head in the klouds

“ok girliepop i get it just leave a comment but how tf do i write one??”

i gotchu famalam here’s the secret sauce:

it could range from a simple “woah i like this :D” to “[ insert long-winded ramble analytically breaking down the work like it's a uni essay due at 11:59pm ]” to “LMAO op your mind!!” to “AUSDFJLSDKFLSDF” to “ough my goddd… pay for my fucking therapy bills”. any kind of comments that are positive AND will be received positively will work!!

“not what im looking for girliepop, i want to write an comment that fully shows my appreciation for this thingy i like”

then just.

Spill The T.E.A:

T – THOUGHTFUL

Be Specific. many creators spend countless hours, days, weeks EVEN MONTHS working on their projects that you see for a couple of seconds on your dash. acknowledge those efforts! play detective, whip out that imaginary magnifying glass and pay attention to the details! did they render their barbie fanart a certain way that reminded you of impressionism? were you emotionally wrecked by the title drop they were building up to in their bloodymary ship fic? are you in awe of the way they were able to stitch a complicated pattern on a plushie of your favourite tadc blorbo? be attentive to these things and let the creator know!! don't let their hard work go unnoticed!!

additionally, go to the original post and view OP’s tags! observe what they said and mention them in your comment too. were they listening to a mitski song? were they inspired by the dramas of formula 1 when making this au? did they fucking struggle with drawing hands and are letting steam off in the tags? make note of that in your comment too!!

E – ENGAGING

ask questions!! INTERROGATE THEIR ASS (affectionately)!! trust me when i say this: people making content of any kind will have So Many Ideas ping-ponging in their head like the DVD logo that they wanna share!! so show that you are happy to listen to what they have to say!! especially if it’s clear they have more to tell about their work beyond just posting it!! ask them about their ffxiv oc’s tragic backstory that they were trying to tell through their art!! discover how they came up with the wild headcanons they used in their leon kennedy x reader 15k pwp fic!! find out inspired them to drop a heart-wrenching undertale comic about the dreemurrs!!

that being said, PLEASE PLEASE PLEASE be aware of the creator’s boundaries as well! if you wanna talk to them about certain topics relating to their work but are unsure whether or not you’ll be breaching their level of comfort PLEASE CHECK FIRST!! look at their pinned/bio/prev posts for any disclaimers!! the last thing you want is to leave a comment on someone’s work that’ll make them feel uncomfortable and not want to engage with you or the wider community, even if that comment was made with good intentions!

A – APPRECIATIVE

remember that most creatives post their work simply because they want to share it with you. they are under no obligation to do so. after all, it's their blog and their stuff so they get the final say in what gets posted. if they do share something you really like, let them know! tell them that you’re thankful to them for sharing their talents and creative pieces, for mustering the courage to post online.

and be genuine in your appreciation!! don’t just comment for the sake of fishing for a reply or a comment on your own works!! big fat NO-NO right there!! creators DO NOT owe you a comment for a comment, just as they don’t owe you their content. im begging you please do not go around doing this!! again, just be genuine in your engagement, and in time they will return your appreciation in some way or form!!

also don’t fret about “talking too little/too much”. it’s up to you whether you want to keep your comment short and sweet or if you want to make an attempt at breaking tumblr’s word limit at every chance you get!! what matters is that your sincerity comes through!!

take a moment to think about WHY you liked their post in the first place before you scroll on. did it make you smile, laugh, cry, gasp in awe or shock? did it make you day a little bit better, a little bit brighter?

did it make you FEEL, even if it was for a brief moment?

if yes,

Spill The T.E.A!!

now i understand that commenting can be nerve-racking, especially if you’re a long-time internet lurker like me. because by leaving a comment, you are making yourself be Seen and i absolutely get that being Seen can be so terrifying!! oh shit the social anxiety is hitting the roof!! fuck fuck what if i said something wrong?? wee woo wee woo this is a Terrible Idea i shouldn't have said anything at all!

kindly stop that. your fears are valid but there's nothing to be afraid of when you're simply leaving a heartfelt comment on someone's work.

keep in mind that creative content makers also undergo this line of thought when they put their work online.

putting myself as Exhibit A here: i was so fucking anxious and stressed and paced around my bedroom like a cornered wolf because i was scared of starting a public fanart blog. fearing that my art isn’t Good Enough compared to the internet Da Vincis out there. that people won't like it. that the countless hours i poured into this piece and the details i agonised over will be all for Nothing.

i acknowledged that this is a very real possibility.

but i still made this blog anyways.

why?

because i was inspired by a creative work someone made with love and care. that they willingly shared online. they might have gone through the same doubts as me before deciding to hit that post button. they didn't even have to share it. but they did.

I saw their work.

I Loved It.

Therefore.

I wanted to return that Love.

and now i’m so glad i decided to share my stuff because not only was my Love for that particular creative work reciprocated, i ended up finding myself in a warm, welcoming and talented community that shares the same interests and supports each other!! a community that generates positivity and a never-ending cycle of inspiration!! all because they kept commenting, reblogging and tag-yapping on my art!! and i will forever be grateful for their love and support!!

my art will never be the next Mona Lisa and i know that i will not please everyone but i don't care!! because i now know there's someone out there who genuinely enjoys my work for what it is!! that's all the matters to me!!

also quick shoutout to my accord!! i love you all!! you know who you are, my fellow warriors 🫵

TDLR for those who are sick of my yapping and the scrolling lmao

(which i totally understand!! no offence taken because this was a YAP and a half that i needed to get off my chest)

please just tell that creator you love their stuff! seeing those words of genuine appreciation, the gushing about their content, and the willingness to engage further with their work will genuinely make their day.

when you do leave a comment, try

Spilling The T.E.A!!

be thoughtful, engaging and appreciative in your comments! and it's ok to be nervous about leaving one but go for it anyways!! remember that creators are also in the same boat as you when it comes to posting their works publicly. so explicitly tell them that you love their ideas and that you're thankful to them for taking the leap of faith, for sharing their creativity with the wider community. who knows, maybe you'll find like-minded people through that small interaction! perhaps you'll even get a good friend out of it!!