Blogger vs. Writer: Which Am I?

 The more popular bloggers and vloggers get, the more of a bad rap we receive. It wasn’t long ago that the holy grail of fashion journalism – Vogue – chastised bloggers as “heralding the death of fashion” (sounds like something I used to say to my Mum). This article has been bandied about more times than baby monkey riding on the pig, and we’ve all offered our two cents on the situation. Personally, I think the article was born out of a mixture of high society fashion snobbery, flippant use of influence and just a dash of fear. However, I’m also not really arsed – people will always have opinions, but the wheels keep on turning and I keep on working, so fuck it. 


After this, however, the blogger vs. writer comparison seemed more apparent than ever. Whilst fashion journalism is seen as a “real job”, blogging still seems to be perceived as a hobby that you’re lucky enough to earn money off of. That’s likely because blogging is still so new as a career path. I always have to explain what it is that I actually do, so it’s not surprising that it’s still not seen as a legitimate job. Whereas, on the other hand, when I explain my role in marketing, people are like ‘oh, right, so advertising yeah?’ And it’s so funny that one is seen as more “proper” than the other, when, in actual fact, my roles are pretty freakin’ similar. I write blog posts in both roles, manage social media in both roles, arrange collaborations in both roles – of course, promoting myself and promoting clients are two different things, but the core activities are pretty much the same.

I approach my blog posts a lot differently to the way that I used to. Whilst my blog is mainly fashion-centric, I’m actually pretty shit at talking about it. I find myself writing about my outfit and what I’ve paired with what and why, only to find myself thinking “why does anybody care?” Which is strange, because some of my all-time favourite bloggers own this writing style, but for me, it just doesn’t fit. The Little Plum actually started as a platform for me to publish articles and journalistic pieces that I had written whilst desperately needing some form of creative outlet. And I still find that’s where I feel most comfortable: writing for a reason, writing with an argument or opinion or some kind of throwaway thought that came back into my head yesterday morning. Often what I write is gibberish – like this article, perhaps – but when I write in this way, I feel like I’m producing better content that truly communicates my voice.


That’s not to say that I’m begrudging fluff fashion pieces. They are a wonderful world of escapism, and far from silly. As somebody who invests a large wedge of their pay-check into fashion, what could be more serious than reading the logistics behind a particular outfit or new designer or style? The sad fact is, I’m just totally pants at it. This raises the question, however: blogger vs. writer, which am I?

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Well, I’m bloody both. Without delving into what makes a ‘writer’ vs. somebody who simply writes word (ah, many an English Lit seminar passed), I think any blogger worth their salt is a writer, and a good one at that. Engaging an audience in an industry that is so massively oversaturated isn’t easy, so if a blogger can not only do that once, but time and time again to build a loyal following, then I think the proof is in the pudding. The stand out point for me, though, is self-confidence. Be confident in what you create, and then no label can piss on your bonfire.


As always, I’d love to hear your thoughts! Pop a comment down below or find me over on social with the handle @chloeplumstead (both Twitter and Instagram!). Until next time hot potatoes.