Interview with Sarah Malik

1. Can you tell us a little about yourself? your blog , and your aspirations and your hobbies !!

I happen to be a very positive person trying to accompalish things I have planned for myself and living on my own principles.

My blog 'embodying emotions' as the subtitle says encompasses delusions and disillusions of everyday life.

My life and happenings that surround my part of world.

2. How you first got involved in with blogging , are you an imaginative person?

Initially, I was under the impression that blogging was meant only for budding writers and literature students.

It was when a friend who happens to be a writer asked me to read his blog that I understood the art of blogging was open ti each and everyone.

I created a blog as a web-diary of soughts and few months later I was completely hooked on to this world of writing and sharing.

and yes, I am imaginative. Sometimes my imaginations run extremely wild :P

3. What do you find most challenging about blogging about your topic?

Expressing myself in a precise and lucid way.

4. Tell me about some of the people you have met while working on your blog?

well, a lot of people. Blogosphere is a wonderful place to be in.

Most of them have been a motivating factor and helped my improve my writing skills.

5. How would (someone) describe your blogging style?

Someone would obviously know better. I personally like Paulo Coelho's writing style very much and a few posts of mine did remind people of his style, that was one of the best compliments ever.

6. What do you do when you are not working on your blog?

Hundreds and thousands of other things! Life lies in action so the list is tooooo long.

7 .Where do you see yourself blogging wise in the next 6 months, and 5 years down the road?

I have my university exams coming up in 3 months followed by practicals and vivas. So in the next few months blogging will take a back seat.But I will come back with new zeal and ideas! 5 years down I would definitely be blogging in a more mature manner.Improving my writing and expressing skills and devoting a lot more time to it.

8. What networking do you do that you feel helps your blogging business?

I believe that if you write in a way that people connect to it they will come, no matter what.

Also social netwrking sites, connecting with people of a similar blogging genre and blogging web sites help a lot.

9. How do you keep coming up with material/content for your blog? Many people struggle with coming up with different articles/posts and they only have one blog.

 My blog for me is a web-diary. I don't pre decide what and how to write. whenever there is something I feel strongly about or when emotions need to be vented my blog comes to the rescue.

I am not one of those who churn 20 posts a month, for me it could be just 2 posts. So struggling for content never becomes a hurdle.

10. Whats your strategy with your blog in general?

Strategy is that there is no specific strategy. I just write, post and share!

11. Any specific tips you have for newbee bloggers who want to make it in the blogosphere?

Write for yourself and not to gather comments or compliments. I have seen many people complaining that they don't get enough readers even though they write well. But thats how things happen in blogosphere, you connect and people connect back but once you stop they too will automatically stop reverting back.

12. What would you prioritize? Content? SEO? Traffic? Readers?

content comes first, then readers, SEO and traffic come later.

13. Whats the best thing a blogger can give to his readers?

If your write-ups can motivate, bring smile on a dejected face or a thought which seeps deep down into someone's mind then you have achieved the purpose.

14. A lot of people are interested in blogging for the money earning potential. What are some tips for people interesting in making money from blogging? What are some realistic expectations in regards to what can be made?

I have little clue on this. Blogging for money isn't my idea .reading and writing are passions and exchanging them for money would be the last thing on my mind.

15. What motivates you most in life?

A simple fact that - life will come to an end.

16. What has been your strategy for creating visibility to yourself and your blog?

I don't believe in strategies as I said before. When I had started blogging I never knew I could come this long, get to know so many people and make a presence here.

17 What was the most challenging moment in your blog content development process and why?

Never faced any major challenges. And little hurdles come in the way of all task one does.

18. Everyone has a favorite/least favorite post. Name yours and why?

For a creator each one of his creation is special. Whatever I write embodies a part of me.

Still this untitled poem http://www.sarah-malik.in/2010/11/untitled.html written during the initial months of blogging happens to be my favorite.

19. Name some of the bloggers whom you look up to and why?

Firstly It was the writer friend who blog motivated me to create my own space.Then a lot of indian bloggers I read during my initial days and learned how to manage and present my posts etc.off late am unable to read blogs, blame my exhaustive schedule but whenever I visit a blog I make sure I extract good things from there and use it in my own style and way.

20. What is the story behind the name of the blog.

I decided the blog's name at an impulse. I considered it as a place for sharing and venting my emotions and so 'embodying emotions' came to my mind.

21. your connection with Indiblogger and the experience ?

I connected with indiblogger during my initial days of blogging itself and it was one of the reasons I got in touch and privilege of reading many indian bloggers.I have been participating in indiblogger contests too. Its is a great hub of and for bloggers.

22.Which genre do you feel gets the raw deal?

I guess fiction. Although I have experimented least with this genre but I have observed that long stories written in series don't grab much readers.

23.Which one plugin would you suggest all bloggers to have?

The followers and the popular post widget.

24.Five adjectives that describe you.

I prefer using oxymoron’s to describe myself..the blacks and whites together :P

25.What book would you say has made the biggest impact  good or bad on you?

A lot of them. Rebecca by Daphne Du Maurier and The Alchemist by Paulo Coelho developed the love for reading in me.Many other books by Paulo Coelho and Orhan Pamuk have left great impression as well.

26.Do you get easily provoked by positive/negative comments ??

Not at all. Although it may sound too modest but I never give too much importance to comments.

27.Do you plan to write a book , as every bloggers dream it is ?

No, writing a book has never been my dream or plan. I believe in keeping passion and profession separate.

28.Are you a judgmental person , Do you prefer to take sides instead of standing neutral ?

yes, A typical aries am I :p Diplomacy isnt my cup of tea!

29. Your collaboration with other bloggers , are you much into social networking , tell us everything about it ?

Since it been only an year or two I make sure I learn from veterans. The busy schedule involving college and assignments doesn't leave much time for social networking but I still try and reply to comments and visit back the bloggers who took out time to read my write-ups. apart from this I welcome special blogging activities and initiatives by blogging individuals or groups.

30.What genre attracts you the most and which genre you avoid ?

I want to try my hand at all genres .Poetry is definitely most attractive. But writing fiction comes as a daunting task.

31.Your Views on Contests and increasing plagiarism ?

Well contests are a great way to know fellow bloggers and connect plus if you win it definitely boosts up your confidence.

Plagiarism is equivalent to theft. I really don't understand why does one need to maintain a blog if you can't come up with original ideas and write-ups.

32.Words for me and my blog?

To be honest I have read just a post or two on your blog but love your blog's title. I will be exploring it more once my exams get over.

Thank you for making me a part of your blog :)