Tips for using LJ
All right, my 40-something tumblr-escaping LJ n00b friends, I've seen people confused by all these things so here's a quick starter list for LJ acclimatisation:
Friends lock
If you friend someone, they will be able to see anything you post publicly or under friends lock. You will also see their public posts on your friends page. Only if they friend you back will their f-locked material appear on your friends page.
Custom lock
You can create posts for a small, tailored group of people only. This also means your friends might be posting some things you can't see.
How to avoid talking into the void
It's not very likely people will stumble across your journal. To meet people, join communities and talk there. Sometimes if you friend someone they'll click over to your journal and investigate, but they probably won't friend you back until you've got a bit of content.
Tagging
Tumblr narrative-style tagging isn't really a thing on LJ, where tagging is more a way of people your own journal in order. Do it if you like but at time of writing it'll mostly advertise that you come from tumblr.
Read More cuts
Use lj-cut to create Read Mores. Type [lj-cut text="Read more under the cut"] - but use pointy instead of square brackets. [/lj-cut] gets you back to typing in the fully visible post. To do the same thing in a comment instead of a post, use lj-spoiler instead of lj-cut.
Anyone got any questions or things I should add? I am frankly shit at all things remotely internet-techy but have managed to din a few LJ procedures into my head by dint of having been a permanent account-holder for 10 years(!) now.
Friends lock
If you friend someone, they will be able to see anything you post publicly or under friends lock. You will also see their public posts on your friends page. Only if they friend you back will their f-locked material appear on your friends page.
Custom lock
You can create posts for a small, tailored group of people only. This also means your friends might be posting some things you can't see.
How to avoid talking into the void
It's not very likely people will stumble across your journal. To meet people, join communities and talk there. Sometimes if you friend someone they'll click over to your journal and investigate, but they probably won't friend you back until you've got a bit of content.
Tagging
Tumblr narrative-style tagging isn't really a thing on LJ, where tagging is more a way of people your own journal in order. Do it if you like but at time of writing it'll mostly advertise that you come from tumblr.
Read More cuts
Use lj-cut to create Read Mores. Type [lj-cut text="Read more under the cut"] - but use pointy instead of square brackets. [/lj-cut] gets you back to typing in the fully visible post. To do the same thing in a comment instead of a post, use lj-spoiler instead of lj-cut.
Anyone got any questions or things I should add? I am frankly shit at all things remotely internet-techy but have managed to din a few LJ procedures into my head by dint of having been a permanent account-holder for 10 years(!) now.