One Week Left for Anime Blog Awards Noms; None for Me So Far…

April 15, 2008 in Commentary, Self by Tom Langston (calaggie) | 8 comments

Mildly Irritated Maid

The deadline for nominating “web logs” in any of the Anime Blog Awards’ fifteen categories is next Tuesday, April 22nd, and I figured I’d write a post about it to remind any stragglers to submit their suggestions for the short lists. I’m also writing this under the situation that I haven’t been nominated once so far in any category. I’m not trying to be egotistical but come on, NOT ONE?!? *coughs* Perhaps I should chide myself a little for not making frequent posts or for not developing a substantial gimmick or personality with which I could market my blog. I would certainly agree I haven’t done anything particularly spectacular to warrant internet recognition through a group of my peers.

However, I feel kind of excluded from the field because of the categories themselves. I don’t follow series episode-by-episode; I barely cover manga and don’t even mention figurines; I don’t seem to have very much influence within the ani-blogosphere (that’s right, I drudged that back from the 2007 Fanime panel!); I’m fairly tame so I don’t get myself involved in the at-times petty dorama; I’m not a rookie blogger (coming up on a two-year anniversary); I don’t write hilarious stuff (sarcasm doesn’t seem to translate well to the ~~written~~ typed word); I don’t focus on a particular seiyuu, although I do have my favorites (Chiwa Saito?); and I can’t draw worth much even though I have been practicing sketching things once in a while.

Konata Pointing and Laughing
Imagine Konata is Nelson Muntz and you’ll get the joke.

The only categories I believe I could fairly be nominated for are Best Editorial Blog and Most Thought-Provoking Blog but I know there are writers who pen more cogent and deep pieces while I am sometimes just grasping at straws. I seem to write a bunch about dubs and the American market so if that plays into something, then cool, nominate me for that one. Otherwise, I will take as many pity votes as I can get.

Another aspect of the awards that plays on my weaknesses is that I don’t really keep up with the blogs as I probably should using Google Reader or another feed reader. Rather, I just write up, link and post what I think is interesting and hope that other people find it interesting and occasionally check out what’s popping on the aggregators. That’s why I still haven’t really nominated anyone – a task I might do later tonight. The fact that there have already a bunch of submissions in each category has made more inclined to wait for the lists of finalists to emerge than do a bunch of research for not much return, as I can easily divine the nominees in select categories such as Best Blog-related Comic, which seems to only have three main contenders and two minor ones. Hmm, with such low numbers, maybe I could actually compete next year if I start now…

Suigintou and a Microphone

It’s not in my nature to bring attention to myself (so this post itself is out of the ordinary) but I often get the sneaking suspicion that no one’s really paying attention, particularly when there are no comments. It’s even worse for the solo podcast I do, Amateur Otaku Radio, which I am actively considering recruiting co-hosts for and moving it off Talkshoe. I am planning to record an episode tonight at 7:30PM PST/10:30PM EST so feel free to listen in but what I would really like are suggestions and questions that I can discuss on the show and imbue it with some variety. (You can also email me at the address on the AOR page.) Another host would better help break the disinteresting aspect of myself rambling for 30-60 minutes but this might suffice in the short-term.

So if you’ve read down this far, thanks a lot and please leave a comment. It’ll help my self-esteem and provide me with a sense that I’m not writing total crap and wasting my time.

P.S. I’ve had issues uploading images since upgrading to WP 2.5 so today I installed a plugin called No Flash Uploader that seems to do the trick. The new gallery interface still frustrates me, though.

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IcyStorm on April 15, 2008 at 6:33 pm

It is rather disappointing to know that you (as in anyone) have little to no nominations, but that’s just possible incentive to work harder, eh? If the blog awards matter that much to you (again, this is directed toward anyone), you can write more frequently or take the time to write something really insightful and worthwhile. The highly nominated blogs are there for a reason.

Yeah, Minimum Tempo hasn’t received any nominations either, but for good reason. There are plenty of better blogs out there. But as you said, you don’t keep up with the blogs very often. The Anime Blog Awards is a community-driven event, and perhaps you should comment on other blogs more and make your name better known.

As far as categories for the ABA go, it is the first one ever, so I’m sure it’ll be refined for future awards.

I didn’t even know you had a podcast. I’m kind of hesitant to click “AOR” when I don’t know what it’ll lead to.

Keep writing because I do like your blog. Some things I won’t comment on though, because I don’t really have anything to add.

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Koji Oe on April 15, 2008 at 9:03 pm

Yeah, I haven’t been nominated either for anything, and mainly, I think, for a lot of the same reasons as you.

I’ve been wanting to rant so much about it too but I figure I’m above that, and only doing that would hurt my credibility.

I like to think I’m too good to get nominated or something.

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Author on April 15, 2008 at 9:21 pm

We love you anyway.

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Karura on April 16, 2008 at 1:02 am

Even though I do parodies, I know what you mean about not having a specific gimmick or category to fit into. Don’t worry, though, I won’t forsake your blog because you didn’t get nominated (I’m actually too lazy to nominate anyone anyway) ;)

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Sasa on April 16, 2008 at 4:28 am

It is rather disappointing to know that you (as in anyone) have little to no nominations, but that’s just possible incentive to work harder, eh?

Oh my. I hope you won’t think of working harder, calaggie. I totally agree that you would not really have fit into any of these categories and even though I think your blog is really great, I would not necessarily have voted it into any of these categories.

So yeah, please keep up your blog just like it is. (And I also love your orange-coloured WordPress theme!)

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Roy 747 on April 16, 2008 at 5:57 am

Yes, if only there was a category that dubs could fit into. I’m sure you would dominate :D.

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TheBigN on April 16, 2008 at 6:27 am

It is a weakness with nominations in that there are always blogs that don’t really fit well with any of the categories, which is why it’s good to have posts like these as a way to highlight problems that can be looked at for the next time (as I hope there is one). And besides, as others have said, just because you haven’t been nominated doesn’t mean that your blog isn’t important or that people don’t read it.

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CalAggie on April 16, 2008 at 9:59 am

Thanks for the comments. I just needed to get something off my chest and don’t particularly care about getting an award. In fact, that might make me a bit complacent but it would be cool to put “Best x Blog of 20xx” somewhere. Another idea: “Underdog of the Anime Blogosphere”…on second thought, maybe not.

IcyStorm: Don’t worry, I won’t stop writing. I am too opinionated to keep my feelings to myself.

Koji Oe: Somehow I didn’t think it was below myself, maybe it was my state of mind last night…

Author: Thanks, semi-anonymous blogger.

Karura: I do enjoy your humorous parts and you do have regular segments like Sunday News Bites and Tuesday Rumble. I’ve been lagging on This Week in Akiba so I should try working on them earlier in order to post them timely on Sunday.

Sasa: Eh, that seemed like some slight sarcasm. I am being actively considering a redesign with two right-side columns so maybe I’ll use a orange-themed K2 variation.

Roy 747: The main problem with making an explicit dub category is that very few people cover dubs and so there would be an narrower field of candidates than, say, Best Singaporean Blogger – too exclusive for its own good.

TheBigN: I don’t wish to unduly influence the possible addition of categories for next year’s ABAs (Abbas?) since there already exist fifteen, most of which are well-worded and devised. But if some new trend or category arises between now and next April, so be it.

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