Why I hate reading other people’s blogs

by Marian Schembari on January 9, 2010

I know in my last post I said the best way to get creative is to read all the damn time, but one commenter got me thinking. He said:

Might I add one more, which may sound a little contradictory: don’t read others blogs in your same field too much. Why? Because it can lead to feelings of inadequacy.

One of my blogs is about personal finance and I find that if I read too many other personal finance blogs I end up feeling like I cannot do what they are doing (“I can’t write that well”, “how can I break into this field when they are all so well established?”).

My dear Russ, I could not agree with you more. See, my roommate and I have this thing where we refuse to be humble and basically remind ourselves every day how awesome we are. My friends think I’m awesome, and what can I say, I am. And if you think this is cocky then you can go screw yourself because I promise I’m rocking this shit better than you. Do you know why? Because I’m awesome.

But then the more involved I get online, the more I realize how un-awesome I actually am. Now that I’m a freelancer slash pastry student slash speaker (more on that later) I have a ton more time to promote myself/get involved/generate content. Yet while it’s been mildly successful, I look at other Gen Yers like Rebecca Thorman, Jamie of Oh! How Lovely and Matt Cheuvront, and I want to crawl into my hidey-hole and cry. How could I ever write so well or be so interesting? I’m just another chic with a blog who wants to be the next Julie/Julia Project.

Except I don’t really read the news any more. My social life is restricted to my roommate (who I secretly have a crush on) and fellow bloggers. And Twitter. Reading other people’s crap is where I get my info. Lame? Perhaps. But it is the unfortunate truth.

So to be a better blogger I have to read the blogs and figure out how I can be similar in their success while also being entirely unique. So to be a better blogger also means that I’m a little less awesome in my own eyes.


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  • http://twitter.com/marianschembari/status/7574185108 Marian Schembari

    Am having a get-me-some-alcohol-or-maybe-some-happy-pills kind of day… Why I hate reading other people's blogs http://bit.ly/5assiu

  • Aurora

    Ugh, I hated reading this.

    Kidding! =) Thanks for your honesty.

  • Aurora

    Ugh, I hated reading this.

    Kidding! =) Thanks for your honesty.

  • http://www.jamieann.net/ jamie

    I totally know the feeling. There are some bloggers who make me feel like I should just should just stop but then I realize I’m awesome and I didn’t start my blog for anyone else. I started it for me.

    But I think everyone feels that way compared to at least one person. I bet there is someone out there who probably feels that way about you.

    Also, I’d take awesome over humble any day ;)

  • http://www.jamieann.net jamie

    I totally know the feeling. There are some bloggers who make me feel like I should just should just stop but then I realize I’m awesome and I didn’t start my blog for anyone else. I started it for me.

    But I think everyone feels that way compared to at least one person. I bet there is someone out there who probably feels that way about you.

    Also, I’d take awesome over humble any day ;)

  • http://www.domesticsluttery.com/ Siany

    I don’t think it’s such a bad thing to read blogs better than your own. Every now and again, I stumble across a design blog that’s so freaking wonderful it makes me wonder why I ever started in the first place. But that’s a good thing. Because it makes me work harder, it makes me write better. It makes me think about every single post I write. Having something to work towards makes me a better writer.

    I might have a different perspective, as I actually blog professionally, but I think reading other blogs is vital. It’s not just about reading them to be nosy, a major part of blogging is about conversation, and if you’re not reading other blogs you’re joining in the conversation, you’re not leaving comments and you’re not widening your network and readership. Conversation is a huge part of blogging, not reading other blogs kills that.

    • admin

      Agreed. I’m over my melancholy and feel awesome again. To be honest, I wouldn’t even have started THIS blog if it wasn’t for the other awesome blogs out there. Plus, I’ve made some wonderful online relationships and gotten some pretty sweet freelance work that resulted from comments I’ve left on other people’s blogs. And Sian, you’re blog is awesome and I read it every day ;-)

      That’s another point, actually. Reading unrelated blogs can spark creativity in your own…

  • http://www.domesticsluttery.com Siany

    I don’t think it’s such a bad thing to read blogs better than your own. Every now and again, I stumble across a design blog that’s so freaking wonderful it makes me wonder why I ever started in the first place. But that’s a good thing. Because it makes me work harder, it makes me write better. It makes me think about every single post I write. Having something to work towards makes me a better writer.

    I might have a different perspective, as I actually blog professionally, but I think reading other blogs is vital. It’s not just about reading them to be nosy, a major part of blogging is about conversation, and if you’re not reading other blogs you’re joining in the conversation, you’re not leaving comments and you’re not widening your network and readership. Conversation is a huge part of blogging, not reading other blogs kills that.

    • admin

      Agreed. I’m over my melancholy and feel awesome again. To be honest, I wouldn’t even have started THIS blog if it wasn’t for the other awesome blogs out there. Plus, I’ve made some wonderful online relationships and gotten some pretty sweet freelance work that resulted from comments I’ve left on other people’s blogs. And Sian, you’re blog is awesome and I read it every day ;-)

      That’s another point, actually. Reading unrelated blogs can spark creativity in your own…

  • http://jiipe.com/ Russ

    Hey Again Marian

    Thanks for the quote. I think that’s the first time I have been quoted on a blog. :)

    Reading that last comment back kind of makes me sound like I am down on myself and what I am doing. It’s not that way at all. I think that comment came from the doubting part of me (of which I am listening to less and less) as I start working more and more online.

    I feel the more I do online – with my personal finance blog and my startup, Jiipe.com – the more confident and comfortable I feel. And part of that comes from learning more from other bloggers and “celebrities” of the net.

    So I think reading others blogs is important and I wouldn’t stop, but I guess everyone has that annoying inner voice telling them that what you are doing isn’t possible. The trick, I guess, is not to listen to him.

    Thanks again, and keep up the awesome work, cause you are awesome (and so am I, and so are all your readers). :)

  • http://jiipe.com/ Russ

    Hey Again Marian

    Thanks for the quote. I think that’s the first time I have been quoted on a blog. :)

    Reading that last comment back kind of makes me sound like I am down on myself and what I am doing. It’s not that way at all. I think that comment came from the doubting part of me (of which I am listening to less and less) as I start working more and more online.

    I feel the more I do online – with my personal finance blog and my startup, Jiipe.com – the more confident and comfortable I feel. And part of that comes from learning more from other bloggers and “celebrities” of the net.

    So I think reading others blogs is important and I wouldn’t stop, but I guess everyone has that annoying inner voice telling them that what you are doing isn’t possible. The trick, I guess, is not to listen to him.

    Thanks again, and keep up the awesome work, cause you are awesome (and so am I, and so are all your readers). :)

  • http://alisaan.wordpress.com/ Alisaan

    I cannot agree with you more!! All of 2009 I wanted to start a blog because I really wanted a way to express myself (writing is cathardic) and to give people my (witty) two cents about the world. And so I thought the best way to get ideas about blogging is to read blogs of people who’ve done well.

    And the more I read, the more scared I became of launching my blog. How I’d never be that great. How I’d run out of things to say. How nobody would read my blog. But I’m awesome! And I have lots to say! And I have to remember that their success is unique and mine will be too.

    I love what you write so keep it up cos you’re awesome (and so am I) and we’ll both be successful in our own ways.

  • http://alisaan.wordpress.com/ Alisaan

    I cannot agree with you more!! All of 2009 I wanted to start a blog because I really wanted a way to express myself (writing is cathardic) and to give people my (witty) two cents about the world. And so I thought the best way to get ideas about blogging is to read blogs of people who’ve done well.

    And the more I read, the more scared I became of launching my blog. How I’d never be that great. How I’d run out of things to say. How nobody would read my blog. But I’m awesome! And I have lots to say! And I have to remember that their success is unique and mine will be too.

    I love what you write so keep it up cos you’re awesome (and so am I) and we’ll both be successful in our own ways.

  • http://twitter.com/alisaan alisaan

    I cannot agree with you more!! All of 2009 I wanted to start a blog because I really wanted a way to express myself (writing is cathardic) and to give people my (witty) two cents about the world. And so I thought the best way to get ideas about blogging is to read blogs of people who’ve done well.

    And the more I read, the more scared I became of launching my blog. How I’d never be that great. How I’d run out of things to say. How nobody would read my blog. But I’m awesome! And I have lots to say! And I have to remember that their success is unique and mine will be too.

    I love what you write so keep it up cos you’re awesome (and so am I) and we’ll both be successful in our own ways.

  • Marian’s Roommate

    You are awesome.

  • Marian’s Roommate

    You are awesome.

  • http://onemorefixerupper.weebly.com/ Jules

    New to the blogging “scene” I can’t even begin to guess if I’m awesome or not. Although I tell myself that I am on some level – the whole blogging thing is not to prove my awesomeness but to get rid of the crap stored up that nobody around me seems to want to hear. So I’d say that I’m awesomely selfish!

  • http://onemorefixerupper.weebly.com/ Jules

    New to the blogging “scene” I can’t even begin to guess if I’m awesome or not. Although I tell myself that I am on some level – the whole blogging thing is not to prove my awesomeness but to get rid of the crap stored up that nobody around me seems to want to hear. So I’d say that I’m awesomely selfish!

  • Pingback: Russell Allert » Blog Archive » I Was Quoted On A Blog

  • http://www.christinenegroni.com/ Christine Negroni

    Your blogs are a heck of a lot funnier than mine!
    http://www.christinenegroni.blogspot.com/

  • http://www.christinenegroni.com Christine Negroni

    Your blogs are a heck of a lot funnier than mine!
    http://www.christinenegroni.blogspot.com/

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