Tanya is the host of Blogging Insight series

TODAY’S QUESTIONS 

Do you edit your work before posting it?

I check for spelling mistakes, grammatical errors, and other typos when I proofread my post. Sometimes a few words are deleted or added to make the meaning of my writing clear.

Apart from correcting typos and spellings , how much (if any) of a post do you change before you send it out in the world?

No much is changed if I am going to publish the post immediately or pre-schedule it. But I do make sure that it reads well before I present it to my audience. Still, sometimes errors slip in the published post and some of my sincere friends point them out to me so that I can correct them.

If I am going to publish a post that has been lying in the draft folder for sometimes, ( there are posts that I started 2-3 years ago in my draft folder), I definitely edit them to be relevant in today’s environment.

Do you think that re-drafting a piece can “rob” it of its spontaneity?

I don’t think so. The first draft may not be that clear or eloquent. It may not be fitting the thoughts in my head exactly and edit or re-phrasing can improve the overall effect of the post, then I would do it. As for the spontaneity being spoiled, I think the post should convey a clear meaning than be spontaneous.

Tanya is the host of Blogging Insights

TODAY’S QUESTIONS 

How committed are you to your blog?

As my regular readers know that I started blogging on a whim. I didn’t do any planning and had no prior experience or knowledge of the technical side of blogging. I even hadn’t written anything much after my college days. So it was a new experience for me. At first, I posted sporadically, whenever a post was complete, I’d post it. Gradually I was introduced to the various prompts in WP and I became more regular. Now I post 3-4 posts daily and I feel as if I am missing something when I don’t have my posts written and scheduled for the day.

So, yes, I can say that I am very committed to blogging!

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What part,if any,do other bloggers play in your level of commitment?

The most vital part played by the other bloggers in my commitment to blogging is their encouraging comments. Many gracious people wait for my Monday prompt, WDYS, and respond to it. So I’m especially busy on Mondays to read and respond to their posts. I reblog the first couple of responses to the WDYS post. I feel it’s mandatory for me to read and comment on the posts written in response to my prompt. Similarly, on Sunday, I ask a question and many people respond in the comments section.

Basically, What I am trying to say that blogging is my outlet and hobby, but if I didn’t have such nice and responsive readers, my commitment and fervor for blogging may not have been that strong.

Many thanks to Tanya for these interesting questions about blogging. We all learn from them.

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Tanya is our host for Blogging Insights

Questions;

When you use a word/term that you think your readers might not know do you think you should add a link to it, or is it a better idea to let people find out on their own?

I post these questions to further my knowledge and technique of blogging. 

The answers are always a learning experience. 

What do you think of today’s question?

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I’ll start by answering your last question first;

I think in the context of Blogging, all questions are relevant and useful. If we ask questions, we learn from the answers.

As for the main question of today, I usually use very simple language while writing. If I use a technical term, it is usually self-explanatory. But sometimes I add a word or two to it by the way of explanation. I think this would be more applicable to people writing technical blogs, like about computer programs or other scientific fields.

Sometimes I come across a reference or name that is not familiar to me and I look it up. It is alright to let the reader search and find the meanings behind words and phrases by themselves. It how we learn. I have learned a lot since I’ve started this blog.

Another thing that some bloggers are conscious of and others aren’t, are cultural references. There are things which only the locals, the citizens of a country are familiar with. These references need more research for other people who don’t know anything about them. If I write about something which is special to my country or culture, I do explain it in detail. Like our Eid festival or the holy month of fasting, Ramadan.

Anyway, blogging is a journey of learning and discovery. Let the new words, phrases, and references be a challenge to us to learn more.

Thank you my friend for always coming up with great and interesting questions each week and for continuing this conversation.

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Tanya is the host of Blogging Insights

TODAY’S QUESTION

Does what you read influence or inspire what you write?

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Reading does help to inspire my imagination. But since most of my reading these days is limited to reading posts on the blogs I follow, this is where I get my ideas sometimes as well.

A chance comment, the title of a post, or a topic under discussion all can inspire a post. I would include the prompts which are given by different bloggers in this category as well.

I love reading crime fiction but since I’m not a story writer, these books do not create inspiration for my posts. Though some of my very short stories, written in response to prompts can carry the flavor of one of my favorite writers.

There is another type of reading that also inspires my posts. Research articles that I read for information about health, diet or social issues can and are at times source of inspiration for my blog posts.

Thank you Tanya for this interesting question.

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Tanya is the host of Blogging Insights

TODAY’S QUESTION

What are some unusual or out of the way sources of inspiration that get you writing?

How right you are Tanya! Inspiration can come from anywhere and at any time. I get inspired by people watching. Families out and about and how they interact with each other. An old person making their way through life. All these make me stop and think.

One of my Sunday Poser was based on my observation of a man who was looking quite angry and bothered. As I watched him, he reached his car, and all of a sudden his expressions changed to that of smiling kindness as he talked to his daughter sitting there. I wondered that how often we form our first impressions so quickly and which are often incorrect.

My walk also inspires many posts and questions. Nature, its beauty, and its survival instinct have given me many ideas for blogging.

I also write about the problems people of my age suffer from, like weight gain, joint disease, and insomnia. My blog also addresses the issues empty-nesters face and I write about those too.

I don’t know if that is the usual source of inspiration or not, but these are the ways I get ideas for my posts.

Thank you Tanya for your questions about blog inspiration.

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Tanya is the host of Blogging insights

TODAY’S QUESTION

How do you see yourself primarily, as a writer or a blogger, and is there a difference?

There is a definite difference between a writer and a blogger if we go by the common perspective.

A writer is commonly considered to be the one who has a few publications under their belt, while a blogger writes on a blog. A blogger can be a writer in the traditional sense, and there are many writers in our corner of the blogosphere! Those who have multiple books/ publications to their name.

So going by this criterion, I consider myself a blogger. I write poems, informative posts, and short stories on my blog. I never aspired to be a writer in the traditional sense because I never had the urge or ambition to write a longer story or a book.

So if one day, I do get the urge to write something longer, and get it published, I’ll gladly join the ranks of writers.

Till then, I will be a blogger.

This is my view on blogging. I don’t mean any disrespect to anyone else.

Thanks Tanya for another thought provoking question.

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Tanya is the host of Blogging Insights

TODAY’S QUESTION 

How do you think this pandemic year has been for blogging in general and your blog in particular?

Blogging is one activity that can be done when one is home bound and alone.

I was visiting my daughter in Seattle when we were informed that the city will be going in 2 weeks of lockdown. Everyone knows how these 2 weeks extended into months and then more than a year of covid restrictions.

Blogging saved me from boredom. It helped me stay connected with my online family and gave me something to do with the free time I had on my hands. In short, it turned the enforced inactivity into a great pastime.

My blog grew in followers as many new people started blogging. Though I curtailed my posts from a minimum of 4 to 3, the traffic and visitors increased.

Blogging during the pandemic also brought the community closer. We connected on a more personal level with each other and shared our concerns for each other’s safety and their family’s safety. Exchanging notes on getting the covid vaccination too.

The down side was that we saw a few very loved bloggers, leaving the blogosphere. They were either overwhelmed or had some personal reasons for not posting on their blogs but it was sad to see them no more. I miss Becky and Punam most. I hope to see them back.

Thank you Tanya for this opportunity to take a look back at the last year and assess how it was.

Thanks for reading!

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