#by the way if you're not in that and have discord I recommend joining!

[hildred-rex]

ALRIGHT!!!

People have figured out the thing that I thought was probably spoilers, so this weekend (probably; I think time should allow for it) I'll sit down and rant into a tumblr post about all the little things I've loved so far about LXGF's handling of The King in Yellow (book), "The King in Yellow" (fictional play), and the King in Yellow (entity).

Also, I have a pen that changes colors sometimes and today it decided to go yellow.

First page || Previous page || Next page

Dialogue transcripts:

Panel 1

The King: Rrhh…aiirr…nnh… (Cas…sil…da…)

Panel 2

(n/a)

Panel 3

Sound effect: BANG

The King: RRNGH (Fool)

Panel 4

(n/a)

Panel 5

Sound effect: BANG

Panel 6

The King: Aarrrhhh…hhhhhh (Enough playing)

Panel 7

Sound effect: CRASH

Panel 8

The King: Irene... (Unmask)

[arahir]

Real talk..do you have any real advice on how to make friends as an almost 30 year old woman…

three easy (coughcough) steps: 1) pick an activity 2) commit to the horror of being known 3) know when you're vibing and know when to pack it up.

pick an activity. mine are gardening, hiking, reading, writing, geology, and chickens, and i've made and kept friends through each of those. make your own list of things you want to do, and want to meet other people who do. you can do it in a structured setting, which i recommend. most cities have clubs, activities, and people who are trying to organize. my city has... regular volunteer clean ups along the river, organized hikes, a few very nice community colleges where you can take random classes, gardening events, silent book clubs, a discord for lonely 30 year olds, etc. likewise, you can meet people online through these activities. writing has got me a lot of great friends! having these activities is also important because it will let you keep the friends you start to make by giving you built in places to show up together.

commit to the horror of being known. i don't know how else to put this. it will be embarrassing. you will say stuff and you will go "why the fuck did i say that?" and they will say stuff and you'll think the same thing. this is, unfortunately, how it works. you have to be a fucking idiot at times, and it's fine, because no one wants to be friends with someone who takes themself too seriously. be embarrassingly into whatever you're into. and then when you meet someone you think could eventually be a friend, you have to put a feeler out there. my favorites are "hey have you been to X on Y? i really want to check it out." "have you seen X and do you want to see it?" "we should grab coffee!" it works a surprising amount of the time. all you really need to make a friend is one good conversation and one person throwing a line to another.

know when to pack it up. okay unfortunately, if you're doing this regularly, you're going to meet people who you do not actually want to be friends with. also unfortunate: it isn't dating, and you can't break up the same way. i met a girl who thought i was her reincarnated lover from the 1300s. i met a girl who tried to recruit me into a sex cult. i met a woman who tried to get me to join a lesbian farming commune. i met a guy who seemed cool and then tried to cheat on his girlfriend with me. we roll. and sometimes, we roll away from people, at extreme speed. guard your time and do not waste it on people you don't want to be friends with.

other points i'll add are: consistently follow up with people (even if that means adding them to a calendar), understand when you are the one not being vibed with and don't take it personally, don't lie to try and be what you think someone wants you to be, and practice. all of this takes practice. i was largely friendless for a lot of years because i didn't like talking to people, couldn't not try to be cool around them, and was a shitty person. you're already ahead on all three counts. and another word of encouragement: making one friend usually means making a half a dozen, because people will bring their own friends with them. i've certainly made a lot that way. it's really only a process you have to go through a few times before it starts coming faster and easier. good luck anon! <333

[mylittlesombra]

What is the "𝘔𝘺 𝘓𝘪𝘵𝘵𝘭𝘦 𝘚𝘰𝘮𝘣𝘳𝘢" comic?

Information thread of the MLP Sombra AU fancomic ⬇️

My Little Sombra is an MLP AU created by @xconito

A fully colored comic available in English and Spanish. It is an ambitious project based on the episode “Cutie Re-mark” from the 5th season of MLP.

What is the comic about?

The unicorn prodigy Twilight Sparkle must find a way to stop the King Sombra, bring peace to Equestria, and make the Princess Celestia proud of her. But there is only one problem; she have to make friends.

Join Twilight Sparkle on her journey to find the Elements of Harmony to defeat Sombra and, maybe, she will discover how magical friendship can be!

When will it be available?

On January 1, 2025, the pilot chapter #00 will be available in PDF via Google Drive, and it will also be posted on the official My Little Sombra Twitter account FOR FREE!

Is it suitable for all audiences?

Of course! However, discretion is recommended as there may be graphic or violent scenes, suggestive or sexual themes and/or mental problems and self-harm behaviors.

I appreciate your patience

I'm only one person behind this and it may take at least 1 month between each chapter with its proper ESP/ENG translation. If you're interested in this project please support me by sharing this post and leaving your like. I love reading comments too 👀

WE HAVE A DISCORD SERVER! If you're interested in learning more about the comic and making new MLP fan friends, join us at this link to our official server ⤵️ (it's free too)

We're waiting for you, guys! 🥰 (THX FOR YOUR SUPPORT ❤️)

[spoiledblogif]

Join the Patreon for chapter demos, shorts, and early chapter releases.

Join the Discord

This is the development blog for the interactive fiction called "The Second Sight", which you can find on itch.io at the link above!

This is my first IF project, although I've been writing original stories and fanfiction for years.

I've included the story description and character profiles from the itch page below the cut.

This blog will be a combination of development info, images and music that I associate with the story, and other musings.

Fair warning, there might be spoilers from the latest chapters here, so I recommend catching up before reading too far.

Asks and submissions are always open.

You’re an urban legend in a county full of them.  When you were thirteen, you were found passed out in the road by one of the local cops. No missing persons report. No fingerprints on file. No memories. Just a name.

Oh, and some bizarre psychic powers.  You're content with simplicity. You like your isolated cabin and helping Carter track down missing persons.  You know that in theory there are more people like you out there, but you've never wanted to look behind the curtain to find out.

However, with the disappearance of a local teen named Casey Powell and a recent attempt on your foster father's life, your serene, isolated life comes abruptly to its end and a new chapter begins.

✤✤✤

The Second Sight is an urban fantasy story, where you step into the role of a psychic whose strange powers have always separated them from others. Those same powers will drag you down the rabbit hole and into a world that is both the familiar and foreign to everything you know. A world filled with magic, witches, fae, demons, and the unknown.

You can immerse yourself in the story by customizing your protagonist's general appearance, choosing how they interact with others, and whether you lean on logic or intuition to problem solve. There are three love interests planned (more may be added depending on player reception and feedback), the genders of which will be selected by the player upon meeting them.

Characters

Jacob Carter

Age: Late forties

Race: Human. Definitely.

Gender: Male

Temperament: Carter radiates grizzled, old bastard energy and despite being the least paternal person in the world, he is your adoptive father. While harsh and aloof on the surface, he is also fiercely protective of you and has bent over backwards to give a decent life to a kid that isn't even his. He doesn't talk about his life before coming to Herman County and you haven't asked him, though that might change soon enough...

✤✤✤

Zander/Zora

Age: Late twenties.

Race: Human.

Appearance: Umber brown skin, black locs, grey eyes

Temperament: Gentle and resolute, Z isn't what you imagine when you think of an agent of the mysterious Magic and Anomalies Bureau. Kind, soft-spoken, and exceedingly polite, Z is Carter's former apprentice and something about them puts the old man on edge.

✤✤✤ Renard/Rowan

Age: Appears to be in their late twenties or early thirties

Race: Human. Maybe.

Appearance: Tall and slender, white-blonde hair, and gold eyes.

Temperament: Playful and flirtatious, talking to R always feels like a game of cat and mouse and you can never be sure which role is yours. Part sad clown, part trickster, and always maddening to work with, the only things you can be certain of with R is that they probably know what they're doing. Everything else is up in the air.

✤✤✤

Unknown aka "The Kestrel"

Age: ???

Race: Definitely not human.

Appearance: Tall, beautiful, elegant, with black hair and black eyes.

Temperament: The Kestrel is a complete unknown. It's impossible to say whether they are a lethal ally or deadly enemy, but either way they are a powerful dreamwalker. You don't know how long they've been watching you, but you're willing to bet that it's been longer than you're comfortable with.

[ozzgin]

Well... you cannot post a yandere restaurant without expecting an ask about the yanderes putting in extra love via semen now would you? Would the chefs do it or the servants? Maybe the manager or even the owner themselves.

Haha just kidding...unless?

P.S I love your work you are the best yan monsterfucker blog out there!!!

Content: gender neutral reader, NSFW!! (cum eating)

Yandere!Restaurant offers a special kind of service for the more daring customers, who wish to strengthen the bond with their yandere server. Naturally, the best and most efficient way when it comes to improving the menu quality is through direct intimacy.

Whether it involves field work, such as the employee joining you home after the dining experience, or more subtle approaches, such as the server including a part of themselves in the meal, know that the possibilities are endless. You may even request the aid of other staff, like the chefs preparing your meal.

The addition of the special ingredient can be done either behind the curtain, or in the moment, at your table. With a couple masterful strokes, you may have any dish coated before your very eyes. It is the restaurant’s great honor to entertain you with these erotic displays. You are, after all, their esteemed Darling customer.

Special thanks to the horndogs back in the Discord trenches who discussed the idea thoroughly. And @shironakuronatasa for the recommended lecture.

Depends on what you're willing to offer, anon. I'm sure the yandere employees wouldn't mind if you got creative with your payment. Maybe you can return the favor and provide them with a meal, too...heh. They’d devour it.

[swrarepairs]

Star Wars Rare Pairs Exchange 2024 - Announcement and Schedule

Hello everyone, Star Wars Rare Pairs is back for another year! This time with a brand new tumblr homepage.

Schedule

Nominations - September 14-21 11:59 PM EST (will open early on the 15th) Sign-Ups - September 25 - October 6 11:59 PM EST (May open early) Assignments Out - October 7 9:00PM EST (May send earlier) Assignments Due - December 1 11:59PM EST Work Reveals - December 8 11:59PM EST Author Reveals - December 15 11:59PM EST

Links

2024 Ao3 Collection 2024 Rules and Information Post 2024 Tagset [Opening for noms Sept 14]

What is Star Wars Rare Pairs?

Star Wars Rare Pairs Exchange is a gift exchange run on Ao3 for Star Wars relationships that have less than 250 works, in English, on Ao3. We welcome every corner of canon, and you can offer to give or receive fic, art, podfic, or vids.

Sounds great, how do I join?

If you're completely new to Ao3 exchanges, we made an Ao3 Exchanges 101 post to help you figure out what you're talking about.

Otherwise, just Read through this 2024 Rules and Information Post, and you're on your way!

You can follow us here on tumblr for updates, but the most up to date information is going to be at our DreamWidth community - we recommend you join us over there. We also have a discord server - invite here.

@swfandomevents

[vladdyissues]

Lately Ive seen some awful things about antis and haters making threats and getting artists banned from Tumblr and X. Im new to the Phandom and love pompep but Im scared i'll be targeted if I write and share pompep fics. How do you manage sharing your work so bravely?

Firstly, welcome to the Phandom—and especially Pompous Pep! I have a simple protocol for enjoying a drama-free Tumblr experience:

Preventative Action

1. Find your community. Follow other Pompep fans and supporters and reblog their things. Don't be afraid to leave nice tags; we love and welcome interactions :) You can also join the Pompep Discord server if you enjoy chatting (DM me for details).

2. Turn off anon asks. This will solve 99% of all potential problems, and you can turn it back on whenever you want. Antis are cowards who prefer to hide behind the mask of anonymity. They seldom have the courage to say something with their whole username.

3. Block the obvious haters. This is a big fandom, and at some point you're likely to come across people openly hating on pompep, either on their bio, pinned posts, or comments. Block them. For an added layer of protection, add their username to your Filtering Options.

4. Tag your work appropriately. When posting, make sure your work is tagged correctly (the #pompous pep tag is especially important) so people who like pompep can find it and those who want to avoid it can block the tag. Use Content Labels when applicable.

5. Try to avoid using the platonic tag (#badger cereal) and the romantic tag (#pompous pep) at the same time. Some fans are really touchy about this. I'm not, and I think there are legitimate cases where use of both is applicable, but if you want to minimize friction, just stick with one tag or the other.

If you're not sure which tag to use, ask yourself what your intentions are with your art or fic. Is the goal a romantic relationship? If so, use the pompep tag. If it's truly ambiguous and could be seen either way, use the platonic tag first. You can always add another tag like "okay to tag as pompep", just to let people know they can interpret it however they please.

Responsive Action

If the above guidelines aren't 100% effective, here's what you do:

1. Don't feed the trolls. If you receive any negative asks in your inbox, it's important to NOT engage with them. Delete them, ignore them, don't let them get to you. Antis thrive on attention, so let them starve. Eventually they'll move on when they realize they're not going to get a rise out of you.

The same goes for any negative comment left on your work. Just delete it, block the person who left it, and pretend it never happened.

These asks and comments may come in the form of questions. Example: "How can you ship Danny with Vlad? That's [insert gross accusation here]" Resist the urge to answer these questions. They are not made in good faith. This person just wants to start an argument.

2. Report any harassment. If by some chance you receive a seriously hateful ask, like threats of violence or abuse, take a screenshot for proof/safekeeping, then report the message and the user if they're not anonymous. If the ask is anonymous, use the meatball menu (•••) at the top right to report the message and block the anon.

Final Words

It takes time to develop a thick skin and Don't Give A Fuck attitude, but it can be done. You are a phan. You have every right to be here and enjoy this fandom in peace, just like everyone else. Anyone who believes in harassing others over silly things like which cartoon characters should be allowed to kiss clearly has nothing better to do with their life. The sooner you shut them out, the happier you'll be.

Regarding media: Artists attract a lot more negative attention than writers for reasons I won't get into right now, but if you're mainly a writer, you will enjoy a much quieter fandom experience. Wherever you post your stories—I recommend AO3; DM me if you need an invite—follow the same advice there as I've given here: make sure your work is tagged correctly; support your fellow Pompep fans by reading and commenting on their works, building that community; moderate comments if you're concerned about negativity; block and mute users if they give you any trouble, and you'll enjoy a much more positive fandom experience.

There is strength in community. When you start making new fandom friends, you'll feel a lot less lonely, and that will give you the confidence you need to really have a good time here.

Wishing you the best, anon!

[determunition]

INSCRYPTOBER 2024 is here! the annual art/writing-based inscryption event for the fandom to get creative and share cool art and writing for the spooky season!

as usual, we have one theme per week, and thanks to the way october is structured this year, we have five whole weeks of themes! and of course, there's no lower limit on participation: i’ll likely be doing one or two art pieces a week, and you all can choose to participate as much or as little as you’d like depending on your own schedules and creative stamina! this event is for fun, not stress ^^

thanks to the scrybruary and more discord server for helping me nail down the themes this year! if you'd like to join the server you can do so right here, it's a chill spot for sharing art and fandom discussion; though of course you don't have to join to partake in this event!

if you're new to the event, i highly recommend checking out the #inscryptober tag to see what other folks have come up with in recent years, and to see the themes we've had previously! i'm excited to see what everyone comes up with this year :D happy inscrybing!

my descriptions for the themes got a bit long this time, so if you'd like any guidance or inspiration for these themes you can find all that along with the plain text under the cut!

INSCRYPTOBER 2024

Week 1: Oct 1-5

Transformation

Between the changes undergone by the Disk’s characters to suit each takeover and the manner in which Inscryption itself has altered those unfortunate enough to encounter it, this first theme has quite a few spooky avenues to take! Let your canvas be bathed in the light of the full moon however you see fit…

Week 2: Oct 6-12

Elements

Blood and bone, energy and mox…the world of Inscryption has an unconventional array of core elements that make up its cards and residents! And considering that deep beneath the surface, each of those elements are mere lines of code and digital data…it’s entirely up to you how deeply you’d like to explore those elements.

Week 3: Oct 13-19

Out of Bounds

Inscryption’s disk has many characters, sequences, and secrets that were never meant to be seen…or were simply never completed. This is the week to poke around those dark corners and catalogue whatever horrors and oddities make themselves known.

Week 4: Oct 20-26

Transcendence

Named for the grand design of the Scrybe of Technology, but it could refer to any of the Scrybe’s varying ideal forms (or lack thereof) for the game of Inscryption. And, of course, it would be remiss to mention the possibility of transcending the digital realm itself.

Week 5: Oct 27-31

Masquerade

As always, Inscryptober’s final week is themed for the season! This is the week to dress Inscryption’s characters in spooky regalia and eerie accessories…or merely to make use of the game’s existing ties to elaborate masks and sinister guises! 

Special note: Inscryption's anniversary is on the 19th!

[bluejayblueskies]

Do you have any advice/suggestions for getting into bookbinding? What is the process like if you don't mind sharing?

Hello! Very happy to share bookbinding advice/resources 💜 it's a wonderful and delightfully rewarding hobby, and while it can be complicated and easy to get stuck in the weeds with it, you can also get started with some really simple binds with materials you may already have around your living space.

Info below the cut:

First off, there are a lot of instructional videos and guides out there for bookbinding. My favorite YouTube channel for those just starting out bookbinding is Sea Lemon, who has a ton of instructional videos for various styles of bookbinding. Her method of explaining things is clear and concise, and she tends to work with simpler tools and materials that don't cost much and that you may already have on hand. She is not a professional bookbinder with professional tools (afaik) but in my opinion, that's perfect for a beginner because it's not as overwhelming and has a much lower barrier to entry. Perusing her channel and watching a bunch of videos was where I started before even picking up tools to start my first bind.

Another guide I highly recommend is How to Make A Book, by ArmoredSuperHeavy. This is a wonderful step-by-step guide for taking a fic from AO3 and turning it into a book. The most helpful part of this guide, for me, was the typesetting instructions. Typesetting is the act of taking a piece of text (eg. a fic on AO3) and formatting it in the correct way for printing and binding into a book. Note that this guide is specifically for MS Word, though you can also typeset in Google Docs, Libre Office, Affinity Publisher, InDesign, and other programs (even LaTex!).

(Pro tip: save yourself the headache of trying to use Word's bookfold option and just set your document page size to the page size of your finished book (if you're printing on letter paper, this is 5.5" x 8.5") and then use this software to put your pages in the correct order: https://momijizukamori.github.io/bookbinder-js/)

A final resource that I recommend, but that can also get a bit overwhelming, is the Renegade Guild Bookbinding Discord. It's a space specifically for people doing fanbinding, and there are a ton of resources within it, including typesetting guides for various softwares, guides for where to get the tools you need and which tools are best, and people who can answer any questions you may have along the way. It's gotten quite big since I joined, and it can be overwhelming since there's so much information available and so many people who have been binding for a while and thus often offer up solutions or advice that's hard for beginners to understand, but it has never failed me when I've had a tricky question that I needed answered that I couldn't find information on anywhere else.

All that said, here's some more advice from me when just starting out!

Start with a simple bind. A single-section pamphlet bind is easy, cheap, and quick. Here's a Sea Lemon video for how to put together a pamphlet bind.

If typesetting seems intimidating, you can bind blank notebooks. This is also a good way to practice new binding styles if you don't want to go through the hassle of typesetting, imposing, and printing for something you worry you might mess up.

A good word count range for fics when you're learning how to bind case-bound books (ie, the typical hardcover books you see in stores) is 25-50k. Shorter than that, and your books will be thin and a bit fiddly to work with. Longer than that is probably fine, but it will be a quicker process for a thinner book, which is nice when you're just starting out. (And then you don't have to worry about rounding and/or backing, which can be complicated.)

There are very, very few tools that you absolutely need to make a book. There are quite a few tools that will make your life easier, or that will make your book look nicer, or that will make your book last longer, but when you're just starting out (especially if you're trying to minimize cost or deal with space constraints), you can forgo a lot of "required" tools. I'll include a list below of the general bookbinding tools you'll want and some substitutions for them.

You might hear talk about the grain direction of paper or bookboard. When you're just getting started, don't worry about this. Once you get more comfortable with the bookbinding process, then you can start ensuring that your bookboard has the correct grain direction (parallel to the spine) to reduce the warping of your covers. The grain direction of your textblock paper matters the least, and I didn't start using "proper" textblock paper (ie short grain) until about 2.5 years after I started binding.

Bind something you like! Pick one of your favorite fics and bind it, even if it's your first bind and you're worried about it turning out ugly. The excited feeling of having bound your first book will be that much more exhilarating when you're able to put a story that you love on your shelf for the first time.

So you're ready to bind a hardcover book! Here are the tools you will want/need:

An awl, for punching holes in your signatures (groups of paper). You can use a thumbtack for this, or even a strong needle if you have something to cushion the end of it that you'll be holding, like an eraser. Awls are typically pretty cheap, though. You'll want a thinner one so you don't make huge holes in your paper. I have this one and it's worked just fine for me.

A bone folder, for creasing the pages. Historically, these are made out of actual bone, and the reason for using one is to get sharp creases in your paper without tearing or damaging it. You can also use basically anything else in your house that can accomplish this task. When I'm feeling lazy and just need to crease one piece of paper, I use my thumbnail. Bone folders are also cheap, though--I have this one. (As a tangent--when you're making your signatures for your book, you're going to be folding and slotting together usually between 4-6 sheets of paper. Fold the paper normally without creasing with the bone folder, slot them together, and then use the bone folder to sharply crease them all together. Trust me on this--the pages will fit together much better if you crease after putting the signature together.)

PVA glue, for all aspects of gluing involved when making the book. You can, I've heard, use Elmer’s glue for this in a pinch, but I've never tried it. PVA will dry flexible, which is what you need for your book, especially when gluing the spine. For things like attaching decorative paper to your covers, this is less important. If you're making a book that doesn't require gluing the spine (like a pamphlet or coptic stitch book), you may not need PVA. There are also lots of other glue mixtures you can use when bookbinding (paste is a popular one) but I've been a straight PVA guy for over three years now and I can't offer any advice when it comes to other types of adhesives. One note about PVA is it dries quick, so once you've stuck something to it, that's that. Prepare yourself for some crooked books until you get the hang of it.

Gluebrush/paintbrush, for applying glue. I recommend something with bristles; the foam brushes technically work but will absorb most of the glue and will probably cause you a headache. Silicone brushes are wonderful, as you can just wait for the PVA to dry and then peel it off, but a regular glue brush will also work; just be sure to put it in water immediately once you're done with it, otherwise the PVA will dry on it and ruin your brush.

Ruler + pencil, for measuring. Any kind of ruler will do, but if you have access to a quilting square or something similar, this will help you get nice and even right angles.

Needle and thread, for sewing the signatures together. You can use regular sewing needles and sewing thread (doubled up for more strength) if you don't want to buy anything specific for this. An easy step up from this that I recommend is buying a block of beeswax (I got mine for like $4 from a farmer's market) and waxing your thread (running the thread along the block a few times). This will keep your thread from tangling and make it easier to work with. You can also use embroidery thread, especially if you're doing a pamphlet or coptic stitch bind and want some color. I recently upgraded to linen thread (thread weight 35/3), which is the standard for archival-quality books, but you absolutely can use cotton thread and it will be fine.

Paper, for the textblock. You can use your standard white copy paper for this and all will be well. Or, if you want to get a bit fancier, you can use cream-colored paper; 8.5 x 11 hammermill 20lb cream colored paper is easy to find and relatively cheap and will make your books look better, as plain white paper can look almost blue in a book. (That said, I also have some actual published books that use white paper, and I've never noticed anything off about them.) If you decide you want to get really into the proper grain direction, I get my short-grain cream-colored paper from Church Paper. They have both 20lb (typical copy paper weight) and 24lb (slightly heavier) weight. I have both and I actually really like the 24lb; it has a luxurious feel to it, with less bleed from my inkjet printer. If you feel like springing for nice paper, check out their site!

Book press, for pressing your book while it dries and pressing your folded pages before sewing. There are a lot of different kinds of book presses out there, many of which are very very expensive. You can usually make do with some heavy books to weigh down your book while it dries, or thin boards and C-clamps if you have those on hand. If you have access to basic power tools, it's also super easy to make your own press with carriage bolts and cutting boards (this is what I did). There's a lot of videos out there with instructions; here's one from Sea Lemon.

Printer and ink, or a printing service/print shop like Staples. Print shops can get expensive in the long run, and it's nice to have your own printer so you can do test prints of your typesets. If you're going out and buying a printer, I highly recommend either a black and white laser printer (if you're not planning on printing in color; Brother is a good brand) or a tank inkjet printer (like the Epson Ecotank). Do NOT get a new HP if you can help it; their ink subscriptions are brutal. I'm upgrading to a black and white laser this year, but I've been using a very old, cheap HP inkjet that I got off Facebook marketplace for the past few years and it's been reliable (if a bit restrictive). If you do have an inkjet currently that takes cartridges, I highly recommend looking up how to refill your own cartridges. Buying one set of genuine HP cartridges and then refilling them with generic brand ink until they die has saved me probably hundreds of dollars by this point.

Book board, for the covers. Otherwise known as chipboard, which is easy to find on Amazon or at craft stores. This is NOT the same as corrugated cardboard; that will not work. You can cannibalize old three-ring folders, which have chipboard inside them, or even old hardcover books/textbooks. Don't bother with genuine bookbinding chipboard; imo, it's overpriced and unnecessary. You can find chipboard on Amazon for relatively cheap; I recommend the 12x12, as you can get a front and back cover out of one sheet with the correct grain direction. You can use chipboard for your book spine, if you're making a flatback, or you can use a thinner material that you can bend if you're making a rounded book (or for flatbacks as well). For this, thin cardboard (eg. old cereal boxes) or thicker cardstock will work just fine; you don't have to go out and buy genuine bristol board, and I've never bothered with it.

Exacto knife, for cutting things. You could also use a boxcutter, but a craft knife will be easier to handle. You will probably need to frequently change the blade, as cutting chipboard will dull it quickly, so get one that comes with a bunch of replacement blades.

Bookcloth and/or decorative paper, for covering your book board. Bookcloth is basically fabric with a paper backing on it. You can make your own using heat and bond, tissue paper (I use white tissue paper), and fabric; iron the fabric so it doesn't have any wrinkles in it, then iron the heat and bond onto the fabric, then iron the tissue paper onto the heat and bond. There are other methods out there that you may find easier/better, but this is the one I use. The purpose of the paper backing is to prevent glue from striking through the fabric; if you use a thicker fabric or paper, this is not necessary. For your first books, you may find it easiest to just use paper, or to go out and buy some premade bookcloth.

That's a lot of information, but I hope it was helpful! I'm more than happy to answer any more questions you (or anybody else) might have, and happy binding!

[gilraina]

hey! i've been thinking about getting into making podfic and you're the only podficer i follow. do you have any advice or resources to get me started? thanks in advance, you're awesome

Hi! That's awesome to hear, I'm always excited to see more people get into podficcing, and I'm more than happy to help <3

First of all, here are some great beginner guides that I would recommend to help you get started:

Keep it Simple: A Highly Biased Podfic Guide For Absolute Beginners by GodOfLaundryBaskets - a step-by-step guide from choosing a fic to posting your podfic. Very short and to the point, covers all the absolute basics.

A Newbie's Guide to Podficcing by Azdaema - this one's a little longer and more detailed. I used it myself when I first started podficcing.

And here's a couple of beginner tips from me:

You don't have to own a microphone to record a podfic. You can use whatever recording equipment you already happen to have: your phone, your pc, a pair of headphones, etc. I really recommend doing that to record your first few podfics, just to see if it's something you actually enjoy doing. You can always invest in some better recording equipment later. Or you may find that you don't actually need it - some of the best podfics I've ever listened to were recorded by people on their phones!

When choosing your first fic to podfic, try to choose something short (below 3k words, 5k if you really feel like challenging yourself). It will help you familiarise yourself with the process of recording and editing without being too overwhelming.

Unless you're podficcing your own fic, you will need the author's permission to do so. Thankfully, there are a lot of authors who have already given a blanket permission for their fics to be podficced. Using the Blanket Permission Highlighter browser extension is a great way to find those authors on AO3, and I can't recommend it enough. But also don't be afraid to reach out to authors to ask for permission! In my experience, most of them will happily say yes.

And finally, I recommend joining the podfic community here on Tumblr, and the podfic server on Discord. They're full of experienced podficcers who will be happy to share tips, answer any questions, or just cheer you on!

I hope it helps, and I'm looking forward to your first podfic!

[i-still-mask-because]

I still mask because it's what I can do to protect myself and others.

I still mask because I don't trust the people at the grocery store and on the train to stay home when they're sick, or to stop themselves from spreading COVID.

I've recently learned that the masks I was using are no longer recommended, and have ordered some N95s! I'm doing my best but it's frustrating that I see people masking less and less. 😷

I have also felt the social pressure to go without masking and have given in sometimes, which I'm not proud of. Even my doctor made comments about it. I would love to know what you do/say in these situations!

Hey thank you for sharing! 😷💛

Firstly, I'm happy to hear you're able to upgrade to better quality masks! I hope they're comfortable and have a snug fit!

You're definitely not alone in experiencing pressure to remove your mask. This can be especially difficult when this happens with relatives and friends.

For me personally, I've gotten in the habit of trying to think 10 steps ahead of what I could do to prevent having to take off my mask. I gave some examples of what I would do in the case of visiting a friend or visiting a restaurant in this post here.

In general, I stand my ground with my boundaries if anyone is trying to pressure me to take off my mask. My boundaries are: I will not be removing my mask around other people that I'm not confident have been masking consistently in public and/or high risk scenarios, and I will not be removing my mask around other people that have not been taking enough adequate precautions & testing, if at all, leading up to the time of our convening.

In the case of being in public spaces surrounded by a bunch of strangers, removing my mask is 1000% off the table because there is no way for me to know how covid-cautious all these people around me have been, and my best bet is not at all if they're all maskless. So in the case of if I'm with relatives and/or friends that are trying to pressure me to remove my mask in public, that is a hard no. And frankly, I treat interactions like that as moments that inform me of how they regularly go about their day-to-day during an on-going pandemic: casually & carelessly removing their masks (if they have one at all) in public, with no risk assessment or precautions at all. I know then to double down on my boundaries, and, if possible, distance myself from them. I recommend joining any "Still Coviding" Facebook groups, Discord servers, etc. for your particular state/city/town if you're looking to spend time with more people on the same page as you about the seriousness of the pandemic.

In regards to doctors; I haven't personally experienced pressure to remove my mask from the doctors I've been seeing, but I have had to ask them to put one on around me, especially if the purpose of the appointment actually requires me to remove my mask. Here's a document that has templates for what you could say to your health care provider if you're requesting them to wear a mask in any upcoming appointments (feel free to save a copy and tailor it to your own liking!). Please remember that it's 1000000% your right to demand for accommodations and safety precautions in a literal health care environment. You're not a burden for doing so, and you're not irrational for asking your health care providers to literally do their job and do what they can to protect your health. There's websites like Covid Safe Providers if you're trying to look for a covid-cautious health care provider; it's not guaranteed there's going to be one for your location (I've been having a hard time finding a covid-cautious GP near me), but it's worth a shot to look into.

Overall, here's some links I recommend to equip yourself with knowledge on what you could say in these interactions if you're put in a position to have to explain your choice to take covid precautions & require others to do the same:

How To Talk To Your Loved Ones About Covid

You Have To Live Your Life: A resource for COVID-19 research and information

LitCovid: A literature hub for tracking up-to-date scientific information about the 2019 novel Coronavirus.

Please absolutely feel free to repost these links wherever and share them around to other people!

I hope this was helpful!

As always, if anyone has any additional information or suggestions to give, please feel free to share!

[vitaminseetarot]

Last Quarter Moon PAC: What Are You Harvesting? 🌗🍓🍹

Welcome, one and all, to my last chapter of the four-part moon series! In the beginning, all we had was the seed of potential. We then added some tender love and compost, tending to its stretching stems and budding leaves. We then sat back and witnessed the colorful flower blooming forth, reflecting our work well done.

Now it's finally time to take a look at what will be harvested from this growth. How will it sweeten your life? How will it ensure that more growth can continue to the next month? What blessings will at last be bestowed that will, with careful preservation, last through the winter and beyond?

Take a peek at the three packages of fruit you see down below. These are of the frozen kind so they will last for many smoothies and muffins to come. (Brand names are blotted out for your convenience.)

Pile 1 - Chilly Blueberries Pile 2 - Snowy Strawberries Pile 3 - Frosty Plums

Pile 1

Cards: Four of Swords, Three of Cups, Nine of Cups; Dandelion Wish, Avocado - Prosperity, Scorpio Moon - Camouflage, 6 - Freedom

I guess it works that I called this the Chilly Blueberry pile cause it seems like you're just looking to chill. You've been through the long haul this last month, and for you the growth hasn't come easily. Now you're being greatly encouraged to kick back and relax for the last few days of the season remaining.

You've been spending a great amount of time working on your internal issues. This pile has done some immense shadow work, and perhaps you sense that you're still in the thick of it, laying low and addressing some old fears. These fears may have to do with something you've been wishing and longing for. There's almost a feeling of treating shadow work as a full time job, wanting to purge and clear as much as possible to make room for desires. Which isn't a bad thing! It can be the recommended thing for many people (like one of the other piles, per example wink), but there's also such a thing as overdoing it. Sometimes you get to a place where you've squeezed out every tear cried out and felt the rock bottom of rock bottom, where you're hitting impenetrable bedrock. Pile 1, this is your reminder that you've been doing GREAT work improving yourself, but now it's time to breathe.

You're going to be harvesting peace, relaxation, a chance to decompress and distract yourself with good times. Your friends could be trying to pull you out of the house or into a discord chat -- join them! Don't let yourself get distracted by the heavy emotions at this time. Not all shadow work is productive, like with anything it can be habitual and keep you ruminating in a little loop. You are protected as far as social relations are concerned. You're being given the space to relate your deep inner work with the work others have been doing. I can't tell you how refreshing it is to be in the thick of some deep karmic issues, only to find out a close friend or even acquaintance has been going through a similar ordeal.

Right now, even with all the freaky planet shit happening out there, don't think that the next few months will be like your last few. You're gonna undergo a subtle transformation on your own naturally after this harvest. You'll be moving into a place of wish making and abundance. This may even boost your sense of financial freedom. It could be that some of your shadow work involved money, but I'm really getting abundance in general with this pile. You don't have to overwork yourself to get to that place, pile 1, you're already approaching it. There's no need to get a 100% completion rating on your spiritual practice. You're not being rewarded for hard work, you're being rewarded because you're in the right place and time to be receiving the abundance coming for you. The shadow work is to help you get in a better mindset and receive without letting old baggage get in the way. It's not a forever thing.

Pile 2

Cards: Five of Pentacles, King of Pentacles, Page of Cups; Turtle Creek, Strawberry - Affection, Leo Rising - Shine, 5 - Heart Healing

How awesome is it that you got the strawberry card for your strawberry reading?! Maybe you just really like eating them; the card does talk about affection after all! With Leo Rising, I'm feeling that this pile has been really affected by the Leo Venus retrograde. Lucky for you, the planet will station direct in a few days, gradually bringing back in a feeling of overall sweetness to your life like a tide coming in.

It could have been that your self-worth took a small hit in some way. Some things may have happened that tested you just a little too much. You wanted more out of your circumstances, but when you ask and ask your spirit guides and higher self and nothing seems to happen on the surface at the end of the day, that can really wreck confidence over time. You'd hear things like "maybe it's just not meant for you," to which you'd respond, "then what is?" You're about to gain a lot more clarity as to what is for you, and that no matter what your doubts say, pile 2, you deserve this!

That belief is very important--it keeps you from creating blind spots where opportunities lie. I felt relief pulling the King of Pentacles in the middle. The King does not think at all about what he deserves, he simply has it. He listened to that one random shampoo commercial's message "because you're worth it, baby" and stuck to that philosophy for the rest of his life. He needed this confidence because with Pentacles (and as hinted by your Turtle Creek card), success doesn't happen overnight. Sometimes it can be hard to tell if something is going to work out in the long run. We often have to wave our hair around like supermodels and strut our stuff as though we know it will anyway. (I just got "Good As Hell" by Lizzo in my head. You might benefit from pampering yourself a little to remind yourself of your worthiness.)

There's going to be a moment of inspiration that comes to you this harvest, like an artistic idea or emotional epiphany that will flood through your slow moving creek. Page of Cups doesn't see you as really stuck, but will help push you along either way. Your lack mentality is being restored to a fullness mentality, and with this comes a strong wave of emotional resolution. Letting yourself feel the hurt of lack for just a moment in time can help you clear it out of your system to make room for healthier and better feelings that actually stick. You're allowed to set down your doubts for now and be more vulnerable and open to giving and receiving. It may not seem so, but vulnerability is important to creating flow, and flow is when we sense that we are moving with life and not against it, so that naturally things will work out for us. When you're ready to open your doors to life with softness and tender affection, so will the doors to what you've been dreaming of.

Pile 3

Cards: VII Chariot, Queen of Swords, Ten of Cups; Cottage Hill, Watermelon - Fun, Sagittarius Rising - Adventure, 9 - Self Acceptance

Before I flipped over your cards, I looked at the Cottage Hill card and imagined how cozy you've been for the last while, maybe a season or two where you stayed home and felt comfortable. I even channeled a feeling of enjoying old familiar songs and games. Then I turned the cards around and got the exact opposite message!

Your cards are nudging towards pushing yourself out there and taking in the goodness of life without getting muddled in the details. You've been in a state of analysis (paralysis?) for some time, and the only thing you're harvesting, whether you like it or not, is the chance to go out and enjoy yourself. It doesn't have to involve others, it can be just you looking to try something new (maybe rock climbing isn't in your taste, but there are many other things to explore). Forgive me for saying this, but we all know what dried plums are: prunes. And what do prunes help with? Of course, getting things going! The Chariot isn't always a card of traveling, but you are specifically having your travel experiences sweetened this time around. A dash of spontaneity and whimsy has been added to your harvest. There is stuff out there waiting for you to see it and experience it for yourself.

Please don't think that this time to run around and enjoy yourself is a waste of time, pile 3. Do you know how hard it is to want to move ahead when you have 6-8 planets in retrograde? Cut yourself a bit of slack. Being a successful human being doesn't mean never allowing yourself to feel content with the present, especially since for many people being successful means exactly that. You also never know what these greater experiences could bring you in the long run. A good time spent away can be like a shower that prepares you for the next big thing to tackle. It could be hiding blessings in between, waiting for you to seize them.

The Queen is Swords approaches everything with discernment, so you can work with her energy by finding out what sort of thing you would like to do or see next. It doesn't mean planning every single thing out. The best itineraries keep you from getting lost from point A to point B, while also leaving room for exploration. Maybe you'd be interested in joining a computer programming class, for example. It doesn't mean you have to sign up for the full major. Taking things a step at a time can really help you determine what's better for you further down the road. Self-Acceptance card talks about how to deal with our tendency to self-contradict. There's a part of you what wants to move ahead, and part of you that wants to stay put in the comfort zone. Plan out your "itinerary" so you're not caught in black-and-white thinking. If you're feeling the resistance to move, just try it a little at a time. You'll have a lot more fun this way.

This reading has not been evaluated by the FDA to diagnose, prevent, treat, or cure any disease or infection. Please ask your physician before going online.

2023, @VitaminseeTarot ™

[antiendovents]

got a plural advice post recommended to me and one of the first tips is:

Wallowing in your trauma is one of the worst ways to deal with having it. Stay away from online DID spaces oriented towards "trauma recovery"-- these spaces tend to be the most toxic, and ironically "anti-recovery", DID-oriented spaces on the internet.

do i even need to say anything else here.

(another one of the tips was "Leave every single plural-oriented Discord server you are in, and do not join any others. Additionally, delete your Twitter, TikTok, and Instagram accounts, and never reinstate them." which um... okay?)

What the fuck.... their idea of healing is to....ignore the fact that you have trauma?? And to avoid system communities?? The places where you're likely to find others like you and feel less lonely?? What kind of advice is that 💀

[mcyt-winter-of-mf]

How to sign up to the M/F & Other Exchange: A Guide!

The time has come! Sign ups are officially open!

We'll be doing sign ups and matching through Ao3, so you'll have to fill up the form to join! Don't worry, it's not as scary as it sounds.

A couple reminders before we begin:

You must be 15 or over to participate, and you must join the Discord (invite here!) for communication purposes.

You must request and offer at least three different relationships to join, be it same or different fandoms.

You must put your Tumblr username in each of your request boxes, as gifting will be done on Tumblr.

You must include your full DNW for each request in its box, or "DNW: No restrictions" if there's nothing on your DNW list.

Requests will be viewable by the public, and will be attached to your name. If there's something you don't want attached to your name, it's better not to request it!

Mods will be able to view the email associated to your Ao3 account once you sign up, so make sure it's an email without your real name attached!

With that, we go onto the collection page and click the Sign Up button!

The mods have put some basic instructions already in our form, but this guide will walk you through it step-by-step anyway!

We're off to the races!

REQUESTS:

When you click that button, you will be taken to the form, which will look like this:

We start off with requests. Requests are what you want to receive during this exchange. You'll be able to pick fandom, rating, relationships and gift type.

For my first request, I want to sign up for some platonic Niki relationships on the DSMP. The first thing I do is find my fandom on the checklist:

Then we're going to see the "Character" section. This is where we select gift types. For requests, I select what kind of gift I would like to receive. I can opt for just one or opt into all six.

Clicking the "any character" checkbox will enable me to receive any of the six gift types. I could get a fic, or a podfic or playlist... It'll be entirely my gifter's choice what they want to gift me!

Now, onto relationships. Again, I'm only interested in a few Niki ships for DSMP so I start looking for them and fill them out like so:

Once again, we have an "any relationship" button. This time, clicking it will mean I could receive any relationship within that fandom. So, I could receive Jack & Niki content, or I could receive Fooleret or Puffy & BBH! Again, it'll be entirely up to my gifter!

Okay, I have my tags, time to pick my ratings and warnings:

This exchange allows for Gen and Explicit rated works, so feel free to pick whichever suits you best!

Gen rating will cover anything from G to M ratings, and Explicit will be used for explicit violence, gore and sexual content. You can always ask for specific things to NOT be delivered in your DNW.

As for Archive warnings, I can opt into whichever from the list I want. I recommend you also opt into "No Archive Warnings Apply", as this will help your matchability! Archive warnings are opt in, and must not be delivered unrequested.

Opting into E-rated or Archive Warnings doesn't mean you will 100% be guaranteed to receive them. You're just giving your gifter an option! Maybe you opt into MCD (and your gifter might have offered to write MCD), but it's entirely possible no MCD ideas come to fruition, and that's okay!

Minors cannot opt into NSFW content. Any minor found to be breaking this rule will be banned from the exchange. Likewise, Explicit work is opt in. Unrequested Explicit content will result in a ban.

For this, I only really want Gen content and am okay with Violence, so that's what I select!

Now, last but not least, to the additional details box:

Your Additional Details box MUST include a couple likes or prompts, so your gifter knows which way to go, a Do Not Want list (so your gifter knows where Not to go), and your Tumblr username!

These must be present in every box of each of your requests! This is to ensure that, even if someone sees only one request of yours (perhaps they want to make a treat for you, or an extra gift), they have the full information! Besides, having your DNWs and likes in each box allows for there to be variations between them.

That's my request one done!

Another quick example. I've signed up to receive some art for SOS SMP fWhip/Katherine, don't mind getting Gen or E but don't want any major archive warnings? I actually don't mind alcohol either for them, so I want to take that off my DNW? Easy, peasy! That will look like this!

Rinse and repeat with our third request box, and we're all done!

Remember: You need to fill out a minimum of three separate requests. If all you want are, for example, three ships from one fandom, feel free to separate them and put one per box!

If, on the other hand, you want to request more than three separate fandoms, you can add another request by clicking this button:

Now, onto the Offers!

OFFERS:

Offers operate very similarly! If you keep scrolling down, you will see this blank form. Offers are the things you want to make in this exchange.You’ll once again be selecting your fandom, rating, relationships and gift type.

We already know all these fields from filling out our requests, so we do the same here! For my first offer, I’m willing to make art for Life Series Lizzie! So I select the fandom, the gift type, and start listing the characters/ships I’m prepared to create for. 

I’m only interested in creating for a handful of Lizzie ships, so I fill them out like so:

A reminder that selecting ‘Any Character’ will vouch you in for making any of the six gifts. If you click it, you are saying you’re happy to make a fic, art, or any. This could mean that you are matched with someone who only wants a podfic, or a moodboard, or a playlist. Only check this if you are fully prepared to make any of the six gift types.

Selecting ‘Any Relationship’ will enter you as willing to create any ship nominated in the fandom. If you are looking to avoid creating something for any specific ships, you will not want to click this.

Now, onto ratings and archive warnings:

As a reminder, while you’re free to pick creating for Gen or Explicit as suits you best, minors cannot opt into making NSFW content.

For Archive Warnings, I can opt in to anything on the list that I’m willing to create! I would once again recommend that you opt into “No Archive Warnings Apply” anyway, as it greatly helps with your matchability. You cannot deliver unrequested Archive Warnings. 

For this, I’m not willing to write any of the major warnings, so I only opt into “No Archive Warnings Apply.”

And that’s my first offer done! Remember: you must offer at least three different ships. If you do not want to offer three different fandoms, you can make each of your offers the same fandom, each with a different ship.

You do the same thing for your three offers and you'll have met the minimum!

A NOTE ON MATCHING:

If you're an 18+ user (adult) that doesn't opt into creating E-rated works, you may still match with another adult who opted into receiving G or E-rated works. You do not have to create E-rated content if you do not want to.

(Minors will not be matched with an adult who has opted into receiving E-rated gifts.)

Similarly, if you opted into creating E-rated work, and your giftee opted into receiving it, but for whatever reason you don't end up making E-rated work, that's okay! Same with archive warnings. For instance, if you have opted in for writing “Graphic Depictions of Violence,” and your Giftee has opted in for receiving it, but you don’t end up creating a gift with that in it, that is more than fine. Making E-rated work or work containing Archive warnings is not obligatory, regardless of if you opted into making it or not.

If you want to do more offers, you can add them with this button at the bottom of the offers section:

A NOTE ON MATCHING 2: ELECTRIC BOOGALOO

Requests will be public. While scrolling for requests, you may find that someone has requested ships you've offered but, for whatever reason, you do not want to match that person.

If there is someone you do not want to be matched with, you can reach out to the mods via opening a ticket on our discord server [here] and place a Do Not Match (DNM) request! These are private, and there are no questions asked. We keep track of DNM requests in a spreadsheet we’ll consult when matching starts.    

Okay, NOW you're all done. Scroll to the bottom and hit this button:

You're good to go! You can keep editing and keep fiddling with your sign up until the 15th. Assignments out by the end of January 20!

Remember to join the Discord!

Alright! Have fun! And tell your friends :]

[nothorses]

Hi! Since you have a Discord server, could you share some tips for both moderating and keeping the space active and free of toxicity? I am thinking of creating my own for a micro-comunnity, but I have no idea where to start (especially what basic action protocols to follow of someone breaks a rule or is reported as abusive in DMs and there isn't much concrete proof).

Thanks in advance. ;-)

Ooh, yes, this shit is my bread & butter! Here's the advice I'd give someone creating a new community Discord space:

Start with a very clear idea of what the space is for.

This is your reasoning for every single expectation you set & rule you enforce. If you cannot explain to someone why a rule exists, you shouldn't have that rule- and you probably won't have an easy time enforcing it anyway.

Ask yourself some questions upfront: is this a space for bonding over a shared interest? Is this a space for building community around a marginalized identity or experience? Why? Who does it benefit, and how does it benefit those people?

The transmasc discord server I run started as a space to build community for transmascs who could not talk about transmasc issues elsewhere, and is therefore a space for discussion of these issues first, a space to build community for a group that faces a lot of isolation second, and everything else third.

Ask yourself: what is this space not for?

Now that you know what your goal is, it should be easier to determine what is in conflict with your goal. If you're a fandom space, you should be asking things like: do you need a vent channel? Why? What level of venting is okay? How will you tell someone in crisis that this is not an appropriate place to seek help? (Or applied to other situations: do you need this? Does it serve your goal? How? Is there a line or a nuance you should clarify? How practical is it to enforce this line?)

Think about your role as server owner

Server owners have a lot of de-facto power, because that's how Discord is set up, like, functionally. Think about the worst server owners you have ever encountered, and ask: what could have prevented those servers from disaster? People make bad decisions without realizing how bad they are, and it sucks. And, frankly, communities shouldn't necessarily belong to just one person.

What is your responsibility to your community? How can you share your power with them? What can you commit to in order to mitigate that power imbalance?

I have some commitments in place within my server along the lines of like... we make decisions on the basis of consensus (if someone really disagrees, we talk about it and, if needed, figure out a different solution; we don't go with "majority rules", and I don't veto or whatever). If there's consensus among the rest of the server staff that I should step down, I will step down. Stuff like that. My staff know these things, which keeps me (and them!) accountable.

You should think about the role of staff in a similar way; they have power over users. How can you mitigate that power? How can you share it with users? What happens if a staff member abuses their power?

Start small.

Unless you have a massive following ready to join your new server right away, you're gonna be pretty small for a long time. Embrace it! Small servers have the benefit of tight-knit communities and a lot of flexibility; you can make changes super easily, and you can be really responsive to your community. Let them tell you what they want and need, and invite them into the process of shaping the space together.

I really recommend that you start with the bare minimum, and add new rules, channels, staff, etc. as the need comes up organically. This gives you lots of room to think and discuss, and it means everything you add is tailored to the actual people that make up your community.

To use my own server as an example again: we had like five channels when we started, and adding each new channel has been a conversation about why we're adding it, whether we can fit that topic into a different channel or if it's getting overcrowded, how it impacts the server atmosphere (heavy/negative channels really add up!), etc. Which means they're generally, like, not completely unnecessary and unused.

Think about scaling

As you gain more members, you'll need more staff (and more staff time), more infrastructure, and more consistency. There's no one perfect way to do this, but I want to name it because I think it's good to keep in mind; I've seen big servers who try to act like small servers and end up chaotic and under-moderated, and small servers who try to act like big servers and end up drowning in their own (completely unnecessary!) red tape.

Rule enforcement

I recommend having a blanket policy of "we reserve the right to kick you out if it's obvious that you're not here with good or honest intentions". Don't try to litigate every little thing with every single person; if they're not there because they wanna be a part of the community you've made, there's absolutely no obligation to entertain their bullshit. Being upfront about this cuts out a lot of "but I didn't technically break a rule!", and "explain to me exactly why you're doing this so I can argue it to death!" nonsense from bad actors.

I also recommend a blanket policy of "infinite honest mistake forgiveness". People forget, slip up, whatever; don't stress about it. Give them a reminder or a heads up and move on.

For the stuff in the middle, you'll figure out what systems work for you. I prefer DMing people about things; being specific, transparent, and offering support does wonders for most issues. Name some clear expectations if you're noticing patterns, and ask what you can do to help them meet those expectations. Assume they didn't mean to do any harm, and that they want to get better. Even if that's not the case, most people will rise to that assumption if given the opportunity (and if they don't, you can kick 'em then).

Encourage a self-regulating community

Do not get involved in petty bullshit!! If someone has an issue with someone else, your first step is always to ask yourself: is this something staff need to take care of, or could this be resolved with a conversation between these two people?

Oftentimes, even a broken rule is something people can sort out themselves. If someone forgot a rule or made an honest mistake, there is literally no reason that it needs to be you or other server staff telling them so. Encourage people to talk to each other! You will save yourself so much grief (and petty drama, and serious conflict) in the long-run if your community can talk to each other like humans.

Encourage people to set their own personal boundaries, too! If they have a unique trigger or a particular need, encourage them to communicate that need to other people. This also allows people to negotiate their own solutions to conflicting access needs, and prevents staff from "taking sides".

As a bonus, this will also make it super clear when someone is just an asshole.

Maintain the vibe!

Don't try to duke problems out in the middle of the server! It sucks, everyone hates it, and the people that don't hate it love it for all the wrong reasons. Drama breeds more drama, and toxicity breeds more toxicity.

I recommend telling people exactly where to take their disagreements, discontent, and emotional outbursts. My personal policy is: if you can't have a productive conversation or offer everyone else basic respect, you need to step back and cool off until you can. if you have personal beef with someone else, you can either talk it out in DMs, let it go, or block them and move on. If you disagree with a rule or how a rule is being enforced, you still need to listen to staff, but you can (and should!) bring that up in the appropriate channels to discuss for the next time it comes up.

We have the "ticket tool" bot- which is great for when one person wants to argue about stuff like that- and an "office" channel for all kinds of administrative-y suggestions, questions, discussions, etc. which is great for respectful disagreements/discussions. I recommend using Discord's "Time Out" feature to mute people if they won't respect a staff request to pause or step back, and even removing everyone's ability to post in a channel if it's getting rancid & you need to buy some time to figure out exactly what's happening and how to handle it. (Let people know what's going on when you do this, though!)

This is maybe the biggest thing for keeping a server active and not toxic, tbh. People do not want to spend time in a space that sucks! And while it's vital to make space for conflict to happen, that space doesn't need to be the same one that everyone else is trying to share art of their blorbos in. And that conflict should never be abusive.

(Note: not all disagreements are conflicts, and not all conflicts necessarily need to be stopped or moved! This is generalized advice; there's a lot of gray area, and you'll get a feel for it over time if you don't already have a clear idea.)

TL;DR:

Be thoughtful and intentional about exactly what you're trying to do and why. Be responsive and responsible to your community. Have as much patience & forgiveness for earnest people as you refuse to have for ill-intentioned people. Don't be afraid to draw hard lines in order to protect the space for everyone when you need to, and encourage people to talk to each other, enforce their own boundaries, and help keep each other accountable in kind and compassionate ways.

I think this sounds very big and grand because I have run a lot of servers and I am also drawing on some educational philosophy background, but like, all you really need to do is start with a clear purpose and go from there. You can be flexible and make changes as stuff comes up, and focus on having fun with the process and the community you're creating!

Good luck!!

[jandjsalmon]

FRC 2025 - January ❄️

Hello friends! I hope you've all been doing okay - given the state of the world and all. I am sending kind and loving thoughts to all of you who are worried, who are unsafe, and who are struggling. I see you, and I love you, and this is a safe place for you. 🖤

It's been a crazy month here - but I did take time to do some fun things... like going to rock concerts (see below - this is the fam at one of the last Sum41 concerts 😢).

So while year-end at the office and the Music Festival that I volunteer with have been keeping me SUPER busy - fandom life has also been intense. I may have accidentally made a viral post - which just cracked 50k notes this morning (and has completely murdered my Activity page) - and it even hit reddit - so now Bethy thinks she's famous. Ha ha. (for those of you new here - Bethy is the blonde one 4th from the front in the picture above)

Anyway, since I seem to have acquired a bunch of new followers, I apologize in advance for my blog not being what you probably expected it to be. But you're still welcome here. 👋🏻

Another year, another new task sheet for the @fanfic-reading-challenge - and boy is it hard! Super challenging - but it's definitely going to be fun. Remember, it's never too late to join up, and there is a Discord to ask for help and recs.

As I do every month, my progress and fic recs are below:

I was busy for the first half of the month creating a new spreadsheet to gather all my info - so that's why I haven't read as much I did last January. Still - I feel like this was a pretty great beginning.

One favourite fic I read this month was, Elf Lover by mildthemes. It's a Galadrial/Sauron fic from Rings of Power. Canon divergence pretty early on in Season 1. The inner workings of Sauron's head are fascinating and very funny. Instead of being unrepentantly obsessed with power, he's obsessed with equally obsessed "horse-girl" Galadriel instead. Some enemies to lovers for sure. There's some angst along the way (like when Sauron creates a single ring and gives it to Galadriel instead) and at one point Elrond essentially works as a couple's councillor but has to drink like 2 bottles of elf wine to do it, but their devotion is wonderful and their ending is domestic and happy. I made it a challenge to comment on every chapter and I got really emotional with the way they ended it. I highly recommend. 💯

I also read a few old favourites this month - one of which was I Will Follow You Into the Dark by my girl @feelavalanche. Violet/Tate (at the very highest level) from American Horror Story (which was my first tumblr fandom btw). This fic is a pretty big emotional rollercoaster. Pretend everything happened in Murder House like it did - except Violet lived. She got away and lived her life - but now she's going back for 'reasons'. There's a character death (but that's not news if you know the fandom). And CANCER is a big trigger warning for some folks. There are some GORGEOUS lines. Beautiful writing. Moments I've cried. It's from 2012 and I've read it more times than I can count. It just sticks with you. Sad. But with a happy ending (sorta?). I hope someone here will give it a try and enjoy!