#messaging strangers is so nervewracking

[cannibalcult]

my coworker told me to use the galap wensite to get letters for top surgery snd im so nervous bro 😭

[jesuisgourde]

FB post approved by admins and officially posted.

Next up, draft some sort of template to contact the three people who have said they were misquoted and politely ask if I can talk to them about it.

[huarens]

moving on. | m.l

pairing : mark lee x reader

genre : angst, hanahaki!reader

word count: 1.2k

summary : mark’s name appeared in your collarbone during your first year of middle school. how stupid, you said, for mark had someone else’s name on his.

warnings : angst?? itty bitty blood mention, that’s it i think.

note : i really don’t know how to write omg

soulmates. in your society, by the time you reached middle school, someone's name would appear on your collarbone, marking you as theirs and them yours. all that was left was for you to find them.

mark's name appeared on your collarbone during your first year of middle school. how stupid, you said, for mark had someone else's name on his.

se-yeon, he had told you, as he dreamily stared at her from across the classroom. mark lee was your childhood friend, your neighbor who lived right next door, you two had gone through thick and thin, from the day you both met at the playground to sharing your first kiss together instead of losing it to another. perfect soulmate material, in fact, too perfect

you were confused, was it a malfunction? perhaps the universe messed up and would correct it soon. maybe you were destined to be with someone else, you hope it'd be na jaemin from class 1-B.

five years later and fate had yet to fix its mistake. you were now in your senior year of high school. mark had decided to confess to se-yeon in the ninth grade, both parties happy to have found their soulmate. you received dozens of messages from him soon after he confessed, mark told you all the exact details, how he styled his hair, how he tied his shoes, how a nice pink tint rose in her cheeks as soon as he uttered the word girlfriend. you'd be lying if you said you didn't feel a heavy weight in your heart reading his texts. 

you didn't tell him that though, instead you told him you were happy for him and you hope the best for the two. just as you always did.

there was the struggle of covering up your collarbone any time mark talked to you, controlling your erratic heartbeat whenever he came just a little too close, or when he’d stare at you a little longer than you’d like. it was tiring. 

he'd bring her along when it was supposed to be just the two of you hanging out, you would become the third wheel walking behind on the sidewalk as the two chatted away. movie nights for two soon became mark and se-yeon making out as you tried to watch that scene in ponyo again. friday ice cream nights were now friday ice cream nights ft. you on the side.

it was so, so tiring.

peony petals. what once used to be the prettiest flower you had set your eyes upon were now a cruel reminder of where you stood with mark. how ironic, you thought, peony flowers meant love and affection, yet that was the exact opposite of what mark thought of you.

doctor appointment after appointment, and finally, "hanahaki disease."  "unrequited love." "there's only one option." "i'm sorry."

you sat on your bathroom floor, bloody peonies surrounding you, trails of dry tears prominent on your face. a veritable garden was growing in your lungs, and you debated what would be the hardest choice you've made your entire life. wiping away the rest of your tears, you stand up and glance at your collarbone once more.

you've had enough. it was time.

mark found that you've been more and more distant as of lately. you were no longer laughing along with him at lunch, or walking home with him from the library, no sudden study sessions at your house, and you were never home for movie nights anymore.

he was on a date with se-yeon when he saw you outside the cafe window, laughing merrily with a group of people he had never seen before, well, except for jaemin. he knew him quite well.

jaemin was a bit more touchy than usual, and mark didn’t like that.

“excuse me, babe, i think i just saw y/n outside.” mark nudged towards the window and stood up, getting ready to give jaemin a piece of his mind.

a hand held his wrist, preventing him from walking any further.

“why are you always so worried about her? aren’t i the one you’re dating?”      se-yeon pulls him back into his seat, mark’s eyes are still watching you as you enter the cafe. 

“i’m sorry se-yeon, but i really need to talk to her. i’ll be back in just a minute.”

"y/n! long time no see!" mark waved to you as you walked inside.

"who's that y/n?" jeno nudges at your shoulder, and you shrug.

"beats me. c'mon, hurry up and order before my wallet changes its mind." jeno, jisung and chenle scurry to the front, leaving you and jaemin behind.

"y/n!" mark is now at your side pulling you into a hug, but before he could fully wrap his arms around you, you wriggle away from under. 

mark's now confused, never have you rejected one of his hugs before. 

"jaemin, you go ahead, i'll talk to him outside." jaemin nods before bounding up to the others ahead. 

fragments of memories, nervewracking moments, awkward eye contact, and fast, erratic heartbeats. gone. just like that. no more breaking out in cold sweats anytime mark glanced at you, or hands trembling in your pockets while you held a steady conversation with mark. 

you watched as mark's face contorted into sadness, tears dripping from the corners of his eyes as he watched his former best friend turn into a stranger. it was sadistic for you to say how much joy you felt from seeing mark in such a state, you almost grinned.

"so, you're . . just going to leave it like that? just going to leave me alone?" 

you shrug, "not like we're best of buddies mark, i have no business with you anymore." it was like a huge weight was lifted from your shoulders as soon as those words left your mouth. years of heartbreak and resentment, dissipated, now felt like a fond memory.

“you don't remember any of the stuff you felt for me? not even our friendship?"

you pause and think for a minute, 

"no, nothing. can i go back in now?" you step to the side in an attempt to walk in, but mark's arm stops you from taking a step further. you turn and face mark once more. you remember the times you couldn't even look him in his eye, yet here you are, staring him down, feeling nothing but emptiness in your chest. 

mark pulls you into a tight hug, wrapping his arms around you as he tries to breathe in your warmth. he didn't know how much he missed you hugs until now. 

"t-there's gotta be some way to undo this, please y/n you can't just disappear from my life like this." the look mark sees on your face terrifies him. back then, he could read right through you, anything you felt mark knew it all. but now, he can't help but feel lost as he scans your features. blank, nothing.

"mark," you place a hand on his shoulder, patting it lightly before removing his arms, "you've got a girlfriend inside, don't give her the wrong idea that you like me now." 

jeno and the others walk out, hot chocolate in their hands as jaemin calls out to you, "y/n, love, me and the others will wait for you down the street, alright?"

"no need, i'm coming now." you start to walk away and catch up with the others, taking a cup from jaemin's hands. 

"and what if i do? what if i do like you?" 

mark's words made you halt in your steps. glancing over your shoulder, you smiled.

"then you're too late."

 finally, you had done it, you had moved on.

[spiritroots]

It depends on the person, the question, the cards they receive... but I think generally it's much easier to have specific questions because the more context I have, usually the easier it is to interpret the cards for someone.

I'm so used to doing tarot readings for people remotely over the internet, but I've been doing them with my aunt and cousin lately in person together. It's so much easier when you have more context from other people or reading for yourself with your own situation.

But when you read for strangers and know very little about them or the question, discovering that you've interpreted the cards well and given them a very insightful message when you know almost nothing about their situation does feel pretty magical. It's part of what's fun (and sometimes nerve-wracking) about being a diviner.

Question for my tarot peeps

actually two questions. 

When doing readings for other people, do you prefer vague questions or specific questions?

Also, do you prefer knowing their question ahead of time, or figuring out the question as you read the cards?

I’m curious as to what everyone elses’ process is and how they conduct readings for others. 

[survivorisladelasmunecas-blog]

Eva’s  Jury Answers

LIL AJ -

Lil AJ:

Sweet, Forgetful

Jay:

Intelligent, Sneaky!! <3

Matt:

Hilarious, Over-it

Austin:

Energetic, Vindictive

Billy:

Genuine, Distant

Andrei:

The best, Hands-off

Renee:

Queenlike, Defeatist

Bodhi:

Insightful, Uppity

AJ:

Cool (like actually really), Twitchy

Jay - 

Hi Jay! First of all I want to say thanks for a speech that was, for me at least, mostly positive because that's a rarity at just about any FTC, let alone this one. We've all really dragged ourselves through hell to get here so a little respite is nice.

I'm glad you see the merit of me giving my idols to Austin and Renee. I was EXTREMELY worried about being a target upon reentering the game with my Legacy Advantage, so I knew I had to find some way to minimize my threat. Losing out on assured safety sucked, but I wanted to keep the players I could work with safe.

I'm pretty flattered to have any aspect of my game be considered similar to yours since you were generally considered to be the best player this season. I'm pretty proud that I managed to somehow maneuver my way to the end over a lot of really strong and strategic players that are on the jury right now. It's a little unbelievable, sitting here at the end and having my game judged by some really solid players. I guess that's why people are being a bit harsh, they've earned it.

I'm still not sure if I'll win. Not gonna lie, after this FTC I think it's looking a bit grim. But! I just have to say I loved this game. I loved playing with these people. After Bora Bora I was sure I'd never return to TS again. But I took a chance and I'm so glad I did. This season has been full of iconic moments and people.

Umm this is a little random but to the jury I just wanted to say even if you guys don't think I played a good game, it was a game I enjoyed because I got to play it with you guys. You were all pretty cool and a lot of the time I was kind of sitting to the side wondering if I even belonged here. I can safely say I'm going to remember this season and if any of you want to send me a random message on Skype, I'll be down to talk any day.

IDK I kind of went on a tangent towards the end here but yeah. I just wanted to say thank you Jay, for making me feel a bit happier about my game and this FTC as a whole. I was really excited to get to play with you again, even if we didn't get to for very long it was a blast. Whoever you wind up voting for, it'll be a bit of a badge of honor for them. VL CF: SO I just sent in all of my responses and answers for the jury questions...it's so nervewracking. I really can't believe this season is almost over. I'm starting to doubt if I'll get even one vote. My biggest worry is that people will see me as insincere which is like, my biggest fear when dealing with people. I don't have the best social skills in the world so a lot of the time the way I feel and what I think doesn't come across the best...ugh I'm just really nervous and scared. I want to win so badly and I feel like everything I've said is going to get misconstrued or hated or something. So yeah...there's your glimpse into my mind. Not a fun place to live!

Matt - 

Hi Matt! So the whole detail thing I'm a little unsure of. I think of the three finalists, my game may have had the least depth. Because it was just about being good enough at everything to survive. Challenges? No beast, but I won the one that I REALLY needed at F5 and a few others here and there. Socially? I certainly didn't charm the pants off everyone, but I think I did the best job here of all three finalists. Strategically? We all know I was no savant here, but the strategy I did use got me this far. I do have one detail I can go into though.

To me, the key to a good Survivor game is to keep people from knowing what you're FEELING, not necessarily thinking. People's feelings are the most important part of this game because at the end of the day, it is a game about human interaction. For me, this meant making sure no matter how the game went for me, that I always showed myself to be the kind of person I am. Nice, friendly, always open to having a nice conversation with a stranger. Even if I had never spoken to someone in this game, I could still have a little chat with them not five minutes after they wrote my name down.

I only showed my cards feeling-wise a few times. The biggest one was the Renee boot. I made it very clear there how I felt and how badly I wanted her to stay in. Because I did. I knew there was almost no chance she was staying, but I wasn't going to not try. Using emotions in a strategic manner is a very touch and go thing. Sometimes it can hugely backfire, and sometimes it can show what you're about. In my case, I wanted everyone to know: I am not voting for my friend. It was something I stuck to this entire season. I gave my loyalty to Renee, Andrei, Austin, and Brandan. I kept it to every single one of them. Brandan was the only one that was shaky because he voted for me, but we corrected the course and now we're both here at the end.

This may not be the detail you were looking for, but I think it was an important part of my game that may not be revealed elsewhere. I kept myself from seeming upset, angry, or otherwise displeased with people. Because I knew everyone else was having trouble, getting resentful, and generally making it known when other people upset them.

Why do I think I played the best game? Well, I want the jurors to answer that for me. Are any of you angry with me? Resentful? Pissed? Do you just really not like me? If you can truthfully say that I am a nice person, a friendly person who you can talk to and see as a friend? Do you look back on conversations we had and think it was worth your time, that we got along well and had a decent time together? Then I played the best game here in my opinion.

Austin -

As I said in my speech, I did not turn on you. I genuinely was not aware that there was a plan to split onto you. I thought the people getting votes were Billy, Renee, and James. So no, I didn't just arbitrarily backstab you after putting a lot of trust and resources into you.

As for not being clued into the Bodhi vote, I knew he was getting votes and that there was a strong chance he'd go home. I don't mind that I voted 'incorrectly' because I think I made the right choice either way. Bodhi and AJ were the two who were going next on my list either way, just that they went out of order doesn't chafe me much.

I really don't think I came in with a 'huge opportunity' to change the game. Frankly, a lot of people were wary of me due to knowing about my legacy advantage and just not knowing me in general. I talked to people, and I honestly got very little strategically from most. We all know how tightlipped this cast is, with so much being decided literally an hour before live tribal. What was I supposed to do, steamroll people and demand information? That would've just gotten me sent home.

I couldn't force things. I was in a precarious situation due to having weak bonds from being on the Lagoon. I'm already a bit of a foreigner to the tumblr community, so I had to try to find a way to play socially without being obtrusive. It's like, there was a group of people who always had power and control from damn near the beginning. I was never a part of it sadly.

What moves as an individual did I make? Like I said, I tried my hardest to save the people I was loyal to. Did it work? Nope! But I put myself out there. I'm actually an extremely shy and quiet person so the fact that I even stopped tribal to try to talk James into saving Renee was a big moment for me. It probably just seemed weird and random to most people but for me it was my last ditch effort to save my friend.

I'm not really sure what else to say to you Austin. I genuinely saw you as a buddy in this game and I had your back. I know you saw me as suspicious after your boot but I never voted for you, I voted for James just as I told you I would, both times. I put a lot of trust into you and I had no intention of breaking that. Maybe there was more I could've done to help, but I wasn't able to. Like I'm somewhat hurt because you know how hard this game was, how hard-headed people were and how unwilling some were to be open to new ideas, but you accused me of not doing anything with my 2nd chance despite the tough position I was in. Like every round you begged people to do something, to change things up. It wasn't any easier for me than it was for you. And like I gave you so much trust and help because I wanted to work with you the same way I did Renee, Andrei, and Brandan and now because you went home you're just kinda throwing it in my face. Maybe I'm not gonna win but I know that I was honest to almost everyone, especially the people I promised my loyalty to and you were one of them. Maybe after the season is over you'll believe me. Until then, I guess we'll see.

Billy - 

Hi Billy! So I'm definitely gonna address your speech because you really nailed what a few people seem to think of my game.

I do think your judgement of my elimination is unfair. Because I only went home due to not being here when everyone played their idols, which was a twist of the season.

I don't think it's fair to say I wouldn't have made f3 in a different season when one of the main twists of this season was part of my original elim. Like, Lagoon and everyone having idols kinda balances each other out to a net 0 IMO. Also I was never voted out, I was technically Cirie'd and we don't know who got votes that tribal :v Overall, we can't judge anyone this season based on the twists because it's our job to adapt and play based on what we are given. Yes, I was sent to the Lagoon. It was a blessing and a curse at the same time. It wreaked havoc on my ability to build bonds with the people in the game and as we can see now, is still giving me trouble as I plead my case. And as for the Legacy Advantage? That helped me about as much as a hole in my head. Even if I didn't have it I doubt anyone would vote for me over Renee at F6 since she is without question a stronger player than me, and my mere possession of it caused people to target some of my allies.

I do agree that strategically, I wasn't as hot as a lot of the other players this season, but that's kinda why I'm here and they're not. I knew I couldn't get to the end by being a big strategic player, because if I did 1. people likely wouldn't have done what i said anyways and 2. they would've just voted me out over Andrei and AJ when they had those two chances I wasn't immune.

I'm not trying to say I'm a better player than the strategically minded players on the jury, just that my less strategic gameplay was what I needed to get myself this far. I could not be sitting at the final 3 if I had made myself a bigger strategic threat.

Now! As for my observations on you! I don't have many since we played together such a limited time (we first spoke on day 70 I believe) and we were never really aligned. In fact it was between you and I on the boot you went home. BUT I can draw on what a few people told me about you.

From what I can tell, you were one of the people I've alluded to in my previous responses- one of ones who found themselves a foothold in the power and stayed there. It seemed like you knew who you could trust, for the most part, and didn't really try to reach out to people who were more of a potential risk.

I don't know if this is true, but apparently you and James had some sort of argument that probably is what opened the gates to even allowing me to survive the F8 tribal where you went home. Is it true? I wouldn't know, I'm not a mind reader. But from what I can observe, you were in a position of power and a few people took a big chance to knock you out.  

So yeah! That's what I'm gonna go with. I figure Brandan has your vote locked up pretty good and that's fine, I'm not gonna complain. But I still wanted to give you a proper response and answer. Best of luck with your job, I know how hard and tiring it can be.

Andrei - 

LIL AJ Opinion of me: Ambivalent. Lil AJ and I got along pretty well and I saw him as a buddy in this game. BUT we had to turn on each other at the end of the Lagoon so I'm sure there's a tinge of resentment there. Jury vote: James. I believe the two of them were close in the game before Lil AJ's boot and I see no reason why that shouldn't lead to a favorable jury vote.

JAY Opinion of me: Positive. I like Jay and I think he feels the same. We vibed really well, and he was one of the few people I actually knew before this game so I put a lot of trust into him. He was excited to play with me and I was the same with him! Jury vote: Brandan. Jay had a lot of positive things to say about Brandan in his speech and the two were close to begin with.

MATT Opinion of me: Ambivalent. I think Matt has the same opinion of me that I have of him: funny and fun to talk to, not on the same page in the game. Jury vote: James. These two were aligned the whole game and I believe Matt respects James' game.

AUSTIN Opinion of me: Negative. Austin was someone I really liked and really wanted to work with, and I think he had much of the same feeling. But his boot clearly left a bad taste in his mouth and I don't think he holds me in especially high regard. Jury vote: James. He more or less told us so when he left!

BILLY Opinion of me: Ambivalent. Billy is on the same level as Matt. I think if he saw me walking across the street he'd love to stop and have a chat, but I'm not sure if game-wise the respect is there. Jury vote: Brandan. They were friends, and Billy has shown a strong level of appreciation for Brandan and his strategy.

ANDREI Opinion of me: Positive. We have a ton in common, we always had each other's backs, and I can safely say after this game we will stay friends. Jury vote: Me. I like to imagine my loyalty and our bond in the game will lead to you giving me your vote.

RENEE Opinion of me: Positive. I believe Renee sees me as a loyal friend and an overall good person. Jury vote: Me. I think that my unerring loyalty to Renee all the way up to her elimination will lead to her giving me her vote.

BODHI Opinion of me: Positive. I think I showed a lot of honesty and understanding towards Bodhi. In the game we weren't always on the same page but I was always open to hearing him out which I think he appreciated. Jury vote: Me. Not just because I voted with him, but because I showed an openness and earnesty that was overall really lacking this season.

AJ Opinion of me: Ambivalent. AJ and I only really started talking late into the game, and a lot of our conversations were skin deep. It's a big regret I have and I don't think he would know me from any other plain Jane on the street. Jury vote: James. This is the one I'm most unsure of because I don't know how betrayed AJ feels by James voting for him. But I know they were friends, so I will say James for now.

Renee -

Um if I had a million dollars I would definitely do one thing I've wanted to do for pretty much my entire life and start transitioning. I've put it off for so long due to a lack of funds and a few other reasons, so having the ability to do it would be a huge weight off my shoulders and make me a happier person.

I also would put aside a lot of money for my family. My mom recently had to withdraw from her 401k for a variety of reasons so securing my family's financial future a little bit would make me really happy.

Your musical taste is one thing we didn't discuss much....BUT I'm gonna say I think you would like Praying by Kesha. So that will be my answer!

Bodhi -

Ahhh thanks for thinking my social game was worth something, it's probably my preferred attribute in Survivor. But moving on from that.

Okay! So I think the reason I was out of the loop was: I had minimal time to prove my worth, as a player and in loyalty, before I was Cirie'd. I attended almost no tribals, and the ones I did attend were total blowouts. There was no test! So once people merged and started playing the game, I was sitting at the lagoon with my head up my ass.

I pretty much walked into a situation where people had to trust me more or less 'just cause'. The only person who really had any reason to trust me was Austin due to our talks when he visited the lagoon, and Renee because of our Bora Bora bond and my giving away an idol specifically to help her. Everyone else had no reason to trust or invest time in working with me. So that's why I put so much effort into helping those two plus Andrei, and Brandan despite our rocky period. I needed to cling to the few people who had any reason at all to trust me. Which would explain why some people would think I was goating Renee.

It was really tough building bonds with people outside of those few! Especially since to work with some people would require betraying the people who already had some trust in me. Add to that how many times we had tribals where no one said anything until the last minute, and I was completely out of the loop several times just because no one had any particular motivation to speak to me about the vote. After all, I could've easily ruined it by betraying their trust. There was no reason to risk it for them.  James was really the only person who took a chance with saving me at F8, and had he not reneged on our alliance with Renee I would have been truly loyal to him to the end for it. That's just how I am. As it stands, I never wrote his name down after he saved me anyways.

I'm not gonna whine  and complain like woe is me, no one wanted to take a chance on me. I'm sure there's SOMETHING I could've done, but it escapes me now just as it did then. This was one of the most insular seasons I've ever played in, people had bonds from games long before I ever entered the picture, rivalries, and all sorts of relationships. I was like a little lost lamb playing Baby's First Survivor out here. I'm not a tumblr native, it's not an excuse it's just a fact. I knew maybe four people coming into this 30 person season, and I was isolated by the lagoon.

In summary, it was REALLY HARD to penetrate all of the levels of social isolation in this game. From previous relationships, to being away from the main game for so long, to not having the capital to get people to trust me, I had a lot of problems actually finding a spot in this game. I found my way to the end despite what I think was some pretty tough opposition, and I couldn't be happier to be sitting here now.

My list for Bodhi:

1. Jay. Jay definitely played a strong as hell game that was really pulled apart by idols. There's a reason we all thought he was gonna win after all.

2. Renee. I think Renee overcame a lot in the game and was really close, she was an all-around threat!

3. Bodhi. Everything seemed to go Bodhi's way for a long time! It took a long time before anyone really had a chance at actually getting him out.

4. AJ. Classic robbed final juror. AJ probably had the best balance between social and strategic that I saw this season.

5. Austin. Austin was like the cockroach that wouldn't die. A lot of his plans failed but his ability to survive and keep trying was honestly impressive.

6. Andrei. I think Andrei played a really good game and had more backup plans and bonds than people realized.

7. Billy. Billy's game I had the least insight on. I wouldn't say he played a bad game, just one that I myself didn't much get to judge, but I knew he had a solid alliance and was comfortably in control for quite a while.

8. Myself. I think I played a strong game that relied more on having the right connections at the right times to take myself further in the game.

9. Brandan. A total snake and I mean that in a good way. He really found every crack and path he needed to get to the end.

10. Lil AJ. Honestly screwed, got idoled out and placed on the lagoon with little chance to survive.

11. James. I think James benefited the most from twists this season over anyone. That's not a mark against because hey, we all have to adapt to the season, but it does mean there's less to rule in favor of him.

12. Matt. I love Matt but getting self-voted out is hard to recover from and someone has to be at the bottom :/

AJ - 

Hi AJ! So this will be easy. I think Brandan should win because he played the best strategic game of all three of us and this jury clearly values strategic game. He was super safe for the majority of the time after he re-entered the game. He found where he fit in and manuevered through all of the threats to get to this point.

One major thing he had was the fact that he pulled me back in after we turned on each other. He also found himself completely safe towards the endgame by putting himself in with players who either had no reason to vote for him, or who needed his vote to stay.

[the-winchesterboys]

What is your advice to the new writers that want to start posting their own fanfics?

Well, hi! I’m really happy you’re asking. Writing can be so rewarding, but it can also be one of the most nervewracking things in the world... From time to time! Here are my little bits of advice... I hope they’re helpful! 

1. Be Kind!

It’s really true, what they say; we are our own worst critics. The first step to publishing your work is being able to step back and realize that a) it’s a process, and you might start like Michelangelo (a prodigy who just knows right away what you like to create, and how to do it, which is cool), or you might start like Spielberg (foolin’ around with an 8mm camera, having no everloving clue what you’re doing, until you get better and figure out your own work style, and how to accomplish it - which is also immensely cool!), but either way, it’s the journey that makes your writing so valuable to read, and to write. And b) you’re amazing, and you’re wonderful, and you deserve to be treated with ultimate kindness and love (especially by yourself!).

2. Read. Then read more. Then read even more. 

Filmmakers watch movies. Painters observe paintings. Musicians listen to music. And writers absolutely must read! Reading will broaden your horizons, and help you so, so much in learning to fill in the gaps where school (and other sources?) have not necessarily taught you. Read magazines, books, fanfiction, informative history museum pamphlets on how General Joseph Hooker brought ‘ladies of the night’ to his soldiers to keep them satisfied, and it was so influential that we kept the name around - read anything and everything! Whatever floats your boat. Trust me; the changes will be almost unnoticeable to you, but they’ll be there, and it’s awesome. 

3. Ask someone to beta (proofread) for you!

Having someone, whether that be a close friend, a mutual you rarely get the chance to talk to, or some kind stranger who floats around your tumblrverse every so often, read your work and give you feedback can be the exact confidence booster you need to publish! 

If you ever want me to beta, shoot me an ask or message! I’m always up for reading, and as long as work and classes aren’t too crazy, I’ll very happily oblige! If not, I’d encourage you to ask around, most of the lovely blogs here are super sweet people who’d be happy to check out your work. Could never hurt to ask!

4. Last, but not least: Take a leap.

That first step out of your comfort zone can be the most nervewracking, but trust me when I say the next step gets easier. Give it a chance, and see what happens! (Also, please feel free to tag me in things you write! I’d love to check them out!!)

A couple other tips:

-I highly recommend using gifs or pictures (if you’re writing fanfiction) of who your story’s about/includes. the visuals are usually what first grabs a potential reader’s attention! 

-for the love of all that’s holy: use a keep reading!!! for anything!! over 500 words!!! we all appreciate it beyond recognition. believe me. 

-please include warnings. it’s really important to a lot of people here, and can really make the difference for someone. if anyone asks you to tag a trigger warning, please do so! you could really be helping a number of your followers by keeping a potentially harmful tag off their feed.

-tag EVERYTHING! people find tons of works through the tags! Tag it every which way, and remember the first five tags are the most important. (i.e. #dean x reader, #sherlock, #fanfiction, #writing, etc.)

-make masterlists!!! I can’t emphasize this enough. It’s so helpful to be able to find every part of a story, or all your stories together, on one post - and it makes it so much easier for people to catch up on all your works! 

-just write. WRITE. by god, JUST WRITE! The more you write, the more people who love your work can read, and the better you will get at it! (also, readers love consistency! this is something I am terrible with, personally. but trying to get better...)

Thanks for listening to my extremely unnecessarily long list of tips! I hope it was helpful! Let me know if you’ve got any questions, and remember: feel free to tag me, message me, or ask me to beta at any time! 

-annie xx