♛Pardon the delay in reply, anonyme. I received this on Valentine’s Day but I was very busy with… romantic activities. Not to brag about it, I’ve spent many Valentine’s nights alone, and I’m… taken aback and more touched now for the nights I’m fortunate enough to spend with a loved one, whether it’s Valentine’s or any night of the week. There’s nothing all that inherently magical about holidays, only that we make them special by honoring them together.
There are times when yes, the loneliness overtakes me. I do feel emptiness at times. Sometimes solitude is needed, just to get to know myself once again, so that I can return to my loved ones. I can’t advise you about your own loneliness because I feel that it has healing properties. And there are times when I need to be quarantined, when it’s better for everyone if we’re not together.
But I don’t let loneliness destroy me. I don’t let it take over. I can’t. I’m not built that way.
I never give up. I never despair for long. I can’t. I’m always spinning straw into gold. And this is why I survive, more than anything. I am in my unfolding stories what the world calls a comic character, rather than a tragic character, because I am never permanently undone by anything, never finished or ruined, never permanently destroyed, no matter how great are my own flaws. I always come back. Always. [X, from Fan Questions for Lestat]
B-but… I mean… Didn’t nicki and Gabrielle love him? At least when they were mortals???
Lestat wanted the kind of love he had gotten from Nicki and Gabrielle, yes! He was starved for affection from those he loved, and I think that led to a lot of the frustration he had in the IWTV-era in the book and the movie.
Amy Nicholson is referring to movie!IWTV only. No one who Lestat loved had really done anything nice for him before that point in the film ;A;
^Even here, you can see that Lestat is really apologetic for taunting Claudia just moments before; he really wants peace in their home, he really wants her love. This is one of the few times in the film we see anyone he loves touch or embrace him.
(ooc; Not sure how serious you are, but, Reminder: if you have already taken something or done something to harm yourself please call 911. If you haven’t done anything and if you’re thinking about suicide, please talk to the suicide hotline 1-800-273-TALK (8255) in the U.S., to find a suicide helpline outside the U.S., visit IASP or Suicide.org. Please read Suicide Help.)
♛My dear, I’m so sorry to read this message. My heart aches for you.
There are times when yes, the loneliness overtakes me. I do feel emptiness at times, moreso in those times I was betrayed by the ones closest to me. Not to revisit that… but the emptiness you are describing seems to be a deeper one than what I experienced. Again, my heart aches for you.
Sometimes solitude is needed, just to get to know myself once again, so that I can return to my loved ones.
Because that’s really the answer, at least for me, time spent with your loved ones has healing properties. Do you have any pets? Or know anyone who does? I’ve found that rolling around with a sizable dog (or several!) can also cure me of many of these gutwrenching feelings, those insidious negative voices that creep in. The healing power of dog cuddles may not be complete but it is still substantial.
If you don’t have anyone you can go to, there are professionals out there who can help. One group is called the
Samaritans.
The Dark Gift is not, generally, a quick fix. You bring yourself with you, and all your own experiences, all your own baggage. It enhances who you already are, for better or worse. I found that out with my beloved Nicki. Knowing what I know now about him, would I still give him the Dark Gift? I desperately want to say yes, but I don’t think it “fixed” him. Not by a long shot. It made him into another version of himself. Purified him. It seemed to release him from his life-long act of being a civilized person, which he detested.
In the absence of everything else I’ve suggested, one other cure: Stories. Read. Watch movies. Listen to music. Eat your favorite foods. Read my first book again, and see how I dealt with obstacle after obstacle, take inspiration from my example. Or, and I can’t believe I’m suggesting this: read Louis’ book. Know that he experienced similar feelings to yours. He survived it.
You are not alone. Get the help you need, or cure yourself, or both! Validate yourself if no one else will. Care for yourself as if you were your own best friend. There were so many times when that’s all I could do for myself, for years. Decades, even. If I had given up, at any of those times, I would not be here to offer you this: I survived. So can you.
I love you guys, too! You make my day on a daily basis *u* This is a social media platform after all, it’s all about making those connections w/ your followers and the ppl who you follow, even making some closer friends out of mutuals.
You actually already hit upon the main parts of running a great fandom blog, to quote you directly: “it’s not just about dedication and chasing off haters (which are super important) but like the mechanics of it (organizing posts, engaging followers, keep people interested).” And of course it’s about “being so kind and welcoming with all your followers!”
The main thing is to Make the blog you would want to see, and build social connections w/ other bloggers. You’re not posting into a void, this is a very public forum; ppl are more likely to engage w/ your content if you engage w/ them and/or their content, too. Some will just follow you for your content, some ppl are also looking for that *~meeting of the minds~*. I think that’s what ppl get from my blog, that their opinions are validated, or that they like to consider and possibly absorb whatever ideas I share here.
–It’s Not About Your Follower Count.– Mine fluctuates, I lose some and gain some
almost daily. It’s not like you’re going to get an award for it at the end of the year! If all you want are followers, then you’d have to ask a much more popular blog for pointers on that. If I gave just one person #feels through smtg I shared here, that’s reward enough for me. I think of it in terms of “What would have made my 15 yo self happy?” Bc she couldn’t find the fandom! My 15 yo self is always very thirsty for the content and the interactions of fandom >;} And I think that passion translates through and that’s why ppl choose to follow this blog.
I do have some pointers and they fit in well w/ what you wrote, I just rearranged the order a bit ;]
Make the blog you would want to see. Obviously! Don’t post stuff just bc you think ppl will like it, post what -YOU- like. Your passion for your topics will come through; that’s what ppl follow.
Add your commentary on reblogs respectfully. If you want to praise fanart, go for it, but realize that the fanartist might see it, especially if they posted it originally. I really enjoy reading other ppl’s commentary on all my posts, even when I disagree with it. Sometimes the commentary improves the post so I’ll reblog it, which promotes that other blogger, and that’s almost always appreciated. You can also message them directly and tell them you liked their opinion, strike up a conversation about it. You might make your new friend who’s always up for talking w/ you about X topic ;]
If you’re iffy on whether your commentary should be added, put it in the tags. I put lots of commentary in there and when ppl copy and paste it and reblog it to make it visible bc they liked it so much, it gives me such feels! I also read other ppl’s tags and it’s pretty hilarious when ppl write out their hyperbolic reactions like “WHY WOULD U DO THIS??” “MY HEART” and even the fake-mad stuff like “DELETE THIS” and I love that stuff.
Relatable stuff: So my blog is a fandom blog, and half the work is done for me w/ the characters and stories being relatable to ppl who love the them already. So if I can make posts that just exemplify those things, ppl who already relate to the material will relate to the posts. Like this one of Louis smashing his own reflection in the mirror. Ppl identify with him doing that, and by adding that textpost I’m underscoring his feelings of self-hatred. Ppl also sometimes have that same feeling when passing a mirror so it’s relatable.
TAG E-V-E-R-Y-THANG. Try to tag every character that’s in the post, whether shown in fanart or mentioned in the topic. Bc ppl track tags and then your post will end up in their dash, even if they don’t follow you.
So for example, that Louis gif is tagged: #twerkingdead (for the OP of that textpost) #textmeme (type of meme) #memeything (my word for my own memes bc they’re didn’t seem to fit the definition of a meme when I started doing them) #mirror abuse (so I can find this one or similar ones easily) #Louis de Pointe du Lac (for ppl looking for stuff about him) #iwtv #interview with the vampire (for the movie and book, which ppl track) #gif (in case smne just wants to look at all my gifs, or they want to block gifs w/ Tumblr Savior).
Mechanics of it (organizing posts, engaging followers, keep people interested)-
Variety: I post a variety of types of posts: fanart, fanmixes, fanfic, fanvids, music, commentary, news (old articles and new), other related fandom material, headcanons, RP, non-fandom things that are too good to pass up, non-fandom things that I can somehow lasso into being fandom things (#How to make a post a VC post), the occasional shitpost, cats (well I can’t help that c’mon), aesthetic sets… I tend to queue the things I’m not as passionate about bc as long as it ends up in my collection eventually that’s fine.
Brass tacks: Keep your theme clean.Make it easy for ppl to find your “Next page,” “Like,” and “Reblog” buttons. Make the text easy to read. I’m in the process of revising my layout bc it needs a facelift/makeover like, yesterday, but I’m patient, slow and steady wins the race ;]
Nav page/Tag list: I gotta do this, too. But it will make it easier for your followers to find the specifics of what they’re looking for on your blog, and then send you an Ask if they want more.
FAQ: I gotta do this, too. Bc first-time visitors to your page may not be aware you’ve answered smtg already. Though, on some topics, my opinion changed over time, so it’s kind of refreshing to reconsider the same question, especially if it’s phrased a little differently.
Post your own original content. Even if you can’t do graphics, you can write your thoughts, it might inspire fanartists.
“Shitposting”: So I try not to do this, bc I don’t want to be that offensive, but I get it, it’s just being silly. If that’s your thing, go for it! They sometimes make for good text posts for me to use in memeythings, admittedly. I’ve seen whole blogs of just shitposting and it can be really funny!
Comments on reblogs: Did smtg on your dash make you think of smtg related to your blog’s topics? Happens for me often. You can reblog that cool quote you found w/ your own commentary and ppl may jump on it.
Reblog immediately: fresh fanart, stuff that you know is news related to your topics. Fanartists who post original content love getting a bump!
Queue for later: older fanworks, things that are not time-sensitive, so that when you’re away from your blog, the content will still come out. Plus, it will be in the dash for ppl in a different time-zone than you. I have about 100 posts in my queue at any given time.
Moderation? Yes and no: So I have a personal post limit, I try not to post more than 10/day, bc I am really discerning about the fanworks and other stuff I post, and I also don’t want to spam ppl’s dash. HOWEVER, I have seen other blogs rise to huge success by posting up to their limit on a daily basis. So that’s up to you, but I feel like being more selective has given my blog a more curated feel.
Post respectfully: I know I mentioned it before but consider who might see your blog. Put spoilers under cuts when possible. If you have fiery criticism, that’s fine! But try to frame it respectfully, because the creator of the media you’re criticizing might see it and you wouldn’t want your blog shut down over one fiery post, right?
Being kind and welcoming with all your followers!-
Be the blogger you would want to interact with. Part of why I’m so open and responsive is that there were ppl I had fandom crushes on and the ones who were responsive to me made me so happy! Senpai noticed me *u* I still get that feeling from some fandom ppl. They know who they are.
Make friends with other ppl who blog about your topics. You can find them in the tags you follow.
Answer ppl who message you privately. They may be too shy to want to interact publicly. That’s fine.
Answer all your Asks. Be sincere with your answers. I’m behind on them, admittedly! But ppl have come to expect that it takes me awhile to percolate on some answers and it’s always worth the wait ;D Support your answers with reasons.
If you’re not getting Asks, post Askmemes. Here’s one site I found with them @fyeahaskmemes. Or you can invent your own, like, “Send me a character and I’ll tell you the first song that comes to mind about them.”
Add graphics like gifs or fanart to your answers whenever possible, we are visual creatures! Try to include the source for your graphics. If they are a common gif reaction you’ve seen floating around, that’s not as necessary, but ppl put time and effort into making fanart, so linking back is advertisement back to the artist. Its respectful to do but they might also be really flattered that you used their art to illustrate your answer ;] If they ask you to take it down, do it as soon as possible.
If you don’t know the answers, toss it out for your followers to answer and/or tag ppl you think might know. It’s so flattering when ppl do that w/ me!
*~Ask Karma~* Send Asks to other ppl! They will probably return the favor. And your followers will enjoy watching the conversation.
Reblog and contribute to someone else’s Ask response. Although some RPers prefer that you don’t do that bc that may be a muse/muse thing. Can you add anything to the discussion? Even a funny gif might be adding alot!
A couple of Don’ts: It’s your blog and you can do whatever you like, but just from my experience, these are things that tend to be divisive rather than inclusive.
Don’t brag about your follower count. I get it, when I got to certain numbers I was pretty damned surprised that so many ppl wanted to follow me, how could there be ppl who even cared about my opinion in this fandom? When you reach your first few hundred, it feels really gratifying, so I wouldn’t stop anyone from being proud of that, butI have found, from watching interactions here for the past few years, that posting your follower count breeds jealousy among other bloggers, which can lead to drama and/or invite anonhate.
Don’t do too many Follow Forevers, if you feel the need to do any. Try not to post things that portray you as very cliquey/exclusive, unless that’s what you want to express. I have seen too many ppl post Follow Forevers, and those that were left out may have felt, well, LEFT OUT, and it engendered some off-site animosity and gossip. If you want to give a shoutout to a specific blog, do it as its own post, or send that person an Ask praising them, they will be very flattered 😉
Don’t repost art w/o source links. Do the google Reverse Image search and include the source link. If you’ve done that and found nothing (or a ton of pinterest/weheartit/etc. links), add in the tags smtg like, “Source unknown- if you know the source plz tell me and I will add it”. Speaking of which, I don’t know the source of the bunny pic above, if anyone knows it, plz tell me and I will add it! Generally, with ubiquitous memes like that, the source is unknown, so I usually don’t mention it in the tags.
Don’t take your fandom blog too seriously/personally. Even if you get anonhate (YOU WILL, everyone does eventually), or ppl write to you disagreeing w/ you (THEY WILL, everyone does eventually), be calm, collect your thoughts. Remember the old “sticks and stones”? Words can never hurt you. If you realize you posted smtg that you may regret, delete that post. It’s not a sign of failure or weakness to retract a statement rather than go deeper into a dialogue you may not be informed on enough to continue.
Chasing off haters-
Best way to chase off haters is to expose how silly and trolly they are by giving them the most minimal response possible. While it might not have been hate per se, smne sent me an anon that “vampires are stupid” and rather than argue the point, I just plopped in this gif of Lestat (by @gifsfortc) reacting [X]. A picture is worth a thousand words and I think what makes it even funnier is that it’s a gif, so he could be sobbing or being more emotional, but his expression is just a kind of pity!
You are not obligated to respond to hate, I give you full permission to just delete it.Isn’t it actually kind of better when you know they are constantly refreshing your page, hoping for a reaction that never comes?!
Hope all that helps! I’ve left out alot of normal etiquette for topics like social justice (bc that’s more along the lines of life advice than a fandom-specific blog), and left out specifics about blogging to my own fandom so that it can apply to any. I might do a followup post about engaging ppl in this fandom specifically.
As always, anyone is free to reblog and add their own ideas 😉
Hugs are actually so underrated especially those hugs that are so tight u can literally feel the other person’s heartbeat n for a moment everything feels so calm and safe like nothing can hurt you
I-want-my-IWTV 