#im raving youre an incredible writer

[virtue-and-beneviolence]

JORDY!!? BRO???? I AM SCREAMING? OKAY THIS IS PERFECTION. YOU DO MY MAN SO FUCKING WELL!! THIS IS JUST SO PERFECTLY LIGHT HEARTED IT MAKES YOU FEEL WEIGHTLESS

˖⁺‧₊˚ jordy’s 2k celebration ˚₊‧⁺˖

hanma shuji x reader

hanma just wants a cigarette.

requested by @virtue-and-beneviolence

gn! reader, fluff, piggybacks, shoplifting, breaking and entering, mentions of cigarettes

reblogs are appreciated ~

you were in the wrong place, at the wrong time.

you don’t know how it was possible for hanma to convince you to break into the local convenience store—all because he’d puffed on his last cigarette an hour ago, and no, he couldn’t just wait until the morning, because he needs one. right now, apparently.

only, his plan went horribly wrong.

because, despite the fact that he’d even gone as far as pinky-promising that he’d done this a million times, so just chill, ‘cause he knows what he’s doing, the security alarm was triggered as soon as he’d picked the lock. the two of you would have made your escape with plenty time to spare, if not for the fact that he’d insisted upon stealing away with a packet of his favourite cigarettes crushed into the palm of his hand, sporting a manic smile that he aims towards the camera before yanking you out of the door.

it is with his aid that you safely make it over the ridiculously tall iron-laced gate that you most certainly shouldn’t be jumping over, and yet, because you’re rushing due to the angrily barked ‘hey!’ that is bellowed after you, he decides that the quickest way to escape is to launch you up and over to the other side.

unsurprisingly, you land rather roughly, the soles of your trainers scuffing against the pavement as you just manage to regain your balance. you’re glaring, spitting a pained curse from between your lips just as he hops over the damned gate like it’s nothing, landing with all the grace that you lack as you hobble on an ankle that is most definitely twisted. he’s inching towards you, the stretch of his mouth curling into a wide smile as he eyes the shape of your scowl.

‘oops.’

oops?

you’re seething, cursing not only him, but yourself for going along with his stupid idea, all because he’d flashed you a pout that had had you giving in before the word ‘no’ could form on the tip of your tongue.

he has the audacity to snort, making a show of a poor attempt to look regretful, and then he’s reaching, the press of his fingers biting into the plush of your thighs as he hoists you onto the safety of his back. and then, with the shrill voice of the security alarm still bleating after you, the two of you disappear as quickly as you’d arrived.

the journey back home is short, hastened by his brisk pace. your ankle throbs; you don’t have to look to know that it’s swollen. sighing, your forehead presses to his shoulder, skin prickling with goosebumps when his thumb strokes over your shin, sincerely apologetic, this time.

‘i owe you one, doll.’

‘you owe me several,’ you remind him, trying—and failing—to smother the pull of a grin that morphs the corners of your mouth.

his answering laugh is one that bubbles from the back of his throat, cackled into the empty sky.

© obitohno. all rights reserved. do not repost my works.

[rollercoasterwords]

rae give us your thoughts on taylor swift more specifically her rich white feminist thing she’s got going on and her influence on the current ‘girlboss’ trend and the current perception of women in media today???? asking bc i love reading your opinions on this stuff 💕

it sounds like u have some opinions of ur own lol but sure i can talk abt taylor swift! will be putting it under a cut bc i love my swiftie mutuals tho...swiftie mutuals look away im going to be mean sorry....

i mean yeah overall u kinda summed it up lol. i don't think i'd really care much about taylor swift were it not for the way she's been branded as some sort of groundbreaking feminist and subsequently played into that perception to profit ("the man" makes my eyes roll out of my skull sorry...)

i think my dislike of her was first seeded when "you need to calm down" came out--before then i just hadn't really cared abt taylor swift, knew a few songs but wasn't crazy about them, etc. but then she dropped "you need to calm down" and suddenly she was getting TONS of praise for doing SO much for the queer community and i was like. well first of all the song is bad second of all she's literally comparing her online haters to violent homophobes as though those two things are in any way equal or similar experiences third of all she's getting praised for profiting off positioning herself as a #ally. like this song and music video are not some sort of feminist praxis they are a way to funnel money into her already bulging pockets.

but because literally everyone around me (many swiftie friends) was gushing over how amazing she was for hiring all those dykes + faggots to dance behind her i felt like i was being gaslit + the fact that taylor swift was just happily accepting the money + accolades at the same time made me dislike her

when folklore came out i actually did enjoy the album which was. the first time that's happened for me lol i usually like maybe one or two of her songs and think the rest are mediocre at best but i was like huh maybe she's like changing as an artist and sort of settling into a new groove that's kinda cool. and then i didn't like evermore as much but i was still like okay cool new sound new vibe. and then she dropped midnights and i tried really hard to like it for my swiftie friends but...honestly i was shocked by how bad it was lol. just felt like a new level of low in terms of bad lyrics and the music was incredibly bland and boring to me, nothing new or interesting going on there. and then i felt gaslit again by all the swifties raving abt the lyricism of lines like "draw the cat eye sharp enough to kill a man" like!!! babe that is a tumblr post from 2014...

but aside from finding it genuinely incomprehensible that she gets so much credit for being an amazing writer or lyricist when the bulk of her discography is simply incredibly mediocre or straight-up bad imo (bc honestly that alone wouldn't be enough to make me dislike her; ik these are all subjective measures so even if i find it annoying to hear people rant + rave about music i think is bad it's not gonna make me dislike the artist or the people raving necessarily) what bothers me more and solidifed my dislike of her is the continuation of the way she acted when "you need to calm down" dropped. which is to say, it's infuriating enough that her fandom has sainted her, but what's more infuriating to me is the she seems inclined to play into that sainthood.

she often leans in to portraying herself as either a victim of misogyny or a #girlboss feminist. and like--this isn't to say taylor swift hasn't experienced misogyny, or that she shouldn't talk about those experiences, or that rich white women are exempt from sexism. but her feminist consciousness seems to begin and end with her own personal experiences of sexism, with no effort at a deeper political engagement made. she flies her private jet around and poisons the environment and when people try to call her out for it she sits back and lets her fans accuse anyone that criticizes her of being sexist. in fact, it seems that any criticism of her is met with accusations of sexism, which is an infuriating obfuscation.

at the end of the day, her politics such that i have seen are incredibly liberal and toothless, and her feminism seems largely focused on making herself more money ("the man" being about "getting ahead" faster, the whole thing with that one guy owning her masters centering around a dispute over property + who gets to make money, etc). she is a capitalist first and foremost, and because of that her feminisn kind of sucks, so i hate seeing people treat her as a Feminist Figure. i also think the gaylor thing is sooooo stupid and annoying and reinforces the concept of identity first and foremost as a discrete ontological category rather than something socially constructed + materially rooted. like the idea that taylor has some mystical gay Essence inside her that exists regardless of how straight her music + lifestyle is, the makes her Queer--sorry but give me a fucking break lol. i don't give a shit if she kisses other girls, taylor swift is not a Queer Icon, and i don't understand why people desperately scrabble to find proof that she is when there are already plenty of openly gay pop singers!

in conclusion taylor swift is the epitome of #girlboss liberal feminism to me and her supposedly genius music being aggressively mediocre is just the icing on the cake lol

[fagcrisis]

poppy war thoughts, aka this book was so bad it made me want to get a goodreads account just so i can shit on it in an official capacity

so what initially sold me on this book, is that despite my friend ellis absolutely hating rf kuang's babel, ive only ever seen raving reviews for it anywhere else, and a brief description of its magic system reminded me of gergő és az álomfogók. i love that mainstream fantasy is finally starting to rely on drawing from cultures other than the sort of western mainstream and i was actually super excited to get into it. well it sucked (this contains spoilers obviously)

its 11 am this is not gonna be very structured but let me start off by listing some things i did enjoy. first of all its low hanging fruit and im better than this so im only gonna shit on tpw for being so directly about the sino chinese war that the only actual interesting bits of exposition in the book was what was just a description of actual events a Little bit. listen lotr is about ww2. its fine its all fine. anyway, i had fun with the bits of worldbuilding that were yk, actually worldbuilding. the magic system was really interesting and just super not explored enough, the book handled drug addiction about as sensitively as the dare program, but nevertheless it was a cool concept. shamans who have to get high as hell do do anything and then putting those guys in a combat setting is crazy. really fun concept. speaking of shamans i loved jiang. his archetype is impossible to fuck up and he was loveable and fun till the very end. uhh what else. the fight descriptions were good its something kuangs is decent at, as someone whos watched just truly an inordinate amount of wuxia as a child i rly can appreciate a stupid convoluted fight scene. oh i found it hysterical that the west was just one country that was really fun.

NOW ONTO THE SHIT I HATED

rin is incredibly unlikeable i know its not the point of every book ok but tpw isnt good enough to have a protagonist who is just impossible to relate to this isnt 1984 okay this is contemporary ya. i GET that she sucks and thats the point but im supposed to emphatize with her and throughout the book she just seemed stupid and easy to manipulate and not very interesting. shes an incredibly shallow character which is i guess what happens when you base your ya teenage girl protagonist on CHAIRMAN OF THE COMMUNIST PARTY MAO ZEDONG. HELLO. anyway. all her personal relationships are very much carried by the strenght of the characters close to her, and because most characters in this book are not very interesting that makes for a shitty fucking protagonist.

most of the conflict in this book is extremely artificially generated until maybe the second half of part 3. everyone in rins life is unnessecarily mean to her because shes just so smart and good at things. the part where they accused her of cheating on the exams and she owned them like crazy came to define much of the book. some kind of mean cunt whose purpose in life is to cause misery is an asshole to rin bc shes so smart and strong and talented, and she owns them with a witty remark. she punches nezha on the first day of school for fucks sake.

speaking of the school, the majority of the book is spent at sinegard academy and it is an extremely predictable and dull affair. i long for the wizard of earthsea. kuang is not a very good writer on a technical level and everything that she tries to imply she ends up spelling out (usually by having a character say it out loud) only a couple pages later. you can get through 2/3rds of this book by just reading every other page and correctly guessing what has happened and what will happen. in possibly the funniest paragraph of part 2, rin thinks about how everybody thinks altan is the coolest guy and yet he has no friends and at this point shes been experiencing quite severe racism from all of her peers and then instead of leaving you to figure out the quite obvious conclusion kuang literally has her say "oh his skin is dark and mine is too. i wonder if he knows what racism is like" just, truly hysterical.

her feud with nezha is unbearable, i knew immediately that he would become a romantic interest because a ya protagonist cannot hate a boy for perfectly good reasons. it always has to be bc shes horny. anyways thankfully when she starts studying with jiang, jiang is there and the terrible dullness of it all is lifted somewhat

as i mentioned before, the actual historical elements in the book elevate it greatly and the third part is almost enjoyable in some sections. however, unfortunately, this is also the part of the book where rin and altans darkling situation begins. i have a sinking feeling altan may not have died, which sucks because i hated this bit. they have virtually no relationship to eachother except altan yelling at rin occasionally. now again there were bits and pieces of their relationship that i didnt quite hate, but honestly i still dont entirely buy the rin is a seerly thing emotionally because she is so detached from it. the revelation only seemed to shock her a little bit and then she was busy with being at war and her boss hating her, when she actually gains the power of the phoenix at the very end its her own hatred and egoism fueling her rather than any connection to her people. overall this again comes back to her being quite weak as a character, and the worldbuilding suffers as a result of that

in any case, ill mull over continuing the series. the ending was actually quite strong i love a genocide as a result of being a stupid fucking 19 year old (dont quote me on this please), so maybe the next one is better maybe ms kuang learned to write inbetween these 2.

[eyessharpweaponshot]

hi there!! are there any fics you’re reading right now that you would recommend? i need something good after the season we’ve been given so far 😣

hello there!

I agree, this season has been disappointing - especially considering it’s the last one. but thankfully, our fandom is full of amazing writers that serve us goods regularly. I have so much to recommend, it’s a joke. so prepare for a long fic rec. In no particular order, let’s begin:

1. Chasin’ You - @burninghoneyatdusk

okay. you’re gonna see a bit of a theme with me in these fic recs because the authors I mention are some of my favourites in the world - sam being one of the TOP TIER ones. this fic is a modern au, written about clarke and bellamy as exes (a favourite trope of mine) that have went their separate ways. clarke has moved away and hasn’t kept tabs on bellamy but he's soared to the top as a country star, his hit single being about her and what they had. if there’s any fic from this list you need to start reading, it’s this one.

2. Voices in the Water - @burninghoneyatdusk

It’s the canon version we all wanted. set on earth, clarke’s aunt (nia) forces her into an arranged marriage with king bellamy to unite the clans. but under it all, nia has tasked her to kill him. obviously, as clarke falls in love with bellamy, it’s the one task wanheda probably can’t complete. I'm in love with the imagery and descriptions in this fic. there are honestly some lines that sam writes that I want to frame and put up in my house. absolute brilliance.

3. All Because of You - @burninghoneyatdusk

*sheepishly raises hand* - hi, it’s me again, fangirling over another one of sam’s fics. if you have followed me for a while, either here or on twitter, you’ll have seen me screaming about this fic. I've pulled over while driving to read an update that came through to my email. no lie. I don’t say this lightly but it is definitely in my top 3 favourite bellarke fics of all time. sam DELIVERS with this one. bellamy knocks up his sister’s best friend when they’re both young and they grow together in raising their daughter. this fic flashes between present and future in the most seamless way and we see how in love they were back then but too scared to admit it, combined with how in love they are now that they are mature and older - but yet can’t seem to take the leap. I can’t tell you enough how good this fic is. I'm in love and it’s one of those fics that I would happily have as a book on my bookshelf, the pages worn and falling out from the amount of times that I re-read it.

*I just want to note that sam is doing a fantastic job at running @bellarkefic-for-blm. This is an opportunity for the bellarke community to directly support the Black Lives Matter cause through reading and writing fanfiction. For every fanfiction prompt a participating writer receives, they ask that you donate to an organization that supports the BLM cause. This initiative includes non-bellarke the 100 ships and requests for other content (e.g. gif sets, icons, moodboards, fanart). please check them out and request a prompt (this also includes updates for the above mentioned fics)*

4. Count Your Teeth - @icantloseyou-too

let me tell you, you guys will be well fed after reading this fic. It’s one of the most original idea’s and we get so much bellarke and the blake siblings in this one. bellamy is a treasure hunter and married to clarke, after leaving his thieving days behind him. that is until his past comes knocking and drags him back into that world again - and clarke along with him. absolute chefs kiss!

5. Cups and Sorcerers - @icantloseyou-too

again, such a unique plot with just the right amount of fluff. clarke is a witch who owns a coffee shop and she ends up meeting someone just as unique as her. I’m invested in this to an embarrassing degree and it always puts me in a good mood when this fic is updated. such a light and heart filling read and ciara does a fantastic job of world building in this fic.

6. Paint me in Trust - @pawprinterfanfic

I'm sure this fic needs no introduction. everyone and their mother has heard of it and if you haven’t read it yet, believe me, you’re missing out. a harry potter au that runs alongside the last few movies without being involved with the main characters. essie manages to make an already existing world so different, thrilling and gripping. it emotionally upends you and takes you along for the ride without any intention of letting you off. I'm just in love with it and rightly so!

7. When the Wolves Come Home - @pawprinterfanfic

I don’t know how people aren’t RAVING about this fic more because I certainly am. it’s massive for me to even say this because I love all of essie’s work but it’s my favourite fic that she’s written. I can’t describe the feeling I get when I read how she’s written bellarke in this. it’s a percy jackson au but you don’t need to have knowledge of that world to enjoy this. I actually started reading the books because of this fic. essie writes it so well and incorporates a lot of fantastic elements from greek mythology while also keeping me on the edge of my seat with bellarke’s journey. HERE FOR IT ALL THE WAY.

8. I’ll Find You in the Morning Sun - @cominguproses13x

I’ve never seen a fic talked about as much as this one. with 60 chapters, it’s bound to satisfy any hunger you have for bellarke. it’s set in a post apocalyptic world and it is beyond a shadow of a doubt, my favourite setting to read bellarke in. I've actually stopped reading this fic on chapter 5 because im currently writing my own post apocalyptic au as it was a trope on my bingo card and I don’t want any subconscious spill over, but I fully intend on reading the rest of the fic in one go once my fic is published and done. it deserves all the praise and hype.

9. For Blue Skies - @kombellarke

kayla’s fics make me actually weep. her writing style is just unbelievable and she sucks me into stories so fast. this one is no different. I live and breathe for bellarke as exes and this fic is one of my favourites. it’s a modern au with clarke as a mother and she cascades back into bellamy’s life without warning. perfect angst and anticipation. in love.

10. Love Like Fools - @talistheintrovert

the way I love talis with my whole heart. I'm always obsessed with her fics and the way this one was written was just magnificent. enemies to friends to lovers, roommates, angst, emotional comforting? SIGN ME UP. the perfect mix of all of those and I felt so good after reading this. always a fan.

11. It Had To Be You - @useyourtelescope

I had the honour of pre-reading some of this fic before it was published and I felt so privileged. a regency au with a prank war sprinkled in? perfection. hana honestly writes this so beautifully and I can’t recommend this enough. it’s so unique and we are all so incredibly lucky that there’s something in the bellarke fic world for everyone.

12. Veni, Vidi, Vinci - @carrieeve

Again, proof of the pudding that there’s something in fic for everyone. I’ve never read one like this before and it THRILLED me. murphy and bellamy working together to steal a Vinci? it was the fic I never knew I needed. the bellarke interaction in this was beautifully written and I am just completely obsessed. we really struck gold with the bellarke big bang works this year.

13. A Twist of Fate - @queenemori

let’s be honest, soulmate au’s are always wanted and needed in this fandom and kara does an excellent job of serving us this one. we got some team cockroach in here along with some top tier quality bellarke. what more could you ask for? if you haven’t read this fic yet, you need to. so thankful for kara being the absolute gifted babe that she is.

14. Power Over Me - @sparklyfairymira

okay, if you recently watched the witcher on netflix like I did, believe me, you NEED to read this fic. if you haven’t watched the witcher, this fic will make you want to watch it. the smut in this, the plot, the WRITING. absolutely phenomenal. have I mentioned how lucky we are to have such fantastic writers in this fandom?

15. There’s a Serpent Lying Deep Down in These Still Waters - @shaeheda

post apocalyptic au? SIGN ME UP. bellarke thrown together in unkind circumstances? SIGN ME UP. this magnificent human writing a fic? SIGN ME THE FUCK UP. I'm so in love with this fic already and I haven’t even finished it yet. as I've said, I've stopped reading fics in this genre until my own is completed but I’ve read enough to tell you that this needs to be on your next to read list. forever in awe of the talent here and this fic makes me feel so lucky to be part of something so great.

I hope this satisfies you for a while and that you enjoy all the bellarkey goodness that comes from these fics. I'm gonna drop some of mine below because why not? just in case you’re in need of something more.

1. I Found Peace in Your Violence

clarke griffin has it all. she’s popular, an artistic prodigy and has a wealthy family to boot. so when her perfect world comes crashing down around her, it’s time to sink or swim. she tests positive for the Homicidal Tendency Syndrome gene, also known as the kill gene. clarke is plucked from her comfortable life and placed into a school with people just like her - carriers, delinquents. when she meets bellamy blake there, he looks like everything they say HTS carriers are. a monster, a criminal. yet, he’s the one who protects her.

2. I Am Lost This Time

a void!bellamy fic that we all deserved to have happen in canon. an au where bellamy hears clarke’s radio calls from earth, sees her memories in m-cap and where she really is the key: the one that unlocks his memories and brings him back to her.

3. Purple, Blue, Orange, Red

bellarke are childhood friends and teenage lovers, reuniting in the midst of the same grief that tore them apart.

4. Devil Side

post apocalyptic setting and my favourite fic to have ever written. both of them coming together to survive and protect those in their family, including two small children. bellarke started out as strangers, who would have thought that they’d end up co-parenting in the middle of a world that is too dangerous to survive out in the open?

5. Waste It on Me

a soulmate/reincarnation au that I wrote based off my own breakup and feelings. probably my most popular fic and should keep you going in terms of bellarke feels.

[mirclealignr]

Appreciation Post 🤎

back at it again, my loves. I’m ✨annoying✨ anyway here ya go <3

@approved-by-dentists CLARISSA! my love, my dude, my bro, babe, have i ever told you how much i love you? Because it’s a lot, like a lot a lot. You’re funny, seriously your humour is top tier, you’re unbelievably supportive and ik i could tell you/vent anything and you’d be there no matter what. Alskskkaks i wish we lived closer so i could give you a hug bc ilysm. Your writing is genuinely phenomenal and your mind is beautiful. I could go on all day about how amazing you are if i could, you were one of the first friends I made on here and i cherish you. Sorry i ratted you out in among us bby <3

@im-a-writer-right RIA BBY! omg i love you you’re so hilarious it genuinely hurts. I acc cackle whenever i talk to you, throwing my head back in fits of laughter. Snuggluffagus, you’re so precious and amazing and talented and beautiful. Schmoopie, you’re my affectionate drinking buddy and i couldn’t wish for anything better. You gotta start believing in yourself more because you’re one of the best people i’ve ever met <3

@hufflepuffgirly AMBER! So we haven’t been talking very long, i know, but i really just love you. You’re such a god damn ball of sunshine and a beautiful soul and your writing reflects that completely. You’re such a cutie, so supportive and kind, agh you’re amazing and i could rave about you all day. I love talking to you (even if we both are awful with replies) and i can’t wait to do it more in the future <3

@potterverseimagine LEE! You bloody queen omg. You’re so intelligent? You’re so talented? You’re so amazing? You’re so beautiful? The literally support from you warms my heart and to see your blog grow makes my heart swell. I love talking to you and getting to know you more (and your chaos) and you’re so kind, it genuinely hurts how kind you are. We stan this queen <3

@coffee--writes BRIANNA, if I could, i would shout shakespeare insults at you all day long and never tire of it. That last one you did had me deceased. You’re so amazing and intelligent and i know that whatever you do, you’re going to achieve great things. Your writing is amazing and so unique i literally fall in love every time. I love talking with you, I hope to more in the future because as we’ve found out, our music/book/movie tastes are the best <3

@dogweedanddeathcaps LEE! JESUS CHRIST! omg, i could do it in all caps but i think that’s too far. I actually adore you. You’re incredibly strong, powerful and amazing and someone who i will always aspire to be like. You’re the most supportive squishy bean and i’ve missed you dearly. I’m glad i have the chance to talk to your more because i love doing it. Not only that, but your writing literally does something to me, i can’t cope. I’m always going to be your number one fan <3

@birdie-writes BIRDIE! hello alsksksk. Okay i know we don’t talk a lot, i know and it’s a shame because you’re such an amazing person that really only deserves the best. You’re so talented, your writing and mood boards are such an asset to this community and i know you’re going to far. YOURE WONDERFUL and please don’t let anyone tell you otherwise <3

@yourssuccubus SOOKIE! my boo, again we don’t talk a large amount but you’re amazing. I really think you are. Your writing is phenomenal and i will never get over how long it took me to find it - i’m a fool. You’re beautiful, and funny, and a really incredible person that deserves a lot of happiness. ILY BBY <3

@masterofthedarkness VAL! babe, the fact that you’ve been here so long makes me teary eyed. You were one of the first ones here and i can’t thank you enough for all the support you’ve given me in that time. You yourself are an amazing writer and an even more amazing person. Your chaos and kindness fit so well together, you’re such a bean. <3

@decalcomanei REN! i simp, simping goes both ways, my love. Your writing is phenomenal and that’s not the only place you have incredible talent. Everything you put out just shows off how amazing you are. Alsjsnkask and you can always make me laugh, ilysm. You’re just- mwah <3

@blisfvll JEN! i’m so sorry i said i was intimidated by you lmao. Okay but for real, i know we don’t talk a lot but ily. You’re like? So amazing? I die whenever you reblog something of mine. Your writing is just so incredible and you’re amazingly talented. Like share? Kidding, keep your talent, that’s something you’re allowed to be selfish with <3

@iliveiloveiwrite MILLIE! aldksnkadk i know we don’t talk a lot, or have only recently started but ILY! Not only do i fangirl over your blog and every time we interact or you reblog something of mine, but you’re such a supportive person. Literally kills me how kind you are (and patient because i’m an idiot ;’)) You’re talented, intelligent, wonderful and literally i will never get over your writing. ever. <3

@leahstypewriter LEAH! You’re amazing. Your mind and imagination is your greatest asset and wow wow wow i know you’re going places, i just know it. Because no one with that much talent won’t go places. It’s impossible. I can’t wait to see your books in shops and sitting on shelves. Your beautiful, wonderful and incredible strong for dealing with all that you have and being able to get through it. Ily bby <3

@chaotic-fae-queen ANNA! omg bby ily and how kind and supportive you are. You’re patient, understanding and there for anyone who needs it. You are nothing short of a squishy bean whose talent will always amaze. You’re strong and good natured and ily <3

@just-a-belgian-girl SHAYNA! we don’t taking a whole lot but i just think you’re one of the most adorable people that is so supportive and amazing. I love interacting with you and talking with you because you just bring a smile to my face, always <3

@mytreec AHH HI HELLO! i know we don’t talk but your reblogs and comments actually mean the world to me. I literally can’t describe how happy it makes me when i see you’ve reblogged something of mine. And then to see that you write your own fics now is ever better, you’re incredibly talented <3

@willowbleedsonpaper MIMI! omg i missed you while you were gone but you’re back and ily. I can gush and ik you’re gonna see it. You’re amazing, wonderful, incredible and talented and just a spectacular person that deserves all the love and support in the world, just like you give it - which always warms my heart <3

@chudleycanons EMMY! hi i know we’re fairly new mutuals but like hello hi ily. Your writing is incredible and i can’t believe it’s taken me this long to find it. I haven’t finished your series but i know when i do i’m going to be screaming about it. I love everything you put out, it’s amazing and you’re so cute!!!!! <3

@ccelinewritess CELINE! hi :) i know we don’t talk but um hi :) i think you’re really amazing and idk why but i really just wanna hug you. Um yeah, you’re incredible and your blog aesthetic is everything ily :) <3

@andromedaa-tonks MIA! hello :) i know we don’t talk but your gifs are amazing, i really love them. Like a lot and you’re so relatable god damn. Anyway, ily and um you’re wonderful <3

[bitsandbobsandstuff]

hi i was the reader that sent in that realllyyyyy long ask abt your stucky series never let you go and raved about how fucking amazing it was but that was until i picked up one of your bucky series, a love that never leaves? wow. just pure fucking wow everything about that series cannot be described in words alone. you make writing an art, a really beautiful form of art. one that i never realized how beautiful it truly was until i read your work. and this is only the second work of yours that i have read and i have to tell you, without a fucking doubt, you are on top of the list for some of the best writers i have read from. and i have read quite a few fics but no fic or story has invoked so many and strong emotions like this one and “never let you go.” i cried when the characters cried, laughed when they laughed. cheered when they cheered. on the edge when they were in danger. do you know how incredible that is? you are not only a storyteller but an artist of your generation. it doesn’t feel like writing it feels like youre creating a perfectly crafted movie/film and that its all coming to life before our eyes and we have to appreciate every detail and aspect of the film in order to analyze it perfectly. its more so your amazing skill and talent that brings this story to life. ive read this story over quite a few days and i could not for the life of me drop it for one second. everywhere i went and everything i did, this story was on my mind and i had to finish it because i was so enamored with it. but i took so long because i was obsessed with paying attention to the little details and making sure i was rightfully appreciating the piece of art on my screen. so i looked up difficult words, reread passages, revisited chapters, just to imprint the story in my brain and mygod was i ever more in love. no amount of words can express to you how much i hold this story close to heart. or how this has now been my favorite story of all time. i have never paid much attention to a series like this, much less even finishing a fic series bc i end up losing the connection and feeling for the story but this? this one takes the cake. it got my attention, it moved me, brought about so many damn emotions to me, idk which ones i felt the most associated with. the tears and sadness i felt for her and him, for the demise that kept being hinted at their relationship, it is crazy to me how much i felt for this story. usually a story drags on a little too slow or moves a bit too fast but you know. you know how to pace a good damn story and that is so amazing and quite honestly one of the best points in your writing. every chapter, piece i read feels so perfectly paced and never once lacking a sense of time that i just felt i was obligated to complete this masterpiece. i only wished for more exploration on what occurred after the confrontation with lewis and after the last chapter as bucky hastily left her all alone and said such harsh words to her when she clearly showed him how alone she was all this time and even then. how he pushed her to not blame herself and she repeated the words back to him in that chapter but then it proved fruitless because he was so upset with her. how did they settle that quarrel? did bucky apologize for breaking her so easily? im just curious bc i knew we were going to move on that in the epilogue but i was so heartbroken for her!

anyways i will make another ask listing some of my favorite quotes in this story because i love it so damn much and one ask is not enough to show you how amazing you did.

thank you for writing!

Hello there! So sorry for not responding sooner but to be perfectly honest...this ask made me so happy I kept it in my inbox to keep reading and re-reading it. 🥺

THANK YOU for taking the time to read my crazy stories, and to share such a lovely and thoughtful comment on 'A love that never leaves.' I did think about what happened between Bucky leaving and his return, and it comes down to this - he knew he loved her before and that he messed up, but on the cusp of losing each other again after finally finding some happiness, the whole world came back into focus for them both. They spent so long being apart, they knew the only way to move forward was with honest, genuine communication and forgiveness. So I think that space between Bucky coming home and Steve arriving was spent with a few tears, lots of soul-searching conversations, and Bucky showering her with all the love in his heart.

I like to think so anyway. 💙

[missing-my-griffin]

Shittiest writing in the 100. ever. still upset.

SOO finally listened to metastations the 100 podcast where the headcanon was exactly what I said about the Lexa mention and the chip... it being an obvious plot device. (minute 29) And guys its SO good. they hit the nail on the head. Go listen to it. I’ll leave you with a semi exact quote:

“thats the actual solution to her problem. If Clarke is SO opposed to Madi being the commander and having the flame; if she’s THAT terrified of it, why doesn’t she just break the damn thing. [...] So they had to come up with a reason for her not to do it. [...] But like here’s my problem with that. Nr. 1: That does not track with how incredibly.. like murderously opposed to the flame Clarke has been up until this point. Like it’s just like this weird character 180 where she’s like: “I WILL DO LITERALLY ANYTHING TO STOP THE FLAME FROM HURTING MADI! except I won’t hurt the flame.” Which is like.. it doesn’t track. And then Nr. 2: which is I think the part that probably wasn’t intentional but it just bugs me: it’s incredibly shitty of Clarke to be like.. “I will murder people. I will leave my best friend in the literal universe to die a horrible, grisly death at his sister’s hands;.. get like murdered in the arena... but I won’t break a usb drive because.. like.. my dead girlfriends memories are on there.” Like thats just really not.. like. what? It just does’t work for me. It doesn’t track logically as a choice the character would make; and the implications of it are just so incredibly frustrating to me. That it kind of just pulled me out of that whole storyline.”

I mean... mic drop:D

And heres the thing: I have been raving about the 100 and its writing from day one. Even in season 1, while it was kind of a more typical CW cheesy teen show. “We’re back, bitches!” (god that was cringy.)

just bc they got their characters right. It was so refreshing. The 100 is a post apocalyptic drama, yes, but it is also character driven. Their arcs were original, incredibly well written. They just all felt so... real. And I used to talk about how I trust JRoth and the writers completely bc they have never ever disappointed me. And guys this comment. “I cant destroy it.” Has me doubting everything. It was the absolute epitome of shitty, lazy writing. It was so OOC it completely threw me off. I had to pause the ep. I mean.. Im still so angry abt it. 

It was the worst writing in this show ever. The first truly bad piece of writing. We didnt get an explanation for Clarkes weird change of heart. Didnt get emotion. It was so lazy. I am still just kinda shocked that the writers let me down. And its one of my favourite shows ever, which is why this is so upsetting. I dont want to see bad writing. Ive loved this season so far. I want to love it. Why would you do this?? If you dont have enough time to tell your story logically without having your characters making ooc decisions, just simplify the plot. The show works BECAUSE of it being character driven and not mainly plot driven. We’re watching because of overcomplicated plot twists yes, but BC they have emotional weight behind it. Dear writers: PULL YOUR HEADS OUT OF YOUR FUCKING ASSES. End rant.

[saviourisms]

I’ve been wanting to make this for awhile but with work and then Hurricane Irma, well, life has left me pretty busy as of late! I’ve been writing Emma since February 2015 back on my old blog. I never imagined I would move from being an admin for a roleplay group to joining the independent roleplay community. It's been a lot of fun to get better at writing and get to know Emma a bit more by writing several different scenarios with various people. I also never imagined creating some lasting friendships with people, calling them family as we bonded over the show and so much more. 

This bias list to thank the people I have recently followed back and to write a few words of encouragement to those I have grown close to over the past 2+ years. To my 235 followers, thank you so much for following me, for liking my portrayal of a character I've loved since the beginning. 

Emma's Family 

@captkillianjcnes / @swxnprincxss / @ofmultiplevoices - Megan, my friend, you’re absolutely wonderful. I believe we have known each other for over a year. While writing this I went back to my old blog and found that our very first thread together (A Royal Affair) started back in June last year. I want to say we have 30+ threads to date? I love each and every one of them. If you were to ask me to pick a favorite, following through with that task would be impossible. The way you write Killian, express his thoughts and actions... I'm honestly speechless by how well you write him. You were always someone I admired from a distance, so I'm still thankful that you agreed to follow me back and write with me. Our threads continue to provide me with a rollercoaster of emotions. And while you're an amazing writing partner, you're an even better friend. Thank you for following me as I moved blogs, for being available to listen to me and for your encouragement. I am so thankful to have a friend- to have someone like a sister to me in my life. I can't wait to see what kind of threads we have in store in the future, especially with your other muses I constantly praise you for. <3 

@ofdarkmagic / @ofdarkdust / @kashtovel / @scoxndrel - I can’t keep track of your blogs, girl... haha But Cally, my sister, my friend, you're the very definition of friendship. I've known long before I created my indie back when I was in a roleplay group. Your constant encouragement and compliments with my portrayal for various muses mean more to me than you could ever know. Your willingness in making me graphics is something I could never thank you enough for either. You have been so encouraging to me over everything that has happened and you're not afraid to tell me the truth. That's a rarity in people nowadays. And the way you portray all of your characters is absolutely incredible. You were always someone I admired from a distance for so long as well once I created this indie, so the fact that we became so close has been so wonderful. <3

@weallhaveastorytotell / @emmanohomoswan - Lucy. <33 We have grown so close over the past year. Not only are you a wonderful roleplay partner but you're one of my best friends here along with those previously mentioned. The way you write all of your characters from your muses on your multi to your Emma and Emery are fantastic. I always love seeing you on my dash and discussing plot ideas with you, throwing our muses into plots that are full of angst as well. And for being a friend to me, thank you for always being a listening ear when things upset me. Thank you for always offering your home when hurricanes have come through Florida, with the most recent storm being a primary example of how kind you are. I love you to pieces. 

@theirsuffering / @herocsandvillains / @dothcmath - I also lost track of a number of blogs you have, haha. But Kezzy Bae, what is here to say that I haven't said to you via IM already? You already know how much I rave about your writing. You understand all of your muses so well and yet you bring something to them that is different and unique to make them your own. The love you have their history and the way you understand them whether it's Killian to Emma, or Daryl to Negan shows in every reply. I love seeing the passion you have for them and your fandoms, but most of all I love and respect you for the kind of person you are. I don't believe we have known each other long... we're almost coming up on a year, I think, but I feel like I've known you for years. I love how we're constantly fangirling over Colin, Captain Swan, and Negan... and DISNEY, and then we find more serious topics to talk about. Your love and support when things get hard means so much to me. Thank you for being a listening ear when I needed, for letting me vent to you if things were bothering me. I love you! <33 

@guylinr / @heircousin / @evermre - Sofi. <33 We've known each other for awhile and while we don't have a lot of threads together, I still adore you to pieces and respect you so much. Your take on all of your muses amazes me each time I read a reply from you, especially when I find myself reading your replies to other people. You really understand your characters and that shows so well, which makes me excited to write a reply for your knowing how much you love the character you're writing. And even though we don't talk much, you've been such a kind and loving friend to me. I appreciate your support and encouragement so much. <3 

@ofstorybrooke / @thiefwithacode / @hookedcaptain / @musecollecticn - I hope I remembered to tag all of your blogs... haha but Rachel, my friend. <33 You're absolutely incredible! The way you write all of your characters is so perfect! I know your heart lies with Robin as he is your favorite (aside from Regina, of course. :P), but you really are an amazing writer across the board. I love my interactions with your Robin, David, and Killian. I can't wait to have more plots with those characters and others. And I also need to thank you as well for making me Outlaw Swan trash. :P And lastly, I want to thank you for your friendship. We don't talk much due to our busy schedules, but I am so thankful to call you my friend. You're someone I feel comfortable confiding in, someone I know I could always turn to. Please know that you're a joy to call a friend. <33

@abominablepride - Raph. <33 I don't know if you will be returning to Darcy's blog, but I still wanted to tag you in this anyone if you do. I never thought I could ship Emma with another male character not tied in the Once Upon a Time fandom until we started following each other. I was so thrilled to see an active Darcy blog on my dash, which prompted me to follow you and start plotting. I quickly became Darcy x Emma trash after you replied to our first thread. Shipping Emma with Darcy was honestly so easy because you write Darcy so well! I know your take on Darcy was/is based on the PPZ more than the classic tale, but you were always willing to dive into different plots with our characters. The way you write your character is so perfect! And not only do I respect you highly and love and miss writing with, you have been such an amazing friend to me as well. You always give me sound advice when I go through something, never cutting me off when I vent to you about the things that bother me. Thank you for always being a good friend to me, thank you for being so concerned about my well-being. You have no idea how thankful I am to call you my friend. 

@sonofthedarkone / @theoneandonlytommymerlyn - Alyssa. <33 Like several of the other people before you, I believe our friendship has grown tremendously over the past year. I love your take on Neal and I always get a kick about how much we love each other's replies, haha. I know I've been a bit distance these past few weeks due to work, but my opinion of you hasn't changed in the slightest! You are the most kind and loving person on here, someone I've been truly honored in getting to know and call a friend. I also have to thank you for being a friend I can trust, someone I can turn to if I needed to vent about anything. I've been so fortunate to have close friendships with people such as yourself who are like that, and let me tell you... that is a rare find in the roleplay community! <33 

@quiietstars / @shefiights / @ccntkill - Steph. <33 We haven’t talked much and I miss you. <33 I just want to take this moment and applaud you for your portrayal of the characters I've had a pleasure writing with. I've also read over your replies for other mun's. You write so well and you always bring something new and exciting to a character I haven't seen in other portrayals. I also want to thank you for being a kind and loving friend to me, for making me laugh and by just being yourself both OOC on the dash or in IMs. 

@survivingnemo - KATRINA. <33 I miss you. I know you haven't been on in months because of technical issues, but my friend... you're such a wonderful human being. Aside from the canon characters we have interactions with on your multi, the majority of our threads in the past have consisted with The Walking Dead OCs. I honestly can't tell you how much I love the idea behind your OCs, and I love exploring ideas with them for two of my Walking Dead verses for Emma. I can't wait until you come back here. And I want to thank you for being so encouraging and supportive. 

@oftallahassee / @thestcryofus - Chantel. <33 I know we haven’t talked much either but you have been one of my longest friends on here. I just love the passion you have for Neal and how you give everything you have for Neal into each reply. I enjoy writing with you and miss talking to you. I love the various threads we have between your two blogs, but I know that's no where near where I want them to be. Thank you for being such a kind and loving friend to me, for encouraging me and telling me the truth when I never wanted to hear it. 

@nealonfire / @prxncecharming - NADIA! Fellow Floridian. <33 I am in awe of your take on Neal and David. You're always such a joy to have the dash and to write with, but you're just as sweet OOC as you are IC. You're such a sweet mun and I couldn't be more honored to write with such an exceptional person that I can call my friend. 

Emma's Deputies 

If we have been following each other for awhile but haven't talked much or have just started plotting together, please know that I think very highly of each and every one of you. It means a lot knowing that you liked what you saw on my blog and followed me because of it. I'm looking forward to what we write together! 

@motheriing / @anxntoldstory / @honorandarms / @truestcharm / @smaugiiisms / @strongnamed  / @lostkiids / @heiroflegend / @filletingbitches / @pirateheroism / @perfectswaddle / @moonpossessed / @spectrcm / @emeraldthief / @howcharmiing / @storybrookeisms / @viridisalae / @cxretaker / @jollyrogerjones / @captainofthejewel / @fragilevanity / @lionoflocksley / @surrexitpetalis / @masterofgoodform

[nate-walsh]

cyrano / panda breeder

Last night, I met some coworkers out, moderately drunk, and coworker C––, exuberantly drunk, started lamenting her lack of progress with a particular boy crush of hers. No stranger to horrible crushes – and, as I said, not remotely sober – I quickly inserted myself into the proceedings to see if I could help. And boy did they need it.

So, she and the fellow in question met on Twitter (no judgment there – I’ve mined weirder depths), and while they eventually moved their conversations from @s to email @s, it had now been a YEAR since they started talking, without any additional forward progress.

“No, we’ve made progress,” C–– argued. “Check this out!” And she showed me an email:

Did you know that sneeze is 1/4 and orgasm? 

[ sic sic sic sic sic ]

“That really stepped things up for us,” she said proudly.

“He understood that?” 

(I read his reply. He did not.)

“OK, so where are you now?” I asked.

“Now I’m trying to make the switch from emailing to texting.”

“How’s that going?”

“That’s the problem! I totally put it out there in my last email, and he hasn’t responded!”

At which point she showed me a rambly paragraph where, yes, indeed she did sort of drop a hint by wondering aloud what it would take for them to start texting. But then, she immediately canceled said hint out by a) not providing her phone number and b) burying the lede within this whole long tangent about how she was a 75-year-old black paraplegic woman who only uses landlines.

“I don’t know what I would take away from this message,” I said. “It’s vague to the point of madness. Also insane to the point of madness. This will not achieve any of your objectives.”

So, then I asked if I could read back in their email history a little, get some context. A few messages in, and I started to get the read on things: They both liked each other, I could see that right away. They were just awkward. Like. Hellllllla awkward.

Like 2 horrible cage fighters perpetually circling each other, feigning shitty leg kicks, they were doing everything in the most roundabout, passive-aggressive, self-protective way possible, everything all cloaked in weirdness and humor, both afraid to make the first move. 

And, you know, obviously I have some familiarity with all of this, but never on the scale I was seeing here. A YEAR without anyone making a move? How is that even possible?

Luckily, it was also an imminently solvable problem, as far as I was concerned.

“You’ve gotta draw first blood, girl. Straightforward and earnest.”

“But I can’t,” she said.

“Do you want me to do it,” I asked.

“Yes.”

So I dashed off a quick thing, basically saying, “Yo, sorry, that last message was kind of vague. You should text me, was my point. Here’s my number.” And I thought that’d be it, they’d be off-and-running, makeouts on the horizon. C–– was panicking, of course, like, “He’s going to run off forever,” to which I responded, “No man in the history of the universe has ever responded negatively to an entreaty from a cute woman he likes. That doesn’t even make sense.”

OH.

LITTLE DID I KNOW.

In response to her explicit entreaty to text, dude EMAILS her back, giving HER HIS NUMBER INSTEAD, along with some half-joke of little importance I guess to soften the blow.

Now needing to rapidly revise my estimation of this dude’s lack of game exponentially upward, I try to stave off C––‘s panic by getting some background info. 

He is 33 years old.

He is a writer for a popular television cartoon that many people watch.

OK, WHAT

Now I am like actively offended. For all intents and purposes, he and I are the same person, in terms of years of potential dating experience and background skillset. You could very easily argue that he’s even better suited for this sort of thing, as he literally gets paid to be funny and charming for millions of people. I am not unsympathetic to his neuroses – I have many of the same ones: Fear of rejection, fear of overextending one’s self and bothering other humans (particularly women). But the scale we’re operating on right now is like nothing I’ve ever seen. HE DIDN’T JUST FUCKING TEXT? WHAT IS EVEN HAPPENING?

All right, drastic measures now.

“C––, I have some bad news. You’re going to have to be the boy in this relationship.”

“What!”

“I’m sorry, but this dude is like a black hole of flirtation ability, so you’re going to have to take on the role of the aggressor.”

“Oh God!”

“Here, I’ll just do it.”

So, for the rest of the evening, I am C––’s Cyrano, trying to establish a flow of conversation for the two of them, that they will be able to carry on in my absence. But this dude! Oh my fucking god. This man – this paid professional television comedy writer – sent the most boring texts I’ve ever seen in my life:

Just doing my dishes.

JESUS CHRIST HOW AM I SUPPOSED TO WORK WITH THAT

HAVE YOU EVER EVEN HAD A CONVERSATION WITH A HUMAN ORGANISM

And, like, OK. I know what’s going on. Dude’s petrified. So much so that his brain is in total flight-or-fight mode, and it can’t remember how to be funny or interesting. I understand. That’s how it is with me and small talk. My brain freezes up, and all I can remember are boring pleasantries. BUT ALSO. Dude is a writer. This is the one place where he is supposed to shine, where he can take a little bit of extra time to think things through and craft the best, funniest, most flirty response. Just doing my dishes. What the fuck are you even doing.

“Um. Does this guy suck, C––? I don’t have a lot of data points yet, but it seems like he might suck.”

(He last boyfriend kind of actively sucked, so I’m wondering if she doesn’t have a type.)

But I keep soldiering on all the same, writing encouraging, flirty things for her that will hopefully get him out of his shell.

He goes to bed (those dishes and this incredible intellectual discourse really having worn him out), and I’m like, “It’s OK – tomorrow you’ll get into a flow, and things will start progressing. You just need to keep at it.”

Yeah, NOPE.

So, today, C–– IMs, because he texted, and I’m guiding her through their conversation, response by response, because she keeps not knowing how to respond to things, and he keeps saying weird, boring shit, and I’m seriously wishing I could just take over both sides of the conversation. (“I’ll let you know when it’s time to make out.”)

I feel like I’m trying to get 2 pandas to mate. I worry I’m going to have to speak through an earpiece on their first date, shout advice through the bedroom door (“OK, DUDE, MOVE TO SECOND BASE!”), write their damn vows for them. But now I’m invested. I will get these 2 lovable awktards together. I can do this.

So, dude asks her how she thinks their transition from email to text is going. And I’m like, “Oh, that’s a good sign! He is maybe trying to move toward a more straightforward, emotionally honest place. You should reward that!” So I have her say something a little confiding and conspiratorial and cute:

Oh, you know, a little awkward, but what isn’t for the two of us? I think it was time, though, and I’m glad we did! :)

She asks him the same question. His response?

It’s too early for me to tell.

lolololol

K I’M OUT

I am soooo fucking out

“Are you sure this guy doesn’t suck, C––? That is like THE rudest possible response.”

“Well, he did add lasers to the message.”

(Which, if you’re not familiar, in the iPhone text app, you can add different animated backgrounds to your message. And there is one that is kind of like rave-y lasers.)

Yeah. So. Now I have actively moved him onto the autism spectrum, and kind of completely give up hope.

“You’re on your own, girl. Maybe in like 80 years you’ll meet up, if you’re not dead.”

I feel for those panda breeders, man. They’re just trying and trying and those dopey-ass pandas keep not getting the picture and tumbling down hills adorably. And at a certain point, you’re kind of like, “Well, maybe some organisms deserve to be extinct. Maybe we just let this one go.” Boom. Naturally deselected.

[ubizheroes]

Tangential Content Earns More Links and Social Shares in Boring Industries [New Research]

Posted by kerryjones

Many companies still don’t see the benefit of creating content that isn’t directly about their products or brand. But unless you have a universally interesting brand, you’ll be hard-pressed to attract much of an audience if all you do is publish brand-centric content.

Content marketing is meant to solve this dilemma. By offering genuinely useful content to your target customers, rather than selling to them, you earn their attention and over time gain their trust.

And yet, I find myself explaining the value of non-branded content all too often. I frequently hear grumblings from fellow marketers that clients and bosses refuse to stray from sales-focused content. I see companies publishing what are essentially advertorials and calling it content marketing.

In addition to turning off customers, branded content can be extremely challenging for building links or earning PR mentions. If you’ve ever done outreach for branded content, you’ve probably gotten a lot of pushback from the editors and writers you’ve pitched. Why? Most publishers bristle at content that feels like a brand endorsement pretending not to be a brand endorsement (and expect you to pay big bucks for a sponsored content or native advertising spot).

Fortunately, there’s a type of content that can earn your target customers’ attention, build high-quality links, and increase brand awareness…

Tangential content: The cure for a boring niche

At Fractl, we refer to content on a topic that’s related to (but not directly about) the brand that created it as “tangential content.”

Some hypothetical examples of tangential content would be:

A pool installation company creating content about summer safety tips and barbeque recipes.

A luggage retailer publishing country-specific travel guides.

An auto insurance broker offering car maintenance advice.

While there’s a time for branded content further down the sales funnel, tangential content might be right for you if you want to:

Reach a wide audience and gain top-of-funnel awareness. Not a lot of raving fans in your “boring” brand niche? Tangential topics can get you in front of the masses.

Target a greater number of publishers during outreach to increase your link building and PR mention potential. Tangential topics work well for outreach because you can expand your pool of publishers (larger niches vs. a small niche with only a few dedicated sites).

Create more emotional content that resonates with your audience. In an analysis of more than 300 client campaigns, we found the content that received more than 200 media mentions was more likely than low-performing campaigns to have a strong emotional hook. If your brand niche doesn’t naturally tug on the heartstrings, tangential content is one way to create an emotional reaction.

Build a more diverse content library and not be limited to creating content around one topic. If you’ve maxed out on publishing content about your niche, broadening your content repertoire to tangential topics can reinvigorate your content strategy (and your motivation).

Comparison of tangential vs. on-brand content performance

In our experience at Fractl, tangential content has been highly effective for link building campaigns, especially in narrow client niches that lack broad appeal. While we’ve assumed this is true based on our observations, we now have the data to back up our assumption.

We recently categorized 835 Fractl client campaigns as either “tangential” or “on-brand,” then compared the average number of pickups (links and press mentions) and number of social shares for each group. Our hunch was right: The tangential campaigns earned 30% more media mentions and 77% more social shares on average than the brand-focused campaigns.

So what exactly does a tangential campaign look like? Below are some real examples of our client campaigns that illustrate how tangential topics can yield stellar results.

Most Hateful/Most Politically Correct Places

Client niche: Apartment listing site

Campaign topic: Which states and cities use the most prejudiced/racist language based on geo-tagged Twitter data

Results: 67,000+ social shares and 620 media pickups, including features on CNET, Slate, Business Insider, AOL, Yahoo, Mic, The Daily Beast, and Adweek

Why it worked

After a string of on-brand campaigns for this client yielded average results, we knew capitalizing on a hot-button, current issue would attract tons of attention. This topic still ties back into the client’s main objective of helping people find a home since the community and location of that home are important factors in one’s decisions. Check out the full case study of this campaign for more insights into why it was successful.

Most Instagrammed Locations

Client niche: Bus fare comparison and booking tool

Campaign topic: Points of interest where people post the most Instagram photos in North America

Results: 40,000+ social shares and more than 300 pickups, including TIME, NBC News, Business Insider, Today, Yahoo!, AOL, Fast Company, and The Daily Mail

Why it worked

Our client’s niche, bus travel, had a limited audience, so we chose a topic that was of interest to anyone who enjoys traveling, regardless of the mode of transportation they use to get there. By incorporating data from a popular social network and using an idea with a strong geographic focus, we could target a lot of different groups — the campaign appealed to travel enthusiasts, Instagram users, and regional and city news outlets (including TV stations). For more details about our thought process behind this idea, see the campaign case study.

Most Attractive NFL Players and Teams

Client niche: Sports apparel retailer

Campaign topic: Survey that rates the most attractive NFL players

Results: 45,000+ social shares and 247 media pickups, including CBS Sports, USA Today, Fox Sports, and NFL.com

Why it worked

Since diehard fans want to show off that their favorite player is the best, even if it’s just in the looks department, we were confident this lighthearted campaign would pique fan interest. But fans weren’t the only ones hitting the share button — the campaign also grabbed the attention of the featured teams and players, with many sharing on their social media profiles, which helped drive exposure.

On-brand content works best in certain verticals

Tangential content isn’t always necessary for earning top-of-funnel awareness. So, how do you know if your brand-centric topics will garner lots of interest? A few things to consider:

Is your brand topic interesting or useful to the general population?

Are there multiple publishers that specifically cover your niche? Do these publishers have large readerships?

Are you already publishing on-brand content that is achieving your goals/expectations?

We’ve seen several industry verticals perform very well using branded content. When we broke down our campaign data by vertical, we found our top performing on-brand campaign topics were technology, drugs and alcohol, and marketing.

Some examples of our successful on-brand campaign topics include:

“Growth of SaaS” for a B2B software comparison website

“Influencers on Instagram” for an influencer marketplace

“Global Drug Treatment Trends” for an addiction recovery client

“The Tech Job Network” for a tech career website

Coming up with tangential content ideas

Once you free yourself from only brainstorming brand-centric ideas, you might find it easy to dream up tangential concepts. If you need a little help, here are a few tips to get you started:

Review your buyer personas.

In order to know which tangential topics to choose, you need to understand your target audience’s interests and where your niche intersects with those interests. The best way to find this information? Buyer personas. If you don’t already have detailed buyer personas built out, Mike King’s epic Moz post from a few years ago remains the bible on personas in my opinion.

Find topics your audience cares about with Facebook Audience Insights.

Using its arsenal of user data, this Facebook ads tool gives you a peek into the interests and lifestyles of your target audience. These insights can supplement and inform your buyer personas. See the incredibly actionable post “How to Create Buyer Personas on a Budget Using Facebook Audience Insights” for more help with leveraging this tool.

Consider how trending news topics are tangential to your brand.

Pay attention to themes that keep popping up in the news and how your brand relates back to these stories (this is how the most racist/bigoted states and cities campaign I mentioned earlier in this post came to be). Also anticipate seasonal or event-based topics that are tangential to your brand. For example, a tire manufacturer may want to create content on protecting your car from flooding and storm damage during hurricane season.

Test tangential concepts on social media.

Not sure if a tangential topic will go over well? Before moving forward with a big content initiative, test it out by sharing content related to the topic on your brand’s social media accounts. Does it get a good reaction? Pro tip: spend a little bit of money promoting these as sponsored posts to ensure they get in front of your followers.

Have you had success creating content outside of your brand niche? I’d love to hear about your tangential content examples and the results you achieved, please share in the comments!

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