I’ve got nothing unique to say.
It has all been said before.
There are so many people who are smarter than me.
Why would anyone listen to me?
Have you ever found yourself thinking like this?
If so – you’re not alone. At one point or another most bloggers do, and many would be bloggers have been stopped in their tracks by them.
Here’s the deal:
Nobody has lived your life before.
Nobody has your story.
Nobody has faced and overcome what you’ve overcome.
Nobody thinks in exactly the same way that you do.
So write – but infuse what you write with your story.
Your story is what makes it unique.
Your story is what’s never been said before.
Your story is something nobody else could ever know better than you.
Your story is why anyone would listen to you.
Thanks, Darren. This is inspiring. I think this ALL the time.
This is the way I felt this week. I wrote three blog posts, and found myself writing about things that concerned me the most. I learned a lot, but not sure if I created any value for my blog readers.
Thanks for the good post.
Hi Darren
I think that anyone who is worried about not having unique content should really think about these points you’ve laid out.
They should also think about whether they have a unique view/response on other people’s content. A differing opinion is a great thing that is engaging to readers – particularly if it is a controversial opinion.
By this I don’t mean that people should ‘make up’ an opinion, or deliberately be really ‘out there’ for the sake of it, I mean that if you have a different perspective on existing content, you can use this in your favour to create something unique.
Many thanks for sharing this short, yet inspiring piece!
We always have something unique to say Darren. This is one of those dreaded blocks holding back our genius and success. You hit the points dead on!
I post…a lot. Mostly video posts. Sometimes 50 times daily. Between 2 blogs. I kid you not. 1 minute videos, and a few written posts too. I observe, and share, and push, and observe, and share, and push. We have so much to talk about. Too many folks look at 1 blog post as a job. I look at blogging like this: you share your thoughts to help people.
We have between 30,000 and 50,000 thoughts daily. How could we EVER run out of blog post ideas? Arguing for the writer’s block deal only makes the block stronger. Go ahead, click through to my blog lol…..you really can create on demand, when you dissolve your blocks with personal developing, and by gaining inspiration from posts like these.
Thanks Darren!
Ryan
Thanks for the reminder Darren! Sometimes it isn’t easy to write in this way but definitely makes your story unique and as a result hopefully makes a human connection with your readers.
This is exactly what I think any time someone talks about competition or frets about not being “good enough”. Thank you for sharing it so eloquently.
thanks Terri
Good reminders, Darren. A friend of mine has been working on a book on purity for about a year and recently saw a similar book on another website. It was not the same focus but even if it was, the book would not be in his voice and tell his story. Even though I know his story very well, I am waiting with anticipation for his book but am not really interested in the other one. His story and voice is what makes it unique.
Thanks, this is a good reminder. I tend to get really intimidated by this.
Also, I don’t know how many times I’ve seen a million articles about a specific topic, but really only liked one. Your style will appeal to different people.
hope this helps – thanks for the comment
Short and interesting article. Thank you Darren for sharing something unique..
Nice post Darren! I’m sure a lot of people can relate to this including myself.
Hello Darren,
Recently I was thinking about this concept and I also came to the point that there are people who will listen to what you are having to say because you are unique! Many people don’t get it! If we just think about it a little bit more, we’ll come to the point that there are so much information out there that it is useless to start a topic…however if you are a smart internet marketer you can find resources with little productivity inside them and by tweaking them you can write something unique with your own words, voice and huge productivity. This is the way people create content. Don’t forget that creativity is one of the most powerful skills a human being posses!!
Thank you.
Zourkas
I think all of us bloggers have been through times of low inspiration.
Thank you for this reflection, Darren. It’s great to know that I have not been the only one.
Honestly you could have put more effort into this. It’s just a bunch of platitudes listed to create a post. I’m very disappointed.
I completely disagree Michael. I read this post because it was short and it spoke to me deeply to the point of being moved to tears because it is exactly what I’m feeling right now.
Adding any more to this post would have taken away from it. Thank you for writing this.
I agree and disagree with Michael. Posts like this can be inspiring and just the kind of push one needs. Or it can just say nothing, depends on where you’re coming from. For me some examples on how to apply this would have helped. Everyone’s blog is different, so how you insert your story will really vary depending on the kind of blog you have.
I hear you Meghan – I guess I wanted to touch on the heart of the issue rather rushing to solutions/fixes etc. My hope was that naming it might release some to blog from the heart.
Maybe I didn’t hit the mark with this one – but happy to have learned from the experience.
It’s good to hear your explanation and motivation for the post – thank you!
Sorry you feel that way Michael. I’m at peace with the post – it came from my heart and seems to have resonated with a few people.
However I understand that not every post is going to connect with everyone and if this one doesn’t with you then I hope something else we’ve written this week does.
I see that for many readers it made a good connection with them, and honestly that’s what platitudes often do and most of their purpose. They are motivational and are meant to evoke feelings from a person. So while I would never say this post is rubbish, (Bilbo) I stand by my opinion that it seemed to lack effort.
Examples aren’t needed for me, but it just seemed too much of a list. When you say you put the effort into it, I can imagine you sitting there thinking of something impactful to say–of your feelings coming out, and what you ended up with was this. However, I’d really have to either know you, been around your site a long time (I haven’t) or really evaluate the posting more than what I’d imagine a new or casual reader would. That’s all.
Mike
Some time ago, i dont know where i read it, i found something that said that the real deal is writting about what makes you feel afraid of telling it to the world. Feeling in front of that fear and overcoming it is the key to success.
I also have much time without anything special or unique to share and it is time to post generic articles.
Short and deep article. Thank you Darren for sharing something refreshing my mind
There’s always a time when you’re needing to write an article but questioning your ideas. Here’s what I do – my random thoughts for posts come to me when I’m in the moment and I’m not trying to think of a post. Whenever I get a random thought I’ll make a note of it in my iPhone. My process of jotting down ideas when they come to me has made for an endless “thought bank” for topics for my blog.
What a load of rubbish. Story shmory.
Sorry it wasn’t up your alley ‘Bilbo’. Happy to take a constructive critique though – what would you suggest to people who are feeling blocked from posting because they feel everything there is to write has already been written?
Would love to hear your wisdom!
It looks like “Story shmory” is all the wisdom you’re gonna get Darren!
Powerful. Something I need to remind myself of on a daily basis. Thanks for sharing!
I try to write content that I know has to be unique. However, when I submit my site to be analyzed, I get the same criticism, which is, no unique content. This can be frustrating. But, I refuse to quit.
Darren,
Thank you for this short-and-simple post that essentially deals with one of the most fundamental issues that any creator of content faces, whether doing so for a public or private audience. As you pointed out, the overcoming of “the block” that most writers face, and by extension anyone who creates any kind of consumable content, is figuring out the purpose, or “the story” as you mentioned. More and more these days, it is becoming the central mantra for my own self, and one that I am looking to take to the world with my own writing services. Once again, thank you for this thought-provoking, and really a very reassuring read, in many ways. Have a great day!
Warm regards,
Rohin Kallat
This was the post I needed to read this morning. It released me to publish a post I’ve had sitting in drafts for months but was too afraid to post.
I find it slightly ironic that he complains that the post is a ‘bunch of platitudes’ and says you could have put more effort into your post when on his own blog he seems to regularly simply post quotes from other people mouths or paragraph long posts that don’t seem particularly thoughtful either.
A very insteresting article. I didn’t even think about anything you’ve said there, because it is true that no one lives my life.
Hey Darren,
Truly inspiring, just like everyone have said. We are all unique and each of us has our very own story to tell and to share the world.
Thanks Darren…
that is something very inspiring one…very deep thoughts..like it
thanks for sharing
Hi Darren,
I would love to read a part 2 of this article with some more details.
Brian Clark over at Entreproducer answered this question by saying that put the stakes so high that your competition cannot achieve it.
I too think about it all the time. I did some research and wrote an article about it on my blog a few time back headed “Other bloggers have said everything, what now?”
http://www.writeregion.com/2013/04/other-bloggers-have-said-everything.html
“Everything has already been said but since no one was listening, it all should be said again.” – some wise guy
Hi Darren!
Thanks for the inspiration. I’ve been facing some pretty intense writers block in the last few weeks and this really helped me get out of my rut.
Thank you Darren for the smack upside the head. I am going to tack this post to my desk.
Well written and encouraging Darren. I feel this all the time, that I have nothing unique to say. I am in the middle of writing a blog and stupidly googled the title and found another blog saying the same thing, but in a different way, and, I thought, much more succinctly than I could have put it. Discouraging to say the least….but then I looked at my draft again this morning after reading your article, and realized that this is MY story and MY thoughts about the subject. Cheers!
I was telling my son this the other day. He was upset because he had a creative idea, and then noticed that someone else had the same idea. But I explained that creativity is not just about having a completely unique idea, because “there is nothing new under the sun.” Creativity is about having an idea that is expressed through the UNIQUENESS of an individual.
Of course, when I get frustrated, I need to remember the same.
This is so true. We may have the same idea with the others, but our opinions will always make a difference.
Nice job buddy, Its a inspiring post for all small publishers.
Hey Darren, I’ve been struggling with this lately – wondering if I should continue on. Thanks for the encouragement and right words. I think that’s been my problem. I’m writing generically and I need to infuse my story more. Thanks again. Keep up the great work!
It can be incredibly frustrating trying to create unique content, but there are times when it can also come very easily. Inspiring posts like this one certainly go a long way to helping us through the tougher times.
Thanks Darren – perfect timing and just the right motivation I needed to get this last post done.
I like it.. Short and to the point.. I have so many mad stories, not sure whether to pu them on my blog or not!
Hi Darren,
After reading some of the comments I felt compelled to comment. I loved this post.
Sometimes we don’t feel like we have anything else to offer. That’s been my story for the last few weeks over on my blog.
To be honest, I’ve reached the point where I’ve been considering stopping blogging. Why? Because of feeling like being in an echo chamber and just adding to the noise
So much so, that I wrote a post on ‘Why I blog and why I need your feedback now’
It really was a blog post from the heart. (I normally blog about marketing, social media and communications)
The response was overwhelming. Lots of comments and encouragement. And more importantly – constructive feedback.
(BTW Your keynote at the PB conference still resonates with me. Blog from the heart and smart.)
Very good encouragement, Darren. This concern has stopped me from writing posts about my travels, because I had always thought that there’s more than enough materials in the Internet.
Very interesting.
Fantastic stuff Darren, always need the reminder that we’re all unique and bring our own unique twists with ideas and solutions.
Thanks for the reminder and encouragement. :)
Very Interesting and Inspiring
Thanks for the lifeline, Darren. You got me off the bump with a little help from another friend.
http://www.boomerpdx.com/nw-boomer-with-nothing-to-say/
I still prefer you blog, then your poems. Haha.
I thoroghly read your “MAKE MONEY” and i understand that every blog is unique in how it can make money…