Dealing with Blogger Envy

I think we’ve all felt this way at some point when blogging: “their blog is so much better than mine!” (Insert an “ugh,” groan, flops head onto arms like some Disney princess from a scrapped Disney movie, while your animal sidekick tries to comfort you by awkwardly patting you on the head)

I’ve definitely felt this way. Especially when I was first starting out, but even now. I work hard on my blog, more my written content, than say, my images, blog post headers, and graphics, but I still work hard on it. I put time and effort into it, try to be honest and yet entertaining, but at the same time, I still get the dreaded Blogger Envy (dun dun duuuuuun!).

I see some fantastic blogs out there, with perfect pictures (those flat lays! How do they have so many cute trinkets? How is everything so clean? They have pets, right? Where is the fur??? Also, no stock photos for them!), can say what they mean in a clear and enjoyable way without rambling like I do, have a gorgeous blog layout (how did they get this layout? Did they design it?? Are they a computer genius? How come theirs is perfect and mine is always slightly wonky??), and have a solid blogging niche and a loyal blog and social media following. I don’t have a blog niche, I think. Am I mental health blogger? Lifestyle? Person who just writes about whatever they want in the hopes that someone will read it and like it? (That sounds more like it!) I don’t know!

I don’t know how to use Photoshop or any other fancy photo editing software to make my pictures even better. I don’t have a fancy camera to take pictures with, just my trusty smartphone (though I do use some apps to try to achieve the goal of effortless and professional blog photos, but usually just end up using stock photos, because really, I have nothing pretty or stylish to photograph). I’ve never been sponsored or even been sent an email from a PR team looking to work with me (though I have been sent a fake one. It was very exciting at first, until I learned other small bloggers had received it too, and it was a scam. Sigh). And lord knows no one ever used my Amazon affiliate links to buy anything. Amazon cut me off real quick for lack of sales (I have very unusual tastes in books, maybe people just aren’t interested in reading about supernatural historical fiction and random nonfiction books about weird medical oddities. Which is fine, go and read your Gone Girl wannabe thrillers that I also read, so this isn’t really much of an insult, now is it?)

The Blogger Envy is real and is close cousins with the Green-Eyed Monster. Oh, no. It’s a monster, too. The Blogger Envy monster! (“Helloooo, helpless blogging victim!” smiles the Blogger Envy monster with a sly smile and a perfectly on point outfit, while their iPhone XR dings with a zillion notifications)

So, what am I doing wrong?

I must be doing something wrong (“yes, you are,” whispers the Blogger Envy monster seductively in my ear. “You’re doing everything wrong!”). Every other blogger has (besides the gorgeous blog layout, the entertaining content, beautiful pictures with a fantastic blog header- plus an accompanying picture to pin on Pinterest, a definite blogging niche, faithful blog and social media following, etc.) lots of views, lots of interactions on social media, PR companies clamoring (well, that’s how I imagine it) into their emails, begging for them to work for them, and gets sent free stuff from said PR companies (by the way, if any PR company is reading this, I love subscription boxes, Harry Potter, and books. Just, you know, FYI), and knows just how to traffic people to their blog. I’ve been working on my blog on and off for years now, and it’s amazing how many blogs are only just starting out who have already hit 100,000 views, yet my little blog seems to get lost in the shuffle.

Maybe my blog and its content don’t stand out. (“Yes yes yes!”, the Blogger Envy monster whispers, as it snaps a cute selfie in front of a colorful wall and posts it on Instagram)

Maybe I need to up my game, spend lots of money I don’t have on getting (and learning) Photoshop, maybe get a new fancy camera to take new photos (“stock photos are for the weak!” the Blogger Envy monster scoffs, as it types in “best blog ever” on Google and its website is the first result to pop up).

Or maybe I should just pick a known blogging niche, like a lifestyle blogger, where I review makeup, share style photos of my outfits, and write about things I’m not interested in, just to get views and ad money and sponsors? (“Definitely! Now go away as I watch my DA score go higher and higher!” says the Blogger Envy monster)

So, I guess I should just basically not write about what I love or am interested in and hope people weird like me like it anyway? (“That’s it! That’s exactly it! Resist what you love and give in to meeeeee! Mwah ha ha ha ha!” cries the Blogger Envy monster, as it collects insane amounts of money strategically placed along its blog, while I can’t get AdSense to reinstate my blog. “Loser,” says the Blogger Envy monster, rolling its eyes. “Now, where did my tickets from NASA go for my sponsored trip to space go?”)

You know what, Blogger Envy monster? I’ve had about enough of you.

I love blogging. I really do. Am I at that point that are bloggers are at? No. But I’m not them. I’m not creating the type of blog content they are. Maybe their content is just more interesting to a bigger percentage of people than my blog content is. Maybe they’re just better at connecting with people on social media so they have that many followers. Maybe they’re just better photographers. Maybe they just have an insane amount of fabulous style and can take the greatest blogger/Instagram photos in the most beautiful locations they find near them. Maybe they’re insanely gifted with Photoshop and editing and are incredibly artistic and can make the best graphics and blog headers.

Maybe they’re just different than I am. And that’s totally okay.

Blogger Envy monster, if you’ve taught me anything, you’ve taught me that I’ve been jealous of other bloggers hard earned accomplishments. They work hard on their blogs, whether it’s their actual job or just for fun; the same exact way I do. We all just have different talents and specialties. I love writing about mental health, horror movies, weird adventures, life, and so much more. Other bloggers may love writing about style, makeup, clothes, their personal life, their dating life, or just whatever they want. Maybe they fit into a niche, and maybe they don’t, just like I do.

But we all have one thing in common: we all love blogging. And the best thing we can do for each other, and ourselves, is to support each other.

(“What?? No!! That’s not what I was going for! Go back to feeling bad about your sad, pathetic blog that no one reads! You know, the one with the cheap layout you bought on Etsy! And ugh, you still use Blogger?? Self-hosting is so much better, you cheapo. Oh! And you don’t even have a blog header? Who’s going to trust a blog that doesn’t have a blog header? No one!”)

Meh, you know what, Blogger Envy monster? I’m not really listening to what you’re saying anymore. I love my small little blog and all of its weirdness and I hope other people like me like reading it too. That’s all I can really ask for, right? And also to support other blogs like mine, that may not fit into a perfect little niche. And to just support other bloggers in general, and all of their cool accomplishments and achievements and all of the skill and effort they put into their blogs. They actually inspire me to work harder and try to up my blogging and social media game.

(“Ugh, you’re not fun to manipulate anymore. I’m going to go on vacation somewhere tropical and beautiful and post about it on my Instagram stories. Swipe up for a discount code to the hotel I got to stay at for freeeee even though I can totally afford it! Byyyyeeeeee loser!!!”)

See ya, Blogger Envy monster. I can’t say I’ll miss you. But I feel a lot better about my blog and the work I put into it, and all of the hard work my fellow bloggers do as well. I’m not going to be jealous anymore. I’m accepting me and my blog for what we are. From now on, I’m going to like, favorite, retweet, comment, and support my fellow bloggers (not that I didn’t already!) and hope that others do the same for me. Bloggers should be supporting other bloggers and raising each other up. If we do that, I think we’ll all succeed and be the best and happiest we can be.


I hope you enjoyed my very odd but also very fun post to write! Do you ever suffer from Blogger Envy? (Not necessarily from the monster itself!) How do you deal with it? And how do you support other bloggers? Let me know!

Stay Weird!