When I started Anime Herald, I must admit that the freedom to say what I wanted or write how I desired was a pleasant experience. I was the true master of the domain, and every decision made could be traced to me. I accounted for nobody. And, quite frankly, I produced some unusual pieces during that period. After the initial newness wore off, I found this infatuation with the “blank slate” approach to be a lurking enemy. I knew that, for Anime Herald to grow, we’d need to formalize our operations to some point and offer a form of regularity.
As we began shifting and changing, I found my role within the site undergoing a similar metamorphosis. As more people joined on, I found myself becoming less of the master, and less of the editorial drone I was at Anime Dream. Instead, I found that I needed to become a leader. I needed to be able to rally those who have given their faith in me, and bring out the very best from their contributions. It’s a new experience, one that requires a firm resolve and the judgment to know when writers need an extra few hours of help, or need to be thrown back and rewritten. Even now, I’m poring over information for one of our writers, who will be attending next weekend’s New York Comic Con.
And yet, somehow, I’m enjoying the change of pace.
The opportunity to work with such talented individuals is incredibly rewarding. Each member, with his or her own perspective on anime, leaves their own mark on the Herald. And, over time, I have great hopes that these additions will grow, and, as the Herald grows, so too will our membership, with each member contributing their own views, questions, and hopes to the conversation. I’m getting ahead of myself, though. We’re still in the midst of a redesign initiative, and there are still many decisions to be made on how things will change and alter during this process. Still, this would be the ideal goal of Anime Herald, as we continue to grow and evolve in the coming days, months, and years.
So, tonight, I’d like to take a few moments to express my deepest gratitude to the talented folks who write for us. Erin, Ben, you are fantastic and I appreciate everything you’ve done to date.
And, as always, thank you readers. Without you, there is no Anime Herald. I hope you continue to look forward to our content: today, tomorrow, and beyond.
