“Darling, you’ve been stealing from the thieves and you got caught” – Paul Hewson
Sunday’s Inspiration: Don’t Steal!
This is more of a rant here today on Sunday’s Inspiration than an inspiration to anyone and I make no apologies for it, nor have I any qualms over doing it. But my Sunday’s Inspiration idea came about in August last year when I realised all my regular features were travel related stuff only and not enough of my personal opinion and lifestyle stories were creeping in. I’ve always believed that travel and lifestyle to go hand in hand, to me they are intertwined so I set up Sunday’s Inspiration on a lazy day in Ma Wan, Hong Kong last year for my more lifestyle based posts. I was inspired and felt the need to start a new Sunday Series.
Just a relaxed Sunday in the lifestyle…
However a new travel blogger recently felt the need to not only steal my title and idea for her NEW travel site (at least compared to the 7 year history of DSL), but she also posts it on a travel blog on Sundays, going one step further than me by actually managing to post it every week (presumably because she’s not really travelling all the time like myself). She even shares quotes in the post and has basically copied the entire idea. I’m disgusted by it (not in Turner Barr fashion – as he had a big company nick his idea – my stuff has been stolen by a fellow travel blogger). It’s not as if I hold copyright of the phrase “Sunday’s Inspiration” but the idea to post it on a travel blog every week, sharing lifestyle quotes and opinions was mine. To steal that is petty, low and disrespectful. A quick check of the person who owns the site that stole it shows that she is NOT a member of the Professional Travel Blogger’s Association. You don’t need Radiohead to tell you…
Exactly.
If she had asked me, e-mailed me and told me she likes my series and wanted to start a similar series – I’d have said “Yes!” straight away as I aim to inspire and this would have meant somebody else had been inspired by my inane rantings and writings. However she didn’t. She set this up shyly and expected me not to ever notice. Even more ironic is her website is called “The trusted traveller.” I don’t trust her and nor should you.
Sunday’s Inspiration theft by the Trusted Traveller. How can we trust that?
However I’m well connected in the travel blogging industry. My hands are in a lot of pies – I branch out with others, I connect, I read about 50 – 60 other travel blogs each week and this week, while offering to write a short piece on backpacking in Brighton, England, I noticed something. The girl whose site I was going to write this article/contribution for had stolen “Sunday’s Inspiration”. It’s been nicked. I’m not sure what to do.
Should I continue to do my regular Sunday’s Inspiration series which I love? (Of course) Should I e-mail her and tell her she nicked it and make her feel guilty? (No – as she’ll find this post anyway – of that I’m sure).
What’s even worse is her travel site is one of those ones that puts “generic travel quotes” on it – the ones without real life photos of the traveller or blogger in them. You’ll notice how I hate generics, wannabes and all that tends to a rip off merchant in a world of created superficiality. The blogger even e-mailed me as a fake to say she had NEVER seen my blog before – never seen it?? You nicked it love. Why not change your site to Don’t Stop Living, go backpacking in Iraq and work on a broccoli farm?
It’s not a happy feeling that she’s nicked it. But it may also be my fault. Maybe it’s karma. I wasn’t a great teenager. I did steal a few things before. I regret it. I’ve regretted it all my life, but it’s in the past. I can’t change it. I don’t steal. I hate stealers. They disgust me. These days.
Do yourselves a favour and don’t steal – don’t sink so low. Write your own cool travel blog about really travelling the world.
“Wannabes shouldn’t be presenting awards to gonna-bes”
It’s my birthday today, I’m off to celebrate it. That gives me exactly a year until I turn 35 and try to tick off these travel dreams.
“All the dream stealers are lying in wait and if you want to be a spaceman it’s still not too late.” – copyright, Noel Gallagher.
“All the dream stealers are lying in wait but if you wanna be a spaceman, it’s still not too late” – Noel Gallagher.
Firstly, happy birthday! Secondly, I understand your frustration, but perhaps you’re taking it a bit too personally. It really could be a coincidence…? When I first started doing “Food Porn Fridays”, I thought it was a really original idea, and then quickly discovered that there is at least one other blogger (Waegook Tom) who does a weekly series with the same title, and that you do something similar too. With so many travel blogs out there, it’s not surprising that some creators would think of the same things, especially relating to days of the week, as there are only seven of them! I’m not trying to apologise for what this blogger did – if indeed she saw your site and then decided to copy it out right, that was a crappy thing to do and I agree, it’s dishonest and rather petty…but try giving her the benefit of the doubt first, maybe!
Sam recently posted…Guide to Eating Vegan in Graz
Hi Sam, thanks for your comment and yes it’s a very reasoned argument you put forward here. Of course it “could” be a coincidence, but quotes and inspiring messages on a Sunday with the exact same title as mine from a newer blogger raised some alarm bells. I remember before I started my other daily features, I checked other blogs to make sure I wasn’t stealing the exact title, I couldn’t find other travel blogs with “Working Wednesdays” or “Thirsty Thursday’s” etc. so I started them. I guess the blogger in question may contact me if she reads this. We’ll see what happens! Safe travels, Jonny