#image hosting

Hey! Sure I'll attempt to explain. It's possible it's your hosting site, but hard to say. I use a site called Maltshop, or more accurately MLTSHP. It's been working great for me since I started using it but the downside is that it is a paid hosting service at $3 per year. I know not everyone can do that though, but if you're able to throw them $3 per year it could be worth it. At that tier they allow for up to 300MBs per month uploads. They have a $24 per year tier that is unlimited file size uploads. Another benefit - and this may not apply to you, but maybe someone who's reading this - is that they allow for Adult/Mature/NSFW whatever you want to call it image hosting.

Here's my process - and keep in mind this is just for adding an image. If I'm adding an image to a fic then I start a new post on Ao3, paste the fic in first, then add the image in the body of the fic where I want it also following this process:

I go to MLTSHP and upload my image. It thinks for a second then gives me two URLs. A "post url" and an "image url." I copy the "image url"

2. Then I go over to Ao3, click "new post," add all that necessary stuff it asks you to add like title, tags, summary, etc. then in the actual Work Text editor box I click "Rich Text." That's key as it defaults to "HTML" editor when you start your new post and while some people are awesome and good at HTML, I am not that "some people" and need my Rich Text editing box.

3. When you're in the Rich Text editor version of the Work Text box, click the little image icon

4. A dialogue box will pop up where you can paste that Image URL link from step 1 above. You can then add your Alt Text (called Image Description) and adjust the size of your image, then click save

5. Then I futz with the sizing for a bit, make sure all the necessary post info is included, add text if there's any to go along with your image - ya know like if you have a whole fic you're posting, then preview, then post the image and voila!

Let’s Catch Up! We often find ourselves answering the same questions over and over again – so let’s post this for everyone to read. First off, it’s been way too long since we’ve given everyone an update on our fundraising. We started at the beginning of June, 2026, for our “Hot Fic Summer” fundraiser, and we have raised $1,600.97 out of our $2,500 goal – or 64%! This is AMAZING! Thank you to…

Upload an image to google drive

2. Make sure your file is shareable by using the Viewer setting. Then copy the link.

3. The link will look something like this:

https://drive.google.com/file/d/10iuLCHhkesAOpi8pb1JSlwfjVlsDtTsc/view?usp=sharing

4. Copy the code for your file: 10iuLCHhkesAOpi8pb1JSlwfjVlsDtTsc

5. Put that in the HTML code for looking at an image, like this (put the alt text in, don't be a lazy asshole): SAMPLE: <img src="pic_trulli.jpg" alt="Italian Trulli"> SAMPLE WITH GOOGLE DRIVE LINK

<img src="https://drive.google.com/thumbnail?id=10iuLCHhkesAOpi8pb1JSlwfjVlsDtTsc" alt="omega badge">

Et voila, your image will show up wherever you put the HTML, like in a fic (but not tumblr)

Icon - Screenshot of source

I need your recs for places to host images and other files.

What I absolutely need; non-negotiable:

Allows hotlinking. Otherwise there's literally no point. I want to show things on AO3.

Allows NSFW and does not hide porns behind login walls, age restrictions or any such rubbish. Again, I want to show things on AO3. I sometimes make porn.

Stable permalinks. I don't want to go back and change out every link in a year's time.

Not too tiny size limits. That said, I rarely upload images larger than a few hundred kB apiece. Sound is a different beast, though.

What I want, ideally not negotiable but if I run out of options maybe (ugh) fine:

A reasonable amount of trust that the service will stay online for a long time. I don't want to go back and change out every link in a year's time.

The ability to collect my files in one place, like albums or a personal account, so I can easily find them without keeping a list of URLs somewhere.

The ability to delete (permanently) any of my files whenever I like.

The ability to upload things that aren't images. I have smutty podfics too.

Nice-to-haves:

Delivers files decently fast

Not owned by a gross or untrustworthy company (like Xitter or Meta, say)

Acceptable UI?

This post brought to you by apparently the Internet Archive doesn't actually like smut on their servers, despite not making that clear anywhere in their terms (don't worry, I fucking checked), and what they do when they find smut on their servers is they mark the whole "item" (a bucket of related files) as "adult" and "logged in only" and now every piece of art in Scorn and the Saint-Maker past chapter 18 is an empty box because there also isn't an appeals procedure even if you remove the explicit files from the bucket.