Interview with the sunny side of life

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

I am Tina – a very restless girl. A creative designer by profession and a writer, painter, cook in free times. My blogs are my diaries where I write almost about everything that I like or experience. I don’t have a particular niche for The Sunny Side of Life – I write almost everything there – fiction, poetry, social issues, book reviews, movie reviews, travel etc. I have a special section in this called ‘iThink’ which has thoughtful articles.

My other blog – Twinkling Tina Cooks is my cook blog. I put up recipes that I prepare, its still in a building stage and I am hoping to put up more posts soon J.

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

I first started blogging when I was doing my post grads, then stopped it for some reason I don’t remember now. However, I started The Sunny Side of Life in Jan 2011 and the cook blog sometime in June 2011.   On whether I am imaginative or not – it depends on mood. Sometimes I am in mood for creative writing, some time for poetry or some times for fiction. 

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

Since I don’t write about one specific topic or genre I find myself in a better place challenge wise. However, I don’t like writing for the sake of it or to just maintain the blog, I write when I feel like and when I have something to write upon.

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

When I was in college almost most of my classmates had their personal blogs and we used to keep reading each other’s blogs and be inspired and motivated. I have started networking with bloggers rather recently – all thanks to bloggers meets and contests and there are many to name.

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

My view – my posts are always honest posts and that’s my style. What ‘someone’ thinks about my posts is also what I want to know.

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

I wish I had a more exciting answer but don’t have it unfortunately – WORK takes up most of the time

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

Next 6 months – I want to just post more posts. My October challenge is to hit 100 posts. I am currently on 87. I really want to build up a good cook blog so have to work a lot on it. Processing photographs takes up a lot time and yeah I cook mostly over the weekends.

I intend to make one more blog on reviews, I get so tempted to review products every time I am using a new product (it can be anything) so I am thinking of building a whole new blog and not mix it with Sunnyside.

Five years down the line I have no idea how I’ll be placed. In fact, I’ll be happy if I am continuing my blogs.

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

I must admit I am very bad at it, rather I am not very bothered on it. I find networking aggressively only to get traffic in your blog weird at times. So I don’t push people to follow my blog. I do have good blogging friends whom I have met through Indi or whom I know otherwise. I want people to read my blog not because I want a lot of traffic but because I want people to enjoy what I write. So I leave it on them

I get most of my traffic through Indiblogger, Blogadda and Google of course. 

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.

I write on random things and many a times it’s on current affairs and my experiences so I don’t run out of content. However, I am always running short of time – after a full day at work & managing a family (mostly the staffs) I hardly get any time and to top it all I am lazy to the core, so I find myself posting with huge gaps. And that’s something I need to work on. That’s why my October challenge of 100 posts.

10. What’s your strategy with your blog in general?

I don’t have a strategy for life what will I have for my blogs. As a person I am impulsive and that’s how I am with my blogs also

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

For newbies it’s important to post regularly and write for the love of writing. That’s how one will get to enjoy blogging. If you have a set mind about reader’s reaction/acceptance then you will become a controlled writer. I was much more regular when I started. 

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

Content. Always And then readers, traffic and SEO can come later on. I only focus on content.

13. What’s the best thing a blogger can give to his readers?

If I am able to make a reader happy/smile/think my job is done.

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?

Well I blog because I like to write. I do have a Google ad sense account and have some ads on one of my blog but I seldom check how much I am earning out of it (I almost don’t earn anything out of it).

I would suggest people to keep this money making blog a separate one and not confuse with the one where they are passionate about writing. I think it takes quite a lot of time to build this as a money making alternative. 

15. What motivates you most in life?

Happiness. I try to find happiness in what I do. Be it work, writing, cooking, family – I try to make people around me happy and yes find happiness for myself in them.

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

Almost no strategy. I just post my links on facebook, Indivine or blogadda.

I have a good traffic in my blog with only this and I am okay with it.

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

Time. I do write on random things and when I start writing I can post in minutes. But to gather thoughts and sitting down to write sometime takes longer time.

But when I write on social causes or iThink section I put in a lot of research.

For the cook blog it’s a different story – these days if the photos are not styled then no one looks at it, so I keep surfing on food styling, food photography. Post production of photographs take up some time.

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

My favourite post would be a poem ‘Don’t try to change me’. Its written with a lot of thought and things that I have seen around.

Least would be many I guess.

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

I look up to some bloggers for different reasons. I like Leo’s blog – he is full of energy when he is writing and you can find that with the number of posts that he has. I like Gyan Ban because of great detailing, The Fool for his satires. I like 4^th Sense cooking because of some awesome food photographs. So there are different blogs that I visit regularly for different reasons.

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

Because I am a fun person, and the blogs are my fun space I named the personal blog Sunny Side of life – it’s fun, simple relaxing.

And the name for my cook blog is again very literal – Twinkling Tina Cooks.

21. Your connection with Indiblogger and the experience?

Indiblogger was the first blogging forum I joined and met many bloggers through it online and offline. I have participated in many contests (not that I have won many), have been lucky in getting random prizes in certain contests. I still go to Indi to read good posts from Indivine.
22. Which genre do you feel gets the raw deal?

It has to be fiction.

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

Copyscape or any copyright widget. You don’t want others to copy and take credit of your work.

24. Five adjectives that describe you.

Fun, Enthusiastic, Talkative, Helpful, and yes of course Lazy

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

Hehhe – the bank pass book!!!

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

No I’m level minded and controlled when it comes to reacting.

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

Short stories - yes

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

I find it easier to stand neutral.

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

I have started networking with bloggers rather recently at indimeets, and other meets. I have now good blogging friends in Sibi, Leo, The Fool, Gyan Ban, Harsha etc. It’s always inspiring to hear others stories/experiences. It also pushes you do more.

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

I think I really like fiction and social issues. I don’t like the tips and tricks kind of posts or the ‘this-will-help-you’ kind of posts. So I avoid them.

31. Your Views on Contests and increasing plagiarism?

This is a very interesting question. Contests are good platforms to have creative thinking going on and you get to see so many variations possible on a single topic. What I don’t like is people writing on behalf of or for luring the sponsors. I have seen it with many bloggers in many contest where they can’t stop praising the sponsors – I am completely against this trend. When I write for a contest my posts are never specific for the sponsor. I seldom mention the sponsor other than the mandatory link. When it’s about writing for a contest one should focus on the topic rather than buttering the sponsor – that’s what I feel.

Plagiarism is another mess and it’s very difficult to keep your work safe especially in this medium. I prefer using copyspace and online copyright who send the digital finger print with date every time you post so later on you can contest/challenge if you find yourself in a hostile situation.

32. Words for me and my blog.

I found your blog rather interesting. The interview seasons is a great idea, you get to know so many bloggers. I quite liked your Roadies audition post – some really weird topics for GD you got. 

I am quite inspired by the number of posts you already have for 2012. I am hoping I’ll get there soon. Keep writing. Cheers.