#but to bring back a popular fandom hashtag

[thatswhatsushesaid]

op i don't think jin guangyao is emotionally detached at any point in the story, but i do think he has to play his cards extremely close to his chest, because there is exactly one person in his life he knows he can trust and rely on to put him first and keep him alive, and that's himself. but i think it's also telling that he is the type of person to stay behind on the battlefield after the fighting has come to an end to help the commoners:

[...] Nie MingJue continued, “The more these people talked drivel behind your back, the harder you’re going to work to have them speechless. I’ve seen you on the battlefield. Everytime, you’re on the foremost lines and stay behind to help with the commoners in the end. Well done. Keep it up.”

- EXR translation, pg 470 (bold emphasis mine)

i'm specifically drawing attention to nie mingjue's statement here because for him, meng yao's conduct on the battlefield isn't hearsay: he's seen it with his own eyes. meng yao bravely puts himself in danger for the sunshot campaign's forces despite probably not even possessing a golden core at this point in the story, and he stays behind afterwards to help the commoners who are undeniably being caught in the crossfire of this war. bear in mind that this is also how he met qin su! he saved her during the war! [ch 47]

i think it's tempting to see this action on meng yao's part and go "well he's just trying to curry favour so he can win his father's approval," but 1) we know that the cultivation sects by and large just... do not give a fuck about the common people, particularly not jin guangshan, whose favour meng yao is understandably trying to court, and 2) the temptation to respond this way is a direct reflection of the cultivation world's opinions of meng yao, too. i think that should always be challenged, especially given what the text has also shown us about the value of jin guangyao's watchtower project to the common people. rather than fumble through the pages looking for the chapter i was thinking of, i'll just drop a link to one of @xiyao-feels' posts on this subject. they've written a LOT of really detailed meta (with citations!) about the watchtower project, i'd really recommend taking a gander at their stuff.

anyway my whole point here is that there is generous textual support for jin guangyao being motivated to help others simply because it is the right thing to do, and he wants to be the type of person who does good things. so bearing all that in mind, while i agree that he could not have known how important lan xichen would become to him when he chooses to save him from the wen, his motivation for saving him, and then continuously risking his own life to keep him safely hidden, doesn't have to be that complicated.

---

this post has been added to my dreamwidth meta archive here: https://thatswhatsushewrote.dreamwidth.org/6044.html

i see so many mdzs takes that are 'x character HATES y character' 'x character likes y character'

this story took place over 20 years i promise none of these characters kept the same opinions of each other the entire time.

lan wangji probably felt slightly more positive towards jiang cheng during ssc when jc was working so hard to find wwx. nie mingjue's opinion of jin guangyao fluctuated intensely over the course of the story. lan xichen had a very gradual shift from liking wei wuxian/wanting him to befriend lan wangji to nearly if not completely detesting him. jin guangyao almost certainly did not anticipate caring for lan xichen as much as he did by the end.

lan qiren never changes though. mf is a wwx hater through and through. love that guy

(whenever i make these analysis posts im talking about the novel, i recognize cql likely has different implications)

[lustfulslxt]

can you make a fic where reader has a secret tumblr account and she’s a pretty popular writer for the sturniolo fandom (matt fics only). she also happens to be dating mr matthew 🤭🤭🤭

anyway she gets a shit ton of reqs from an account (u can pick the username lol) and PPL EAT THEM UPPP they’re dirty filthy naughty requests. one day she’s on matt’s phone and sees the tumblr app and confronts him ab it and they both figure out the other one’s lil secret 🤭

Mr. Wrinkleton - Matt Sturniolo

warnings : freaky freaky freaky

—

Looking through my recent activity, I can't help the wide smile that covers my face. Writing on Tumblr has honestly been so fun and exhilarating. I'm only in the Sturniolo fandom, specifically for Matthew, my boyfriend. I came across this app while I was scrolling through comments on TikTok. Just from the way people were talking about it, I knew it was a NSFW type of ordeal.  Me being me, I was quick to download it. Let's just say, I do not regret it.

After a couple of weeks of browsing through the Sturniolo hashtag, I decided to go ahead and write something of my own. Simply to say, people ate it up. I find joy in writing half imaginative, half true experiences with my boyfriend, and the love I get makes me proud. Nobody knows Matt and I are together, and even if they did, my account is completely anonymous. I would be mortified if it somehow got out. Matt would probably think I'm a freak, and not a good one.

I have a few 'fans' on my account, some that request a lot of fanfictions. There's one in particular that I love, Mr.Wrinkleton. They send in so many good requests, ones that I love fulfilling. They have a very peculiar imagination, some things I'd love to try with Matt, and some I have tried with him. Thinking back on those moments brings a smile to my lips, those were great nights.

As I lay sprawled out on the bed, Matt sits at his desk, buried in his PC, playing the game with his brothers. He has his headset on, so loud that I can hear the commotion from across the room. Saying that, he can't hear my continuous giggling. Tumblr has definitely become my favorite app, my guilty pleasure.

Setting my phone aside, I saunter over to my boyfriend, placing my hands on his shoulders. He slightly jumps, removing his headset from one ear and shooting me a quick glance before directing his eyes back to the screen in front of him.

"What's up, baby?" He asks, his attention solely on the game. "You good?"

I chuckle, shaking my head. "Yeah, I'm fine."

I plant a short kiss on his cheek, rubbing his chin a bit, and walk towards the bedroom door. With my hand on the doorknob, I turn back to him just before he places his headset back over his ear.

"Do you want anything from the kitchen?" I ask him.

"What?" He asks, only shooting me another quick glance. A second later, he's yelling at the game. "Bro, you're trash! That was such an easy kill!"

Simply rolling my eyes, I walk out the room. As I walk down the hall, I can hear Matt calling for me, but I just head into the kitchen to grab something to drink. I grab me a bottle of water and Matt a can of root beer before making my way back to the bedroom. I walk in, softly shutting the door, and place the can of soda in front of Matt. I'm about to head back to the bed when his hand catches my wrist, halting me in place.

"Thank you, gorgeous." He says, kissing my hand. "Sorry, I'm super invested in this. We're doing so good right now."

"It's all good." I say, placing a kiss on his head, then make my way back to the comfort of our sheets.

As I lay back down, ready to pick my phone up and continue with my naughty secrets, Matt's phone, on the nightstand table beside me, flashes with a couple of notifications.

"Matt, your phone." I say, only to be ignored. "Matt?"

He doesn't budge, so I pick his phone up to give to him, only to freeze when I see the icon on his screen. I know that icon all too well. There's absolutely no way, I must be seeing things. I dramatically wipe my eyes, glancing back on the glowing screen. It's definitely the same. I unlock his phone and read the notification.

Tumblr @flowerxbunnie liked your post: "wow."

My jaw drops, shock evident on my face. Without a second thought, I click the notification. Once it loads, my jaw drops even more. It's one of the fanfictions I wrote. I'm so confused. Matt has a Tumblr account? There's no way. I hesitantly click on his profile, and if it were possible, my jaw would quite literally be on the floor.

Mr.Wrinkleton.

Is this real life? Am I imagining things? Have I been spending too much time on Tumblr? I close the app and it's still there. I open the app, going back to his profile, and it's still there. Matt is Mr.Wrinkleton. Matt's been sending me dirty requests to write fanfiction about him.

Before I can even stop myself, I'm shrieking, "Matt!"

His head snaps to me, confusion ridden on his face. He takes his headset off and turns towards me.

"What's wrong?"

I can't even form words, so I hold his phone out. He sets his headset down and walks over to me, completely unaware of why I screamed his name. Once he grabs his phone and glances at the screen, every ounce of color drains from his face. His eyes are wide as he stares down at the opened app on his phone.

He looks up at me, his mouth formed into an 'O' shape. "Oh my god. Uh-"

"You have a Tumblr account." I state, as if we haven't established that.

"You weren't supposed to see that." He cringes, sheepishly rubbing the back of his head. "Did you read any of that?"

"I didn't have to." I say, because I already knew.

That's when I start hysterically laughing. What are the odds? His face suddenly flushes with a deep red color, his eyes still wide, only now from embarrassment. I can't even form any words because of how hard I'm laughing. I just pick up my phone and open my Tumblr app, handing it to him. His eyes read over the screen, before his head snaps over to me and his mouth is wide open again.

"Are you serious?" He asks, "Am I being pranked right now?"

"Matthew!" I laugh, "You're such a freak!"

Getting over the initial shock, he's now laughing with me. "I'm the freak?! You're the one writing everyone's dirtiest fantasies!"

"Everyone -- including you!" I tease, my laughter growing more.

He nudges my shoulder, his face still beet red, "Shut up!"

Once my giggling subsides, I pull him into me. "So, you like that stuff?"

He swallows, whispering, "Yes."

"Which one's your favorite?" I ask him, my tone soft and sultry.

He shakes his head, an embarrassed smile pulling to his lips. "You're gonna laugh at me."

I pull him onto the bed with me, us sitting side by side. I shake my head, "I would never." Receiving a pointed look from him, that causes me to laugh again, I continue, "Okay, that was different. I just never expected that. But I would never laugh at your fantasies. From what you've requested, they're pretty hot."

He bites his lips, looking down at me, his voice low and husky as he speaks, "Um, that so called witchcraft."

My mouth fell open, surprise taking over my features. I can feel the desire growing between my legs. I love that story, specifically that detail. A sly smirk pulls to my lips as I stare at him. I can tell by the cheeky grin on his face that he can read it all over me, I want to recreate it. He nods his head, beckoning me over to him.

"What about your game?" I ask, standing in between his legs.

"What about it? It'll be there tomorrow." He mutters, running his hands up my shirt.

His cold fingertips trail over my skin, causing me to shiver. He holds my shirt up, peppering soft kisses along my stomach, his tongue trailing in between his lips. His hands run along my back, easily finding the clasp to my bra and unbuckling it. In one swift motion, he pulls my shirt over my head and lets my bra slide down my arms, onto the floor. The cool air hits my nipples, hardening them instantly.

"Such perfect tits." He mumbles, taking them in his hands, massaging them.

"Love your hands on me, baby." I softly moan, indulging in the way he touches me so effortlessly.

He continues groping my boobs and begins kissing all over my stomach, and up my chest. He sticks his tongue out and drags it between the valley of my breasts, causing me to pull my bottom lip between my teeth to minimize the noises threatening to escape. My hands tangle in his hair, softly tugging every so often.

"You don't understand the power you have over me." He groans against my skin, his hands gliding down my body. "Every little thing you do drives me absolutely insane."

A soft moan leaves my mouth at his words. His hands go around to my ass, squeezing my cheeks through my shorts, massaging them in circles. He grabs the waistband of my bottoms and swiftly pulls them down, leaving me in nothing but my panties. His hands trail up my legs, rubbing them from the outside in. The closer he gets to my core, the more desperate I become. The outside of his hand firmly presses against my clothed center as he grazes along my thigh, and I'm suddenly very aware of the damp patch in the cotton fabric.

"Always so easy to get you going." He says, his voice holding a rasp to it.

All that leaves my mouth are small, breathy moans as he continues putting pressure right where I need him. He suddenly stands up, now towering over me. One of his hands wrap around my throat, his other hand full of ass, and he yanks me into him. His lips slam against mine in a hot and needy kiss. Our teeth clash as our lips surround one another, then he shoves his tongue in my mouth, exploring every nook and cranny.

It's always so easy to get lost in his kiss. He never fails to make me feel like I'm floating on clouds, whether it be soft and delicate or wet and sloppy, like right now. It's as if he's sucking my breath from me, and I'm left in a hazy daze, high from the feeling he bestows upon me. Time seems to be standing still around us. After a moment, he pulls away, both of us breathless, strings of saliva connecting our mouths.

"God, I can't wait to make a mess of you." He whispers, his warm breath fanning my face.

He plants a few more kisses on my lips, pulling away to remove his shirt. I gently tug on the waistband of his sweats, indicating I want them off, to which he obliges and strips from them. His hand comes to my face, connecting our mouths once again, his other hand guiding me onto the bed, never breaking our kiss once. He straddles my legs; I can feel his hard on pressing into me. There's only two layers of clothing preventing us from succumbing to our needs, and I know it's only a matter of time before they're lying on the floor with the rest of the discarded items.

Matt pulls away from my mouth, his going straight to my boobs. His lips envelop my nipple, sucking and taking turns between the two. The sensation from his warm, wet mouth on me has me clenching around nothing. Desperate for more, I reach down and grab at his constricted erection. I can feel him throbbing under my touch, and knowing he wants me as bad as I want him turns me to putty.

"Matt." I moan as he grinds his hips against mine, his dick adding much needed pressure to my core.

"Haven't even done anything yet, and you're already a mess under me." He tsks, smirking. "Don't worry, baby. I'm gonna give you what you want."

Without another word, he pulls his boxers down and places his dick on my pussy. He moves back and forth, rubbing over the soaked fabric. My eyes roll to the back of my head as he brushes over my clit, and I can feel myself practically oozing juices. He pulls my panties to the side and continues gliding his dick through my glistening folds.

"So wet and warm for me." He moans.

"All for you. Only you." I agree, my hands gripping the sheets.

Suddenly, he pulls away, causing me to whine at the loss of friction and warmth he provided. He quickly pulls down my panties, throwing them across the room. Sliding up and down my folds a few more times, he's slowly sinking into me. He tosses his head back, a groan emitting from his throat. I squeeze my eyes shut from the pleasure, subconsciously clenching around him.

Placing a hand on my stomach, he starts thrusting in and out, his speed increasing with every stroke. I can't help the moans that fall from my lips, my entire body overcome with ecstasy. He always knows how to make me feel so good. His hand travels up my torso, applying just the right amount of pressure as he goes. His fingers hook into my open mouth, pulling my jaw down, almost as if he was using me as leverage. The moans coming out of me are now broken and muffled seeing as my mouth is now stuffed with his fingers. I take advantage of this and wrap my lips around them, my tongue sliding all around them as I harshly suck.

He bites his lip, suppressing a loud moan, "Fuck. You make me wanna do very dirty things to you."

"What's stopping you?" I moan as his thrusts grew fiercer.

He instantly leans back from me and lifts my legs over his shoulders. He places his hands beside me to hold himself up as he starts drilling into me. The sound of skin slapping echoes around the room, and you can hear how wet I am. He's reaching places only he's ever been, leaving my legs quivering atop of him. My hands grip onto his biceps, my fingernails digging into his skin, surely leaving crescent shapes behind. One of his hands travels between my legs, rubbing fast circles into my clit, causing me to spasm beneath him.

"Oh god." I whine, feeling the intense knot build in my abdomen.

With my repeated clenching around him, his thrusts grow sloppy, and I can tell he's close. Lewd moans leave both of our mouths, our states of mind clouded with bliss. A throaty groan emits from him, before he quickly pulls out and releases his hot load all over my pussy. It feels so good, especially when he rubs his tip over my clit, then pushes back into me.

He only got a few more pumps in when he pulls out with a hiss, "Touch yourself."

I eagerly do as he says, my fingers easily finding my center. Once I come in contact with his cum, I drag my fingers through it, spreading it into my folds. My fingers brush over my clit, causing me to convulse with pleasure. I rub my clit in slow circles, enjoying the feeling of his seed all over me. Gathering more of his nut, I plunge two fingers into my entrance with a loud moan.

Matt's gaze hasn't left me this entire time, his dead eyes full of lust. I notice him repeatedly lick his lips, as if he wants to dive in and devour me, watch me come undone on his tongue. I fuck my fingers into my pussy, eliciting pornographic moans from me. Like he can't take it anymore, Matt removes me hand and replaces it with his own. Two of his fingers pumping in and out of me while his thumb rubs my clit. My entire body is shaking underneath him. He always knew how to make me feel good, better than I ever could. He knows my body inside and out, knowing exactly what to do to make me unravel. And sure enough, the pressure building in my stomach grows until it ruptures.

"Oh, my fucking god." I moan out, my back arching from the bed as I release onto his hand.

He continues fucking his fingers into me a few more times, before pulling out, "Such a pretty sight."

I am spent. Falling back into the bed, I attempt to catch my breath. Watching Matt with tired eyes, I see him slip his two fingers into his mouth, sucking our mix of fluids off. He leans over me and takes me in for a deep kiss, his tongue sliding all over mine, our blended concoction melting into my mouth. I can't help but moan into the kiss.

He then collapses next to me, immediately pulling me into him. "How about whenever we have something new in mind that we want to try, we just give it a shot rather than searching for it in fiction?"

"Agreed." I breathe, weakening into his embrace. 

Thank god for Tumblr. 

—

a/n : quick shoutout to my baby for the witchcraft idea 🫶🏼🫶🏼 enjoy, love u bunches xx

[awakefor48hours]

[ID: two panel meme of Eric Andre, labeled "streaming services," shooting Hannibal, labeled "new and popular shows." The second panel is Eric looking at the camera asking "why are we losing money"/End of ID]

I'm getting so tired of seeing streaming services, Netflix especially, nuke their catalogue then blame us for their loss of revenue. I hope with the cancellation of Lockwood and Co some of you guys will finally begin to understand why the WGA strike is so important. So many good shows are getting nuked without a chance to prove that they can be profitable. Other times, shows have been proven to have the chance to be profitable down the line but they're still cancelled.

[ID: four screenshots of Rotten Tomato scores for Inside Job, Dead End Paranormal Park, Warrior Nun, and Lockwood and Co. Inside Job has a 79% average tomatometer and 90% average audience score, Dead End Paranormal Park has 100% average tomatometer and 86% average audience score, Warrior Nun has 84% average tomatometer and 97% average audience score, and Lockwood and Co has 92% average tomatometer and 94% average audience score./End of ID]

As you can see, these shows were all highly rated and had potential to keep bringing in new viewers but they were cancelled because they weren't as popular as other shows like Stranger Things. (In fact, I like to think that Dead End's audience rating is actually higher but was reviewed bombed by Facebook moms who hated the fact that the protagonist was an openly gay trans man).

Overall, I'm tired of getting of seeing writers get screwed over by megacorporations, it feels like no matter how hard you try, streaming services will just nuke your favorite show sooner or later.

But to leave this rant on a somewhat higher note, I do want to remind you all that cancelled shows can come back. The IPs still exist and another corporation can pick up a cancelled show but this part also relies on us, the audience, in that we have to keep the fandom alive.

In this capitalistic hellscape, we need to show other companies that buying these IPs is a smart business decision but if they see that no one is willing to watch it, then they won't pick it up. Cancelled shows can come back (ie Brooklyn Nine, Timeless, Arrested Development, Community, Clone High, Bleach, Futurama, etc) it just takes an active fanbase.

So let your brainrot consume you, make fanart or commission an artist, write your fanfictions, get your friends into the show, watch it legally if you can, make fan edits, get a hashtag #save this show trending on twitter, just anything that you can do.

[freefromthecocoon]

You know me, but not well at all, though we've talked some, here & there since we've both been in this fandom for a very long time. As the main show was ending, I was very involved in & vocal about keeping positive, the excitement in regards to(what was to become) TBOC, & trying to light up Twitter to drum up excitement for it.

Then we got the news about Melissa not being involved & I tried to hang tough for a few months, pouring myself into hashtags & tweets about Mel.

I ultimately had to take a huge step back from the fandom, basically disappearing for the first time in(what had been) 10yrs. Not because of being disappointed with the show, but because your assessment of a certain voice in this fandom is correct. That person became so seemingly compulsive in their negativity that I couldn't take it. It was uncomfortable. When trying to point out silver linings, solutions, & disengagement with negative voices within our own fandom, I felt met with what amounted to presumed conspiracy & frustration at choosing high ground. I genuinely appreciated this person's analysis of the show up to that point, but between them & another person they communicated with regularly who gave them "industry tips", I felt like I was suffocating. Something that I loved(but like the rest of us, was dissatisfied with & frustrated by very often for an entire decade) so much was becoming a burden to endure.

I began questioning whether I even wanted canon to happen anymore, let alone Mel being bright back into the project because any time I saw Norman, I could only think of what awful assumed things had been said about him purposely going out of his way to ruin Mel's chance at being in the show.

My opinion, in as far as the billing situation goes, is as follows(not that it was asked for):

I share their opinion that I'd have preferred to see their names side by side, wholeheartedly. It would have more visually satisfying. However, I think we all know that despite the show's main title carrying his character's name, that they're both billed as the stars, whether her name is following his or not.

Andy's name was the first to appear in the credits for the duration of his run on the main show, despite us all knowing that in the show's prime, Norman was the fan favorite & was likely bringing in more money than Andy.

Another example of "order doesn't dictate billing" is, & excuse me for showing my age with this, Anthony Edwards was billed first in the opening credits for ER for years despite George Clooney & Noah Wylie being their big stars/cash-cows at the height of it's popularity.

Tl;Dr- My opinion is it is OBVIOUSLY both Norman AND Melissa's show now. And I'm going to choose to be positive again.

Hello Anon and welcome back. I feel that your last statement in your ask is not opinion, but fact. It is both Melissa's AND Norman's show. I also agree with everything you said about the billing, both with TBOC and with the other instances you mentioned. I am glad you brought up ER...yes I am that old too, lol. Several people in attendance of the premiere have commented that the opening credits/animation is beautiful and pays tribute equally to both Carol and Daryl and also to Melissa and Norman.

Watching clips and photos of Melissa over the past few days, I believe that she is incredibly happy with everything. She was completely glowing all weekend.

Now to address the elephant in the room. The negativity in our fandom, which thankfully seems to be dwindling rapidly. I think that part of what enabled the person you mentioned is that for the longest time, there was only rumor and innuendo. AMC handled this poorly from the start. I feel that pretty much everyone agrees about that point.

The frustrating point is that as more and more postive news came out...this person continued to double down with trying to tamp down positivity. I won't belabor the point here, but it became obvious to me and many others, as I am learning, that it was no longer about supporting Melissa, but it was about the negative person in question being right and retaining her perceived power in the fandom.

I too went pretty quiet for a while. But I never lost faith in Melissa or Norman, no matter what negative rumors were being spread about their friendship. (this goes back to the very beginning when the OG show ended and the spinoff changes were initially announced).

"I could only think of what awful assumed things had been said about him purposely going out of his way to ruin Mel's chance at being in the show." This was frustrating to me that so many people seemed ready to assume that Norman was out to get Mel. They have been good friends and colleagues for such a long time. A disagreement is bound to happen from time to time. I knew the idea of a tiff was not out of the realm of possibility. But the innuendo that their friendship was irrevocably broken never entered my mind. Seeing them together at SDCC that year and then seeing pictures of them together on the final day of filming for TWD busted the initial narrative that was presented as TWD filming ended and the announcement of the spinoff changes.

Now I ask you...does this look like a man who is trying to ruin the chance of Mel being in the show?

Does this look like people who can't stand each other? (Photos taken on last day of filming TWD)

(I frequently allow people I am on the outs with to lay their head in lap)

Look, this got a lot lengthier than I intended. Suffice it to say, Anon, I am glad that you are choosing positivity and I am really looking forward to our summer and fall of goodness. We all have earned the happiness we are feeling and we should revel in it!

Caryl on everyone!

[thecoolerliauditore]

I've only skimmed a lot of the posts so sorry if this point has been made but I wonder how peoples' perception of Masculinity vs Femininity as a spectrum affects their perception of characters and designs. Do some people view Masculinity and Feminity as complete opposites, with androgyny as the middle ground? Can you be masculine and feminine simultaneously, while not really being androgynous? Does the 'threshold' of androgyny change depending on how the cc/character is depicted in 'canon'? to be clear I don't necessarily think any of these viewpoints are 100% correct or whatever but I think it's interesting how people will have different perspectives, because most people's view of gender are skewed different and what might read as a fem design could read masculine to another or just entirely androgynous. sorry for the ramble this stuff fascinates me deeply

No yeah it is fascinating!! It's a. very complicated topic since of course the concepts of "masculinity" and "femininity" are very frivolous and amorphous, hence why I kept feeling the need to clarify how it gets. Weird with anime-inspired styles what with the culture shock and whatnot.

This song was really popular in fandoms awhile back and I think it's like. a great example of how one culture's completely neutral (or even masculine!) traits can be seen as feminine (or in this case, "gay") when viewed by another. It's also just really funny and I'm kinda sad no on has done a life series animatic to it yet.

masculinity and femininity as a scale with androgynous in the middle is also something I'm glad you bring up, because the concepts of masculinity and femininity are so arbitrary and as such there are so many ways to deviate from the norm -- some more socially acceptable than others! Thinking about, for example, the young MAGA hat'd women you see on sites like twitter with the most racist takes of all time and who are very proud of their ability to keep up with the boys in terms of 'murican masculinity (chugging beers, changing tires, so on and so forth) but at the same time cake their faces with makeup, support that Hashtag tradwife lifestyle and Would Not Ever Consider wearing clothes from the mens section because that is the Bad type of gender non-conformity for commies and lesbians or whatever.

Compare that to like. sorry incoming irl lore. the way I've had people in both more liberal and less woke areas get nervous when they try to address me, with the only big difference being that more younger, liberal people will typically either ask for my pronouns or they/them me by default.

I'm lucky enough that most people here are polite but as someone who has presented both masc/fem the way people treat me is so distinctly different based on my perceived gender as well as my level of androgyny it was kind of shocking to me. Eitherway there's a distinct attitude it's like. Rude to not be able to tell whether someone's a man or woman I've noticed and nowadays I have a lot of fun stressing people out. Sadism in me or whatever.

ANYWAY this was about minecraft youtubers. Analysing how people gender their designs, unconsciously or not, is fascinating because of how interpretative these designs are. There's also probably something you could say about how gaming youtuber is a very male-dominated space and how female gaming youtubers tend to overperform femininity, but in very different ways dependent on their intended audience (compare say. Lizzie and Pokimane for example.)

I think it's also worth noting that like. masculinity and femininity in behaviour is very different from physical presentation. which is how you get images like this

in addition to, again, these concepts already being abstract.

and of course, all said with me biting my tongue on the queer side of things still, because that's a whole other sub-sector of stereotypes and in-group signalling and history that runs convergent with mainstream views on gender.

I think it might be an interesting exercise to put your own designs up against others and consider what points they differ and what that might mean for how the other artist interprets the character vs how you do it. And then if you can look up what the artist actually has to say about the character and see just how right/wrong you were and how your own biases come into play. Two different people can have very similar views on a character, for example, but communicate that through opposite design tropes because they have different associations with said tropes. Not just for gender things btw and I've found peoples more nuanced opinions are harder to read than you'd think! I don't think anyone would look at my Bdubs design and guess that I thought he was fairly feminine in personality, for example.

I love doing that and challenging my own pre-conceptions of what i think peoples takes are judging by their designs (as well as what I think certain traits indicate in personality!). It's amazing for example how many pearl designs I've seen as too feminine and rolled my eyes at turn out to be drawn by artists who very much consider her to be tomboyish.

[ralphlanyon]

i was going through my notes and found an old write-up from 2020 of modern au headcanons for "the charioteer" characters during covid-19 quarantine (back when "how would fandom X characters handle quarantine?" was a tumblr trend). apparently this was how i was coping with the stress of peak corona times, lol. anyway finally publishing this, three years later!

laurie: his introverted homebody ass is THRIVING in social isolation and wfh. no more awkwardly dodging party invites from people he hates, being dragged to nightclubs, or having to see his stepfather. he gets to stay home all day with ralph and their dog and finish all the books he meant to read, and he is LOVING it. receives a lot of requests to show off his dog during his work zoom meetings.

ralph: is Doing His Duty by staying home on furlough but also going completely stir-crazy. tries to stay sane by feverishly working on dozens of home improvement projects and cleaning the house several times. basically the epitome of that ben wyatt “do you think a depressed person could do THIS???” meme. has gotten into numerous arguments with people at the supermarket who refuse to wear masks or are hoarding enormous supplies of toilet paper (one of these ends up going viral).

andrew: is very sad about being separated from the rest of his religious community now that the churches are closed, but tries to keep a positive outlook on things. shares a lot of resources online about how to help out and staying in touch with one’s faith during “unprecedented times.”

alec: overworked and sleep-deprived nhs junior doctor directly taking care of covid-19 patients. hasn’t physically seen most of his friends or family in months. writes lengthy screeds on social media decrying the dearth of ppe for health care workers and ranting about politics. frequently gets into online fights with strangers who think coronavirus isn’t a big deal. sends ralph unsolicited articles about self-care and mental health tips during a pandemic that ralph pointedly ignores.

sandy: also overworked and sleep-deprived, but much better at concealing it online than alec. has a popular medical instagram where he posts selfies of him and alec with lots of hashtags. obsessively binge-watches cooking videos on youtube in his spare time.

bunny: an essential retail worker who brings this fact up constantly in conversation. secretly flouting social distancing guidelines on his off days to go to parties and hook-up with men on grindr. has the most aesthetically pleasing cloth masks but can’t bother to wear them properly.

[suzylbooks]

Who Owns a Fanfic?

Throughout the past four years, one online community has gone from niche to power-player. Booktok has transformed from a hashtag with simple book recommendations, memes, and reviews to a cultural phenomenon that has publishers scrambling to monetize. The previous success of BookTube in the mid 2010’s laid the groundwork for BookTok’s current state—filled with hauls, wrap-ups, and homogeneity about what books become and stay popular. 

This is where Manacled enters the conversation. For the uninitiated, Manacled is a mega-viral fanfiction based on Harry Potter by author SenLinYu. It’s dark in nature, with the quick, catchy premise of Harry Potter meets the Handmaid’s Tale, with Dramione (the fan-favorite pairing of Hermione Granger and Draco Malfoy) at the core. At the time of writing, it has nearly eigh million hits on Archive of Our Own and sits at over 370,000 words. It has cemented itself in fanfiction history alongside Cassandra Clare’s Draco Trilogy and Tara Gilesbe’s My Immortal as fanfiction that has taken on a life and fandom of its own. A quick search on Tiktok and Instagram reveals that Manacled is treated like any other book, with the Manacled tag having over 470 million collective TikTok views in February 2024. There’s fanart, dramatic edits to favorite quotes, people recording themselves crying over the ending—and, most importantly, there are videos of people learning bookbind so that they can make themselves a hardcover copy of Manacled. 

Printing fanfiction is hardly new. In the early days of fandom, before mobile phones could let you bring your fanfiction anywhere you wanted, people would print out their fics, put them into three ring binders, and carry them to school. This stands in a shocking contrast to the Manacled hardcover copies. These look professional—they’re often printed on specialty paper, with gold-foil cover designs and decorative formatting. And, most shockingly, they sell on Etsy for over $100—though, as I was checking this story before hitting publish, I noticed that many of the Etsy listings had been removed. This cannot be said for the dozens of listings for other Dramione fanfics. 

In February, author SenLinYu announced that she had signed a book deal to see the traditional publication of Manacled, reimagined in a different, non-Harry Potter universe and retitled to Alchemised. In their post announcing the deal, they stated that her primary reason for publication was not monetary—the sale of bound versions of her books was both a violation of her intellectual property and copyright infringement on the Harry Potter franchise, and this move would protect her fanfic and fanfiction as a whole. Fanfiction has long held the defense that authors do not make any profits off of the work they create, since their existence has been a hotly contested legal issue (hello, Anne Rice) and protected by Fair Use. Those Etsy listings were putting the Organization for Transformative Works in danger, because they meant someone was profiting off of fanfiction, as well as stealing from SenLinYu. They have, as far as I am aware, never made a cent off of Manacled. Her FAQ page on Tumblr states clearly that she does not allow sales or commissions of bound Manacled copies, and that anyone who wants to create fanart, fanfic, or remixes of her work is allowed to do it so long as they do not make any money off of this.

Clearly, Booktok didn’t get the memo. In her post, SenLinYu laments how she has been unable to protect her own works from ‘exploitation,’ and she states that she cannot take the fanfiction down yet as the sudden disappearance might only make the issue of bootleg copies worse. 

While explaining this phenomena, SenLinYu’s decision suddenly appeared as a checkmate—by making Manacled into Alchemised, it alchemizes itself into copywritten material, and with the help of a major publishing house’s legal team, Senlinyu will actually be able to take back ownership of their work.

This poses a question—who owns a fanfic, and why does the modern state of fandom seem to encourage fans to think of a fic as public property? 

To be clear, the writer of a fanfic is the owner of a fanfic. Just because it is transformative work doesn’t mean it is somehow less than original work. Someone took the time to write it—it is their writing, and it is their work. Whether or not they’re able to make money off of it doesn’t make it a public good for someone else to make money off of. 

In the last decade, fanfiction has turned from a small hobby to a mainstream activity—with fanfictions being published, albeit with character names changed and typically set in alternate universes. When Fifty Shades of Grey exploded into the mainstream, E.L. James denied that her book was originally fanfiction and lied about its origins. Now, Reylo fanfictions are hitting the New York Times bestsellers lists, and Harry Styles fanfictions are seeing movie adaptations. This change in cultural awareness also comes with a change in cultural interaction. 

WIRED noted in their recent piece on the SenLinYu story that the increase in fanfiction has turned it from a tight knit community into a traditional author/reader relationship, or worse—a creator/fan relationship. Fandoms as they existed in the early 2000’s on forums or even in the early 2010’s on Tumblr are dead, and the pressure to monetize our art and creations has compounded with changing cultural awarenesses over fanfiction. It’s no longer seen as a fun thing that people put online for other fans to read—there are pressures to update and keep churning out chapters. I’ve noticed it in my own fics over the years—I’ve written fanfiction for fourteen years across several platforms, and there’s something different now. 

Kaitlyn Tiffany’s Everything I Need I Get From You details the evolution of fandom from its beginnings in the infancy of pop culture to its modern-day form. Teenage girls would share their paper zines for the Beatles and Star Trek, and it was decidedly counterculture. Once the internet became popular, fangirls used it to create blogs and forums dedicated to their favorite characters and ships. Over time, fanfiction became easier to access with centralized sites like Fanfiction dot net—and, later, AO3—and this made fanfiction more commonplace to general fandom members. 

During this time, writers would often put disclaimers at the start of their fics that they did not own the characters they were writing in an attempt to avoid legal action (even Manacled, originally published between 2018 and 2019, contains one of these disclaimers). Archive of Our Own, the current king of fanfiction, is run by a non-profit (the Organization for Transformative Works), and, as such, its formation acted as a more explicit step toward legal protection for fans. There was an awareness that fanfiction was not something to use for monetary gain and that there could be major consequences if someone were to monetize their fics, since a creator would then absolutely be able to sue an author or website for copyright infringement. In this sense, there was an awareness that fanfictions were the creation and property of the author—it was theirs, because no one could own it in a legal sense, but there was an honor rule. After all, you were enjoying something for free—why would you want more?

With the explosion of Booktok and the traditional publication of fanfiction with books such as The Love Hypothesis and You, Again, fanfiction has hit its next stage: consumption and promotion by influencers. Manacled is promoted organically, just like any other book, and someone unfamiliar with the fic could be forgiven for thinking that people are discussing a book that had already seen traditional publication. It has spawned a fandom of its own—where it might have once been elevated as the most popular fic among Dramione shippers, such as Isolation by Bexchan a decade ago, it has instead found success with readers who have never read fanfiction before. And those readers might not be aware of this unspoken rule. It’s online, and you can download the complete PDF from AO3—so, why wouldn’t you be able to make it your own? Why wouldn’t you be able to bind it and sell it? After all, you’re putting in the work of binding it, who cares if the author won’t see any money? Why shouldn’t you buy it—your money is going to the binder, and didn’t they work hard? Aren’t you just showing your appreciation for the fic? 

As I wrote this, I asked myself why people were so determined to have a ‘nice’ binding of this fic. After all, printer paper and a three-ring binder seemed to work before. Was it to get clout online? Was it for the aesthetics of displaying it on a shelf? Was it because it was your favorite fic of all time and you never wanted to risk it being taken down, like it will in 2025? Or was it because you wanted to make yourself feel more elevated, like you weren’t reading fanfiction anymore? 

I considered the option that Booktok itself had created and promoted a culture where it wasn’t enough to read 370,000 words, you had to also show it off in a physical and aesthetic way. Last year, the rushed release of romantasy sequel Iron Flame came with an explosion of think pieces asking if Booktok had an overconsumption problem. Time and time again, we’ve seen Tiktok and similar platforms encouraging overconsumption through everything from Shein hauls to Stanley cup shrines. While I feel that this culture of owning for the sake of showing off plays a major factor in seeking out physical copies of Manacled despite the author's requests to not, I can’t say for sure that it is the root cause. 

I might not know why, but I can speak to the effect it has had. With the rise of bound fanfiction being sold online, the rights that transformative authors—a fancy term for fanfiction writers—have has been violated. While there might not be a moral wrong in pirating the works of a famous, rich author, there is a moral wrong in profiting off of work that has been put online for free. SenLinYu isn’t the only author pulling their fics, either, and I worry that this could signal the death of a free, fun fandom—or online fandom as we know it. 

Just last year, Hbomberguy detailed how a single Youtuber had made a silly amount of dollars by stealing the words of queer writers and filmmakers, many of whom were never paid for their work in the first place. The video itself saw massive views and started a discussion about plagiarism across the internet. The success of the video was rooted in the fundamental understanding that stealing someone else’s work is wrong, and that people who plagiarize should not be able to make money off of it because they are, plainly, jerks. 

Publishing Alchemised will allow SenLinYu to finally be paid for her work—any other author who had sold over seven-million books would be able to live off of royalties for a long time and be offered countless opportunities—but it will also allow for her to use the laws in place for protecting authors from having bootleg versions of their works sold without seeing any money. While she was previously unable to stop people from profiting off of her work, she now has a way forward. And, perhaps most important, her two-book deal will allow her to publish more through Del Rey at Penguin Random House.

That WIRED article mentioned that years ago, the act of pulling fanwork for publication was seen as a betrayal, but now it’s seen by many as an accomplishment. Taylor Lorenz notes in her book Extremely Online that when Instagram began disclosing brand partnerships, both the app and influencers feared that they would be abandoned for ��selling out’ and running ads, but fans instead saw them as a sign of ‘making it.’  The publication of Alchemised hasn’t been without criticism, though—a quick search through social media turns up comments calling the removal of the original fanfiction (a move that must be done for legal reasons) a ‘slap in the face.’And beyond that, there are countless, and I mean countless, posts where people say that they are actively downloading the fic before its removal. SenLinYu is aware of the downloading rush, and is giving people plenty of time to do so in order to preserve something that means so much to them—not to think ahead so that they might sell a hardcover copy of a ‘rare’ fanfic. 

This isn’t the piece to rehash tired discourse about the trend of fanfiction being edited and published. This isn’t the piece to ask why the publishing industry is beginning to look toward fan spaces for manuscripts or why agents and editors now seek manuscripts that read like fanfiction—or just are fanfiction. 

This is a piece to acknowledge that while fandom has always been a public, collaborative experiment, the work being produced does not belong to the public. Fanfiction is not ownerless in nature simply because the writer doesn’t own the original characters or world. The state of writing and intellectual integrity has never been more fraught with the rise of AI and the rapid shift away from new authors, and SenLinYu’s move to protect her work signals a massive change. 

No one, not even fanfiction writers, should be okay with people making money off of their words.

Works Cited

Alter, Rebecca. “Hbomberguy Didn’t Want to Make That 4-Hour Plagiarism Video.” Vulture, Vulture, 22 Dec. 2023, www.vulture.com/2023/12/hbomberguy-interview-james-somerton-plagiarism.html.

Bosker, Bianca. “How a Crowdsourced Novel Became a Young-Adult Obsession.” The Atlantic, Atlantic Media Company, 18 Dec. 2018, www.theatlantic.com/magazine/archive/2018/12/crowdsourcing-the-novel/573907/.

CarefreeDreamer. “R/Dramione on Reddit: Mancled Is Getting Published!!! And More Works by Senliyu🖤.” Reddit, 5 Feb. 2024, www.reddit.com/r/Dramione/comments/1ajl17r/mancled_is_getting_published_and_more_works_by/.

Ellis, Maddie. “Harry Potter Fan Fic ‘manacled’ Has the Internet under Its Spell. How the Author Turned It into a Book Deal.” TODAY.Com, 26 Feb. 2024, www.today.com/popculture/books/manacled-senlinyu-alchemised-interview-rcna138822.

Grindell, Samantha. “A ‘Harry Potter’ Fan Fiction That Imagines Harry Died in the Wizarding War Has Taken over the Book Community.” Business Insider, Business Insider, 25 Sept. 2023, www.businessinsider.com/manacled-harry-potter-fan-fiction-explained-2023-9.

Held, Elizabeth. “From Friends to Lovers: The Fanfic-to-Romance Pipeline Goes Mainstream.” Vulture, Vulture, 29 Aug. 2023, www.vulture.com/article/fanfic-romance-reylo-publishing-trend.html.

Jackson, Gita. “Anne Rice Really Hated When People Made Her Characters Bone.” VICE, 13 Dec. 2021, www.vice.com/en/article/88gqjz/anne-rice-really-hated-when-people-made-her-characters-bone.

Karl, Jessica. “Fourth Wing and Iron Flame Author Rebecca Yarros Needs a Reality Check.” Bloomberg.Com, Bloomberg, 8 Nov. 2023, www.bloomberg.com/opinion/articles/2023-11-08/fourth-wing-and-iron-flame-author-rebecca-yarros-needs-a-reality-check.

Lorenz, Taylor. Extremely Online: The Untold Story of Fame, Influence and Power on the Internet. WH Allen, 2023.

Minkel, Elizabeth. “Lots of People Make Money on Fanfic. Just Not the Authors.” Wired, Conde Nast, 28 Feb. 2024, www.wired.com/story/pull-to-publish-fanfic-senlinyu-manacled-fanbinding/.

“PMJ Spellbound by Senlinyu’s Standalone Dark Fantasy.” The Bookseller, 5 Feb. 2024, www.thebookseller.com/rights/pmj-spellbound-by-senlinyus-standalone-dark-fantasy#:~:text=Alchemised%20is%20a%20standalone%20dark,all%2Dconsuming%22%20PMJ%20said.

Rizer, Addison. “Is Booktok Changing the Way We Talk about Books?” BOOK RIOT, 20 May 2022, bookriot.com/is-booktok-changing-the-way-we-talk-about-books/.

SenLinYu. “Announcing SenLinYu’s Debut Novel ‘Alchemised’ .” Tumblr, 5 Feb. 2024, senlinyu.tumblr.com/post/741499573811445761/im-excited-to-announce-that-i-have-signed-a-book.

SenLinYu. “FAQ.” Tumblr, senlinyu.tumblr.com/faq. Accessed 17 Apr. 2024.

SenLinYu. “Manacled.” Archive of Our Own, 27 Apr. 2018, archiveofourown.org/works/14454174/chapters/33390198.

Tiffany, Kaitlyn. Everything I Need I Get from You: How Fangirls Created the Internet as We Know It. Farrar Straus Giroux, 2022.

[mayasdeluca]

I wanted to write this up and send it to you sooner because I wanted to get the wording right and now that the Jay news broke, it kind of aligns with what I had wanted to say.It's never a good look when the lead(s) of a show get ignored for more fan favorite people especially at conventions. No fault to the actors, it's just who the fans gravitate toward.

I remember when Wynonna Earp was at their first SDCC I think, almost every question from the audience was for Kat. Obviously frustrating to the others on the panel (again not Kat's fault) to where Shamier (I think) joked that he could leave. But I think Mel felt more slighted as she was the lead of the show and might have resented Kat early on (all water under the bridge now). And you even see how Mel didn't participate in those early Earp cons probably because of being an after thought to fans. I mean even now, since the cons seem to lean toward the queer community, the male cast members like Tim, Varun, and Greg are treated like they don't matter and it annoys me so much the way some fans disrespect them.

I see it happening similarly with these Station 19 cons. They saw the pull of Danielle and Stefania (similar to Dom and Kat) and booked them as the con headliners, but then had random additions like Grey and Alberto and Brett. Why not Jaina or Jason the supposed leads of the show? Possibly because there is some "resentment" (for lack of a better word) to the Marina popularity overshadowing the show as a whole. Granted these are European cons so they tend to be a little different but Jaina and Jason and Jay are doing Epic cons so they're not opposed to the whole con scene like say Barrett but maybe they just didn't want to deal with being an afterthought among the predominately Marina/queer fans that show up to these cons. And I'm not including whatever BTS drama has happened or like I mentioned above it is not the actors fault that people gravitate toward them but it could be off putting in any profession when someone gets love and praise and you have to be like um, I was there too. (Which is why I also think the Marina Spinoff hashtag is kind of in poor taste but that's a discussion for another thread).

As for Jay, I was actually surprised when he was announced for the UK con since no one else from the current cast except Grey (who marches to the beat of his own drum) ever went to a con. They kept teasing another guest was going to be announced and I am very curious of who that would have been; I doubt it was Alex all along. They probably invited him cause he was cheap and it made sense since he was part of Jake and Jaicy's intern class and they made a point to add he was part of the queer community.

Anyway back to Jay, unless the mystery guest was Lachlan or Jaina or someone else at 19, it didn't make sense pairing Jay with Jake and Jaicy for Friday as they never worked together. Which is probably why his sales suffered and in turn they couldnt afford to bring him. I feel like some of these cons see the popularity in guests going to other cons but don't actually know the show(s) to know who to put together. I mean for all the BTS drama the cast seem to stick together, if they dicked Jay over like this, do they really think they'll have a chance to get him (or others for that matter) for their 2.0 version they're already planning. And that might even include Stefania saying no even though she had a good time this year.

I have rambled on this enough but my final thought is that we know the fans can be extreme but they really do border on disrespectful when they make it all about Danielle and Stefania or Marina (which granted they were the main couple of the show) and disregard anyone else which even may have been the cause of some of that BTS drama which would be petty but these are actors who need their who's stroked constantly LOL.

I totally see what you're saying with this and have seen it happening with both fandoms you mentioned considering I was in both but I think it's partly unfair to put all the blame on the fans for doing this for a few reasons.

I think the reason that fans of a wlw ship end up getting so invested in a show because of the ship is due to the extreme lack of representation on tv to begin with so we are literally grasping at straws to find any and every kind of representation and sinking into it in every way possible. Of course there should be limits to this when it ends up being invasive to the actresses and boundaries are being crossed but from a strictly on screen perspective, while it may be unfair to said main actress/character who isn't part of the wlw ship that people are watching for, it also isn't fair or right that our community is barely shown on television while you can turn on any channel and any show at any given moment and see a female lead and male lead who inevitably end up getting together at some point in time.

And from a con standpoint specifically, I even saw people start to say after the Jay situation that this should be a reason that people start to buy other guests extras and not just Danielle and Stefania's...but who is someone to say how someone else should spend their money? And I know that there are now a lot of con 'regulars' (I really cringe saying that but don't know how else to describe it) who make it a habit of going at least every year so clearly they are financially able to do so and maybe could buy other guests things to make sure they are able to stay a guest but also if someone is going just to meet the actresses of the ship they like, that should also be okay. It's not really the fan's responsibility to make sure the actor is represented and situated for a con once a con decides to invite them.

Yes it's awkward and uncomfortable when it's not the 'main' who is the favorite or if it's very obvious that there's certain cast members who are more popular than others but I'm not sure how you fix or change that. I also think a lot of is has to do with fan interaction and how interaction the actors are with their own fans. Just as an example, how much of the Station 19 cast really interacted with the fans to build up a connection with them? And I know they can now say they wanted to stay away from the drama and everything but what about before Marina was even a thing? Live tweeting and posting BTS and all that standard promo stuff really goes a long way with people (we've seen it with the Earp cast). But yeah I don't really think there's a real good solution to making it work for everyone.

[yhlifestory]

Week 5 : Reality TV and Digital Communities: The Fandom of Running Man

Confession time: I'm not really a reality TV person. I usually steer clear of the genre, but there's one show that has completely won me over—Running Man.

This week, I'm focusing on the connection between reality TV and social media, and one great example of this is Running Man. As a Korean variety show, Running Man has not only garnered a massive global following but has also cultivated a substantial online fanbase. The show's unique blend of humor, games, and celebrity interactions has created a dynamic online community that passionately engages with the content.

I feel like one cool thing about Running Man is how it lets fans easily connect with their favorite cast members and talk about the show online. Platforms like Twitter are buzzing with fans chatting about episodes, sharing memes, and creating fan art. These online chats help create a strong community where fans from everywhere can bond over their love for the show.

Another thing I want to talk about is Running Man's social media game is very on point. Their social media team is really smart about how they connect with fans online. They share behind-the-scenes clips, run polls, and even take ideas from fans for new episodes. (Allkpop, n.d.) For instance, on their Instagram, they chat with fans in comments and stories, which makes fans feel special and excited about the show. This smart move not only keeps fans interested but also shows that Running Man values its fans.

There is no doubt that Running Man has had a big impact on how fans connect online. Fans make a lot of content like reviews and funny videos. The show is so popular that fans from different countries have come together to translate episodes, meet up, and watch the show together. As I know, in Singapore, there's a Running Man fan club that organizes meetups and screenings. (AsiaOne, 2014) This international fan base has led to cultural exchanges and friendships that extend far beyond the digital realm. It can be seen that Running Man has really brought fans together from all over the world.

Hashtags are a big part of the Running Man fandom.

I still remember when Kwang Soo officially quit the show, my Twitter feed was flooded with his pictures and hashtags like #GoodbyeLeeKwangSoo and #3991DaysWithKwangsoo, which are also trending worldwide. Maybe I'm a big fan of Kwang Soo, so fans like me are finding it hard to accept the fact that he's really quitting.

Come back to our story, these hashtags help fans find each other and join conversations, allowing us to discuss our favorite moments and express our feelings in real-time. Social media trends, like specific challenges or catchphrases from the show, often go viral, attracting new viewers and growing the fan base.

From my point of view, the way Running Man engages its audience and encourages interaction is truly amazing. It’s fascinating to see how a TV show can bring together people from different backgrounds and countries, united by their love for the show. The digital community that has formed around Running Man shows the power of social media in creating connections and fostering a sense of belonging. Being part of such a vibrant and active fandom adds another layer of enjoyment to watching the show.

In short, Running Man shows how reality TV and digital communities are connected. The show’s ability to engage viewers and create a sense of community has led to a lively and active fandom that thrives on interaction and shared experiences.

Refrences :

Allkpop. (n.d.). ‘Running Man’ to reveal behind-the-scenes moments from their recent fan meeting. https://www.allkpop.com/article/2019/09/running-man-to-reveal-behind-the-scenes-moments-from-their-recent-fan-meeting

AsiaOne, 2014. Over 2,600 ecstatic fans attend Running Man fan meeting in Singapore. https://www.asiaone.com/entertainment/over-2600-ecstatic-fans-attend-running-man-fan-meeting-singapore

[insanelyadd]

June 16th is the second annual Let Papyrus Say Fuck day, so feel free to join even if it’s with a shitposty little doodle! Use the tags: Papyrus, Undertale, LetPapyrusSayFuck, and BringBackTheCoolDude. Don’t forget to tag it with swearing if you include swearing in the image. Video transcript under the cut.

Are YOU a fan of Papyrus? Do YOU want to participate in a fun fandom event? Did you know this shirt existed? And if you didn’t, do you want to help try to get it undiscontinued? WELL YOU’RE IN LUCK BECAUSE THE SECOND ANNUAL LET PAPYRUS SAY FUCK DAY IS COMING UP AND THIS TIME WE HAVE A SECONDARY HASHTAG SO PEOPLE AVERSE TO SWEARING CAN PARTICIPATE!

Our goal this year isn't just to let Papyrus do things that shatter the popular fandom perception that he is a child (such as: saying fuck, doing taxes, committing arson, adopting children, being the ambassador, running a business, going on a date (Sans is required to mind his own damn business), etc) but also TO TRY TO BRING BACK A DISCONTINUED PIECE OF PAPYRUS MERCH! The Official Cool Dude shirts (and sticker that came with when you ordered them) could be incorporated into the art if you can manage it and the tag #BringBackTheCoolDude used in conjunction with #LetPapyrusSayFuck This additional tag is also a way for people who are swearing averse to participate with perhaps the more wholesome prompts (or arson, just as valid) so they won't have to write the swearing in the original tag. Feel Free to share this message to all your fellow Papyrus Enjoyers! Have fun.  

[aisha-galaxia]

If you guys have join the AssClass fandom in 2014/2015 on Tumblr then you probably know about the "ask" blog. If you don't know what an "ask blog"is let me explain.

The concept of an ask blog is really simple, you just take your favorite character of an anime,manga, games, etc... and you made a blog dedicated to them.

For example, if your fav character of AssClass is Okuda then the name of the blog should be " ask-okuda-manami". Some anons will ask you questions about the character and you will respond like you were them. Most of the times, the creator of the blog will answered with cute drawings. (Idk if this is clear)

The reason why I posted this is that this make me so sad that most of the AssClass ask blogs don't post anymore or have been deleted 😭. I don't know why but when I thinking abt these ask blogs it makes me sooo nostalgic that I'm almost about to cry. And I'm also thinking abt bringing back the concept of an ask blog in the AssClass fandom so here's the new hashtags #bringbacktheaskblog

Here's the list of every AssClass ask blog :

Deleted blog

ask-akabane (Karma)

askdelinquentginger (Karma)

askunkillableassassin (Koro-Sensei)

askkaedes (Kayano)

thebitchsensei (Irina)

ask-okajima (Okajima)

ask-kanzaki (Kanzaki)

askitona (Itona)

askharasumire (Hara)

ask-isogai (Isogai)

ask-fuwayuzuki (Fuwa)

ask-kurahashi (Kurahashi)

Dead blog or on hiatus

@ask-akabane-karma

@ask-akabane-blog

@asanofatherandson

@karunagi

@askkayanokaede

@ask-puddingqueen

@askkarasumasensei

@askchiba

@ask-akiratakaoka

@asknakamurario

@ask-hayamirinka

@ask-the-assclass

@ask-gakushuu

@karunagi

I hope that at least one of the blog that I mentioned will see this post 😔🤞

Ask blogs were really popular among the fan of AssClass on Tumblr. I remember when every fan of a character were waiting for their anime design

[combatloggingoff]

We stand for active online struggle because it is the weapon for ensuring unity within the timeline and the newsfeed in the interest of our fight. Every Poster and discourser should take up this weapon.

But logging off rejects online struggle and stands for unprincipled peace, thus giving rise to a gross, problematic attitude and bringing about political degeneration in certain cliques and individuals in the timeline and the newsfeed.

Logging off manifests itself in various ways.

To let things slide for the sake of peace and friendship when a person has clearly gone wrong, and refrain from principled argument because they are an old acquaintance, in the same fandoms, someone you have actually met in the physical world, a close friend, a loved one, an old mutual or longtime follower. Or to touch on the matter lightly instead of going off for hundreds of posts, so as to keep on good terms. The result is that both the feed and the individual are harmed. This is one type of logging off.

To indulge in having any opinions about anything in private instead of actively putting forward every single thought that passes through your skull in a post. To say nothing to people to their faces but to subtweet behind their backs, or to say nothing on the timeline but to go off in the private groupchat. To show no regard at all for the principles of online life but to make decisions in private. This is a second type.

To refrain from posting a Take about things if they do not affect one personally; to say as little as possible while knowing perfectly well what is wrong, to be worldly wise and play safe and seek only to avoid blame.  I SEE YOU NOT REBLOGGING THIS. This is a third type.

Not to join in with hashtags but to give pride of place to one's own opinions. To demand to be listened to on social media but to reject its discipline. This is a fourth type.

To admit you just don’t like someone and you’re arguing with them because they’re annoying instead of entering into an argument and insisting that your 134-tweet thread about them is disinterested struggling against incorrect views for the sake of empathy and justice. This is a fifth type.

To read incorrect views without immediately posting a comment and even to read problematic remarks without screenshotting them, but instead to take them calmly as if nothing had happened. This is a sixth type.

To be on Facebook and fail to conduct propaganda and agitation or turn the comments on someone’s picture of their dog into a fight about Kamala Harris, and instead to be indifferent to controversial topics and act like there are other things a human being might conceivably want to talk about, forgetting that one is a Poster and behaving as if one were an ordinary non-Poster. This is a seventh type.

To see someone defending Bean Dad or whoever we’re all supposed to be mad at this week, and yet not feel indignant, or dissuade or stop them or call their boss and try to get them fired and hang up in frustration when their boss has no idea who Bean Dad is. This is an eighth type.

To post half-heartedly without a definite plan or seething rage; to post perfunctorily and muddle along—“I’m just going to scroll while I wait for the bus, then I’ll put my phone away.” This is a ninth type.

To regard oneself as having rendered great service to the discourse, to pride oneself on being Popular Online, to disdain minor controversies while being quite unequal to massive shitstorms, to be slipshod in posts and slack in staying in the loop. This is a tenth type.

To be aware of one's own bad posts and yet make no attempt to correct them, taking a logged off attitude towards oneself. This is an eleventh type.

We could name more. But these eleven are the principal types.

They are all manifestations of logging off.

Logging off is extremely harmful in the discourse. It is a corrosive which eats away hiveminds, undermines ganging up on people, causes apathy and makes people suspect they might have something better to do with their time. It robs the newsfeed of hundreds of identical posts and strict discipline, prevents callouts from being carried through and alienates the timeline from the vast majority of non-twitter-using humans whom the timeline claims to speak for. It is an extremely bad tendency.

Logging off stems from privileged selfishness, it places having a life first and the interests of the discourse second, and this gives rise to ideological, political and organizational logging off.

People who are logged off look upon the principles of Posting as abstract dogma. They approve of Posting, but are not prepared to practice it or to practice it in full; they are not prepared to replace their logging off by Posting. These people have their Posting, but they have their logging off as well--they talk Posting but practice logging off; they apply Posting to others but logging off to themselves. They keep both kinds of goods in stock and find a use for each. This is how the minds of certain people work.

Logging off is a manifestation of good mental health and conflicts fundamentally with Posting. It is negative and objectively has the effect of helping the enemy; that is why the enemy welcomes its preservation in our midst. Such being its nature, there should be no place for it in the ranks of the discourse.

We must use Posting, which is positive in spirit, to overcome logging off, which is negative. A Poster should have largeness of mind and they should be constantly logged on, looking upon the interests of the discourse as their very life and subordinating their personal interests to those of the discourse; always and everywhere they should adhere to principle and wage a tireless struggle against all bad posts and problematic celebrities, so as to consolidate the collective life of the timeline and strengthen the ties between the timeline and the people who hear about viral tweets three days later on CNN; they should be more concerned about the timeline than about any actual human being, and more concerned about what other people think of their posts than about their own wellbeing. Only thus can they be considered a Poster.

All woke, based, active and upright Posters must unite to oppose the logged off tendencies shown by certain people among us, and set them on the right path. This is one of the tasks on our ideological front.

[rollflasher]

I spoke about this a lot before but I decided to make this post to see if I can do something about it.

So, as everyone knows by now, both Sonic Adventure 1 and 2 have suffered from poor porting ever since they got released on other systems after the Dreamcast, specially SA1 as that game got buggier and more broken with each version to the point of making the game look much more dated than it should.

Of course the community has done efforts to fix this with mods that restore these games to their Dreamcast states bringing back lots of assets and fixing issues brought by the ports while also ironing out their flaws, and while this is great, I feel like it's not enough to completely undo the damage that was done to these games, so here's my main topic.

What if the fandom made a movement to signal boost to SEGA the demand of proper remasters of the Adventure games?

What do I mean with this? For starters, I'm not talking about doing something as shameful as what some fans did back in the day in the form of spamming every part of SEGA's social media with comments about an Unleashed port, that's certainly not going to pay off in the long run.

My proposal instead is doing things like creating a hashtag, doing fanarts about it and most importantly spreading the word around the fandom. Things like Change.org petitions are useless because they won't even make it into a company's radar, but a movement that gets popular enough to be trending in a fandom might be enough to catch SEGA's attention.

Why I propose this? After seeing the trailer of Sonic Origins, I can't help but feel it's pretty sad that the Classic games are gonna have their definitive versions as the most accessible ones, which is great because these games deserve to be properly preserved, but on the other hand the most accessible versions of the Adventure games are currently the most broken ones that do a complete disservice to the original titles, therefore I think it's time to do something about it.

In fact, Origins might be the best opportunity to do this, since it has been pointed out that the success of this title can lead to more Sonic games, including the Modern ones, getting ported to current gen systems, so this is the golden time to do something.

Who knows? The best case scenario could be developers who want to revitalize the Adventure games finally getting a chance to get hired by SEGA and give those games the same treatment Taxman and Headcannon gave to the Classic games. Or SEGA at the very least could greenlight the idea of finally doing polished ports of these games from the ground up.

Unfortunately, I lack the time, resources and most importantly the influence to cause this movement to happen. The most influence I have is here in Tumblr, however, I'm also aware that doing nothing won't magically change anything, so the best I can do is give my small grain of sand and hope that at the very least this idea can reach the ears of somebody who can actually do something about this, at this rate it can't hurt my chances.

[mcmoth]

Dream SMP fandom etiquette

So. This post is probably too little, too late, considering the fandom and the issues I'm about to talk about have existed for so long now, and a lot of the people who need to hear this probably aren't on tumblr anyways, but I just wanted to dedicate a quick post to talk about fandom etiquette. Mostly pertaining to discourse, and interactions with people outside of our circle. These are just going to be my own personal thoughts, of course, but I felt it could be good to bring some of this to attention. So without further introduction:

Where to (not) talk about discourse:

Don't go into other streamer's vods to only focus about a different character. If you want to analyse, for example, c!Techno, do it in Techno's stream. Don't go into unrelated streams, like Tommy's, Tubbo's etc. to do it, even if they were a part of the event in question. This is, of course, with the exception if the character in question didn't stream their own pov. But otherwise, stay in your own space. This is to prevent cluttering a streamer's comments about unrelated discussion. To give further example: Tubbo's vod comments should primarily focus on Tubbo's character. Not Tommy's, Ranboo's, Techno's or whoever else's.

Don't start discourse in the comments of animatics. Seriously, stop that. Animatics aren't discussion boards. The comments are there to analyse and appreciate the video presented, not argue. It's especially rude if you pick a small detail, that wasn't even the focus of the animatic, or even a completely unrelated issue to rant out your frustrations about. To give examples: starting disc discourse in an animatic of Tommy talking to Wilbur, or rambling about how tragic Techno's character is in an animatic focused on clingy duo, etc.

This applies to fan songs as well.

Video essays are the exception to these rules. I think it's safe to say they're the place to bring your hot takes, if you really feel so inclined to argue in youtube comment sections (Though I'd personally advise to still keep the topic relevant).

Keep negativity out of fanfic comments. This isn't nearly as big of an issue as the last points, but I've seen it happen a couple times, so I'm deciding to mention it. Fanfics are written for fun. Even if you disagree with the characterisation or something else, unless the author is clear in accepting critique, keep criticism to yourself. And definitely don't rant about how you dislike a character unrelated to the fanfic. Sharing your thoughts on the fanfic itself is of course fine and welcomed, but when it turns from discussing the author's story to talking about how you dislike a character in canon, that's when it crosses a line. Example: comment talking about what you don't like about c!Tommy on a Bench Trio fanfiction.

When commenting on art, keep the feedback positive. Even if you dislike any presented character, keep that to yourself. Example: Don't say things like "I hate x character, but this art is good". You might think the author would feel honoured, but it's actually just hurtful.

How to deal with discourse:

This is gonna be a shorter section, because I think we all chose to do it in different ways, and that's valid. Also, it's just that I, myself, am still learning how to do this well, but I thought it could be good to try to lay it out anyways.

Try to scroll past takes you disagree with instead of arguing if you don't think you'd be able to keep your cool. Noone likes a random person yelling at them through a screen, and if you rant, you'll get an equally frustrated reply back, and noone will be happy. Either explain your point in a calm manner, or scroll past/ unfollow/block.

On the keeping cool thing, remember to just step away. Take a deep breath and calm yourself down before proceeding. To minimize the frustration you feel on a daily basis, filter tags, block people, avoid videos and youtube comment sections that you know will upset you, and leave certain internet spaces if you find yourself unable to escape negativity even with all those steps. Remember: in the end, it's all a game played by friends, a story, and your enjoyment of it lies in what you take from it. Abandon what makes you unhappy. Marie Kondo your fandom experience.

Also, here's your reminder, to whom this is relevant, to take care of yourself. Hydrate, eat, sleep, clean up, get fresh air, remember the things outside of all this. There's plenty to do outside of this fandom, and what you can do here can wait. There is no pressure, or obligation. Not for the content you create, not for the discussions you bring, not for responding to discourse, not for anything. Fandom is meant purely for fun, so take care <3

Interacting with people outside of the fandom:

This is something that I've seen a bit of talk about, and I thought I'd drop in my own thoughts on this as well. No matter the differences, we're all just trying to vibe, and I think these are important things to keep in mind to leave both sides better off:

Don't interact with hate posts. Just don't. You don't want to see them, they don't want to see you. Even if your response is lighthearted, their animosity is not. They will feel frustrated regardless, and the grudge will only grow. And if they're being agressive, calm discussion most likely won't happen even if you're being polite. Just leave it, please.

Correct misinformation calmly. I completely get how it can be frustrating to see blatant lies and all, but with our reputation, people will not listen if you're being antagonistic. Provide sources, explain, and leave it at that.

Don't be hateful, send death threats, or assume privilege or whatever else. That's stepping into the same shoes of the people you hate. Misunderstandings go both ways, and the fact of the matter is, I think most people who dislike DSMP, even the ones who are agressive about it, don't have their stance rooted in maliciousness. To expand on why the situation became what it is today, taken from a discussion on discord:

I think it's just a combination of Dream growing so insanely quickly + how internet spaces have changed over the years. When ccs like jackstepticeye or pewdiepie etc. grew popular, activism wasn't as prevalent and held to such importance. Now it's thankfully more talked about, but that also leads to Dream being more scrutinized in comparision. Add twitter trends and the general prevalence of the fandom, and you've got everyone feeling tired and frustrated and paranoid. People also tend not to fact check stuff, especially when it comes to celebrities and stuff they're not really interested in, so rumors spread fast.

And actually, I think there's absolutely valid reasons to be made uncomfortable by Dream SMP, either in it's creators, content or fandom, and there is, of course, stuff to criticise in general. The problem is the hate and misinformation and overexposure, but we are not going to solve any of that by being aggressive in return.

(This is, by the way, not talking about more serious cases. Like doxxing, or leaving gore images in hashtags, or similar instances. That's a whole different complicated issue that I don't feel qualified to tackle.)

And finally, don't overwhelm outsiders who merely mention the Dream SMP. Don't send asks asking them to watch it, don't write paragraphs explaining the lore, don't confuse them with inside jokes, just... Don't jump on people like that. Unless they're explicitly clear in wanting interaction and getting into the fandom, that kind of thing will just drive them away. This is in no way exclusive to the Dream SMP fandom, pretty much every fandom has people enthiastic to have more people involved, but since there are so unbelievably many of us, it's especially easy to go overboard with this stuff. Just... be polite, and don't pressure anyone. Be nice, please.

So.... ya! This would be it for this one, I think. Sorry that it's kinda long, thank you if you read it at all. Hope y'all have pleasant days ^^

[i-snort-queer-media]

Can we talk about how important this tweet is for a second?

I'm gonna say this again once a Trailer for Season 2 drops but this person is absolutely right and it reminded me of something @ground-zoro posted a while ago:

Netflix does NOT put enough work into promoting Warrior Nun, it is up to us fans, I think someone on the production team even mentioned that they only got renewed because Netflix saw how dedicated the fans of this series are. Things we can do are listed down below, feel free to add :)

The plot of Warrior Nun develops relatively slowly compared to other shows on streaming platforms. Normally we have a clear "team" and clear team dynamics by episode 3, and the couple gets together either in the middle or at the end of the season and the end goal of the protagonists is also clear very early on. Because streaming platforms want audiences to binge watch, there isn't really time for good slowburns or for the 'real conflict' / 'real enemy' to be revealed later on.

This slow pace was one of the things reviewers didn't like on Rotten Tomatoes or IMDB and maybe WN also lost some viewers who didn't complete the first season because only at the end of S1 we have all those things I listed above.

Warrior Nun has potential and I think it needs and deserves at least 3 or 4 seasons to tell its story, our job is to make sure that happens and these are some things we can do:

▪︎ once a trailer comes out we need to promote it online as well as offline so that even people who only watched Season 1 casually remember the show and come back for Season 2 (ergo WN doesn't lose viewers)

▪︎ once the episodes are out we should watch them within 28 days, complete the season and if possible, watch more than 2 episodes directly after another!!!(This is something that the Netflix algorithm really likes)

▪︎Rewatches also help

▪︎ If you have access to other Netflix accounts, watch WN on them and give a positive rating. You can mute your laptop/TV while doing homework, workouts, work, etc.

▪︎ make TikToks, Twitter and YouTube edits and memes of Ava and Beatrice (add more moments from S2)!! THIS IS A VERY IMPORTANT STEP! We all know that queer people watch stuff with queer couples in it and often you find out that there's a wlw couple on social media. The wilds on Amazon Prime, for example, partly became so popular because people already knew that they could expect a lesbian couple (Shelby and Toni) in it because they saw them on TikTok.

▪︎ don't only promote Warrior Nun in English but also in your native language/ the languages that you speak. One of this show's biggest strenghts is that it was able to get many views from non-english speaking countries and we should take that into consideration.

▪︎ spam the RenewWarriorNun Hashtag on Twitter

▪︎ leave a good rating on Netflix

▪︎ leave good reviews and ratings on IMBD/Rotten Tomatoes etc. and point out the strenghts of the show and that S2 (hopefully) ties the events of S1 together.

Strenghts of the show are: queer representation in the form of Avatrice as well as Mary, Shannon and Chanel, the scenery, cast diversity, multiple languages are spoken, fight scenes/ action, an overall feminist theme, the theme of dealing with catholic trauma, A BADASS SISTER BEATRICE DAMN, the show doesn't shy away from using swear words, the humour, etc.

▪︎ when you see ppl looking for show reccomendations (with queer representation) on TikTok, Tumblr, Twitter, etc. recommend Warrior Nun in the comments, bring it up so that people will see the title of the show more often.

▪︎ when recommending the show, remind ppl that the plot of the show/ the romance isn't supposed to feel rushed and that by watching the show they contribute to a renewal.

Because productions in Europe, especially Spain, are often cheaper than productions in the US I hope that Netflix won't be too hesitant to renew Warrior Nun for a third season, especially after Warrior Nun was in the Netflix Top Ten (I think) in many countries after it came out so it is our goal that S2 can reach that status as well.

Thank you all, I think Warrior Nun has an amazing fandom ⚔

[frankhardys]

project NDAE - the redux [???]

hi friends ––

i was talking with @bayports and some other folks in my server and thought it would be a good [subjective] idea to bring back the NDAE project that i started a long time ago ... just for funsies !! 

if you weren’t around back then, or simply don’t remember, project NDAE [nancy drew alternate endings] was a collection of short stories in the form of alternate endings from ANY of the 33 nancy drew games. this was hugely popular on the herinteractive community boards and i used to have a lot of fun putting my fun spin on the games and the characters. so, why not bring it here?

the “rules” or guidelines are fairly simple:

choose ONE of the nancy drew games and write an alternate ending of your choosing. word count, ratings, subject content, etc. does NOT matter as long as you use appropriate tagging/flagging systems as appropriate. 

only use CANON characters (as in, no made up or original characters, or characters from another fandom/universe) and locations featured in the games and/or canon world (as in, don’t send them to the jakku or something).

that’s it !! we can revive the old hashtag #projectNDAE and when people are finished, i can comprise a list of the completed AEs so they’re all in one place. 

hopefully this will be a fun way to churn content for our [lovingly] dying fandom in light of MID and everything else that has happened. stay safe, stay warm [if it’s cold where you are] and DM me with any questions !! ok have fun