When Two Bloggers Write an Almost-Identical Post
Something weird happened yesterday.
Charlie Gilkey left a comment on my post “The Blurry Line Between Online and Real-Life Relationships”, which made it clear that he had written a VERY similar post about the same subject - from a slightly different angle - a few weeks ago.
The weird thing was, we both asked the very same question at the end of our posts, albeit using different wording: should we just ditch the dichotomy and accept that online friends are just as important as real-life ones?
My first thought when I read Charlie’s post: wow, this is AWESOME. We share the same outlook!
This was immediately followed by a mild panic attack: OMG, Charlie must think I was inspired by his post and wrote mine, based on his, without acknowledging him or linking to him!
So I immediately wrote a comment on his blog, and on mine, pledging that I did NOT read his post before I wrote mine, and explaining that I would have linked to him if I had.
Has this ever happened to you? Have you ever written something that you felt was unique, only to find out later that someone else already wrote a very similar post on the same subject?
Do you think I shouldn’t worry so much that people - including Charlie - might assume I “stole” Charlie’s idea? Or am I doing the right thing by clarifying that I didn’t, that I would NEVER do that, and that I will always give credit where it belongs?
This is just so awkward.
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Robin responds:
Posted: June 23rd, 2008 at 4:47 am →
Hi there Vered - I reckon if you feel uncomfortable it’s best to explain what you need to explain. But I don’t think that anyone would think you were stealing - you’re too smart to do that, apart from anything else! Cheers.
Robin’s last blog post..Is Death Natural?
Alik | PracticeThis.com responds:
Posted: June 23rd, 2008 at 4:48 am →
if you are one in a million in China, there are another 1300 like you….
How many bloggers are there out there?
Alik | PracticeThis.com’s last blog post..Prioritize What You Do – Steven Covey Way [The Way That Works]
Charlie Gilkey | Productive Flourishing responds:
Posted: June 23rd, 2008 at 5:24 am →
You’re WAY too lovely and smart of a person for me to think that you “stole” what I was writing about. When I read your post, I had the same feeling - OMG, this is almost an identical line of reasoning. Trust me, I know that it was unintentional - but thanks for the link and acknowledgment!
It’s best not to get too worried about it, really. I don’t know how many readers we share - so they may have never known anyways. Your linking makes it clear that it wasn’t intentional, and this issue is becoming more and more prevalent, so much so that it would be extreme hubris on my part to think that I was the only one thinking and writing about it.
No harm, no foul, much love…time for best shot Monday, no?
Charlie Gilkey | Productive Flourishing’s last blog post..When Selling Gets in the Way of Sharing
Suzie responds:
Posted: June 23rd, 2008 at 6:24 am →
I wouldnt worry about it….no I take that back I probobly would have. I think you did the right thing. If you are at all questionable just talk about it or link. But I do over think everything.
Suzie’s last blog post..Prickers and Mole
Hunter Nuttall responds:
Posted: June 23rd, 2008 at 6:37 am →
I guess some people would think you stole it, and some people wouldn’t. It depends on who they are. I’d probably tell them I didn’t steal it, just so I’d know they’d know. But it’s probably unnecessary in most cases.
Hunter Nuttall’s last blog post..The Millionaire Mindset
Sarah responds:
Posted: June 23rd, 2008 at 7:14 am →
Vered,
I don’t want to creep you out this early in the week, but seriously, we might be living parallel lives. Not only did I play chess and checkers with my 7 yr olds a lot this weekend (and they beat me, repeatedly), but just a couple of posts ago (on my post about water and dehydration), another blogger made a similar comment, he joked that I might have a lawsuit coming my way soon since he’d written a similar post some time ago. I know him and knew he was joking, but it was awkward to me anyway.
My take on it is - we all come from different backgrounds, and even if 100 of us wrote on the same subject, each piece would turn out differently with our own views, biases and opinions. Not to mention writing style. And nothing in the world is original anyway. I think it is perfectly okay to offer you own spin on things, even drawing inspiration from someone else’s idea. This is very different from copying and pasting their post and claiming it as their own!
Have a wonderful Monday!
Sarah’s last blog post..5 Reasons Why I Don’t Take Supplements.
Sarah responds:
Posted: June 23rd, 2008 at 7:16 am →
Oh - and I meant to add in the last comment, that I answered your q about whether I take supplements, in today’s post, and thank you for the question and idea!
Sarah’s last blog post..5 Reasons Why I Don’t Take Supplements.
Sara responds:
Posted: June 23rd, 2008 at 7:39 am →
Yep, that would make me uncomfortable. I like the tactic you took of addressing it. Since you didn’t steal, it’s important not to write a mea culpa, but letting the other author know (once you discover it’s out there) seems like a good preventative measure. Too many times, we’ll jump to conclusions (”Oh my goodness! That jerk totally ripped off my idea!”), but as soon as we actually hear from the person, we remember they’re human, just like us, and probably deserve the benefit of the doubt. And guess what? Charlie’s going to get more readers because of it, so really it’s a weird method of cross-promotion.
Sara’s last blog post..Simplify Your Cleaning Routine
Justin Hernandez responds:
Posted: June 23rd, 2008 at 8:16 am →
Vered I shared a similar dilemma. I was browsing Zen Habits and had no idea Leo did interviews in his early days. I was shocked to see that I asked almost the same questions that Leo did. At first like you, I was pleased to be in like mind with Leo - then horrified at the thought that others might think that I copied.
In the end. It’s human nature. We all experience life but we can only say it with our unique flair and perspective. Though you might something similar to someone else - you are a very unique individual. You can’t be imitated nor would you imitate others. I believe all of your readers feel the same way.
Justin Hernandez’s last blog post..Conviction - Quote from Gandhi
Amanda - The Mom Crowd responds:
Posted: June 23rd, 2008 at 8:49 am →
Vered, I probably would have done the same thing. I do worry about copying people. I struggle with reading blogs in my same genre because they give me post ideas, but I don’t want to copy them.
Amanda - The Mom Crowd’s last blog post..30 Ideas For a Date Night at Home
theramblinghousewife responds:
Posted: June 23rd, 2008 at 8:53 am →
I think it happens.
I like to read blogs because they do give me ideas for posts. I, of course, link to the post when I am inspired by it.
And I know you would do the same, had that been the case–
I wouldn’t worry about it a bit!
theramblinghousewife’s last blog post..Scissors, Anyone?
Jan responds:
Posted: June 23rd, 2008 at 9:05 am →
OK, ,never, apoligize for something you didn’t do. ,Never . If you are accused of something, defend yourself, period.
Jan’s last blog post..Warning to all women
MomGrind responds:
Posted: June 23rd, 2008 at 9:44 am →
@ Robin: Perhaps I’m too smart, but what’s important to me is to make it clear that it’s just not something that I do. Of course I get inspired by other bloggers – it happens all the time – but when I do, I always link back to them.
@ Alik: I know… we are not original and can’t be, can we?
@ Charlie: thank you! I really truly almost had a panic attack when it dawned on me that some people might think I stole an idea from someone else. No Best Shot Monday today… this was important enough to interrupt the regular scheduling.
@ Suzie: I hope I did the right thing. My husband says just what Jan said in her comment – never apologize for something that you didn’t do. He thinks I should just have ignored it. But I couldn’t.
@ Hunter: that’s exactly what I thought: people will choose to think what they want to think, but the least I can do is try and explain.
@ Sarah: “I think it is perfectly okay to offer you own spin on things, even drawing inspiration from someone else’s idea. This is very different from copying and pasting their post and claiming it as their own!” Of course it’s OK, but if you do that, the right thing to do is to link back to the person who inspired you, which is what I would have done had I read Charlie’s post before writing mine. It was important to me to make that point.
I can’t play chess.
@ Sara: I came across a post, a while ago, that was VERY similar to one of my posts. I immediately decided that the blogger (who has more presence than I do) copied and was enraged. I never did anything about it, but this incident made me think, that perhaps it was just a coincidence, and that I jumped into conclusions with that blogger.
@ Justin: I think you make a good point: even when tackling the same material, we all speak with our own unique voices and through our own personal perspective. Still… I do believe that we should always link back to a person who inspired us to write a post.
@ Amanada: “I struggle with reading blogs in my same genre because they give me post ideas, but I don’t want to copy them.” To me, as long as there’s linking back to the person who gave you the idea, it’s not a problem.
@ the rambling housewife: thank you. I do hope most of my readers feel the same.
@ Jan: you said “OK, ,never, apoligize for something you didn’t do. ,Never . If you are accused of something, defend yourself, period.” This is an interesting point of view. My husband felt the same: he said that this would only make me seem “guilty”, while I said that the important thing is that I KNOW I am NOT guilty, but I still feel that I need to explain what happened. I guess I just needed to do what felt right to me, but I do respect your point of view.
zoe responds:
Posted: June 23rd, 2008 at 10:03 am →
I don’t think you need to explain. There are so many bloggers out there people are bound to cover the same territory. And the topic you picked is a topic unique to the blogging experience and something we’ve all thought about at some point.
I know it’s happened to me a time or two and I just think, huh, what an odd coincidence. If someone takes an idea I’ve written about and uses it as a springboard for their own post, I just find that flattering.
zoe’s last blog post..Kitty Pictures
Ann responds:
Posted: June 23rd, 2008 at 10:12 am →
Vered,
I would have had the same reaction, and I think you would have been too uncomfortable not to acknowledge it, so you were true to yourself - which is always the “right” thing!
Not to mention, there is a LOT of repetition (dare I say regurgitation?) out there in blog-land - at least among the blogs I read. And many of them are so-called A-list blogs. As we’ve discussed here before, their readers don’t seem annoyed - quite the opposite!
Your post was something you were genuinely thinking about and wanted to spark a discussion around - which you did!
Ann’s last blog post..My Rocks are in a Row
MizFit responds:
Posted: June 23rd, 2008 at 10:12 am →
this has totally happened to me.
SAME DAY.
fitness blogger.
still awkward even though we both posted at same time.
was it Shakespeare who said there are no new ideas under the sun? just variations on a few basic themes?
M.
MizFit’s last blog post..Monday Facetime (why yes, my hair IS still wet from the shower. that’s the way I roll.)
Denise responds:
Posted: June 23rd, 2008 at 11:11 am →
You worry too much.
Denise’s last blog post..The Gathering
Barbara Swafford responds:
Posted: June 23rd, 2008 at 11:40 am →
Hi Vered,
I see that happening a lot. Whether the ideas come from other blogger’s posts or was what we thought was an original idea, blogosphere will always have duplication of sorts. There are only so many things to write about, and by us putting our own spin on it, it makes it ours.
Since it bothered you, you did the right thing. Your loyal readers know you’re not a plagiarizer as you are always giving credit where credit is due. Although it was awkward (for you), it brought up the great idea for this post, and from the previous comments, it appears those who read blogs see this happening so often it (duplication) doesn’t surprise them.
Thanks for bringing this issue to the surface. You may have just inspired me to write a similar post. hehe
Barbara Swafford’s last blog post..You’re Only As Good As Your Current Post
Marelisa responds:
Posted: June 23rd, 2008 at 11:59 am →
Vered, I’ve read that ideas are in the air, so more than one person can easily access the same idea (collective consciousness). I think I would have just left a comment on his blog saying something like: “I just published a similar post, great minds think alike”, but you were true to yourself and to your feelings by publishing this post addressing the situation, and at the end of the day being yourself is the best thing you can do.
Marelisa’s last blog post..Decide What You Want
hyrcan responds:
Posted: June 23rd, 2008 at 12:10 pm →
From Sifry’s Alerts:
• On July 31, 2006, Technorati tracked its 50 millionth blog
• The blogosphere is doubling about once every 6 and a half months
• About 175,000 new weblogs are created each day
• There are more than 2 blogs created each second of each day
about 1.6 Million postings per day, or about 18.6 posts per second.
I think the chances of people writing about the same topic on any given day are all but guaranteed and since loads of people through similar social backgrounds also pickup the same writing style and concepts the posts may seem very similar.
Now considering those numbers are from 2006, and two years have passed… I think you’re in the clear. Even with out the link, I can’t assume you know and read every blog i do, and thus may not have even seen the other posting. What really gives away the motive behind a post is past and future work. If there has been a stream of original postings before, then there’s not much call to think this was any thing but an original piece.
Of course that isn’t to say there aren’t people who DO copy/paste articles… and they make me a sad panda.
hyrcan
hyrcan’s last blog post..Change?
MomGrind responds:
Posted: June 23rd, 2008 at 12:21 pm →
@ zoe: “If someone takes an idea I’ve written about and uses it as a springboard for their own post, I just find that flattering” – I do too… but I do believe that the blogosphere etiquette would say that in such cases, it is appropriate to link to that parson?
@ Ann: There IS a lot of repetition. It’s one of the things that bothered me the most when I just started blogging.
@ MizFit: “there are no new ideas under the sun? just variations on a few basic themes” – that’s just sad and I refuse to believe that!
@ Denise: Don’t I know that.
@ Barbara: “Although it was awkward (for you), it brought up the great idea for this post” – that’s a good positive way of looking at this – hey, it inspired a post! Which is always a good thing.
I would be flattered and honored if this inspires you to write a post.
@ Marelisa: Yes, I probably made too much out of this, but it felt like the right thing to do to me. And as Barbara pointed out – hey – it sparked an idea for a post!
@ hyrcan: that’s fascinating! Wow. I never realized just how huge the blogosphere is. I guess these things are bound to happen and when (not if) is happens to me again, I’ll just trust my readers to know me well enough to realize that I don’t steal. I also hope to never jump into conclusions when I find a post written by another blogger that’s very similar to one of my posts.
JEMi | Tips for Life, Love, You responds:
Posted: June 23rd, 2008 at 12:54 pm →
I understand why you felt awkward but then again, Vered, you’re a very smart woman with a fantastic blog. I don’t think any of us would have sat here and thought “AHA!!!!!!! CAUGHT YOU!!!!” *smile*
I love reading your perspective on things and can tell you are 100% original. You just happened upon a coincedence (with a friendly guy nonethless - his reply made me smile)
I am guilty of experiencing that awkwardness a couple of times before. I had to will myself to click publish - that was until I remembered that in my niche (self improvement) I won’t be breaking ground with most things
and so its all a matter of personal perspective.
Write on Vered, Write on!
JEMi | Tips for Life, Love, You’s last blog post..Life Coach: What Can One Do for You?
Dot H. responds:
Posted: June 23rd, 2008 at 1:59 pm →
Hi Vered,
I think both that you shouldn’t worry so much and that it was good that you clarified. I’ve found that people are a lot less nasty than we’re afraid they’re going to be, but they’re always reassured when we are nicer too.
Dot
PS - I blew away my blog while trying to upgrade the software, and they say there’s no way to “downgrade” back.
I can reconstruct it, but what a drag!
chris responds:
Posted: June 23rd, 2008 at 5:22 pm →
Vered,
It happens to the best of us…
I’ve read blogs that are similar to my posts which were posted after mine. I’ve come to a realization that since there are som many of us blogging it’s bound to happen. I discovered that everyone in the blogosphere, especially the “Make Money Online Blogs” talk about the same topics, and so on and so forth.
Denise is right, you do worry too much…LOL
chris’s last blog post..Haaaaarvard
Joel Falconer responds:
Posted: June 23rd, 2008 at 5:35 pm →
Ah, Vered, we all know you’re way above that
The stats say it all: I bet for every post I’ve ever written, someone has written something similar within a two week time frame. Don’t worry about it - and delete comments that claim you stole anything, unless it’s clear to other readers that they’re joking. If it’s even a little bit ambiguous as to whether it’s a joke or not, I’d get rid of it because that can honestly crash credibility faster than anything.
Joel Falconer’s last blog post..Why Referral & Affiliate Programs Beat Plain Old Contextual Ads
Natural responds:
Posted: June 23rd, 2008 at 6:39 pm →
There is nothing new under the sun is how I feel about it. People get uptight like they created the English language and we stole something they gave birth to. Not so. I’ve seen posts about blogging that look like I duplicated and I’ve seen posts that I have written that look like someone duplicated.
It happens, especially when you get into catchy phrases. I like when people write about the same subject, not everyone explains it the same.
no worries. everything created has been duplicated, or tried.
Natural’s last blog post..Too Successful For A Mate
phyllis responds:
Posted: June 23rd, 2008 at 8:22 pm →
i think it just happens. ayn chadash tachat ha-shamayim….there is nothing new under the sun. harry potter is just luke skywalker in britain….just new takes on old stories. you’re cool, don’t sweat it, friend!
phyllis’s last blog post..Watching…
MomGrind responds:
Posted: June 23rd, 2008 at 9:57 pm →
@ JEMi: Thank you so much for the encouragement. Charlie IS a nice guy, isn’t he? It is very true that the best we can do is offer our personal perspective.
@ Dot H.: So sorry about your blog! Hope it won’t be too bad to reconstruct. Thank you for the support. It was important to me to clarify, so I did.
@ chris: she IS right and I DO worry too much. Thank you!
@ Joel: “delete comments that claim you stole anything, unless it’s clear to other readers that they’re joking. If it’s even a little bit ambiguous as to whether it’s a joke or not, I’d get rid of it because that can honestly crash credibility faster than anything.” I would never have thought of that but you are right. You always give such great advice. Thank you.
@ Natural: “People get uptight like they created the English language and we stole something they gave birth to. Not so.” You ARE funny! I like funny.
Sadly, I have to agree that there’s nothing new under the sun. But we can always hope…
@ phyllis: thank you so much for the support. It means a lot.
Evelyn Lim | Attraction Mind Map responds:
Posted: June 23rd, 2008 at 11:27 pm →
Things like that are bound to happen. Ideas are borrowed all the time, in any case; the most crucial thing is to say or present them in your own way.
I’d say don’t worry about it! As you’ve read through the comments, there are so many of us who love your blog and believe in you. There are more important things to fret over.
Hugs,
Evelyn
Evelyn Lim | Attraction Mind Map’s last blog post..Five Hindrances To A Successful Meditation
Links Roundup - June 24th 2008 responds:
Posted: June 24th, 2008 at 3:01 am →
[…] When Two Bloggers Write an Almost-Identical Post […]
Kelly@SHE-POWER responds:
Posted: June 24th, 2008 at 8:00 am →
Hey Vered
This used to happen to me all the time with Leo at Zen Habits. I would write a draft of an article and then a day later I would read something Leo wrote and be amazed that he was on the exact same wavelength about the same topic. Freaky.
Obviously in this circumstance I know it wasn’t stolen, but it just shows you that ideas and interpretations see to float around like dandelions in the universal sky and sometimes a few of us pluck them down to play with at the same time.
I still have those similar drafts of Zen habits articles that I’ll get around to posting some day. I couldn’t bring myself to publish them at the time because like you, I didn’t want people thinking I was a thief.
And on a side note, this blog is coming along really nicely now. Good for you.
Kel
Kelly@SHE-POWER’s last blog post..Coming Home
MomGrind responds:
Posted: June 24th, 2008 at 12:45 pm →
@ Evelyn: Thank you so much for the support!
@ Kelly: I can’t wait to read those posts!
Re the blog, I never realized how much work is involved in building a blog – or how much FUN it is. Thank you.
Link Building Bible responds:
Posted: June 24th, 2008 at 5:35 pm →
This is like when two guys wear the same shirt to a get together…. very very awkward. It was even so bad for a friend of mine, that his wife ended up rubbing the other’s guys neck for a little while, to the dismay of that guy’s wife….
But, if you post on the same thing and you know you didn’t steal, then don’t worry. If worst comes to worst, you can link to his at the end of your article and write “for another perspective on this issue….” or something… everyone loves a backlink.
Link Building Bible’s last blog post..More DoFollow Social Media Sites
J.D. Meier responds:
Posted: June 24th, 2008 at 10:35 pm →
I like it when it happens. It’s like multiple people on the same page, suddenly find out they were on the same page, even if it’s slightly different times. I’ve noticed this a lot actually outside the blogsphere. Over the past couple weeks, I’ve had similar conversations with people that haven’t talked to each other, but have come to the same conclusions about some very interesting topics. I’d swear they must have just talked with each other and they’re all on the same page. I like how the blogosphere let’s us see snaphots of this in action.
J.D. Meier’s last blog post..Develop Disagreement Rather Than Consensus
Cath Lawson responds:
Posted: June 24th, 2008 at 11:16 pm →
Hi Vered - I think this happens a lot - people writing on the same topics and it doesn’t always mean either party has plagiarised.
The weirdest one I had was when I wrote a post - which could only have been written by me, as it mentioned some strange experiences I’d had while interviewing people.
Someone accused me of stealing his post in the comments section and I couldn’t check it out as he’d banned my IP (I didn’t know about anonymouse.org then).
Cath Lawson’s last blog post..Wonderful Wednesday
MomGrind responds:
Posted: June 25th, 2008 at 9:38 am →
@ Link Building Bible: That’s an interesting analogy.
@ J.D. Meier: Interesting… you must be a more spiritual and less cynical person than I am to look at things this way. I like it!
@ Cath: “Someone accused me of stealing his post in the comments section and I couldn’t check it out as he’d banned my IP”. What an idiot. I think people do tend to jump into conclusions and need to be more careful before accusing others of stealing.
Aimee Greeblemonkey responds:
Posted: June 27th, 2008 at 10:16 am →
I have done this soooo many times. Completely unintentionally. I’ve chalked it up to “great minds think alike.” And “there are only so many things in the world to blog about.”
Aimee Greeblemonkey’s last blog post..Eventful Day
MomGrind responds:
Posted: June 28th, 2008 at 11:25 am →
@ Aimee: That’s a much better way to look at it than “OMG people would assume I stole!”.