Tagged, Blogging and Being Original

Via Angie Pedersen’s ScrapbookMarketing.com, where I was tagged, and a link back to the original inspiration for this blog project - Mohit Singhania’s blog project called, “Be Original”

This is Angie’s sum up of the Be Original concept (yes, not very original for me to simply quote, but it’s a good way to start the ball rolling while I think…) 

Summing up from Mohit’s original post, here is how it works:

1. In a new blog post, list and write about 5 to 10 methods you use to create original posts.
2. At the start of your post, tell your audience (briefly or at length) what you are doing with the “Be Original” Project and link to the project.
3. Link/trackback to the blogger who tagged you for “Be Original”
4. Share your “Be Original” methods with your own audience
5. Pick as many bloggers as you want and “tag” them to take part in the fun…
   After all, that is how a meme works (a unit of cultural information transferable from one mind to another.)
6. Sit back and learn from the discussion.

How Do I Create Original Blog Posts?

1. Selectively read other blogs- I used to have a huge list of scrapblogs I subscribed to via Bloglines, but this became difficult to maintain, so now I have chosen a few choice blogs - the ones which give me the news as soon as it’s announced. These are normally by industry leaders (not necessarily celebratory scrappers either) and digital store owners / designers, or about the blogging industry itself. I subscribe to several newsfeeds, with simple search tags such as “scrapbooking” or “digital scrapbooking”. Many of these can be delivered to my normal inbox as they are found, others can be subscribed through a blog reader (mine is bloglines).
   
2. Selectively read forums and communities dealing with the topic of interest. For me, this is normally digital scrapbooking communities at the moment, and you never know what thread started by someone will pique my interest, and what one may not.
   
3. Lately, the forums are the ones which give me most of my ideas towards fresh content - but I’ve been hindering my own approach, because I have a sense of dejuvu on writing some posts. Why? Because I’ve finally realised that after writing about the industry for a few years now, that some trends and ideas come around again, or progress differently - something I wrote about three years ago suddenly needs writing about again. And with that realisation comes the feeling that finally - it’s okay to go over the same things again, in a slightly different world - new people have entered it, there are possibly new readers to my blog, and yep - it’s okay to not be original all the time.
   
4. I tend to state things which for others may be too controversial. I try to write about them in a clear, explanatory way, as my opinion, but with an understanding of the other side of any debate also, and you’ll find that many others will write me to thank me, especially around controversial subjects in the industry which they feared saying anything about in case of chatisement (which I must admit, has happened to me from time to time). These are my most read pieces, but they are not written to be so - I am sometimes lucky enough to touch on areas which mean a lot to many people - just as they do for me. I write primarily from a personal viewpoint.
   
5. I use the products, techniques, ideas and trends through the industry. My use of products helps me get in new ones to review - but I also review ones I’ve purchased myself, just because I wanted something new to write about, and found something interesting - to me.
   
6. I can’t help but share my own life personally through the blog - and making it personal helps me formalise how I react to the industry I blog about also. But most importantly - this is a personal blog. I am not affiliated with any magazine, scrapbooking company, or business. I do not make any money from the industry, or my blog. I don’t have advertising through it, and I’m not promoting a product, ebook or website through it - most of the later points are something very different from those bloggers who try to make a living from their own blogs. But the choice means for me one very important thing for my personal blog - I do not have to tow any party line in my opinions, or always be “nice” to maintain my readership. That’s not to say (I hope) that I am not nice in stating opinions etc, but hopefully tells people that I am writing about things which I care about from a personal level. I love the industry I write about - and I love the compatibility with technology, blogs, writing and creativity. And that, for me, is a personal thing - as is this blog.
   
7. I share my own projects on the blog also - these are normally scrapbook layouts, as I create them - I wouldn’t consider writing about a topic I am not involved in. But I also share ideas and concepts - some don’t get picked up, and some are very personal (such as my most recent Stash4Charity challenge for myself to support charities pound for pound with any purchase I make).
   
8. Although it means managing the spam comments and references more regularly (and administrating my blog), I always ensure my readers have several ways to contact me, or contribute to the blog - I have a gmail address for the blog, and I always have comments on. I also use feedblitz to allow some readers to get the updated blogs by emails daily. This obviously reduces my statistics and hit counts, which affects my positioning in those top site listings you see the buttons for on my sidebar - but I prefer to be accessible rather than countable. The comments and personal emails to my blog gmail address are terrific in giving me new content ideas. If I get emails, even simply asking me to add their blog to my listings, I always ensure that I respond back to them, and this often opens up discussions also.
   
9. My blog also has a few page  forms where readers can leave links, blog links for my large blog list, and guest book comments - all of which give me more content ideas to pursue. The blog and scrapbooking links lists are often the main new drawcard to my site, and allow for searchability within search engines - but once into my site, I hope that the readers look around, and offer up some ideas themselves.
   
10. Finally, my blog’s gmail address is multiply tasked. I also use it for signing up to industry newsletters, and subscriptions where possible. That way, the ideas and news comes to me and prompts more ideas. The gmail address for the blog is as much part of my blog as the blog itself. Every morning / evening (on work days) when I log onto the internet, I open up two websites immediately - one is my blog (to check comments, etc) and the other is my gmail address (to check emails to the blog etc).
    

Who Do I Tag:

 I am tagging some digital designers (who have no difficulty in being original), some regular readers of mine, some great scrapbookers, great creatives, and some interesting oddities (who may, or may not accept the challenge) - which ones are up to you to work out, lol.  I’ve selected them randomly because mainly these ladies are are quite good at keeping up with their blogs, and their blogs are bytes of their family and everyday lives rather than just a promo blog for their new wares. I’ll be interested in seeing just who does decide to take up the challenge.

Carrie Stephens,  Jen Strange, Katie the Scrapbook Lady, Becky (Webchyk ), Debbie Pearson, Christine Smith, Kate Hadfield, Kirsty Wiseman, Susan White, DebF

Comments

[Angie Pedersen]

Go, meme, go! :)

Whohoo - GREAT post, Michelle! As always, really insightful thoughts here. I think one way you're ahead of me is with the message board reading - I used to frequent several MB's, and did get a lot of news that way, but have fallen out of it. I'd say maybe I should get back into it, but maybe I'll leave that frontier to you, so your posts will be "news to me"! ;)

Thanks for playing along!

[DebF]

ok, I think I'm on the list cos I'm a designer LOL. I'll give this some thought and have a crack at it - thanks for the challenge!

[Basketer]

Awesome entry. Yours are the best explained ways in whatever I have found. I am so very glad that I actually tagged you. Thanks.

[Susan White]

Thanks for tagging me. As ususal your post was insightful. Tooks me a few days to come up with my post but I finally did http://susanwhite.typepad.com/scrapbooking/2007/04/be_original.html

[Debbie Pearson]

As always your blog posts are insightful, educational and entertaining. You never bore me :) So I took you up on the challenge. You can find it here:
http://scrapability.squarespace.com/scrap-rants/2007/4/9/tagged-blogging-and-being-original.html#comments

[Debbie Pearson]

Um, last comment edited to put the correct link in :) Sorry about that!
http://www.debpearson.blogs.com/

[Randa @ Printables4Scrapbooking]

Great post and great blog! Thanks for the thorough look at how you formulate posts. Very helpful.