Can you tell us a little about yourself , your blog(s)/website(s),and your aspirations and your hobbies?
My name is Avantika Singhal. Yes, my
last name does receive some unneeded attention and I thrive on it. I am 19. I
write poetry and short stories. My blog name is ‘timidandvivid/Avantika
Singhal. I added my real name later so that I could establish my own identity.
I started my blog when I was in 9th grade and today, it has precisely 335
followers.
My hobbies include reading, writing
and listening to unconventional music. I also have the audacity and will-power
to watch Hollywood movies all day!
I aspire to not only be a celebrated
writer and poetess one day but also a person who is easily approachable. I am
desirous of being helpful to people in dire need of advice of any kind!
How you first got involved in with
blogging/writing, are you an imaginative person?
You know, I HAD to get my work out
there on the internet, for the world to see and speculate. That is how the blog
came to be. I am overly imaginative. Sometimes, I have so much poetry floating
in my head arbitrarily that I am almost breathless when it reaches the paper.
What do you find most challenging
about blogging/writing about your topic?
It is incredibly difficult to engage
your readers. You could be writing about the world’s most fascinating
destination in the world and the material could be elaborate and rich with
humor but will your readers make it till the end? The art of writing sensibly
and not going off topic is very necessary.
Tell me about some of the people you
have met while working on your blog?
One young man from France, I think?
His blog extolled my work and it made me very happy. Another person from Delhi
who appreciates my thoughts! Other than that, I keep commenting on other peoples’
works and it is very satisfying.
How would (someone) describe your
blogging/writing style?
Simple. Beautiful. Flowery.
What do you do when you are not
working on your blog?
I have taken a gap year. Thus, I am
doing a multitude of activities. I am learning American Sign Language. I am
sketching. I am then drooling over Hugh Jackman. Then, I am crying after
reading Hardy’s ‘Mayor Of Casterbridge’.
Where do you see yourself
blogging/writing wise in the next 6 months, and 5 years down the road?
In 6 months, maybe I will be bestowed
with a total of 500 members on my blog.
5 years down the road, I see myself as
a well know blogger who people know, recognize and want to have a cup of coffee
with and talk surly politicians.
What networking do you do that you
feel helps your blogging/writing business?
Twitter is oh so helpful. You just
need to comprehend what will catch the eye of the people and how to use
Hashtags and stuff.
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.
As a writer, I know that the urgency
to blog is almost intrinsic. I look around, write about what catches my eye. I
read news and if Kurdish rebels are up to something or if Anthony Weiner sexts
again, I will write about it. Staying up to date with world’s happenings helps.
What’s your strategy with your blog in
general?
Consistency is so important. Don’t
abandon your blog if you see no likes or comments in the starting.
Any specific tips you have for newbie
bloggers who want to make it in the blogosphere?
Your blog will not become a household
name or a familiar name, for that matter, overnight. Be patient with your blog
and be loyal to the aesthetic of writing.
What would you prioritize? Content?
SEO? Traffic? Readers?
SEO Titles are more important that
you’d realize. So, that first. Coherent and witty content, then. Readers are so
imperative too. After all, they make or break you.
What’s the best thing a blogger can
give to his readers?
A myriad of literary masterpieces. A
poem on your own life. A travelogue. A realization about the society and its
non permeable nature. Anything that moves a reader is a gift from the blogger.
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?
I have no idea! The last thing I want
to do is earn money on the
behalf of my blog. Although, the idea is not half bad. However, I am in it so
that I can share my words with variegated audiences. That’s all.
What motivates you most in life?
When I am appreciated for what I have
written.
What has been your strategy for
creating visibility to yourself and your blog?
This is a novel and probably sinister
idea but I have started attaching pictures of myself with every blog post that
I make. If it is a poignant post, then I attach a sad picture of mine. If it is
a happy post, I attach a picture of me rejoicing. It helps my readers connect
to me on a more real level.
What was the most challenging moment
in your blog content development process and why?
I hit an impasse at the beginning of
2015. No one was reading my blog. It was a tough time. Thankfully, I kept
posting content and could resurrect it gradually.
Everyone has a favorite/least favorite
post. Name yours and why?
All my posts are a mixture of what I
love and what I hate about them. My most favorite right now is a poem called
‘Renovatio’. It received a lot of praise for its thoughts in my summer school
at Oxford University. Least favorite would be a brief article I wrote about how
children are taking their parents for granted. I still stand by that but it was
poorly written. It was my first blog post!
Name some of the bloggers whom you
look up to and why?
Harnidh Kaur ANYDAY!
Rahul : She is my fav too , Here is her
interview
What is the story behind the name of
the blog?
I am very timid in real life, Shy, reticent and quiet.
But my mind is a gully of words and dreams. This is why I am vivid. This is how I become
TimidAndVivid.
Your connection with any Blogger
Network like Indi blogger or Writeupcafe or any other and the experience?
No. I will look these two up and
connect now!
Which genre do you feel gets the raw
deal?
Poetry? No one wants to read it. Some
people think of it as trash or a waste of money, time and efforts. I want to
stab such people.
Five adjectives that describe you.
Resourceful. Vibrant. Polite.
Compassionate. Silly.
What book would you say has made the
biggest impact good or bad on you?
‘Dracula’ by Bram Stoker. That book
altered me in more ways than one.
Do you get easily provoked by positive/negative
comments??
I am ashamed in telling you that
negative comments down my spirits by a very large magnitude. I try to control
the irrational anger, tho.
Do you plan to write a book, as every
bloggers dream it is?
Hell yes. It will be called ‘The Black
Dream Of the White Girl’.
Rahul
: Wow , the title looks so great
Are you a judgmental person, do you
prefer to take sides instead of standing neutral?
I am not judgmental. I like listening
to both the parties and make a pragmatic decision afterwards on who is right
and who is not.
Your collaboration with other
bloggers, are you much into social networking, tell us everything about it?
I am more of a one man army. So
collaboration is seldom. I don’t mind it, tho. If you approach me with a crazy
and creative idea, I would be more than happy to unite forces.
What genre attracts you the most and
which genre you avoid?
I would never avoid anything. I
gravitate towards poetry a lot. I am stubborn about it.
Your Views on Contests and increasing
plagiarism?
Contests are interesting on WordPress.
I don’t think my work has every been plagiarized. But if it was…well, you don’t
want to know what the consequences would be. Plagiarism is a crime no matter
what.
On winning the Award/s , Are they
Really necessary.
Glimmering awards or certificates
written with calligraphy are not what I am after. I seek genuine appreciation
and the time for people to tell me that my words impacted them.
I have been nominated for The Lovely
Blog Award and that is a big deal for me.
So what’s Next in your list?
Watching Anime. Finishing Kerouac’s
‘On The Road’ and trying to go to bed before 5:00 AM.
Words for your readers and why they
should follow you?
I love you all! Thank you for hanging
around for so long. You should follow me because I spread positivity like James
Bond spreads terror in his adversaries. It’s true. Follow me so that I can
recommend magnificent movies and songs to you too!
