Sometimes I worry a little that we may be a dying breed. Anime bloggers that is. Didn’t mean to scare you! So many anime bloggers seem to disappear or occasionally diversify beyond anime and gradually stop talking about anime all together. It’s part of the game, people move on.
Thankfully, we have talented new blood to take over whenever we start to dwindle down too much. However, I still really admire the dedication of those bloggers who were around before I started and still post regularly. And I have been noticing certain points a lot of them seem to have in common.
Here are my completely unscientific observations of 5 habits long term anime bloggers seem to share.
5) They stick to some sort of pattern
Whether it’s a loose schedule or niche content type, most (although not all) bloggers that I have been following for multiple years tend to stick to some type of pattern.
I can relate to this personally as a structure posting schedule is one of the only things that has really kept me on track. But it doesn’t have to be a schedule per see. Maybe they have rituals they do every year, like the 12 days of blogmas, or they always make sure to read and comment on fellow blogger posts on weekends or they make it a point to always post when the discover a new anime that features competitive rowing…Whatever it may be, it’s a simple, easy to comply with reason to come back to the blog!
4) They have a sense of community
Maybe they are involved with other bloggers or blogger groups. Maybe they are vocal in the community, commenting often in others’ posts and keeping up with what everyone is doing. Sometimes they really do look beyond their own blogs much but they have a faithful following they can exchange with. Whatever the case may be, most long term bloggers I know aren’t line wolves. They’re..playful pandas?
3) They’re flexible
Although some structure may be helpful, if one makes it too strict, it can end up being stifling instead. The bloggers that have been around for a while also seem to not be afraid to adjust when something is no longer working for them. Even if that means completely altering their blogs’ concepts.
I have noticed a few times that bloggers who dedicate themselves to something very specific seem to run out of breath much quicker. I don’t know if it’s because they run out of material or because once their tastes shift their interest wanes. Similarly, imposing too gruelling a schedule on yourself will likely burn you out, especially if your circumstances changes!
2) They balance their ego!
This is an odd one. I’m not in fact talking about a blogger’s actual ego, I have no way to know that, but more what they project. For some reason, I’ve noticed that bloggers who seem very proud of their blogs and vocal about their achievements don’t last that long. There are exceptions here and there but it happens a lot. And I always notice because they are so vocal that it’s obvious when they’re not there. I have zero clue if there is any actual relationship between bragging and longevity. My uneducated guess is that if they truly feel they are better than other bloggers it may get frustrating to not receive the admiration they feel they deserve, but that’s wild speculation.
On the other hand, bloggers that project unusually low self-esteem seem to do a little better but not much. I know my writing skills are suspect. I have never studied in English and I wasn’t particularly gifted in the languages I studied in either. I often lampshade my failings in that regard as a way to make fun of myself and boost my morale. But even that has occasionally worried my readers. And there are bloggers however that never give themselves a break! It’s honestly a little troubling to read. I wish we could leave hugs as well as likes.
So the bloggers that stuck around give the impression of falling somewhere in the middle. Proud of themselves and their blogs but not believe they are above others and humble enough to think they can still improve. This point got way too long… Sorry.
1) They watch anime
I did mention this list was about Anime bloggers. One thing I often hear from bloggers and read in posts is that people have just stopped watching anime. Either for lack of time or because their interests have changed. They play video games or are captivated by some American show instead. It’s amazing how often that’s a factor in their decisions to stop blogging.
I can see why. My blogging and anime watching are now intangibly linked in my head. I don’t see myself continuing to blog once if I stop watching anime. And I write general opinion pieces half the time that really don’t require me to watch that much anime to put together. It’s not like I’m pumping out episode reviews every day.!
Like I said, these are outside observations. I don’t really know what’s happening behind the screens. It may just be a bunch of coincidences. Still, so far these have been pretty good indicators of staying power. Have you noticed any others! Or maybe you think I’m way off on one of these?
