Tips on using Tumblr

[thepenmonster1]

I'll go digging around. Maybe I'll find my tribe in some dark corner there.

We can dance around like the bee people in that No Rain music video.

[RedLenai]

Of course it is, as I previously mentioned: Tumblr works as a friendship that starts with a common interest, it's a mutual interest that needs to be born in order to build something up. Bust just because you're nicely reblogging stuff, commenting or similar doesn't guarantee people will be as equally as interested, that's why focus on it being genuine, and not a shallow relationship to obtain something in return. Aka an old version of the sub x sub.

That interest can be anything, "Art" can be a fandom, "webcomics" can be a fandom, "Original character" can be a fandom, literally anything. The thing is that you have to engage, you have to go back to your early stage of being that kiddo who just got access to the internet and wanted to interact, consume and engage with everyone and then someone would come around and be interested in you as well.

There are a lot of artists who post original content too, some have been there since I was 13.

really the two keys to posting art is 1. knowing how to use tags, and 2. having a dedicated art blog

This is from cozylittleartblog

tumblr only tracks the first 20 tags on a post, everything after that is Just For Funsies. tracked tags will show up in search, both for the whole website and on your blog.

if you're not sure what tags to use, see what other popular posters are using! i think i mentioned this in my tumblr guide post, but generally you want to tag fandom, characters, ships (if applicable), and any AUs or similar things. oh, and content warnings if those apply, too. then if you want you can try stuff like mediums and other general tags, that'd be your #art, #illustration, #fanart, #fanfic, #digital art, #(program you used), etc etc. you don't really have to use those, but if you want to keep your blog Super Extra Organized or if you're posting original content with no fandom tags to lean on then they are good options. (you can use things like #ocs, #original characters, #character design, #concept art, and genre tags for those!)

If you consider that you should gatekeep your feelings of what you like because you don't want to """""do free promotion"""" then... you won't succeed either when it comes to other people's work, other people's content be it they are new, veterans, unpopular, popular, etc.

[thepenmonster1]

gatekeep your feelings of what you like

I don't. I just don't approach these things the way most fans do.

A few months ago people got angry because CBS(?) tried to sell some Star Trek NFTs. To my mind the anger was akin to getting angry at a leach attaching itself to a leg. It's just what parasites do and everyone seemed to have forgotten they're swimming in a dirty pond.

I understand why there's always pushback against the fact that fandom is simply an extreme form of consumerism. Fans invest a lot of themselves into their entertainments and grant it more meaning than it actually delivers. But if treating as commodity as if it's something deeper is the price that has to be paid for using Tumblr then it's clearly not the place for me.

I'm going to use it though. I figure I'll find some more cats who are doing great work of their own and give them the appreciation they deserve. I already found one person who uses color beautifully. I'm taking notes.

[VibrantFox]

i'm going to briefly regurgitate an opinion i'd shared on some thread on here in that i really really need people to be kinder about fandom because not all fandoms even center around content produced by company A or brand B but sometimes are centered around the original works of some person on the internet and even if something is attached to some franchise it doesn't lessen the value of the works people are pouring their hearts into and is insanely insensitive to say so

if that's not what you mean then cool but it's reading like that so like...maybe chill???

getting back to original content tho if you want to find folks making that then you have to do the work to find them. people aren't just gonna come knocking on your door and instantly form a friendship it's more like going to the local cafe and if you're lucky building a bond with other visitors and maybe becoming a regular

I can't say what tags or blogs are guaranteed to land you in those circles much less help you garner following within them but if you do enough dedicated digging you can find stuff

like as an example even tho i follow a ton of sonic related blogs (coz i love that lil blue bastard) i also follow a lot of folks working on original content whether from here on tapas, on twitter or tumblr itself and they center around things like character design, writing, wordbuilding and the like. there's also a lot of just general character design, environment painting, photography blogs and other pages i follow but it's coz i've browsed around on the internet long enough to find em. That's like I also follow folks who are fellow fans of other original content creators like Worthikids (Big Top Burger), Joel G (ENA), or Toby Fox (Undertale/Deltarue) just to name a few

Again, I get there are folks who are hard set on this sort of purist mindset in terms of what people make and what for but like if someone enjoys something to the point they'd make stuff about it there's no reason to be anal about it. Plus these character are still technically someone's oc too they just happen to be associated with xyz company ¯(ツ)/¯

edit: also wanna add to that last thought there are literally people who i've followed in years past that made fanart for a certain franchise and are literally now working for those companies and making new characters for them. like I love and adore Evan Stanley who spent years working on an original sonic fancomic Ghosts of the Future and now literally works with Sega/Sonic Team in their lore department, has done work on the official Archie Sonic solicitations and now with the IDW Sonic comics. Plus they still have other original works one of which is this western thing with cowboys and ghosts n stuff so there's also the potential to find original stuff alongside fan content you just gotta give folks a chance

[thepenmonster1]

Sigh.

I made no demand of you and the others to relate to the culture the way I do. You're not under attack. Go grab some of that chill for yourself.

[VibrantFox]

. . .

[RedLenai]

I don't. I just don't approach these things the way most fans do.

Then that's ok, but just because you don't see value, interest or anything at all, doesn't mean that other people's passions are wrong, or that they are less than you who create original content.

A few months ago people got angry because CBS(?) tried to sell some Star Trek NFTs. To my mind the anger was akin to getting angry at a leach attaching itself to a leg. It's just what parasites do and everyone seemed to have forgotten they're swimming in a dirty pond.

I don't take part of that fandom, so I won't know the details. Same applies to fans, just because they are fans doesn't mean everyone is aware, or simply don't share your same anger. People can create content, demonstrate their abilities, getting themselves to know just based on what they enjoy, some don't go as far as to know the lives of the actors, the company projects, what other products or merch they create, some don't even care about a movie or season. Some are not aware of these things for their entire lives too. Just keeping it basic and enjoying the media

I understand why there's always pushback against the fact that fandom is simply an extreme form of consumerism.

If that's how you see it then ok, but there is more than plain """extreme""" consumerism, a lot of people don't care about premium items, every piece of merch or whatever. Some may have the main source as an atlas but they want to see other type of content they know don't have in it, what ifs, different scenarios, new creative ways to see a character in a specific situation, or simply an exhibition of skills.

Fans invest a lot of themselves into their entertainments and grant it more meaning than it actually delivers.

Well, the same could be said about your hobbies, talents or passions. they could totally see what you do as a waste of time, as something meaningless too. And there is nothing wrong with granting more meaning by creating something, or investing themselves on that, anyone would say "Oh you're so talented" and then check out what else the creative can make, what other projects they have, etc. Companies are not the only ones getting advertisement.

But if treating as commodity as if it's something deeper is the price that has to be paid for using Tumblr then it's clearly not the place for me.

You're free to not make fancontent at all, interacting with fandoms is only an alternative for when you want get at least a bit of engagement quickly and it mostly works when it's about something you're passionate about but if you're not passionate then just doing it because that'll be quick engagement will burn you out rather quickly, doing trendy stuff is not an exclusive thing of tumblr, it has been a suggestion either for growing an account in SM, getting commissions or similar.
There are artists who exclusively make original content, you can try to be one, making sure that your work is deep, interesting enough, maybe you'll find something according to your standard and values, and give them the appreciation that under your personal consideration you think they deserve, then by doing that you're no different from a fan from another franchise, seems that the only difference would be that under your sense of superiority as an original content creator, you for some reason are in the right while others are in the wrong.

Hope you can make a successful blog, but that your supporters don't have much fan attitude towards it, as I believe you dislike that behavior.

[KennethLopezJr921]

Kay so apparently theres an option to make a blog password protected. Does that mean anyone who would want to view blog would require a password?

[RedLenai]

Yup, definetly.
Here is more information about it in case you need it
https://help.tumblr.com/hc/en-us/articles/226318867-Password-Protected-Blogs

[vickygupta7989]

tumblr is an micro blogging platform you can create tumblr blog on any topic in which you interested. simply you need to find name for blog after that you can start posting on that topic to grab readers related to topic.
you can read this article (https://filmora.wondershare.com/tumblr/what-is-tumblr.html) to start you tumblr blog.

[KennethLopezJr921]

Thanks! Wish tapas would stop shaking the 'MUST HAVE 20 CHARACTERS" thing in my face XD

[NickRowler]

I feel like I sort of use Tumblr different than most people. I rarely run into drama due to the site being very customizable, similar to Instagram you only see people and tags you follow. There is a trending tab but it tends to be focused on fandoms instead of hot button political issues.

I would strongly recommend not picking fights with people. Also disable anonymous questions because people will try to start shit with it. It’s better to just block or ignore dumb questions instead of trying to fight someone.

I also recommend blocking any new followers who look sketchy. Be it a bot or someone who’s posts look a little off. I know in the past there were issues with 4Channer using the site to stalk or harass people they found “cringe”. Tho there might not be as many since the porn ban.

[system]

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