For weeks, I was considering taking a break from Dumblr and going on hiatus.
It's no secret that I've been super disheartened by the way the community has changed and how engagement is pretty terrible these days. Like a lot of you, I'm here sharing my work because I want to have fun with other fans and spiral about the babes. I crave the sense of community to go along with my fun escape.
So when it feels like Tumblr has turned into a meaningless void of serial likes and, more often than not, new work is met with a lukewarm reception, crickets, or demands for more, it can be a challenge to stay positive and grateful, let alone inspired to keep writing and sharing new work.
Months ago, I even tried to crack down on serial liking and started to block offenders. There would be that momentary hit of petty vengeance when I did so, but...it doesn't actually feel good, and it's not me. I don't want to be a gatekeeper to something that could bring joy to others.
I listened to this really good podcast on my morning walk, and it was a much needed reminder that I am responsible for how I show up and react to others. It was also a good reminder to always try to meet others from a heart-centered place, with compassion and love, because you never know when you may be the only person showing someone even a lick of kindness or joy.
And that is who I want to be.
I feel like that was the vibe of my blog for a long time - the fun, silly, happy place y'all could come to to escape real life, read some PWP, play some games, and spiral about the babes.
I really want to get back to that energy, so I'm going to try my best to release my stabby pessimism at the shit engagement around here, and instead pour my energy and love into the stories and characters I adore, and those of you who have become such a fun, vital, and very much appreciated part of my Dumblr experience.
I'm sure there will be moments when I'll be tempted to block a serial liker (like oh my goddddd, I know I will be met with that temptation lolll), but I'll just remind myself that that person is finding joy, escape, and entertainment in my stories, and that's pretty cool.
That being said: I want to once again encourage those of you who serial like and don't engage to please reconsider your actions or lack thereof. You know that happiness you feel when you read a story you enjoy? When you feel seen and a work resonates with you? Please consider reciprocating in a small way to the writers who gift you those moments and experiences. Just a simple comment, reblog, or ask can truly, TRULY make a writer's whole day and inspire them to do more of what they love - write, and share it with you! If you're a shy bean who struggles with what to say when commenting/engaging, check out this post for resources to help you.
Hoe'kay, let's get back to hoeing and having fun. Thank you for being here, for putting up with my cranky moods, and for encouraging me to be shameless about my obsession for the babes. I love you ❤️
P.S. To those of you who do block serial likers, please know this post isn't meant to throw shade or make you feel badly or anything. I totally, TOTALLY get it. You should do whatever feels good for you in curating your experience and setting the boundaries of your blog. I just wanted to share how I am trying really hard to shift my mindset and get back to my blog feeling GOOD for me. Love you! ❤️
To anyone struggling eith tumblr censoring accounts!!!
Go into your account settings, click on 'what I see' and allow sensitive content (it may appear a bit different but that is the issue!)
Yeah, for me, I have to use desktop or mobile browser and go to Settings > Account > scroll down to Content Labels and toggle on show mature content, like this:
I joined Tumblr with the purpose of reading stories about Chris Evans and his characters; at the time, there were endless great stories and incredible writers. Unfortunately, I don't know what happened, but with each passing day the fandom dies a little more. We hardly have any stories anymore, many writers have deactivated their accounts. A pen.
Yeah, it's the sad reality of the CE fandom. I often say it feels like a grave yard compared to how engaged it was only a few years ago.
I can speak from the writer perspective and say that we have been BEGGING for real engagement for years, and it only gets worse instead of better. For comparison (because I feel like unengaged readers/followers maybe don't realize just how much this has decreased for some of us), my stories used to get thousands of notes, and now, I'm lucky if I can break 200. Of course likes have always been the majority of notes, now and then, which kind of stinks because a like isn't actual engagement.
Comments or reblogs with feedback or feedback in the tags is the kind of fun engagement that goes a very long way to keep writers feeling connected, inspired, and motivated to keep writing.
My favorite analogy when it comes to supporting writers is this: fandom is all about community, and the dynamic between writers and readers is a relationship. If you had a friend who you messaged daily or weekly, and they either never replied or only liked your message, but didn't actually respond, how would that make you feel?
Invisible? Sad? Like your communications--and maybe the friendship as a whole--wasn't worth the time, love, and energy that YOU are putting into it, all on your lonesome?
That's how I feel about fanfiction. It's a medium that writers dive into because we love these characters and stories. We could easily write for ourselves, but we come to Tumblr and post because we want to connect with others about our stories and the babes we love. And when you put so much time, love, thought, and energy into stories only to have them mostly greeted with a whole lotta crickets, it gets to a point where it feels like it isn't worth the effort anymore. Hence so many amazing and talented writers deactivating or moving on to other fandoms.
If folks want more awesome, continuous, FREE content to enjoy, then they need to actually support the humans who put so much into creating it and do more than lurk or like a story. Otherwise this fandom really will become a grave yard 😭💔
I hate this new dumblr look. So many numbers across the bottom of a post makes me stabby. But since I’m bad at math, maybe it will make it harder for me to realize how shit engagement is 🤣👹
To support readers and new Tumblerers and encourage them to engage in a meaningful way that contributes to our community and keeps it fun, I wanted to put together a list of resources.
If you love to read fanfic but struggle with what to say in a reblog, comment, or ask to show writers some love and appreciation, the below posts should be useful.
I encourage you to PLEASE take the extra two minutes to drop some feedback and appreciation after you read someone's work. Writers put SO much time, energy, and love into their stories, and if you enjoy reading them, please express that. You may just make a writer's whole day or inspire them to write and share more fic! 😊
↠ 101 Comment Starters
↠ how to ask / motivate your favorite fanfic writers to post new works / update a new chapter WITHOUT rushing them or sounding entitled and rude
↠ How to Use Tumblr (Especially As a Newbie)
↠ How to Better Support Writers on Tumblr
↠ 20 Low effort meaningful comments to leave on fics
↠ Commenting on Fanfic: A how-to guide for not being an asshole. Even unintentionally.
↠ How to Leave Comments on Fanfiction
↠ Keep fandoms alive, comment on more fanfics!
↠ 20 Low effort meaningful comments to leave on fics when you can’t think of anything to say that most authors love and appreciate (and you will too).
I've started to hit the maximum number of hyperlinks allowed per post on some of my character masterlists 😭 I was able to manage by removing connected story links in my story summaries, but I think I'll need to create separate character drabble/HCs/etc. masterlists for some of the babes I write for more in the near future to get around this. Siiiigh. Why do you have to be so inconvenient always, Dumblr? 😩
How do I go back to before when the number of likes I received didn't mean anything. I'm so insecure now by 900 likes but a handful of reblogs. It's making me contemplate deleting my fics entirely
I’m not really sure I have any helpful advice on this topic, as it’s something I struggle with too. So many of us do, so at the very least, you’re not alone in feeling this way.
But I also want you to know that just because I feel a certain way about likes, doesn’t mean you have to feel that way too. I think it’s awesome when someone doesn’t care about the stats. I actually try to do that more often than not. For me, it’s not so much the numbers as just poor engagement in general.
I do think it’s important to realize whatever your engagement and stats, it’s not a reflection of you, your talent, or your worth. This is just how dumblr is now. A majority of folks just passively consume, and it sucks.
I think it can be helpful to try to focus less on the numbers and more on the elements that bring you joy. For me, it’s the friends I’ve made here. It’s having fun and playing games and hoeing. It’s frothing over the fictional babes I love so much and having a creative outlet for the stories that gnaw on my brain until I bring them to life.
I think if your sole purpose is to hit a certain number of notes, you’re going to be disappointed. But if you can try to find fulfillment and joy in other facets of this experience, maybe that will help you feel better.
But also. As much as I personally get stabby over serial likes, because I yearn for engagement and connection, 900 likes is amazing. I rarely see numbers that break 300 on my fics these days, so you’re way ahead of me! But I do try to not really focus on numbers, because it’s the quickest way to suck all the fun out of being here. I just wanted you to know that my initial response to 900 likes was, “Wow! Go you!”
Sorry if this is nonsensical, I have half a brain cell left at this point and am ready to fall asleep, but I didn’t want to leave you hanging. ❤️
