Blogger Interview # 42: Shilpa Sharma

1. Can you tell us a little about yourself and your blog?
I am Shilpa. A simple girl with simple life. I write two blogs. One is an English blog called Shilpa Sharma Online at sharmashilpaonline.blogspot.com and other is a  Hindi blog called यथार्थ, कल्पना और कलम at shilpasharmaonline.blogspot.com . While the former is going to complete two years this August, the latter has been started this year. I love my both blogs because they opened a gateway for me to express myself.  I've written articles, stories, poems, posted photographs and even rants on my blog(s) and will continue to do so.

2. Are you a full-time blogger? How did you get into blogging and why?
No, I am not a full-time blogger and I do not plan to be one in the future too. I got into blogging for the same reason as most of the bloggers. I loved writing, the blog provided me a chance to do that and also a chance of being read by others. I feel so good for the fact that I started it. I've learned many things because of my blogging. I have made many friends too. The feedback I get from my readers whether good or bad, has helped me to get better in my writings. And I hope that this will continue like this.

3. If someone was interested in blogging, what would be a few things you would suggest?
I am not a hot-shot blogger but I would suggest

1.  Be original.
2. Write from your heart, blog about the topics you want to talk about. If you don't have enough knowledge about something, don't blog about it. Keep in mind that nobody is supposed to have opinion about every single thing under the sun. But always try to learn about new things. 
3. Be open to appreciation and criticism too. When somebody praises your work/thoughts, take it as an encouragement. If someone criticizes you, don't take it to your heart, don't get all offensive. Try to understand what is the reason behind it and then react logically. Be polite even if someone disagrees with you. 

4. How do you build a community around a blog and social media?
Patience is what a blogger should have. You can't build a community in a day or two. It happens gradually. Reading other blogs, commenting on them, joining blogging communities is how a community building starts. But one should not comment on other blogs just to get the other blogger to comment on theirs. Following the policies like I-followed-you-now-you-must-follow-me-back and I-commented-on-your-blog-you-should-comment-on-mine might get you a lot of followers and comments,but it won't get you readers and honest comments. One must know that having many 'followers' and 'readers' are two different things. That is all.

5. What are your three favorite blogs to read? What makes these blogs special?
Number of the blogs that I like is more that 3. All the blogs that I follow are on my blog's sidebar and are my favorites. I like them for different reasons. Some are my favorite for their writing styles, some for their intelligence, some are great photographers,some have brilliant sense of  humor and some are super-creative. And there are also a few who I find very inspiring. Every blog that I read or follow is special for different reason and I love them all.

6. Which one plugin would you suggest all bloggers to have?
I won't be the right person to give a suggestion about plugins. I don't use many plugins, only the basic ones that are added to a  blogspot blog by default