Have you ever taken the Myers-Briggs Type Indicator test? For those of you that don’t know of it (and can’t be bothered to click through to the Wiki entry) it’s basically a long version of those personality tests you see all over facebook, only this one was developed with a real scientific basis, from published typological theories. To cut a long story short, after a series of questions it defines your personality type (and the definitions are quite long and in places very specific), and the majority of people I know who’ve taken it say it’s pretty accurate.
The test assigns people one of only 16 personality types.
According to Government statistics the population of the UK in mid-2007 was 60,975,000. This means that if you took the Myers-Briggs test that year, and assuming that people are evenly distributed amongst the 16 personality types (which I doubt they are but for the purposes of illustrating my point this doesn’t matter too much), there would be 3,810,937 and a half people with the same personality type as you.
My point? (Though I think to most of you it’s probably quite obvious where this is going!)
Recently I’ve been seeing an increase in the number of female bloggers being accused of copying others, of having a “blogging persona” based on their favourite blogger, and generally of being fake, trying to make themselves into clones of another, usually more popular / successful blogger. After the amazing debate in the entry regarding the Cut Out + Keep article which has opened my eyes to quite a few things, I’d really like to open a dialogue on something I think quite a few of us have probably either experienced or witnessed – being accused of copying Gala Darling. It happened to me on Monday (my first nasty anonymous comment – I’m really quite proud, it’s something of a blogging milestone!) and I’d be really interested to hear the thoughts of those who’ve been accused themselves, thought others may be less than genuine and trying to be more “Gala-like”, or simply have something to say on the subject!
To illustrate this, I’ve been combing through my Google reader and have found several interesting blog posts on the subject.
Back in January, Fi posted:
I’m sick and tired of seeing so many female bloggers tagging after Gala Darling. Are you all so nostalgic about high school that you feel you must do or believe everything and anything the coolest girl in school says or does? To quote Mean Girls:
“I saw Cady Heron wearing army pants and flip flops, so I bought army pants and flip flops”
Be your own blogger. You don’t have to go out and buy a hula hoop just because Gala did. You don’t even have to freak out about Mercury Retrograde. If you only noticed the effects after her post, you’re probably just looking for them. Placebo effect, kinda. Yes, Gala is talented, but she’s hardly groundbreaking.
This is a rather strong opinion and in the context of a post entitled “Things on My Mind”. I don’t think Fi is the type to go around leaving anonymous comments and I hope she isn’t offended that I quoted her in this context – I think she shared her feelings on the subject in the best way possible, by venting her frustrations in a way that could spark debate, without accusing individuals.
On the flip-side, Kim of Cupcakes and Mace wrote this recent post (interestingly enough also name-checking Mean Girls). She doesn’t name-check Gala, instead she writes about female bloggers in general, stating:
Everyone thinks their work is original, that their statement style or colour is theirs alone. In reality no one has an original idea, there are 6.7 billion people in this world and chances are someone liked pink before you.
Kim’s post is really insightful, I’d really recommend it to anyone who’s ever been upset by a negative blog comment.
My own opinion? I’m leaning towards Kim. Although I don’t believe that people can be categorised quite as easily as the Myers-Briggs test would have us believe (though as a guide it’s really quite fascinating), there are only so many things people can be interested in, and only so may topics to write about. I’m sure there are probably people who do copy Gala, she has thousands of fans so some of them will be the type to take on the personalities of their idols, etc. All I know however, is that whenever I’ve seen a blogger being accused of copying Gala, I’ve been surprised as I would never have considered them anything less than genuine.
Here’s a few things of which I am sure:
- I read blogs that are relevant to my interests. I read iCiNG, a personality-based blog, therefore it stands to reason that I share some interests with Gala. If I didn’t I would find her blog immensely dull and I’d have deleted it from my Google reader long ago. No amount of great writing can make up for content that I just don’t find interesting.
- In my “real life” I have groups of friends who are all linked by common interests. This doesn’t apply to all of them, but it does to quite a few – be it music, geeky persuits, the fact that we all like a particular pub better than the others, there’s a common thread. Surely the same goes for online relationships? It’s hard for people to relate if they have nothing in common to relate to.
- As commentor Savannah F on the Cut Out + Keep article stated:
We learn from other people, we take what we can get and toss what doesn’t work for us. Because I learned from my mother or my therapist doesn’t mean that I do not have any personality.
- So, too, have girls quite probably found iCiNG and been inspired. They may have learned about themselves through reading it, developed their own personalities further and wanted to write about it too. That doesn’t make them copycats, it means they’ve been genuinely inspired and influenced by someone else.
There are a lot of bloggers who are into the pink, glittery, cupcake-fuelled ideal, and there is something of a community built around it, but just because they have similar interests doesn’t mean they copy each-other or anyone else, a strong community is far more likely to be based upon a genuine shared interest or three. I think Poppy Gallico said it right in her post about “big-girl bloggers” and the follow-up.
If every second post in a blog is a list post, I just wouldn’t subscribe to it. I wouldn’t leave angry comments telling the blog owner that they’re doing it wrong, because a lot of people really like those sorts of things.
You can never tell for sure if someone is genuine on the Internet it’s true, but this doesn’t mean that everyone with similar interests to someone more “popular” should instantly be branded a fraud. Millions of people blog every day, it’s no longer a minority activity where just the fact that someone blogged at all brought them all together in a special Online clique. It’s only natural now that there are so many active blogs that bloggers with similar interests will connect with each-other and read the same blogs – especially the bigger ones.
All we can do is give each-other the benefit of the doubt until we meet in real life. Until then, all we have is blog posts, tweets and sometimes IM conversations to go on, and I think until we can make a real life judgement on someone we should just enjoy their posts (or stop reading if we don’t).
I tried to keep that as balanced and rant-free as I could, I hope it’s not too repetative, it certainly seems to be an exercise in how many times I can fit the word blog into a paragraph in places! If you got to the end without your eyeballs falling out I’d be fascinated to know your opinions!
I’ve been accused of copying Gala too, specially in LiveJournal, when I started blogging. I was trying to emulate Gala-style to be more positive (fake it until you make it), then I found my own voice and went on wit my own life and my own interests (code? gadgets? shoes? anyone?).
There are always people who are going to like what you like and think what you think. I made a new friend this year who finishes my sentences and we have the same tastes in food, clothes, men, everything. That doesn’t mean that we are copying each other, we just have similar personalities.
I agree with you, you can’t truly judge someone’s character until you meet them in person and spend time with them.
No one has accused me of copying anything/anyone (yet) and I don’t feel that I do. Tres Lola uses a voice that I believe to be different from most girl bloggers in that I’ve removed myself (& my personality), largely, from the equation, the only times I’ve really put my personality in there was for the G20 post and the Glasto posts. I constantly question my choice to leave myself out of my blog but I feel my writing is better for my choice. I sometimes worry people would think I was trying for something of Gala’s sway but my blogging mentors aren’t the likes of Gala, I’m more inspired by Darren Rowse, Leo Babauta and Chris Brogan.
& further, part of my motivation in creating Tres Lola was to offer a different type of reading that was more practical and less new age – more blunt and less rainbows – I’m not sure I achieve that. Sometimes I need to check myself and make sure I don’t write what I think people want and wander into the territory of gooey fake rah rah life is a constant stream of happy type of post. It’s all about balance, right?
I have, however, found a lot of blogs that have been or will be short lived as they are just a cheap attempt at imitating the sunshine & rainbows jazz that Gala does. In the end, if you are blogging for your own reasons and in your own way, you’ll last because you’re doing it right. That’s my 2 cents.
I agree with Kate. If your using your own voice, your own opinions, and your own personality, you are more likely to stick around.
Great post Vixel, I’m glad my post could offer something to the debate.
I was accused of copying Gala a while ago, it was my first negative comment too and it really surprised me. It felt like Gala’s army of fans were going around leaving comments on blogs by people who used the colour pink in their theme. Because that’s what the commenter accused me of, having a blog that looked like Gala’s with the pink links.
I was a bit upset at first (I was new to the game) and then I thought, wow this person should get a life, and deleted the comment.
While I have my own blog, it’s more of a place to regurgitate stuff I find online for myself, and I have very few readers- but I do find that a lot of the blogs I read are pretty much the same, in this gala darling blogging clique (for lack of a better term) and an interior design blogging clique that I like to follow. And everything you said is right on the mark – perhaps one blog may have been inspired by another, but simply because people have similar interests and post similar things doesn’t mean anything at all.
I’ve been avoiding commenting on all Gala-related posts recently but this is a really well written and researched article.
The more I’ve read Icing the more I’ve realised that she’s just a girl like the rest of us who’s into girly things. She wasn’t the first person to like Unicorns, pink, turquiose (both of which have been my favourite colours for about 5 years!), going out with friends, taking silly pictures – and she doesn’t claim to be. So yeah, surprise surprise, millions of other girls in the world have the same interests and put them on their blogs.
Their are definately Gala Wannabes out their but lets not hate on them – they’re usually young girls who just haven’t found their own way of doing things yet. Everyone goes through phases of adopting styles of people they look up to as they grow up. It doesn’t mean they deserve nasty comments – just move on to the next blog if you’re not into it
Ok… Gala Darling does not own cupcakes, sparkles, hearts or the color pink… This crap really annoys me. Girls, if anybody accuses you of copying anyone else, it simply means that your work threatens them, and they are so insecure that they need to leave a nasty comment and try to knock you down a few notches. (I too have been accused of copying Gala, which I found hysterical since I’m a conservative journalist married to a military service member and am pretty much the polar opposite of Gala by nature. Apparently Gala owns the pink hearts on my web page too. I’m such a copy-cat.)I do understand that copy-cats exist, but I agree with Casie: They are usually very young and still finding their way. Why do you care? Just move on.
Nice post.
I too have refrained from commenting on all of the recent gala-drama but you’ve written two amazing pieces because of it & I’m itching to voice my thoughts.
At the risk of sounding incredibly fangirl and cheesy, Gala will always have a special place in my heart. I found iCiNG when I was 16 or 17 and in a very dark & insecure time in my life. Her blog inspired me in so many ways, including being more positive and less depressed, wearing more than black, black, black, and to pursue writing as an actual career rather than just a hobby. I’ve accomplished all of this because of her and I’m only 19. So that’s saying something. Maybe I would have eventually anyway, but certainly not before I hit the big two-oh and certainly not as well dressed.
All of that said, I agree that Gala and iCiNG are not what they used to be and I am definitely not as interested in the site or in her life anymore. That’s okay. People change and I wish her the best in whatever she decides to do.
As for people copying her site, I definitely agree that a lot of the people that do either honestly just have similar interests or are trying to find themselves through someone they admire. I’ve yet to see anyone maliciously and blatantly ripping off iCiNG & even if I did, it wouldn’t bother me.
Your two articles regarding this debacle have opened me up to a lot of new blogs and some really lovely, intelligent women, Vixel, & I want to thank you for that. My blog has been really quiet lately and the reason for that is finding all of these incredible blogs has inspired me to start writing my blog in a much more personal way, rather than focusing on what’s useful to people that I don’t even know. Yes, I still want to engage with readers, but I’m no longer going to remove myself completely from my blog. Perhaps this in itself is “copying” all of the bloggers I mentioned finding through you, but I don’t care! I like the word “inspired” more & even if it is copying, I see it as such a positive change that I don’t care and I don’t see how it would bother anyone else.
I have been reading your blog for a couple of days so I haven’t exactly followed the entire thing, but I feel like the Myers-Briggs Type Indicator is a silly excuse to bring a point to the copycat debate. I don’t think you are copying Gala, however I believe you have adopted her style to form a steady path of blogging. I think she directly inspired you, but just because your personalities are similar it doesn’t mean that you will blog the same way.
I like your blog entries, they’re light spirited and easy to swallow, which is good for most of the readers but as a writer I think you need a bolder point of view that would set you appart from the bunch of light-reading blogs. So if I saw your blog and then Gala’s, no timeline, I would know that you absorbed from her because she has a bolder point o view, a somehow built personality, whereas you don’t. I think that as a blogger you need to find your true voice, explore new subjects and ideas (perhaps to drop the TiLT thing, it’s not even that appealing, but that’s just one reader’s suggestion) and ignore those who accuse you of copying (I know you are proud of your anonymous hate-post, however you did explain yourself to him/her so that shows you still care).
As for the whole Internet ladyblogger drama, don’t focus too much on it, nobody’s original, no one is the first and accusations will emerge sooner or later.
It’s amazing how big the whole thing has gotten – reading some of the comments on that articles was intense! This post was great by the way, bringing all the issues together nicely.
In the end I agree with you – With all the blogs out there chances are someones out there doing the exact same thing you are – but it doesn’t make you a copycat. We should all just be ourselves and just relax a little bit
This is a really interesting and well researched article, and a good read, thanks!
One thing I was told about personality tests like the Myers-Briggs Type Indicator when I first took them in school was that actually they are not constant and each time you take the same test you may get a different answer. Clearly there’s similarities between bloggers – it takes a certain type of personality to start putting themself out there, and then maintain it after all – but also I think everyone is a lot more complex than just the personality they put across on their blog. When you’re trying to create a ‘brand’ or a persona, something that you want people to see ‘you’ as, if something is popular or you get a good response from it, of course you are going to stick with that.
I hope what will come out of the bitchiness is a lot of new and interesting content as people look for ways to express different parts of themselves on their blogs. I’m as guilty as the next blogger when it comes to going down the bubbly, lite content route, and to thinking ‘oh crumbs, I haven’t got anything to say today, how about a ‘top twenty ___’ list?’ but I also think there’s nothing wrong with with that every so often either! At the end of the day, my blog is my journal, if I happen to share it with the world and get a few readers that’s great, but I’d (probably, I think!) still be posting even if I had none!
Wow I just read that Cut out and Keep article on Gala and … well, wow. Those comments are insane.
I found your site from there, however, which I’m really glad about. I literally just read your whole site and I think it’s great – you’re def not ‘copying’ anyone! I’ve added you to my blogroll and look forward to your future posts!
Renee
I’m really glad so many people are on the same page as me about this, and I have thoroughly enjoyed tacking slightly weightier topics than usual on here!
Em – I answered the anon because she (I assume) did have some quite constructive points despite the manner in which they were delivered, and I do like to answer to criticism when it’s useful. Just as I can see your point on the Myers-Briggs test, I almost edited that part out myself as I thought it was a little over the top just to make a small point about people being similar.
I should point out at the time of writing, many people I was then following on google reader were very much “I just bought a hula hoop! Read Gala’s article on it, she’s so cool, blah blah”. My google reader has changed quite a lot.
I love the content on this blog, so there’s no way I left that comment!
Yep, I figured you were venting! I was trying to say that although you felt that there were copycat bloggers around, I highly doubt you’d be the anonymous-commenting type anywhere, not just here
(and I must say, the whole world taking up hooping bugged me a bit too).
x
[...] There’s been a whole big debate recently over a pink-haired, unicorn-loving, cupcake-eating journalist & I’m sure you know who I mean. I know my feelings & thoughts on the matter (as well as She Who Shall Not Be Named in general), but I doubt I’ll be publishing an article about it anytime soon (although never say never), as I don’t think I’d like it if people wrote about me in the same way either, constructively or not. That’s my two cents on the matter, but if you’re interested, read articles from Poppy Gallico (& article no.02), a Love & Sequins review from Cupcakes & Mace & this, the article from Cut Out + Keep that’s sparked the recent debate, Vixel’s take on it at Sparkle & Glitter & also this. [...]
I loved cupcakes before I started blogging and before I knew about anyone called Gala Darling. I’m more into the eating and baking them part of it.
When I first started blogging, I thought using hearts as bullets for the “things I love” type of list was just logical. It’s like using numbers for a top 10 list – just goes hand in hand. Then I was warned about it by Kim as she had been accused of copying Gala for the same/similar thing (“Gala who?” was my first response). It sounded so ridiculous. I kept my hearts (aqua) anyway because why should I use something else just because someone believes hearts is already ‘owned’? That’s like ‘owning’ exclamation marks or smiley faces.
And just because you choose a certain colour that’s already on someone else’s page doesn’t make it copying. Otherwise millions of pages would be accused of copying each other if they’ve used the default blue for their links.
It’s so silly that some people find it necessary to attack others for things that are so common like hearts or the colour pink.
For what it’s worth- I consider your blog to be the same”genre” as Gala’s blog but in no way consider you as a person similar to her. I think your personality comes out in your blog and gives it a differentiating quality, mainly because you are real and share your struggles with readers. I think there are a lot of bloggers that pay homage to the circus act that is Gala, but when it comes down to it, she’s a personality and her brand is her- not her blog. Her blog is simply her vehicle for selling herself. And what successful brand in history hasn’t been emulated by others in some way? A few years ago it was Paris and Lindsey. In today’s digital environment it’s all about this pink- haired wonder named Gala. Clearly you haven’t died your hair pink yet, or moved to NY (at least to my knowledge). You’re just a girl, writing about things that other girls can relate to, that at times is inspired by the positivity that iCING is known for. Cool. Good for you. I have news for all of you- no one is unique. It’s all been done before! Let’s focus on praising each other for being bold enough to write blogs that express our interests instead of tearing each other down for “copying” styles. If you don’t like it, then you aren’t the right audience. Promote positivity and love people. Gravitate towards the things that move you and forget the rest. Life’s too short to judge
.
PS- I realize I sound like a hippy, but I truly believe that being accusatory is pointless- take that energy and turn it inward. Use your observations to make yourself a better person! Negative energy doesn’t help anyone! Xoxo
Great post, but can I get technical for a minute? I actually wrote on a similar topic for my mini-thesis for grad school.
Gala is not widely read because she’s the “most popular” girl who ever liked pink and cupcakes. Instead, she’s one of the pioneer bloggers that figured out how to brand themselves through their own personal story and point of view (see also, Heather Armstrong of Dooce, Doe Deere of Doe Deere Blogazine, Nubby of Nubby Twiglet). All of these ladies have been true and genuine to who they are as individuals, and have shown the public a comprehensive “brand” or “package” of themselves.
No one needs to copy the style of those ladies so much as figure out who he or she is as an individual and stick to it. If you hate lists, don’t try to make lists…that’s not who you are. If you like pink and cupcakes and wear funky clothes, who cares if that happens to be similar to Gala…if it’s you, and if it’s genuine, “brand” it. Your blog “consumers” may be a smaller demographic than the heavy hitters, but if you’re banking on making money on the internet, you should probably pursue something else anyway.
Bottom line…write what you want and write like who you are, haters be damned.
Well said Redhead
I don’t think you’re anything like Gala Darling! Yes, TiLT is the same and adopted by a lot of bloggers (because let’s face it, it’s a great idea and fun to do as a blogger) but I think everyone’s got their own little thing going on. She inspired people to come forward and do their thing and you’re doing yours. I say congrats on someone saying you’re a Gala copycat. It’s a great compliment to be regarded as successful as her
And I have pink on my website, doesn’t mean I’m copying Gala either! I’m very much not into fashion, I suck at putting clothes together and I don’t give advice to personal problems since I doubt n e one would want my advice lol and yeah! That’s it
I’m super amused that somehow, years later, I’ve found myself quoted in an article!