Annoying Things Only Bloggers Would Understand

Contrary to popular belief, being a blogger is not an easy thing. Many of us are criticized, seen as vain, we are undervalued -some do not  understand that blogging is a full time job, others are just negative towards us for no good reason. I reached out to multiple bloggers that would have a valuable insight about what is annoying about blogging. Their answers were not surprising as I have experienced many of these issues myself. What surprised me the most (even though I totally respect their decision) was that some decided not to share their answers in fear of backlash or that they would seem ungrateful. I can definitely understand their hesitation. I suspect I will get some backlash for writing this post as well. Judgement in the blogging world is evident and it is better to be safe than sorry. But that is not who I am. I do not know if the fact that I used the word annoying scared them off. I would safely assume that if I had used the word Challenges they would be more open to sharing as annoying may be regarded as having a negative connotation. So granted, I totally see their point of view.

The Ugly Truth

What I thought would be a light-hearted yet insightful post with people giving me answers like “Your Instagram husband decides to be creative with his photography skills when he has no idea what he is doing” or “Brands having unreasonable expectations of me, expecting me to post a day after I receive the product” my inquiry unveiled another side of blogging. Refusal to be open to ourselves,  to other bloggers and to our readers in an industry created so that we can express ourselves through the form of writing. Presenting blogging as perfect or not talking about its challenges is a very dangerous thing. Why do we need to sugar coat the truth and not share with our readers that blogging is in fact a multifaceted industry? Just like any other job it has its ups and downs. The good and the bad.You have some good days and you have some bad days. Why are we so afraid to say so in fear we may lose an opportunity with a brand or for that matter to escape mean comments from audiences? Most importantly why can we not share that we had a bad experience with a brand (we are obviously not going to disclose names) or being undervalued by a PR agency? Is that so wrong? It is happening, is it not?

If you follow me and you are reading my blog you know that I value honesty and transparency. Me, writing this post does not indicate my ungratefulness neither does it invalidate the value I see in collaborating with brands. Same goes for the bloggers that did share their answers. We are all so grateful to even have had the opportunity to be bloggers and to have the support of so many of you, but I think we all also value being truthful to our audience. Most importantly we value being honest to ourselves. Blogging is challenging, blogging can get annoying and blogging can be beautiful. Blogging is whatever we make it to be. Fun, serious, insightful, loving.I am not upset with the bloggers that decided not to share their thoughts. I am upset with our society for placing boundaries in what can and cannot be said. The big elephant in the room, to be ok with presenting life as all dainty, in this case blogging. I am upset we are empowering silence and acceptance to not be transparent.

Annoying Things Only Bloggers Would Understand

Conflicting  Results

“Something I find annoying is when I finish a shoot and go to edit the photos, only to find a look does not translate well on camera. Some outfits that work so nicely live + in person just do not photograph well. This has happened several times and is a bit soul-crushing! It means a lot of extra effort to recapture a different outfit, too- going back to the drawing board, rescheduling with my photographer, working around the weather, etc.” Ashley, Le Stylo Rouge

You Email Me 

When brands comment on one of your Instagram posts and tell you they would love to work with you.Then ask you to send them an email…You want to work with me, why are you asking me to email you when a) I have no idea what you want to work with me for and b) You can find my email address in my Instagram bio.

What’s In a Name? 

“My biggest pet peeve is when PR companies or brands spell my name wrong (or write the wrong name altogether). It’s pretty basic to check someone’s name before sending an email, so it shows a complete lack of attention to detail.” Siffat, Icing and Glitter

Blogging is so Easy

“I find it annoying when some of my friends act like blogging isn’t hard work. Often they will mention how nice it must be to just take some photos and post them online, as if there were no work involved at all!  It often takes 1-2 hours to put a blog post together, not to mention arranging working with a brand on a project, reading a concept or draft for the brand, and scheduling and paying for a photographer.  We spend hours keeping up on social media, and it’s difficult to take a break!”

Mandy, Sparkle Shiny Love

Sincerity, Where Art Thou?

“What I find most annoying is when people comment things like “Come check out my page you’ll love it. I would rather have someone comment something sincere about my post and then build an organic relationship from there!”  Camilla, Avenue Camilla

Getting Technical

“I find it challenging when I encounter technical issues with my blog. It’s annoying when I can’t get text or photos to format properly, or when apps or plug-ins won’t work. I do all the back-end work on my blog myself and don’t have a technical support team behind me, so I have to figure out all the technical stuff myself!” Lesley, Lesley Metcalfe

The Lighting Chase

“I don’t like when you go somewhere thinking you’ll get a cute pic and the lighting is awful and yellow! Or even just bad lighting in general.” Tara, The TL Blog 

“The lack of daylight hours during the winter. I feel like I’m constantly chasing the light, which makes it difficult to shoot any of my content.” Jackie, Something About That 

The Battery Curse

“After settling on the perfect setting for your shoot and you’re about 5 shots in, the battery of your camera dies and you forget your backup battery at home.” Kassandra, Kassandra Kondo

The Missing Camera

You just found the best spot for a photoshoot ever. But your camera is on your desk, at home.

Memory Setback

“When we’ve rented a car to drive to a new destination and realize halfway there that we’ve forgotten the memory card to our camera. Technical issues have resulted in some out-of-the-way detours and, admittedly, sketchy purchases in foreign countries!  Selena and Jacob, Find Us Lost 

No Filter

“As soon as you gain somewhat of a following, viewers then think it’s ok to be brutally honest on your latest pics. It went from lovely comments no matter what I wore to “Wtf is she wearing? Who wears a white shirt with jeans? Like come on.” or  “#pettyAF”. Filipa, Playing With Apparel

My Dog is Cuter Than Yours

People who tag each other on my Instagram comments section so they can discuss how their dog is cuter than Margot as if I am not even there. Hello, I am right here! I can see EVERYTHING you write on my wall. Write all the mean comments about me you want, but why bully my little Margot?

 Do it This Way

“Unsolicited advice on how to do your job from someone who has never done your job.”

Cheryl, Makeup By Cheryl

Nonexistent Crediting

“When brands use your images and don’t credit the photographer! It’s all about sharing the love. I work with lovely talented photographers who deserve credit for the shot too!” Amanda, Rose City Style Guide 

 

The Art of Copying 

“The most annoying thing is a Copycat Blogger. They say that “imitation is the sincerest form of flattery” but one of the best things about being a blogger is getting to show off your uniqueness! As bloggers we try really hard to have original content and keep up a posting schedule and what not and then when you see someone else posting the exact same thing on their blog a day or two later, it can be pretty frustrating. Of course, we’re always going to have similar content but let’s put our own stamp on it.” Melina, Lady Like Leopard

“I dislike when new bloggers with a similar audience or following as my own think it’s okay to copy the content and overall style. Sometimes I have found my unique ideas or advice shared elsewhere without giving credit to where they originated.  I am always happy to share and inspire, however, I strongly believe in referencing someone’s hard work and intellectual property.” Joanne, Transform Ed

“The number one thing I find annoying is when people steal my content and post without asking for permission or giving credit. I usually have no problem allowing people to repost me with credit, but I find it horrible when people blatantly steal and try to pass my work off as their own. This has happened to me several times, including once when a girl not only posted my photo, but made a tiny edit in order to make it look different.” Krystle, Dine and Fash

No Advance Notice 

“I would have to say one thing I find so annoying as a blogger is when a date is committed to for posting sponsored content and then last minute, the date is moved or missed for no apparent reason. It appears so small and I know things come up, but this really messes with my scheduling and calendar and as a result, I often have to move a lot of things around. I’m big on sticking to timelines to make everyone’s life easier” Trisha, No Tummy Mommy

 

Plagiarism is Real 

You pitch an idea to a brand and they say it is a great idea and that they will get back to you. They never do. Then weeks later you see another blogger doing the exact same project you pitched to the brand with them. Like exact project. Do they think you are not going to find out?

99 Problems and a Good Shot is One

“One thing I find annoying about blogging is that people do not realize how much time is dedicated to a single post. There’s a lot that goes on behind the scenes to get that one good shot.”

Amanda, Enchanting Elegance

 Instagram Non – Stop

“The most annoying aspect of being a blogger is the pressure to post everyday to Instagram. Instagram-fatigue can be real! Sometimes I need to take a step back and disconnect.” Kylen, Kylen Every Wear

The Free Card 

“I hate the 50 emails I get weekly about reviewing a product or showcasing an item with crazy demands, quick turnaround times and all for FREE! Time is money and a free necklace (that I wouldn’t have normally bought) doesn’t pay the bills.” Amber, Canadian Fashionista

Always Running Out of Space

“While I’m grateful for all the beauty and clothing items I’ve received through blogging – I’m also finding the amount of clutter quite overwhelming. I definitely share with friends and family – but I’m still left with so much STUFF. And as I only work with brands I love – it’s hard to figure out WHAT to give away – because I want to keep it all…I just don’t have the space!” Zeba , Ella Pretty Blog

No One Reads 

You post a  picture titled Loving my new One Teaspoon jeans. Someone comments to say, “Where are your jeans from?”

The Weather Effect

“As a style blogger, one thing I absolutely hate is WIND. I can deal with the cold and freezing outside, but the minute the wind picks up – I’m done! Here’s to more shooting INDOORS this winter.” Candace, The Minted Mama

“Having to shoot outside in the cold in the middle of winter (why can’t I live in California!?) Rushing to get to events, especially when there are so many great ones on the same night.” Kaylee, The Blondie Locks 

“Canadian winters can be a tad annoying for bloggers. Working a full-time job and managing a blog leaves you with little to no daylight hours to get all your shoots done. It leaves you having to scramble on weekends in between other commitments. Not complaining, though! You gotta love the hustle and bustle!” Gabriella, Pastels and Pastries

Unrealistic Expectations

“I find it annoying when brands don’t value the hard work that we put into all of the content that we create. You know, the companies that want a blog post with their brand messaging and my original photos, 2-3 posts on Instagram, 5 Tweets, and a post on Facebook…in exchange for a $10 item I didn’t want in the first place! If you don’t have budget for a post, that’s fine, it’s not fair to ask bloggers to do all of that in return.” Jackie,Something About That 

“Although I love blogging and being able to share my voice online, and sharing my experiences, I find it to be super annoying when I see people being disingenuous on their own platforms. Transparency, honesty and integrity are traits that one simply cannot buy, and select bloggers out there should definitely try to attain those traits. I don’t want to buy into a blogger’s fantasy, I want to buy into their reality, and that’s probably what I miss the most about it.” Syed, The Prep Guy 

Ps. I never mentioned to Syed the turn my post was going to take. I thought his answer was very fitting and the perfect conclusion to my post.

Thank you to all the bloggers that shared and also did not share their answers.I learned from both sides and for that I am very grateful. I would love to hear your thoughts!