Do you have any advice for new writers? Especially the ones who are still new to Tumblr
hi anonie, i have thoughts.
write the fic you want to read, not the one you think people will like, not the one that's trending- the one that lives in your chest rent-free at 2am, that's always the best one.
don't wait until you're "good enough" to post. you learn by doing, not by drafting forever in your notes app.
don't apologize for your fic in the author's note before people even read it. no "sorry if this is bad", just post it.
write messy first drafts. editing is a separate brain from writing. don't do both at the same time or you'll never finish anything.
for new tumblr writers specifically:
tags are your best friend. use them. fandom tags, trope tags, member tags, all of it. that's how people find you when you're starting from zero.
don't let note counts define your worth, some of the best fics on this site have like 47 notes. it doesn't mean anything.
find your people first. interact with other writers, reblog with actual tags, leave comments. tumblr rewards presence, not just posting.
format your fics. a read more cut, a header if you can do it or just get one pinterest with pairing/warnings, line breaks between paragraphs. it makes a bigger difference than you think.
if someone leaves a comment or reblogs with tags- respond to it. even just a "thank you ily" goes a long way, that's how you build actual readers, not just drive-by notes.
the dark side nobody warns you about:
people will not reblog even when they love it. that's just tumblr. it's not a reflection of quality. even the recs i make have more likes than reblogs. comparison will eat you alive if you let it. someone always has more notes, more followers, more everything. it doesn't matter.
the most important thing is just keep going. everyone's first few posts into the void feel like screaming into nothing, that's normal, stay despite despite.
and lastly, if you're a writer yourself, drop your link below. new writers need blogs to follow, and this is as good a place as any to find each other. promote your work, your masterlist, whatever you've got. you deserve to be found.
hope this answers your questions.
