When I poliblog, it’s always with the assumption that the user is as wonkish as I am, and is willing to do the due diligence toget up to speed on the topic so I don’t need to explain it from the basics. But anime-blogging is harder, since most new readers are coming to the blog to learn about anime rather than discuss anime they have seen (or so it seems). But discussions with other otaku (for both anime and scifi) are the main appeal for me, so I don’t want to alienate that audience with boring background that they already know. Thus far I still haven’t found a good balance.
In addition, I found that for a given topic (for example, the Walls of Glie) I end up writing here and leaving comments at other blogs which leads to a very fragmented discussion. I end up with no single collection of my own analysis on the topic.
So, to address these issues I am going to impose some rules upon myself:
1. above the fold will be background material. Not a full episode synop but at least enough info so that someone who isn’t familiar with the topic can at least get a sense for why I think it is interesting. No spoilers.
2. below the fold, the substantive geeky analysis and wonkery. Spoilers galore.
3. I’ll leave comments on other blogs when I am responding to a topic they initiate. For topics that I start, I’ll update my original post below the fold with my responses.
I think that this self-discipline will help me keep the blog interesting for other otaku and still accessible for newbies, and help me keep a more coherent record of my own thoughts.
How do the rest of you do it? You all make it look so easy 🙂
Very interesting topic!
I think I mostly write for newbies. I have several non-otaku friends and I never want them to feel TOO buried.
I don’t mind excess background info. Perhaps this reveals just how shallow I am, but I don’t mind reading background I aleady know: It makes me feel all smart.
I also see myself as a “gateway” anime blogger. I don’t have the new fansubs fresh off the latest torrent. I usually blog assuming that even though the show in question is old, the reader hasn’t seen it before. This just makes sense to me. The serious otaku aren’t going to come to me for the latest news. They saw this stuff years ago. (Even in their case, a little reminder info wouldn’t hurt.) So I might as well aim my posts at other newbies.
I should add: I think your above the fold / below the fold approach is a good one. I’d steal it for myself if I had more dicipline. 🙂
It sounds workable. Mainly, I’ll look forward to seeing it in practice, if only because things here were entertaining already.