We Need To Talk About Engagement

Dropping a brick on the post below

hee hee

It’s weird how like, when this pandemic started there was all this talk about a vaccine and it taking so much time to produce, test, and manufacture once it had been approved. but then the medical community worldwide worked like never before develop a vaccine to a new, never before seen virus, and people are refusing to take it because they think it was rushed, despite hundreds upon hundreds of clinical trials with a very, very minuscule amount of people suffering from side effects of the vaccine. Most of the people worried about that vaccine have never had a negative experience with the vaccine before in their lives, yet there’s so much doubt around the vaccine and trust in it that it’s going to be harmful when there’s like, no evidence to support any of that.

The Tumblr writing community is dying.

It’s something I’ve noticed over the past two years of using this site. It was gradual, imperceptible at first, something that most would brush off as a silly concern, or fault Tumblr algorithm for. While it’s true that Tumblr’s engine leaves a lot to be desired, I’ve noticed that even popular blogs have started to dwindle in terms of interaction or motivation. There could be a lot of reasons for this, but the biggest two I’ve noticed, experienced myself, and asked fellow writers about is this: (1) content being stolen, and (2) lack of feedback or interaction. I’ve never seen any logical person defend content being stolen, so I want to address point 2 instead.

Lack of feedback and interaction. I’m not saying this on my behalf so much as I’m saying this for friends and smaller blogs who have lost motivation to write. I was looking at my yandere writing blogs list the other day and noticed that a good majority of them no longer write. I usually update the list every few months, and by that point, more and more writers have stopped writing entirely. This isn’t a problem confined solely to the yandere fandom; in fact, there’s less writing blogs in general these days, especially ones that are active. I used to run a very popular BNHA blog with some friends, but that dissolved after our content was stolen and our followers stopped interacting as much. Out of our 8,500 followers, we hardly got 0.015% notes (~128 notes) on an average post. Tumblr is to blame for the lack of eyes seeing our posts, for sure, but that also means that at least 128 people saw one post and didn’t leave a comment or ask. We were considered a big blog; imagine what it’s like on a small blog.

My friend recently made a post that summed this up perfectly: 

“I’ve seen people say “Be grateful that people even lurk on your page.” and, while I get the message they’re trying to say, it’s more dismissive and hurtful in my opinion. Like you’re saying, “Oh your writing is mediocre, you should be grateful people even LOOK at it.”

Me personally? I’ve heard the argument that AO3 is a better place to post fanfics, and while that might be true, I’ve had friends experience firsthand the lack of interaction there too. I’ve heard the argument that interacting with some writers is intimidating (me included). I’ve heard that argument that followers might be too shy to interact. I’ve heard the argument that writers should write for themselves and not for views / likes / reblogs / etc, and while that’s ideal, it’s not sustainable for everyone. What works for one writer won’t work for another, but you know what will? Interaction.

That comment or ask that took you 2 seconds to write? We remember it. That reblog with the compliments in the tags? We remember it. Every single ‘named’ anon we get (heart anon, sunflower anon, etc)? We remember them. And the best part is? It’s actually easier to do these things on Tumblr since you have the option to send anonymous asks or make a sideblog specifically for reblogs! Trust me, whether the lack of interaction is the cause of a lack of motivation or what have you, every writer appreciates feedback (don’t be shy to offer some critique or compliments) or even a simple keyboard smash with some emojis. Even sitting down for 5 min a day per week to comment on your favorite writers’ new pieces makes a huge difference. Personally, since Tumblr’s activity feed is beyond terrible and I have over 1,500 posts, I don’t always see new reblogs or comments on my content; asks though? Always see those, can never go wrong with those. If you don’t want to reblog or leave a comment, then you can never go wrong with an anonymous ask. 

As my wise friend says: writing is an art, and in order to improve that art, we need other people’s eyes to see what we don’t.

For the sake of every writer (past, present, and future) on this platform, please share this post.

Reblog this and money will be entering your life this week

HAPPY TRANS DAY OF VISIBILITY!! to all my trans sisters, brothers, and siblings out there, you all deserve happiness, peace, and love 🩷🩵🤍🩵🩷

Help me get custody of my 10-year-old younger sister, who is currently with a ped0phile. My full story. 

If possible don’t ignore this, 1 reblog can save her.

this is a mental health checkpoint

It’s ok to log off, its ok to turn off the news, its ok to scroll past, its ok to distance yourself from this crap. These post are targeted to people who can care right now, if you cant, thats ok. If you’re mentally hanging on by a thread, its ok to leave. I cant say it enough, its ok to not be able to care right now, take care of you first.

For sadurday

I just want you to know that I find it so sad that people lack confidence, both creators on Tumblr and "normal" people outside in the real world. Like baby who told you you were ugly/annoying/useless? That middle school bully barely had the IQ to form a coherent sentence and you still believe them? Your parents are too jealous and miserable of their own life so they put yours down and you let them?

Yeah its easier said than done to pull out of a web of lies that you heard all your life, I know that. I've been there. But it's not impossible, and you can do it.

I know you heard this tens of thousands of times, but it really is true: happiness starts with you. You control your own life and whether or not you listen to someone who's trying to tear you down, even if that someone is yourself.

So, please, get up, take those reigns of life back into your hands, straighten your back, and tell yourself you can do this. Because you can.

Also please please please learn to cut toxic people out of your life, and yes, that includes family. Being related by blood doesnt mean you owe them shit if they make your life a living hell; you choose your family. Choose the people that make you feel comfortable and loved, not scared and like you can never speak again.

I got you. Im proud of you. I care about you. And yes, I love you.

Hey if you have: - laundry in the machine - tea or coffee about - meds to take

go and take care of that maybe. and drink some water you beautiful but dehydrated sprout. <3