#is absolutely correct. you're not a content creator. you are an artist

[kurohe]

Things you can do to actively participate in the revolution

Here's the list !

I know some of those will look really silly, i promise they are not. And obviously, this is not a checklist, you don't have to do everything. But they're steps that you can absolutely take if you wish to, and they WILL help.

(i am continually correcting things when people point out mistakes. Thanks everyone for your help)

(under the cut !)

1) Let's start off with a very easy one you can do right now: stop using Chrome. It's a google owned browser, and it sents all of your data towards it. Mozilla is a very good replacement, but almost anything will do, really. Also, resign your amazon prime subscription. We revolting against capitalism as a whole, and this is a good first step to not freely give em your data and money

2) Start stealing things from supermarkets and malls. I am not kidding. Little things, that aren't really monitored: a can of food, a lighter, a pair of socks. Condiments are particularly easy to hide in bags or pockets. Steal hygiene products, steal food.

Remember that you should have access to those for free, and you don't because a few rich guys don't want you to.

Additional tip: train station stores are very easy to steal from, because they're so busy. But don't put yourself in danger. Check beforehand if they check bags at checkout, look out for employees that might notice what you're doing. Don't be reckless.

(edit: imma say this, you should read up on what the risks of stealing are, for you and others. Stealing from big stores is IMO always morally right, but it is risky for many reasons. Be careful)

3) In the same line, if you see someone stealing anything from a big store, no you didn't.

4) I know a lot of people are scared of disrespecting rules. By fear of being caught, or by guilt. My advice is: start disrespecting stupid, meaningless rules. I don't have specific exemples, but you'll encounter them and wonder why you're doing that. Stop doing it. This will train you to be able to disobey autority way easier.

5) Put stickers everywhere. If you already have them, go ham. Especially on public property (lamposts are amazing). If you don't, buy them from artists or independant stores, not big brands. If you cannot afford them, remember that you can simply write stuff on an A4 paper and plaster it to walls. Or even post its !

6) Carry a sharpie with you at all time, the big black ones. If you see propaganda, scribble it out. Keep a look out for terfs stickers, maga posters, etc. Also good for getting rid of transphobic and sexist stuff written on public restroom stalls !

7) Buy locally. This means going to the market or small stores, and thrifting your clothes. If you can't for money or accessibility reasons, try trading with your friends, family and neighbours. Get communication going in your circles, and you'll realise there are a lot of things that you can simply trade with or buy from people around you. Like a jar of jam against some eggs, or a pair of socks for a t-shirt you don't wear anymore !

8) Learn how to sew. I know, that sounds dumb ! But i promise you, not only will it be amazing to trade with other people ("i'll sew back ur shirt and in exchange, you give me a can of peaches !"), corporations also haaaate when you know how to fix your clothes. Because they want you to buy more. You'll spend a lot less money if you know how to fix em

9) If you have the space and the money, grow your own food, and share it or sell it around you. Be careful, some assholes will call the FDA on you. Do that with people you trust.

Additional tip: growing vegetables and fruits can be a real nightmare. You can absolutely start by just growing some basil or mint :)

10) Organise. Join leftist groups online, even if it's just to see what's being said, you don't even need to interact. Follow creators, repost and share their content. By doing that, you'll stay informed on group movements like strikes, protests and boycotts, which you can then participate in. It's very important you're connected to other ppl and the movements that are started !

11) Unionize. I'm very sorry I don't know the exact way unions work in the US, but if you can, join one. They will help you in times of needs, especially if you're a student or a worker. If you're not sure how to do that, absolutely ask around to people you know are very active politically, around you or online. People will help.

12) Stay. Informed. Follow independant papers and news outlet. If you can afford it, give them a dollar or two. They are fighting everyday for access to unbiased information for all, and sadly, their independance means that they rely almost entirely on donations and people simply engaging with what they put out.

If you can't access those: do not get your news from TV. Ever. Or anywhere else that has been bought by the far right. Sadly, the majority of TV channels are just the worst.

And, most importantly: fact check. All of the time.

13) Share that information. Talk to those you trust and who are ready to listen to you, and tell them about what's happening. Get angry with them. Revolution stems from people coming together and realising that they're being used and profited off of. Share videos and posts relating to politics, especially informative videos.

14) Go to protests ! If you've never been, i know it can be scary. But you can stay in the middle (don't go all the way to the front, that's where stuff can get heated) and scream and walk with everyone else. You'll meet people who, like you, want things to change. Capitalism wants you to stay as unconnected to others as possible, and that's a great way to fight that.

Sometimes, there are sites that have a planning for all protests happening in a city. Look up if one exists for yours

15) Create and strenghten community. I know i really struggled with this one, because it's so vague. But here's a few places you can start:

-Go and introduce yourself to your neighbours, if you deem it safe. Give them a little gift if you can afford it, like a pack of pasta.

-Make new friends, even if they aren't deep friendships. You need connections. Online or irl, both are fine- don't stay isolated.

-If you already have community, go check on them right now. Ask your friends how they're doing, and if they need anything- ask how they're being impacted by what's happening right now politically.

16) Look for ways to fuck over the institutions in easy ways. One example that went around tumblr a lot is letting dandelions grow in your backyard, because landlords fucking hate it. If you work in retail or fast food, cheat. Accidentally forget to scan the diapers. Put in 7 nuggets instead of 6.

(edit: been told that it's very risky for walmart workers to not scan things, so beware.)

17) Engage in art. MAKE art. Music, shitty paint drawings, craft, anything as long as you're being creative. Share it. If you feel like you can't do that, then support artists. Make a point to look up cool illustrations, and new music. Go to the cinema.

If you're an artist currently in an underpaid office job, please, by the love of god, be creative during office hours. You're underpaid, they do not deserve your full time and attention. Take 30 minutes to write that snippet you've been thinking about.

(and actually, if you're underpaid at all: do the minimum required. So that you can't be fired, but that's it. Any more effort is not worth it. Companies will never be thankful for what you do.)

18) Look up books that your state banned, and go read them. You can get them secondhand, or as pdfs online. (if anyone needs ressources, i will glady look for and share them.)

And, actually, read books in general if you can. Yes, fanfics count !

19) Seek education. There's a lot of youtube channels out there talking about educational subjects in a fun way. Some things the rich assholes who run the country specifically don't want you to learn more about are: biology, history and archeology, social and economic sciences. GO LEARN ABOUT THOSE.

The people in power don't want you to be educated. It's why they eviscerated the education system.

20) PIRATE. I cannot stress this enough, anything you can pirate (that isn't from small, indie creators, except if you absolutely can't afford it) do it. Download music illegally, torrent movies and games. If you want access to academical studies and papers, some writers will give them to you for free if you email them about it. There are also ways to go around paywalls.

21) Don't fall for the traps of "progressive brands". Lately, i've seen a lot of praise for Ben and Jerry's for openly supporting lgbtq rights and being globally anti-trump. They are still a brand. Avoid buying from any big names when you can. That being said, if you have to, check beforehand which ones and what their history is. Some are more evil than others.

Additional tip: a lot of brands you see in stores are actually owned by bigger brands. One prime example of this is Nestle, who are fucking evil, but they own a shitload of other big names. Be careful what you buy.

22) I hate to say this, but be prepared to defend yourself. Revolutions are never peaceful. You will get in danger. If you can, get in ok physical shape. Learn how to run fast and fight well.

If none of those are available options to you, please, make sure you have someone around you that will be able to protect you, or a place where you can be safe. Whether you are disabled, a minor, or anything else. Don't put yourself in more danger than is necessary.

(this used to also include getting a gun. I deleted it because i don't feel comfortable recommending this. But it's still an option.)

23) Last but not least, be kind. When someone cuts off a woman speaking, interrupt and give her the floor back. Shame those who think it's right to say bigoted shit in public. Listen to those around you. If you can't act, then remember to always have empathy for the homeless, for drug users, for immigrants. Understand they are people just like you. You are not immune to propaganda and prejudice, no matter who you are. Always question yourself and your biases.

(if you've read this far, please repost. We need this to reach as many people as possible)

I want to remind you that you're not alone. I know things seem hopeless, but the simple fact that you're reading this is proof it's not. I don't live in the US, but i'm supporting you as best i can from where i am, and sending you strenght.

If you have any questions, do ask away. I'll end on this image that's very dear to me:

[stinglesswasp]

Hi! First of all, I think your art is gorgeous and honestly whatever words I put here, they will never be able to do your art justice. I love your visual storytelling! Now for the actual ask part. How could one start learning how to draw? I have a STEM background and I have wrestled many times before with the idea of trying to pick up drawing and every time I see content creators, such as you, posting their works, it makes me even more motivated to get some scenarios out of my head and place them on paper. Right now I do it in writing but I would love to do something graphic about it too. Problem is, it can feel overwhelming to start as there are so many resources and stuff and it can feel like a daunting task. So, how did you start drawing?

Thank you so much and I hope you will always keep your passion for this craft alive and well. Be it CoD or anything else.

Hi, thank you for your kind words! I've been drawing since I was a wee baby wasp, but anyone can start at anytime. You're absolutely right that it can feel overwhelming, but I love that you're motivated! That's honestly half the battle. I can give some general advice:

Start small, like really small… I know it's tempting to immediately jump into drawing your favourite blorbos smooching (yes, this is the entire point of being an artist) but it's like exercise, you need to build muscle bit by bit before you can attempt any ambitious goals. Draw very basic shapes like circles, squares, triangles, followed by spheres, cylinders, prisms. Try to rotate/stretch/skew/slice them in your mind's eye and draw the result. Draw some simple objects around you. You'll find that all objects, including complex organic forms, can be broken down into basic shapes. Here's an example of the types of exercises you can try: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-6F5q_5HC3o

There are beginner's tutorials on every aspect of drawing, I'd recommend spending a chunk of time in each area, learning fundamentals like perspective, proportions, and lighting. There are easy rules that you can follow that will make your art look 'correct' and not 'wonky' which might happen if you try to wing it without really understanding what you're doing. This video (though more advanced) has tons of useful advice and a fantastic guideline to follow: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6T_-DiAzYBc (in fact I think this is one of the best art 'tutorials' ever 🤯)

Be patient with yourself!! Your brain literally needs time to grow new neurons because you're learning a new skill. It can be frustrating to be unable to draw what you're imagining, but go easy and build up a strong foundation first. The more solid this is, the more satisfied you'll be when you finally tackle the stuff you actually want to make.

I hope this was helpful! Just practice a lot, have fun, and be proud of your progress 🧡 (also, sit with good posture, stay hydrated and take regular breaks <3)

[iiposblog]

liking things that have flaws is such a freeing experience that I honestly feel bad some negative nancies (cough cough nudge nudge certain blog refrence) will never experience. if you only restrict yourself to enjoying content of the absolute highest quality, what's the point? you're not really enjoying things anymore. II has flaws, the first season was literally created by a 13 yr old, but damn is it charming and funny. it can pull off emotional moments no matter how absurd the setting is because you care about the characters. not everything you consume needs to be the peak of artistic integrity, it just needs to be enjoyable. and damn, ii is really fucking enjoyable. and the fact there's at least one fan for every tiny side character, ships between characters who never even met, just proves the fans love and care, and you can feel that love in the show itself. the show is obviously made with love and care by the creators, it has soul.

I think its important to remember you can still be 'media literate' and enjoy the flawed thing at the same time! just because you recognise issues dosent mean you're not allowed to enjoy it anymore.

correct :)

[rat-rosemary]

if you're done talking about it that's absolutely fine, I was asleep so I'm only seeing things now lol

I also don't click on people's profiles unless I either want to see more art from them or I'm curious about people posting things like c!K*rlnap*ty in 2024 (seeing the date on posts) and then go to their blog to see their pinned post has a massive aggressive dni on it for dteam stans

it did put me off, but I never thought it was you doing it on purpose, it was more me realizing there is more crossover between dreblr and d*mpblr than I thought these days, since people I know *aren't* drantis are in circles where they will see and reblog that

so I think the anons are right when they say interaction with drantis, but also importantly, you're operating on the assumption that interest in the smp can be separate from content creators (which is correct) vs I think a lot of seasoned fans tend to assume that unless you're actively posting about the c!dteam or c!rivals, you're statistically likely to be a dranti. Absolutely everyone on here is blocked more than you think so don't feel like you're being singled out 💚

in solidarity with your experience being blocked liberally, there's someone who blocked me literally a week after I made this account and I had no idea who they were at the time (and can only guess at it now since I've never seen them directly), but it seems like all my friends are also their friends so it's a little funny

Oh yeah....

I always loved C!Karlnapity but most of the artists who used to draw it have moved on (and I hope they're having a wonderful time on the hermitcraft fandom, because they were truly kind and wonderful people) but the people who still doodle it now and then.... eh...

I'll admit I havent look at some of those profiles on purpose. I'll also admit I've reblogged art out of spite

Also, sadly I don't think there's much crossover between dsmpblr and dreblr. Well, there's one or two blogs I know who will reblog a lot on art focused on other characters, but in reality we dont interact with those people much and they dont interact with us either outside of one or another person who sends an ask because they're curious about our analysis of C!Dream, specifically

(I personally feel like it's a shame that we dont interact much, because we lose a lot of connection and strength. I also fully understand why we dont interact much because as much as I'm always talking about rebuilding bridges in the dsmp fandom, a lot of people are just h7ge dickheads)

(I am still not over how a lot of people do not seem to understand that calling someone a slur is bad. You're homophobic. You're not reclaiming or making a joke you're just homophobic and using the slur as a slur)

Idk, its hard to split Dream from a lot of people's arcs, and there's nothing wrong with being interested in those relationships. Maybe I am just more used to being around Dreblr much more then Dtblr

I would say I know that people aren't blocking me because I did something, but the truth is that I'm a pussy and the horse is very powerful so the anxiety of it gets to me, even if logically I know it's nothing personal

[gumdropmodels]

This isn't really a question, but I just wanna gush a bit. Gummy, not only are you my favorite tum model around, but you're just one of my all-time favorite creators period. You're adorable, you're sweet, you're encouraging, and you're bottomlessly talented! If I had more money, I would donate even more consistently just because it makes you excited and makes me smile. You're always an absolute blast to chat with, and it's amazing whenever I get to see you overly excited! Plus you're an absolutely fantastic artist, with some of the cutest ocs around! And the tum! AHH, THE TUM! It's something sent from the gods! An absolute sheer miracle of beauty perfectly circumferenced in that perfect midsection! Everything about you is peak, and always will be peak! You have my absolute undying support, and all of my platonic love! You're just the best in every way shape and form☺🧡

aaaaaaAAaAAAAaAAaAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA THIS IS SO CYUTE AND SWEET WHAT THE FUUUUUUUUGGGGGG~?!?!?!?!?1 T////////T) <3333333333333333333333

That is so very sweet of you to say!! Thank you SO much for the loving, kind words, hun! That put a huge smile on my face~ I-I'm really, really glad you've been enjoying my content and my journey so much so far. I'm really excited for what the future holds~

Th-Tho I do want to make one small correction to this: receiving money does NOT make me happy. I absolutely HATE money, and hate asking for it. The fact I have a CashApp in the first place disgusts me to my core.

I ONLY accept donations right now because I don't have a job and food costs money. If either of those things were resolved, I'd close my CashApp for good. It is merely a necessary evil for now. I really hope I didn't give y'all the impression I'm in love with money!! "T ~T)

Regardless, I thank each and every one of you for your continued love and support for what I do. THAT is what genuinely means the world to me..~ <3 <3 <3 <3 <3 <3 <3 <3 <3 <3

[phoenixproo]

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[lazybakerart]

Hi! I just wanted to spread some love today.

You're my favorite content creator. Period. Across any fandom, app, or community, there's just something about the work you do that feels so genuine and waterlogged with JOY. You're an artist and I love being here to see and support the things you create, you're just such a light not only in the harringrove community but the world at large. Seriously, I would place you at the top of my Christmas tree, stringing each branch with the feeling your work evokes within my heart.

(and I know you're probably sick of hearing how much we LOVE the Cherry fic but, not to be dramatic--it's flawless. It's absolutely perfect. The feeling I get when I read and re-read that thing is what I'm chasing not only in every piece of LGBTQIA+ literature I consume but the level of heart and detail you put into Cherry is just. Incredible. It's the kind of art I want to make and you're so inspiring, aaaah!)

Also; thank you for being the one to create and oversee the holiday exchange as well as all the other primary content weeks we have throughout the year. It can't be easy to corral all of us, assign projects, and place everything in an orderly collection.

You're incredible. I'm not sure people tell you that enough, if at all, and I just wanted you to know that so many of us are grateful for you, not just this holiday season, but all year 'round.

All my love,

Jaz

well!! THANK YOU VERY MUCH asldkjdghsdf!!

you're extremely kind to send me all these nice words!! it makes me the happiest person ever to know you enjoy my art and my stories adlkhsdf T___T!! (i'm a little to very much a whole lot flailing right now, i wasn't expecting such a lovely message oh gosh)))))

a quick correction tho! i am not involved with the holiday exchange. (whoever is, is doing an amazing job~)

[thefanficmonster]

Okok Look

I Am Friends With Like 5 Of Those "Fucking Fans" The Anon Was Mentioning From That Long Ass Ask

What Is Wrong With Correcting Them? They See Spelling Mistakes And They Point It Out Maybe They Said It A Little Harsh But IRL Writing Critics Are Harsher Than Them If They Can't Handle It From A Group Of Girls Online Then Like My Friend Said To Them They Deserve To Drop Out Of Their Course And Maybe Work Retail Or Something

It's Not Our Fault That She's So Soft And She Has "Depression" If She Really Has That She Should Be 6 Feet Underground Then Right?

We're Big Fans Of You Vy And We Just Don't Like It When People Keep Trying To Say They Have Their Own Interpretation Of The Streamers' Personalities When It's Obvious That They Way You Write Them Is Superior

We Were Just Being Honest It's Not Our Fault That She Can't Handle A Couple Of Criticism

But If You Hate That You Have Fans That'll Defend You No Matter What Then You Lost My Respect And I'm Unfollowing You

It Was Amazing Reading Your Stories But I Can't Follow A Creator That Hates Their Fans For Defending Their Honor

Alright so...

First off, I cannot determine what went on between you and your group of friends and the Anon because I haven't witnessed the interactions personally, but from the ask I was sent, I would assume the 'corrections' you're referring to were super harsh and mean. That is not constructive criticism - it's DESTRUCTIVE criticism.

Secondly, your comparison to the harshness of actual critics makes no sense - they are licensed professionals and, although they are strict with their criteria, they'd never be outright mean to a writer, especially not because they don't write like some other writer. They respect personal style and appreciate it for what it is instead of attacking the person for not following the same style or technique of another artist in the same field.

Third: That comment you've made on Anon's struggle with depression is nothing short of disgusting and disturbing. I saw your other ask saying that they were part of your friend group prior to this and I can't imagine how they must be feeling. How can you make such a cruel, tasteless and insensitive remark about someone who you used to consider a friend?

I appreciate the fact you've been loyal fans to me for so long but this behavior is unacceptable. There's no reason to defend my honor here. Anon is a content creator with their own style and just because it isn't mine doesn't make it any lesser. Have you considered that some people prefer their writing over mine? What would you think if someone was attacking me for not writing the CC's like Anon or some other writer does? You wouldn't think so highly of those people, would you?

I don't hate a single fan of mine, I can certainly tell you that I don't hate you or your friends either - but I absolutely hate what you've done to Anon. I cannot excuse this behavior and if you think me sticking up for what I think (and know) is right and defending Anon who didn't deserve any of the hate they got is enough to diminish your respect for me and unfollow me, then so be it. I can't force you to behave a certain way nor am I gonna attempt to keep you as a part of the group of fans I consider family.

It's all your own personal call and from what I've read in your ask, I believe this is a Goodbye.

~ Vy

[ombreecha]

Seems like you're cyber bullying this person. They create these month things for the fandom to enjoy and they don't condone reposting or whatever. Then you proceed to stalk/harass her page daily all because she doesn't delete her page when she already said she'd correct her mistake, you're just bullying her. You're not out for justice, you just want to turn everyone against her when she was totally civil about the matter. If you were just looking out for other artists, message them privately-

-instead of plastering her Insta on your blog. Sorry, it just seems so extensive when she was pretty civil about the whole thing. She didn’t lash out or laugh in your face. No I don’t agree with reposting without permission but I dont think you had to go this far when she agreed to make changes to her page.

—I’m on mobile so response below—

Then I’m cyber bullying them. I’ll own that completely. While I’m not a fan of call out culture by any means I do see where its use is needed when people like @shadebaeism say one thing to my face and then do another it speaks volumes of their character more so than my own.

Do you realize it takes me literally less than a minute to cop a look, and screenshot something? You’re over playing stalk/harass by a margin here, my dude.

Last I checked before she resulted to lying to me and trying to play the “I’m doing it for the artist” card I was quite civil. Far more than some people will be with even the slightest disagreement on reposting. She claimed she’d do better and then turned around and reposted 6+ artworks not even 24 hours later. Today she posted even more. She lied. She wasn’t honest. She literally spoke just to make herself feel better and in hopes I would just walk off and let her do her bidding.

She never corrected the mistake and it shows with each screenshot brah. Again. Actions speak louder than words. I got lied too, and I’m making it known. If that makes a bully then I am. You say you don’t agree with reposting and yet you’re defending them and going “they said they’d change”. I was willing to give benefit of the doubt too—until she reposted again, and again, and again some more. You wanna call me out for bullying but you know what bro at least I can slap my name down. You couldn’t even have the gumption to write me with your own name attached because you know when I respond to this everyone is going to see that your defending someone who’s not even trying to stand by their own words. That says a whole lot about your character just the same.

If you actually looked at my post I HAD written them privately. You obviously have zero clue wtf you’re even harping on me about and that’s even cuter. 9 screenshots and you wanna complain about me bullying someone when you don’t even know the context in which your coming at me for? You’re gonna complain that I have her plastered on my blog but you couldn’t take the time to see I had spoken to them privately (Yet some how you know they said they’d change not repost without permission), and was quite polite when this started.

Absolutely adorable—but hey maybe you’re Shade looking for someone to defend your ass since no one has or will.

You’re right she didn’t lash out—which would of been absolutely hilarious—and she didn’t laugh in my face.

She just liiiiiiied anon, and if you again had read what I had posted you would know I absolutely detest liars. Actually correct that—she is laughing in my face because she lied and then continued to do it.

No content creator enjoys creating content they can’t keep safe, my dude. They didn’t create the events for anyone but themselves and it becomes truer every day after my post.

Get good brah.

[anneapocalypse]

[tone of genuine curiosity, as clarified in an elcor-esque fashion because the internet renders all emotion an uncertain factor] You're welcome to skip this ask if you ain't up for it, but re: the perpetual debate over Problematic Subjects In Media, I've seen you in the past write many a critique on how fandom writes/treats women / BDSM / etc. Does this not fall under the idea that the writer has a responsibility in how they handle / frame certain issues in their writing?

Hi Silt! I’m up for it, but buckle in, because this is gonna get long. :)

Okay so the thing is, this is a broad topic and these days I try to resist treating it as a zero-sum game with “No Critique Allowed” on one side and “Relentlessly Harass People Who Make Bad Content According to Our Arbitrary But Obviously Correct Standard” on the other. 

Let me state clearly for the record: both of those options are terrible. Fortunately, it’s not all or nothing, and those aren’t the only horses in the race.

The way that female characters, characters of color, disabled characters, and other representations of marginalized groups are treated in media remains very much of interest to me. That hasn’t changed. My approach has changed somewhat over the years (as I’d hope it would, if I’m continuing to grow as a person), largely due to understanding that some rhetorical styles are more effective than others when you actually want to reach people or change something.

If I gave the impression that I want to absolve creators of all responsibility, that was never my intent. In fact, I mentioned critique and growth as part of the process in one of my recent posts. I do critique the media I regularly consume, and in fact the more heavily I am immersed in something, the more in-depth my criticism, because we’re best able to examine the things we know best.

What I do feel is that creators need room to grow, and fandom can be a great test bed for exploration, where creators work with elements of established media to explore different ideas and techniques. I’m not saying fandom is only a test bed, or like, a trial run for original work, because I don’t think that; I think fanworks are worthwhile in their own right, written for enjoyment and personal indulgence. But the fact is that many of us do or will create original work, and for many of us, creating fanworks helps us build a skillset we’ll use for original work too. 

That said, the cultural impact of fandom is more limited than that of popular media. I’m not saying it has no impact–and indeed, in a time when we have multiple known works of popular published fiction that are retooled from fanfics, when TV writers are on twitter regularly interacting with their fanbases, it’s probably safe to say fandom has more impact on popular media than it ever has before, but neverthelesss, its impact is still limited. The average piece of fanfiction does not reach an audience on the scale of a piece of popular media, that’s just a fact.

Does that mean we shouldn’t bother looking at patterns in fandom and fanworks? Hell no! Fandom is a microcosm–the patterns we see in fandom do absolutely reflect wider social patterns and in fact for very immersed fans it can make those patterns more apparent. And I think it’s good for us to discuss them, address them, become more aware of how we play into them–especially if we’re creating or planning to create original work.

Because these kind of discussions, when they are actually discussions, do work. I talk about the season 10 climate in the RvB fandom a lot, but even back then, I saw people change their minds about Carolina, not because they were accused of internalized misogyny or told to feel guilty for not liking her (shockingly, shaming people for their taste doesn’t have a high success rate in changing their minds), but because someone presented them with a compelling case for a more nuanced reading of her character. My experiences in past years led to me almost checking my watch to see fans turn on RvB’s newest female character this season, and you know what? It hasn’t happened. Things do change, and I don’t think fandom turnover is the sole reason. I would love to see some shifts in other patterns as well. For example, I would love to see trauma in female characters given as much weight as it is given in male characters. I would love to see more artists willing to draw Tucker with brown eyes. Those will be discussions, and we’ll continue to have them.

What I’ve seen happening in recent years, though, is a turn toward a certain ideal of purity in fanworks. It’s not an ideal of working toward more complex and thoughtful portrayals of characters; rather, it’s an all or nothing attitude that says some characters and ships and topics are Good and worthy to be explored in fanworks, while other characters, ships, and topics are Bad and anyone who touches them or likes them is Bad, and also fair game for targeted harassment.

I keep drawing comparisons between fanworks and original work for a reason–the attitudes that I find most unsupportable in fandom are the same ones I find untenable when it comes to original work, and when you apply them to the latter, their limitations are far more obvious. 

One example: the idea that it’s wrong to find any reasons to sympathize with an antagonist, or to look for an interesting and complex backstory, one that might make sense of (not even to say justify) their actions. That’s all well and good when you’re engaging purely from a fan perspective I guess, but what happens when you want to write a novel? If it’s morally wrong to find complexity and interest in villains, are you morally obligated to make your antagonist as bland and cartoonish as possible, to be sure no one could possibly relate to them? Is that good writing? Is that what we want?

Or take the idea that it’s morally wrong to ship unhealthy ships–and this attitude in fandom goes that shipping certain ships is wrong regardless of how or why, to the point that people will proudly identify themselves as “anti-[ship],” thus building a kind of identity around not shipping a Bad Ship (and giving rise to the umbrella term “antis” to refer to this attitude). Carry this into original work and… you’re not allowed to write unhealthy relationships? You’re not allowed to write any conflict into a relationship between two “good” characters lest it be perceived as “abusive” or “toxic?” 

Then there’s the idea that it’s morally wrong to write fic with dark subject matter, which is what my most recent posts were about. I’m never going to argue these things can’t be done badly but I’m absolutely going to push back against the idea that they can’t be done at all. And I could write paragraphs more about how incredibly reductive I find the whole idea that certain topics are just off-limits for fiction, that art isn’t allowed to be catharsis (especially in a tiny niche setting like fandom, for corn’s sake) but this post is long enough, so I think I’ll put a lid on it here. ;) But frankly, if someone’s going to write dark fiction insensitively, in bad taste, or just plain poorly, there are worse places for it to exist than on AO3 tagged with content warnings, where nobody’s paid a hot cent for it and the way out is just clicking the back button.

[the-ghost-king]

In short, both statements are true... It's not a black and white matter fiction affecting reality is a grey area and always will be because fiction is a social construct, and social constructs are ever changing therefore the effects fiction has on society are also always changing...

The idea is that people have to recognize for themselves because of what they've been taught via social constructs/science what is "morally correct or morally corrupt", bad thoughts =/= bad person because thoughts are not reflective of the individual but their actions are.

Mass media can affect reality via ignoring hidden levers of oppression, actively avoiding writing/creating marginalized characters, excluding certain narratives, or writing these things racistly/homophobically/etc. Writing one well written fanfiction will never hold as much power as say Grey's Anatomy or The Office, fiction can effect reality but it won't inherently do so in every situation...

If I read a book about a murder I'm not going to go an murder people because I know murder is wrong/bad/any other negative word you could add/etc. If I read a book in which an Asian character is described as "almond eyed" I might overlook exactly what is being said and think it is acceptable to other POC. Those two things are not comparabile hence you can't argue "media always effects and alters reality" or "reality is never effected or altered by media" instead the truth is "media can effect reality if people don't educate themselves or lack knowledge in certain aspects, and although this can be dangerous it is not the artists job to never create morally questionable content but instead to warn about that content in order to protect individuals who might have a hard time being a filter not a sponge, so that the consumer may bypass media which is hard for them to consume for some reason"

Media can effect reality to a varying degree but it is not always going to in every situation, this doesn't mean it won't ever effect reality either. Going back to the murder book example, I know enough about moral correctness to read a book about murder and understand murder is bad/etc. Someone else who has thought about murder may not think about murder as morally bad for some reason (murder is not not morally bad because this person doesn't think it is, murder is still bad they just can't see/ignore that perception), if that individual reads the same book and then murders someone- it wasn't the books fault, that person was either never informed murder was bad or didn't care/have the capacity to recognize murder as bad- this is dangerous but it is not the book or creator's fault, it is the fault of the reader who murdered someone and it is the fault of the people who failed to educate/protect/help them.

On top of that moral "correctness" is often worked into a piece of media- in The Great Gatsby the whole point of Gatsby is that he is everything wrong with the world, in Persepolis the whole point of Marji's growth is that things are more complicated than they seem and the government causes wars not the people, in Fahrenheit 451 the point of the novel is that book banning/burning is wrong and that without creative freedom society becomes stunted- you cannot have any of these pieces of media without bad things or morally incorrect things, and authors of these things are often aware of commonly discussed morally correct and morally corrupt things and acknowledge this as the point of the story.

So yeah op, both your statements are correct but it does absolutely depend on what is being discussed; multiple contradictions can be true all at once, it's called nuance and it's important... This isn't Twitter you've got more than 280 characters to fully explain your thoughts, ask questions, or read someone else's post to learn, if you're going to argue your point/thoughts/beliefs, use them so it can be a full and proper conversation or else you're just decontextualizing words in which case anything could mean nothing and nothing can mean everything

do people not realize how stupid you have to be to say “representation matters” and then five seconds later be like “fiction doesnt affect reality” you are literally saying two different viewpoints

[tonguetiedraven]

I have mixed feelings on this. You don't owe anything to a writer or content creator and shouldn’t be made to feel like you’re cruel for not giving them something in return for the thing they made... but that also doesn't acknowledge the fact that content creators do get energy from interactions. The top post is correct that someone who puts a lot of time and energy into something they create and gets absolutely nothing from it will probably feel down regardless of if they have another community to cheer them on. That will typically lead them to stop putting in as much effort to that fandom or creative outlet. It's not always easy to get that posse of friends, especially for shyer people or ones who are limited on what social media they use. There's nothing wrong with wanting comments. There's nothing wrong with getting sad if you don't get that reaction. You shouldn't rage at your readers for not commenting/kudosing but I see nothing wrong with asking for some interaction. No one complains when an artist post a picture and asks for likes/reblogs if it's enjoyed. I think the stigma of asking for feedback/interaction on writing needs to be knocked down as well. Again, you as a reader/fan/viewer, aren't required to do anything. You can read a fic and do nothing and you're not mean or evil for doing that. You don't owe the creator anything. Nor do they owe you anything. This isn't some sort of business transaction. The creator most likely made the thing for themself first and foremost and they got the joy of that at the very least. But why not let the author/artist know you enjoyed something? What is it that stops people from doing that? Is it lack of motivation? Is it anxiety? What barrier needs to be brought down to help the situation? I think if we work on bridging the gap between the reader and the writer instead of pointing fingers and yelling/judging/condeming the other side that everyone will have a better time and a better fandom relationship.

Obviously people don't have to comment on a fic if they don't want to, but I'm curious to know if there are certain things an author does (in the story itself or the notes) that make readers feel more eager or comfortable about commenting? E.g. Is posting a question asking what readers thought of something a useful prompt for potential commenters?

Great question! I’m curious to hear the answer as well. 

Readers: what can an author do (if anything) to make you feel more comfortable or welcome to comment? Do you tend to comment more because of the story itself? Or do you find author’s notes more encouraging?

And just to get the flip side, is there anything you’ve seen authors do in their stories or in their author’s notes that makes you feel less comfortable commenting?