Wondering if it's possible to be an entirely original mommy blogger.
In 2006, Technorati logged its 50 Millionth blog. 50 MILLION BLOGS. And that was over two years ago! Since then, who knows how many new blogs have been started? The blogosphere is crowded and growing more so every day.
So it's not terribly surprising that every now and again someone steps on someones blogging toes. Mommy Bloggers do not escape this fate, and recently, yet another minor blogger conflict rippled it's way through the Mommy Blogging circles.
I'll admit it: since it wasn't about me or my blog, I was a terrible rubbernecker, searching for the offending mentions in Twitter, and reading several blog entries regarding the original event--including the blogs by the two bloggers in question. (No, I am NOT going to link to anyone. You will just have to be frustrated if you don't already know about it. Heh).
At the heart of the kerfuffle was this: did one blogger "steal" ideas from other bloggers to try to become successful herself, or was she just being herself and she happened to be similar to other mommy bloggers (including her blog's title)?
I can't answer that question, nor do I think I should. I'm not even sure I should write about it at all. But it did bring up an interesting point--when an A-List blogger (until this spat, I hadn't been aware there were lists! Luckily, I think I'm safely down in the C- or D-List) does something on her blog, does she own that something? Especially if it's something as vague as posting photos of your kids or pets, writing an advice column, or even featuring certain things like funny photos? I don't know about you, but there are very few mommy blogs out there that don't post at least some photos of their kids. I do it. I've also been known to dish out advice in my blog (although it's not a regular feature or anything). Am I plagiarizing?
OK, I confess! I did blatantly steal one idea from another blogger. When my daughter was born, I began writing monthly posts to her, chronicalling how she's changed and how much I love her. I got the idea from Dooce's blog (I swear to you, eventually I will write a post about Mommy Blogging and NOT refer to Heather's blog), and I admitted to my thievery and credited Heather appropriately. But way back in 1994, when no one was blogging, Anne Lamott kept a journal of her son's first year and published it in a book called Operating Instructions (totally awesome book, by the way). Some of her journal entries sound very much like blog posts. Does that mean that Heather should send Anne Lamott some royalties? Should I?
I guess the truth as I see it is this: we're all mothers. We all have to wipe our kid's asses. Some of are going to write about it. Hopefully we'll write about it in a funny way that other moms will identify with. But the chances of writing something original enough about wiping our kid's butts to claim ownership to the butt wiping itself? Pretty damned unlikely.
Sure, there are elements to each blogger that are original. Personally, I have not yet read a blog by another 40-year-old mother of a two-year-old daughter who is covered in tattoos (um, the mother, not the daughter) and is twelve years sober. Do I think I AM the only mommy blogger with those qualifications? Hell no. But of course I am the only mommy to MY daughter, and I am the writer of MY blog. I do my best to not step on anyone's toes or steal other's ideas (at least, not without offering proper credit, of course). As for the rest of it? I guess my feelings are: big fucking deal already.
I did change one small thing after this latest controversy; I added a note in my "about" page giving credit to Heather for originating the monthly newsletter to her kid. Because I do NOT want to be the subject of anyone twitters. Well, not again, anyway. But that's a story for another day...
I really have no idea what you're talking about. I mean, the controversial plagiarising mommy blogs - which, by the way, sounds like junior high myspace fights..
Anyway, I totally agree. Give it a rest, folks. If you're posting it on the internet only about a trillion people get to read it and it's damned right difficult to remember - sometimes, just where did you read this article or just where did you get the inspiration for this or that. I mean, I don't go around bookmarking every single blog I read - but, I often do walk away with some inspiration that might stew for a week or a month or a year before I get around to doing something and posting my own blog entry about it. Who knows?
We all want to be successful. We all want visitors, comments, etc. We all basically do much of the same things.. like was mentioned above.. wiping butts, cooking dinner, picking up toys, surfing the net, doing something crafty...
Dang, I'm glad I dunno what the heck these mommy blog circles or twitter is if people are going to use it to competitively drag each other through the mud. No fun.
Mom Types 
