5 Things That Will Make Me Turn Away From Your Blog

I thought this would be a fun post to write about, and hopefully, I’m not the only one who feels this way. Some of these will not bother other readers, but this is what bothers me from the perspective of being a Christian blogger and reader.

1. ADS

*takes a deep breath

I get it. I know people want to make money off blogging. I know many of us want easy solutions. But spamming your own site with ads is, first of all, distracting. You are putting more emphasis on other people and their products than your own work.

Second, I came to your blog to read something, which is why you want to make money in the first place, right? From your own work? I didn’t come to your site to wait for it to load up and act like when my parents had dial-up for internet connection. Please do not let me relive that.

If a site does not load within a few seconds, and ads are downloading, truthfully, I am usually gone.

2. Sharing Other People’s Work Word For Word

As a Christian blogger and reader, I’ve seen a number of bloggers sometimes copy word for word, paragraph upon paragraph, of devotionals, song lyrics, or parts of a book they really enjoyed. I know there is no malicious intent to steal the work of the author, but everyone…when you are copying word for word from someone that is plagiarizing, it is stealing. Giving credit isn’t always enough, remember the smaller the pieces (poetry or song lyrics) the higher percentage of what you share.

For example, if a song has two verses and one chorus by sharing a verse and chorus you have shared two-thirds of that singer’s work.

You are taking away the opportunity of that author, singer, (whoever) and a potential audience for them. Why should your reader care to go to the source when you are already giving it to them? Think about it. Just because other people do it (with ignorance) does not mean it is lawfully correct. 

Instead please summarize what you enjoyed and direct your readers to the source for them to read themselves. Do not use material on your blog that you did not create or write.

Because if you do, I’m gone.

3. Cursing

Writing down words I think is different than saying them. People swear, sadly in my opinion, almost unconsciously. It’s like a doctor hits someone in the knee, and the knee bounces up. Our words can be like that.

I’m against swearing and cursing, but I know it happens especially with people trying to curb it. However, and this is directed at my fellow Christian bloggers again, we consciously are making choices every time we write a word. There is no excuse in my opinion. Do not lecture me by saying, “God loves me.” Yes, He absolutely does, but are you honestly trying to tell me He loves the words out of your mouth too?

It sounds more like an excuse to me, and I know because I’m good at lying to myself with excuses too.

4. Bitterness, Self Pity, Jealousy, Woe Is Me

I can’t take it.

We all have our own voice in our head that sometimes we let beat ourselves up. Sometimes we complain, and some of us love to complain, whine, and mope.

Considering I already have to rebuke myself of when I am on the road to self-pity and woe is me, I am not going to listen to someone openly whine because I do not want to be part of it, or get sucked into it. It’s easy to be consumed by darkness.

Being honest about our feelings is one thing, and it does help us connect with others, but you know what I’m talking about. When we are just going on and on with no true point in most of the post. We want to rant and we sometimes seek attention and sympathy.

We bloggers have a platform, use it for others. If you want to write and whine to yourself get a private journal.

I am trying to say this gently, and I know it sounds harsh, cause it is. But hear me when I say, we can either pull people out of the mud THEY are in, or we can bring people down into the mud WE are in.

5. The Same Old Stuff

Be it trends, challenges, etc. I like new ideas, uniqueness, hearing someone’s perspective and voice. For me, as a reader, when multiple bloggers post the same title, even when the actual post may be genuinely unique, I am usually turned off by the title alone. It doesn’t mean that person is a bad blogger either, it’s just a personal taste of myself as a reader.

Some people really enjoy reading challenges, what is trending, or reading multiple posts on the same topic, and that’s entirely okay.

If you are writing a post on something that’s been covered multiple times, consider having your title give insight into what you want to add to the topic. 🙂

Stand out.

And that’s all for today. 🙂

Main Blog: Inside Cup

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