#and tagging by time period because some specific places aren't really the most helpful tags

[werewolfbneimitzvah]

hi! sorry to bother, but you were the first (helpful) result when i googled "john dies at the end trigger warnings." do you recall if there's overdose? like, someone almost dies/does die of overdose

Oh nice, I'm glad that old list is getting some use!! So like, I'm wracking my brain and i don't think i remember that happening. The weird otherworldly drug does kill people, but not by overdose, it sorta leads them to die in other ways. When John takes the otherworldly drug at one point, Dave (who's the main first person pov guy) doesn't realize it's a supernatural situation, and i don't remember if he specifically thinks it's an OD but he does want to take John to a hospital, and John is very non-responsive for a bit (not unconscious but not replying or seeming to respond to most things). It's possible that some random person is like, mentioned as having ODed, just like casually mention someone as a throwaway thing, it wouldn't be tonally out of place, but it also is possible that doesn't happen, I'm just saying that's a possibility. I don't recall any characters who appear as characters who like talk to anyone as ODing.

This is all irt the first book, and also the movie. The second book I'm less positive on, but still don't recall an OD.

I should also warn that the tw/cw list only includes the first two books and the movie, and doesn't include anything from the third or fourth book. I did read the third book but not the fourth, and there's at least one big thing that the third book adds to the list (character implying he assaulted a child, though the narration does make it clear as the character is saying this that he's almost certainly lying with the purpose of upsetting the child's father), but it's been a while, I'm least familiar with the third book, and i did not read the fourth. The third one involves heavier use of regular degular drugs by someone, the type that can be ODed on, though he doesn't.

Oh, and there's def alcohol use, at one point in the second book a character does spend an extended period of in-universe time heavily drunk, but i don't recall him coming close to death from it.

Sorry i can't be more certain about this. I'm gonna go ahead and publish this in the tags, because i know there's a lot of people who can correct me if I'm missing something, and i very well could be, even something obvious (memory is weird & drug ODs aren't something I'm personally sensitive to so it could easily just not really register for me) so i suggest checking the notes at some point to see if anyone else has responded. Though also, if you'd rather your url not be attached to this post, shoot me another message and I'll delete this and make a separate post asking the same thing.

Hope this and any further responses are helpful!

[bybrophelia]

GO THROUGH A MORNING ROUTINE AND I'LL TELL YOU WHAT KIND OF NPC YOU ARE >:)

stolen from: @lovehungered tagging: you !

the pcs really need your help but god at what cost: also known as the character that is instrumental for one reason or another but the pcs want to kill after 10 seconds of talking to. you have great purpose but that is often dwarfed by the fact that for one reason or another, something you've said or done along the way has led to the group you're working with wanting to suplex you into the dirt. this could range from being just a simple misunderstanding to you intentionally and willfully being an asshole. but it is also very likely that you will go through a period of growth or be given a moment of redemption that will later ultimately win everyone over and you'll have a rival-friends kind of relationship by the end of your time together. you've just got to be willing to take those steps. it will just be a hell of a road getting there with a lot of jokes being made on your behalf all along the way, but you've got this. so best of luck, buddy.

secret BBEG: you are carrying so many feelings inside of yourself that never see the light of day, huh? the adventuring party you keep running into jokes and messes around with you, but they have no idea who you really are and they haven't even bothered trying to figure it out either. there's a reason secret is in the title, and it's because there are a lot of people out there who have been underestimating or overlooking you. the important things about you anyways. the ones you wish people would understand, but it seems like they just consistently disappoint. and while you are the last person they would want to do that to, how would they even know until it was too late? you keep things so tightly under wraps after all. you're the type of person who can blend in and move around behind the scenes unnoticed, but that doesn't mean you aren't working hard. in fact, you're probably working harder than most of the people being lauded super publicly for all of their accomplishments. you're just not loud about it. one day, when you either snap or when your carefully set plans fall into place and you're able to reveal how you really feel... well everyone is in for one hell of a ride.

hot barkeep: well hello there. everyone in and out of town knows to come and stop by your tavern because you have the best food, the strongest drinks, and the most wonderful company. you give off strong provider energy, and you're the kind of person who enjoys consistently giving to your loved ones and friends. be it gifts or food or your time and energy and attention, it doesn't matter, so long as you can bring them some semblance of happiness or comfort by spoiling them a little. and one of the best parts about it is that it comes from a very genuine place. you simply enjoy helping people and making others feel nice. just remember that you also deserve good things in your life, so let others treat you to a drink or a home-cooked dinner when they offer. and good god, why did they not make you a romanceable option? (if you're on the aro/ace spectrum, vibes)

goofy but well-loved bard: you are here for a good time, dude, and the rest of us are right there with you. you are very well-liked, whether it be by the masses or just by some odd party of adventurers who met you and immediately decided that you were their favorite person ever. you are very talented at a specific craft and are either willing to forgo more traditional paths to pursue it or desperately want to. I feel like there's a good chance that for the sake of the plot and emotional poignancy, you might get killed off, but just know that it was done because of how much people love you. don't know how much of comfort that second half might bring, but do with this information what you will. if your storyteller decides that you do get to live a long and happy life (as you deserve), know that the resolution to your story and the knowledge that you get a happy ending is the thought that brings a sense of comfort and definitely a tear or two to the eyes of those who care about you the most.

morally grey magic user who is kind of a hermit: ah, an intellectual. AND morally grey, how sexy of you ;) but in more seriousness, the party of adventurers who run into you and could sorely use your help or guidance have one hell of a time trying to figure you out. you do not find yourself aligning with traditional groups or institutions, but rather wherein your interests lie. you live for doing what you want to do and are just straight vibing. and that confuses a lot of people, but you stay unbothered. that's a magnificent quality about you, that part of you that has learned to not give a shit what other people think because you know that it's a waste of time. you know what you care about and how you want to live and that is what is important to you. while your trust is not lightly earned, anyone who does manage to get on your good side has got themselves a very powerful and very loyal friend. rock on you funky little wizard <|:D

[chrono-the-babe]

Hey guys, I'm thinking of making a master post directory for the tags so things are easier to find - is there anything for me to consider that may make things easier?

[actuallyyourreflection]

Hello I saw you reblog a post from me and add into the tags some very interesting info about species in Australia being adapted specifically for wildfires. Do you have any more fun facts for me to read about this subject? Ive never heard of it before and thoroughly enjoyed reading your tags. Tysm and have a great night/day!

Hi! Yes I do!

So a fire regime is the pattern, frequency, seasonality, and intensity of fire disturbance in a particular ecosystem over long periods of time. A whole lot of places in Australia are ecosystems that've adapted to exist in a fire regime, and the timing between fires tends to be fairly short (compared to a lot of other countries/bioregions). So a lot of species- mostly plants- have become really specialised because of this.

There's a lot of ways that plant species have adapted to frequent fires (many need fire in order to reproduce!). This includes extreme heat releasing seeds (e.g., heating up sap until the seedpod explodes and sends seeds everywhere), plants that resprout quickly after leaves have been scorched off, smoke and heat breaking through seed dormancy by sending the right temperature/chemical signals, etc.

There's also a bunch of things that aren't adaptations but are ways fire can help certain species! The ashbed is really rich in nutrients, and with much of the undergrowth burned away there's a lot more sunlight, improved windflow, decreased herbivore activity- all things that promote establishment of pioneer species, which are first-in hardy species that settle in after a big disturbance, AND help those seeds released by/after the fire to get going. This changes the environment, and eventually, these pioneer species get out-competed by other species that take a big longer to get established and tend to have different traits. (kind of goes pioneer -> building -> mature -> degenerate or disturbance -> back to pioneer! it's a whole cycle).

As the plant species change, the environment changes, and the animal species change as well! If you look at small mammal succession after fire, you'll see that different mammals are present at different times after a fire as vegetation (and other factors) change.

Basically, a bit of burning in Australia leads to maximum diversity with a variety of successional stages. And this means higher recovery potential and resilience in the face of other potential disasters!

And of course there are animals that have adapted to fire in interesting ways, like fire hawks. These are birds like the Black Kite, Whistling Kite, and Brown Falcon and they work both solo AND together to spread fires! They do it by picking up burning sticks and dropping them in other places. The reason is because it's how they hunt- but it plays an important role in the ecosystem. Aboriginal Australians have plenty of stories and knowledge about this and take it into account in their care of the land- but until recently most non-Aboriginal people involved in land management were super skeptical about it so it wasn't factored into any planning or policy.

Of course climate change is absolutely fucking all of this and turning all our fires into devastating megafires which are definitely NOT good for the ecosystem so....

Um anyway sorry I wrote so much, hope the fun facts interested you!

Some links with further info/explained better:

Trying to manage fires and recreate healthy fire regimes

Fire and seed germination

If you happen to want to read an old but very important academic book on the subject, which I have only skimmed

Open-access article on fire as an ecological process

Evolutionary history of fire-stimulated traits in plants

I highly recommend doing some research on the topic (for fun) because it's super interesting, especially how fire has driven evolution of Australian species!

P.S. hope you don't mind me posting this publicly, but thought I'd share in case anyone else was also interested :)

[resinatingbeauty]

A 'Witch Shop' Owner's Plea Before Casting That Love Spell

I don't personally offer many spell kits, mojo bags, etc. In my shop and avoid selling my 'Craft', as in, I don't advertise or list spell casting among my offerings, though I have had a couple of customers specifically ask if I could perform a spell I offered as a kit on their behalf for whatever reason. This is because I personally believe that the journey is just as important as the destination in witchcraft and many of the spell kits / spells I do offer are designed in such a way to soothe, relax, release, and heal throughout the process. Honestly, in addition, I really don't want the responsibility associated with performing magick on someone else's behalf for many reasons. The strength of my intent is not going to be as strong as yours, for example. Even if I effectively channel your energy, creating that personal connection between the beneficiary and the intent or purpose of the spell work is incredibly difficult at a distance. I'm always wary of other shops advertising this type of service- the sad truth of the matter is our little niche has been permeated by scammers, con artists, and frauds looking to take advantage of anyone looking for a solution to whatever it is that has them at this low point in life. I will tell you, more often than not it's love spells that the customer is after, and they are apt to find many options on Etsy, the platform I primarily do business on, and beyond.

I distinctly think of one potential customer who had contacted me one night obviously very upset. My heart went out to her immediately - I could just tell by what she was saying and how quickly she responded to me that she was in a state of panic and extreme emotional distress. She isn't the only one, but she stands out from the others as her desire to win back her ex lover was so strong it was evident that she would do anything and (potentially) pay anything for a chance to get things back to the way they were in her love life.

I am a human being. I have been given this amazing opportunity to pursue my passion to share my creations and spiritual / metaphysical knowledge with the world through my work. I understood a long time ago that this also meant I had a responsibility to do my best to help those in need and never knowingly harm, much like a doctor commuting to the Hippocratic oath. This may make me a flat out horrible business woman, but I would rather not sell someone on something I don't believe is going to help their situation. In fact, love spells usually make things worse. I'll get to that momentarily.

"Is there a spell to make her see what she has done wrong and to make her love and want me again?"

I allowed this customer to explain to me the situation and took the time to hear her out after telling her that I'm sure that she could find something like that elsewhere and someone else willing to sell her a spell kit or cast that spell, but I urged her to take a deep breath and talk to me before she did something that she would regret.

Thankfully, she spent the next hour or so explaining her situation and elaborating on everything that has happened in her relationship. It was one of those on again / off again things that so many of us get trapped in. Understandable, considering once you establish that strong bond of love, whether one sided or not, it's incredibly hard to cut that cord and move on especially if you're so emotionally invested (and maybe even financially invested) in this other individual who has had your heart for so long you can't imagine giving it to anyone else.

This PSA goes out to the broken hearted of all walks, as this is a universal experience for anyone who has been in love. There may not be someone to stop you from pursuing what you think will fix everything as I did for her, but I'm hoping if you read this, you'll think twice about acquiring and performing love spells or any magick in hopes that it will provide a quick fix to any situation.

•Beware the Opportunistic Con / Scam

Our field is flooded with scammers, con artists, and frauds that exclusively cater to those in this sweet girl's position and anyone who is vulnerable due to emotional distress or panic. Whether you need a love spell like she did to win back her ex or a quick fix to get more money in the bank or what have you, beware those that have used spiritual advisory and witchcraft as a means to peddle you their high priced garbaged. This is a tough one, as you may have a hard time deciphering what is 'legit' and what isn't, but there are some signs and facts you can look for when browsing these shops / websites.

-They promise / guarantee results within a specific or unrealistic time frame

Magick takes time to manifest and the true story is that nobody has a 100% satisfaction guaranteed spell book. More often than not, when spells come to fruition, it often isn't quite the way you would expect it to, either. Anyone promising a quick fix to anything is most likely just trying to take advantage of you when you are vulnerable and you better believe there will be no money back guarantee if said garbage doesn't work for you. OR, they like to do one of these:

-"Oh, your situation is worse than I thought. You're going to need this and this, with a huge $$$$ price tag."

This starts a never ending cycle of you pouring money into this scammer who will make you believe that it is necessary to do so. That maybe if you did throw them an extra $500 for their thingamajig that you will get what you want. This is only the beginning, as when THAT doesn't do it for you the way you would like, they will claim some other interference, maybe you're cursed or under psychic attack, and need something else even more expensive and elaborate to take care of that before you can even get to what you went to them for in the first place. Anytime someone proposes this type of thing, stop while you're ahead and don't provide them with a guaranteed cash flow that you aren't benefitting from at all. Also, be wary of ANY seller who makes outrageous claims- overnight changes, curing cancer, etc. Are unrealistic expectations.

•Understand What You Truly Need

Maybe it's time to consider an alternative path. The customer I spoke about DID ultimately purchase a tarot spread, which I was much more inclined to do for her than some love spell to win back this girl who has repeatedly broken her heart over the past few years and obviously got a kick out of it, the way she told it, as it was ALWAYS her doing the breaking up and blocking, starting all the drama. I told her I would much rather give her a spell to find her twin flame / soul mate than to win this person back who has perpetually been hurting her and taking advantage of her kindness.

Sometimes it's time to cut the cord before more damage is done. I understand it isn't easy to move on from someone you have loved and cultivated a relationship with over a long period of time, regardless of the negative energy that has invaded the relationship, we DO tend to focus on the positives, which leaves us a bit biased and blind to what we could have and deserve to have.

Take a moment if you are in a relationship situation like this, are beginning to question your current relationship, or are considering taking the next step in any relationship. Sit down with a pen and paper. On one side of the paper, write down all the things you love about that person. All the ways you think they have been the light in your life (be honest and give credit where credit is due!). Now on the other side, list the negatives or cons in your relationship. If one list is noticeably longer than the other, depending on which side it is, it may be time to consider breaking it off, giving things another shot, or taking things to the next level. Ask yourself;

-Do they support me in what I do, even if they don't understand or necessarily agree with it? (So long as it is something healthy -obviously if they're supportive of a bad habit or detrimental behavior, this is more like enabling and not a good thing)

-Do they have my best interests at heart more often than not?

-Do they show that they care? Even in the smallest of ways?

-Could I call them my "best friend?" Am I honest with them?

-Are they honest with me?

-Do they lift me up more than they put me down?

-Do you want the same things in life / have similar priorities?

-Is our relationship valuable to them the same way it is to me?

•LOVE SPELLS NEVER WORK THE WAY YOU WANT

This is the cold hard truth about love spells. Forget the warnings in movies and books, as it is hard to believe them or even take them as a legitimate warning when you haven't had the displeasure of experiencing what a love spell can do for yourself. I have, so you don't have to. This is MY story:

Of course love spells are very appealing when you're a young and naive teenager. I had a strong crush on this guy I had low key been stalking since middle school. I don't know why I liked him so much. Part of it I'm sure was the way he looked (hey, I'm being totally honest!) And how he came across to me. We had absolutely no interaction with each other outside of passing each other in the hallway. He had no idea who I was.

I had just borrowed a copy of Silver Ravenwolf's 'Teen Witch' (which is honestly a fantastic book for teens and young adults just starting to delve into Wiccan practices, which she follows exclusively) from a friend of mine and thought I would try the super simple love spell in the book figuring I had nothing to lose. All it consisted of was focusing on the subject, your intentions, writing their name on a piece of paper, folding it up and placing it under your pillow. I would sleep on that paper for months. I was in middle school just about to go into my freshman year of high school when I performed the spell and would forget about it up until the day it worked, a few months into my freshman year of highschool, when my crush was in the graduating class of that year- literally my last chance to make an impression.

I had gone to a local band's concert that was performing at the school's auditorium one day after classes and was just about to leave when my crush randomly approached me and started talking to me. It was like the whole world just stopped right there. I couldn't believe it. The thought of that spell crossed my mind briefly as we exchanged phone numbers.

Over time and getting to know him, he admittedly wasn't exactly my type. He was still someone whose friendship I valued, but not someone I could really put any effort into dating. About the time I realized this, his personality took a complete 180° turn for the worst. He was stalking me. Blowing up my cell phone (which was a prepaid piece of junk at that time I really couldn't talk on for more than a minute without paying a fortune), so much so one evening when I was at Jukido Jujitsu practice that I came home to something like 32 missed calls and 17 voicemails from him, each one showing gradual frustration and anger. This scared me. I knew I had to confront him about it and break this off before it got worse.

I caught him in a populated area of the school the next day before homeroom- more like he came up to me out of nowhere like he knew I would be passing through that part of the school that day- and I confronted him about the calls,attempting to gently explain to him that I wasn't interested in a relationship and I would like to continue being friends. He blew up at me and threw me against the brick wall of the school, trying to kiss and touch me in front of every single person that walked by. I wish I was making this up.

Thankfully a teacher came and pulled him off. Nothing much else was done. I did my best to avoid him and cut him out of my life entirely from that point on.

I don't know if it was the love spell or if this would have occurred anyways. All I knew was that what had been originally a very sweet, big hearted guy that was soft spoken with low self esteem became a monster in a matter of weeks. The take away from this and what I have personally seen with other's experiences with love spells is that they tend to bring out the worst characteristics of the person they are cast on and you have to be really careful what you are actually asking for when thinking about 'desire' and 'passion.' This intent can quickly lead to stalking, obsession, and not in a good way. Another customer of mine who originally came to me for my Forgiveness Spell Kit and had the desired results also, unbeknownst to me, had someone else perform a love and desire spell in addition to it. The guy that she was reverted into an obsessed jerk who decided to spread rumors about her on social media and beyond, blocked her on all platforms, and would get her friends involved in his quest to make her life miserable. Her story reflects and embodies so many I have heard over the years from others who have dabbled in such spells. When they work, it's just never quite what you had in mind.

So if you came to this blog post in search of a love spell for your personal situation or came across it when you have maybe considered one in the past or know someone who has, please take a deep breath, consider your options, and don't do anything that you may regret down the line. Remember that you are deserving of all the love, respect, support, and happiness one could give another. Do not settle on someone who offers you less and expects more, no matter how much you have invested in them, no matter how many years you have spent with them, as they do not appreciate you for the amazing person you are. I can promise you, however, given some time to heal, you WILL find someone who does.

-Samantha

(Owner /Chaos Witch/Designer)

Blursedbaubles.etsy.com

[mittensmorgul]

Hey mittens! I have a new friend on tumblr who is struggling. She wants to be a writer but her fics aren't being seen. She's frustrated. She wants to give up. I've given her the best advice I can give. I'm a small blog but I keep writing all the time. Trying to give her advice, but not sure what else I can do. She's in her mid twenties, lives at home, doesn't have a job or a car but desperately wants to. She's stuck and needs help. What else can I do and what advice would you give? Thank you!

Heck, I have no idea. D:

Write good? >.>

(haaaaa three hours after I started typing this, with the intent of replying privately, I’ve officially invested too much time in it not to post it… under a cut for length, and because I have officially run out of mental energy and real-world time for dealing with it for today…)

I mean, I see advice all the time on how to get seen/noticed around here, and half the advice conflicts with the other half. It’s hard to even guess what worked for anyone sometimes.

There’s networks she could join (I have no idea how networks work, and I’ve been here nine years, so someone who actually uses networks would probably be better to ask about how to do that, but I do know that the point of them is for a group of people to see/reblog member works, so that might help her get noticed).

There’s also things like Profound Bond and Writers of Destiel. These are discord groups, but they both have a tumblr presence (especially @profoundnet which she could look into.) They run challenges, have a really vibrant community over on discord with hundreds of members, and regularly reblog member works on tumblr.

Plus, making friends, working with beta readers or other writing partners will help find new friends and followers who will help spread her works, too. Volunteering to beta read when a “bigger” writer puts out a call can also help– not only in building friendships with other authors but also gaining experience with writing as well as editing.

Interacting with other authors on tumblr, reblogging their work and commenting– even if it’s just “OH GOSH I LOVE THIS” kind of stuff– ESPECIALLY with other “smaller writers” and thereby spreading the word around about each other’s writing will help grow up a community around all of you.

None of us started out popular, you know? And “popularity” is definitely a relevant term. When I started writing fic, I lucked into a situation that I attempted to recreate with the Christmas collaboration thingy I ran, but ouch that proved to be way more work than I really had the time or energy for. I’d be happy to help others run that type of collab and offer advice, but heck if I’ll ever do one myself again. :P

A lot of fic challenges are a good way for new writers to get noticed, too. There’s a TON of challenges out there. Now, something like the DCBB or one of the other larger and more established challenges might not be the easiest place for a newbie writer to cut their teeth. There is A LOT that goes into challenges that newbies are just not prepared for (rules, deadlines, etc., because knowing how to write, edit, and post on a concrete deadline where others are relying on you to know what you’re doing without needing an undue amount of help from the mods isn’t something you want to learn on the fly in a high-pressure situation like that… there’s an assumption when signing up for something like the DCBB or the Pinefest that in doing so, a writer is CERTAIN that their skills– including TIME MANAGEMENT and the ability to collaborate with an artist and follow all the rules (YES, ALL OF THE RULES) and meet every deadline– are up to the task.

So, that said, I’d highly recommend some of the other smaller, more laid-back fandom challenges. There’s new ones popping up all the time, and a lot of them are geared toward specific types of fic (canon fic, certain tropes, etc.), so there’s a built-in audience for their work. Not to mention that in smaller challenges there’s actually more room for exposure, and not having your work drowned in a flood of hundreds of other long works, potentially many of them by already established authors, coming out in the same time period. Readers are literally spoiled for choice in those situations, and an “untested” author posting a 20k+ fic might fall by the wayside while “guaranteed thing” authors works get more attention, you know? Readers have a limited amount of time they can commit to reading, and with SO many choices available, are actually more likely go for the “tried and true” author they’re already familiar with before investing in an unknown author. Profound Bond is just starting the @casdeanflipfest, for example, with a smaller wordcount minimum, and therefore a more reasonable length work for readers to take a risk on an author they’re not familiar with. I might not have time, as a reader, to invest in every 60k fic that crosses my dash, but I will drop everything to read a 5k fic for half an hour, you know?

There’s also event-specific tags that offer opportunities to be seen by a wider audience. For example, for the last few days, the DCBB folks have been encouraging folks to tag Valentine’s Day themed works #dcvday. This is a very laid-back and casual way to put your works out to an audience who’s looking for exactly that type of thing, you know? Other situation-specific tags like this happen frequently (like Dean’s birthday fic, or the Destiel Anniversary fic, or holiday fic, for example).

There’s also fic collections. For example, right now the @destieltropecollection is collecting fics for this year’s lists: http://destieltropecollection.tumblr.com/post/182800717844/destieltropecollection-destiel-trope-collection. If you have fic that fits into any of these tropes, fill out the form and submit them to be added to the masterpost. They’ll be posted in May, a different trope’s list each day. People looking for that specific trope will have a handy list, and you can reach a whole new audience that way. :)

Take writing prompts, if that’s something you’re comfortable doing. People with cute lil fic ideas will LOVE you for fleshing out their ideas and turning them into something beautiful. Or GIVE writing prompts to other authors who accept them. You never know what sort of creative collaboration that might spark. If you have a fic idea based on someone’s post, by all means TALK TO THAT PERSON! Express your excitement about their idea, ask if it’s okay to turn their little headcanon or writing prompt into a longer fic, and I can almost guarantee that the original poster will be THRILLED.

Take fan art as writing prompts, as well! As much as authors Die Of Squee if an artist is inspired to draw something from one of our fics, ARTISTS ARE EQUALLY FILLED WITH SQUEE if you’re inspired to write fic based on their art. Just, if you do this, please please PLEASE actually communicate privately with the author or artist in question before you do anything with it. Make it clear you’re writing out of love for their thing, and not in a selfish grab for attention, you know? Otherwise it feels a little too much like stealing. It’s a fine line, but it’s all a matter of perception to everyone involved. That communication and collaboration is key.

That said, I think 99% of it all is pure luck. But because of that first challenge I did, the next fic I posted was (miraculously!) reviewed by destielfanfic, which I don’t think is the sort of exposure most authors get on their first long fic… This was also early 2015, when there was a sort of Boom Market for fic, and I don’t even think the atmosphere for fandom is still exactly the same, you know? It feels a lot more decentralized, and a lot of the “big writers” from back then have left the fandom entirely, or else don’t write much at all anymore.

But fandom is a cyclical thing like that. People come and go, popularity rises and falls. I think my best advice is to develop friendships with people who are in that same general region of that arc as you are, you know? Build a community, support each other.

I see bitter posts all the time about how “popular” people don’t want to support newcomers, and “elite cliques” of folks are conspiring to hold on to their popularity by keeping others down, and that’s just bullshit. The little group of people I generally hang in tumblr circles with have been my friends for years, at this point. Most of us are kinda stunned that we’re all still around, you know? We all showed up around the same time, and went through these sorts of struggles together. We’re still here, and most of us recognize that we’re only considered “popular” at all by attrition. We survived while other folks rage-quit the show or the fandom. I know that’s not a particularly encouraging-sounding bit of advice, but that’s literally how the vast majority of us got recognized. We just… didn’t quit.

I was blogging on this dumb site for four years before anyone really started to notice me. (and I still know that the perception of my personal popularity FAR outweighs my actual popularity, you know? I’m not one of the elite 1% of writers around here, and I know it, and I’m perfectly fine with that. I don’t post long fic serially, and that shows in my total hit counts on AO3. Serial posting artificially inflates hit counts, and keeps works at the top of the results page week after week, and I’d personally just rather post a complete fic to stand on its own. But that’s a dilemma for another post.) Then again, I started out mostly reading meta and squealing about the show, occasionally commenting, asking questions, or adding my thoughts to posts. I learned the lay of the land, so to speak (who was receptive to these sorts of additions and conversations starting on their posts and who wasn’t, and the social conventions surrounding it all), while lurking and not even really trying to get noticed. I made friends with people before I ever started writing fic.

(but I also have a background in original fiction writing, so I already knew quite a lot about author culture in general, and had a lot of experience writing myself before I started to write fic, which likely helped me personally quite a bit. I was able to jump into writing chat groups and had a bit of writing cred even before I published a single fic, because I’d been writing original novels and had already cultivated a group of “Professional Author Friends,” participated in writing critique groups (which comprise Alpha and Beta Reading in fanfic writing circles), and therefore knew how those social circles functioned, you know? I mean, some of the authors from my “Professional Author Friends” circle, who I’ve been friendly with for more than a decade now, have gone on to Big Things in Publishing. And clearly I never did… aah health crises that knocked me off that train. But I realized I’m happier writing fic, without all the pressures that come from professional publishing, so I still consider it a personal win. But I was able to take a lot of that knowledge and experience with networking and building communities with me and transfer it to fandom, so I know my experience is not everyone’s experience.)

I think the main key thing is to create that sort of community. A lot of new writers go directly to the perceived “most popular” authors in fandom, as if they somehow held the key to understanding how to become more popular, or expecting the “popular” bloggers to “pay it forward” and give them a hand up (whether it be through asking questions or reblogging their fic posts, beta reading for them or whatever it may be). But even there, there’s a limit to pretty much everyone’s time, in a real-life sort of fashion. The more popular or widespread an author’s works become, the more up and coming writers will also see their work, and I get how people want to hitch themselves to that, you know?

Not to mention, most of us are entirely baffled by being thought of as popular writers. And again, I’m still sort of on the fringe of that kind of Big Fandom Popularity myself, and still kinda baffled as to how I got here.

But we’re all just people, with limited amounts of time to engage with other people, and a limited number of spoons in our respective drawers for social engagement. I do TRY to do what I can, but between beta reading for my already-established writing buddies (which I still only have limited time for, I AM SO SORRY ELMIE I SEE THE THINGS AND WANT TO READ THE THINGS BUT I CAAAAAAAN’T AND I’M MAD ABOUT IT OKAY?!), and still want to engage with current canon and write and read meta about it, and still want to actually write my own fic, not to mention helping to run the Pinefest (even though Cass does the bulk of the behind the scenes work, I take on a lot of the day to day general upkeep of it all) and still have to engage with reality and my human family that I live with and like… pay my bills and cook dinner and all that boring shit, not to mention coping with those chronic illnesses that knocked me off the Professional Paid Writer train in the first place… it’s not easy to balance out, you know?

It’s not so much a function of “I got mine, so screw you.” I just needed to make that clear, since I’ve seen that sentiment bandied about recently (again), and it’s just insulting. I think the main takeaway here is that Fandom is a Baffling Ordeal, and the key to winning in any way is to build up a community around yourself. If you want to achieve success as a writer, push yourself to write better. Find people you trust to beta read for you. And maybe most importantly, never “promote” your own work with negativity.

I see way too many writers who add notes to their work like, “ugh this is probably terrible.” Just… never do that. Have confidence in yourself, love your own writing, or at least present it with enthusiasm, if you ever expect anyone else to take that risk and read your words, you know?

So really? It boils down to perseverance, networking, and putting in the work to become the best writer you can, with no small portion of sheer luck. There’s no secret magical formula to success, aside from building a community that makes you happy. I’ve discovered that people are really attracted to happiness and positive energy, you know?

Heck I’m worn out just from spending five hours on this post now, in between Real Life Adulting I needed to take care of for an hour. I hope it all makes sense, but I’m gonna go surf my dash for a while and hopefully recover enough brain power to do the rest of the stuff I need to today D:

[absotivelyplushilutely]

Oo oo I had some thoughts, hopefully it's okay to reblog this and add them, I just want people to see the info behind the thoughts. Now, of course, I won't be expecting anything for certain because that's just a good way to be disappointed but I do have one wish for what I'd love to see!

A rerelease as a way to celebrate their designs! Last year Build-a-Bear had their 25th anniversary and so each month they put out one rereleased bear from years past and they were then available for the rest of the year, they restocked a couple times and were only removed after the final time they went out of stock once the anniversary ended. It was really fun, however there were some differences between rerelease plushies and the originals im terms of quality.

Since Jellycat is different in terms of their vibe and how they do things what I think would work well from them instead of a timed vault release each month is a release of a fair few rerelease plushies on or around the day of the 25th anniversary. They'd just keep the design the same as the original releases using the same fabric or closest thing to it they could get now, and the rereleases would be available for the entire year, restocking when they run out (as well as getting plenty of stock in in the first place).

They could even go as far as opening preorders a few times through the year so you could guarantee you'd definitely get the rereleased designs you wanted if you had the money during one of the preorder periods since it'd allow them to know how many to have manufactured and then they could have a smaller number available as regular stock on release/restock days. Obviously there'd be a limit of about 2 of any given design per person (checking name/address/accounts) to help minimise scalping. They shouldn't then set their own prices higher for the rereleases, like just keeping them in line with current pricing would make the most sense to me.

I'm really hoping at the very least it'll be a bit better than that, although we could just get a social media post and that's it.

Some supplemental little things that could be fun along with this would be if they slightly altered the tag design on the new releases and the rereleases that year, and some special edition bags that mention the 25th anniversary that you'd receive your plushies in if you ordered at any time during that year. They could also have a free little ribbon in silver or something tied in a bow on each plush ordered, not sewn on or anything just a bow (could velcro together in the back like the Build-a-Bear gifting bows) as a cute little extra touch even just on specific the rereleases or just the orders placed during the actual month of the anniversary.

It'd also be more important than ever to try to keep items in stock that aren't part of the rereleases, especially popular designs like Bartholomew Bear, and I personally would like to see Really Big Sacha Snow Tiger in stock more often (if I can afford it I think the 25th anniversary would be the perfect year for me to get one actually).

(this is a tangent to give an example of a poorly done anniversary) Which would still be better than The Sims' 20th anniversary which was incredibly lackluster with just one item and a few songs added and a patch note mentioning "starting" the celebration with those things, leading people to think more might be coming when it wasn't, we didn't even get another patch at all for several more months (and this was Feb 2020 just before widespread lockdowns were happening, although maybe more was planned but couldn't happen because of everything that happened). The 25th is in a couple years so fingers crossed that'll be better because they've definitely been doing better in terms of free stuff in patches recently. (tangent over, thank you for your patience)

Lastly I'll add a wee list of designs I think could be candidates for rerelease (based on popularity and how obnoxious they are to find second hand at a sensible price)...

Fergus Frog (Little and Medium)

Dexter Dragon (Huge)

Smudges (Medium and Large)

Wilf Wolf/Bo Bigfoot/Yani Yeti/Gus Gryphon (adding a Large size might also be fun)

Some discontinued Bashfuls

Some discontinued Amuseables

Mellow Mallows (Small and Large)

Zeke/Luda/Gibbles Monsters

Bringing some of the previous country exclusives to the rest of the world

I can't think of many off the top of my head since I generally don't really look at things in terms of popularity and usually just look at things for what they are and hoe much I like them, but with some of the above designs it's kinda hard to miss how popular they are rn (which is of course subject to change but I've noticed that once prices and availability are affected by popularity the price and availability often don't improve). I don't think it should matter when they were discontinued for the rereleases as long as there aren't many/any left out in random retailers I think it's fair game. I also don't know a ton about specific Bashful or Amuseable designs that have come and gone over the years but included them since they're so iconic to the brand and well loved.

I had no idea their anniversary was coming up! I’ll have to keep that in mind for next year. I’m a somewhat new collector so I only have a few jellies, but I think I’m hooked. It’s all thanks to you!

Yes! Jellycat is celebrating 25 years next year and I'm hoping for some special releases/editions. I will definitely take the anniversary as an opportunity to look back on past collections and show how they have evolved as a brand over more than two decades!

Also, I'm so happy to hear you are hooked on Jellycats now and that it's apparently because of me! Thank you, it's always sweet to hear such feedback!

I would love to see your Jellycats sometime!