Sometimes I think my blog might be better if I didn't read any other PF blogs.

This. So much this. It's hard not to compare myself to everyone else, and it also gets kind of depressing when I realize that very little content is "original." That's why I inject so many personal examples - that's the only way I know to separate my posts from a million other posts on the same topic.

I think our niche is interesting - it's possible for so many people to say the same thing in a different way. And we're uniquely positioned because so many people are financially stressed and searching for the information we provide. I love when we do blog swaps because it's interesting to see what different people will do with the same question or topic.

I'm all over the place, too.  Birds of a feather!  Good point about challenging readers.  I need to do that more.  I agree, sometimes I think I'll be better off not reading other blogs either.  There's so many talented bloggers!  As for not wanting to read your own blog, as the blog owner, you have to want to read your own stuff.  

I'm on a learning curve, too.  I hope my readers get something out of my blog as well.  Always learning and trying to improve!

I so far missed this thread as I dont like either chipotle or Qboda, only Tacobell rings my bell

I look for blogs that put a personal spin on things.  I like to be 'told a story' so to speak.  That's how I write my blog (or at least I like to think I do).

 

I have my reader separated into two areas for PF blogs.  One has my 'blogroll' blogs, which appear on my site and are my favorites.  The other folder is for the rest.  The blogroll page gets priority, so that if I have a limited amount of time, I make sure to browse through these.  If I have time for the non-blogroll pages, I definitely spend some time on there too.

 

To get on my blogroll you have to:

1. Have a well written blog

2. Publish a full feed (I read so many blogs that I refuse to click into blogs)

3. Have a blog that I comment on regularly or include in round ups regularly

4. Post pretty frequently

 

It also helps if I know who you are.  I love comments and I love commenting on other blogs.  There's a couple blogs that I had on my blogroll that I really liked, but that I removed, because I put probably 50-100 comments on their site and they never, ever commented on mine.  I look at it as a two-way street, so when you comment on my blog a few times, chances are I'm going to notice you!

I prefer Chipotle.  :)

These are great points, MoneyBeagle. I also unsubscribed from blogs that don't publish full feeds when I was cleaning up my blog reader yesterday. Like you, I just don't have time to click through.

I have my reader separated into two areas for PF blogs.  One has my 'blogroll' blogs, which appear on my site and are my favorites.  The other folder is for the rest.  The blogroll page gets priority, so that if I have a limited amount of time, I make sure to browse through these.  If I have time for the non-blogroll pages, I definitely spend some time on there too.

To get on my blogroll you have to:

1. Have a well written blog

2. Publish a full feed (I read so many blogs that I refuse to click into blogs)

3. Have a blog that I comment on regularly or include in round ups regularly

4. Post pretty frequently

It also helps if I know who you are.  I love comments and I love commenting on other blogs.  There's a couple blogs that I had on my blogroll that I really liked, but that I removed, because I put probably 50-100 comments on their site and they never, ever commented on mine.  I look at it as a two-way street, so when you comment on my blog a few times, chances are I'm going to notice you!

I prefer Chipotle.  :)

Recently I went through and cleaned up my reader. I had hundreds of blogs in there and it was making me itchy. The blogs I kept were the ones that had a story behind them. I like to know who the blogger is and what they're about.

On the other hand, I don't like blogs that are all story with no take-away. The ones that read like blah, blah, blah, rant, blah, blah, blah rant.

Andrea, I guarantee you there will be a Chipotle in Shaumburg.

My Google Reader is overflowing with blogs but the ones I like the best are ones that challenge me to push a little further with my knowledge, habits, or skills.  I also like the blogs that have content that's different.  It's why I like Early Retirement Extreme. I'm also enjoying a lot of investing blogs recently.

I'm not sure if I'd want to read my own blog.  Some of my posts recently have been of the "how to save on XYZ" style which normally make my eyes glaze over since it's all rehashed material.  But the reason we've seen it so much is because it's easy to write and it's easy to write because we've seen it etc etc.  So I'm cutting myself some slack here but I think repetitive content is here to stay on many blogs which is why I appreciate the exceptions so much.  Sometimes I think my blog might be better if I didn't read any other PF blogs.

Buck Inspire said:

Hi Miss T,

 

Great answers!  Do you feel your blog does the same or are you different?

I'm a little schizo, too.  Perhaps I should break things out like that, personal stories, research, schizo?  Baja Fresh is yummy, too.  Very similar to La Salsa.  Man, I'm getting hungry!

Hi Doctor Spock,

 

Good point about limited time.  I like to learn as well, but I also value the fun and entertaining side of things.

 

I agree...

Good point about limited time.  I like to learn as well, but I also value the fun and entertaining side of things.  Agree with you on CMG's food and stock.

Great answers!  Do you feel your blog does the same or are you different?

I think writing style is a big one.  Ease of navigation, site speed, type of topics factor in a lot too.