Holiday Community Collaboration Question: What About Stories Makes You Happy?

The holiday season is upon us, Readers!

I don’t know how December came up so quickly, but here it is, shepherding in all of its warmth and holiday cheer. Whatever holidays you celebrate this season, I’m wishing you wonderful ones.

Since the start of December, I’ve seen many bloggers talking about the 12-days-of-anime challenge that they’re taking on as a festive blogging event, and I thought it would be fun to do a festive-themed blog as well. In celebration of the season, I’m cooking up a Hanukkah special for next week. Keep an eye out for it!

In the meantime, I wanted to celebrate and hear from YOU in another community collaboration project. Earlier this week, I read a thoughtful post from Karandi over on 100 Word Anime. The post discusses the different elements of an anime that makes it enjoyable and brings a smile to their face. Karandi discusses how this is different for everyone, and even shifts based on the genre and what a person is looking for in that moment. If you’re a fan of anime (or just really like stories in general), I recommend checking out the post.

Coincidentally, the sentiment of Karandi’s post also meshes well with this month’s OWLS theme, “warmth”. This month, the OWLS are exploring the pop culture moments that bring joy to each of our hearts as we all gear up for various holidays.

After reading the post and thinking about the OWLS theme, I started imagining all of the different things that people love about the various stories that our vast pop culture offers us. It made me want to hear what makes other people happy when they watch a show, read a comic, or play a game. This sparked this month’s collaboration question:

What is it about a narrative that makes you happy? What do some of your favorite stories– the ones that really make your heart swell– tend to include? Or, what is a story that makes you happy and what about that story (be it a game, comic, anime, or other media) makes you feel that way?

Everyone is welcome and encouraged to answer, even if this is your first time discovering Pop Culture Literary. Participating is easy:

1. You can write your response in a comment on this blogpost.
2. Or, if you want to write a blogpost response on your own blog, be sure to leave the link in the comments instead!
3. If someone else gave the same answer you wanted to write, write it anyway! Your take on the same thoughts will be different than the other person’s and will always add something new to the conversation.

Remember that everyone is invited to participate regardless of length (feel free to write a sentence, five words, a paragraph, or a whole post!), writing level, or other factors that might make someone hesitant to click that ‘submit’ button. The only thing that is not allowed is blatant rudeness or cyberbullying. I know that the anonymity offered by that screen and keyboard empower many to use these digital spaces for harm, but Pop Culture Literary won’t be a channel for your unchecked self to raise its ugly head. Other than that, let loose and have fun!

I very much look forward to hearing from you!