A niche for everything

So many blogs, so many rants, so little interest. On this ever changing blog this writer expressed her new found disillusion with, lets face it, her only real skill. “Blogging is the answer” I told myself, in spite of the sickening feeling I get when I read a persons blog that is cluttered up with random rants and the like. To my horror, after reading through a couple of random blogs, and then scanning through my last two posts, I realised I am on track to become one of these Carrie Bradshaw offshots that believe, because they can right a few sagely throughts, they are interesting. Harsh yes, but that’s the general gist of the blogging “community”. Then it hit me, instead of trying to delve into the millions of thoughts and bore my readers (all three of you-*waves* Hi!) I should just stick to what I know, writing about music.

Every blogger needs a niche. fact is, there are two many people writting trying to get their name out there. Too many relationship “experts” and too many general critics, and I do not want to be yet another Copy Cat Carrie. Too much “modern self-importance.” In flicking through some blogs this morning I was inspired, I’ll just write about what I love most. I used to stick reviews and the like up here, but I want to do something different, something to reignite my passion for writing, something to rekindle my creativity, that will make me feel like me once more. I can already feel myself falling back in love with the beauty of words.

Modern self-importance.

Once upon a time, if someone wished to show their over abundance in self-importance they would do it by talking loudly about their merits in a crowded room, by announcing loudly and proudly the price of their brand new designer dress, or by relating every anecdote back to the one person they love more than any other living thing – themselves. This is not something that you would think one might miss, but now self-importance has reached even the most humble of human beings thanks to a post-modern version of the unattractive characteristic.

Modern self-importance has been developed through what has, whether you are willing to admit it or not, become the  most important facet in our lives, technology. It began with occasional updates on MySpace, to declarations of “what it is to be me” on Bebo, to daily rants on Facebook and finally hourly, if not more frequent updates on Twitter. Twitter is probably the most popular outlet for new age egotists, not only do its users post insignificant rants, they are also culprits of dousing the internet with opinions, convinced that their’s, in fact, does count in the large scheme of things. Every incident that occurs for the public to see is put in to question or celebrated by countless twitter users, as though anybody relevant to the situation is actually listening to them.

Facebook is second home to those who think the world needs to know every detail of their lives. Yes, my friends and family with pull me up for hypocrisy on this note, but all though I am known to put random facts up on my page, and post pictures of notable nights out and family occasions online, I am not the biggest offender, not by a long stretch. “So and so is a relationship” you think “oh that’s nice for them” until the news feed is suddenly jammed with declarations of love a week into the relationship and groups stating “My girlfriend is awesome”. Either they are rubbing it in everyone’s face(book)s, think that anyone actually cares, or else, and this is the most likely of situations, they are just trying to convince themselves. Facebook has become a haven for people who thrive on being with someone to confirm themselves. There are people I rarely speak to, but I am aware of their daily lives because of the constant photo uploads and status’ about their latest heart ache/woman to save them/meal they had. They will learn eventually I’m sure, but I can’t be the only one who is frustrated firstly by this instant ruining of the next catch up session, and secondly by the fact that half the people do not even care about the bus driver who didn’t stop for them.

One other thing these social networking websites that show the increasing self-importance of our young internet revellers is the psychology behind the profile picture. Another wordpress muser sometime ago commented on those who use “couple” pictures as their profile picture, a public declaration of the fact that yes, they are good enough to be someones? Or just an external celebration of their internal happiness? More reasonably put into question is the poser photos; someone sitting in their living room, full make up on (probably pyjamas from the neck down), “tempting” pout and come hither eyes, surely this says “pay me attention, I deserve it”

So what is it that has made the world think that everyone cares about their daily grievances? I have no qualms with those who share the good news in their lives but the constant rants, who are they to bring us down with their rainy days? Is it the fact that the internet just makes it so easy? Or is it a question of society? Has society become such a critical environment that we need to publicly air our lives just to get confirmation of our relevance in the world?

Lost:one will to write. If found…

Writing should be freeing. It should be exiting as you dash down your ideas on to paper, or on to a computer screen, creating your own world or voicing your own thoughts. But what’s the point? I’ve been writing freelance for over a year and I feel I have lost the will. Particularly when I have only been paid for my efforts once or twice. All writers, no matter what kind, wants to be able to use their voice and write in their own way, so it breaks your heart a little when, unpaid, you are told how to write, what to write and why to write it.

That said, the blogging route bothers me. Call me old fashioned, but there is something unsettling about people who don’t really factor into the publics interest venting about their weekly expeditions. I blame Carrie Bradshaw for that particular surge of young female writers reporting from “the brink of the bed”. Even the journalists who blog their political grievances bother me and all I can think is “WHO CARES?”If I started blogging about my daily life I’m sure the readership here will drop, and I mean the numbers at the side will start going backwards, that’s how boring it would be. I’m not Stephen Fry or Kevin Smith so who cares what I have to say?

So after that brief yet rambling rant you can see my predictiment, journalism bores me because it takes the sparkle out of my writing, but I have a loathing towards self important bloggers who rant and rave about the latest man to stamp on their heart, or the latest politician to peeve them.

I need to sparkle again, I need a niche, I need to love my writing again. But just how do you find niche, when they are all taken?