Success as an Internet writer doesn’t come easy, and it doesn’t come cheap. It requires dedication, self-discipline and a hell of a lot of good luck.
Success as an Internet writer also requires that you have something to say, and that you can say it well.
At the time I am writing this article, the buzz among bloggers has to do with how so much blog content is seemingly regurgitated from one blog to the next. Painfully, this is true in many cases. Even many of the most successful Internet writers spend their time covering old ground, ground that could be rediscovered in seconds via Google. While it isn’t plagiarized, it isn’t unique, either.
Yes, we need one another. I get that. We need to be able to dialogue, talk about the same ideas, and work together to find new and interesting ways to write. We need to discuss the big ideas, like whether or not good writing still matters. But, we need to step back. We need to regroup.
It is time for Internet writers to get back to basics. It is time to bang our own gongs for a while.
Think about the top blogs in your niche for a moment. What distinguishes one from another, apart from the writer’s name? Do each of those blogs have their own unique approach? There was, certainly, a day when they were distinct. Is it the case today? What about your blog? Is it distinct? What makes your Internet writing different from anyone else’s?
You might not agree with me that this is a problem. You might believe that the market for your niche is big enough that there is room for many writers all writing about the exact same things. Maybe that’s true. If it is, good for you. Keep at it, and I wish you success. In fact, you need to let me know which niche that is, because that’ll be my next foray.
If you agree, however, that this is a problem, the question remains: What can be done about it?
I suggest to you that there are three steps that Internet writers, whether they are new to the game or whether they are six-figure bloggers, ought to return to:
Get your own vision. Figure out what it is that you are good at and passionate about. Determine that you are going to be the writer on the Internet for your niche. Don’t get distracted by others; they have their own vision. If your vision is social bookmarking, don’t get caught up giving grammar lessons. If your vision is fiction writing advice, don’t write about article marketing. Get ahead of the pack; explore new ideas, challenge the conventional wisdom, and get used to seeing yourself at the top, because that is where you are going to be.
Find your own voice. Not only do many Internet writers write about the same things, they do it in the same way. You’re not Men with Pens; don’t imitate their style. You’re not Dooce, either. Let her do her thing, you do yours. Infuse your writing voice with every element inside your personality. Give your writing your passion and your apathy, your anger and your love, your prudishness and your profanity, your sarcasm, your wit, your humor, your everything. Give it a voice that is uniquely your own.
Establish your own brand. You are the only one that is covering your niche in the way you are covering it. Get the hell off of your blog for five minutes and tell people about it! Post comments, write on message boards, send e-mails, write articles for submission sites. Do all of the marketing you can do, but do it in such a way that you don’t just say, “hey, look at me!” Instead, do it in such a way that you say “Check me out. I’ve got the goods. Here’s proof. Now come and get the rest.”
If everyone who ever reads this post will do this, we all will be more successful. The community as a whole will benefit. Most importantly, our readers will benefit because we’ve broken new and exciting ground that is both interesting and energizing as we add value to the overall conversation.
Want to watch me walk the talk? Read Banging My Gong – The Vision.
25 comments ↓
Excellent points. Ok, as a joke criticism, one could say, “Yes, but the problem with exhorting others to be unique is that everyone else is exhorting everyone else to be unique.”
I do think however that being focused and about something is a way to go.
You’re hilarious, John.
Actually, I’m going to continue banging my own gong some more tomorrow. This whole thing really has me asking the big questions, and trying to narrow my focus.
Thanks for the comment!
My pleasure. And thank you so much for discovering me to StumbleUpon. Today’s traffic was the best day yet thanks to you. I appreciate it!
I agree with all this. The more we write from our own perspective the less scrapable our content becomes, the less bored everyone gets.
The biggest change I made to my blogging was to shift to following a monthly theme. I set them out in advance like authenticity, clarity, simplicity. This month it’s inspiration. Then I try and make sure everything I write that month reflects that theme.
It’s great for me because it means I never run out of things to say (always have a stack of articles I couldn’t fit into the month), and I keep focused and writing with a purpose. I think being clear on your purpose, and writing to explore it, is the thing that makes the biggest difference.
Anyway, it was a good piece and a nice follow up to the discussion on ‘great writing’
Joanna
Bang a gong, get it on… Oh yeah. That’s part of our focus over at Men with Pens (thanks for the linkout!). Having a unique voice in the sea of same-old has helped set us apart and made people sit up to take notice.
There are a ton of copycats out there. I think if I see, “Dooce lets it all hang out; I’m going to be just like her,” one more time, I’ll scream.
Be different. Be YOURSELF.
@ Joanna – Thankya. I love your theme idea. I might have to think about that. Very cool. Although, I rarely run out of things to say
@ John – no problem. I love Stumble, and not just for the boost it gives my blog. I thoroughly enjoy stumbling onto new sites. I’ve found many of my daily reads via stumble.
@ James – Well said, as always.
At the same time, it is a tribute to Dooce that folks want to be like her. When folks start to imitate you guys (and they will, if they haven’t started already) it just means you’re doing a good job.
Thanks for your thoughts!
In defence of those who need other blogs to use as a jumping off point, not that I think I’m especially guilty of that myself, I would remind you that some painters can only copy whereas others can work out of their heads. The thing about the Internet is that it enables amateurs to do something. Sure a lot of their work is derivative but if it’s the best they can do then let them get on with it.
There is also the equally valid argument that ‘one man sharpens his face off another’s’ – where I have used an idea from someone else’s blog I have tried to give it my own twist and to build on it. That I think is a good thing and to be encouraged. It’s impossible to come up with fresh ideas all the time. I only post twice a week and I struggle.
@ Jim – I disagree. I do agree that coming up with fresh ideas is virtually impossible – nothing new is truly new. But what’s old can be new again. The trick is to apply your perspective and insight. As a unique person, no one feels what you feel. No one sees what you see. No one has your experience, your personality and your thoughts. You have something completely original to offer.
So take what’s there. Sit on it and think. Then add your own perspective and thoughts to the matter. Write, post. Voila. Trying to come up with something that no one has ever heard of before is the main cause of all blogging struggles – and in this, you’re right. It’s not possible. But a unique angle and spin is.
To the comment that if that’s the best others can do, let them do it and leave them alone, I say no. The virtual world is filling up with so much redundant garbage every day that researching accurate information is a definite challenge. This shouldn’t be. There should not be 1,500,984,862 articles on “how to make money on a blog.” This is a waste of space, words, time and investment, especially if nothing new is added to what’s already there.
Plus, the problem is that to repeat what everyone else has already said because that’s the best you can do means that all you’re doing is changing a few words or paraphrasing. Has it been done accurately? Does changing the word “could” to “will” affect the whole meaning? Yes, and that’s the wrong way to go about it.
I talked about this not too long ago on my blog, how I feel my contract writing (not necessarily my blog writing) is all regurgitated information. Because of that, I have little desire to stick with the web writing any longer than I have to (blog excluded).
What makes my writing blog unique? For the most part, my writing blog is there to chronicle both my successes and failures as I venture into print publication. It’s from the perspective of a complete novice. I do talk about other ideas, like yesterday’s post on managing your blog subscriptions. But I don’t feel like an expert in anything, at least not yet! If I can impart a little wisdom to someone else just starting out, then great!
@ Jim – Welcome. I’m glad to have you here as part of the conversation! Steel does sharpen steel (the face thing just sounds gross, LOL), and the Internet is a nice sandbox in which to play.
Having said that, James is right: Applying your own perspective (I think Jim called it his “twist”) is essential.
The other thing to remember is that some writers, especially new ones, write in a vacuum. They write something they believe to be revolutionary, when in truth it is old hat. I’ll give them the benefit of the doubt on that point.
@ Lis – Thank you for coming by! I know what you mean. my contract writing isn’t exactly unique. It meets client specs and pays for my kids’ dinner. I hope someday to be cool like James here and feed my family with my blogging, but that’s a ways off
I do enjoy Lis’ blog, by the way. If you’ve not checked it out, you should go take a look! The print area adds an often-neglected dimension to the writing discussions.
Hi Bob – So you mean you noticed that I’ve been going round all the top blogs, pinching their posts and changing the words a little? Only joking.
I’m with James – all those make money from blogging posts are a waste of time. They just regurgitate the same old crap.
@ Cath – yep. James and I were just talking about your pinches. Right, James? C’mon, back me up here, buddy.
Bad form, Cath.
I agree with you both about blogging for dollars posts. When there is one post for every 5 people on the planet, you know that the market might be saturated.
Still, I’ll confess to helping create that problem: as a pen for hire, I’ve written my share of those articles. While they are well-written, none of them are particularly innovative. Am I especially proud of these? Nope.
But the paycheck that came with them fed my family during the lean times. I don’t regret it, but I’m also working my a$$ off today to insure that I don’t have to do it again.
@ Bob – You’re on your own with pinching Cath. Haven’t you learned that women have sharp teeth and bite? Tsk tsk.
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Great advice, thanks!
I find it curious that we all think we all will be authority bloggers. Talk about wishful thinking. Just do your thing. Blog and learn more ablout blogging. The truth is the better bloggers will get ahead. Your post is a respin of what is on every other blog about blogging….and so what now?
@Mcneris: For Bloggers – Thanks for stopping in! I’m not sure I’m following the “authority blogger” issue you bring up in relation to this post. Can you help me out?
As far as this post being a respin, I respectfully disagree. Is the topic similar to some that were being written at the time this post was written? Sure. But this post does what James describes in the above comments: “take what’s there. Sit on it and think. Then add your own perspective and thoughts to the matter.”
Using your argument, I could make the case that the whole purpose of your own blog, according to its About Page, is a respin of what Brian Clark, Darren Rowse, Yaro Starak and others have been doing for years – consolidating useful information about blogging into one place.
Do I believe that about your blog, that it’s just a respin? Not necessarily. I assume going into the situation that you’ve got something unique to say, or a unique way to say it – your own voice, your own vision, your own brand. I haven’t read enough yet to say for sure whether that’s the case, but I’m hoping it is.
If you read the articles that follow in this series, you’ll see that this series was, in many ways, about me trying to do exactly what you suggest – doing my own thing, better defining who I am as a blogger, talking about what value I add to the conversation, and talking about how I provide that value. Banging my own gong, as it were.
I think this was clear to my readers at the time I wrote the series – does it make sense to you now?
[...] and stay within the strict confines of that only. But your writing should have a focus. Here is a great article that explains the concept [...]
I hope you don’t mind commenting on this piece three months after the fact. But this is just the thing I wanted my blog readers to think about if they were interested in doing their own writing (so I linked to this post in one of mine).
My niche is fly fishing. I’ve only been at blogging about fly fishing for about four months. I spent a lot of time looking at dozens of fly fishing blogs looking for the type of writing I’m interested in. I only found a handful.
Many of the blogs out there are pretty much just talking about where they fished and how many they caught (just like I do). But they seem to get lost on having a focus and finding their voice.
So…thank you!
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Thank you for making us aware that good quality writing comes with hard work.
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