Here’s a poser for you folks that’ll get you thinking seriously about what you’re trying to do with your blog by asking: “Who are you trying to be like?”

Most of us didn’t just pick up a keyboard one day and say, hm, this blogging thing looks like it might be a job.  I think I’ll do THAT.  Most of us wanted to do something with our work, to be like somebody else we’d seen.  Maybe you’ve read about Cory Doctorow’s success and wanted to be the next Cory.  Sonia Simone over at Copyblogger wanted to be the next Seth Godin.

Me?  I wanted to be the next Spider Jerusalem, even though the first one never actually technically existed.

But the point of the matter is, are you trying to be like somebody?  If you are, maybe it’s time to rethink the idea.  After all, having role models is a great thing.  Keeping Spider’s example in front of me has often spurred me on to write when I couldn’t bring myself to punch another key.  But I’m no Spider Jerusalem–I am who I am.  And in the end, though I take my cues from others, it’s my own work, my own content, that people come to the blog to read.

It’s great to have a role model–it’s a great place to start–but you’ve got to grow past that model in order to be a truly great blogger.

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