Keeping it real...
There is a VERY common expression... "if it seems too good to be true, it generally is!" and then there is another one... "The only time success comes before work - is in the dictionary!" Both instances are 100% accurate! But in this case, I am focusing specifically on people who somehow deem it acceptable to try and make a quick buck by copying other peoples work. Yes, I am referring to the copy and paste "artists" - the plagiarists and the completely lazy arses! Surely your lives cannot be THAT boring that you could not muster one single authentic piece of content to share with the rest of us… Oh you’re too lazy to do that?!...it’s easier to copy other people’s work, or to insert 10 pictures of nature scenes taken by somebody else and slap in a one liner on how beautiful they are…? Yes, that most certainly is a lot easier… but you know what they say… easy come… easy go.
We all make use of certain resources out there to add to our posts, such as pictures, quotes, facts, graphs etc. but that is where the difference lies. The resources are simply additives to the weight of originality. The lack of foresight for doing it the "other way around" simply fails me. Surely it becomes obvious at some point that your angle of approach will ultimately become fruitless? As I have mentioned before too, first impressions last and once you gain a reputation for posting regurgitated rubbish, you are not going to be able to rid yourself of that very easily – so why venture down that road in the first place? It would have made a lot more sense to put all that effort into creating authentic and original content in the first place.
There are SO many amazing #STEEM contributors who put out some BRILLIANT content, so if you are new to this platform or are looking for a little bit of direction, don’t just start spitting out random, copied rubbish… go and look at what some of these amazing writers are publishing and take your guidance from them. Personally I am more of an “off the cuff” writer and whatever I share with you needs to have some kind of emotional connection to me, so that is where my inspiration comes from, but if you struggle with finding content to write about – it is as simple as doing a Google search on “interesting blog topics”. I can assure you that there is no shortage of suggestions. There are even sites that offer you suggestive blog post titles.
In addition to that there are also countless contests and post initiatives on the platform that you can get involved in. One quick browse through the contest feed and you will have enough post ideas for every single day of the week!
Confidence may be an issue but trust me - you have a LOT more to offer than you probably think you do... Finding the time and energy to create quality content might be a little challenging in the beginning stages but the more you do it, the more naturally it will come - but first... you need to put in the effort - and if you do... it will stand you in far better stead than ANY and EVERY copy and paste job you will EVER DO!
❤❤❤
Until next time...
Much Love from Cape Town, South Africa xxx
Jaynielea
FOUNDER OF THE POWERHOUSE CREATIVES & STEEM SOUTH AFRICA
A community of individuals who are dedicated to producing quality content
which adds value to the Steem network and beyond.
Connecting the people of #STEEM across South Africa. #steemsa
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I don't get it either, @jaynie...
But it's an ancient problem/issue, and it even predates the Internet... back in the "Stone Age" I was a writer for the entrepreneurial press, and would routinely examine and review so-called "income opportunities." And they would be plagued by the same issue of a substantial number of people trying to "cheat the system," rather than use the system legitimately to create their wealth.
My first encounter with a web-based "rewards for user-generated content" venue was a site called "Epinions" in 1999... same thing there: Things started out swimmingly, but after a couple of years it became a full-time job/nightmare to police the spammers and scammers.
And now we're here, and it's pretty much same-old, same-old. But I have to tell you, we do a better job here of keeping a lid on it than almost anywhere else I have seen... so let's feel good about that.
I sometimes ponder what the true root of these practices are... and the only reasonable explanation is that there are substantially many people who feel that "this" should be able to give them more than it was really designed to. I just don't think that "Blogging on Steemit" was ever intended to be (a) easy money or (b) a way to make a six-figure income.
Of course, at the opposite end of the scale, there's the reality that a LOT of people will go to almost insane lengths to get a few cents for something other than "getting a job." To wit, sites like Amazon's "Mechanical Turk" is populated by tens of thousands of people willing to do boring menial tasks for as little as ten cents an hour...
It is actually scary how much money is a negative motivator... and yet, the truly important things in life so often get discarded for those "few cents"
Being original hasn't paid off like I wanted but no complains though, that means I gotta improve myself and change something about what I'm doing. One of the things I admire about yourself is precisely how hard you work to keep things a 100% original, and you have demonstrated that it certainly pays off. See you at the rodeo my lady. Cheers!
Being original will pay off eventually, I hope. My path is similar to yours and what I like to do is adopt aspects of different people I encounter and then fine tune it to suit my style.
Well thank you for the compliment - much appreciated. Yeah... you know - I have been plugging at t for almost three years now... I should be earning millions per post hey... but alas... HAHAHAHAHA!!!
Just keep on, keeping on! :)
I just do not understand the lengths people will go to scam. I mean let's be totally honest, we are not talking big money here. Right now you need 6 steem to equal a buck lol. Why dont folks want to post for the fun of it. To me it is like digital scrapbooking. I do it coz I like it. Anyways, as I was walking along the other night I spied this sign in a store front and thought of you. There are a few more pics that go with it, but I will include them in a post and mention you so as to not hijack your page lol :D
Have a great week :D
But life is actually too short to drink shitty wine 😄
hahaha awesome!!! Love it! Reminds me of the one in my kitchen which reads "Don't cry over spilled milk - it could have been wine" :D
As for the scammers and spammers... yeah I REALLY don't get it!!
In keeping with the theme of this post, please can you suggest a FREE software I can use to edit text to my photos and have that transparent background thingy you use? I really admire how you do it with yours and I'd love to adopt it too.
Sure... here you go
https://www.canva.com/
Thanks Jayne
There was a little help out there from @steemcleaners and such, but not sure anymore where you can turn. If I see it I flag it if they don't source their photos. Other than that I give them none of my attention. Your post helps my frustration a bit.. just seeing it, and reading it, is sort of an outlet to the madness. Like @old-guy-photos said, I'm here because I am having fun being myself. It's to hard to lie and be what I am not. I find it much easier to sleep at night knowing I am true to myself, regardless of the fact that I am not a decent blogger. I have made some of the coolest friendships on steemit by just plain on being my goofy self.
GO @jaynie!!! you tell them what's up!!! Thanks for saying what the rest of us are thinking!!!
Oh.. Wait a minute.. was this blog post about me??? :-P
hehehe am glad to have been an outlet to the madness haha!!
What did Dr. Seuss say? There is nobody you'er than you!
:)
"That is truer than true!"
Haha.. love the good old Dr Seuss.
“Think! You can think any Think that you wish!”
Laziness or lack of creativity - either way is annoying. What puzzles me is that still many of those people don't think that they will get exposed. Steem is not even high these days, so the rewards are so small. Why bother going through all this trouble for petty cash? Beats me!
EXACTLY!!!! Clearly not a lot of forethought given...
Hi @jaynie. Thanks for sharing this. It needed to be said. And you are correct that there are numerous contests a person can enter to help me improve their writing.
When I first started on Steemit, I was so nervous and didn't do things the right way. But there were so many people who directed me and pointed me to resources. They also told me the right way to conduct myself on Steemit. I'll forever be grateful that I at least try to contribute to the blockchain.
I call these individuals who helped me the Tribe mentors and guidance counselors. Yes, just like if you are in elementary school. Because you're starting from the beginning if you're new to Steemit. I thank all of them, including you for all the help I've received.
So anyone who's new to Steemit or just want to try to throw something out there to see if it'll stick, head straight on over to Steem Terminal, Power House Creatives, Steemitmamas, Innerblocks, or Creative Coin, and the numerous others who can help you avoid the pitfalls @jaynie mentioned above. So glad I did. And I'm still learning.
Really appreciate the feedback love and apologies for the delay in responding to you - I have just had so much going on.
It is a little nerve wrecking and overwhelming when you start out here and I am so happy that there are wonderful com,unities like steem terminal now that assist with that.