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Signal boosting only since this isnt a personal blog but I figured it is relevant to our interests so I'm putting here.

I Have a (few) question(s) for Exol.

I'm genuinely curious as to the answers, so if you see this could you please do me the favour of signal boosting this so it reaches more people?

I see posts circulating now and again about lack of interaction on fandom creation posts. No one reblogs. No one comments. But I never see anyone asking why. Is it simply a matter of being in the middle of an etiquette shift? Is it crossplanted members of social media communities having different social norms? Has the way people use Tumblr shifted? Speculation only goes so far so to better understand what I'd like to know is the following:

How long have you been on Tumblr? Any fandom not just Exo.

What is your take on fan created works on Tumblr and interacting with them?

Do you have a process for what goes on your blog? How do you find most of the posts you reblog? Through the dash? Through the tags?

Do you spend time on other platforms? Have you in the past?

How do you interact with fan creations on these other platforms? Do you like comment or share? Do you re-tweet? Etc.

When was the last fic of any length (drabble and blurbs and headcanons/reactions included) you read? Last time you saw fanart (including edits and moodboards and graphics) you enjoyed?

Did you reblog it?

If yes you did reblog did you say anything about it? Simple or otherwise? Leave a gif underneath that expressed how you felt? Put a comment in the tags? Left an emoji? Etc.

If you didn't leave commentary was there a reason? Do you feel like you start to repeat yourself when commenting? Do you think there's nothing to say? Were you following the adage if you cant say something nice dont say anything at all? Other reasons?

If no you did not reblog why? Is there a specific reason? Did you not like it and not want to say? Does it not fit your blog? Was it not a length or level of skill you felt warranted a reblog? Have your friends already seen it? Do you only post your own creations? Other reasons?

For our fan creators I have an extra question. Do you reply to your comments? Even if they're in the tags?

If no is there a reason?

Please take a moment and share your answers cause I'm trying to understand where things shifted from what they were before to now.

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Afternoon! For those who signed up for the secret Santa this year, I will be sending out your giftee assignments later this evening around 7 or 8 est.

I apologize for the partial delay but unfortunately work has decided today was a good day to test Murph'ys Law.

You will still get them today...just not as soon as I'd anticipated.

Thank you in advance for your patience!

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Last Day For Secret Santa Sign Ups!

Sign Ups Close tonight @ 11:59pm est.

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Last Day For Secret Santa Sign Ups !

Sign Ups Close Tonight @11:59 pm est.

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Last Day for Secret Santa Sign Ups!

Sign ups close tonight at 11:59 est.

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Last Three Days to Sign Up for the Exol Secret Santa!

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Seeing as we are currently 5 days out from this years deadline, I now have a good idea on this year's participation and have a question for exol.

Participation over the last couple of years has quite literally halved and then halved again. As of today only a little over a handful have siged up. I have mostly been relying on word of mouth to encourage participation to avoid flooding the tags and people's dashes with recurring posts. The other more personalized method of personally inviting people to join seemed to result in more active participation, however it also resulted in a few nasty anons which is why I abandoned that method after the first year.

Now for my question(s)

Would shortening the gift making time and potentially opening the sign ups in November instead be a better option for you guys?

Do any of you have any suggestions to offer that might boost exol involvement?

Cause frankly I am at a loss as to how to proceed from here. There doesn't seem to be enough interest to continue the event next year, so that would be the final question. After this year do we throw in the towel?

Please feel free to leave your thoughts if you have them however you'd like. Comment, dm, anon, whatever works. I'll even take a messenger pigeon if it comes to that.

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EXOL SECRET SANTA SIGNUPS ARE CLOSING IN LESS THAN A WEEK, IF YOUD LIKE TO JOIN THE FUN NOW'S YOUR CHANCE

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THERE IS A WEEK LEFT IF YOU'D LIKE TO SIGN UP FOR THE EXOL SECRET SANTA

SIGNUPS CLOSE AUGUST 31ST!

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You Don't Have To Search The Universe! Sign Ups for this Year's Exol Secret Santa Are Open!

COME JOIN THE FUN

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Its Not December Yet....

But It Will Be Sooner Than You Think! Get A Jump Start On Your Holiday Spirit And Sign Up For The Exol Secret Santa!

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It's Saturday! You should sign up for the exol Secret Santa!!

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Happy Friday Exol!! Ready for this year's Secret Santa?

Sign ups are live now!

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Sign Ups are open for the Exol Secret Santa!

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EXOL SECRET SANTA 2024

How To Participate

Welcome to this year's Secret Santa!

I hope this year so far has seen everyone safe happy and healthy. With only a few months left in the year the time has rolled around again for our fandom gift exchange! Once again sign ups will start in August to allow time for gifts to be created. For more information on the timeline and important dates please refer to this post HERE.

There are a few guidelines and reminders I'd appreciate if you read before clicking the link to the sign up page.

All skill levels are welcome! All we ask is you try your best when creating your gift and that giftees remember that not all Santas will have the same skill level. Everyone has to start somewhere and it's truly the thought that counts!

Please check the important dates post and keep in mind that the check ins are not meant to pressure anybody but to ensure that every participant receives a gift of some sort. During the final check in however you will be asked for a screenshot of the post draft. If you are unable to provide one then it will be assumed that your gift is not finished and a back up Santa will be arranged for your giftee.

If you have not completed your gift by the designated date you are more than welcome to still post it once it's finished, we will still reblog gift posts after the exchange weekend.

Remember, the festivities are about sharing and fostering new (or old as the case may be) friendships. Take the time to spread some holiday cheer and get to know your giftee. You might make a new friend in the fandom!

Now for the pesky stuff:

Due to issues that arose in previous years, following this blog is required for participation. You must have a tumblr blog in order to participate. You will be asked during the sign in process to open a DM conversation with this blog. This is so you can be contacted for check ins and posting co-ordination.

Santas it is highly encouraged, though not required, to message your giftee throughout the next few months, both as a way to get to know your fellow exol and as a way to learn what they might like for a gift. On the off chance you need help with ideas, part of the form will include a prompt, but we do ask you make an effort first. The dates for requesting your giftees prompt will be posted on the important dates.

Anon function MUST be turned on as well as Asks, to allow the Secret Santa to remain Secret.

Gift Posts must be in your drafts and ready to post by the deadline. This is to allow our back-up Santas time to make a gift if needed. Inability to provide a screenshot will be taken as the gift isn't completed and a backup Santa will be contacted. As stated above you will be more than welcome to post on the gift exchange weekend or later if you wish to, we just want to avoid giftees getting that niggling little disappointment when others receive a gift and they didn't.

We also require that you use the organizational tag #exolss24 within the first 5 tags.

Read the Important Dates post

All gifts MUST be NEW CONTENT and meet the minimum requirements.

We ask that all gifts meant for minors be kept SFW. You will be informed your giftees stated age at the time of receiving your giftee blog name.

Minimum requirements for gifts are as follows:

Edits: 4+ small png or 2+ large png

Fanart: 1+

Fanfiction of anysort: 1k+ words

Fanvideo: 35 seconds+

Gif sets: 4+ gifs

Headers/lcons/Lockscreens: 4+ in any combination

Moodboards: 3 boards

You are of course more than welcome to go above and beyond the minimum requirements but that is solely dependent on your personal inclination and time availability. This is meant to be fun and a way to interact with each other and not a burden.

Finished with all that boring reading? Why not take a moment and reblog this so your followers have the chance to sign up as well!

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Important Dates

August 1st – 31st

Sign-ups open!

September 13th-15th

Giftee assignments will be Dm'd to you on the 13th, please give a reply back acknowledging you received it no later than the 15th at 11:59pm edt

October 18th-20th

1st check in, this is the time to request your giftee's prompt if needed. Please respond by dm no later than the 20th before 11:59 pm edt

November 15th-17th

Second check in. You should have a good idea if you'll be able to finish your gift in time for the final call. Sometime between the 15th and the 30th you'll need to send a screenshot of your completed gift in the scheduled queue. Please respond by Dm no later than the 17th before 11:59 pm est

November 30th

If you have not yet turned in a screen shot of your completed gift by the end of the 30th at 11:59 est your giftee will be reassigned to a back up Santa.

December 1st-8th

If you signed up as a backup Santa you may potentially be contacted on the 1st to fulfill your role. All back up gifts should be finished and a complete screenshot sent no later than the 8th at 11:59pm est.

December 13th-14th

Gift Exchange Weekend!!