Technorati says it currently tracks 112.8 million blogs and that bloggers "update their blogs regularly to the tune of over 1.6 million posts per day."
In addition, Technorati says there are over 175,000 new blogs started every day.
So what can you do to stand out, to become known as an original or unique blogger?
C.S. Lewis
In this installment of the Writing Advice from the Greats Series, we look at C.S. Lewis, the Christian apologist. He has some solid, simple advice for becoming a more original writer as well as growing your blog readership.
C.S. Lewis (1898–1963) was an Irishman and an English professor at Oxford University, where he became a close friend of J.R.R. Tolkien. Lewis authored The Problem of Pain and The Chronicles of Narnia, among many other books. His "works have been translated into more than 30 languages and have sold more than a million copies per year. The books that comprise The Chronicles of Narnia have sold more than 100 million copies," according to Wikipedia.
Originality = Truth
"Even in literature and art, no man who bothers about originality will ever be original: whereas if you simply try to tell the truth (without caring twopence how often it has been told before) you will, nine times out of ten, become original without ever having noticed it," Lewis said.
I believe he's right. Most everything that could be said has already been said, and most of the "new" ideas that catch fire are usually modern spins on old ideas. If you're intent on creating something totally unique that you think hasn't really been done or expressed yet, you're probably going to fail. Pretty much everything is already out there. For example, how many "make money online" blogs are there? How many "improve your writing" blogs have you seen, all often saying much the same things?
You likely won't create a successful blog by setting out to cover a subject that no one else has or covering that subject in a way that no one else has (because it's likely been done already many times over)--but you may well find success as a blogger by simply telling the truth.
Be honest about who you are and present your subject in as honest a fashion as you can. Have something valuable to say, know exactly what your take on that subject is, and present it clearly and honestly. If you do this consistently, you should find that readers will begin to grant you the labels of "original" or "unique" even though you haven't really presented anything new or even done it in a new way.
By simply being genuine and genuinely passionate about your subject, you will come across as an original voice in whatever genre you blog or write about. There are so many bloggers who are covering the same subject you are but doing it in a cheap, hit and run way that when you simply blog honestly, genuinely, and thoroughly, you stand out in a good way.
Example from Real Life
An episode in Lewis' life exemplifies his advice. He wrote A Grief Observed after his wife, Joy, died from bone cancer. Lewis was so brutally honest in discussing his pain and sorrow that he originally released the book under a pseudonym to "keep readers from associating the book with him. However, so many friends recommended the book to Lewis as a method for dealing with his own grief that he made his authorship public," according to Wikipedia.
A couple of quotes from A Grief Observed that demonstrate Lewis' honest and raw introspection laid bare before the world:
"Part of every misery is, so to speak, the misery's shadow or reflection: the fact that you don't merely suffer but have to keep on thinking about the fact that you suffer. I not only live each endless day in grief, but live each day thinking about living each day in grief."
And:
"Am I, for instance, just sidling back to God because I know that if there's any road to H., it runs through Him? But then of course I know perfectly well that He can't be used as a road. If you're approaching Him not as the goal but as a road, not as the end but as a means, you're not really approaching Him at all."
Lewis simply told the truth to his readers about what he was experiencing and how he tried to deal with it, complete with his questions and doubts about the goodness of God--all this from the 20th century's most popular Christian apologist.
Tell the Truth
This isn't an excuse to start blogging about your personal life or the personal lives of those nearest to you in excruciating detail, airing your and their dirty laundry--as if that would even necessarily be interesting to many people.
Rather, the idea of telling the truth as a means of becoming an original writer is simply this: by being honest about who you are and what your credentials are to opine on a subject and presenting your subject in an honest, accurate, and thorough manner, you can establish yourself as a fresh and authoritative voice in your chosen arena.
So if you want to become an original writer, first focus on being an honest writer.
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Related Posts
Writing Advice from the Greats Series: William Faulkner
Writing Advice from the Greats Series: Ray Bradbury
Writers: Sometimes It's Better to Stop Writing Before You Hurt Yourself
8 comments:
I think there is a tension between
a) writing what we are musing on (which is, as you point out, part of being an original writer), and b)looking to what might be a popular blog article.
I'm still sorting those 2 sides out in my blog. If I go too far in the direction of a) I get less comments to the posts (which I take to mean that less people related to it.
So, where do you see the balance between a) and b), Jesse?
Mary,
Great question.
I wrestle with that a lot myself.
I think that whatever our aim (muse post or popular post), we should be honest and thorough--that will bring out the "originality" that we're striving for.
Now, as to finding the right balance...I think the first thing is you have to write about what interests you and what you know about. If you display real passion and knowledge about your subject, that will come through and the right readers will relate to it.
Certainly your topic has to be of interest to people, but I think in the long run, you will get more attention if you blog on your muse as opposed to what's popular.
This question is all about what you want out of being a writer/blogger. If you want to grow a huge blog/website, then you are certainly going to want to post on what the "people" want. If you want to spread your advice and express your opinion, regardless of whether it gets comments or grows, then you write only on what you like.
It's all in what you want. If you want a balance, then you mix in different posts of both kinds. One post might be what readers like, while another might be what you really want to write about.
I think you have to search deep within yourself and only YOU can answer that question.
"Keeping it Real, Learning How to Write"
Excellent post. I've been working through this whole "originality" thing myself lately.
Plus, anytime you can quote C.S. Lewis, it is a plus in my book.
Good form!
Bob,
Thanks. Glad you liked the post.
Originality is on the minds of many bloggers lately, and rightly so.
Yes, I take any opportunity I can to quote Lewis, as he's probably my favorite writer.
I fully agree with the opinion in the post and am glad to read it.
I think to build a bridge between a) and b) in Mary's comment is indeed to commit yourself to the topics you meet and are interested in and to make an effort to understand all aspects of it. I am sure you'll get an honest opinion from reading what it is all about.
It is good to write from your own honest world-perspective but that doesn't have to exclude popular subjects like blogging, writing or "great writers".
The balance might be obtained by not forcing yourself to write more about subjects you feel you already dealt with in a good an honest way.
I agree very much that even a small injection of truth into any piece of fiction/creative writing is that magic ingredient which can make it fly.
A Clear Berth,
I think you're right. Committing yourself to your topics and trying to honestly understand them and present them well is key.
You're also right that writing on your muse or passion doesn't have to exclude writing on more popular subjects--just find a healthy balance that you can enjoy doing.
Thanks for stopping by and commenting.
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Ken,
Good point that injecting truth into even fiction can significantly enhance it. Thanks for adding your thoughts.
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