing them. Let's say I have a train of thought that keeps looping in my head- I'm worried about something stupid I said yesterday at work, for example. Imagine that train of thought is an ACTUAL train- maybe a toy train running on a looped track. Normally, when you're having the work worries it's like you're on that thought train- riding it around and around in circles while you're getting increasingly anxious and kind of limiting yourself from doing other things. With mindfulness practice, the goal is to get you OFF the train- it's not gone, but you're kinda watching it from the sidelines instead of ON it. It's still happening but with a bit of distance you can see the thoughts more clearly and better take care of yourself while that thought track is running.

Another example- let's say I have a big feeling. I'm going to pick overwhelming shame***. In mindfulness practices, the goal is usually not to ignore the shame or entirely give into it but to be able to sit with it and understand it without DROWNING in it. So, in that state of mind, I might sit with the shame and kind of question why it's there and what it wants from me. I might find some kindness for myself as someone who is experiencing shame (which is harder to do when I'm more inside it). I might work to conceptualize the shame differently- what does it look like, what sounds does it make, etc. In that way, I'm paying attention to an emotion that might be helpful- but not overly giving into it.

If I were teaching someone mindfulness techniques, the goal there is for them to be able to use the techniques entirely on their own whenever they need to. I'm not really trying to overly influence or control what's happening for them- I'm keeping my language as permissive as possible and encouraging them to accept whatever comes up. "Notice what's there without feeling like you need to change it" is a common mindfulness instruction. The practice encourages curiosity and bravery in the face of the overwhelming STUFF of life.

HYPNOSIS:

There are lot of different ways people do and experience hypnosis- and I'm definitely not going to be able to address all of them here. But, at least in kink, my goal in hypnotizing someone is to directly influence their thoughts. In fact, when I'm hypnotizing someone, a lot of my "induction" is convincing someone that I'm already in their head- that they're responding automatically to my suggestions. There's the kinky control fun of that and also the mutual shared feeling of intimacy- we're so close we could be one. (Or, in more D/s-ey terms, we're so close that now you are an extension of me!) In 101 classes you'll learn about the pacing and leading technique- basically matching your subject's experience and then taking them a step further. (Ex. You're reading my words and focusing on the screen and that reminds you to take a deep breath NOW.)

Explaining it by cold control hypnosis theory****, during an induction I'm helping someone kind of flip OFF their awareness of their agency- creating the illusion that things are happening internally because I'm MAKING them happen (and disguising the part where they're in complete control of their actions).

Especially in kink, what we're doing in hypnosis play is often a really conscious power exchange. You're giving me power over your thoughts because you want me to have it. I direct them where I want them to go and away from where I don't want them to be (ex. the actual reason why you're relaxing is, in part, because that's a natural thing that happens for most people when they close their eyes for more than a few seconds). (That's an excellent babysitting/parenting pro tip from me to you btw.) It's not that subjects aren't actively contributing their own images/ideas/metaphors/desires to the suggestions and play (really often they are!) but usually their whole goal is to be directed.

Even in hypnotherapy, that directedness and control is implied. You're not coming on (nearly) as strong as you would in kink, but your goal there is usually more in direction (with teaching self hypnosis techniques as an added bonus).

Sometimes the hypnosis and mindfulness methodologies can be incredibly similar with really subtle differences! For example, I might start a mindfulness-teaching body scan in the same way that I might start a progressive muscle relaxation induction- "Go ahead and get into a comfortable position and close your eyes". But continuing with the hypnosis induction, I'll usually be more directive ("Notice your feet. As you're noticing them, imagine sending a wave of relaxation down to your toes.") whereas with the body scan I'll be more exploratory. ("Notice your feet. What do they feel like? Are they hot or cold? Do they want to move or stay still? Whatever is happening for them right now is fine- just notice them") The pmr induction is intended to move someone into a suggestible state, the body scan is intended to teach someone a particular mindset and focusing skill they can use later. *****

Like I stated before, things that I consider "hypnosis" ideas and techniques and "mindfulness" ideas and techniques get mixed up all the time- with both lay folks and the actual professionals who teach them. There's a lot of surface similarities. "Mindfulness" has become such a therapy and corporate buzzword that it often DOES become synonymous with things like guided relaxation. Both concepts are vague enough that there's a lot of things that can easily be either/or- I'm thinking self hypnosis specifically here******. But- I hope if you're curious about mindfulness at all, you'll find this explanation useful and will maybe go out and explore some helpful resources for yourself.

Good mindfulness 101 books:

Full Catastrophe Living- Jon Kabat Zinn

The Mindful Way Through Depression- J. Mark G Williams et all

Just an FYI here at the bottom- like all self-help techniques, mindfulness stuff can be extremely helpful to some and not at all helpful to others. If it hasn't been personally helpful to you that's fine! I hope you've found some other things that are. Also, you can feel free to take my self help advice just as seriously as you would of any other kinky fetish blogger. :p I'm not your therapist, feel free to check in with them about things that might help you.

*I think people expanding the definition and ideas around both of these can be really helpful, in fact!

**Of the not-fun kind

***You know, like I normally do

****One of many hypnosis theories! And often not the best one for kink! If hypnosis doesn't feel like this for you, that's perfectly ok!

*****OK, in actuality both probably do both things! But the emphasis is different.

******A big difference in my mind- if you discover pain or discomfort, hypnosis-style techniques are usually directing you away from that while mindfulness-style techniques are usually directing you towards curiousity about those things.

#mindfulness #hypnosis #hot takes #I'm a bit pedantic on this one #but that’s because I think mindfuless can truly be helpful #just takes some practice to learn #curious to hear any thoughts people have!

[carnivalcarriondiscarded]

*posts this and runs away. i trip and fall into an open manhole, dying instantly*

#incoherent noises etc etc gotta say the line: Theyre In My Brain #fuck dude they sure are!!! they sure are. #oh my god when did it become seven. i forgot to sleep again. gonna make a breakfast taco instead #but yeah uhhhhh come get some laughingstock crumbs #pspspsps cmon take the morsel #tumblr is pigeons to me <3 #scribble salad #welcome home #laughingstock #yassified howdy <3 #can yall tell i never practice drawing kissing. like never. ever. lmfao #its never been part of my skillset but by Fuck i might buckle down and add it #ive just never had to learn!!! #for my entire life ive drawn primarily dragons - i actively avoided people! #and dragons dont have the facial anatomy to kiss 'traditionally' #so i simply never practiced or even attempted #i only started seriously drawing people a couple years ago #and scribbling characters making out is very far from my top priorities in Learning #even though i taught myself how to draw. hm. other things. somewhat. #my priorities are a mystery even to myself #Anyway anyway im tired and rambling and that taco is calling to me like the sweetest siren #and babey im ready to Drown #agh no wait im not done yet #puppets are honestly really difficult in this aspect #like??? their faces are so flat??? their noses are Strange? how push together???? #dont get me started on the intricacies of perspective and im not sure how to tilt their heads properly yet #so for now Cringe!!! Cringe Alert!!!! Cringe on Main!!!! #sometimes i need to remind myself that it doesnt matter if i dislike pretty much everything i scribble. someone will dig it.

[fishyartist]

Ui idea tests, thrown together bc im eepy. Was planning on doing more but I spent all my days energy on the second one oops

#Danny phantom #I need to draw more or I’ll die <- guy who’s meds exhaust them #writing is so hard how do u not make everyone sound like you through a bad filter #Ik that’s unavoidable in some ways (like how art style will always look like u did it+not someone else) #but ugh. I’ll figure it out eventually takes practice+learning+all that #was planning on writing today but then I though ‘huh it might b fun to make some fake ‘’screenshot’’ concepts #also the portal basement has a more complex design but again #eepy #I think the gimmicky MySpace-inspired boxes r fun but idk how well I could keep that theme going w/ some characters #I also never used MySpace so that’s maybe just a kill issue #*skill lol #the command prompt one would basically just be for the portal #I keep saying that this project isn’t feasible buy my hyperfixated ass keeps trying anyways

[berrybore]

I feel like people who think Percy should have done more to convince Nico to stay in the the 4th book, don't fully realise that Camp isn't a safe place for those who aren't accepted. Not only had Percy been initially shunned by his fellow campers when his parentage had been revealed, being at camp had put him under the radar of the gods, and in close quarters with one god. Percy hadn't had a choice when it came to his first Quest, he either had to leave Camp or get turned into a dolphin. It was lucky that he chose to go on the Quest, because nobody, except maybe Grover, would have helped him if he'd been forced to flee. Not only would Nico have had to deal with the campers' fear, he would have been a sitting duck for the gods, either to use or destroy. That's why, when Percy got the chance in The Last Olympian, he advocated for him, and got him a place in Camp, so nobody could doubt that he belonged there, or was worthy of respect.

Exactly. Percy had a pretty bad experience at camp for the first three summers he was there for three different reasons (being claimed that first summer that set him apart from the crowd, getting bullied in the second summer for having a cyclops for a brother, and Thalia coming back made people completely ignore him in favor of the daughter of Zeus, the new shiny prophecy kid). He knows what it’s like to be an outlawed demigod and he wouldn’t force anyone else to live the same circumstances he did. Especially since Hades already doesn’t have a good standing with the gods or their children. Notice how he was immediately blamed for the theft of the master bolt. And of course he would have had to stay there full time since he doesn’t have a mortal address so like you said he’d be under the gods’ thumbs 24/7 and made to prove his loyalty to Olympus by going on stupid quests, if not outright killed. In ttc, the Olympians almost had Percy executed just for existing, the only reason they didn’t is because Poseidon threw his weight behind him. Somehow I don’t think they hold Hades in such high regard and even if they did, Hades himself didn’t hold Nico in high regard until much much later so yea he’d be dead one way or the other.

But yea no dumping on Percy for knowing all of this is and recognizing it as a sad reality because it was his sad reality as well is not the hot take that some people think it is.

#I do think that Nico could have made some friends there after tlo if he gave it a proper chance #I know some people might have been put off by him #but he also isn’t very sociable #and approachable so he probably didn’t try to make friends either #making friends is a skill it takes time and practice #he just kinda gave up on himself and resigned himself to the whole I’m the son of the god of the dead no one wants me #if propel learned to be cool with Tyson a literal monster and Mrs O’Leary another literal monster #they would have warmed up to him #pjo #Percy jackson #Nico di Angelo

[sergle]

Hey Sergle, how does one learn how to draw? Like, I am in my 20s, can barely draw a stick figure, and feel overwhelmed whenever I try to look up tutorials. Do you have any advice on how to start?

my Unprofessional advice on how to start in earnest, is to do it the way little kids do when they start learning to draw! which is to not approach it as learning at all. sitting down and scribbling out whatever comes to mind, reading a book or watching a movie and trying to copy the way the characters are drawn. draw a page full of cats. do it while you watch tv. doing all that w/o the Grown Up impulse to be embarrassed that you're new at a skill.

#I don't care if this advice isn't structured- i think this is the more fun way to learn! #I could send you a masterpost with links on tutorials and How Tos and Beginner Guides For Dummies etc but that's not.. the way I think #that it should work. #you could take a class or follow tutorials you find on yt and that's fine too. but like you said #it's overwhelming that way. bc then it feels like homework. and then it feels like there's a Certain Way to do it #and if there's a certain way to do it then that means there's a wrong way to do it. #oh the second part of this advice is to use physical art supplies. digital art is amazing #but traditional art and the practice of putting ink to paper is satisfying in a tactile way that digital art isn't #and you don't have to Set Up any art program to have the exact like. tablet settings you want #idk baby you should just pick up some art supplies that inspire you and get the ball rolling #steal some watercolor from hobby lobby if you must! paint some flowers. or some shit! have fun! #sergle answers

[fisheito]

my princess nonsense is being encouraged watch ouyt imabout to be eneaabled

OK WHATF ATHAT'S SO CUTE I HAD TO MAKE IT i know realistically there's little to no chance that rei DOESN'T know how to work heels 🤣 BUT IMAGINE.....ING.... YAKUMO GENTLY GUIDING REI IN HEELS, WEEKS BEFORE THE BIG GALA AND HAVING NONE OF HIS NORMAL FEAR OF PHYSICAL TOUCH BC HIS [TEACHER MODE] IS OVERRIDING HIS INSECURITY

#rei looking directly at the camera like why are you subjecting me to this. i do not need any of this. i know how to do it #rei wearing stilettos the size of your head so he becomes ur very tall bird goth gf #you know how yakumo gets when he instructs someone on how to cook something #he becomes confident and just tells ppl how to do stuff without his usual amount of stutter and secondguessing #i'm gonna pretend that after his stiletto training in misty vale he gains a TINY MOLECULE of confidence due to experience #like [i can help you if you've never done it before?] #honestly i can't imagine this scenario happening because i am so SURE that rei can walk in heels HAHAHA even tho nothing has proven that #SOMETHING COME PROVE ME WRONG SO MY DELUSIONS CAN SLIDE CLOSER TO POSSIBILITY #anyway even if rei didn't know how to wear heels #would he ever mention it? would yakumo ever learn of it? #rei would probably be all . i don't need to wear heels. they can't even see them under the dress. i'll wear my practical shoes #but if he can't get away with that and will be forced to wear heels at the party... #maybe he'll go [meh. i'll figure it out] and just not wear them until the day of the dance #at which point his feet will hurt after 20 minutes and for the whole night he takes any chance to sit down #rei can be frequently spotted on SOME surface SOMEWHERE in the palace. sitting all splayed out and uncaring of propriety #because he is in PAIN and these shoes are STUPID and why do people wear them for ANYTHING . Royals are so IMPRACTICAL #yakumo keeps trying to avoid heels for the dance because he doesn't want to be any taller than he already is #i bet there's a full convo about it between him and eiden #eiden trying to reassure him that if he wants to wear heels then he shouldn't let others' perception stop him from doing so #but if he genuinely doesn't want to wear them then that's ok too #eiden craning his neck up at yakumo in heels like you're my pretty princess 1-2 heads taller than me your height doesn't matter 🥰 #i'm now torn. yakumo and rei both wearing heels now? in order to stay at similar heights? #or. rei starting out with heels. getting tired of them. going barefoot for the rest of the night lol #yakumo and rei still dancing in their ballgowns together but a much shorter rei leads a yakumo in heels #yes. yes this is the vision #yakumo #rei #yakurei #replies

[cherry-alive]

Most of the time it's not that big of a deal, my symptoms are mild and I have ways to work around it in most areas. But sometimes my lack of coordination and fine motor skills is really really annoying. I feel really happy when I look pretty, and want to do things like braid my hair or paint my nails or wear makeup or put on clip-on earrings or do jewelry clasps or do up little buttons or whatever. And I can't do any of that stuff easily, and some of it I can't do at all. I don't have the tremor in my hands I had when I was on lithium, at least, that sucked. But my coordination and motor skills are still pretty poor and it makes it really hard to do a lot of things like that, and it's just frustrating. I'm trying to learn how anyway but I just wish it was easier.

#text post #my post #really really wish i had gotten the occupational therapy i needed as a kid #my brother got ot! i did not :( #even though i 'failed scissors' in preschool and could never figure out how to ride a bike and couldn't hold pencils right and etc etc etc #sigh #i will learn how to put on jewelry! i will learn how to do my hair! i will practice a lot and i'll figure it out! #it's just annoying that it takes so long and is so confusing and overwhelming and my hands just don't always do what i want them to #this post brought to you by: finally buying some cute clip on earrings (yay!) and struggling and failing to put them on (not yay) #i'm allergic to metal so don't have my ears pierced anymore but got clip ons with resin clips so i won't have a reaction #but they're sooooo hard to put on :( :( :( #i'm going to figure it out though. i want to wear earrings!!

[broomsticks]

was reading some of the things @thistlecatfics linked here

(... long story)

and this essay was such an interesting read

There is a lot of emphasis in “social justice” culture on learning, [a 'learning'] framed not as curiosity, collaboration, innovation, or creativity, but as the memorization and recitation of the correct “takes.” This passive relationship to learning promoted and enforced in “social justice” culture stifles critical and creative thinking. People passively consume ideas [and] feel like they are responsible political actors because they have memorized the current popular “takes” in “social justice” culture and even feel confident “letting people know.” Any thinkers who come to different conclusions or even ask open ended questions are treated with suspicion or are outright condemned. Learning isn’t about asking open ended questions in this framework, and it certainly isn’t about trying to come to our own conclusions about complex social and political questions. […] Learning isn’t about becoming responsible for our own capacity to think deeply and carefully. It’s about accepting what we are told. [...] A huge amount of what people now consider to be political action is actually censorship, the promoting of conformity, and the punishment of dissident thinking.

Discourse is serious, engaged thinking, discussion, and debate. Discourse is the flow of ideas between intellectuals, scholars, artists, and engaged citizens. Discourse is not a series of “correct takes.” Discourse does not attempt to shut down dissenting views but sees disagreement as inherently generative. Discourse happens when people feel entitled to disagree, when people feel responsible for their own thinking, when people feel like they have something specific and unique to offer to the flow of ideas. Discourse happens when people are creatively and critically engaged, when they feel curious and excited about ideas, when they feel encouraged and allowed to contribute. Because we no longer engage in discourse, and instead practice repeating simple “takes”, educating each other about these “takes”, and slandering people who challenge these “takes”, we feel very threatened by innovative, dissident, creative, or unusual thinking. Many of us no longer know how to relate to ideas beyond passively “learning” the “right” ones or condemning the “wrong” ones as “violent.” We don’t know how to think deeply and at length, how to listen carefully and with curiosity, how to pay sustained attention, how to wonder, or how to ask generative questions. We are all definitely capable of developing these skills, and in fact, I believe our retreat from these practices contributes to our deeply felt sense of alienation and dissatisfaction with our lives. Our despair is in part derived from our lack of participation.

#feeling all of this on a very molecular level #so much that goes into this. desire to not do harm. conflict is scary! sometimes--oftentimes--it is a basic information gap #a lack of easily acquired knowledge #and that takes Effort and Practice and living in the world is So Tiring #but oof that last part about the loneliness and paralysis that comes from knowing/believing on some level you have nothing to intellectuall #contribute #and therefore you just contribute volume instead #so glad to have circles where friendly discourse and actual learning and intellectual exchange is possible #really good discussion posts #fandom meta #fandom discourse

[echoesofdusk]

I think the absolutely most baffling thing to me that I've noticed in the AI generated image discourse is that people seem to think that artists don't make any compromises or sacrifices ever and live perfect, comfortable lives where things just happen to align perfectly for them to have the time to create art that perfectly aligns with their vision

"I don't have the time to draw" do you really know if artists simply have the time to draw or on the contrary, have to sacrifice something to gain that time to draw? can you be so sure that they don't have to deal with hardships to gain the time to draw? or, they have the time to draw because they can't do something else in their lives due to their circumstances, and drawing is the only thing that will fill this time?

"I can't create stuff that meets my vision" how can you be so sure that the stuff artists create meets their vision? do you really think this art was their vision from the absolute beginning? or did they actually have to make compromises to reach this specific look, which maybe wasn't what they aimed for to begin with? can you even be sure if the medium they spend the most time on is the medium they intended to pick up from the beginning, or is it a medium they've had to pick up to compromise for not picking up another art form they wanted to stick to in the first place due to myriads of reasons?

you folks seem to make a lot of assumptions about people you don't personally know

#hazy rambles #anti ai #anti ai art #ai discourse #i had a dogshit laptop for some time years ago and had to make tons and tons of compromises when using it for drawing #like merging layers etc bc that laptop lacked processing power #it would shit itself every time i drew something bigger than 1000x1000 pixels with 10+ layers #so i had to constantly merge layers whenever drawing bc else it would lag like hell #couldn't even listen to music on that thing while drawing bc it would just chug #so i had to make lots and lots of compromises and learn different techniques due to these compromises #hell me using computer to draw is a compromise in a way! #i did lots and lots of traditional art before getting into digital art! #and digital art is a whole lot more practical for me bc traditional art supplies can take up a lot of space #something which i don't have a whole lot of #and i know many people can relate #anyways when i look at all of those roadblocks and obstacles people mention as justification for not drawing #and just gravitating towards AI generated images instead of making compromises or pick up another medium as an outlet #sorry not sorry but i don't think you actually /want/ to create art #you just want pretty pictures and don't understand the process behind the creation process to begin with #art is not about the destination but the journey #and if you're not willing to put up with the journey to reach the destination then art simply isn't for you #and i'm sorry but i have to be a little mean about this #especially when i've had to put up with people making lots of assumptions about me as if they personally knew me

[mokeonn]

Since my mental health has been getting so much better lately, I'm honestly super excited for 2024. I'm not gonna prematurely say "2024 is my year" but I'm definitely excited to see where I'm going from here, since it definitely seems like there's nowhere to go but up.

#simon says #I'm absolutely being a little chattier here but i dont care #just giving a general update #turns out your mental health improves when you quit an addiction and focus on your mental health #and it also turns out that your mental health improves when you take the time to be kind to yourself and learn new things #anyways i really hope I can get some work done on my creative projects this year #but I only have 1 new years resolution #soup quest #it's where I try a bunch of new soups I never had before #try some new stuff and get out of my comfort zone... but like with soup #microdosing leaving the comfort zone via soup quest so I can get that practice in with more important learning moments #but yeah there's the update #im probably gonna post on patreon soon #but for now im just gonna listen to music and chill #good night tumblrinas

[h0neyfreak]

I know it’s usually coming from a good/nice place but the idea that there’s no such thing as talent has become something really cynical and kind of sad. “oh anyone could do that with the same time/resources/education/practice” you believe that?? In your heart????? that there is nothing unique or special to people’s abilities?????? that there is something shameful in knowing someone who was born to see the world in just the right way to get calculus or write a heartbreaking novel or grow beautiful flowers??? idk I just feel like “it’s not talent it’s practice” is boiling down the human experience into a series of observable inputs and outputs

#this is NOT a post about essential traits or any other weird shit like that #I just don’t think it’s useful or fun or cool to act like everything is just practice #everyone has a blend of physical/‘’natural’’ characteristics and life experiences #that makes them just GOOD at stuff and it’s cool and I love it #I’m not a musical person and never have been and sure I could take singing lessons or learn an instrument #but some people just open their mouths and beautiful music comes out and it’s incredible #mine #text post #void screams

[boypussydilf]

i want to make horror art and stories i want to make weird mind bending cosmic horror and fascinatingly upsetting gory stuff and get dark with it in the most specific ways i want to make uniquely fucked up monsters and characters who represent incredible emotional agonies more than just being characters. and then every time i turn around ive made another shenanigans-of-the-week cartoon about the power of friendship

#im too normal #<- guy who has been in such truly out-there circles that ze forgets mad is actually very weird #anyway. i just. found some cool ocs im fascinated by and am trying to work out #how to take inspiration without just . stealing ideas #ouuuggghh i need. PRACTICE. writing this stuff. to make it happen. i guess #I need to write rewlly intense body horror. but idont know how #unfortunately you have to do things to learn the m #basilposting

[finniigan]

Bunny-wan? Bunny-wan 😔🐇

#star wars #star wars fanart #obi wan kenobi #obi wan #bunnywan #sw #my art #mine #finn.txt #taking a break from replying professionally to emails so i can post self indulgent bunnywan instead #this was just a practice to learn ewans face but anything can be a viable art post if you slap some animal ears on there sksksks

[dulcesiabits]

genuine question what did you do in order to get so much attn and stuff on fics? like writing skills aside cause obvs you're really talented but is it like the way you tag stuff or did you join networks or smth?? cause no matter how hard i try my stuff doesn't really get notes🥲

Hi!!! I'm going to be honest and say that getting attention to your writing is a combination of a lot of different factors, but a majority of it boils down to luck. Success, too, looks differently for each person, so what does it look like to you? What does engagement mean? 50 likes? 100 likes? A heartfelt anon ask?

But don't feel bad if you don't think you're getting any notes! It's not a reflection on your writing skills at all. When I was just starting out, it took me a while to gain attention. However, I can give you a breakdown of how I, at least, think gaining traction works! I have been writing for a long time now. Under the cut for length.

1). Time. This may not be the most immediately helpful advice to you, but I've had this blog for four years. I've had time to establish myself as a writer and gain followers. That means people "know" or "recognize" me, and though I wouldn't say I'm popular (that is hard to gauge, after all), that does mean I have had time to establish myself. If you're a newer writer, then you've had less time to build that sort of credibility or rapport than an older blog has. Also, sometimes it takes a while for a piece to kick off! A lot of my posts have accumulated notes over the years, not just all at once.

2). Networks/mutuals. I'm not in any networks (though I have considered joining some), and I'm a bit of a private person, but it does help to talk to other writers. I can't verify for networks and how helpful they are, but I can verify making friends with other writers and interacting with them. If nothing else, having the support and being able to support people with similar interests as you is really sweet! It means you don't feel like you're writing alone in a void, and I personally treasure my writing friends dearly. Bouncing ideas off of other people is super fun!

3). Tagging. I don't think I tag my fics in a particular way, but it is nice to have consistent tags, so readers know what to look for, and can easily filter out the writing they do or don't want to see. So, I have a general writing tag ("liya writes"), but I also tag things like "character x reader" and "character name." I would recommend that you only tag things that are relevant to your fic, if only for courtesy. Trying to boost your fic by adding unrelated tags might see like a good idea, but it will be inconvenient for other people who, for example, didn't want to see a Childe fic in the Diluc tag, and turn people off from your writing.

4). Formatting. This may seem like a small thing, but I think the appearance of your writing is important. Do you have a consistent theme or organization? Do you have summary, word count, warnings, and the name of the characters who appear in the fic? Most importantly, if it's a long fic, do you have it under a read more? How is the writing itself separated? Bullet points? Paragraphs? Is it easy to read, or is it one long block with no differentiation? A pop of color never hurts, either! I personally keep my posts simple, with blue and pink dividers for a bit of color, and all the necessary information at the very top of the fic. Consistency and ease of reading are important to consider! Is this something that attracts a reader's eye?

5). Promoting. How do you promote your fics? This falls under a similar vein as "tagging" and "networks/mutuals," too. Sometimes it's good to reblog your own fic at different points of time, so followers who are new or don't dig around in your masterlist can see it! And sometimes, having other people (especially writers) reblog your work can give it the exposure it needs! I would warn against asking writers to reblog your work, though, especially if you don't know them, just out of courtesy. I might ask my friend to reblog a piece if I don't feel confident it'll do well, but I would never ask a complete stranger who I don't know.

6). Posting time. When do you post your fics? Weekend? Weekday? Afternoon, or night? I think there is a particular time when people are on tumblr the most, so it might be helpful to look those statistics up to maximize the coverage your writing receives. Time zones are something to keep in mind, too. Additionally, are you posting when the fandom is at peak popularity, or are you posting after hype has died off? The engagement you receive also depends on how much people are into the current fandom you're in.

7). Content. What sort of fandoms do you write for? Are they older fandoms, newer ones, smaller ones, or bigger ones? Who do you write for? Popular characters? Less-known ones? You might find less engagement with a smaller fandom, or a less popular character. Additionally, what do you write? Longer fics? Headcanons? Drabbles? I think, in general, that longer pieces might take off a bit more slowly, but tend to linger more, but short pieces will explode immediately, but might not be something people come back to as much. This is only because of the length of time it takes to read, and different readers are attracted to different formats.

8). Luck. And no matter how well you follow all the rest of my advice, there's still a chance your writing might not take off. Again, that's nothing on you, but more so to do with the fact that engagement is ultimately unpredictable. There's no set way to predict what sort of writing your potential audience will resonate with you. I'm sure plenty of writers can tell you about fics that they laboriously poured over, only to receive no comments on it at all. On the other hand, sometimes posts blow up when you didn't expect them to!

I'm not going to tell you that notes don't matter; after all, it's not wrong to want engagement or acknowledgement over your craft. We post things online for a reason. But it is important to ask yourself what you ultimately want out of sharing your writing: do you want a community? To connect with others? For clout? To hone a skill? Or just for fun? Maybe there's a variety of reasons you post. I can't say tell you how to feel, and there is no "wrong" reason to want to write. But notes also aren't everything, and I hope you have enjoy what you're doing at the end of the day!

#liya answers #i think its helpful to solidify your own goals around writing! what do you want out of it? what is success? what are your goals? #and my controversial opinion is that idgaf if people write for clout #just like its fine to want notes. nothing wrong with wanting attention #like i take writing 100% seriously but not everyone does and thats ok #its still valuable that are people are trying to learn a new skill and practice a very fun craft #do i have some writing pet peeves? yes... #but i mind my business at the end of the day #maybe with minor complaining to my friends. LOL

[cookinguptales]

as much as I wish it were otherwise, I feel like the way I would die in a horror movie is absolutely going to some out-of-the-way location to learn about a local religious custom and getting sacrificed or something.

like on one hand, I am always scrupulously respectful of the belief systems I'm studying, including accepting that some knowledge is not meant for me and that's okay, but on the other hand, I have been known to do some truly stupid bullshit to learn about something esoteric that's on public display. lmao

#just me #plus honestly since getting out of evangelical christianity as a teen #I find that I don't really believe or disbelieve anything anymore #(except I guess for the religion I was raised in which I have very much distanced myself from) #I respect some religious institutions and practices more than others for sure #and I'm mindful of politics and abuse in religious sects #but when people hear I did rels in college they often ask #'so which religion is right?' #and I don't know that I can conceptualize it that way anymore #I was raised in a religious environment that didn't allow me to respect or learn about other religions and I hated it #I was so closed before that I feel like I've rebelled against that by being very open now #so everything feels equally plausible and implausible to me now #I don't know that I can fully believe OR disbelieve in anything anymore #maybe that part of me is broken #the part that can trust and have faith #even the part of me that can be sure that something ISN'T real #I don't know #but like... many religious folks and places are just happy to teach anyone who's open to their beliefs and practices #you don't have to be a true believer #they just want to share their religion with you in any way you'll take it #but sometimes you DO have to be a true believer #and those are the situations in which I feel deeply uncomfortable and try to avoid #but maybe I'll end up getting killed by some religious group that kills outsiders who don't fully believe in things lmao #dying as I lived: being a nosy bitch #cw: #religion

[chirpingchorus]

I almost got this version of Street Spirit done in one go, but the last riff at the very end with the ring and pinky fingers did me in. Curse you, Jonny...

^ BANE OF MY EXISTENCE because the other tricky parts are at least fun to play once you learn them. The pain never ends with this final bit.

#i've been practicing that part nonstop but it still eludes me 50% of the time #in other news i need to learn proper technique or something because i feel Deep finger pain. not like 'just starting out and haven't gotten #calluses yet' finger pain but 'down to my bones' type pain. oops. #the guitar. the instrument that physically prevents you from practicing for more than an hour at a time. or maybe i'm not doing this right. #guitar #chirp #mini update because taking two minutes to write this out and going back has helped a little... #still hurts some but i'm doing the riff successfully like 75% of the time now! #usually it takes like an hour to stop hurting. maybe i'm growing... street spirit calluses... #maybe they grow quicker if i dip my fingers in greenwood oil... #YOWCH it hurts to type #and that is the sign i must stop for the night :/ #i lied i played it four more times. okay NOW i'm done. i have to be done if i post this. #but yes i shall awaken tomorrow ready to immerse my soul in love. hopefully.