Retaining Originality: The dilemma of the modern blogger

“Originality is the power of independent thought and constructive imagination“

Very few people set out to blog for money, influence or fame. I set out to blog because I had something which needed to be said. Along the way I discovered influencer marketing, fame and an audience that had its own expectations. I struggled to navigate the conflict of staying true to myself and creating for influence.

Why does being original matter?

Originality gives work a personal touch, a unique signature that differentiates you from others. Originality is what builds a following in the first years of blogging.

People are looking for different ideas and sincere digital stories, because people trust relatable solutions. These are stories shared from lived experiences which always hit closer to home.

Do you know the reason why old music still sounds great? Some say its because musicians from the past created from the heart. Originality keeps you going when culture and societies change.

What is stifling your originality?

I observe a few things that could be killing your originality and authenticity.

Information Overload

The vast amount of information being consumed by an individual is at its highest. This has made it difficult to digest thoughts, ideas and information. We have been reduced to being reactive in pursuit of the trends.

Social Media

Social media has created high expectations. People are posting only success stories piling pressure on others who are still trying to figure out about life. The result is a lot of imitations and cutting corners inorder to keep up.

Push Notifications

The digital age is full of information clamouring for our attention. Push notifications are making it harder for us to leave our screens. Often you open a story and read it halfway,then something else grabs your attention. Before you know it you have 7 tabs open.

Influencer Marketing

More and more bloggers are identifying as influencers. The motive is money. It is good when your creativity pays you, but you must guard against the consequences. One of the drawbacks of influencer marketing is creating content that has nothing to do with the objectives of your blog. This compromises authenticity and originality.

How to get yourself back on the right track.

I have identified some of the things stifling our originality as bloggers. Here are a few suggestions to ignite your raw creativity:

Reconnect with your passion

Passion brings in rewards that are genuine and fulfilling. Ensure that your blog niche aligns with your passion. When you create you will find it easy to season your post with genuine emotion.

Disconnect

Sophia Musoki keeps away from social media so that she creates her blog content. She experiments in peace and the result are never seen before fusion recipes!

Set aside time to disconnect from the frenzy world. In that alone time connect with yourself to create pure classics that you believe in.

Care for your audience

Think of the people who followed your blog when it was still novel. Read their comments and find what connected both of you.

How easy has it been to stay the course of what you set out to do?

Image credit/ Innoh Khumbuza from Pexels