Meta and Non-Meta Interaction over Blogs
I just want to highlight a few things, let’s lay them about and hit them one by one:
- The Anime Blog Tournament
- The differences in relational styles between blogs, bloggers, and their audience
- The point to the thing
- Overview of this blog for new visitors
- An invitation to game
The Anime Blog Tournament is run by some bloggers who are interested in stirring up things, good or bad. It’s probably something meaningful and fun for them, and for many of their readers, friends, and others who may not be meaningfully related to the organizers. The affected blogs also probably enjoy the exercise at least to some extent, barring either philosophical or personal differences, or the stuff I’ll talk about later–the differences between how people relate to each other over a blog.
This is relevant in two ways. One is that bloggers run the tourney. The issues of self-interests in a tournament (presumably to be a fair contest…more just a hopeful assumption) aside, the fact that such a contest exists and the format the event formulates reflect one mode how people relate to each other over blogs. These organizers are not just any bloggers, either, as they have some clout over both their fellow readers and authors of other blogs, and also members in this online community of blogs and readers.
To see what I mean, popular web comic XKCD recently ran a strip about blogging, which framed the quality of a blog as a relationship. It is as if an anonymous crowd that makes up the audience is forced to choose between watching two different bands at a music fest with two stages, as a way to think about the Aniblog Tourney.
I think a music fest is a better analogy than race car driving. I mean, after all, the purpose is not to win; winning is good and losing is bad, but there’s little to no objective merit to any of this crap given the goals the Aniblog Tourney, the way it is organized, and what is actually happening. Even if you win, what does that mean anyways? I’m not sure it is bad to lose! I think we all can agree on its flaws.
The XKCD strip also has some red herrings that signifies elements of a blogger-reader relationships but are not the focus; for example, the stage. Stages are unique because it is a signifier, an exclusive one-to-many mapping; but online, every blog is a stage, a soapbox if you will, and we all got our own. It makes no sense to dwell on the elitist aspect of blogging (and authorship in general). Anyone can build a stage. And likewise, everyone is the audience.
There is a third way in which the Aniblog Tourney is relevant to this overall discussion, and that it is an event where different styles of relationships between blogger and reader come into light. It isn’t hard to observe this in nature, as long as you keep that perspective when you browse a blog; but when you put two side by side it can be bloody obvious. Some blogs are not too different from a side show (complete with videos of freakish behavior), others are like a roll of ticker tape coming off the telegraph.
Some blogs to check out for this includes Colony Drop, We Remember Love, Star Crossed, 2D Teleidoscope, Chaos Tangent’s anime reviews, Tenka Seiha, Ani-Gamers, and Ogiue Maniax. I think you’ll find them fairly exemplary in terms of the mode of relationship and vision they foster within their readership, but that’s just a slice of all the good blogs over at the tournament and I’m sure there are others just like these. Like Digitalboy’s blog.
I think if you’ve visited their blogs and looked at their approaches to blogging, you should have some idea how apple or how orange this whole exercise is.
After all it is pretty easy and simple to make a blog; it’s one compelling reasons to the proliferation of blogs. It’s a fundamental sort of activity people do on the web. As such, one of the overarching principle I recognize about online social crap as a rule is that people are varied, and people’s behaviors are multi-motivational. There may be zero, one or more reasons why anyone does anything online, let alone blogging. The point of blogs is basically what you make of it; this is part of the reason why a democratic, battle-of-the-bands style contest make sense to accommodate that notion. After all, different bands operate differently with different goals; who am I to say one band or one blog is better than another?
However, I am definitely the one to say how a blog’s relationship with me can be improved. It just happens that often times what one speaks for him or herself may be the same as what others would on the same issue, for the same blog. Or in this case, parallel issues shared between similar individuals and one common entity. There is a personal yet general aspect to running a blog, we all know that.
Without going into the details, such as how to write with what voice with what content and how to comment or not or market or design your blog, let’s just say that the reader has just as much control as the bloggers do. It’s not obvious as to how this works, but few people blog on into the abyss (not even me). Even those who do not listen or care for their readers, a blog is a medium to relate the reader and the blogger, so both sides will have a say. A contest like the Aniblog Tourney is one overt mode of that happening.
In retrospect, well, what the hell is this blog for? I have little to say to new readers besides I hope you find something interesting. Probably because if you’re the type to find my blog interesting, we can probably be friends! Originally I set out to just write what’s on my mind after putting it through an anime-related filter, so it’s a good way to nitpick my brain (especially my earlier posts). I don’t write for an audience beyond the vacuum sounding board that happens to find anything I say worth commenting on. That said, I like introspection, so here’s an overview to my blog. It might be best to give you a timeline, and if you’ve made it this far in this post, you can probably stomach my crap writing. So, just a chart (see above).
A look at my archive page details my earliest post from 2006, and with some analysis, you can tell my posting trend peak over the holidays and over the summer. Summer peaks because I hit the summer cons, and I write about them (they tend to take up a big chunk of my thought time). I also bandwagon with some blogger traditions, such as annual recap type posts and lists-of-twelves, and those aggregate during the holidays. The rest of the time, this blog drifts like my mind does, logging the highs and lows on waves of anime and its related ilk. I am not big on manga; I am bigger about galge and its ilk. Even bigger, I eat up the likes of these blogs (also in the Tourney). I also like to armchair QB some industry stuff, and that feeds into the press-y type things I occasionally do. Over time the stuff I write has changed somewhat, but that’s for you to find out how (and for me to … find out too).
If you must read just a handful, out of the 700+ posts I’ve written, it’s best to just go to my archive pages and hit the biggest fonts in the tag/category cloud. The large-font franchises tend to be about shows I really like, and I’m much more inspired person when I talk about things I really like. If you really must read only one, then forget everything I’ve said and just read about Hiromi’s Great Feat of Strength, because even to this day, it fascinates me to no end, and I get to talk about more than just two of my favorite things (such as totally being not serious). If you can read another, some lycopene might be appropriate. This is yet another. And a fourth. It’s like, slices of my blog.
Well, enough pandering. Time to have some fun.
Here’s the deal. Head off to the Aniblog Tournament site and check out the contestants, and vote however you want. If at the end of the voting period my blog wins, a random commenter on this blog post (make sure you leave a comment with a valid email address so I can contact you if you win) will win a prize. You can choose from one of the following:
- That Strike Witches doujinshi
- A copy of Persona 4, North American PS2 version
- Kanon (2002) R2 DVD volumes 1-3
It’s likely that if the gaming operation is successful, I’ll do this again, with more loot choices and targeting another blog-contestant to game. Or some entirely different objective. What defines as success, well, that is probably something I have to figure out after the fact.
The finer points of this contest are straightforward–this game is not something you need to buy in (not like you could), and this game may terminate at any time especially if there’s a good reason to, such as the abuse (as I see it) of this blog, the Aniblog Tourney poll or another blog in participation of it. I’ll use some kind of random number generator to pick out who wins, after assigning a number to every valid entry. Winners without a shipping address in continental US will most likely have to pay shipping (we can discuss this later) and those who are in the continental US will most likely not have to pay shipping. If you’re awfully underage I hope you have your legal guardian’s consent. Lastly, if the initial selected winners forfeit or cannot pick up the prize due for whatever reason, I’ll pick a new winner in the same way as I picked the initial winner. If you want to comment and not participate, just say so.
I hope you have a field day with this stuff. The giveaway game is over when the poll is over, so I’ll be checking timestamps on the comments. But for now, please enjoy yourselves.
So, you are bribing the visitors? XD
Much like your posting is sporadic and covers random topics, I find that reading you is also done randomly, for me. Sometimes I’ll get halfway through a post and then quit. I have no idea why.
I’m bribing visitors indeed–but to what end is to be determined.
I think what you have described is perfectly acceptable and I encourage people to stop or start reading however they like.
what one speaks for him or herself may (or may) not be the same as what others would on the same issue
Why does it seem this has a tendency to form barriers? lol
I think I introduced a typo there. Fixed.
I’ll respectfully opt out of the prize pool (really, the postage would be awful, and I couldn’t do that to you). But that doesn’t mean I don’t want to comment and praise you for a very intriguing meta-entry. Thumbs up!
I’ve never seen such blatant underhandedness! XD Well, consider me bribed~
Enjoyed the article, the blogger-reader perspective was nice to think about, but I can’t really contribute anything with my inexperience xD
Obviously, I must be leaving a comment for the sake of free goodies /o/
I won’t fall for your ploys, omo!
I bit into that armpits image instead– curses!
You bastard! how do I compete with prizes?!
I think hanging around us has a corrupting influence for you schneider.
@2DT: It’s not that expensive. Granted it might make no sense to mail you things I had to import from Japan, but lol I appreciate your comments.
I’ve questioned Scamp about the real deal with this tourney. Apparently they chose the blog at random and that’s it. Where’s the credibility in that. This tourney is nothing more than a popularity contest
@digitalboy:
You compete by doing what you do best. If I raise my game and you can call it, everyone goes home a winner. It obviously does not have to be the same thing.
As an aside, I’ve been planning a giveaway for my blog for some time (years?) but I’ve never had an opportunity to do it until now.
@kluxorious:
Democracy is largely a popularity contest, that is easy to say. But a nuanced approach will reveal the interesting, and perhaps important, information. It does nobody any good to just say “it’s a popularity contest.” It only become a waste of time and effort if we do not make something of it.
I voted for you without knowing about the prize. I am not in the states and I’m not giving out my address so my vote is for free ;P
It was nice reading you. The amount of crap you’ve been dishing out lately is just too much for me to swallow.
I appreciate the feedback, although it is a little vague.
This is mostly a bribe for comments, surely? Oh, I suppose there’s the “if I win…” element, but, mostly it’s comments.
I have to admit that I find it a bit discouraging to put out a post and have no one comment on it — did anyone read it? Was it boring? Interesting?
For your posts, I’m a bit like mefloraine — something about your prose often causes me to eventually lose the thread if I start at the beginning (the famous Omo crypticness mixed with popular-culture allusions I’m not familiar with). Sometimes I read the posts backwards, instead. Or pick and choose paragraphs.
And you’re right. TheBigN should blog more.
dm, you don’t mean that ani-nouto page-stealer, do you? How do you comment on 2 sentences?
Also, when I read omo’s posts, I take about 4 or 5 tries. First I read a couple of the introductory paragraphs and get lost. Then I read the part at the end that might actually explain something, then I go back and try to read the post again, and, failing that, then take on the middle section, and then finally read it all together. Possibly skipping sentences that I realize actually have no meaning.
Even so, the two of you, dm and digitalboy, have a leg up compared to some, as you are familiar with my style from elsewhere. I realize I can be really opaque in the long prose form, and it seems my editing skills have atrophied over the years, rather than improved. Or rather, I don’t put enough effort in it.
The objective of the bribe, on the other hand, is multi-layered and it develops over time. Bribing for comments makes some sense, and I didn’t really think about it that way. I guess that is a side benefit.
Hm. It’s too bad it’ll be hard to set up some sort of control to see if your ‘bribe’ would sway votes for / against your favor. Even if you don’t explicitly tell people to vote for you, it makes me wonder.
Of course, I’m here because of the irresistible possibility of Kanon.
Ah, being here makes me wonder about how I’ve fallen prey to Twitter, The Moe Which Is Killing Anime Blogging. I hardly ever visit blogs anymore, even if I do enjoy talking with all their hosts through other channels.
Well I hope you win some.
RAH RAH FIGHT THE POWAH.
(db: no, I meant no comments on posts in general, though I guess my Clannad post did eventually stir up some discussion. And db’s strategy to Omoskepsis is a strategy I use a lot, too.)
I dare you to link to DS.
http://daijoubudesuyo.com/ this?
I should use this sly method of garnering votes under the pretense of unloading some singles that I don’t really listen to anymore…
Bribery! I will for sure participate in the poll. I like both you and digi, so I’ll have to carefully think about my vote though.
Anyways, I’m still not sure what effects the tourney will ultimately have on blogs and readers.
Ever since I noted the existence of the tourney, I’ve been wondering what was up; it seemed to me like just another version of the Anime Blog Awards.
I definitely agree, though — something like this tourney is a pretty good catalyst for feedback on both sides. I’ve been seeing it most with calaggie’s Twitter, although I’m sure there’s more going on in the background (such as with other blogs) than I’m aware of.
Speaking of which — as far as I’m concerned (at least), your writing isn’t crap. Apart from the occasional grammatical mistake, I generally enjoy your posts, even though from time to time I read posts in which I’m not too familiar with the mentioned work.
@Spiritsnare
Actually the tourney idea orignally began through a discussion on twitter as to why the ABA’s didn’t really work. I was a dew eyed newbie when that was going on so I’d like to see if someone who was around during the ABA’s compares the effectiveness of the two when this tourney ends
@Scamp
It’s good to see that you try. I hope you make the lessons you’ve learned available to all!
dm: et tu, Brute?
Sad thing is that I have P4 and the doujin copy already, so it would just be 2002 Kanon then. :P
balls to the walls for the lols!
But seriously, I stumbled on you when you were like the only person I could find blogging Xam’d. And uhh yeah. At times i tend to ignore some of the industry stuff mainly because all the statistics and economics sort of go over my head. Though this is one of the blogs that has helped give me a clear picture on how the market for anime actually works, so I appreciate that. I like your random posts about w/e is airing nutbladder type stuff. I unfortunately also have to skip a fair amount of the moe-centric posts having not seen Hidasketch or Manabi Straight. Good luck in the tourney brah
Oh you, Trying to meta-fy the spirit of blogging.
Blogging is already meta. I blog not because I want to blog, but because blogging is an outlet for what I want to do? Then you got this contest thingy about blogging. So.
I find this post interesting, and most of the points are on the spot. Thank you for the link to Chaos Tangent’s blogpost, as that was quite interesting to read…
I definitely agree that there’s a relationship between blogger and reader. I made quite a point of it in my two posts on how to get your blog started (How to build the blog, and what to do after).
And it’s not surprising emotions flare up, and fights over nothing happen, and that things do not compare the quality of the blogs but more their relations to the author… in the end, a blog is a personal thing, and this ALL revolves around people, the content is secondary.
The real point of the xkcd is very similar: Content is far less important than inter-personal relations.
I would have liked to be on the Aniblog Tourney, even if just the first round, just for some new and fresh readers, especially as I’m kicking my blog back into gear again. But in the end, it might be diminishing returns after the first two rounds, as getting your blog mentioned again is less important than the first time, and because… well, if the most popular blog wins, then the most popular blog will be showcased the most times, through the most rounds… but it’s the one that needs it the least, as it’s already the most famous.
Yeah, in a way, the blogs that lose are the ones who need to be linked to more, rather than less.
I am totally not commenting because I don’t have Persona 4 and I’m too lazy to buy it!
Actually, this post is a fairly good summary of why a person should or shouldn’t read your blog. Some paragraphs are confusing and I’m not entirely sure of what your point is, but you got me thinking. I’ve found that most of your posts have that effect. It’s fun. At least, it’s much better than a tl;dr in which you can see the obvious conclusion from a mile away, which is sadly what I write most of the time.
By the way, that True Tears post was great. It says so much about the show in the most subtle, seemingly unintentional way. You do that a lot, I think, and I like it. I might try to go through your archives this summer if I feel up to it.
I read your blog :p maybe not closely but it’s pretty solid.
I didn’t need bribery for you to get my vote, mentioning my favorite web comic XKCD is enough to convince me (though writing posts I like to read helps too).
@Guy: I don’t know about the content thing. It’s a cute trollish thing to raise as XKCD did. Relationships are a whole different thing than “successful blogging” in such that words like “more important” don’t always make perfect sense. It’s like asking is life more important than freedom. It really depends on the individual, right? In as such, content has its place, if only that it will be a large component of “a successful blog” (as an application in working a relationship). To me, it’s just a different paradigm, yet the same BS.
True that the very existence of the AniBlog Tourney is questionable, but can’t it be that we just want to see how much love we can give to the blogs that stand today? I mean, that reason alone is questionable, but…
[...] (and authorship in general). Anyone can build a stage. And likewise, everyone is the audience. – omo (5/21/2010) Anyone can build a stage, yes. What kind of stage, that’s not for me to answer. Blogging [...]
The saying goes: the road to hell is paved with good intentions.
I just got back into blogging about the time that this tourney thing started. I’m not one for politics, so I just tend to stay out of it. Relationships with readers is part of what blogging is all about, but at the same time, the content is what brings the readers in. When I first blogged long ago, it was a struggle to be different, now that I’ve started over, it’s about what I want to write, no more, no less. If people read…fine, if they don’t, my life still goes on. It’s too early to see what kind of relationships my blog will foster.
Since I don’t vote in the tourney, you can opt me out of the contest as well.
OK! It’s always fun to see what something turns out that you don’t have full control over. Especially when it works.
Good game guys!