I wrote up my latest Blogmas post yesterday about putting my drunken tree up and annoying the poor cat with various winter hats, and by the time I pressed the publish button, I was happy with how it looked.
Underneath my posts are links from my blog that focus on similar themes, so out of interest I clicked on a few of them to revisit things I had written a year ago – I like to do this every so often as a reminder of the progress that I have made.
It turns out, I had written an almost identical post a year ago, and the year before that. Drunken tree, cats in hats. I even used the phrase ‘positively sozzled’ in last year’s post, despite the fact that I felt I had written something quite humorous this year.
After 800 posts along with another thousand that I have deleted over the years, has it really got to the point where I am now plagarising my own work???
I think I need to get some new ideas…
What about you guys? Do you find that you write in cycles, revisiting the same topics at certain points in the year? Do you write identical posts when doing this?
Suzie Speaks 
I love your honesty here – I started writing a Christmas post too, and realised I was saying what I’d already said – so just reposted by Yule Never Walk Alone post from last year.
https://tomhocknell.wordpress.com/2015/12/07/obligatory-christmas-blog/
I think we are always going to return to certain themes, but perhaps repeating yourself indicates the need for a break. Of NO writing to recharge the tanks.
Aargh! That’s the problem – I get the urge to write on a daily basis, but sometimes the ideas don’t come easily!
I imagine I’m guilty of this as well – everything old is new again I suppose?!
Yeah, you could be right. I was surprised at the fact that I used the exact same phrases though!
I’ll start writing and think that it’s something I said before. It probably is, but I post it anyway.
Haha! I think I need to do a major edit on my blog and start deleting some stuff!
I find myself doing the same thing. I like the way a phrase sounded so much I use it at regular intervals throughout the novel I’m writing. I am positively smug over how clever it sounds…that is until editing stage and I realize what I’ve done.
Haha! That’s exactly how I felt about the post!
As you know, I’m prone to waffling!!! I therefore regurgitate my old posts on a regular occasion! However, in my defence, my audience changes over time so I think someone has to be reading it for the first time! That’s my reasoning anyhoo š
Haha! I think that is a great explanation for it! And you don’t waffle!
Yes, I have. It makes me feel as though my thinking is somewhat limited. I purposely read and try to learn new things so I can engage in different thoughts and conversations. But it seems like my mind takes on a mind of its own and just does what it wants to do….Who’s in charge? Me? Or my mind?
Ooh there’s a blog post in itself! I try and consciously branch out into other areas, but always seem to return to the same thing!
It’s like that movie, ‘Groundhog Day’ when the same day keeps happening all over again.
Yes! Now there’s a blog post in itself – what would you do if you could get away with anything without consequences?
Oh wow…I am not sure I would want to live with those parameters.
You’ve got me thinking now haha!
ššš
Yup! Totally relate to that!!!!
Haha! I’m glad I’m not the only one!
I was rereading old posts last week and do found so many that I could have written again unwittingly!
I’m sure there are some things I have repeated- maybe not an entire post but give me time….. I’m sure I will. š
Haha! Let me know if you find one that you repeated!
I will!
Yeah, amazingly, I check that on a lot of my posts to make sure I don’t do ones I’ve done before. Though after years of doing it, I can take a post I did way back then and have a totally different spin on it, because, you know, I’ve changed a lot in 4 1/2 years.
I think I need to start doing that more – I worked out that I have quite a few posts in rotation so perhaps I should just revamp them and post them for the newer audience, and ones that were written years ago my readers probably won’t remember anyway!
I do that every once in a while when I get stuck and can’t think of anything else. Honestly, a post written 4 years ago? No one would even remember.
Would you believe it that I’ve had comments on previous posts that I’ve revamped and reposted to say that they’ve already read this from readers?
Yeah, I’ve got no problem reusing content every once in a while when I’m not feeling anything new.
I’ve done the same thing myself and wondered if it was the first stages of dementia. Looks like I’m in good company. š
I need some sleep haha!
Yep. I often start writing then think ‘I’ve done this already.’ I do think it’s because I write along certain themes. And I’m now having to do a search on my Wednesday Wanders, just to make sure I’m not writing about a place I’ve already written about! Haha. I’m about 500 posts into blogging, so I guess I’m bound to repeat something at some point.
I think it’s so difficult not to be able to repeat stuff isn’t it, particular when you’re focusing on a niche. I’ll do some revamping I think!
Blogging is a neverending job, isn’t it? š
Okay, I’ll admit it -I’ve actually re-posted some posts I like. So I plagiarize, too! New eyes are reading your blog every year, so I don’t see a problem.
That’s a really good way of looking at it! I do have repetitive ideas, perhaps I need to revamp some stuff and renew it for my newer audience…
When I read the title, it reminded me of something (which has little or nothing to do with what you wrote about). I took a writing class a few years ago at a local college, and in the section on plagiarism and academic dishonesty, we were told that it was considered plagiarism to use your own words or ideas a second time in another piece. Weird, I still can’t wrap my head around this…
Ooh there’s something to think about? I’d never considered it before…
Don’t worry too much about the repeating phrases thing. All writers do it all the time. I read two novels by the same author back to back last year. They had probably been written about five years apart, but both stories came to a head in a similar way and the author used exactly the same sentence to set up the rest of the story. That was the only thing the books had in common and it was a terribly good sentence, which was why I remembered it. I catch myself doing the same thing all the time – not the terribly good sentence part, just the repetition.
You probably should worry about the rest, though. š
Haha! Worry about the drunken tree and cat in a hat?
I think they might be memes, so probably not.
The voices in my head have so many stories to tell that I doubt they’ll ever shout out two of the same. š
I’ve gathered haha! At least you’re creative!
At least I am that. š
Yes I have done that as well! (Not under this blog name, but in other stuff I have done.) It seems like our brains go in theme cycles and are determined to kick out those kinds of tales whenever locked into that theme mode. Also it could be a caffeine deficiency. š
Haha! I can’t blame caffeine as I don’t drink coffee! What are your main go-to themes?
I bounce between really introspective posts about enlightment to truly lacking in sleep moments of self derision to general goofiness (thus the elf action under this particular name). I prefer to stay upbeat but life goes in waves and I have noticed that my posts have mirrored that over time. What’s your top topic target (intentional or otherwise)?
Awesome comment! I often talk about my daily life, so I would say that my main topic is me haha! That’s what causes the issue – the routine results in the replication of activities…
Yes, I do that too. But as my daughter says ‘it’s your blog, and you can do anything you want’. So there!
Haha! You’re so right – thank you!
If I am still working on the same issues I would say yes to a similar post. Enjoy your blog!
Thank you!
Your Christmas tree was drunk? You did say “drunken Christmas tree.” Thanks to you though the word sozzled is part of my vocabulary. I love to write in cycles and revisit the same topics. Sure, go ahead and post old posts. Call it Throwback Thursday! I’m pretty sure though that revisiting the topic of Christmas will never go out of style. š
That’s a really good idea – thanks Phil haha!
There are certainly some dominate themes and I’ve caught myself nearly posting the same thing. Not sure I’ve pushed publish yet, though.
Haha! You’re certainly much more self-aware than I am! What are your dominant themes?
Hahaha… I know what you mean… I feel I come back to the same things over and over again. But then it’s what’s in my life, you know…
Definitely! I think that my routine means that it’s inevitable that I talk about the same things…
There you go…
I think we all do this eventually. I mean, we have our own voice and style and interests…it’s bound to happen. As a matter of fact, I was going to write one to post in a week or so and looked back to see (as you do) where I was this time last year and thought, “Well that says everything I want to say, so…” I might tweak and repost. Or not. Happy Holidays! ā¤
I think I need to do a big overhaul of everything – there’s about a hundred posts that I either need to delete or revamp. Happy holidays to you too!