We’re almost halfway into the year, wow.
And don’t worry, I meant that I’m basically coming out of a mini-hiatus. The last time I posted anything was back in May 25th, which was almost two weeks ago.
So I’m sorry I took an unannounced break. It was very much unplanned. There were a few reasons why I sort of dropped out of the radar, however.
- I started playing Wizard of Legend on May 25th. It’s very fun and I’ve already played 96 hours even after banning myself from touching the game for a few days.
- Really, whenever I’m MIA for days at a time it’s usually due to a video game or a girl. I’m sort of stupid in that way.
- I’ve lost confidence in my writing. To be honest, it’s been like this for a few months. Can’t even tell if what I’m writing is making sense anymore.
- I just write and I am genuinely surprised people even bother reading what I’m churning out. Except maybe they’re actually not since some people are only liking posts after I like their posts or are liking multiple posts in rapid succession.
- I’ve become a bit disillusioned with the aniblogging community, to be honest.
- Some of the larger figures don’t really interact with others yet receive so much love on Twitter. Is this selfish behaviour optimal? Do they deserve to be rewarded for only focusing on themselves or on their own cliques?
- I’m tired of the people who constantly talk about their own content. Promotion is fine, but when you’re always bring up your content whenever you interact with me, I’m a little off-put.
- I want to like more posts but their intrinsic styles rubs me the wrong way. And again, is it even worth my time to spend so much hours reading posts when more successful, more self-absorbed individuals don’t do that at all?
- People who claim they’re too busy to check what I’ve written but are regularly interacting with other people’s contents makes me think I’m not good enough for them.
- There’s more, but this is getting too whiny.
Anyways, I guess I’m back. Still have a few more hours of posts to read through, though.
The Spring 2018 anime season should be coming to a close soon so I’ll try to share my thoughts on the series once they’re finished.
I’ll be going to Anime Expo again! It’s next month, however, so maybe this is a bit early. I have a few things lined up but I can’t say for certain what I’ll be doing there for now.
As for the aforementioned ETC – it’s more of the usual, really. Editorials. Reviews of visual novels. I’m really sorry for leaving those who wanted to do collabs with me hanging! I’ll get to those later today, I promise…
I’m also going to try to do a “Mahjong for Bakas Noobs” blog post or series soon, so look forward to that, I suppose.
Oh, I had forgotten to include the best posts for May 2018.
A lot of my more recent content received love this month, but the oldie but goodies are still at the apex.
I’ll be trying harder from now on, I guess! But I expect this month’s stats to be much lower compared to that of the previous months’.
Thanks for reading.
The Lily Garden 
Welcome back nii-san! (Not like I am one to be saying this haha but…)
Also I don’t think it’s silly or self wallowing to feel the way you do. I’ve thought about it a couple of times myself, but always end with the conclusion that I like reading my posts and some others do, so it ends there.
Might be a weirdly silly way to get out of those thoughts but I’ll urge you to do the same. I’ve read and reread your posts many times and have also told you how much I’ve loved them haha. Many non bloggers I’ve showed them to also loved them soooooo…. Cheer up remy-nii!
It’s great to have you back! Looking forward to talking with you more often!
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Finally got around to commenting. I saw this one twitter as I was about to sleep and reminded myself to read your post.
I said on twitter your an great blogger remy and I can relate honestly right now in loosing confidence in a lot of areas in life. I’m currently myself lost confidence in my job and some friendships and blogging. Wohoo but I’m coasting through, distraction is the best dam thing.
Reading your disillusion of the ani blogging community I agreed with especially with larger popular people. Who don’t converse in conversation and I hear you on all your other points. I’m terrible for saying I’m behind on reading posts haha well it’s always true LOL though I make blog reading days Sundays when nothing can disturb me.
I hope you have a great time at AX convention in July. I’m super jealous and I hope you find your blogging grounding again. Looking at how many commented here your definitely loved that is something. It’s a positive thing to see 🙂
Love Lita xxxx *now to go through posts I’ve missed from you*
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Oh, jeez, I appreciate that you commented on this right before sleeping!
Mmm, real life is real rough sometimes. I’m sorry you’re going through some difficult times, too. But thank you.
Awww, I think I was a bit too harsh on that part. We’re all busy, after all. I’m so behind on posts, too!
I’ll try! Thank you so much! Yeah, I guess that’s true. I’m so silly.
Oh, take your time~
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I kind of surmised you were out of some variety of hiatus once you started like spamming me…
If I contributed to your unhappiness with like spam though, it’s probably because of comment paralysis. Sometimes I just have a post open for one hour only to like it and close it in the end – it’s really unproductive.
Also, I don’t really know much about mahjong outside those tile-matching games that you see in a lot of places. It would be interesting to learn about it, actually, seeing as it’s pivotal to a Detective Conan OVA…
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I’m still not caught up unfortunately.
Ah, no, I know what you mean. It’s hard. You’re fine, alright?
Mmm I think I read the corresponding manga chapter. I’ll try my best!
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“Really, whenever I’m MIA for days at a time it’s usually due to a video game or a girl. ”
Please don’t let it be a girl, please don’t let it be a girl, please don’t let it be a girl
*Reads above*
“Wizard of Legend” g-good.
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WoL brings QoL to my SoL.
But this is flattering to hear, Prattle. Thank you~
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I love how honest you are with all of your opinions. It might be my turn to go on hiatus soon, but welcome back anyways, and I hope you still manage to find enjoyment in blogging!
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I lack delicacy, I know, haha. But thank you. I’ll try my best!
Awww really? Well, I understand. Hopefully your break leaves you well-rested and motivated!
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Glad to see another post from you again! It’s okay to feel burned out and need to take a break for a while, it’s even okay to doubt yourself, but follow Akado’s advice and keep moving forward while you do it. And please don’t ever lose confidence in your writing. I will tell you that I was amazed at how young you indicated you were in your reply to Scott in the Q&A. Considering the maturity and overall quality of your posts, I never would have guessed that.
On another note, I just bought my own riichi mahjong set that arrived in the mail only yesterday! I’ve got some friends who are interested in learning how to play too, and the plan is for us to all kind of learn together – so your series will be very timely for us! I know the basic rules at least, but it’ll still be my first time playing with real people.
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Thanks WingKing!
You’re right, I need to listen to Achiga’s Ace. She is a bit of a braggart but she means well.
Aww thank you so much! I….I have to admit that I did a typo on that response which I only realized after reading your comment. I meant to put 2004 instead of 2014. WHOOPS. But I appreciate it. Please forgive me for accidentally making you think I’m 15 years old, haha….
WHOA that’s great!!! I’m so happy for you! Well, guess I better pick up the pace and get it out sooner rather than later. Looking forward to hearing more about this!
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Welcome back! 😄 I do understand a lot of the points you made as I often get in the same mindset! I always love the content I see you produce and it’s ok to have times when you are feeling disheartened! It happens to the best of us and it’s ok to question things or rant about stuff! I really do hope your confidence for writing comes back soon! If you find yourself struggling with blogging then it’s always ok to take a step back and let yourself breathe for a bit!
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Thanks, Sam!
Oh, jeez, I’m glad you get what I’m saying here. I’ll try my best to get back into things. Again, I really appreciate it. Hope you also keep your head up, okay? Depression isn’t easy.
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No problem!
I do! Just do what you can but don’t force yourself. I really hope things pick up for you again soon because you’re awesome and deserve happiness and success! I’m also trying my best thank you! It isn’t but we can both get through this!
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Mmm we just gotta bite the bullet and keep going. Thank you and to you I wish the same. Cheers!
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We do! No problem and thank you!
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I don’t know why you are down on your writing; it’s always so unique, informative, and entertaining..
And the anime blogging community is kind of questionable at times, but I do like it! Then again, not everyone has time to read other people’s posts because maybe they only have time to write. It’s hard to know until there is more evidence out.
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Thanks, Scott. I guess I’m being silly, haha.
Mmm, gotta take the good with the bad. And you’re right about not really knowing. I spoke too soon!
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Nah, I think I think a little too positively sometimes.
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Positivity is good!
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Welcome back!
I’ve already said it on twitter but I have seen so many people praise and envy your writing so I’m really surprised that you aren’t confident in it.
I have people in my comments tell me how well you write. I suppose every artist feels that way from time to time though. We’re always blind to our own merits.
As for the community – I understand. I know a lot of poeple that “don’t have time” to do anything more thant like spam my blog once a week (if that) but seem to have a gift for discovering and inetracting with brand new blogs that aren’t following them yet… Then again, it’s the husstle. I guess if you’re trying to make a profit off your blog, that’s where your priority has to be.
But I think there are still great folks that take the time to comment occasionally. I know I’m always thrilled when someone drops me a line on a post, even if it’s once in a blue moon and it’s always great to meet someone you get along with, even if they disappear after a few months.
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Thanks, Iri!
Ahhh, I don’t mean to indulge in self-pity. I’m just not very confident in many things, haha.
But I guess you’re right. We’re our own toughest critics!
Ah, yeah, I guess they’re earnestly chasing after goals and aspirations, but it’s still leaving a bad impression.
Oh, I didn’t meant to imply that everyone is bad! You’re correct about some people being rays of sunshine! They make the world seem like a better place.
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Positive Remy is the adorbs
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Is Easter Egg character
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Welcome back Remy. Glad to see you’re making a return.
As someone who recently took a hiatus for many of the same reasons (and a few other reasons like marriage) I completely understand how you feel. I hope it doesn’t cause you to steer away again in the future.
For what it’s worth, while I don’t always have time to comment, or don’t know HOW to comment (because I’m often terrible at giving feedback beyond “I enjoyed this! Good post!” unless it’s a topic I’m super knowledgeable about) I always make sure to give your stuff a read and share it about. You’re one of my favourite bloggers and among the most talented writers in our community, and you deserve more views and appreciation for the work you do and the content you produce. I’d also consider you a friend too, so there’s that also, and I hate seeing friends doubt themselves when they’re such amazing people.
I too share your disillusion towards the community. I won’t be naming names because I’m better than that, but there are so many bloggers I remember being regular commenters on my blog (and everyone else’s) who have all but vanished and have begun shamelessly promoting their own work without taking the time to engage with the work of others. And of course no one bats an eye.
You could argue they shouldn’t have to engage with others, because some of them are pretty “big” now, especially compared to the likes of you and I. But they got started here. This community served as a launchpad for their careers and I guarantee that the likes of you and I retweeting their older posts and engaging with them helped facilitate their growth. I’ve even had many of these people, who I once consider friends, have the audacity to unfollow me with no explanation. But hey, maybe I’m reading too much into this and just care about this community and its people far too much.
I know I’m also guilty of prioritising my clique of the Innominate Podcast members (yourself included) but I do try to use what limited time I have to comment on anything by anyone I follow and always try to say something of actual substance. As a blogger myself I know how much someone’s can appreciate that.
Anyway. I’m sorry. I rambled on quite a bit there. I hope you’re feeling better about things.
Looking forward to the next post Remy!
Take care!
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Thanks, Leth. I’m hesitant to post before catching up on other people’s posts, but I’ll try my best.
Mmm it’s an exciting (and exhausting) time for you, isn’t it? Hopefully you’re right and it doesn’t make me turn tail again anytime soon!
I consider you a friend, too, Leth. And yeah, I totally understand that we’re all busy. My post wasn’t very considerate of that, but I’m aware I’m being a little selfish here. Sorry about that. And awww thanks. You’re much too kind.
You and I are on the same page regarding Those individualZ. They can go do whatever, I guess. Their recent conduct hasn’t been charming in the slightest, so I can totally see why you dislike them.
Sorry, I didn’t meant for this to be a personal attack or anything. I was just venting. I know you work hard (and play hard).
Mmmm I’m trying. Lots of ups and downs that weren’t mentioned here but I should be good!
I’ll try my best, Leth! Thank you!
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Hey, as other people bring up, writing for views/responses/success might drive you crazy sooner rather than later. One is most at peace when writing for their own satisfaction, with feedback as an added bonus.
For your writing style, you have a very disjointed stream-of-consciousness kind of style. I kind of admire that, because I tend to spend considerable time and effort keeping my entries “clean”. Half of that is keeping myself to a high standard, but the other half is just me being insecure about my own content, and my productivity takes a hit for that. You already have a readership happy with what and how you write, so just focus on taking advantage of your strengths.
As another person who started playing riichi mahjong because of Saki, I’m looking forward to potential mahjong content from you.
Keep up the good work ^_^.
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Yeah, I need to change my mindset, I’ve realized.
Oh, wow, I’m not very self-aware about style but now that you mention it I have to agree.
Hey, nothing wrong with keeping things neat and tidy. I wish I were more like that. The grass is always greener on the other side, eh?
Ahhh I’ll try my best. I keep getting disappointed with personal results whenever I try to start up playing online mahjong again, but I think I can at least help some people understand mahjong. Saki was really inspiring in that way, wasn’t it?
Thank you so much! You, too!
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I’ve been in the anime blogging scene for quite some time, and my general modus operandi is that I treat my blog like I do a diary, albeit a very public one where I share the things I don’t mind the world knowing about. I write not to reach an audience, but simply because it’s something I enjoy doing. Whether it reaches one person or a thousand people, I think that it’s just a bonus: at the end of the day, you should be writing for yourself and the readers you hold the most dear. I have one reader who loves CLANNAD, for instance, and I am willing to write about CLANNAD ~After Story~ just for him. He’ll likely be the only person who reads those posts, but that’s more than enough of a reason.
As for the members of the community who don’t reciprocate, I probably fall into that category and are guilty of more than half the things on your list. The reality is that life is very busy. I would make a much more honest effort in building bridges and connecting with the community if it brings home the bacon, but I imagine that many anime bloggers write as a hobby. It gets to be tiring to have to engage the mind to come up with new content after a day at work, and then critically consider what others have written to have a discussion. This is why I personally don’t comment elsewhere very often: most of my evenings are spent on housework, reading and games if I’m not blogging! Finally, I treat “likes” as a “save for later”, since WordPress will create a list of all liked posts.
The takeaway message I have is that while blogging burnout is very much a reality, the way to mitigate this is to be less worried about when you post something and focus more on the content. A lot of bloggers feel that regular, scheduled posts is key to retaining the audience, and this holds true if one is involved in a professional capacity. As a hobby, however, it can lead to exhaustion. This is why I blog at a very irregular schedule; I write when I feel like it, and I don’t write if the ideas aren’t happening. As for confidence in your writing, you might also find this approach interesting – try writing all of your posts “offline” first. Do this in a text editor or word processor; write out all of your raw thoughts and ideas. Then set it aside, and come back to it again later. If things look good or will look good after some edits, you have a post 🙂 There’s no formalised process for how to run a blog, and as I’ve mentioned elsewhere, the best way to be excited about writing and engage the audience is to be yourself. Everything else follows.
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All very solid words of advice. Thank you so much.
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If you have no confidence in your writing, how should I feel? Your posts still get plenty of feedback. Mine not so much. 😛
But in all seriousness the disillusionment is real. I’ve been going through some of the same stuff for a while now, and though my right to dissatisfaction is about as high as my activity level (read: not much), I feel it all the same.
We should talk. Seriously. It helps to just get this stuff out sometimes. Reach out if you want to vent a bit because you know I’ll keep it to myself.
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Hahaha, my bad. It appears I’m not fully appreciating things.
By the way, I see that you’ve published a review recently. I’m still catching up on a lot of posts but I’ll get there soon!!
Ahh, okay, so it’s not just me.
Mmm will do. Thank you.
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Editing comments on is a pain. But I meant to say that I’m also sorry to hear you’re feeling the disappointment, too.
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*ON MOBILE*
HELP
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honestly, im largely the same. i have horrible self-confidence when it comes to writing, and i drop off the radar mostly when im getting sucked into a game. i dont really have a good explanation for my methods of self-motivation other than that they involve a personal “dammit, im gonna get this post out”.
i do have a general inconsistency when it comes to reading/interacting on posts, though, so i apologize if i contributed. i definitely feel like i have to make a concerted effort when it comes to ignoring promotional stuff, so i feel you there.
havent decided if i want to head to animeexpo this year. ive been wanting to give cons another shot this year, but ive been pretty indecisive about it. would be curious to see what you say on mahjong. ive played a chinese variant with my family and im familiar with the rules of the japanese version, but i never really took it seriously
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Ah I understand. I used to have that sort of fire when it came to episode reviews. Games sure are fun, though.
Awww no you’re fine. But yeah, there’s a lot of promotions…it’s okay but…y’know?
Ohhh I see. Yeah I originally decided to go for the sake of my brother who has never been to a con, but now I’m looking forward to it. Your decision either way would make sense to me.
Ahhh I see. I’ll try my best.
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Welcome back!! 💖💖 Well, no matter how crappy you may feel I MISSED YOUR CONTENT! I understand how you feel though, everyone gets down on blogging every once in a while, usually due to realizing that most people on WordPress (no matter how much THEY talk about being good people) don’t give a crap what anyone else has to say. They all have a “you scratch my back, I’ll scratch yours). I follow so many people who “followed” me and have never once actually been on my blog. But, I feel that if I like someone’s content then I’ll continue to enjoy it. It’s the same reason I won’t like a post unless I’ve read it. There are probably people out there like white supremacy propaganda and they don’t even know it!!
If I don’t have my integrity…. What the hell do I have??
I hope you feel better soon, and it’s good to have you back!! 💖💖🍻
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Aw jeez I’m glad you get me.
Haha right? It’s a bit disappointing… I have to deal with that, too. They rrally should be more careful! Liking a post that ousges a white supremacy agenda is like the stuff of nightmares for me ;___;
Thank you so much!!
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Good to see you back! And this post made perfect sense to me 🙂 Still looking forward to that Mahjong series. Can’t guarantee I will understand it even after I read it, but it will be good to hear it from someone who knows what they are talking about rather than Wikipedia or suchlike!
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Thanks, Pete. I’m glad I wasn’t just rambling.
And I’ll try to live to expectations. I should probably start on it today… Yeah, that stuff is dense on Wikipedia!
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