10 Reasons To Stop Calling Yourself A "Blogger"

Several years ago, I gave this presentation at a blogging conference. I wanted to help people become better at blogging and I made a point which may or may not have been fully understood at the time. I suggested that we stop calling ourselves "bloggers". My broader message was that unless the act of blogging itself was indeed your core passion—you should identify yourself more closely with what your true passion is—whether that be writing, sports, design, marketing or perhaps being a parent. Here's some more food for thought on the subject matter. A bit tongue-in-cheek, but maybe it can get us all thinking. Here's 10 reasons to stop calling yourself a "blogger":

1. People are only nice to bloggers because now, they have to be.
2. Blogger sounds like "booger". Ew.
3. Bloggers are so 2006. "Microbloggers" are the new bloggers.
4, Most successful bloggers have written a book. That makes you an author.
5. If you haven't written a book, you're just a blogger.
6. No one really wants you to blog about what they did at last night's party.
7. Blondes have more fun. Bloggers have more fights.
8. Bloggers are now respectable, like journalists and lawyers. Except no one trusts journalists and lawyers.
9. The word blogger rhymes with "jogger"—subliminally recalling images of head bands, knee highs and short shorts.
10. Bloggers only talk about blogging. You're more interesting than that.

Comments

[Adam Singer]

nice list david, i've been reading for awhile but haven't left a comment yet.

great slideshare too, i think you inspired something.

cheers,
adam

[Diabolic Preacher]

most points like 1,2,3,7,8,9 are crap. The rest of the points can be summarized into one single point, the last one,
10. Bloggers only talk about blogging. You're more interesting than that.

Totally agreed on that

[Chadi]

Nice list and completely true.

[Jenn]

Great list!

I try to avoid labels on the internet. I'm a human being, first and foremost. I sometimes wonder if a mass dropping of the pretentious labels would greatly change things.

When I connect with people online, I don't want to talk about our respective professions all. the. time. Too much talk of tech and biz (or whathaveyou) just gets stale. I want to know how the day is going or crack jokes with others. I want things to be fun. The key is to connect as real people because we all have real back-stories.

[Ike]

I have a better reason:

If I were indeed a blogger, I would have been included in Armano's "Blogroll Buffet."

[jhay]

I agree, points # 1,2,3,7,8,9 ARE crap. One shouldn't call oneself as a blogger just because it rhymes with "booger"? That is so lame and retarded.

[Rubesy]

Ten reasons to proudly claim your identity as a blogger

1. People are nice to bloggers -- they have to be.
2. Bloggers are ubiquitous, like God. You would love to be ubiquitous.
3. Microbloggers can only say so much. Whatever they can't fit into 140 characters, you can discuss at length in your own blog. Nobody controls
4. Maybe you want to write a book one day. This is one way to get feedback on your material.
5. Many people haven't written books, and aren't even bloggers.
6. Nobody wants you to blog about ____. Fill in the blank. If you can blog about it, and get people to read it, link it, and think about it, you win. (And you have much more interesting things to say than what someone did at last night's party.)
7. And redheads have more hair per square inch of scalp. And bloggers have more friends, since said friends don't have to listen to their endless opinions on everything. Their blog audience takes care of that.
8. Bloggers are now respectable, like doctors and firefighters.
9. The word blogger rhymes with Frogger, and who didn't love that game?
10. Luckily, most bloggers talk about something other than blogging. Blogging about blogging would get old quick, and I'd say maybe three people could make a successful blogging career out of that one topic. As for talking about your blog FTF, that's not like 2006, that's like so 2001.

[cheer bows]

I think #8 should not be included in the list. It turns out that people trusts bloggers than lawyers and journalists. With that, I will call my self a Blogger! #10 is the best!