#Guide to writing Watch This! threads
[by /u/kaverik and /u/JoseiToAoiTori]
Want to write a Watch This! (WT!) thread, but don't know where to start? Look no further! In this brief guide we will cover the basic rules of writing submissions, answer some frequently asked questions and give a few pieces of advice. Without further ado, let's get started!
##So what is a Watch This! thread essentially?
A WT! thread is a special kind of submission on r/anime which focuses on anime recommendations. It was introduced in February'15 and was brought up as "a more structured format for something more formal than 'I like this', but less formal than a review".
###Rules of submitting Watch This! threads
There are only 5 strict rules:
- Submission must use the Watch This! flair
- Submission must be text-only
- Submission must contain more than 1500 characters
- Submission must be primarily written for /r/anime. Articles written for other websites/blogs and reposted to the sub will be disqualified. This includes copy-pasting the text body and then linking to the blog site as a way to circumvent the text-post only restriction. However, this does not include personal blogs.
- Compilation threads for multiple anime must have a theme of sorts to link those anime together. See our compilation WT! archive for an idea of what these themes can be.
##I still have some questions.
Here we try to answer the most frequently asked questions about writing WT! threads.
Q: Is there a place where I can look for older Watch This! threads?
A: There is! This wiki covers all Watch This! threads that have been submitted throughout the years. Moreover, by the end of each month, we post a compilation thread of recent submissions - it usually looks like this.
Q: Can I submit a Watch This! thread about some anime if another user had written about it before?
A: Yes, it is possible. Moreover, it's encouraged, because you're giving more exposure for the anime! Not everyone looks into the spreadsheet and chooses the show this way, but almost every /r/anime user checks the frontpage. This is your chance to convince someone to pick up an interesting series or movie.
Q: Can I write a Watch This! thread about a really popular show?
A: Nothing restricts you here, but keep in mind that some of the most popular anime don't need more exposure. You can still write them if you show your passion and put effort, and some of these are really successful, so use your own judgment!
Q: Is it possible to write a Watch This! thread about currently airing anime?
A: It is not prohibited, but history tells us they are usually downvoted. Waiting until it's completed and making the thread then might be a good idea. It also gives you a complete picture of the show to talk about.
Q: I'm lazy and can't find an incentive to write a Watch This! thread, even though I have some ideas. What to do?
A: Just for the sake of encouraging more interesting and well-written WT! threads every month, the WT! admins pick 3 standout posts from that month and gild them, platinum for 1st place, gold for 2nd place and silver for 3rd place. In addition to this, the 1st place WT! of the month is also featured on /r/anime's sidebar and also includes the username of the writer.
In addition to this, we have also started WT! of the year awards. These awards crown the best 3 WT! threads of the year out of all the year's 12 winners. These threads are featured prominently on our WT! archive.
Q My question wasn't covered here, but I really need an answer. Should I contact the mods?
A: No, they are already quite busy. Intead, send a message to u/MAD_SCIENTIST_001, u/JoseiToAoiTori, or u/RX-Nota-II, and we'll be sure to reply as fast as possible.
##I have no questions left, and want to write Watch This! threads, but have no clue where and how to get started. Any tips?
I want to preface this part by saying that these tips are by no means the rules and you don't have to follow them religiously. They're just something to keep in mind when you're writing WT! threads and if you feel that your WT! is better off for going against these tips, by all means go ahead.
- First of all, be passionate. Be into your topic. I know it's a very mundane and not really helpful advice, but being interested helps a lot in doing research and convincing other people that the anime is worth their time. The best WT! threads come from a place of great appreciation for the show they're talking about.
- Structure should be clear and concise, with an "introduction - body - conclusion" sequence. "TL;DR" section doesn't hurt as well. Also breaking text in parts with headlines helps to escape "wall of text" problem and not intimidate readers initially. If you wish to do away with headers, consider using frequent paragraph breaks to make the text easier to parse.
- Pictures and gifs are important parts of your thread. They help a lot to make your WT! more vivid and colorful, and retain the reader's interest to your submission. They could also be helpful if you want to emphasize some points or prove something through visual means. Links in your text can often paint a visual picture for the show and be more of an effective sell for your readers.
- Ideally paragraphs should be logically tied, this way your thread would feel more like some kind of article. Sometimes it's really hard to do and you can just list points one after another, expanding on each of them. Avoid this if possible and streamline your thoughts in a coherent manner that makes more of an impact on the reader.
- Be sure to provide all the basic info about the anime in question (name of the show, length, year, MAL link).
- Spellcheck and proofreading could go a long way. Don't forget to mention proofreaders in shoutout section!
- The plural of 'anime' is anime. The use of 'animes' is one of the most common proofing mistakes we find in WT! threads. If you're not sure about a word you're using, try looking it up.
- Try to provide reasons for "why you liked the anime" and "why people should watch it". These things are a bit different - in the former you talk about what things you personally liked about the anime (it is important to give some sort of personification in the thread, so it's like a real person talks to the reader), and in the latter you talk about some technical aspects of the show and the staff or studio that worked on it, citing their previous works to garner interest in the show along with various aspects of it that would interest established fans of other similar shows.
- Try to aim for 3k+ characters after links. It's usually enough to relay the point across, unless you really have a lot to say (which isn't bad, of course). It's worth noting that the more words you use, the higher the chances are of your thread getting buried in /r/anime/new so some brevity is appreciated.
- If you have to mention some shortcomings or drawbacks of the anime, you are free to do so, but it might be wise to downplay them - it's "Watch This!" after all, and the goal is to "sell" an anime to the reader.
- Speaking of previous point - there is a fine line between Watch This! threads and reviews. The purpose of a WT! submission is to recommend some anime to other people, not to state pros and cons and then give a score. Be sure to remember that and try not to mix up your goals.
- Check out the wiki for various threads written by other users. Everyone has their own approach to writing WT! submissions, and it will only help you to make your own thread even better.
- Make yourself comfortable with reddit's formatting. This link covers everything you need.
- Be careful with spoilers. Using spoiler tags in WT! threads defeats the purpose of the submission, since it's aimed at people who haven't watched the anime. Outlining the ideas and the direction of the anime is good, but try to avoid any unnecessary foreshadowing, especially if it comes to the main plot (idea by /u/dabritian).
If you have any other tips you want to share with the community, feel free to send a message on reddit to u/MAD_SCIENTIST_001, u/JoseiToAoiTori, or u/RX-Nota-II. We'll make sure to add it to the list of tips with the credit!
That's it! Now you have all the tools available for writing the Watch This! thread of your dreams, and it's all up to your imagination and creativity. Composing recommendations can be really fun, and it feels rewarding when people do pick up the anime you suggested. I hope you'll experience this pleasure one day as well.