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How to Live Blog on Tumblr

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LivebloggingThe Internet gives us the ability to experience things in real time, so it's no surprise that live blogging has become increasingly popular. Users log onto Tumblr in the middle of big events, fingers ready to type out instant reactions in text posts, sharing their thoughts with the rest of the world.
People often live blog as a way to communicate with others while documenting instant reactions and opinions. Live blogs are also great for catching up on events you missed, or creating commentary for a recorded event. While some users maintain blogs specifically for live blogging certain shows or events, the majority of users simply live blog events from their primary or subculture-specific blogs.
Live blogging on Tumblr is as simple as creating a text post and publishing it. Despite its relatively easy execution, there are ways to make your live blog more successful and more accessible to other users. If you're wondering how to start, or you're just interested in upping your live blog game, here are seven easy tips.

1. Indicate the event you're participating in or watching.

tumblr liveblog
Image: Sara Roncero-Menendez

You can live blog almost any event: TV shows, sports games, awards shows, concerts, press releases and even social situations (such as parties). Some people even live blog their progress on essays or projects.
Because of this wide range of options, you should always make clear what it is you're covering. You wouldn't want someone who hasn't seen an episode or movie to stumble into spoilers by accident. You can also create a separate blog on your Tumblr account just for live blogs, but it isn't completely necessary.

2. Tag your live blog correctly.

Whichever type of live blog you choose to do, make sure you tag it appropriately. Don't add tags of other fandoms or shows in an attempt to get more notes and reblogs — you'll likely annoy more people than attract them.
Having a live blog-specific tag helps as well, such as "#Sara Watches the Oscars" so that people can follow you or block the tag if they don't want to see the posts. Also, if applicable, be sure to tag it with #spoilers or hide the post under a "Read More" command.

3. Use reaction GIFs for full effect.

feelings gif
Image: Tumblr, Zhangyeol

Reaction GIFs are rampant on Tumblr, and many users will store their favorites in a folder for easy access. Sometimes emotions can be more properly summed up in a GIF than in an 150 word paragraph.
It isn't necessary to include reaction GIFs, of course, but it will make your post more eye-catching — and who doesn't love a good GIF? You can also show off your Tumblr prowess by using a GIF specific to the event you're live blogging, like the one above from the TV show How I Met Your Mother.

4. Be detailed but genuine.

It isn't likely that everyone who reads your live blog will do so right as the event unfolds. If users are looking to your live blog for information, be sure to include it.
For example, if you're live blogging a TV show, don't just say "They kissed!" without any context — say who kissed, and maybe even when and why. Live blogs aren't recaps, so you don't need to talk about the entire episode, but keep in mind that many readers will be reading it without having seen the source material.
At the same time, don't overthink what you write. If your gut reaction is anger, talk about why it makes you angry. Live blogs are all about genuine reactions, so don't shy away from expressing frustration or elation. After all, that's what people want to read in these posts.

5. Don't spam your followers' dashboards.

internet spamImage: Flickr, Vince_Lamb
If you've decided to live blog an event such as an awards show or a football game, you're going to be tempted to post frequently about who just fell on stage or scored a touchdown. Having a post every few minutes is normal, but posting several times in one minute is definitely not. You don't want to accidentally spam anyone's dashboards by filling it with an excessive number of posts.
A best practice is to collect multiple ideas in one post and then publish it every few minutes. That way, your thoughts are more organized, and your followers won't receive a barrage of text posts.

6. Check out other live blogs, too.

The best way to learn how to do something is to do it and make mistakes. While this is sound advice, there's also something to be said about learning from others.
Look at the live blog tag, read the entries and laugh with the bloggers as you watch the same episodes and movies. Learning by example can help you formulate your own style of live blogging and better understand the etiquette. You can even discuss common interests and opinions with other live bloggers while following their coverage.

7. Know when and where it's OK to live blog.

texting at party
Image: Flickr, Benny Manzur

A given place or time will either be appropriate or inappropriate for live blogging, so it's important to know the difference. For example, don't live blog a movie in the middle of a dark and crowded theater. You need to be mindful of real-life etiquette, too, so try to live blog movies you watch at home or type out your post after you leave the theater.
While you can live blog parties, make sure you aren't upsetting your host or writing things you may regret. If you're at a viewing party, be sure to ask others if they mind if you live blog, and invite them to do the same.
A good rule of thumb is to think about whether someone else live blogging would annoy you. If there are a lot of people on their phones (as is usually the case, let's be honest), feel free to live blog to your heart's content.

The 7 Best Uses for Tumblr

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The 7 Best Uses for TumblrTumblr 

Tumblr offers a large degree of flexibility. There are many different ways to use the social blogging platform. Some log on to Tumblr to socialize with others, to highlight their artistic endeavors or to document their adventures abroad.

There is, of course, no one way to use Tumblr. Because the platform is open to different kinds of posts and interactions, the opportunities and flexibility are endless. Here are seven of the many ways people use Tumblr on a daily basis.

1. Finding Friends

tumblr friendsImage: Tumblr, Chibird
Typically when a user first signs up for a social media site, he knows someone who already has an account. However, with Tumblr, there is no need to know anyone on the site before getting started. In fact, some people sign up because they don't know anyone on the platform; therefore, they feel more freedom to post without fear of acquaintances reading along.
On Tumblr, you can follow any user who hasn't blocked you, so it's easy to find people with shared interests. Not everyone is open to making friends on the site, but many Tumblr users wish to interact with new people.
To gauge whether others are open for communication, or to signal that you are, post on a blog's front page, where it reads "My Ask Box is Open." This means the user is open to communication, either to talk about shared interests or if anyone needs advice or a heart-to-heart conversation.
(While there are many amazing Tumblr users who want to interact, always remember to remain safe and avoid giving out personal information online.)

2. Interacting With Friends

Not all users come to the site to kindle friendships. In fact, some join the site because their friends already have accounts. The Tumblr Dashboard makes it easy to share different types of content and communicate with small friend groups, without everyone seeing the activity, unlike many interactions on Facebook or Twitter. Some groups of friends use a specific hashtag, which they add to posts to track activity. Others mention the group or its members by name in the commentary of the post.
Tumblr allows friends to share content with everyone, but since multiple accounts can control a shared, private blog, they can also add content and leave notices there without other users having access to it.

3. Portfolio

art portfolio on tumblr
Image: Tumblr, Laura Spicer Illustration Tumblr's straightforward UI, coupled with its flexible themes, makes it a great place to display your work in a digital portfolio. While the reblogging and sharing features are always available, plenty of users access the site simply to present their work and follow fellow artists. While the format might seem ideal for showing off visual artwork, like painting or sculptures, Tumblr can also become an interactive writing portfolio, for example, with specific tags to help employers or fans find pieces.
Tumblr is also a great place for web comics. Users get the latest updates right on their Dashboards, rather than having to visit a site every day. Web comic artists can also use Tumblr to post contests, extra artwork and sketches, interacting with fans and even their own works of art.

4. Photo Blogging

While some people post a variety of multimedia, some blogs are dedicated to posting only one type of format, such as photos. In fact, photography blogs are some of the most popular on site: Humans of New York, Black Blog and Always, Paige are a few. They can focus on any number of subjects: people, landscapes, wildlife, food.
Other types of photography blogs feature visual diaries of people's lives, photo challenges or design/modeling blogs.
A Tumblr phenomenon, some users narrow their blogs to specific subjects by labeling them "porn," for example, a "food porn" blog may feature images of beautiful food. The term often means the images are beautifully shot and enticing in some way.

5. Travel Blogging

Not all blogs require an open monologue about your personal life or interests. Many people who go abroad, especially students, create travel blogs to document their journeys in photos and text. It's a great way to record memories and share adventures with your friends back home. These tend to be more personal, so typical posts range from homesickness to excitement about trying new foods and activities.
Tumblr also hosts professional travelers who capture beautiful photographs: Exquisite Planet and Traveling Colors are two examples.
Travel and location tags are also effective ways to scope out fun places and good eats before going on your own vacation.

6. Business Blog

adidas tumblr
Image: Tumblr, Adidas Creating a brand presence on social media is important, because consumer interaction is crucial. While Tumblr isn't an intuitive place to market products, it can help sales and develop rapport with potential customers. Many users who see a product they think is cool will reblog it so others can see it.
Companies like Adidas, J.Crew and Target are making use of the reblog feature to tote products. Even Etsy brands that feature handcrafted products use Tumblr as free publicity. Several TV shows also have Tumblrs, such as Once Upon a Time and Psych, to interact with fan communities and post extra material from the show, much like they do on other social media sites. News organizations and radio stations, such as The Daily Beast, LIFE and NPR, maintain Tumblrs to keep followers updated and engaged.

7. Hobby Blogging

You'll find hobby enthusiasts of all types on Tumblr. Some blog about artistic endeavors, such as knitting, sewing, cosplay, video games, 8-bit design, model-building, fashion design, tattoo design, nail art, photography and more. Don't forget cooking, decorating, working out, role-playing, playing music, dancing and writing, just to name a few.
Many Tumblr communities that don't fall into the hobby category are still worth mentioning. There are fandom blogs for particular TV shows, movies, podcasts, books and other media, as well as bandoms for musical groups and genres. Parenting, health, beard and facial grooming, makeup and comedy all represent communities on the blogging platform, and they're only a fraction of the many that exist on the site.
Essentially, if you're interested in a subject or activity, a community on Tumblr probably shares your passion.

12 Social Media Accounts That Turned Into Books

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12 Social Media Accounts That Turned Into Books

Shit-my-dad-says

1. Justin Halpern, Shit My Dad Says

Justin Halpern's Shit My Dad Says is sometimes credited with opening the floodgates to a crushing wave of "social media personalities" who felt that they, too, deserved to make it big. Some did. Most didn't.
But Halpern's genuinely funny feed, created in 2009 when he was forced to move back in with his hilarious, profanity-spewing father, spawned a book deal mere weeks after he registered the account, as well as a short-lived sitcom starring William Shatner.
Halpern has since written for Grantland and published a second book, I Suck At Girls, which also contains quotes from his dad.Garfield

2. Dan Walsh, Garfield Minus Garfield

Though arguably a little too old to be called a "viral sensation," Garfield Minus Garfield is a brilliant webcomic from Irish technology manager Dan Walsh. By erasing Garfield -- and his clever quips -- from Jim Davis's funnies, Walsh revealed that Jon Arbuckle's misery bordered on total existential ennui without his lasagna-loving feline companion. Jim Davis was a fan of the series, telling the The New York Times, "The more you read of these strips, the funnier it gets."Hyperbole-2

3. Allie Brosh, Hyperbole and a Half

Even if you haven't visited Allie Brosh's blog, Hyperbole and a Half, you've almost definitely seen its bug-eyed protagonist in memes -- "CLEAN ALL THE THINGS!" or through reblogs. Brosh is perhaps best known for an arresting post titled "Adventures in Depression," which spawned an equally moving sequel in May. Her deliberately crude and child-like cartoons have delighted the web since 2009, and earlier this year she translated her signature cynicism and wavy lines into a book deal. Like the webcomic, the graphic memoir intersperses scenes from her childhood with sometimes-dark personal musings and geek-culture gems. T-rex-trying

4. Hugh Murphy, T-rex Trying

With his stubby little arms, cartoonist Hugh Murphy's T-rex struggles with the daily activities we homo sapiens take for granted. T-rex Trying is a collection of minimalist illustrations of the unlucky bipedal carnivore trying (and failing) to climb a tree, eat a lollipop and send text messages, among other things. The book was released in February, but the tyrannosaurus probably can't pick it up. Poor little guy.Dear-girls

5. Charlie McDowell, Dear Girls Above Me

Comedy writer Charlie McDowell is a pretty lucky guy, all things considered. For starters, he's the son of actors Malcolm McDowell and Mary Steenburgen. Then there's the whole book deal thing.
In 2009, after a difficult breakup, McDowell began to hear his vapid new neighbors speaking through the ceiling. As the girls upstairs dated their way through Los Angeles and botched breaking news about "the kids who got trapped in Chile" ("Miners, not minors," McDowell noted), he began to document their exploits on Twitter. Fans of McDowell's 140-character open letters include Mindy Kaling, Jon Heder and Lena Dunham, so hopefully he publishes a sequel called Thanks, Girls Above Me.Feminist-rg

6. Danielle Henderson, Feminist Ryan Gosling

Danielle Henderson already had one book under her belt when she set the Internet on fire with Feminist Ryan Gosling. As a graduate student in gender studies, Henderson turned to Tumblr to vent her academic frustrations, transforming the popular Ryan Gosling "Hey Girl" memes into flashcards for feminist theory.The writing ranges in complexity from the conversational -- "Hey girl, if I had a hammer, I'd smash the patriarchy" -- to the nearly incomprehensible (to non-gender studies students): "Hey girl. Are you saying the standpoint theory could help solidify my argument about the Doctor Who/female companion relationship dynamic as fundamentally problematic with keen feminist undertones?"
The book was published in 2012, and Henderson has since showcased her prosy wit as a recapper for Vulture and an editor at Rookie magazine. Sadly, now that Henderson is working on her PhD, we won't be hearing much more from the Canadian heartthrob. But we'll always have Fuck Yeah Ryan Gosling!Fuck

7. Emma Koenig, F*ck! I'm In My Twenties

As a young, broke twentysomething adrift in New York City, Emma Koenig -- sister of Vampire Weekend's Ezra Koenig -- began posting black-and-white doodles to Tumblr that perfectly encapsulated the exaggerated emotions and perpetual anxiety felt by every millenial awash in existential crises.
Fuck! I'm In My Twenties was a runaway success, leading to a book deal, a sitcom pilot, and a New York Times profile that called the blog "a sweetly dark look at a life stage, something resembling the HBO series Girls, but defanged a bit." Koenig continues to update Fuck! I'm In My Twenties from her new home in Los Angeles, proving that your twenties kind of suck no matter how Internet-famous you become.Adulting

8. Kelly Williams Brown, Adulting

Being an adult isn't much better than being in your twenties, evidently. Fortunately, reporter Kelly Williams Brown demystifies the transition in a series of simple steps on her blog.
Some are gentle affirmations -- "Do not get discouraged. Let your discontent fuel you" -- while others get snarky -- "Never, under any circumstances, begin playing Cookie Clicker." All of them constitute pretty solid advice. So it's no surprise that the book, which was published this spring, was recently optioned by J. J. Abrams to become a sitcom.But-you-like-really-dated

9. Ryan Casey, But You Like Really Dated?

Brooklyn-based author and illustrator Ryan Casey struck gold when he merged his artistic inclinations with a healthy Hollywood obsession and added just a dash of Mean Girls snark. But You're Like Really Pretty offers flawless graphic sendups of everyone from Justin Timberlake to Lorde, with lots of Miley Cyrus in between.
Casey's book, But You Like Really Dated?, pays special attention to the most prurient moments in celebrity culture, cataloguing "Hollyweird's sexual superheroes" as well as the cheaters, womanizers and "sex tape superstars."
Suris-burn-book

10. Allie Hagan, Suri's Burn Book

Proof that Mean Girls-inspired celebrity blogging is entertaining in many, many forms, Suri's Burn Book offers scathing critiques of celebrity offspring's fashion choices in the guise of the ultimate stylish preschooler, Suri Cruise.
And Suri doesn't just have it in for little ones like Penelope Disick or Apple and Moses Martin -- she'll gladly go after celeb spawn several years her senior, like Willow and Jaden Smith and Shiloh Jolie-Pitt.
Allie Hagan, the voice behind Suri's snotty remarks, is a decidedly good-natured policy consultant living in Washington, D.C.; the Burn Book became available in hardcover in the fall of 2012.Dear-photograph

11. Taylor Jones, Dear Photograph

Canadian-born Taylor Jones launched the beautifully nostalgic Dear Photograph in 2011, inviting users to hold up a photograph from the past in the place where it was originally taken and then take a second photograph of that. Those images, which were accompanied by a short dedication beginning "Dear Photograph," were posted to the blog. Thousands of people sent in submissions to supplement Jones's own photographs, and the resulting photo series touchingly illustrates the emotional significance of such mementos. Jones selected 200-plus images for the Dear Photograph book, which was published in May 2012, and he continues to update the blog with new photographs.Shit-rough-drafts

12. Paul Laudiero, Shit Rough Drafts

Comedy writer and Upright Citizens Brigade performer Paul Laudiero created the hilarious Tumblr Shit Rough Drafts, which is devoted to the faux first drafts of such literary and cinematic blockbusters as The Hunger Games, Harry Potter and The Avengers, in February of this year. (Did you know that Frodo uses the One Ring to propose to Sam in the original version of Lord of the Rings: Return of the King? Neither did we.) His first post was a brainstorm of possible titles for The Great Gatsby: Of many strange choices, The Gatsby Gatsby seems to be the winner.
Shit Rough Drafts won Chronicle Books's Great Tumblr Book Search and will be available for purchase in April 2014.

The quickest way to get a book deal might be through social media.
With the help of Twitter and Tumblr, aspiring literary and artistic impresarios now have the world at their keyboards and a digital audience waiting to discover their talents. It's no surprise that in the past few years, publishers have taken note.
25 Literary GIFs for Book Lovers
Earlier this year, Tumblr founder David Karp said that at least 70 users had turned their blogs into book deals, and San Francisco publisher Chronicle Books instituted "The Great Tumblr Book Search" to scour the platform for the very best in creative fare.
Here are a few of our favorite social media success stories. Funny and wise, touching and sassy, these books are well worth a read, or at least a click-through.

9 Clever Comic Artists to Follow on Tumblr

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9 Clever Comic Artists to Follow on TumblrTumblr-comics

Most casual Tumblr users view the site as a veritable goldmine of funny GIFs, memes and pictures of the Supernatural cast. What many don't realize is that Tumblr is also home to an extremely talented community of comic artists.
Tumblr's hassle-free sharing buttons and customizable templates make it a perfect place to start building a website for creative content like comics, and tons of cartoonists and illustrators have taken note.
"At first, I decided to post my comics on Tumblr simply because it was free," Safely Endangered artist Chris McCoy told Mashable. "But the kind messages and words of encouragement from users, and even other artists, are why I still post there."
If you're looking to browse through some great comics, or start one of your own, look no further than our list of great Tumblrs to follow. From the hilariously absurd to the thoughtfully resonating, these comics are some of the best the web has to offer. The images you see below are just a sampling of each comic — we strongly encourage that you view the blogs individually for more laughs.

1. Three Word Phrase

Three Word Phrase
Image: Ryan Pequin Ryan Pequin, a storyboard artist for Cartoon Network's Regular Show, created and maintains this hilarious, offbeat Tumblr comic. His site features Tumblr celebrities like President Bird, and will lead new users to other great artists.

2. Twitter: The Comic

TwitterTheComic
Image: Mike Rosenthal Twitter: The Comic is the artistic brainchild of comedian Mike Rosenthal. Rosenthal takes his content from the weird side of the Twitter tracks, creating hilarious, panelled illustrations from the tweets.

3. For Lack of a Better Comic

For Lack of a Better Comic
Image: Jacob Andrews In describing his creative process, creator Jacob Andrews says that he "haphazardly combines words and pictures until something remotely funny happens." Follow his comic and see that he's doing something right.

4. Zen Pencils

Zen Pencils
Image: Gavin Aung Than Taking famous, inspirational and thought provoking quotes from both history and present day, Zen Pencils creator Gavin Aung Than brings the words to life with extraordinary illustrations. The above image is only a small section of one of his comics, click the link to view Than's work in full.

5. Poorly Drawn Lines

Poorly Drawn Lines
Image: Reza Farazmand Often featuring the antics of cute animals, naive robots and French conservationist Jacques Cousteau, this comic by Reza Farazmand will hold you captive in front of your laptop for hours.

6. Safely Endangered

Safely Endangered
Image: Chris McCoy Pun-filled, simply illustrated and geniously written, Chris McCoy's Safely Endangered is a must follow for all Tumblr users with a sense of humor.

7. Time Trabble

Time Trabble
Image: Michael Heller Parodying the outer edges of pop culture — think the Cheese Nips/ Cheez-Its war — you'll always be able to count on Michael Heller's comic, Time Trabble to deliver darkly hysterical comics to your dashboard.

8. Eat More Bikes

Eat More Bikes
Image: Nathan Bulmer This art blog by Nathan Bulmer, who works on Nickelodeon's cartoon Sanjay and Craig, updates three times a week with irreverent, inventful comics.

9. UP and OUT

Up and Out
Jeremy Kaye, creator of UP and OUT, describes his comic as being "about how weird everything is." His mixture of cute illustrations with dry, dark humor is perfect for the Tumblr community.

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