ULTIMATE "OH FUCK I JUST GOT MY FIRST APARTMENT AND ALL I HAVE IS ONE CHANGE OF CLOTHES AND A THIRD SOCK"

So there's a thing that a lot of tumblr users don't know about -- older ones because it didn't used to be like this, and newer ones because... they're new?

Anyways -- one of the biggest pains of Tumblr is that finding old posts can be hard. The search is terrible, and is overall useless. The easiest solution to this has always been that you can go through your "archive" -- for example here's mine: https://traegorn.tumblr.com/archive

Notice how that URL starts with my username. Longtime users will be like "Of course it does. That's your Tumblr URL." But here's the thing -- a lot of new accounts don't have that. Like, if you type it in (minus the /archive part) it kinda works still -- but it redirects you from username.tumblr.com to tumblr.com/username. And from there, the archive function does not work.

You see, to make your "Tumblr Blog" an actual, well, blog you have to turn it on manually now.

To do that, on the web, go to your blog settings and find this one:

Turning on "custom theme" will enable your blog to function and give you all the features.

Now there are reasons some folks might not want to do this. First off, that does mean sites like Google will be able to spider your blog and things can end up on public searches. If you don't want your Tumblr activity public do not turn it on. That's a choice I leave up to you. But, like, also... I've seen Tumblr accounts ostensibly set up to promote people's works but not have this turned on making the audience they're trying to reach less likely to find them.

But this is a thing that used to always be on. I found out one of my old sideblogs had it turned off that I never wanted it to be set that way. The choice is yours, do what you want.

I'm not your mom.

Meanwhile, on Twitter:

Brain farts, a thread

good things will happen 🧿

things that are meant to be will fall into place 🧿

take it.

If you're fifteen or older an still sleep with a stuffed animal please reblog this.

It should 100% be illegal for companies to make you give them your payment information when you sign up for a free trial version of their product. It is not necessary and there is no good fucking reason for them to do it. It’s blatantly just so they can steal forgetful customers’ money.

Please DO NOT use AI to generate fanfic

Not reblogging because I don't want to bash, but a day after hearing that OpenAI has scraped AO3 to train their writing AI, I've just seen a Tumblr post with AI-generated 'fanfic'.

The billions of hours of labour that millions of fanfic writers have given, hoping for nothing in return but comments and kudos, has been taken and used to train a for profit AI owned by Elon Musk.

This is bad, guys.

It's bad because it's fundamentally wrong, because it endangers fan works, and because it's illegal.

Not illegal in the way that fanfiction is legally questionable but now broadly defensible by highly trained OTW lawyers. Illegal in the way that copyrighted works and characters have been used for profit to create works with Open AI.

It's wrong not just because the works are created without consent from the labour of authors who won't see a penny, but because the aim of AIs like Open AI is to replace the work of professional writers.

You may use Open AI to make a silly fanfic and have a good laugh, but that's not what Elon wants it for.

If you hate what's happened to Twitter, you should be really, really scared about this.

It endangers fanworks because it awakens the power and might of brands like Disney, who have mostly stopped trying to sue fancreators (although they really, really did used to, and not that long ago) for using their IP and especially for writing LGBTQ+ fic. They're mostly willing to turn a blind eye because we aren't making any money.

But that's not what Elon wants to do. And they might start caring again if they see Open AI writing Stucky (follow the link, it writes Stucky omegaverse fic at the merest mention of Steve) and it obviously does so because it used AO3 as its source material.

You and I know it's not any fic writer's fault, but I don't think Disney cares, and it's cheaper to battle AO3 than Elon.

I should stress: AO3 admins are aware. It's been reported. do not clog up their inboxes reporting it again.

The above reasons and more are all arsenal in the armoury of OTW's lawyers. But that's still a battle to fight.

In the meantime, the very least you can do is NOT USE OPEN AI.

Not for a laugh. Not for anything.

And please: spread the word.

I think that one thing people fail to understand is that unsolicited literary criticism coming from an online stranger who is reading with no knowledge of what the authors intended goal is, is not going to be received the same as say: the authors beta reader or friends who know what the authors intended goal and has the sufficient knowledge and input to help the author reach that desired outcome.

"But I'm only trying to be helpful" How do I know you have the knowledge and literary skill for you to be able to actaully do that when we don't know each other and you are essentially a stranger to me? Are you applying this criticism based out of personal biased experience and desire to see the story or characterization be driven in another direction or tweaked, or do you know the author's intentions for the character? If the story is incomplete, are you basing your criticism of a character on the incomplete narration with only partial information available of them or are you building up a report until the story's completion? Did the author provide you with the information needed to make a fully informed criticism?

Have you discussed with the author what their plans are or are you assuming them based off the narration, especially if the narration is proven or implied to be unreliable or missing key points of the plot? Are you unbiased enough to help them reach their desired outcome for the characters and story regardless of your personal feelings towards the characters/antagonists and setting? Can you handle being told your specific input isn't wanted because you're a reader and/or have no written anything relating to their genre or topic? Do you understand and respect that the author's personal experiences might influence their writing and make it different than how you would have done it personally? Do you understand if an author only wants input from a specific demographic relating to their story?

If it's for fanfiction or other hobby media, are you holding a free hobby to a professional standard? Are you trying to give criticism because you feel like the author has produced 'subpar job performance' of their fic? Are you viewing their work as a personal intimate outlet or something that must conform with mass media? Are you applying rules and guidelines when the fic is shared for simple sharing sake? Is your criticism worded appropriately and focused on the parts where the author has requested input on rather than a general dismissal and or disapproval?

Have you put yourself in a place where you assumed you have the input needed for the story to evolve better, or have you asked what the author needs and what they're having trouble with? Can you handle having your criticism rejected if the author decides their story doesn't need the change and not take it as a personal offense against your character? Are you crossing that boundary because you think you are doing the author a favor? Are you trying to be helpful, or do you just want to be?

I think sometimes when people hear authors go 'please don't give me unsolicited writing advice or criticism' they automatically chalk it up to 'this author doesn't want ANY constructive feedback on their stuff at all' and not "i already have trusted individuals who will help me with my writing goals and- hey i don't know you like that, please stop acting so overly familiar with me'