March 8, 2012
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Blogger Envy
I will admit that sometimes I have it.
Blogger envy.
I will read someone else’s writings and think “Wow! I wish I were that witty” or “I wish I could make everyday life sound that interesting” or “I wish I were that deep” or “I wish I could take those kinds of pictures.”
I get it that each of us are unique and different and we all have something to offer to the world with our writing.
Unless, of course, we are bitter and jaded and irrational, then maybe all we have to offer is something that people don’t want to read. (That was mostly just a joke.)
I love to write. I have pretty much loved writing ever since I can remember. I have a huge stack of journals to prove it. Plus, I also clearly remember winning a writing contest when I was in about the 6th grade. I even remember what I wrote about…a Native American girl. Her life may have been loosely based on the many “Mandy” books I was reading at the time (as one of the high school boys accused me of), but still…
Even the other day (Tuesday)…when I was sitting on my chair all weary…thinking about the stuff that still needed to be done and thinking about my crazy day…once I got the idea to write about it, wow, that totally lifted my spirits! By the time I was done writing, I felt completely good. Writing is so therapeutic (Yup! Totally had to Google how to spell that) for me!
So I will write. Probably always. Whether publicly or privately. Because it is part of my DNA. I even have hopes to write a book one day, but I can’t figure out what I would write about.
But, still, there are those times when I just feel like “Where do I really fit in?” or “Do I really have anything different to offer?” or “Why can’t I find my niche?” or “I wish I was funnier!”
The ever interesting, very talkative, funny, beautiful Liz Nye and I spent a large chunk of time together in the vehicle within the past 2 weeks. We covered many, many subjects. 18 hours in a vehicle together will allow you that luxury! We even missed our road because we were so busy talking. (I say “we” because she was with me. Not because she was at all responsible for that wrong turn!)
One thing that we talked about was blogs and who we like and why. We talked about different styles of blogs. We talked about the way that both of us write and how our styles our different. We talked about how there are those certain bloggers, who, when you see they updated, you pretty much drop everything to read it.
Here is what I have been thinking about, largely based on that conversation.
Everyone has their favorites in the blogging world.
I know I do.
And there IS a place for everyone.
Just because someone doesn’t really connect with my blog doesn’t mean that they don’t have others that they connect with. And just because there are certain blogs that I gravitate towards doesn’t mean that everyone else needs to love those blogs. There are times when a friend recommends a blog to me and when I check it out, I just don’t find it that interesting. Or I don’t connect with it. But maybe I do, and I feel very grateful for the recommendations.
I think it is like this. If you want to write, Just Do It. (As the Nike slogan so firmly engrained into our brains.)
You probably aren’t going to be the “most” anything…most famous, most funny, most kind, most gracious, most truthful or whatever. But you are special. And you DO have something to offer.
At least that is what I tell myself. And I keep on writing.
And so…the question of the day…
Who is your favorite blogger? What type of blogs do you like to read? What great blogs would you recommend and why?
Liz told me that she loves a blog called http://www.kellehampton.com/ This lady takes beautiful pictures and writing about everyday life.
I told Liz about Sydney at The Daybook who I think has a great sense of fashion and who is super witty and funny!
If I want additional funny, I would read Big Mama – who I think is completely hilarious!
If I want serious and deep, I would read Ann Voskamp’s blog. But I can only handle so much of that.
I totally connect with the irreverent and somewhat inappropriate stuff that this blogging lady has to say.
I also really enjoy The Gypsy Mama who just writes about normal life in an entertaining way.
And OF COURSE, I have my favorites among my Xanga buddies and my other real life and on-line friends, who, when you post, I get this excited feeling in my stomach and can’t wait to see what you have written about and what is going on in your life and in your heart. Because we share a connection and a friendship deeper than just both knowing how to type and access the internet.
Just be yourself. And be fearless!. And write. Just write!! Because there is someone who will connect with you, there is somebody who you will touch with your words and you CAN make a difference!!
(End of motivation speech. No applause needed. Takes a bow and leaves the stage. Thank you! Thank you very much!)
Comments (31)
I am a pretty new blogger, and haven’t bothered reading many until lately. One I have followed, however, was econ girl. She does a blog about behavior economics. I have blogger envy all the time, and loved your post.
and yes. this post just furthers confirms what i’ve been suspecting all along. we DO share the same dna.. somewhere!!
i’ve had this same thought through the years as i’ve heard different people compare themselves to other bloggers.. and we kinda touched on it in our small group friday at ffe, when we had the topic of blogging. ~ how that sometimes we hold back from calling ourselves, “writers.” as if we think by saying that we’re being prideful, or insinuating we think we’re good at it. but if you like expressing your thoughts through writing, you.are.a.writer. embrace that. let God use that. after all, He’s the one that’s made you that way. who cares if it’s not as witty or spiritual as what you think others are saying – - EVERY VOICE IS NEEDED. every voice matters”Just be yourself. And be fearful. And write. Just write!!” exactly. and blogs i like. um. yours! {since i did what you described and dropped what i was doing to read when i saw you updated} 
and. the nesting place. i love that it’s a decorating site, yes. but mostly. she just cracks me up. that’s so my sense of humor.and then her sister – chatting at the sky. she writes short posts with deep meaning. something i always admire in ppl since i obviously don’t possess that ability. for some reason xanga won’t let me link their sites. dumb xanga. 
Adore this! Yes, blogs are open to all types of writing— and when you get to know a person, and you love reading their blog, your stomach does get excited! Awesome post
Ds
i laughed at the boy in your classroom busting you on copying the mandy books. that is just too funny!i didn’t know you still read that “irreverent and inappropriate blog” she just moved to casper and i feel such a sense of loss. we had a growing friendship and it would have only gotten better. marc and her hus got along really good, too.this was such a good post. one every WRITER needs to read.
….and you wish you were wittier. What about that last bit.
Witty and funny.Thanks for your sweet compliments. Loved our car time together! Funny, but the time went SO fast! It certainly didn’t feel like that long of a drive!I love what you wrote here. You are so right about certain things. Especially about different people connecting with different blogs. I was trying to remember what the blog name was you told me about when I read what you wrote about us talking together…and you linked it!!! =) I will Now check it ou!This was really a Great post Audrey! =)
great post…. i struggle with this a lot lately…feeling like i don’t have anything to offer. thanx for writing!
I like what you have to say about blogging. Do it for you and everyone else can get on board or jump ship. I love to throw in a nautical analogy whenever I can. I laughed about the whole Mandy thing too. So funny. I love to read The Pioneer Woman, Matt, Liz and Madeline, and some theme blogs like “cakewrecks” “awkward family photos” and “passive aggressive notes”.
love this post! i often have those thoughts too…. i am not a photographer, not really deep and profound, not a DIY er, not really funny….. then i start thinking what i really have to say! but i do know when i try to be something i am not or to be like someone, nothing flows and it sounds all stiff and awkward. Love your soapbox! i like when you get on those and i get the priviledge of reading it
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GREAT post Audrey! this paragraph:Just because someone doesn’t really connect with my blog doesn’t mean that they don’t have others that they connect with. And just because there are certain blogs that I gravitate towards doesn’t mean that everyone else needs to love those blogs. There are times when a friend recommends a blog to me and when I check it out, I just don’t find it that interesting. Or I don’t connect with it. But maybe I do, and I feel very grateful for the recommendations. i especially like. favorite bloggers for me? Kelle Hampton is definitely one for me too. my pals on xanga are certainly a ‘group’ (cough, choke) of favorites too! ;O)
Thank God we are all different, otherwise what would be the point of reading someone else’s thoughts? .. we’d write pretty much about the same things :)
This is good. I’ve often thought of the same thing. There are about three “rings” of blogs I follow: xanga blogs, writing blogs, theology blogs, oh and I like very irreverent fail blogs too.Btw – you are a good writer!
keep writing, I loved what i read here.
This is really good. I especially liked the same paragraph that Rachel mentioned. AND laughed about copying the Mandie books. I also identify with gracetobe’s comment about feeling presumptuous to call myself a writer. Because sometimes I don’t even know if I have a gift. And when you start reading around. Oh my word. There’s so much to choose from, so many gifted people, etc., etc. But, like you, writing makes me very happy. I don’t write nearly as often as I dream of doing. (which is probably good or you would get very, very tired of me.) But yes. I feel free and light and good after I write. I like Kelle Hampton, although any blogger who is that popular always scares me. And I like Gypsy Mama, thanks to you. And Dorcas. And Jenny Kauffman. And all of you xanga friends. But I have a weird thing that I don’t read a blog very religiously unless I “know” the person and there is some reciprocation. I don’t know what that says about me. You’re a good writer. You definitely make me laugh often. And I don’t laugh super easily. I enjoyed this post very much.
Nicely written entry. You’re right – there is a place for everyone. That’s something I really like about Xanga. Over time, we can find a community of people who, even if they are very different from us, may have similar interests or writing styles or just curious minds. That makes this space very special.There are loads of people on Xanga whose blogs I really enjoy but one of my favorite is Murisopsis.
{claps loudly, stands, smiles and keeps clapping}You wrote~ “Just be yourself. And be fearless!. And write. Just write!! ”I wish I could, always, I do some but I sure am NOT fearless. =) I like your wide view of blogging, it gives a lot of room for others to share their gift in whatever way they feel comfortable. I enjoy each post you write even though I simply do not have time to keep up with all the blogs in responding to everyone 100% of the time. I hate when I do that!!
Definitely not the first time I was called inappropriate, and I pray that it won’t be the last either. I write privately and that stuff isn’t very funny at all, but after I get out all the profanity and eat my emotions for a day or two, it all looks pretty silly. So what I’m left with is laughter, usualy at myself. Keep writing, and I’ll try to keep up.
@bethro78 - i found someone else who reads “matt, liz and madeline!” did you read the book he wrote?
@mlt10202002 - I have it on my kindle but I haven’t read it yet because I KNOW I’m going to cry and I don’t want to cry yet. LOL
such great points and I love how you wrote this!! ha ha and I have pretty much given up or don’t care what my blog is about or what people think (Its all about my kids and for them for when they are older) I need to start a different blog for myself
I am not such a writer, and so I post around pictures. But I have left bits of our life and family there, and like that. I often have words and Ideas swirling about and wish I could blog them more clearly. Just not the way I am made. So thankful for those that do write and like you said, all the different styles and types of people. I learn so much!
LOL! I did exactly what you described…dropped what I was doing once I knew you’d posted something. There are several of you xanga girlies who have that effect on me. You brighten my world in a special way. You’ve pulled me out of depression. You’ve made me laugh and think and then even, just sit and smile at the end of the post with my eyeballs looking straight up, wondering what to respond to such a clever, smart, funny, REAL person! Thank you, thank you, thank you!
My favorite blogs? Well, let’s see…*mentaly scans blog feed*. I’m not sure. I think most of them have to do w/ house stuff, like Young House Love, and House Tweaking. I like Kelly Hampton too, but I guess the normal day life blogs just don’t hold my interest as much in the long run. Like I have Big Mama on my feed, but will often skip it. Not sure why that is. I must say I’m a huge fan of all my Xanga subscriptions. They are my all time favorites. I enjoy blogs best when I know the people personally. Abbi wanted to leave you a hug sticker, so that’s who that is from.
This is really a great post So motivational, so true and so nicely written. I came here via Chris’s (@christao408) recommendation and I’m glad I did. You make a good point about how everyone has their own favourites and how a host of reasons could explain why that is so. I also like Xanga for the fact that we can peruse and read about people’s lives and then communicate as friends. There’s no other place like it.
lovelovelove this post. and all of the comments. you really touched on something we “get.” and touched on it well.our Creator has each of us here on purpose! for a purpose! and the deceiver sneaks in with lies that someone else’s unique significance somehow compromises or diminishes ours. and then we feel…plain. boring. and then…*ohbrother* worthless as we continue looking around and comparing. crazy. not sure why i wrote all that except that it’s been on my brain and your post bumped into it quite nicely.
my fav blogs are by my friends. and as much as i can gasp, enjoy and applaud someone’s well put together post, blogging really is about socializing for me more than anything else.
This is sooo good, Audrey!!I especially love what you wrote about “You probably aren’t going to be the “most” anything…most famous, most funny, most kind, most gracious, most truthful or whatever. But you are special. And you DO have something to offer.” That is SO good. I think that pride can often be such a huge thing for people who blog… or who want to blog. Often people that do blog want to be THE best at something, and people that don’t blog but want to often don’t because they’re not THE best at something. Both are awful! Not that everyone needs to blog, definitely not. But the struggle of wanting to be THE best vs. simply offering what we DO have goes much further than just blogging – it’s usually in more areas than just that.This was such a good reminder for me ~ to simply offer. Whether that’s in real life practicals, whether that’s in writing, however God leads each of us… To give what I DO have. This was so beautiful…
Oh, my favorites?I am not a blog surfer… I don’t visit scads of blogs. My xanga feed is my first place to go
and after that, if I have time, I visit elsewhere. There is something really special to me about building connection… Then I don’t feel like just one more random commenter, but like a friend saying hi, and I love that.
Good thoughts on a subject that probably hits all bloggers. Not sure I really have any particular favorite blogs, I blog on blogspot and xanga and enjoy just down to earth chatty blogs and practical recipes . Though there are the occasional artsy, or victorian or specialty bloggers that I read. Anyhow, enjoyed the post…I think I got here by a recomendation for ” quiet hearts”.
fun post, aug! it would be hard for me to pick a favorite blog, i think. i am a bingeing blog reader- sometimes not in the mood so much as other times. i think my guiltiest pleasure is the hipster mom bloggers- girls with glasses, nat the fat rat, katie`s pencil box and others. but my fav is decor blogs: jones design co., kasey buick, french larkspur etc. i often feel guilty because i like fashion/ decor blogs with pictures. i read very little mom blogs, like other more mature moms than me.
like all the adoption blogs, i wish i could read them for hours. but i just cannot.
ps. i love my xanga friends as well. always a daymaker when i see it on my fb feed!
I missed this post due to being on vacation and had to come see what Luci was talking about… Great thoughts! That resounding, “What do I have to offer?” plagues me a lot, so I just don’t write. Kinda like Kristy said earlier, not a deep thinker, can’t get my thoughts together, not this and not that and everyone else is. I am naturally a negative person, so I guess I have to start thinking positive and remember that everyone has something to offer, so I must too. I have a lot of blogs I read, too many actually, I tend to gravitate toward my tastes and people I know. Knowing someone just gives their blog a whole new meaning.
Standing up on my chair and shouting yes, yes, YES to this post. I could start repeating, but the copy and pasting could get tedious.
I love that everyone offers a different style of writing b/c I would get so tired of reading blogs if they didn’t. For real. It’s just refreshing to hear stuff put in a different way. And I’m never sure if I actually blog for the writing bit or not b/c for me, a lot of it is social driven. But I am oh, so glad for that outlet.I could totally handle 18 hours of driving / talking time with you. 