#and that you get the comments and and engagement you deserve 💗

[prythianpages]

Hiii 🥹 I just wanted to come and ask how you would deal with no engagement. I feel like the things I write and put out get good like reblogs and likes, but sometimes it feels demoralizing to have no one really comment on my work. Just wonder how you think I could overcome it!

Hi there!

I’ve noticed a decline in engagement overall on here. It’s something I’ve spoken to other writers on here about. And also the disparity between Az fics & all other Acotar males.

This is a lot easier said than done bc even I struggle with this feeling when fics I put so much thought & effort into don’t get recognized as much as the ones I don’t really care for.

But I remind myself of my “why”, like why am I writing fanfiction? My answer to that is yes, I enjoy the engagement but I also enjoy writing. I find it fun & sometimes, you just need to write the fanfic you want to read yourself.

So my suggestion is to keep writing if it makes you happy! The comments and other engagement will come 💗 and don’t feel so discouraged bc I’ve read & commented on fics that deserve so much more love!

[happeehippie]

instagram j.b.

summary: follow joe and his fiance evie as they go through his football career.

*face claim is Yasmin Quintana*

series masterlist.

breezyevie

liked by joeyb_9, millyg, bengals, and 367,972 others

breezyevie: pics i sent my mom this week

view all 9,736 comments…

user: im sorry what did we do to deserve this?

> breezyevie: i want to post more life stuff!

eviesmomma: i love you two!

> breezyevie: we love you mama!

user: not the love note 😢

> breezyevie: jb is the best.

user: someone needs to take away your ig. i’m sick of seeing ur bf.

> breezyevie: fiancé

joeyb_9: you look pretty everyday.. fyi.

> breezyevie: you are the loml.

user: my dream

millyg: you make me sick.

> breezyevie: envy is a disease. 🤪

user: i’m blocking you.

breezyevie

liked by millyg, joeyb_9, eviesmomma, and 736,820 others

breezyevie: GameDey! me and mills are ready for the divisional round

view all 10,837 comments…

user: i’ll be there tailgating atleast

user: seriously how much orange do you own

> breezyevie: i don’t think i can answer.

user: let’s get it! WHO DEY

joeyb_9: make sure you bring your helmet.

> breezyevie: i’ll be ready to save the day if needed.

user: yaaaaasss my fav!

millyg: i just want to make it clear that i am an eagles/chargers fan and i don’t own cincy merch.

> breezyevie: i tried to get her to wear some of mine. she says she’s no bandwagon.

joeyb_9

liked by breezyevie, lahjay10_, joemainmixon, and 492,936 others

joeyb_9: King in the North

view all 50,736 comments…

user: i know a gangster when i see one

user: you’re a pos.

bengals: 👑

user: the hardest post of all time

breezyevie: king of my heart. 💗

> user: the tswift reference 😭

> user: i knew i could count my queen to be a swiftie

> breezyevie: all of the best people are.. except joe. 🫠

user: joe is so fine tbh

user: joe cool.

lahjay10_: my boy 💪🏽💪🏽

breezyevie

liked by bengals, joeyb_9, millyb, and 927,062 others

breezyevie: there is nothing i love more than watching my joey do the damn thing. #whodey

view all 6,397 comments…

user: i love him

> breezyevie: he’s just the best

user: him not posting pics of you is a red flag

> breezyevie: i’m not sure why this bothers y’all so much.

millyg: i’m obsessed with you

> breezyevie: nooo. i love you.

user: queen of the afc

> breezyevie: stop it right now!

user: be honest did you pick joes game day fit?

> breezyevie: 👀

user: how does it feel to be dating the best qb in the history of the nfl?

> breezyevie: my joey. 🧡

joeyb_9: always supporting me 🤍

user: you’re like obsessed with him.

> breezyevie: i am.

joeyb_9

liked by bengals, lahjay10_, and 1,639,388 others

joeyb_9: “Cartier glasses I won’t even peek at you”

view all 27,672 comments…

bengals: Icon

user: if you’re ever feeling down with ur busted gf let me know

> millyg: let’s respect my girl. they’ve been together for almost six years, he don’t care about you.

> user: they are engaged now, get a life.

user: jacket goes HARD

lahjay10_: you bad ass!

user: work it joe

breezyevie: best dressed qb in the league?

> joeyb_9: with a little help. 👀

user: this guy has no clue 🤣

user: i was unaware of the swag

millyg: drip

breezyevies ig stories

[uhbasicallyjustmilex]

i don't know what it is in the air, but in the last 24 hours i have received a few ao3 comments/asks/dms with the most unbelievably touching and detailed feedback about four walls 🥺🥺

i will reply to each individually as soon as i have the time to sit down and give them the attention they deserve, but i just wanted to quickly post this to say there genuinely aren't the words to express how much reading your words has lifted my heart today 🌟

i've been struggling a LOT with imposter syndrome and self-criticism around my writing lately, and to be totally honest, i’ve also been feeling increasingly worried that people are starting to lose interest in the fic because it does take me a bit of time to write each chapter, and also because i think the fandom generally has been a bit quieter lately which is always tough on anyone creating works for it.

i write first and foremost for the love of the story i am creating, but it can be really hard to maintain that momentum at times when writing something that is essentially novel-length, and having people engage with it can truly just bring it all to life again in those moments where you doubt everything and want to give up. i can't tell you the number of times reading someone's thoughts on a chapter has helped ground me back into the most important parts of the story, or has inspired me to develop a certain theme moving forward.

so yeah. if you are someone who has ever commented on anyone's story and shared your experience of it with them, please know how incredibly, incredibly valuable your words are. as a writer, sharing your work is scary and daunting and vulnerable - and getting to speak with people about what you are creating truly brings it to life and keeps it alive 💗

in short: thank you to literally everyone who's ever left feedback on four walls. you’re all fucking incredible and i am so so grateful 💜

(PS chapter nine is sitting at around 12,500 words and is in the final stages of editing - i'm hoping it'll be posted next weekend! 😘)

[lemotmo]

You certainly don't have to post this but I thought the answer was actually pretty good advice 😊

Q. Hello, I haven't been around the 911 fandom long but I think I may have gotten my hopes up about Tommy. It's increasingly clear that Oliver and Lou do not get on and I think I listened to wrong blogs and allowed myself to have expectations that don't appear to be likely. You do seem to understand the show pretty well so in your honest opinion do you think Tommy is sticking around?

A. Hello, anon. I wasn't going to answer this because I promised I wasn't going to post this kind of stuff anymore but I felt like you deserved an honest response. No, I don't believe he is sticking around. I do think we can safely assume that Oliver and Lou are not friendly with one another, but that's part of adulthood. We don't always get along with our coworkers. That's not the reason he's not sticking around though. What I would advise you to do is go back and listen to Oliver's interviews from last season. You can also read Lou's interviews that came out immediately following episode 4, those were show sanctioned interviews so the content would have been approved, unlike his cameo content. They all describe the relationship the same way. A temporary, introductory relationship. It was never billed or promoted, by Oliver or the show, as anything else. Oliver's lead is the one everyone should have been following. I know the consensus seems to be that Oliver doesn't interact with or engage in any B/T content because he doesn't like all the nastiness that surrounds everything now, and doesn't ship the relationship himself. While I think those things are true I think another part of it is that Oliver didn't want to give people false hope. He has spoken on this before in relation to Buddie content. He doesn't want to come across as encouraging something he can't promise. And in this case everyone said was temporary. There is no need for him to engage with the ship. I think he saw certain people were becoming attached and he didn't want to encourage them because he knows it's not going to be anything. I don't mean that in any kind of mean way, anon. But the reality is a certain group of shippers got carried away with something completely separate from what Oliver and the show were saying and they allowed that thing to frame their viewpoint of everything else. Pay attention to Oliver, anon. He is the one who will be honest with you. His silence pretty much tells you all you need to know. I'm sure that's not the answer you were hoping for but it's my honest opinion. Take care of yourself. 💗

Thank you Nonny! I will post this, because this post doesn't have anything to do with the fandom itself.

This is a post about the two actors, Tommy as a character and whether or not he'll stick around in season 8. I'm perfectly fine with topics like this.

This also ties in nicely with a post I made earlier today where an anon asked me a question about the BT pairing and whether or not it had a chance to be endgame.

A lot of the points Ali makes here are the same points I made in that post. The only difference is that she does it so much more eloquently.😉 If anyone is interested in that post, you can find it here.

IMPORTANT! Please don't repost this ask and/or a link that leads straight to my Tumblr account on Twitter or any other social media. Thank you!

Heads up! For anyone who is giving me the shifty eyes for reposting Ali's updates instead of reblogging. Read this.

Remember, no hate in comments, reblogs or inboxes. Let's keep it civil and respectful. Thank you.

If you are interested in more of Ali’s posts, you can find all of her posts so far under the tag: anonymous blog I love.

[vertiny]

SARAH'S RIN-SOCIATION ♡

happy birthday rin ( @dinoes ) !!! i hope today is a wonderful day for you bc you deserve nothing less 🫶🥰 ik we haven't talked much yet but you've been nothing but welcoming and sweet, constantly making me (almost) cry-- in a good way FKDJSJ you're so kind to little ol' me and that means a lot 🥹 you remind me of warm fairy lights in the way i instantly feel peaceful and relaxed around you 🩵💖 can't wait to see what 2024 brings you, and i can only hope i'm around to see it all. ilysm you deserve the most 🫶💛💖🩵

under the cut is a little bday ramble + an explanation for why these idols are associated 🫶

wooyoung - well . the biggest reason for this one is ofc @/wouyoung but other than that ! he's such a warm, goofy and loving person, just like you !! he gives off the vibes of someone who has the ability to make you feel at ease instantly and you are the same !! i know i've told you that i'm someone who is always an admirer from afar bc Shy™, but i really felt like the second we started talking that any nerves i had went out the window immediately bc you were (and still are heh) so kind and open and you're always engaging with me and my thoughts and you don't mind my (sometimes nervous) ramblings

dongheon - now look, i can't exactly explain this one KSJDG but for some reason when i think of who i associate with you, heoni is like . right up there? both of you are really happy people, always ready to be silly seconds after some serious moments and it's a really nice ability to have within your personality. dongheon might not be a bias you have out of the vrvr boys, but he's a rin dude in my head 🤭 (+ your octopus comment reminded me of heoni being the same<3)

jongho - putting him in my pocket alongside you so you'll have company in there 🥰💖 that brief time you had your url changed to jongsan too really cemented them into my head as rin dudes too (and bc he's obvi a bias !)

yongseung - bc he's in your carrd !! and he's a funky lil dude, and from the bits i know of you and have seen on your blog / on the dash, it's no question that yongs would be a bias, at least for me. he's like dongheon in the sense of "this is a rin dude" without having a proper explination? plus imo all hwanwoong biasers are bound to bias yongseung too<3 KJSDGH idk it makes sense, they're debut besties in the way vrvr and oneus debuted the same day AND in the way that hwanwoong and yongseung are friends too !! (took them forever to get each other's numbers bc vrvr only had emails but SDJFGHK)

san - i would like to give him a hug and so like . a BIG hug to you too 🥺 + there's always ppl out there saying that san is intimidating and before i got to talking to you, in my head, you were kinda the same bc it felt like you were such a big presence, y'know? and while, to me, you still have that big presence, the "intimidation" has more moved to "i've just befriended this giant puppy dog who's the most affectionate"? if that makes any sense AT ALL LMAO i don't blame you if none of my sentences make sense to you

hwanwoong - he's just a little dude. lmao jk i kid (or do i?) but he's got such a fierce determination and such a strong power behind himself and idk i get the same feeling from you and that makes me smile. plus your hwanwoong url too LMAO

tbh all of these guys could have a "they're so nice and warm and kind and welcoming and i love them a lot just like you" attached to them and it'd be 100% true !!! so i'm sorry about some of them being longer than the others 😭 anyways, again happy birthday beloved ! i hope today was / is a good one bc you deserve it 🥰🥺💗💛

[hello-nichya-here]

Aight so there is the Russian social media called "VKontakte" or "VK" for short, most people from CIS countries use it. There's an Azula-centric fan group translated one of your metas, namely "Azula - Double Standards And The Curse Of Being Gifted";

Here are the comments below that post. I'm not gonna show their names and pfps for non disclosure's sake bc I didn't actually ask them if I could use and translate their replies but since they're big fans of yours who apparantly vitis your blog quite often I'll take this risk;

Comment 1: "Ohhh Nichya from tumblr, an icon💗👀👀 Thanks for the translation"

Comment 2: "You're welcome🤗💘 From now I'll be translating more of her posts. She's got some very interesting metas."

Comment 3: "To me Nichya is a guiding star in this fandom party. I respect her for resilience and steadfastness in the face of the attacks from haters and competence when to comes to defending her position and the rights to engage in such wonderful work which is"not for everyone". For me, this is an ideological image, which, perhaps, has made the greatest contribution to the popularization and "decriminalization" of my favorite ship in the vastness of the Internet. I like what an original, sophisticated, inventive and honest circle of people she has gathered in the framework of her activities. She's so inspired and emotionally invested in it all of this.. it really means a lot to her. It warms my heart! (Or maybe I'm just a pervert who got to "the right place", but she certainly succeeded in this many times more than me. She's really good at this :) In any case, this is a comment of maximum incestuous respect and fiery-forbidden honor! She deserves it."

So yes, Nichya, you are p popular and we like you a whole bunch. Also you mentioned that "Torment" is translated in Russian?? Can you share the link?

Link: https://ficbook.net/readfic/10522416

(Do send the translator some love if you can)

Now, please excuse me while I cry and lose my mind because OH MY GOD! People not only know of my sinful existence and appreciate my takes, but also go through the trouble of translating and sharing my chaotic rambling?

"It warms my heart! (Or maybe I'm just a pervert who got to "the right place)" Why can't it be both? XD

And yes, I did manage to meet some pretty cool people, and I love them with all my heart.

In case some of my russian fans (can't believe that's an actual sentence I get to say now) are reading this, especially the one who translated my meta and the one who wrote such a lovely comment:

Привет! I'm very touched for your support, and if you ever want to chat on tumblr, feel free to do so! I hope all of you guys are having a great day, and that one day I stop being lazy and actually study russian instead of thinking that just listening to t.A.T.u. over and over again will magically make me fluent in the language. That way I may actually at least be able to form a complete sentence.

Either way, Спасибо!

[the-lonelybarricade]

Hey LB,

Hope you are feeling less exhausted today, and that you have managed to get some sleep!

I have been reading your fics over the last few months and they are brilliant! I love them all but a few of my faves are Can't Keep My Hands to Myself, Grim!Rhys is sheer genius and the They Are the Hunters Series, loved both Elucien's and Feysand's story, looking forward to seeing what you do with Nesta and Cassian's story. Thank you also for all the incredible content you blessed us with over Feysand Month - we are soooo lucky to have you in this fandom!

This has become a lot longer than I thought, sorry for rabbling on but I wanted to share that I am about to start reading A Court of Faded Dreams and I am so excited to see what you have created. I have seen how loved the fic is by everyone, but then all of your fics are, quite rightly.

Anyway, enough from me. Just thanks for all you do in this crazy fandom that we love so much 💗💗, and take care of yourself.

My goodness 🥺 This ask means so much to me, it made me teary eyed the first time I read it and I've been trying to figure out how to respond in a way that accurately expresses my gratitude.

First of all, thank you so much for checking in on me! I had another sick day today and slept most of the day 💕 Everyone in my company has been dropping like flies with covid but so far my results have been negative so i'm crossing my fingers!

And it brings me so much joy, really more than I can express, that you enjoy my fics. Thank you for reading them and for taking the time to come to my askbox and let me know! The comments you've been leaving on ACoFD also mean the world to me, thank you so much! I fell out of the habit of responding to every comment, but I really really do cherish them. I go back to re-read the emails, they inspire me to write more, and I really hold each one dear to my heart.

Also in response to the other ask you sent, of course I followed you immediately after you sent this!! I thought I already was since I recongized your user, but of course after engaging with me so kindly I had to make sure! Whenever I find a lovely person in this fandom I like to cling onto them for safekeeping. I find that this fandom is actually flush with kind, wonderful people who just get lost in the noise since they aren't the ones screaming the loudest. Thank you very much for being so sweet! I hope YOU have a great day, you absolutely deserve it 💗💗

[shivunin]

For the character impression ask game: Oghren, and also Alistair 👀👀👀👀👀👀👀👀👀👀👀👀👀

Have a lovely day!!

Hello and thank you for asking!!

I hope you have a lovely day as well 💗

(Character Ask thing)

Alistair

First impression: I had a vague idea of who he is by the time I played Origins (I played Origins last), but my first impression was something like, "Aww he's just a funny lil guy."

Impression now: I don't think the first impression was inaccurate, but I do think he does a really good job of playing dumb (and I definitely bought it at first). I think it (and the joking) are a defense mechanism that worked well in templar training, so he's carried on doing it. He likes to be underestimated (especially when he does not want to be in charge!) and jokes are only one way he manages others' perceptions of him. It makes me extremely sad to think about how he's been searching for a family all his life, thinks he's found it in the Grey Wardens, and then loses it utterly.

Favorite moment: I really like the conversation that goes with his mother's medallion. Also the eulogy he gives if the HoF dies (I uh...played a Cousland once, they got engaged, and then she died 😬) but it's a really lovely speech.

Idea for a story: I have a loose outline for it, but I have plans for rewriting/writing around the hardening conversation (because I don't think it should happen in just one conversation). I think telling him to stand up for himself shouldn't sound like "get ahold of yourself." Also he and Wen going into the fight with Loghain, which is a scene I've been fiddling with for a while.

Unpopular opinion: If not for Inquisition, I would let him be a Warden. I think he'd be happier. Despite my dislike of Anora, she is a competent ruler. Alistair could absolutely be good at it, too, but I think life with the Wardens would be less isolating.

Favorite relationship: I mean! Wen and Alistair for life. Their friendship means so much to me. But as far as canon dynamics go, I like he and Zev a lot.

Favorite headcanon: I do not believe that Alistair is straight or cis. Not a very detailed headcanon, but there it is.

Oh, also, I like to pretend that he and Fiona get to meet eventually. In my head, that has happened. He deserves to know at least one family member and why their role in his life went down the way it did

Oghren

First impression: Oh cool, dwarf companion! Now I can finally get rid of all this booze I've been carrying for the whole game.

Impression now: Ahh man. Oghren. Could've been such a cool character. Could've supported the themes about being used up and discarded by people in power when you are no longer useful. Unfortunately, the constant sexual harassment is so off-putting that I cannot see past it. I think he's really interesting in theory, but like...his writers were on some nonsense when they put together his dialogue.

Also...the fact that without the gifts in the DLC packs, the only way you can befriend the alcoholic is to give him alcohol...doesn't feel great.

Favorite moment: I think his introduction in the Awakenings DLC is really funny

Idea for a story: Errr well! Wen almost kills him once. On account of the sexual harassment (and the fact that the particular brand of comments he makes really strongly remind her of Vaughan). Also her looming out of the corner of his eye whenever he's running late to visit his kid. He will be a good father or he will pay the price, and that is a threat.

Unpopular opinion: Idk! I think he is definitely a product of his time, so to speak, and the "edgy" tone they were going for accommodated this particular type of toxic masculinity. It's a shame, because I think a frank discussion of addiction and rehabilitation would have been really impactful, but...what can you do?

Favorite relationship: Having just read all of his dialogue with every companion, I am going to have to go with Shale. I think they have some interesting conversations about golems and dwarves.

Favorite headcanon: That he gets clean sometime in the course of Awakening and pulls it together for his family.

[jerzwriter]

I am so sorry for the crap that's been happening to you. You don't deserve it. No one deserves it. But you particularly have never been anything but nice and welcoming and supportive to everyone. Literally everyone, even those who don't deserve it.

The sort of tremendous jealousy that people who send hate anons live with must be unbearable. Imagine spending that much time and energy trying to drag others down instead of simply focusing on your own stuff.

There are far more people here who support you and love you. Ignore the haters. It speaks volumes about their character, and zero about yours that they would engage in this type of harassment and bullying.

They just want the attention. They're desperate for a fraction of the attention that you get just from being a good writer and a decent human. And instead of trying to be those things themselves, they think that targeting you will somehow bring them the attention that they so desperately crave. It's sad really. What they really need is some mental health help. It ain't normal to act like that.

Keep your head up. Same to anyone else out there who's dealing with this. Because it's not you, it's them. People who send hate anonymously are cowards, bullies and unspeakably pathetic.

Hey Nonny,

Before I begin, I want to thank you. While 99% of asks are positive or fun, after a week of getting hate, I begin to dread notifications. So, when I saw this, it really touched me more than you know. That you took the time and energy to write this... I swear, I can't thank you enough.

Still, I almost didn't post this. Why? Because I know how some factions of our fandom work. I could already see the haters saying: "Oh, that's self-sent!" or "Did you see what she posted? She's such a conceited/narcissistic bitch." And trust me... those comments will happen. It becomes easy to second guess everything you say or do here, and, at the end of the day, it's fruitless. Because you never know what will trigger nasty, unstable people. I mean, the most vicious hate I ever got stemmed from apologizing for being behind on asks. (Because that makes sense.) I'm here to have fun. If I want to live in a tinderbox, I'll start accepting more invitations to family reunions (that's not happening! lol).

I appreciate your kind words more than you know, but like many people (especially women), they're not easy to hear. Isn't it awful that we take the bad things people say about us to heart more than the good things? That's why anon hate hurts... but we need to take that power back. Like you said, normal people don't go around trying to hurt others like this. It's pathological. Here's a quote I want everyone to memorize:

"Don't accept criticism from someone you wouldn't go to for advice."

I forget this myself at times... but it's true, and we all need to abide by it. People who send anonymous hate are vile cowards. And would any of us willingly seek advice from someone like that? I wouldn't unless it is to do the opposite. So, in that way, hate anons become fanmail. A terrible person doesn't like me? Well, that's good; I wouldn't want them to. Mission accomplished.

I want us all to remember we're here for fun. I will never understand where all this jealousy and hatred comes from. It's so unnecessary.

I want to thank you again. I wish I could give you a big hug. 💗 And I want to send a big hug out to others who are dealing with this crap because no one deserves it. 💗💗💗

And remember, it's like 1% of the fandom that creates 99% of the problems. The majority of people here are really good, kind people, like this anon. Thank you again! 💗

[livlepretre]

You’re my favorite fanfiction author… if I sent you something I wrote would you read it? You can say no. It’s not even TVD universe… idk this feels like emailing Picasso and asking if he’d look at my painting 😜

💙💙💙💙

You are so kind to say that and I am absolutely floored and not deserving, thank you! It means so much to me that you love my work 💗

I would say please do send me the link, but with that being said, I might have the very best of intentions to read it and get back to you, but I’m so overwhelmed right now between being a full time mom to a chaotic toddler AND working from home, AND preparing for a public speaking event I have next month… that I might not be able to get to it for quite some time. Believe me, if I had time, I would be posting much more frequent updates, responding to every anon in a timely manner, and reading and commenting on the work from all of the fabulous klena writers we are so blessed with in this fandom 💗💗💗 I miss being engaged with fandom in a more active way so much!!

[seriouslysam8]

I know it probably doesn’t mean anything to you, but when I wake up on every Sunday morning, the first thing I do is check my phone and tumblr to see if the last chapter of Legerdemain is posted. I love hinny in that story so much and I really want to see them have a proper ending. You put so much work into Legerdemain, and so much work into MOT, so I hope you do give not only the story, but the entire series a very much deserved finale. I feel like the closure is needed. I know your motivation is gone and it makes me so sad that you couldn’t keep going with it, but I hope you know that whether it takes a month, or two months, or a year, I will still read the final chapter. I truly hope you can write a proper ending for MOT, because you put so much blood sweat and tears into it and I think your work deserves a happy ending. I wish you the best of luck with your new series, and as an author and mother and person in general. MOT got me through some very sad and scary times of my life, and if you do finish it, it would make my heart and soul so happy. And I hope it will make you happy if you can complete it and be proud of your work, because you should be so proud. 💗💗💗

I had a very long winded reply written but I edited it down because you guys don’t need me to go on a soapbox.

Anyway…

It does matter to me. I’m so glad that there are still people who enjoyed the story so much that they check back weekly for the update. By the same token, it upsets me that I have lost all my motivation to give those readers the opportunity for closure.

Here’s the thing, if you like a story, just review. Say “love it!” And if there’s a chapter you really love, then add another sentence. I often say one of my favorite reviewers is scrappy8. They review every chapter with something simple. If you really have a good chapter, they add more. It’s like a fun little game I play as to how I can get scrappy to say more than two words. It’s also just damn inspirational and motivating to go back and see how many reviews you get in a chapter and then reread them (which is why I ask for reviews on the story and not just tumblr comments so I can go back and read). But not all reviews are good. If I get a terrible review, it stays with me. It makes me upset. So if you have something nasty to say, click the x and keep it to yourself.

What I’m trying to say is engagement is why I write and share with you guys. I want to engage with you. It’s why I created a tumblr even though I’m not a big fan of social media. I’m not on any other social media platforms really. I have no idea if you’re one of my casual reviewers, loyal reviewers, or never reviewers because you’re anonymous. But if you don’t review, start reviewing. You can’t expect someone to spend hours upon hours of their time to write a story and want to continue doing it when they get a shit ton of negativity or their reviews start to dwindle. My motivation is gone, so much so that I’ve abandoned this entire series and want something new.

I’ve said it once and I’ll say it again, the moment this stops being fun is the moment I’m done posting. I’ll always write, but I’ll keep it in my head or I’ll try my hand at original stories or something. It’s only fun for me when I get engagement because I do not get paid. My payment is literally engaging with you guys. That’s all I want.

I don’t read a lot, but if I’m reading, you know I’m reading your stories because I always review. Even if I don’t know what to say and give you a sentence, I review. It’s hard for me to review, I get it. I’m socially awkward and I have fears people will think I’m stupid or silly, but I work hard to get out of my comfort zone and review. I’m on both Hinny discords but rarely talk because I’m nervous to speak because what if I’m seen as dumb? Sometimes it’s hard for me to answer your asks because I’m anxious I’ll say the wrong thing or didn’t think something through (which has happened plenty of times where I’ve deleted asks because I did say something stupid because I was so fucking nervous) or whatever but I try to push past it because I understand if I want engagement, I have to give engagement. It’s the same for you guys. You want stories, you have to engage too. I started to feel like I was in a non-paying job for awhile with Legerdemain. I was just getting shit for Rayly, shit for Lily, shit for the divorce, shit for veering from canon while refreshing my mail waiting for something positive.

What I’m trying to say in this shortened down long winded speech is that I hear you. You are disappointed. But nobody is more disappointed than me. This story I spent a year on, giving literally so much time and effort into crafting and writing, has lost its sparkle. I let the negativity and the decrease reviews upset me. It just wasn’t fun anymore.

I hope to find the motivation to write that last chapter. I’m really trying, but I open the document and just stare at it.

[writer-darling]

hi ella!

i’m back with another “gentle reminders” ask. it goes in line with one of my personal goals this year of trying to work on my kindness and how i show that kindness to others.

the beginning of a new year is always a bit tough for many people, for many reasons but at the scale of the fandom, i have noticed some negativity starting to spread. maybe it’s bound to happen on any social media but i always considered tumblr to be different, to be over the kind of discourse you could find on other apps. this place has been a true haven for many of us and i would like to keep it that way, so i thought, as a way to counterbalance this negativity, i could compensate with a nice message for one of the driving forces in the fandom: our dear writers.

i would like to begin by saying thank you.  thank you for dedicating your time, your energy, your love and sharing pieces of yourself with us. the fandom wouldn’t be what it is without you: just like a body needs a brain or a heart to function properly, fandoms need writers like they need others contributing. thank you for offering diversity, engaging with different tropes and characters to reach as many readers as possible. i will admit, some things proposed are not my cup of tea but i know they can be enjoyed by others, the same way some of my favorite fics wouldn’t necessarily attract others. so thank you for giving a chance to everyone to find what they enjoy, to discover, to learn, to cry, to laugh, to love and to be able to do so in an open, safe space. thank you for interacting with us as well. thank you for responding to our questions, sharing snippets when we get impatient, teasing us with your new ideas and making life a little more fun and exciting every day. and of course, thank you for doing all of this for free. for expecting so little in return when you give us so much.

now a few things i want you to remember: 

although we’re all thankful for having access to your art, your first fan should be yourself. write what you enjoy, write that self-indulgent fic, write your favorite trope, an improbable duo or crossover because you’ve always wanted to. do it for yourself. in the same way, have fun with it. writing is a hobby, it’s not your job, it’s not supposed to be a chore. so do what makes you happy. don’t worry about updating fics, about being slow, about posting too much or too little. some things might take time, some might need an hour to be posted but in the end, they all matter just the same. they’re worth being read and cherished and we will appreciate them. whether you have thousands of notes or barely a few hundreds, you have your place here. you’re still an amazing writer, you’re still an artist regardless of the stats. 

whether i've had time to binge-read your stories or just discovered you. thank you. i love you. i’m grateful for you. i see and appreciate your work. your efforts. you.  i’m sorry if you’ve ever been received with negativity but i hope this can make up for some of it.  you deserve nothing but kindness and appreciation and i hope you know how much you matter here.

sending you all my love,

anna 💗

Anna, I am floored by this gentle reminder! 🥹 I learned a long time ago that I have to write for myself first and foremost but I always struggle with not hyperfixating on numbers and popularity. It helps to know that writing is in my bones, it’s been a part of me since I was a kid and when I lost it for a while, it was like I had lost a close friend, and I was worried I’d never see it again. But, thankfully, it’s back and while I step away from it (even though I don’t want to, but need to sometimes), writing will always be my first love and I am sure I’m not the only one amongst us.

It’s lovely to be recognized with messages, comments reblogs, and being added to various writer/fic recommendation lists. It’s a true honor, and it’s a delicate balance to be grateful but to not get so wrapped up in the glory of it. I do what I do because I love it, not because I want to be this writing superstar. Writing is like breathing to me, and yes, more interaction would be nice. And some days I wish I was more popular. But I know who I am, I know my craft and I’m proud of the work I’ve done so far.

All that to say: THANK YOU, for this reminder. I desperately needed it and I’m grateful you took the time to send it! And an additional thank you to everyone who interacts with me/my stuff. I’ve said it before I’ll say it again: I love my little corner of the internet where I can do what I love most! 💚🌻

[spiteless-xo]

Ive been following you since TBAS and i was there when the first chapter of TBAW was published and it's really nice seeing you gain so many audience and one that engages so much with you it must be a dream you're probably the biggest AOT fic in AO3 no joke I'm so happy for you 🥺🥺🥺🥺

😭💗😭💗 omg thank you so much!! i'm so happy to hear that you've been around since the TBAS days!! I hope you're enjoying the new story so far 🥰

Truly, it kinda feels surreal?? I remember I used to get excited when TBAS would get 100 hits with each new chapter and now I'm getting like a thousand PLUS comments 👁👄👁 like what?????

I'm really trying hard not to let the attention get to my head lol because I know I just got lucky from a TikTok going viral. There are so many other creators who write better than I do and deserve 10x the amount of attention.

Definitely go check out my AOT Fic Recommendation List if you haven't already!!

[1-800-iluvhockey]

rep tour - t.bordeleau’s version (insta edit)

(all photos are not mine & the storyline is fiction!)

---------------

thombordeleau_

liked by @/ lhughes_06, brendan.brisson, owenpower_ & others

thombordeleau_ - before the concert🖤 #reptour

tagged - @/yourusername

view (top) comments

lhughes_06 - oh she will flip when she sees the seats 😝

brendan.brisson - simp cityyyy

owenpower_ - bf of the year award will go to you 🥇

yourusername - omggg now I’m more nervous 😋

↳ thombordeleau - 💞

edwards.73 - SEND HER REACTION!!!!!

dylanduke25 - parents going to see the in-law

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yourusername

liked by @/thombordeleau_, dylanduke25, edwards.73 & others

yourusername - I still can’t believe this. T really out did himself this time🖤 he is truly the king of my heart #imnotokay

tagged - @/ taylorswift & thombordeleau_

view (top) comments

dylanduke25 - OMG

markestapa - shut up that caption 😭

thombordeleau_ - I’ll never let you go🖤

brendan.brisson - taylor touched y/n oh my god

edwards.73 - omg bords is the bf of the year🥇

lhughes_06 - setting the bar EXTREMELY HIGH

↳ thombordeleau - you know I’d do anything for my wife, hughes. ^

yourusername - 💍

owenpower_ - funny thing is that idk if you’re joking about the wife or not

mbeniers10 - well….. ^ @/owenpower_

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thombordeleau_

liked by @yourusername, @umichhockey, @taylorswift & others

thombordeleau_ - met taylor, asked @/yourusername to marry me (as taylor sang y/n’s favorite love song in the rep room), and…….. 💍🖤 thankful that I was able to connect with her through management ties!🤞🏼

tagged - @/yourusername & taylorswift

view (top) comments

yourusername - I never saw you comin’ 🤍

taylorswift - glad I could help, you two deserve the world! 💖

↳ thombordeleau_ - thank you for helping me!!! 💗 ^

edwards.73 - PARENTS ARE ENGAGED?!

↳ lhughes_06 - PARENTS WERE ENGAGED BY TSWIZZLE

mackie.samo - 17 year old y/n & thom would have never guessed this 💍

↳ yourusername - yes I so would 🤍 (but the bar is SO high)

umichhockey - CONGRATS!! ❤️❤️

brendan.brisson - DAMN LOOK AT THAT ROCK

↳ owenpower_ - wasn’t joking about upgrades then 😀

mbeniers10 - auds is screaming at y/n over FaceTime

↳ audreyoconnor - I’M SO HAPPY!!! what a story <3

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yourusername

liked by @thombordeleau_, @taylorswift, @brendan.brisson & others

yourusername - wearing his initial on a chain ‘round my neck & stealing his last name for the rest of our lives #bordeleau

thank you taylor for the best night of my life, seeing and meeting you was amazing! ❤️‍🔥 also thank you for helping my boy propose as well (and making me sob X4 times)

tagged - @/thombordeleau_ & taylorswift

view (top) comments

taylorswift - pleasure is all mine! hope to see you at the next tour? or maybe wedding gig 😎

↳ yourusername - been a fan for life, of course I will!!! I can’t wait and I’m sending you an invite to our wedding 😌

thombordeleau_ - calling you mine forever ❤️‍🔥

brendan.brisson - I lied, he has best bf & fiancée of the year now 😭🥇

mackie.samo - my people

usahockeyntdp - congrats you two!! ❤️❤️

↳ yourusername - forever grateful that you brought him to michigan !!

umichhockey - our favorite couple is engaged 🥰

lhughes_06 - parents are getting married…. 🥲❤️

kentjohnson.13 - congrats 🥲 we are not yelling and screaming at the house right now

↳ owenpower_ - yes we are and we are so excited 😁

mbeniers10 - does that mean no bros trip anymore?!

↳ thombordeleau_ - just means we have to change the name of the trip……

brendan.brisson - BACH BASH!!! 😆😆 ^

↳ lhughes_06 - oh no! @thombordeleau_ you let him off his leash with that comment…… 😑

[newsom]

hello!!! i'd like to preemptively state that this might be long and/or largely incoherent but i hope you don't mind that much. darklands has been very close to my heart ever since i first read it, so you can imagine the shriek my inside voice let out when i got the update email. i'd been thinking of rereading the whole thing, so, the first free day i had (today), i lined up four or five records and did exactly that. and man… it still hits so hard!!!!! like fuck. wow. i could go ab it for many many words if you let me, but i'll just focus on the most important stuff:

1) chapter nine!!! cHAPTer NINe!!!! i'm yelling!!! god tier stuff, seriously, by which i mean that it has been in my mind, without fail, at least once per week for the past however months. like, obsession level thoughts. it deserves them. the narrative technique is absolutely fitting/engaging/fucking incredible for the pacing and you executed it flawlessly. it's like, the orgasmic cultivation of a epistolary-based story.

2) your use of music! (nothing more needs to be said, other than the fact that EVERY. SINGLE. TIME i listen to wuthering heights i think of the cat (now lola!) my beloved) (also can't listen to the jesus and mary chain album like a normal person anymore)

2) i think another thing that made me routinely come back to darklands, which i came to understand in this second read, are your descriptions, generally, but most specifically of granada. while i've never been (i really want to!!!) i've grown up and live in the mediterrenean and i have to say, wow! like, i know every place is unique, but i'm talking about a specific essence that, of course, is vastly different than the scottish and welsh countryside or the bustling city of london that you often see described in marauders fics. and it appeared so surprisingly familiar to me that it created an dare i say comfortable atmosphere (what comes to mind now is your description of the terracotta stairs and roofs!! like!!! yes that's it!! or like. the stray cats lol) i also appreciate the fact that you describe different parts of the world (spain, los angeles, now wales) with equal degrees of detail and perfection. my little geography/literature lover brain is getting its serotonin :)

3) your writing generally stayed with me the past months (from your other fics too, that i will definitely reread the following days lol) but this one specific line has superglued itself to the front of my brain, and i have it better memorised than most of the poems i consider beloved: "At nineteen they were overripe with desire and spilling over with more love than they knew how to give or take; they poured each other overflowing goblets of the stuff and drank too deeply. Ecstatic, decadent love, laughing and delirious and always sweet." i also remember, but can't locate right now, a line about how summer was overgenerous one year and its rays had spilled into september and it made remus selfish . ouf.

man i needed to let that out. in short; i absolutely love love love darklands, and am always ready to soak up your words. i'll go listen to the playlist now and think about those lovely idiots. cheers!

🥺😢😭😫💖💖💖💖💖💖💖

I hope it’s ok to publish this, I didn’t want it to be lost forever by answering privately bc this is a dream of a comment and I want to be able to read it over and over LOL. thank you so much for taking the time to write, it means so much 💗 really glad you’re enjoying the story!!!