Blogging is a tricky business. Everyday, more and more blogs are created, adding to an already over-saturated and overflowing market, making it even harder for us bloggers to get recognised. We're told that originality is key, but it is becoming increasingly difficult to come up with original ideas, especially in such a new type of media where copyright hasn't quite been established. So, how can originality be achieved when there are a million-and-one others out there like you, aiming for the same thing?

When I first started Isobel Rose just over 3 years ago, I kept things simple - makeup looks, haul posts, and the all important 'reviews'. However, as I've grown both as a blogger and a person, I've learnt that thinking outside of the box is so, so important, and although it can be insanely difficult and often frustrating to do, it's important to try and put your own spin on things. I feel like anyone can write a review about a pink lipgloss, and there are about 10,000 posts out there to prove it, but it takes a bit more effort and imagination to take that pink lipgloss and make it part of something bigger, something more exciting and interesting to read about. I, more than anyone, understand how easy it is to fall into the routine of doing 'standard beauty blogger posts' - favourites, reviews, 'edits' - but we have to get out of this rut and produce content that we are truly proud of. Of course, I'm not saying that you shouldn't write these types of posts after all, they're popular for a reason - but mixing it up never hurt anybody. Personally, I go through stages of pure creativity and then others of complete lack of motivation. I am in no way claiming to be a master of originality, in fact I'm often finding myself lacking in that area, but I'm trying to constantly push myself to think bigger and better, so that I can say that I am happy with the content I produce, and how it reflects on me as an individual. 

I've never been the best at anything; art, photography or writing, so I always end up putting myself down, and blaming my lack of strength in these areas - that are so important to blogging - for my less-than inspirational/interesting blog posts. However, I've now made the conscious decision to stop being hard on myself for what I can't do, and start to focus on what I can do (once I've figured that out, that is). After all, we are all different, so why aren't we all utilising our strengths to make our work more original? I mean, what could be more original than being yourself? From now on I plan to inject little snippets of my life and my personality into my work, and hopefully that will shine through for you all to see, and perhaps even enjoy. As I said, writing isn't my strength, so I'm probably going to cut this short here, but do let me know what your thoughts are on the 'originality' debate, and how you'd like to see it effect my blog posts. Be original, they say. But how many different ways can you talk about a pink lipgloss? You tell me. 

Isobel x

14 comments

  1. This is a really good point :) I took a long blogging break after I realised my posts were getting really sub-par and generic, it's definitely helped. I'd rather post less and have better posts than churn them out every day with a review of something hundreds of other people have reviewed! x


    Megan / pixiecrop.com

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  2. This is EXACTLY how I feel about blogging. I also feel that there's a bit too much 'borrowing' from ViviannaDoesMakeup. She's amazing, her blog is amazing, and I guess that's why she's such a trendsetter. But she got their first, so everyone else should do their own thing. Enough with the 'Summer/Autumn/Travel Edit' posts and calling everything 'The' brow pencil/'The' lipstick etc etc (I actually have found myself doing this without really thinking in the past though, so I see how it happens). She's amazing at what she does but there's only one Anna. Everyone else needs to have a little more imagination and carve their own niche. Right now I find myself going down the slightly unhinged ranty route, I guess it just comes naturally. Sorry for the suuuuper long comment. Amazing post! QworterLifeCrisis

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  3. I'd say both writing and lovely photography are strengths of yours! I agree though, however much you love beauty, sometimes there's only so many hyped product reviews you can stomach! Personally I love stumbling across blogs that incorporate a mix of beauty, lifestyle, a little bit of this and that - essentially giving you a nice insight to the blogger themselves. x

    Danielle · danielletc.com

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  4. This is so true. I've been blogging on/off for almost 2 years now and it took me a long time to find myself in the blogging community. I knew I wanted to be a beauty blogger, but knew there was so much that I wanted to cover that wasn't just beauty-based. After so much time and rebranding, I now deem myself to be a beauty and lifestyle blog, the latter allows me to delve into different avenues.
    I look forward to seeing more Isobelised posts from you. *Cheers*

    http://louiseabenamensah.blogspot.co.uk/

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  5. You make some really good points, and on the whole, I agree with you, especially about injecting little bits of your life in posts, but I don't feel quite so offended by the loads of repeat content. I quite like to read about reviews (even multiple reviews of the same product) and favorites and makeup looks. I follow your blog (and others) because your personality comes through in your writing, and it is just a pleasure to read when I feel like I'm getting to know little bits and pieces of a blogger through each post! Of course it is important to be original - "content is king," right? However, I think it is infinitely more important to love what you blog about, otherwise, why would you blog? If someone adores blogging about hauls and favorites, let them blog! Their passion for it will come through. Writing about things that you enjoy is really the only way your personality is going to come through in your writing.


    Along those same lines though, many bloggers struggle because they are trying to be exactly like EssieButton or AmeliaLiana or ViviannaDoesMakeup, and they lose their personalities because they are trying too hard to be just like someone else instead of letting their own passions shine through.


    Point being, don't try too hard to be 'original' and don't try too hard to be someone else. Just blog about whatever you're passionate about, and don't stress! It takes the fun out of blogging. :)


    Sorry that was super long and rambly - this is such a good post and an interesting topic!


    Melissa | M is for Melissa

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  6. I know! I am guilty of throwing the word 'edit' in a few times - but it's just so damn catchy ;) The reason you've always been my favourites is the way to chatter on - it's so personal and pretty hilarious most of the time! I follow so many blogs these days that I often find myself skimming through the pictures, but I always stop to read yours, and that's what I want to happen when people come across my blog. I haven't quite hit my niche like you yet, but hopefully it won't be too long! Thanks for the comment Maddy, I always love hearing your opinion :) x

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  7. I totally understand that, and I find myself subconsciously passing over those "clone" posts because I don't find them interesting.


    If it makes you feel better, I never think your blog reads like a robot! Weird fact: in the first post I ever read on your blog, you talked about your language study, which is a passion that I share with you - I majored in Mandarin Chinese in college. Your excitement about it was so boundless, and I liked it so much that I followed your blog on Bloglovin'. (Please excuse the fact that it is so creepy that I remembered that...) Point being, don't be so hard on yourself - your voice and personality is definitely evident!


    Melissa

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  8. This is such a difficult one, it's so hard to be original (and really, hardly anything ever is totally original), especially when there are so many of us talking about a specific topic. At the same time though, some blogs just stand out for having their own 'something' and it can be hard to even put my finger on what it is sometimes. I feel totally unoriginal most of the time, and as if my posts aren't very exciting, but as you say, how many ways can you talk about a lipstick? x

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  9. I know! Tricky business, especially trying to find your own special 'something' x

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  10. This is why I like to follow a variety of blogs from around the world. I find that many young British beauty bloggers in particular end up covering a lot of the same content, using similar designs, photographing things the same way, and it all ends up being much of the sameness. It's always refreshing to see some personality come through!
    x

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  11. I don't think Vivianna was the FIRST to actually do those things. She, too, grabs inspiration from others - it just so happens she's bigger than most blogs so she SEEMS like she started doing it first BUT not at all. Just my 2 cents.

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  12. THIS EXACTLY. Everything is just so formatted the EXACT SAME WAY.

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  13. Sorry if I'm a bit late to this conversation, but I do agree. I came to the same realization myself on my own blog a little while ago. While I love makeup, and like reading makeup blogs, it just seems like so many of the blogs are too similar to each other, even if people don't mean to be similar to other blogs. Myself, I think I was a bit of a victim of it. I've been approaching it in a different way though - I am trying to blog about makeup from a creative/artistic perspective now.

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