OK, this should really go without saying but just to be say you should know that this post is purely for comedic purposes. I’m just poking a bit of fun at the community because I love it so much! Most of us fall into several or all of these types and some of us change from post to post. For giggles though, I tried to figure out which combinations of traits come up the most often. Play along! See if you can recognize yourself or anyone in any of these:
The FreshFaced
This is our little baby bloggers. They’ve been around for a few months and are still super excited about EVERYTHING! They jump on tags, they want to try out new things. All the new things. They have lofty goals for their blog! We love them.
Whatever these bloggers may lack in experience they more than make up for in enthusiasm. And whenever we get a new active member it gives all of us a shot in the arm. It’s such a thrill to discover a new friend to share some interests with and revitalizes the community. Sadly, only the most precious ones can stay Freshfaced forever, the rest of us eventually see that newfound wonder dull a little. That’s ok though – we have other qualities!
The Senpai
For instance, we have wisdom! Ok You guys have wisdom! The senpais are the mentors of our community. Those are who we turn to for inspiration. Those who are always there to answer our questions or guide us along the way.
These are blogs that have hung in there and have seen it all. They’ve forgotten more about blogging than you will ever know! Thankfully, they also remember some of it. Some of these blogs are impressive just by virtue of having existed for so long. I have had the frequent heartache of discovering a new blog through an absolutely wonderful post only to see they haven’t published anything in years (DomShiki come back!) So when someone’s been around since 2013 I can’t help but to be impressed. You should be too. They know what they’re doing!
The Community planner
What would we do without our industrious outreach team. You know those wonderful people that make everybody feel welcome. That go out of their way to make smaller blogs known or help form connections throughout the community.
They are the seemingly tireless folks that comment on 50 posts a day (minimum). That take time out of their busy schedules to help form bonds between the members of our little aniblogging world. They are the glue that holds us together. And whenever we loose one, it’s very hard not to notice.
The Joiner
These bloggers are always up for a project. They may not be the types to start something, but they’ll take part, happily. These guys answer every tag, devote themselves to every writing project and happily participate in bloggers groups whenever they can.
They publish response posts to further conversations they are interested in. They often have an extensive archive and are happy to relate their own posts whenever pertinent. These are the guys that keep projects alive. The ones that make sure something’s always going on. Without them, life would sure be quiet and probably a little dull.
The Professional
I actually split these into two:
The Aspiring Writer. These writers use their blogs in hopes of parlaying it into some type of career. They talk about said aspirations a lot and really dedicate themselves to the blog like it was a job. Because they hope it will become one someday. Some of them may in fact try to monetize their blogs in some way but ultimately, the point is to either turn the blog into a steady source of income or get a job as a writer on a professional blog.And you can tell by the high quality of the posts and rigid schedules they manage to stick to.
The Essayist. These bloggers may not in fact be trying to break into writing (some of them are already successful writers) but they still insist on a professional approach to blogging. They try to give measured, balanced reviews with a generally objective tone. They favor researched or analytical posts. They cite their sources. These are posts that are worthy of collegial thesis!
We admire and are a little intimidated by these bloggers but we know who to turn to when we want posts with substance!
Honorable mention : The Clueless
These are bloggers that seem impervious to learning. No matter how long they do this, they still make the same mistakes or seem to forget previously acquired skills. They know some of their shortcomings, and continuously apologize for them but still make the same mistakes over and over again.
Their posts are just riddled with typos and grammatical mistakes…
But you still love them…right? Right, guys?
So what do you think, did I forget anyone? Probably. Are you any of these types? Maybe you have a super special unique type!
I guess I’m between the Essayist and the Aspiring writer. Is it bad that I didn’t even realize ‘aniblogger’ was an actual term until just now? I feel like I’ve walked into a whole new world lol
I learned it supper recently myself (up until last year I thought seasonal anime was holiday themed….)
I’ve no idea what category I’d fit into! I was blogging pretty regularly for about a year and a half five odd years ago, but then I dropped off the face of the Earth. I’m now trying to get back into writing and the blogging community, except I don’t know anybody, not well enough to strong-arm my way into projects, anyway! X D
Oh? I’m sure that will change quickly. People are so sweet around here
aniblogger tropes! I wouldn’t even dare to refer to myself as a blogger any more, let alone an anime blogger. I am a writer, though. I’ve just got a serious case of MEH lately 😛 So I’m glad you are here to entertain me!
It is what I’m here for!
Hahaha this was fun, I think I am in the “fresh-faced” category for now lol
It’s a great place to be!!!! Try to stay there if you can!
7. The Plyasm
Procrastinate so much even you yourself forget you have a blog to run.
ohhh that sounds very Zen like. Put the material world out of your mind and all that
Essayist…Ooh, you got me 🙂
I love this stuff that’s meta…blogging on bloggers. Perfect! Thanks.
I love essayists – there aren’t many. It’s a though role
Ohhh Senpai… I think I’m just clueless XD. Half of the time I just improvise English and the other half I try to use grammarly… (I’m clueless in general life too.)
Everyone jumped on my clueless one….
That is a good question. Where do we fit on this?
Well do feel free to find your own tye. Lazy seems popular alternative in the comments so far…
Others have beaten me to it but I guess I’m also a Clueless Senpai since I’ve been doing this for 8 years (6 on my own blog) yet I get less hits and views than everyone else. :-/
how do you know? Also wow 8 years!!! That’s awesome
Fresh-faced essayist, reporting for duty! ^_^
ho HO – Looking forward to reading your work! We expect GREAT things!
My first post is almost ready – I hope I’ll deliver!
I’m sure you will
If it’s possible to be a Clueless Senpai, I think that’s what I am. The blog’s been around since 2013 so I think that makes me a senpai in technical terms, but in reality… yeah, I never claim to actually know what I’m doing and probably never will.
Sounds like the best possible version of the mentor…not too practical though
Is it possible to be a stealth senpai, but fresh-faced by blog standards only? Otherwise, I definitely fall into the Joiner category (although I always thought of it as “third-wheeling” or whatever applicable equivalent there is)…plus there’s the occasional post that falls into the Essayist subcategory.
Definitely had the same idea as Arthifis in that certain bloggers popped into my head when I was reading…although different people have different perspectives of bloggers/themselves, as these comments can attest.
You can e whatever you like! That’s the fun of it all. And you can be something different tomorrow!
So many blogs are dusty husks…
Poor things never stood a chance 🙁
Most annibloggers are just phantom traces of light that we are just seeing for the first time… but have burned out millennia ago…
A TRAGEDY REALLY!
But yea all these different styles keep it fresh… we come for the eccentricities but we STAY for the entertainment, the one common thread through all these different crap sandwiches.
Here here! To all the bloggers who put in the time, and keep me entertained!
You say that like dusty husks are a bad thing…
I love the post, and these comments are just as awesome! Frankebloggers, LOL!!
This has been a fun ride!
I think I am a clueless essayist.
Seems like you just described my experience in acaemia
Aww… What about us comedic bloggers like my? XD
YES!!! Someone think’ I’m funny…oh wait… soul crushed….
Nice post! I don’t think I’m any of them unless I pick and choose bits from here and there lol 😂 I feel like a lazy blogger really lol
You are not a laz blogger for sure! If I had to pick I would say lovely – you’re a lovely blogger
Awh you’re too kind! I’ll try and live up to that! 😊
Well…one thing I know: you totally fall in the category of Senpai: because really everyone looks up to you (Myself Included) Me? Clueless… still make way too many mistakes 😂😂
The Aspiring writer seems like mine, with a bit of Fresh Faced still mixed in there. Although social anxiety prevents me from joining in on other projects as much as I’d like to.
I hope that gets better. Some are a lot of fun!
I think I’m a bit of the clueless one and a bit of the newbie (even though it’s nearly a year)
it always feels new doesn’t it
Yeah, that’s true
I think I might be a clueless fresh faced professional, you know. I mean, I get excited a lot, i’m pretty clueless, and i’m trying to make money with my writing. I’ve been around sicne 2015 though so, give it antoehr couple fo years and I can add senpai too :p
Nice! It’s good to diversify
I like to think so. Either that or i’m jsut scatter-brained and prone to spreading myself thin.
definitely the first thing…
This overview is so accurate haha. I’d definitely label myself under “clueless” trying to be one type of “professional” one day with a hint of “fresh faced”. Embarrassing but that isn’t to say I’m not happy with a number of things I’ve done for my blog and it helps a ton that this community is so nice.
I’m definitely clueless but it doesn’t bother me. Somehow I always manage to do my best when I have no idea what I’m doing.
I added clueless as an afterthought to have something to describe me and now everyone wants in on that one.
We us clueless kids need to stick together!
Clueless people UNITE!
I don’t know where I slot, probably the clueless. I’m still a casual anime fan though so I’m surprised my attempts at writing about anything outside of the mainstream stuff doesn’t get me laughed out the door.
People around here are NICE! Like super nice. I use to feel the exact same way but everytime I think I’m going to get schooled – everyone is so supportive.
i really dont feel like any of these. i feel like i have aspects of some, but i dont fall into any real category.
honestly, i feel like fresh-faced/senpai and community planner/joiner are just two sides of the same coin. the clueless is probably my favorite in this list…few people come to mind
Well you’re clearly a Marth type. There was never any quesiton there…
head case…got it
If I might suggest another category: the Redundant! Those of us who keep looking backwards even while reviewing current shows, constantly rediscovering–and commenting upon–observations already made ages ago. But, hey, it’s still new to us! (If this embarrasses you, then you’re not a true Redundant!)
Ohhh good one! »Let’s see if we can market it a bit more positively: The traditionalist???
You forgot the best group… The drinkers.
I said we write… I figured it was implied!
While I was reading your post people just popped in my head ahah
I was going to say that I would fall inside the “professional” one, but then you lost me with the “And you can tell by the high quality of the posts” 😂😂😂 So… I’ll just stick with the clueless! 😀
For you thought, as you already know, I see you as a senpai. I know that you are not blogging for that much time as since 2013, but with your writing is what it seems! In fact, when you wrote about your blogniversary I thought to myself “WHAT? She’s only here for a year?” LOLOL
see I actually added in that clueless cathegory just for me….
I want to say I’m still freshfaced, but I got into essayist real quick.
I’m looking forward to reading your research posts – we don’t have enough. I know they take forever to write though…
So when someone’s been around since 2013 I can’t help but to be impressed.
I guess – where does it put people like me and Justin Sevakis, who don’t really blog per se, but yeah, who *write*, but who’ve been around the anime scene since – oh, 2000 or so x_X;;;
Super impressed?
At least I am. And I like to think that’s what matters…
I feel like I’m a combo of a lot of these things.
You are the best of every type
Oh stop it you. You’re embarrassing me again. How after you do good at that?
*how are you so good at that. See I can’t even type.
You know you’re awesome too, right? Maybe clueless, but not always.
I love this!
Ha ha, I feel like I defeated myself.
This was fun and perfectly encapsulates just about everyone!
BUT.
You missed “the lazy blogger”: These bloggers never write enough posts because they’re lazy and procrastinate. There’s only one (me).
Hey.
Me too, dude.
Pffth I say – you are fake lazy
I AM lazy.
I haven’t written in like 3 weeks m8
But thanks! 😛
Yeah that’s true.. You got nothing going on in your life atm….
Though I don’t blog anime, I do like the style and enjoy your posts about it. For me, I fall somewhere in the clueless block sometimes, other times in the joiners…for now anyway 🙂 Nice post!
Clueless joiners sound like the most fun!!!
LOL! Thanks 🙂
I imagine pretty much all of these are true for most blogging subcommunities beyond just anime! 🙂
I live in a tiny world…
Nothing wrong with that. Often preferable in my experience!
It’s more convinient really. I can’t see past the first shelf anyways
HA! Nice. Are we allowed to cherrypick parts from different ones to apply to ourselves? I haven’t the faintest idea where I’d put myself or EvilBob XD
Of course!! Frankenbloggers are the best!