If you dare to reveal it to anyone the contents of this entry, the above will happen to you.
As you click on this topic, you must be wondering what this whole piece is about. It is particularly misleading, if you are thinking of the wrong stuff and I will not veer you to what I mean by the wrong stuff. I am sure that you are extremely rational, intelligent and significantly deductive to know what I mean.
Ha Ha Ha.
Well, the actual topic of this piece actually came when I have quite a few people that have complimented me on my posts, which I am extremely proud to be showered with such words. Then, I thought about the little difficulties behind every single entry that I have done. Most of the readers out there do know that all some(corrected by tsubaki) anime bloggers usually make an effort on their entries, but do you know some of the little pains that we sometimes go through?
Here’s a little glimpse into the things that happened behind every little entry.
The things that we do not tell you behind the scenes…
1. Doing screenshots
This screenshot is done with sweat and blood…Really!
Oh, this is perhaps the biggest pain for all episode summary bloggers and I have to admit that I suffer from it a lot. For normal viewers of an anime, you usually watch the episode once and is done with it. However, for me, I generally see the same scene two or three times while searching for the screenshots that will best represent the story. I also have to select some of the interesting moments that I enjoyed in order to put what I like.
I also recalled the first time I ever did screenshots. Without Irfanview (A mass-resizing photo program), I had to slowly re-adjust every single screenshot I have done and then add a border to it in Adobe Photoshop. Then, I was extremely new to the blogging arena and wanted to add as many screenshots as I can. It was just about the worst thing ever to happen because I took two and a half hours to compile, set up the pictures and align them properly. Imagine the agony of doing what people spend 45 seconds to do in 2.5 hours.
Painful.
I nearly gave up on anime blogging and I never see screenshots the same way I did when I view other anime blogs.
2. The brainstorming
Yet another green haired loli died in the call of brainstorming…
This is generally the worst thing that can ever happen to a blogger. For episode summaries, it seems like there is no need for brainstorming. Well, perhaps, if you only bother to write the summary and generally, you seldom see anyone doing just that unless they are speed-subbers like Hinano and Omni who brings you the summary as soon as the series appear.
However, you generally have impressions. Sometimes, you really have absolutely no opinion for the certain entry but you feel like you have to. After squeezing your mind for 10 minutes, you finally have a single paragraph that makes no sense. I have to admit that for Saiunkoku Monogatari and Ghost Hunt, the thoughts really flow through easily. For other summaries, it can be really hard, especially on shounen series for me. I find myself repeating the same point over and over again.
You look at the writing and go like “the hell” and deleted the point again.
The worst thing? You are back at square one to brainstorm yet another thought to fill in. This process usually goes around Impz’s head for a few times before you see the end product that is this
3. Finding the right pictures
Using “cute” as a tag to find this picture will be painful. Trust me, I did it.
Do you remember the little pictures that I always add along with my editorials for illustration? I generally get them from Danbooru which is a great little website for pictures. Well, that is if you are looking for the queerest fetishes that Japan has to offer when it comes to animation. To find decent and nice “Safe for Work” pictures there, I have to siphon pages and pages of brainless hentai of various forms. Trust me, when you really want to do something, it’s a very big frustration to find the actual picture you want.
The worst thing is that Danbooru really has a huge source of images in a nice classifying manner. However, I do wish that they can have an option to siphon out the perverted pictures.
4. Writing the summary
Writing a summary is a balancing act and it never pays which way you go.
This is generally the driest part of the entry, because you are simply repeating what is happening in the whole episode. This simply means a whole re-accounting of what you have watched. If you have a photographic memory, that is all good. However, Impz has a totally horrible memory, so much so that he can forget what happened at the start just when he finished watching the episode.
Yes, it’s that bad. I guess I am getting old. Sigh.
Eventually, I have to re-watch various scenes at least twice to make sure I catch the right meaning in the summary. Doing a summary generally is the most problematic. You have all the “elite bloggers” saying how summaries are standard fare and people should do this and that. It’s not an admirable job, but I still persevere since I know that there are still quite a number out there that likes to read my summary.
However, the summary is usually the thing that stops me from starting an entry because it is sometimes just so boring to start it. It gets really painful also whenever someone said that episode summaries are the easy way out. I hope for those people to write one for themselves. Yes, it’s brainless, but it’s a very torturing brainless work.
5. Structure
Thinking of structuring your post is tired desu~
The first impression is the most important, which is why structure is important.
This is perhaps one thing that most people never thought of, but I actually think of it actively behind this entry. I always wonder whether how many paragraphs should I continuously write before making a new screenshots and pictures. I always wonder too about whether the article is presentable when you first read it.
Should Impz start with a joke about the episode? Should Impz start with a swooning lead? Should Impz reveal a bit about the plot to entice others?
All these go through my mind and trust me, I have great difficulties in fixing a good structure until very recently when I feel that I strike a balance between number of screenshots and paragraphs. It does take a while for you to find the balance between substantially viable content and structure.
6. Scheduling
Scheduling is like bringing an umbrella. You never know when you need it…
The last point is scheduling. Many anime bloggers balk on this but I am a very strong proponent of this. Do you know that this entry is actually not finished at the same time that it is published but perhaps 1-2 days ago? I generally try not to spam you, the reader, with too many entries in a day by doing scheduling.
It’s something that I always go to look around. I remember changing the timing of an series review entry for more than 10 times until Alkanphel was like “God, you finally got it published!” when it came out. I will not tell you which series review it is, you just have to accept that it’s a little thing behind this space that Impz does not tell you.
This is just a simple entry to show you a few of the little things that goes behind an anime blog. Do tell me your little quirks and secrets as an anime blogger if you are one. If you are a reader, do you notice any strange quirks of Impz while reading his entries?
…Other than the fact of those evil people who drew comics on me or the wordpress blog done by Stupid Lupus.
45 Comments
appreciate the link
haha, well written impz.
also editing html is a pain =( like linking screenshot to original, linking resources, or acronym stuff ;-;
hahaha. o.o
i’ve no secrets. D:
but you do have many strange quirks. o_O
like being a lollicon, being the trappy-san, fangirling overboardly at times.. and the list goes on its exhaustive.
and i love the comics they drew of you.
oh.
and its hard to choose btw screenshots ;o;
i can’t decide which ones to use sometimes
and sometimes, i just want to slap everything on the post because they’re all so cute and beautiful and so apt.
but i know i can’t. T_T
Wow…. Now it makes me even more lasy to do reviews….. I was just about to start doing reviews for my friend’s blog…. guess i might give in to lazyness…. LOL
Sobs… it’s difficult to be a blogger. Perhaps we should all quit!
Haha, yes, so true!
The main trouble that goes behind the scenes for my posts is first finding the motivation to even write about a subject and then shaking off the laziness to make that post.
This post is like, “omg my penis is very large but you can’t see it, so sad, here let me show you.” I mean that in a good way of course.
Mental note:
impz will PAY.
That will be all. =3
Great p0st … thank you for your hard work Impz
@tj han: you did that post already
http://www.riuva.com/?p=504
and I realize that tj loves the word “penis” a lot.
And it makes me appreciate you guys here all the more for the wonderful job you all do.
Thank you!
‘If you are a reader, do you notice any strange quirks of Impz while reading his entries?’
Other than your love of green haired lolies? Nope. ^-^
Wow seems even tougher to do anime blogs like these then I thought lol. I got a firefox extension you might like for Danbooru that lets you filter images and displays thumbnails for pics in a toolbar. You can get it here on the lolifox website
http://lolifox.com/devlog/2007/01/20/danbooru-toolbar-04/
Overcoming laziness is the big one for me, lol. I would brainstorm something idly… then give up due to laziness, haha.
I manage sometimes… eheh ehhe heh. ::hides::
Sadly, I never write posts in advance, it’s always on the day I post them. It usually goes something like ” Damn, I haven’t done anything today. What random stuff out there can I blog about. ” This may be why my posts lack any inherent order.
>>Drm, that’s not much a mental note.
>>this post
Bullshit. Structure? Schedule? What the fuck is that?!!
This may sound selfish but it’s true. I hardly care what animebloggers do behind the scenes as long as they post my favorite things. ^^ I’m just like a little puppy; as long as my master feeds me then I’m happy. But in return, I give my love and loyalties with thirteen lumps of sugars for each. ^^
Oh my gawd! I act like Nodame, however I’m a puppy not a kitty.
who doesn’t have the problem of laziness
I really wish that I could get ahead with my blogging. It just seems when ever I want to I have either work, home from work and want to fall over, some random thing that no one tells me about, and all of that.
I don’t ever to seem to have screen shot problems though, I usually just go crazy while watching and then put the ones up I can think of titles for, witty or not (mostly not sadly xD).
Great post though (is so tempted to do a comic like everyone else though xD)
I find it funny that the pic you used for the blog on screenshots was Yasu x Bou-san XD
Personally I love taking screens but thats just me, I guess I could grow to not like it if I had to do it a bunch of times for lots of different anime.
WAIT…Do you publish your shit in advance but have the date set for say, the next day? Can you even do that? I should try…
“Bullshit. Structure? Schedule? What the fuck is that?!!”
Word.
Proof that not all anime bloogers put as much effort as Impz into a single post…
Me… KYAAH~! NO TIME!!! Skimp on structure, skimp on content. Skills at handling images suck? Forget screenshots and go for text-based content only…
Haha you guys have no idea how far ahead in time the posts are created. I myself have a post scheduled to come out next week
rather insane entry… look at how many fellow bloggers replying to it
Impzie. You’re a machine. No, really. A terminator, a big freaking robot dead-set on destroying the world. Have mercy on me Mr. Red-Eye, have mercy.
wow, it’s possible to create screenshots in 45 seconds? @_@ Still takes me an hour or two using Photoshop.
And I’m still trying to figure out the comic images of you I saw on those other sites you’ve linked… I am correct to assume that you’re a girl and that you have a large fanbase, and they’re doing some kind of tribute to you? And what’s a “trap?”
all i can say is that o_o
alot of effort is put into this blog
lmao. i was amazed when the guys came up with a scheduling system. >_
hehe, I will first say thanks for all who appreciated it, but it’s not just me but everyone in the anime community that makes an effort. I know for sure Danny in Novastorm does a great effort to entertain his crowd and many others as well that my memory eludes.
@DJ: heheh, thanks! That said, i do not really go that crazy at green haired lolis. I think…ermm ya.
@AFChris: it’s not hard to start an entry but the truth is that to maintain a regular and slightly popular blog is tough work. Ahaha~ you will understand when you have your own.
@Demian: you are the one with random posts that got me to nipponsei though.
@loli: How come i know you will say something like that ^_^
@13sugars: Hahaha, ya, most people couldn’t care less but at least you comment, which is more than what Impz wants from a reader. Thanks!
@shadro: no comic. NO.
@yami: hehe, ya, for one series, it’s fine. Once it becomes 4-5 ….oh man.
@Retsgip: dont get you
@Rdrake: i guess i do make an effort since this blog is a place where i can happily discuss anime with people all around the world. What else can i wish for?
@Wrex: yes sure. I am not a gal….I think i said a lot of times that i am a guy and don’t bother finding out what a trap is.
@jooo: hehehehe, that’s alkanphel btw!
Wrex: A “trap”, in this case, refers to a guy who looks a lot like a girl, and is easily mistaken for a girl (a pretty one, in fact).
The idea behind the term is that a normal heterosexual male anime fan will look at a picture of a pretty “girl” and admire it (in whatever way he sees fit), but as Admiral Ackbar in Star Wars episode 6 says, “IT’S A TRAP!”
@wrex: It’s possible depending on how far ahead you plan I suppose. When making screenshots, I do it the first time watching __________ episode so I don’t have to go back through the entire episode again.
After that, it’s just a matter of batch resize/converting through something like Irfanview, then using a recorded action sequence in PS to add a black 1px border or whatever to all the screenshots, haha.
Then posting the screenshots depend on your post format. I already have generic html set up for tables (I use tables for my screenshots) and can just edit the ends of the urls to link correctly.
The actual process of resizing/adding-border/uploading takes a minute, lol.
Sorry, Impz, I LOVE the comic series! Chibi Trap Impz wa kawaii desu! The first time the question was posed whether you were a male or female, I honestly wasn’t sure. =x
That aside, since Ghost Hunt and Saiunkoku Monogatari are my favorite animes that you blog, I’m glad that they are the easiest for you to blog. Are borders for pictures really necessary? I must admit though that I prefer Garten’s style on Memento, which I would assume takes the most time since you can click on the pictures for larger images and he usually includes alt comments to entertain the readers. If you can cut down on the time-consuming process however, I don’t mind if you don’t write up your impressions and leave that to Anime Suki forums or something; I bet most people just like looking at screen caps anyway. *grin*
I feel a little guilty
of reading your blog!about yesterday you have expressed how hard to make all this stuff like blogging! honestly if only I’m pretty good in English I will do the same thing like you do!but my country has no English its just lucky I know a little bit!so I guessed you should be proud of yourself because you can do it!I think each of us is here appreciate your humble worked and efforts!as for me I will try also since I’m pretty freak of anime!see I told you before that I like to learn Japanese! but I think I have to learn more English!hehehe!if your curious what is my language is Dutch!Impzie thank you!regards
I take my screenshots using VLC at 4X viewing speed
… It’s kinda funny watching people talk that fast. Also, getting screenshots of episodes subbed in avi without the subs is a pain, I usually have to sift through 1 frame at a time to find the right picture.
Other than that, I actually kinda have fun typing entries… maybe that’s because I’m new… or because I always write jokes.
hmm, actually, tripleA, that should be first and foremost. If you do not enjoy typing entries, it will be wrong. I hope that the entry does not promote any myths that blogging is simple and that bloggers are just beings that do blogging easily. It’s not, which is why there is such a high burn out rate.
Still, you have to enjoy whatever you do. It’s the same with life and anything else. So ya, it’s good.
If you do not enjoy what you write anymore, it’s time to stop.
Seriously.
DKellis: thanks for letting me know what a “trap” is.
So Impz is some kind of bishounen and Danny of Novastorm actually saw him or a picture of him, became “trapped” and started all this…?
Mr. Admin/Impz: thanks for explaining the process you use for the pics. Unfortunately for me, I add captions to the screencaps themselves (and sometimes ‘alt’ captions as well), then link the full size images to thumbnails, so batch processing doesn’t seem like a viable option for me.
But you guys have developed and efficient and working system, and it works well. ^_^
my last comment got eaten as “spam” T_T I wonder what triggered the spam filter…
@wrex: It’s still possible to add on captions and link to full sized images. If you take a look at some of my past episode entries (a lonnnng time ago), you’ll see that each picture links to the full-sized picture upon click.
That’s just an html issue. I forgot to mention that I do not essentially delete the original picture, I simply create a new copy that’s scaled down to be a thumbnail version. Thus when I upload, I upload both the original full-sized and the thumbnail so direct linking is possible.
The linking works through html, as I’m sure you know. As for the captions, I guess that depends on preference. I never bothered much, but the only captions I’d add would be the image description that you can input into the html code. I’m sure there are other cooler methods, but I haven’t tried, nor do I have any idea how to do them, lol.
Impz == bishounen? Hahahahahahahaha
I completely share alkan’s reaction XD
Impz = Bishie??? A pretty boy? OMG -falls over laughing-
(scratches off New Year’s Resolution #4-Create my own anime blog, and just stick to the anime blog reader/lurker/spectator role. Pack laptop after logging off and get ouf of Starbucks coz the guy across is staring and freaking me out.) Yup, that’s a good plan. ^^
…the hell.
First, i am a gal. Then, i became a trap. Now i am bishie?
…THE HELL!
How about me being a yandere next?
…no, it’s sarcasm if you cannot detect it.
Ahaha? 13sugars, isn’t your hubbie there enough to protect you from those idiots who are staring at you -_-
Nope, no hubbie for this little puppy. Never had one and never had any for the same reason Shuurei has when it comes to matters of the heart. There was only one guy who was staring and I really can’t blame him. After all, I was having giggling fits by myself at Starbucks because of the hilarious comments I was reading in THAT. Can you blame me? People’s comments here are frikin’ funny and whacky.
He probably thought I was losing my senses. Oh well.
And NOOOO, don’t be a bishie. If you become a bishie then my whole mucho kawaii view of the green-haired-loli-lover Impz will change into a heartbreaking-mindnumbing-severenosebleedinducing-gorgeous-Lin/Seiran image which isn’t good because I still want to read more of the TrappieImpzie comics. And if they only make more of those to feed and satisfy my sweet and innocent yet convoluted mind, I’ll be able to know who really has the secret hots for TrappieImpzie. ^^
Plus, it’s a popular demand and a lot of us like the Trap that is you, and we all know you like the Trap you too. ^_-
(The above ranting is the result of too much Mocha Frappuccino.)
Interesting post. Might as well recommend this to a relative newcomer in the anime scene. A sensei, no doubt. XP
I really liked the article, and the very cool blog