You know how when you learn a new word, that word suddenly seems to show up everywhere?
Apparently, the same thing happens in the Social Media world. Except in a slightly different way.
This week I am averaging one person a day telling me that I am covering already covered ground. I am treading where others have…trod? I am blogging where everyone has blogged before. I am about as far from the new frontier as you could get. If the new frontier is San Francisco, well, I’m in, say, Ohio.
Yep, I just keep taking ideas that are already out there. I slightly repackage them so they seem different, but in general, I am just another Social Media zombie who spews out things in the hopes that I could appear remotely interesting.
Is this post interesting so far? I sure hope so.
After all, everybody knows how to blog already. Everybody knows the pitfalls one encounters when starting on Twitter. I certainly knew exactly what to expect. I talked to myself for 3 months on a public social networking site because I find my own company so enjoyable. I certainly haven’t had any difficulty in establishing my voice. I haven’t sought help from anyone who had been doing this longer than me. And reaching out to people of like minds for support and guidance?
How plebeian.
It’s a shame that my blog is so cookie cutter. What’s really weird is that so many people are 100% like me. We talk the same way, we tweet the same way, we interact the same way, and thus, when I choose to cover the same kind of topic, it’s like, well, the same thing.
Yep, just a carbon copy over here.
So, if you have come here regularly expecting fresh, new, uncharted territory, I can only assume that you are the most misguided of the misguided. I’m talking about things you could learn about in lots of other places, dating back to the pioneer days, when people would tweet to their families from The Oregon Trail.
“Oxen just fell in deep creek. No paddle.”
In the meantime, though, while you look for those posts from 3-4 years ago that say exactly what I’m saying, I think I’ll just keep adding my buzzing blogging sound to the tsunami of sameness. Just in case you’re a glutton for punishment.
You are, aren’t you?
Image by S. Schleicher. http://www.sxc.hu/profile/schleicher
clever lady you are young padawon (sp?)
oh wait, thats been sai.d a.s well. p.s. why doe.s my “smart phone” add random .’s in the middle of words and not let me take them out?
I don’t know. Smart phones do weird, weird things sometimes.
Thanks, my friend 🙂
So… If not this, then what? 🙂
I dunno. I was thinking I might start posting stuff from the phonebook. Like a blog fillibuster.
Not sure why I read a post after reading a title stating you’ve got nothing new to say, but I did anyway and I don’t regret it. (Ok, so I gave you the benefit of the doubt because you produce good stuff, but that’s splitting hairs).
A coworker of mine wrote a piece in a similar vein today (imagine that!) that I think you might enjoy taking a look at: http://engage.tmgcustommedia.com/2011/01/face-it-im-not-that-into-you/
Well I’m glad you gambled, Andrew. Sorry you ended up with just another clone post to read, but these are the risks we take in the blogosphere 🙂
I like that hair you split, by the way. Tis a good one!
Margie, c’mon, this rant has been used before… come up with something original… and funny… LOL!
You crack me up!
Great post. Love it!
I know, I just can’t help but be boring and uncreative. It’s what keeps me going every day.
Weird, huh? 🙂
For what it’s worth, Margie, I’m just getting started on the Social Media bandwagon, as are, I suspect, many others, and I now get to choose who to take my advice from. So, although I can see there are many ‘pros’ out there who seemingly all have similar advice (how to get Twitter followers, how to drive traffic to your blog, etc), they certainly do not all have the same style or the same ‘voice’. I happen to like yours very much, and the message comes across completely differently.
It’s obvious from your post that you *know* this, but it may be nice to hear from your readers. 🙂
Great (and funny!) post.
Michelle
Hi Michelle,
The thing is, this post is not really just about me. It’s about anyone who’s new to this world.
You’re coming in at a different time than me, so you’re going to experience getting enmeshed in this world in a different way than I did. My experiences are different from what people experienced a couple of years ago. Our advice, being born out of those different experiences, can’t help but be different.
Not only that, but everyone finds their own way of interacting via their blogs and their tweets. No two voices are exactly the same. So yes, there are some good “best practice” kind of soundbytes that people will pass around, but you won’t do it the same way I do.
Everyone has something to say. Everyone’s voice is fresh and new if they are new to this world. Everyone should get a chance.
At least that’s the way I see it.
Margie,
Keep on fighting. I love your work and you are hardly a zombie. Every one of your posts adds depth and freshness to topics that are continually evolving. Please don’t stop!
Jason
Oh, don’t worry, Jason. I’ll be droning on and on for awhile yet. 🙂
Thanks for your support!
Those who can, do. Those who can’t, criticize.
Point well made, Sir James. That’s one thing I don’t get about a lot of folks in this space. They spend a lot of time lamenting other peoples’ practices. Why? Just talk about what you’re doing that’s so awesome-sauce. If you find someone boring, don’t read her blog. Or if you’re jealous that someone whom you identify as boring is achieving success, write in your diary. We don’t need to know about it. No, really. 🙂
Dear Margie –
Well, that’s a shocking title.
Love it.
You may have nothing to say – but you say nothing so well.
Thanks, Corinne. I think 😀
heh! 🙂 Ah, but I agree with Corinne. You say it so well. In fact, for me, it’s the way you say things and the awesomeness with which you write that I adore. For realz.
And to me, actually, you do say new things, because I haven’t heard them before. For the jaded, well, don’t read it. ptthhhfftt!
xo
Well said. I knew I liked you.
I don’t really get the whole complaining about other peoples’ blogs thing. It’s like complaining about a show you hate.
Change the channel, dude. Avert thine eyes.
Really. Please. 🙂
Goodness! Can we safely assume somebody twisted your tail, got your wand in a knot and bunched up your underwear? I might respectfully recommend massive amounts of chocolate, as I find that chocolate fixes just about everything.
I did have a piece of chocolate yesterday, but that just made me feel bad – I had the goal of not eating a single piece of chocolate all through January. *sigh* But I didn’t have another piece to make myself feel better about missing my goal, so yay progress!