Interview with Ananya Kiran from Ananya Tales

1. Can you tell us a little about yourself ,your blog(s)/website(s),and your aspirations and your hobbies!!

 

Life is always been a roller coaster ride. Well there is so much to tell and so little time. I am  an Engineer by education, was an Assistant Professor by profession, now a Blogger by choice and telling stories is my passion. I strongly believe  that we can bring a positive change in the world through the stories we tell. I love connecting people, issues, and ideas together to create new opportunities.

 My blog Ananya Tales is about my little adventures, my failures, my success, my insecurities,  my achievements.. in short tales of past, present and thoughts about future. 

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

Truth is always stranger than Fiction !

A lot of people assume that women of a certain age who are not unattractive have no excuse for not having a perfect life. But you can have emotional baggage that is dragging you down like cement blocks tied to your feet.

It was time to free my feet or at least try by writing about it, my journey as a Blogger started on 28th Jan 2014. I had a story to tell and I didn't want to take mine to the grave. So better late than never.

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

The real challenge I faced was writing about the harsh reality and beauty of my life, its not easy. I didn't know how its going to be received. But again the best stories are those which we don't tell anyone.

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

Blog world is really strange, you might never know who is reading your blog. You might not know their names but they understand you better than people who have known you for years. I have come across many such amazing people. Thats the power of blogging world, so far i have had a great experience meeting, interacting, collaborating, helping and learning from local business owners, celebrities, technology honchos, last but not the least the philanthropists who work tirelessly to give back to the society. Do visit my blog to read about all the interesting people i have met.

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

Someone once described about my blog, these are her words:

Ananya is a blogger who is beauty with brains, participates in beauty contests, reviews books, has assertive views regarding society and gender paradigms and who writes poetry as well as fiction/non-fiction pieces! I anyway have a special soft corner in my heart for Indians who're based abroad but are always informed and updated about India and its developments! So you score a 10 on 10 there! Moreover, you almost echoed my feelings in the post 'Women v/s Women' and made me sit up with my mouth wide open at the post 'I hate you Indiblogger'..! hahaha... :Done cannot get bored when it comes to Ananya's blog especially because of the array of topics she chooses to write on.

Ananya has been appreciated for her write-ups on her blog which seem to be popular and the comments reflect how much reflective her readers are towards what she writes. I wish you the very best in not just writing but also the journey you have undertaken as a woman and as a means reaching towards the glorious 'end' as it were! :)

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

I do read a lot, be it books or any other blogs and i sleep a lot

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

So far, the journey has been great. 5years is too long a time for me to plan, i don’t plan that far ahead. I do have certain short term goals, i want to be able to reach out to larger audience and touch upon the topics surrounding our Indian society which are still considered taboo.

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

I guess blogger Networks like Indiblogger, blogadda helps you get noticed and also social media sites like Facebook, Google Plus, Twitter. These networks does get you noticed but to sustain that initial traction, one needs to have genuine content. It all depends on how you engage your readers and make them think and make them want more.

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 have never actually struggled to come up with a post, my struggle is more with time management. If I have plenty of time, I can just keep writing.

10. Whats your strategy with your blog in general?

I don’t have one. Do you?

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

I really cannot advice about it because I am still learning to do it right. But from my experience I can tell 'Blogging' is not just Fun, however easy it might seem at the first glance, but  its not. The only easy part is to start a blog, but from then onwards its quite a task. So you need to be really passionate about what you are writing. Just Be your self when you write, don't over think or analyze. Join blogger communities and groups, stay active, read, interact and comment on other blogs.

Most important don't write for an audience, write for your self !

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

Hands down, Content and Readers. Traffic would follow with great content. SEO is very important as well.

I write from heart and my only priority is TO WRITE.

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

It depends on what kind of blog we are talking about. IMHO, best thing i can give to my readers is to make them think and question one’s thought about certain taboo aspects in life. We tend to have lot of pre-conceived notions and assumptions about every aspect of life. If i could make people question that notion then my job is done. I am not here to preach or change that notion but just here to convey my opinions and trigger that debate among ourselves to better ourselves.

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

This is very important. One should define their goals before getting into something. Blogging is no different. Content on blogs can be chaotic, organized content is the way to go. Have a niche market, identify your target readers and money will follow. I get asked this question quite often. Setting your priorities is important, building your audience in the initial stage should be the top most priority if you have plans to make some serious money in the long term.

15. What motivates you most in life?

The love of my life,  Rakesh Nalkar.

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

It is extremely important to have a strategy to standout in this crowded marketplace of blogging. Strangely enough, i had no strategy until now. My writing and my content has given me and my blog that visibility.

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

To write about my family. We always try and hide our ugly past so to write openly about it was the most difficult task.

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

  Phew ! that got me thinking hard for past few minutes to pick one favorite post, I am my own critic and so I feel the Best is yet to come :)

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

Honestly, I love Blog Hopping. There so so millions of great blogs out there, I like variety. So I really love visiting new blogs daily. So I have new favorites each day.

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

I believe we can change the world through stories we tell hence my blog name Ananya Tales !

21. Your connection with any Blogger Network like Indi blogger or Writeupcafe or any other and the experience?

I am an active member of Indiblogger, BlogAdda and Indus Ladies. I have been grateful to these networks whose members read and appreciate my blog.

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

There is space for every genre, be it blog about Cooking and Recipes, Technology, Personal, Fashion, Travel blogs. Everybody has space their own place in blogging. I think lately there has been a surge in number of Fashion blogs, kind of numbers we have seen in technology space in the past decade or so.

23. Which one plug-in would you suggest all bloggers to have?

Of course the plugin for social networks.

24. Five adjectives that describe you.

Ambitious, Passionate, Courageous, Enthusiastic and Sensibly Sensitive !

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

The Alchemist !

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

Sometimes Yes ..Mostly depends on the source of the comments!

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

Well, Writing a book is something I wanted to do from a long long time, even before I started blogging. Its a dream, I will start working on making it a reality.

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

I would like to believe that am not a  judgmental person. I am strongly opinionated so I do take up a side in what I believe in, if not am neutral.

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

I am socially active on Facebook, google plus and recently twitter. Its always fun to get connected to new people.

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

I enjoy reading NON fiction.

31. Your Views on Contests and increasing plagiarism?

Well, when I was not  blogger I was not sure if contests were real.But now when I have won two contests.

One - all sponsored trip to Malaysia from Blogadda and a Microsoft certification from Indiblogger my view has definitely changed.

32. Words for me and my blogs Desire v/s Destiny and Blogger Interviews and my Website www.MyMagicJobs.com

I am amazed by the number of things you are doing at the same time. You are one multi talented dude !

My best wishes for you and may all your dreams turn into reality !

I thank you for considering me worthwhile to be interviewed.

33. On winning the Award/s , Are they Really necessary.

I like being appreciated so all the blog awards that I receive make me really happy. Appreciating a bloggers hardwork is important and it goes a long way in motivating a blogger and inspiring others as well.

34. So whats Next in your list?

Well, I have a long long list. I am always fascinated by something new every day.

35.Words for your readers and why they should follow you?

If you like reading real, non fiction tales about love, life, relationships, failures, events, fashion..anything and everything that our life revolves around. Then take a look at my blog Ananya Tales, I hope you will like it !