Good morning, good afternoon, good evening friends! How are you ? I hope your Wednesday, and your week, is going great. If I’m being honest, I’m getting a bit tired ahah but well, that’s life. Today I am thrilled once again to be back with this feature where, well, basically I will rant about blogging and stuff….
There’s something I want to talk about today, it might or might not be controversial, I have no idea. But since I have decided to be honest in this, I’m going to jump straight into it, and talk about blogging and originality. You probably guessed it from the title, I should have been more subtle here, ahah.
If you’re reading this, there’s a 99% chance you have a blog as well, and probably just as many chances that you are blogging about books, because I am, too. But what does a book blogger really do? If I talked about this in a previous blog post, I never really talked about what we write. The heart and soul of book bloggers, and the reason why so many of us started doing this, was for the book reviews. Correct me if I’m wrong. In the first place, if I started blogging, it was to talk about the books I loved, hated, share my opinion and basically just scream about books here online, because when I do in real life people tend to look at me sideways and wonder “what the hell is this crazy person clutching her book like it’s a lifejacket?” So obviously, I started by writing book reviews. Or well, sometimes just staring into space as I tried to think about what to write.
Then I realized that book bloggers weren’t just sharing their thoughts on books, and they also did a thousand billion different things. Some popular among the masses, which makes it not too original if you think about it. Take discussion posts, for instance : these kind of posts are very popular and so many bloggers are doing this, whether they are talking about bookish or / and blogging issues. Then there are reading challenges, and tags, and memes, such as the Top Ten Tuesday one, or the Waiting on Wednesday one, and so on. If you’re ever blog-hopping and / or scrolling through bookish blogs, there are many, many chances you’ll find these kind of posts.
But does this mean we are ALL clones ? Does this mean no one thrives for originality in the book blogging community, and at some point we are all the same ? Does this mean you ever get *gasps* bored while blog hopping because all the blog posts end up being so repetitive ? Wait for a minute before you throw tomatoes at me and hate me, because I never said everyone was boring. Because if it were, WHY would we spend SO many hours and days and months and YEARS talking to other book bloggers, if everyone’s the same ?
Being original isn’t about writing crazy blog posts on a subject no one’s ever talked about, because let’s face it, I am sure someone already did a post like this. Being original isn’t about NOT doing any memes at all, or doing them all.
I don’t think of myself as an original book blogger. I don’t come up with crazy ideas, though I’d like to think I have my moments. I’m doing tags that already tons of people did, I’m writing discussion posts on subjects people already talked about.
Originality lies in ourselves. If I’m reading blogs, it’s not because they did a tag I never heard about, or a discussion post that’s CRAZY – though I’ll admit, it happens I do. We are all curious aren’t we? But if I keep on reading, it’s because I find originality in the blogger‘s way of answering the questions. Of speaking his own mind about a subject. Of talking about books, sharing his thoughts. Not one blogger, or one review, is ever the same.
If I keep on reading, it’s because I find personality, PASSION. To be honest, being original, in the sense of being different, IS a must for every book blogger. But there’s no need to spend nights brainstorming to find crazy ideas – though it’s cool to! But no need to lose too many brain cells doing this. KEEP THEM TO READ, people. Reading is important. What matters here is that you’re being yourself, and, in this community I want to find accepting and welcoming despite all the dramas, you will be original and successful. Alright, now don’t throw me tomatoes and I’ll go hide, hoping no one takes this post the wrong way, because I love you all and everyone’s original and unique in its own way. I hope you got that from my rant, because that’s the most important.
What makes a blog original to you ? What makes you keep on reading a blog : different blog posts, originality, or / and the personality of the blogger ? ?
What’s the kind of post you love to read the most ? Is it memes, discussion posts, reviews ? Let’s chat in comments ! ?
Great post!! I definitely agree originality lies in our own uniqueness add people- we’re all different, so just being *you* is enough!
Thank you so, so much! <3 I guess sometimes we all feel like we aren't enough, I know I do, and I need a reminder haha 🙂
You’re welcome!!
Great post as always, Marie! <3 I personally feel like personality is a must, both in personality and posts. Post originality is a choice, but it does add a unique value to a blog. Like, I'm more likely to check out & follow blogs with original contents than blogs that only do memes/tags/reviews :') and I feel you!! Blog hopping could be boring sometimes because the topics are so repetitive! 🙁 but I agree, as far as originality goes, there's only so many stuffs we could talk about and coming up with something totally original is near impossible, though it still happens sometimes. This is where blogger's personality really matters. Anyone could talk about the same topic but with different styles and sometimes I read posts only because I love the blogger's voice! <3
My favorite post is definitely discussion (and I recently talked about it on my own blog :P) because discussion is more inclusive (??) also it's easier to initiate conversation! 😀
Thank you so, so much! <3 I understand your point, and I am more likely to follow blogs with some "original" content in it, meaning they're not only doing reviews or / and memes and tags. But some people write amazing reviews and I LOVE reading these, so it doesn't matter too much if they only do that. I love some bloggers' voices and that's why I want to follow them 🙂
Ohhh I love discussions as well, these are the best, I love when people actually care to ask and to answer to other people, to interact and initiate conversation. This is the best kind of post 🙂 <3 Thank you so, so much! <3
Ahh I totally feel you! There are some bloggers whose reviews I will always, always read even if I never even heard about the books they review just because I love their writings 😛 You’re welcome Marie! 😀
I’m glad I’m not the only one doing that. Some people I just devour all of their reviews just because I love it ahah.
You are awesome, Marie, don’t forget it! 🙂
There’s a lot to be said for being original. We are becoming a bunch of clones. Not completely, but a lot of us. I have started skipping reading blog posts on certain titles/topics that before I would have read – there is a sense of “I’ve heard all this ALREADY”. I do think it’s time for us to find new books/authors to discuss, and share, and hype.
Thanks – as usual – for all your good points! I’ll defend you against the tomatoes ! (And my guess is I’m not the only one!)
Oh thank you, you are the best <3 <3 I'm guilty of doing the same thing, at times. I read a blog post title and skip it simply because it feels like deja-vu, and I'm a bit mad at myself for it, at times. But I guess we can't read everything either, can we. And if there are SO many books we see around and talk about all the time, I am sure there are SO many OTHER books we could talk about more. THANK YOU <3
You’re absolutely right.
At least, in my opinion (:
Originality comes in the writing style, in the passion, in the personality of every blogger.
Just like there is no one author who writes exactly the same as the other, there are no two bloggers exactly alike. Each and every one is unique. I always believed that. Just like each and every one of us is genetically different from the other in 1% of our DNA.
Great post.
It really makes you think – my favorite kind of discussion (:
My blog: http://magiverse.blogspot.co.il/
Oh thank you so, so much Zoey, I am so glad you agree 🙂 Even if we write about the same subjects, even if there are like 10000 young adult contemporary romances out there, not one is alike because authors write differently and are different 🙂 Thank you! <3
I really enjoyed this post and it’s so true. Original isn’t about coming up with your own ideas as such, because at the end of the day is there such a thing? I think what matters is how we approach and voice those matter that makes something original. I’ll read the same meme from 10 different people on a Wednesday because I know they all have different voices and opinions surrounding those topics. That’s what I look for in originality, not a new idea as such!
Oh thank you so, so much, I’m so glad you liked it 🙂 You’re right, in the end we are all inspired by something, and pure originality is very, very rare I guess. I love how each blogger have their own voice and how they manage to give different thoughts and depth on any blog post they can write 🙂
I love that you wrote about this. Can I be really honest in return? I don’t really like the memes. There are exceptions to this, but often times, when I read them, they feel to me like content for the sake of content rather than a post someone put thought into. I do them sometimes though, because it is undeniably true that something like a TTT will bring more people to my blog than an average review will (which I find very frustrating). I like a list as much as the next person, but I think the huge amount of them are just symptomatic of how terrible our attention spans are now. It makes me sad that so many people would prefer to skim read a list than take a little more time to delve into a deep analysis someone has really spent time putting together. But I also acknowledge that that is my personal preference, and that not everybody likes to consume media in the way that I do.
I think you’re right – the originality really does come in the voice of the blogger rather than the content itself. The blogs that I return to again and again are those where the writing is so strong I feel like I can get a sense of who the reviewer is. Having that makes me trust their recommendations more, haha.
Oh yes, please do! You can always be honest with me, Lydia, I love when you do because I feel like we have a lot of the same opinions. I understand where you come from with this. I used to do TTT for a long, long time, and I admit that my stats went crazy on Tuesdays for a while…but then I didn’t feel so great about it. Because yeah stats aren’t everything, sure, but mostly because I felt like this wasn’t MY content. If that makes any sense?
And yes, definitely, our attention span is terrible. I’m guilty of skim reading lists, rather than long posts sometimes, because I am exhausted after a long day at work, but I still want to show some love to the community. However, I do LOVE to take time to read long blog posts from bloggers I love, their voice, their thoughts, everything <3
Definitely with you on the trust, ahah. I always come back to the bloggers I love the most, and most of the books I read now are from their trusted recommendations <3
Thank you so, so much <3
That’s what I feel too – you can do as much as possible to make a meme your own, but it never truly will be.
I am totally guilty of skim reading too, for a lot of the same reasons. Whenever someone puts up a discussion post I always have to leave it for a time when my brain isn’t half asleep, so I know I’ll have plenty to contribute.
I do the same with discussion posts. Sometimes I just leave them for later, because I know otherwise I’ll draw a blank when it comes to commenting.
OK, so I have a blog, fairly obvious! and yes I read other blogs when I have time, I love blogs that totally absorb me, if they are home decor or travel, I want them to make me want to leap up and do something or go there. I try and write only original interesting content and at the same time keeping it personal, it is our story, about our family. I think originality and personality are the two most important things. At least that is what keeps me reading blogs!
Thank you so, so much for your thoughts on this! I agree with you, personality and originality, in the bloggers’ voice and way to write blog posts, definitely makes me want to stay and come back again 🙂 Thank you! <3
When I first started blogging, I honestly had no idea that there are already SO MANY book blogs out there. I guess a book blog on its’ own is not that original anymore hah 🙂 But still, I NEVER get bored during blog hopping. I am constantly discovering new blogs to love and honestly I could read and talk about books all year-long! <3 But even though there are so many book blogs out there, I also feel like there is something original to each and every one of them. Everybody puts their own spin on their posts and their personality shines through the post. And that's what I like and what keeps me coming back to a blog: the personality and the passion with which they talk about books. If they have that and they do a nice mix of posts: reviews, discussions, memes, tags and more then I'm a very happy blog reader 🙂
ME NEITHER, I am SO glad you said that haha, I was stunned when I realized just HOW many people were blogging about books haha. I agree, I love how every blogger is different and no matter what the topic is, every blogger manages to put his passion in it and I love it 🙂 Thank you so, so much <3
I think with anything now days originality is hard to come by, be it blogging, books, TV, film, sports, gaming, absolutely anything, it’s out there but it’s hard to find.
I quite enjoy all sorts of posts, I like tags and memes, but I prefer tags that tell you something about the blogger and not just the favourite book questions that are asked over and over in different tags and the questions are just worded slightly different. I prefer tags that tell you something about the blogger, I created a tag a while ago called “The This Is My Genre Tell Me Yours” tag as I thought it would be cool to know more about bloggers favourite genres and the reason behind why they like that particular genre the best instead of just the same old style tag about certain things.
I enjoy reading reviews to, even if the book isn’t from a genre I like but I like to see some personality and feeling in the reviews rather than just a bland essay.
Discussion posts are probably the best, they get the most likes, comments and interaction (I’m sure I read somewhere that reviews are the least popular posts on blogs – which I find weird) which is cool and it’s fun interacting with people and seeing various opinions – they even get me to interact and I’m a quiet blogger who doesn’t interact that much – shameful I know! 🙁 The only problem I have with discussion posts isn’t the posts themselves it’s that some people aren’t as creative as others and find it hard to come up with ideas for original posts be it discussion or fun, I have a few on my blog but they take me time to think of ideas where others seem to churn them out due to being more creative.
I do like the bloggers to have personality from the name of their blog through to the person themselves as it feels you’re interacting with someone real rather than a robot if you only get canned responses all the while, etc and I think it’s the bloggers themselves at times that blogs follow, I follow quite a few blogs that don’t read the genre I do because of the blogger themselves.
Whilst I bemoaned there’s no originality at the start of this (it’s rather long, sorry) comment I do think that most blogs are in some way all original, whilst some/most have original ideas or content ( I have poetry on my blog to make it a bit more original and different) we all design our blogs, decide on the blog name we want, etc and it all adds up to being original. 🙂
Don’t apologize, I just LOVE long comments like this, thank you so, so much for reading my post and taking the time to answer to it <3
I agree that I really like reading tags that tells me a bit more about the blogger, though I am always a bit nervous about doing these ones on my blog, since I am a bit, shy about telling too much about myself, I guess, haha. I love discussion posts so, so much as well, I love being able to share my thoughts about everything and talking to other bloggers 🙂 But yes, I don't understand why reviews aren't more popular either, it seems weird to me but I see it happening on my blog for instance haha.
I so agree on personality, and there are so bloggers I just love talking to even if sometimes I don't read the same kind of books either, or / and even don't share some of their opinions, they are just GREAT and so nice and I love having good discussions with them 🙂
Thank you so, so much <3 <3
Ooooh… that’s a great post!
I have so many thoughts about originality and uniqueness in general but I won’t digress here… What makes me go back to the blog? Definitely the personality of the blogger who manages to shine through their reviews and tags.
I love reading reviews, because some reviewers are just bang on funny and really good at writing entertaining reviews. I love a good discussion post, hence why am commenting here.. however, at the risk of being gagged, bound and shunned into bookblogger jail I am not too fond of monthly wrap up posts. Why? Because when I follow a blogger I know what they read during the past month because I read the reviews right? 🙂 And because of time crunch I simply have to cut the repetition out of my life.
Again- loved your discussion post! well written and very entertaining! 😉
Oh thank you so, so much <3 I'm so happy you liked this 🙂 The personality of the blogger is what makes me come back as well, no matter if they talk about some book I've already read tons of reviews for, if they always manage to bring new points to light, and keep me entertained, I'll always come back to read more 🙂
Oh I understand your point on these monthly recaps, they feel a bit repetitive to me as well, at times. Sometimes bloggers add different things though, as what they're going to do next month, or how the month was for them, in non-bookish terms, and I like this better 🙂
Thank you so, so much! <3 <3
I think one of the things I love best about blog-hopping is that everyone I follow has a completely different voice. Their styles of writing are all unique and that means that no two posts are ever the same – even if they’re talking about the same topic, or reviewing the same book! Great post! 🙂
Oh I can only agree with you on this, so, so much! Inever get bored of reading blogs, I love how unique everyone is, not in the subjects they’re talking about, but in the way they’re bringing new issues to light, and just, in their passion and personality 🙂 Thank you so, so much Kate: <3
Yes! It’s wonderful to see people get different things out of books and read them in completely different ways. Even if one person enjoyed the book and one person disliked it, it makes us think and evolve as readers to see both points of view. You’re welcome my lovely! 🙂
Definitely agree! I really like reading reviews from both point of views. Even if I loved a book, I sometimes learn so much and see things differently when I read a negative review for it – as long as it’s constructive, obviously, and not just bashing the book like that. Thank you again <3
This is really interesting! I think original doesn’t have to “find new things to write about”. People can write about existing topic that has been discussed over and over again and still be original by putting their own thoughts and twists into the topic. Personally I really enjoy reading tags! Because some of the tags talked about other things than bookish stuffs and we get to know more of the blogger as a person 😀
Oh thank you, I’m glad you enjoyed this 🙂 I agree, I feel like everyone can bring something new to the table, even if they’re talking about subjects many bloggers already covered. Oh that’s good to know, thank you for sharing this! I really enjoy reading tags like these as well, it’s nice to get to know the blogger a bit better ?
I like reading reviews when
1) Never heard of it and love the cover
2) Have already heard of it but it’s not so hyped that I know ALL about it already.
And usually, I do like reading discussion posts. I think these are, with reviews, where you really get to know what type of person you are, what kind of things you’re interested in or matter to you. For example, I like writing about the struggles of writing, and also about college life, other people like writing about social issues, like the need for diversity in publishing; others like to talk about their travels and adventures, about their pets… They offer an insight that memes and tags don’t really provide.
Thank you so, so much for your thoughts on this, Pam! <3 I agree, and I really enjoy seeing these other kinds of blog posts on other blogs. Even if some are dedicated to books, it shouldn't prevent us from going elsewhere, talking about life, college, struggles, diversity, travelling etc. I love getting to know a blogger's personality better, it's usually what makes me follow the blog and become a…well, a fan, if I dare say it like that haha ?? Thank you!!
There is no true original blogger these days because their are tons out there and their will be someone doing something similar to you but as you say it doesn’t mean were clones. Whether the post is the same Tag, I still love to read them because everyone has different views and can interpret a question differently to another person. My favourite things about blogs are probably these discussion posts where you can really see peoples feelings in their rants and discussions, I love it and I love doing them as well.
I think a discussion post is where someone really becomes undone and flairs, they tell you what they really think, what they love and what they hate.
🙂
I definitely agree, and this is why I love discussion posts so much: they are definitely where you can see most of the bloggers’ personality shine ? Thank you so, so much! ?
THIS IS SO IMPORTANT YESSS… I think in a certain way, there is no such thing as an original idea, but also at the same time, everyone has had different experiences and goals and no one person is the same as another. This is similar to a post I had started writing a while back, so I might link up when I finally finish that one. Thanks for sharing your brilliant mind 🙂
Oh thank you so, so much, so glad you liked this post <3 I agree, and even if ideas aren't that original anymore, well, WE are I guess ? Ohh that's great! I'd love to read it, I hope you'll link up when you finally post it! ? Thank you! <3
I have so much love for this post. Once in a while I wonder if I could receive a drop of creativity from a nice fairy to be more original. Then I give up and just do my best with what’s in my mind. I love and completely agree with your idea of originality. What keeps me interested is how the blogger tackles a subject, how they talk about a book they loved or hate, I am not expecting crazy unseen-before posts every day.
Some bloggers do get original ideas, and it’s fun and creates new trends among us, but I don’t believe everyone expects every blogger to come up with the most extraordinary ideas all the time. You don’t have to worry about your originality, it oozes off from your reviews, your writing style, and eh, you created SFATW!!!
Btw : we love you too Sweechie!!!
OH my sweechie THANK YOU SO MUCH you are wonderful and just, thank you <3 <3 I'm not the only one wishing for the original fairy to come then, hahaha. I agree, I can read different reviews for the same book and love them all because of the blogger's writing style, and the way the review is written, same goes for discussion posts, tags and anything, really, as long as there is passion and personality it's the best <3
Great, insightful post, Marie! Originality is definitely crucial in a world with thousands of book bloggers. Personally, what makes me want to follow/continue reading a blog is quality. I usually only follow a blog I’m sure I’ll enjoy, so I won’t end up un-following any 99% of the time (unless if they become completely inactive, of course). Honestly, I feel as though some bloggers try to publish a greater QUANTITY of content over QUALITY, and this is usually what deters me from following a particular blog. To me, it really doesn’t matter how often a book blogger posts (daily, weekly, or monthly), as long as their reviews are meaningful and memorable. 🙂
Oh thank you so, so much, I’m so glad you like it <3 I understand, and I'm doing the same : even if a blogger doesn't post every day, I'm not going to unfollow him / her for that. What matters is how I enjoy the posts, how personality shines in the reviews, discussions, etc, and not if they post tons of times per week or not 🙂 Thank you <3 <3
This is such a hard thing for me. I even wrote a blog post talking about how being original is the bane of my existence. But you bring up a nice and I have to say uplifting perspective. Maybe I don’t need to think up new ideas, my originality can come from who I am. What makes me unique is my view on books and tags and discussions. It’s a really comforting thought and I’m definitely gonna stew in it for awhile. Great post! ?
Ohhh well I’m glad if this could be useful! I don’t think there are many things that the billion of book bloggers out there haven’t covered yet, haha, and what makes people stay and love you and your wonderful blog, is how YOU write it, how you answer to your comments, write your reviews, discussion posts and tags <3 <3
Yeah, that’s what makes it so hard to be original haha I need to cut myself some slack. Thank you <3 That's really kind. I will try to think of it that way from now on.
Yes, you should! I’m always second-guessing myself before writing a blog post, or even a review for a book I have seen a thousand times, thinking, “what new am I going to bring to this?”. But then I guess we have to think that this originality, this news, is in ourselves, and we always have something new to bring to the table 🙂 <3
Definitely 🙂 Thanks for the encouragement.
Thank YOU for your sweet words, and always here if you need to talk / rant about blogging <3
Awesome post! I love how each blogger’s personality comes out in their posts, even if it’s meme that you see multiple posts of. That’s the best part about following different blogs! 🙂
Oh thank you so, so much <3 <3
You’re so welcome! I always enjoy your posts! ?
Ohh thank you, this makes me the happiest, <3
❤️❤️❤️
So true. Everyone got their own voice and they stand out in their own unique way even though if the topic has been discussed before.
Great post Marie!
Thank you so, so much! <3 <3 <3
You’re welcome! 🙂
I think variety is what keeps me reading blogs. I love book reviews and discussion posts.
Oh you’re so right, there is SO much variety in blogs, it’s so great, and we can never get bored 🙂 Thank you so much for stopping by! 🙂
This was a really eye opening post, Marie!
I always thought that being original meant coming up with crazy post ideas. I’m not very good with this, to be honest. But now I realize that what really brings originality to a post is how you write it and how you put your personality into it.
I really admire people who create features and posts, just like your Souvenirs From Around The World! It requires a lot of time and, of course, a lot of creativity to come up with new themes and prompts. However, even if you’re a blogger that only participates on features instead of creating one of your own, that doesn’t mean you’re not contributing to the community.
By the wayyy – what’s the next topic for SFATW? I’m sorry for bothering, but I need to plan my post on advance since I’ll be travelling when it goes up.
Anywaysss, great post, Marie!
Oh thank you so, so much Lais, I’m so glad you liked it! <3 I thought so, too, at first, but after reading so, so many blogs, I realized what made me keep on reading and coming back, were the bloggers and not always the crazy ideas that come in their minds ahah.
Oh thank you for your interest always in SFATW, this makes me so happy <3 <3 The next theme will be up on my blog on December 11th, and as always you can post during the whole month, so up until January 11th 🙂 It will be all about celebrations in your country, here's the whole explanation on the theme : december 11th: [your country/city] : celebrations ! Since this is the christmas season, let's talk about celebrations in our countries. Obviously I'm talking about Christmas in your hometown / country (decorations etc), BUT also other big celebrations taking place in your country. Are there some special days to celebrate / commemorate some events ? How do you celebrate ? Thanksgiving, big parties, carnival or anything noticeable, talk about your favorites!
Thank you SO much <3 <3 <3
yayy! i’m very excited about that prompt – i love talking about holidays and celebrations. thank you!
Ohhh thank YOU Lais, I am SO happy you like it! I can’t wait to read your post. Thank you for all of your support in this, it means the world to me <3
Awesome post Marie !!! It’s a great topic and I totally agree with you !
Ohh thank you so much, glad you agree! <3
Agreed!!! Originality is all in the blogger’s personality! I make a point of finding bloggers who I can tell are being themselves, and not trying to conform to “typical book blogger standards.”
Thank you so much, I’m glad you agree 🙂 I just love when you can see the passion and uniqueness of the person behind the screen 🙂
I completely agree with everything you wrote in this! I was just discussing with another blogger about the fact that so many people do discussions on the same thing yet I’ll just keep reading them because each one is so unique to the blogger. For me, I keep reading a blogger’s posts because of their personality because, let’s face it, our personalities really show in our writing on our blogs. I think it’s the same reason why I’ll read a dozen book reviews over the same book, each person has a unique opinion. That is probably one of my favorite things about the book blogging community. We’re each so unique and have our own opinions. I love it! Great post, Marie. ??
Oh thank you so, so much Melissa! <3 I agree with you, and it's so great to see that, despite there being like 10000000 blogs on here, and so many people talking about books, reviewing often the same books, they always keep things interesting and different, because they all have different opinions, and different voices that shine through their writing 🙂 Thank you! <3
You’re welcome!! ?
It really is. It means things are never dull or repetitive on the blogosphere. There have actually be a few books as of late with such mixed reviews and I’ve ended up reading every review I see just because I love seeing the different opinions about them. ?
Ohhh, I do that a lot as well! It’s great help to make up your mind about whether you want to read a book or not. And…well, it’s just SO great to read other bloggers’ reviews and opinions 🙂
Definitely! I know I went from being not sure if I was going to read a book to wanting to read it because of the different opinions. ?
This is a great post Marie. <3 I've never really thought too much about this topic before but now you've posted about it I do agree with you. You see a lot of people post reviews for the same books, or people who post the same tags and the same weekly features, like TTT, but what makes it different, and what makes me follow and talk to people on here, is their own voice.
You can read two reviews for the same book, even with the same rating, but they will end up being completely different. I guess in the end it doesn't matter much to me whether someone has the same reading tastes as me, they could hate the books I love, as long as I can hear their voice through their reviews you know? I guess that means I go back for the blogger rather than the content! 😀
Oh thank you Beth! <3 Definitely! I have been thinking about this lately, with all these books that everyone seems to read and review, and WHY do I read another review for it, ahah, and then I realize, if the book isn't original or unique anymore, the blogger is 🙂
That’s all right! <3 Exactly, and everyone has different opinions and different reasons for loving a book so something you read in one review may not be mentioned in another. Plus with books I really love I just enjoy seeing other people fangirl over them. I will read any and every review for the Shades of Magic books! 😀
Ohh I love that as well, it makes me SO happy to see people loving books so much 😀
Same here! <3
Love this post! I agree that a bloggers originality doesn’t necessarily come from WHAT they post… it can be HOW they post. Like their personality, etc.
Thank you so, SO much Megan, I’m glad you liked it 🙂
Great post! I completely agree that no matter how many times a tags been done or even that someone else has chosen the same answers I still read because of there style and voice that comes out when writing 🙂
Thank you so much! Every blogger is definitely unique, 🙂
Totally agree. It all comes down to how a person thinks and conveys what they want to share. Everyone has their own way of saying a particular thing and other’s have insightful things to add that some might never have thought of. And then there’s the whole aesthetics of how the things are shown. In the end, people should just do “them”. There’s nothing more interesting than “themselves”. 😀 Great post!
– Lashaan
YES, this is such a great way to put it, thank you Lashaan! You should have co-written this blog post with me ahah. Thank you so, so much! 🙂
Amazing post, Marie! Whilst one of my goals is to create more original and unique content I don’t think it’s a “must” and I mean that in a way if you wanna only do tags or TTT posts then that’s cool. The main thing is that you’re genuine and you show yourself in your post. Of course I always admire people who are super creative and can post brilliant discussion posts (like you!!). Being yourself is definitely one of the most important things you can do.
Oh thank you so, so much Lauren! I understand, and I actually stopped doing TTT because I wanted to find more “original” posts. But then I realize I must talk about stuff that other bloggers already mentioned before, but…I guess I’m doing it my way so, it’s…original ? Haha. Thank you so, so much <3 <3
Oh absolutely! I think everyone can talk about the same topic and put their own spin on it ?
I agree 🙂
I really like where this post went! It’s definitely the voice of a blogger that makes me decide if I want to follow their blog or not. We all have our quirks while writing and that’s what makes us all different. Because if it came down to original post ideas, I would have like 10 followers only hahaha
Thank you so much Kat <3 Hahaha oh well I am sure you'll still have tons of followers, because you are AWESOME ?
<3 thanks, but I made veeeeeeery slow progress is those years that I wasn't a book blogger hahaha it's all started to really take off last Fall.
Ohh really? I guess there’s such a massive and active book blogging community.. I have no idea how the other blogging communities are.
Well … TV and film clearly didn’t do much for me hahaha
Ahah, maybe the book blogging community is the only crazy one with billions of bloggers haha
I love this so much! I’ve personally always really, REALLY struggled with originality – I’m not naturally full of what I think are great ideas and I can’t be bothered to sit down and actually brainstorm, so I really admire people who come up with their own original features (like you and #SFATW).
But you’re so right – it’s not the ONLY thing that matters, and bloggers can also be “original” in more subtle ways, i.e. in being really authentic with their voices and opinions. Original ideas are fun, but it’s often in the discussions and the heart-to-heart that I feel really “engaged” with the community. <3
Ohh thank you so, so much Reg! <3 I agree so much with you. If I love seeing original and different ideas out there, I realize that the moments I feel the most connected and engaged to the community, is when I can talk with them on subjects we are all concerned about – they are not that original, diversity, bookish stuff, they are things everyone talks about, but it's HOW they talk about it that keeps me interested and I love it 🙂
No worries, Marie! I love hearing bloggers weigh in on those oft-repeated issues, but I also love “original ideas” (whatever that means). I think there’s space in the community for both, and more. 🙂
I think so, too! 🙂 <3
I agree with this! I try to put in my opinions on trending issues, whilst writing a few original pieces. Never hurts to be creative! You should check out my blog and let me know what you think. 🙂
This post is pure gorgeousness and inspiration. I love it. =D
Awww thank you so, so much Liam! <3
Well firstly, this is a very brave and ambitious post!! And I love the passion you pour into every post ❤️
I agree a majority of originality jives in personality. Our passion powers through every topic.
Howeverrrrr, i oh so respectfully disagree with you on just a few points…OOPS SORRY!! But you blessed us with your intelligent honesty, so I thought I’d return the favor ??
Firstly, original topics are a must for me. I used to revolve around classic memes and tags. Then I thought originality was a nice to have. Now, I need originality to keep me sane—I wouldn’t interact with a blog if I didn’t admire its originality.
Secondly, you said true originality wasn’t really possible—I respectfully disagree with you, I’ve seen so many dazzlingly creative blog posts, including yours!! You’re an original blogger! But even so, it’s not perfect originality I’m searching for. It’s the effort. It’s the presence of creativity and originality and effort that matters—it might be a blog post that’s been done before, but that’s not what matters.
Thirdly, you said thinking of crazy blog topics wasn’t necessary. Well, I respectfully disagree about that too. Mainly because thinking of crazy blog topics shows necessary values a blogger most have: dedication, perseverance, and creativity. And it’s fun!! I have so much fun meshing and mashing up my mind into originality.
I can say without hesitation that once a blogger focuses on creating original content, every other aspect of good blogging falls into place.
So while we might disagree on a couple things, I hope we can agree on this being a WONDERFUL post with delightful originality and thoughtfulness. Love ya Maire!! ❤️❤️
Thank you for your comment Becca, and for speaking your mind about this! And don’t be sorry for having a different opinion, I like to hear everyone’s opinion even if it’s not the same as me…as long as you’re not criticizing me openly or hating me ??
I agree that sometimes I do to, need some originality, but I mostly meant that, sometimes, it is hard to come by. There are so many topics that have been done before, it’s hard sometimes to think about new things to talk ; and a blogger’s voice here makes the difference, and for me originality lies here in the way the blogger chooses to talk about the subject, etc.
It really IS fun, I agree, when I stumble upon a crazy original post, and obviously I am wishing to be original as much as I can, but sometimes it’s hard. What I also meant here, was that it’s good to brainstorm and have crazy ideas, I have nothing against that, but it’s NOT good to lose your mind over something if you have an idea but don’t find it, original enough. You behind the screen ARE already original enough to make this good, is what I meant as well 🙂
Thank you so, SO much for your thoughts Becca, it’s good to hear your opinion about this!! 🙂
Awesome post, Marie! I have to say that the one thing I look for in every blogger I check up on often is personality/voice (the snarkier, the better for me personally). That’s what spells originality for me. Usually, it’s easy to tell when someone is just posting to have a certain number of posts on their blogs/adhere to their preset schedule vs. posting about a topic they’re passionate about. Tbh, I could read ten million posts about “hated YA tropes” and not get tired of a single one as long as I can hear the blogger’s voice coming through.
As for type of post, that kind of goes along with the whole “blogger voice” thing. Because there are some bloggers I LOVE TO DEATH, so I’ll read everything from tags to reviews for books I’d never planned on reading just to hear that person talk up something they love. Though, if I don’t feel connected enough to the blogger’s voice, I’m typically in it for “discussion posts” because that at least gives me a chance to interact with said blogger in some capacity.
thank you so, so much for sharing your thoughts about this, Megan 🙂 I agree, I love when I can see the blogger’s personality in his / her posts, and there are some people I never ever get bored of reading for sure, even if they’re talking about things that have already been done before. 🙂
Thank you! <3
Awesome blog ideas are great, but I know what you mean: we do reviews, and our own features and tags and discussions and that is what other people do too. But being unique isn’t as important as caring about what you write and how you write it. This is such an important piece. Thanks for sharing your thoughts!
Oh thank you so, so much Shanti <3 I agree, and I think the most important here is being passionate <3
This is such an awesome post! I constantly worry about being original – I keep trying to find original ideas, but at the same time, a lot of ideas have already been tapped out!
I reckon you can be original with ideas, but expression as well, how the blogger expresses their thoughts. Some bloggers are very fangirl/boyish, others are more eloquent and formal – but every word that they use will be original, so long as it’s not plagiarised!
Oh thank you so, so much Geraldine, you’re the sweetest! <3 I think we can both be original with our content, and with the way we're writing / talking about a particular subject 🙂
It’s always nice to see some original thoughts, and definitely new ways to express things, like bookstagram and booktube! 😀
oOh yes, I agree. I am forever jealous and SO in awe of bookstagram people. SO many gorgeous pictures.
Great post! Honestly total originality is hard to come by but as you said it’s the person who makes it unique. Honesty what would the blogosphere be like without meme or tags ?? I think the idea behind those kinds if posts is to get people taking. That’s what blogging is about, expressing yourself.
Thank you so, so much! <3 I agree with you, and we all have something to say here, which is pretty awesome <3
Original content is definitely a big plus, but I think the personality of the blogger and the interaction is what makes me come back to a blog every time. I also think even the most discussed topics can feel original if done through a new perspective or discussed by someone with a great personality. But forcing it isn’t a good thing, so I think like you said, bloggers should just be themselves. And I believe that every blogger will be able to come up with good content if they don’t stress too much about it. Of course, taking the foot off the pedal entirely isn’t right either. So I guess it should be a careful balance between both? Haha. Either way, great post!
I agree with you so much! 🙂 I think it’s great if you are able to find new ideas, but originality lies in the blogger’s way of writing blog posts just as well 🙂 I think there’s no need to go crazy and cry when we don’t find new ideas every two days 🙂 Thank you so much!<3
I don’t really do many discussion posts because while I’m in school I don’t really have time to post anything but book reviews. But I do try to be original in my approach to my book reviews. I try to be conversational. I want people to read them and feel like I’m speaking to them. I hope that comes across correctly.
I love other people’s blogs, and the only thing that gets me a little confused are the similar themes. I see about ten blogs that have identical themes and I confuse the bloggers! I don’t try to, but there’s nothing that separates their blog from the others. But I suppose they either don’t realize there are others that look like theirs or they just love that theme. There’s only so many but there’s ways to make it yours, too. ??
Oh it REALLY does come off in your blog posts, let me reassure you! I always feel like you’re talking to me and that’s what makes me feel so close to you when I finish reading your posts 🙂
Ohh I understand, it makes me feel a bit confused as well, but I guess everyone can add some things, colors etc to the theme to stand out 🙂 Thank you so, much <3
Thank you for the kind words! I’m so glad you like my posts! I love your blog so much and I am glad we found each other’s blogs!
Well thank YOU for overall being just fabulous 😀 <3
Awww! ::blushes::
I love this discussion! I’ve never thought about this all too much but now you have my brain thinking and I agree with you so much! I don’t think that a person needs to think up a whole new idea, a big giant new meme or tag to stand out as original. I think that being a person, shining that personality through IS original! The way that if you’re showing your personality, you’re never going to be exactly the same as another: different thoughts, different opinions, different ways of talking about a subject and I always love seeing that! The same way that going out with a friend to the same event is always going to be different dependent on who the friend is just because there is new personalities there and its lovely either way it goes! Really awesome discussion post my forever crazy! 🙂
Awww thank you! I’m so glad you agree <3 Even if it's great to find new ideas, sometimes it's insane how much time and heartache it takes. I think it's great to take a breather once in a while and remember how we all are original by just being who we are 🙂
Great blog post? and a great discussion, I’ve really enjoyed reading the responses? although I’m very new to blogging and not a book blogger as such, however I will be doing book reviews on my blog in the near future . I do believe with the majority ,and that originality and authenticity is so important as this is what attracts me to follow a blog and to continue to support them?. I get it must be difficult to have completely original content if there’s already so much out there, having said that I think my work is fully able to be original thus far is due to me not knowing about tags and what’s already out there and how to find them. Although as I Blog more I’m sure I might just find myself doing what others are doing now and again as it’s natural , but I definitely will always put my own spin on it and keep it real and authentic. I just do my own thing and hope to find and connect with fellow likeminded bloggers ? and from seeing this blog post alone I definitely will be following your blog ?
Thank you,
Sophia
Thank you so much for your sweet comment, Sophia! I agree that it’s kind of difficult at times to come up with original and unique ideas, but that being said, we can all as you say put our own spin on different topics, and that’s amazing 😀 Thank you! 🙂
Your most welcome ? and thank you ?
This is a lovely post! I definitely agree with you that the tone a blogger uses lends itself to originality. After all, no one of us is the same, so why should our blogs try to present us as though we are? Each writer has their own unique way of going about things (or answering questions as you said) so this creates an inherent difference between us all.
I love reading reviews, honestly. I love other posts too, because they let us get to know more about the blogger on a personal level; but nothing beats a good review. Book hauls and things can create an unhealthy competitiveness, whereby we judge ourselves because we can’t compete with the standards of other people (how many books they buy for example). So I think the important thing is that people remember to blog for themselves and not because of what they saw other people do. ❤️
Thank you so, so much for your sweet comment <3
I'm so glad to hear you love reading reviews, I heard a lot that these kind of posts are the less popular around here, but I'm not sure why? It makes me a bit sad. And YES I agree, I can't help it at times but feel a bit disappointed in myself when people can read SO many books and I can't read as much, but I guess, everyone has his own rhythm and as long as we enjoy it 🙂
Neither do I! I feel like those are the types of posts that have to have the most effort put into them and they aren’t appreciated enough, but hey who am I to judge? As long we enjoy them, that’s all that matters! And SAME I feel like I’m constantly comparing myself to other people, but what really matters is knowing my own rhythm, as you said, and making that a little faster if I really want to. The point being that it’s our choice 🙂
Exactly, after all we’re doing this for us and no one else 🙂
Couldn’t agree more! 🙂
I totally missed this post! You’re so right that most blogs aren’t original in the general content that they provide, but where they have to shine is in their voice, writing style, and the passion they bring to each post. For example, I love your posts because you have a unique voice that’s approachable, honest, and easy to read. And when you do tags everyone has done, I still love reading your answers. You also have interesting and original content other people don’t do, so you’re an A++ blogger in general!
I struggled with creating original content when I started blogging and I still do, but I’m not going to stress over it too much because I think I have a unique enough blog and writing style that people don’t mind too much if I do things other people are doing. Last week, I did a book tag that was super old, but nobody seemed to care haha, because I got lots of comments and view. So it’s reassuring that book bloggers are here to support each other. 🙂
Awww Naz thank you so, so much, you are going to make me blush! This is so sweet of you to say, really. <3
You're so right about this. I felt a bit stressed out, and sometimes I still do, about writing something original or different or completely unique. I get an idea then realize that it's actually a very common idea, and I feel sad about it ahah. But I guess lots of the originality and what makes us unique is just because we are all different people with different ideas, minds, ways of writing and thinking, which makes reading blogs always interesting 🙂 And YOU are so interesting always, I just love your blog's theme and how you always make me discover new books <3
Most of the time I’m reading book blogs for book recommendations. So if I like the personality that comes across and if they have a similar taste in books I’m going no to keep reading. Plus I always like a good sense of humour thrown in there. I’m very new to this so I’m trying my best.
Oh yes, the community is the best to give you SO many recommendations, and your TBR gets so big in like, NO time. It is the best 🙂 I hope you’re enjoying blogging so far! 😀
You are right about needing a touch of humour. It’s got to be the blogger’s ‘voice’ that grabs me and keeps me reading. Their personality has to shine through.
I’m glad you agree 🙂 Thank you so much! 🙂
See I’m one of the very few who is not a book blogger. I’m too scared that I will be lazy, be in a burnout, won’t be good enough, won’t know how to do anything, etc. I don’t really look for discussion posts. I look for people who have a lot of passion and similar interests for books. Also I love tags. Any sort of tags just kinda draws me in. But I just love the different personalities. ?
You don’t have to put so many pressure on yourself! <3 You can totally be a book blogger and post every now and then, talk about book and do book tags and things like that. There is no wrong way to blog about books, as long as you're passionate about it 🙂
Awww I’ll take that advice! I’m just always really scared to start something but once I’m in the groove, I will love it! Thank you!
Oh you’re so welcome! 😀 Be yourself and have fun 😀 I hope you’ll have a fantastic time 😀