I have finished my training as a news intern for Anime News Network, and my official shift begins later this week! :3
I have decided that I want to share some of the articles I will be writing on this blog. The problem I am having is how to go about this process.
I am not sure if I should include the news articles as single, separate posts, or if I should do a round-up of the articles I’ve written for the week. Another issue I am having is which articles to include. Should I include every article? For example, this article I worked on about 7th Garden probably isn’t relevant to the people who read this blog because it is only referring to the Japanese version of the manga. At the same time, however, it could expose my readers to a new series. Then again… many of the articles I will be writing may not fall into the genre I usually write about in this blog (yuri, slice of life, cute girls doing cute things, etc.), but would sticking to my niche be too constraining? I know that the people who follow me have various interests in anime…
I don’t know! @_@ This is why I need your help!
- What would you prefer to see from this blog?
- Should I include every single article?
- Should they be round-up posts, or single posts?
- Should I stick to a certain genre, or include all kinds of genres?
Please comment below with your ideas.
I may also be a poll on here or on Twitter. I will take your comments into consideration, and I may also try meddling around with these different ideas as time goes on.
Thank you for everyone who leaves a comment, and reads this blog in general! :3
UPDATE! Please scroll down through the comments to see readers’ reactions and the plan I decided to pursue.
Rai's Anime Blog 
Now, I have had no professional blogging experience, but I’d do my best to keep this blog and ANN as separate and distinct as possible, unless it’s a post/news update that truly means something to you. Keeping the two sites distinct will help this blog (and you) maintain your style. It’ll also help avoid burnout from occurring as often (if that’s a problem you frequently face–I know I do). That’s all I got. Congrats on the ANN job, that’s awesome!
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What would you prefer to see from this blog?
-in terms of news it’s a hit and miss for me. if it’s something that’s popular/well-known (or manga) chances are im more inclined to check it out otherwise im pretty meh about it
Should I include every single article?
-maybe include the articles you’re most interested in or the ones you know certain readers will be excited about? i’m not really sure how these news posts will be formatted so not sure @_@ maybe the more obscure stuff can be part of round-ups so that you can include them too
Should they be round-up posts, or single posts?
-maybe a combination. if it’s something that you feel your readers need to read NOW (for deadlines/dates reasons) then do individual posts. if you think it’s nothing too interesting/urgent you could probably just do round ups
Should I stick to a certain genre, or include all kinds of genres?
-maybe you can start off with the genre you specifically work with and work your way out. that way the people that followed you initially get eased into this change
ehhhh thats all i got, sorry xD
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I hope this doesn’t sound like a cowardly answer, but please — just write what you want to write how you want to write it. I don’t want to read what I think I want to read (if that makes sense). I was to experience and understand different perspectives. I want to see how others think and feel about anime. I follow your blog because your perspective attracted my interest. Keep doing you!
Don’t be influenced by my expectations! Follow your instincts. ANN’s a major outlet. They wouldn’t ask you to write for them without reason.
Now, I’m not saying ignore ANN’s guidelines! But for your blog, be you! No one else can do that.
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I’d say maybe do a round up post of all the ones that you’re really proud of and enjoyed writing. You can write a short blurb about each, and link to it. If people want to read your other ones that can scroll through on the ANN page. It’s just so your post won’t be one giant wall of text, but rather ‘here’s 7 fantastic posts I wrote, here’s what they’re about, click to read it + all my other awesome stuff!’ Once again, congrats on the internship, can’t wait to read what you’ve written 🙂
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Rai! Congrats on the internship! That’s awesome! And, as far as what to post here. Takuto has a good point; It’d be good to keep them separate; if you start to integrate you may see your personal blog transform into something that you didn’t mean to intend for. I think sharing something outside your niche here is good once in awhile; but I would stick to the content you post here for here; it’s not constraining. It’s just keeping professional and personal tastes separate. I hope that helps! 🙂
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Does ANN allow you to publish your posts in both the ANN website and your website? I don’t know their policy about this, but maybe check it first so you won’t get in trouble later. In my opinion, I agree with Takuto. I think it’s best to keep ANN and your blog separate. Of course, you can post here that you have published an article on ANN and please check it out there by linking, etc. But if you choose to publish your ANN articles in this blog, I think it depends on how many articles and how frequent you publish them on ANN. If they’re only few and between, then separate posts are good. But if they’re many and frequent, then a round-up would be a better idea because your readers wouldn’t be too bogged down. I think that the problem of publishing your ANN posts here is that your website might be indexed negatively by search engines as copycat website of ANN or something along this lines. Ultimately, it’s your own decision. And by the way, big congrats on your ANN job. Way to go, Rai! Cheers!
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*Should I include every single article?*
Yes, if they’re articles. By that, I mean actual original content as opposed to press releases/blurbs like the one you linked to. Not that there’s anything wrong with press releases/blurbs! I read the heck out of them on ANN, they just don’t fit well in a blogging format IMO.
On the other hand, if the press release/blurb moves you to write something longer form here, then it certainly should be linked. I.E. “I worked _this article_ on Schoolgirls Save the World, which lead me to me think of Childhood Friends Save the Whales. .”.
*Should they be round-up posts, or single posts?*
Yes, it depends. Generally a weekly round-up sounds like a good idea, with short blurbs about what you’re linking to. But if the article is of time value or moves you to write (here) more than a paragraph or two, then single post. (A paragraph or two shades closer to a blurb than a post from my first-cup-of-coffee POV.)
I think I could usefully summarize these first two answers as: I come here for your thoughts, views, and experiences, and I suspect other people do too. Links without content are pretty sterile and not very attractive. A surfeit of short posts (as opposed to a roundup of short bits) are annoying. Flipping to the other side of the screen, as a blogger I’m always looking for springboards and inspiration… and if ANN was going to give *me* a steady stream of those, I’d take the money and run.
*Should I stick to a certain genre, or include all kinds of genres?*
Honestly, a hard one to answer. It’s your blog, and your call as to what you want it’s flavor to be.
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Something about your markup setting and my writing style clashes… that second paragraph should read:
“On the other hand, if the press release/blurb moves you to write something longer form here, then it certainly should be linked. I.E. “I worked _this article_ on Schoolgirls Save the World, which lead me to me think of Childhood Friends Save the Whales. . (more stuff, a line or two, a paragraph or two about CFStW or comparison or contrast or whatever).”
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Thank you so much for all your thoughtful comments! I am going to give a big massive comment that replies to all of your ideas.
Firstly, as Arria asked, I am allowed to post links to my articles on here; I am not allowed to post anything verbatim. With that in mind, I agree with everyone who suggested doing round-up posts. I feel like it may be silly to post a bunch of single posts that only have a couple words and a link. I agree with Derek who said just a link wouldn’t be attractive. At least with a round-up post, I can provide more content and also include summaries or personal thoughts/reactions. Maybe I will do a single post if it is something that I feel is really important or has a deadline (like Crimson said), or if it something I have a lot to say about.
I also think mindlessly posting single articles and links would make my personal writing and my ANN writing clash, which I don’t want to happen. I am grateful that I am able to write for ANN, but their writing style is strictly “news style” and differs greatly from my own personal voice. Not to sound conceited, but I really like my personal style and the way I write. If I do a round-up post with some of my personal thoughts, I will be using my own unique style while sharing information with readers. That way I can combine my two writing ventures, but also keep then separate, as Takuto suggested. Also in terms of keeping them separate, I like what Stephanie said about people being able to scroll through my work separately on ANN, but ANN doesn’t have bylines in the news section and there is no way to specifically search for an author D:
As for what Heyitsel said, I think it is a good idea to start out with my niche and then maybe expand. There are anime that I like that fall into other genres so maybe I will include them, but overall I mostly watch stuff with cute girls, haha. I guess I will wait and see what kind of material I am given. For example, the other day, I wrote about the Power Rangers, which is something I am not really interested in, and really has nothing to do with this blog ^^;
I’ll also take what Derek said about press releases and blurbs into consideration. I don’t want to link a bunch of them that really don’t offer a lot of information, or aren’t really relevant to my blog or readers. I feel like I will definitely include press releases less often, unless it is something I am really interested in. (For example, one recent press release was about the art director of Angel Beats! and Charlotte releasing a new art book, which I am excited about).
And to Terranceacrow, thank you for encouraging me to be myself and writing what I want to write! That makes me really happy :3
So overall, here is my current plan:
I will do mostly round-ups posts, unless there is a single article I am very excited about or has some kind of deadline. I will only include articles that I find interesting (which will probably be all about cute girls, but I will include other stuff I am interested in as well). I am not sure how often these round-ups will be. It depends on what articles I write. Maybe they will be weekly or monthly. Or maybe longer. I won’t know until I start actually writing the content.
THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR EVERYONE WHO COMMENTED! Now I have a set plan, which gives me less anxiety. And again, thank you for encouraging me to be myself, and supporting this blog! :3
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It seems like a good plan and congratulations!
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Glad you have a plan now! It’s pretty much what I would have suggested.
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It always feels good to have a plan!
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