Today’s guest on BaB is Nita. Her blog, A Wide Angle View of India is one of the most popular blogs. It covers every aspect of India and has very gigantic audience. A Wide Angle View of India scores for its serious readers, who passionately discuss the issues Nita talks about in her blog posts. This is a feat, because I know from my blogging experience that frivolous blog posts such as on Jhalak Dhikla Ja, movies do better than my most serious blog posts.
Welcome to Being A Blogger, Nita.
Tell us about yourself and what this blog means to you?
There is not much to know about 
I am an ordinary Indian woman who feels strongly about issues in our country and considers herself a writer. I am also a journalist and use the skills I learnt at work here on the blog.
This blog is a platform for me to express my feelings and thoughts. It is also important because now I am able to communicate with a far wider audience than I could when I was writing for newspapers and magazines. And I mean communicate. I may have reached out to a wider audience then but I could never communicate with them.
And very important - I want to make a difference in people’s lives and I feel that blogging helps me do that. I know it seems too huge an ambition, and perhaps naive, but quantity is not everything. Even if an article of mine helps one individual in a small way I feel happy. And blogging gives me the ability to find out…
How and when did you start blogging?
I started blogging a little more than a year ago. I started because I had heard a lot about blogging from a writers group that I was part of. To me blogging is writing and writing is my first love. People say I blog. I say I write. And I started writing as soon as I could form words.
How has your blogging journey been for you?
Well, initially blogging was all about getting familiar with posting, putting up photographs in the posts and making sure that my posts were looking right. I read a lot of ‘how to’ websites on blogging. I was not focused on traffic or comments at the time…I just wanted to get everything right…I was finding editing and formatting posts a tough task and my pictures weren’t looking right. I have never been very tech-savvy!
Now that I am more familiar with WordPress, I am enjoying the writing thoroughly and it’s gratifying that I have a readership.
Your blog stats, it was way above 4 lakhs. How did you manage to garner so much traffic to your blog?
I certainly did not expect this much traffic when I started out and in fact I didn’t get much traffic in the first 6 months. In fact I don’t think it is a good idea to think of traffic or even comments when one starts a blog. It’s best to concentrate on writing good posts and reading up on how to improve your blog.
If I think about it I would say I got the traffic because I work hard at my posts. About the USP, I guess it’s my own personal style. I think I write with passion and am honest. But really it’s for others to say.
I have loved the myriad subjects you have chosen to write about India. How do you get ideas regularly?
I keep my eyes and ears open. Read as much as I can, talk to people about issues, and most important…think about what I have read and heard. That is the only way to add value.
Where did the idea about writing all about India come from?
Writing about India is the natural thing for me as that is what I think about on a daily basis. It’s important to write about what one feels strongly about. In any case, I am not a technology expert so I cannot write about technology and nor am I an expert on anything else like music etc. So you see I am the Jane of all trades! And I love movies too. So I write movie reviews. Usually I only write a review if I see a movie in it’s first week.
You have not changed the theme of your blog for a long while yet your readership doesn’t seem to dwindle. Are themes not important for a successful blog?
Content is important, not the theme. But it’s not as if I don’t like to change themes. But as I need two sidebars and a custom header there are limited choices in WordPress. I will certainly change if I get a nice bright theme with two sidebars and a custom header.
Your left sidebar in the blog always has a link for a surprise post. What’s that about?
This is a WordPress free feature which I have installed. It’s just a fun thing. Anyone can do it. I did it when it was first introduced. It was on the dashboard page then. You know, one of those ‘free extras.’
You are one of the few bloggers who cite the source for their images. You click your own images about the issue and post it. Is that because you are into photography yourself? This sensitivity to credit photographs is slightly rare in blogosphere.
Well, I think being a journalist we are taught about copyright issues. Many people don’t give credit because they do not know that they are doing something illegal. It is only because the holder of the copyright has chosen not to sue that they are safe. Big news sites will hate you but will not bother to sue if you steal the photos. Because that is what it is - stealing.
In fact, ideally one should take permission before re-publishing a picture and I don’t do that! I feel guilty and of late I am making sure the picture I take is linked so that the news site immediately knows I have taken the picture.
I am not a professional photographer but I have a good camera and therefore I find it easy to post pictures I have taken. I love taking photographs although I don’t know much about photography.
Are you part of any blogging groups and communities? How do blog communities help?
I was part of the Great Indian Mutiny for a while but I am out of it now as I could not do justice to it. Whether you want a community or a blogging group is a very personal choice. It depends on how much time you have. I like being part of blogging groups but there is no time. Blogging communities can help if the site is well known, more so than your blog is.
Were there any embarrassing or sad moments during your blogging journey?
My only sad moments were related to abusive emails which generally appeared on sensitive posts. But I have learnt to handle them now and they don’t make me sad anymore!
Your posts mostly have a distinct opinion. How do you handle when you have comments that completely dismiss your opinion and oppose your writing?
I have a clear comment policy and simply go by it. All abusive emails are deleted. The maximum abusive emails have appeared on my post on caste and reservations. And the maximum abusive emails against other commentators have appeared on my south India north India post. But I have found that after I wrote a Comment Policy I started to get fewer abusive emails. You see once commentators know that they are not going to get the publicity they crave for they don’t bother to write nasty stuff.
It is important not to allow muck on one’s blog as it gets uncomfortable for decent people. For example, I would never visit any blog regularly which has abusive comments. And I certainly would never comment on such a blog. Who wants to be abused except abusers (they are only too eager to abuse back!)
Not allowing abusive comments may reduce the number of hits (it can get entertaining for readers), but as I said hits are not the main thing. I want a quality audience.
And as for anyone dismissing my opinion…they are welcome! I love a good argument.
They say with more power, comes bigger responsibility. Your blog has high power of high readership, how do you plan to keep up your responsibility?
I work hard!
Most bloggers face writer’s block. What keeps you motivated to keep on blogging?
I have never faced writer’s block in my life. True, I get tired and want a break, but that’s about it. My mind keeps ticking though and ideas keep coming. I jot down ideas on pieces of paper at such times.
How do you manage time for blogging? Any time management tip you may want to share with our readers?
Think clearly what you want to write before writing. That saves time. But blogging is time-consuming. No doubt about that. It’s a question of prioritizing. Also as I have been a journalist for many years I have learnt the art of organising my thoughts and writing fairly quickly.
Ever thought of earning money through blogging?
Yes, but not in the near future.
Do you read other blogs? What interests you in other blogs?
Each blog is a human being to me. This is very different from a news site or a TV programme. If I feel interested in the person, I visit the blog. Basically I love people and that is why I love blogs. Visiting a blog is like visiting someone’s ‘place’.
What are the things that may cause you to delete a blog from your reader?
Lack of posting regularly is one main reason…
Also there are some blogs which I add to my reader only for a short while to see what they are like. These blogs are just blogs I stumble upon while surfing the net and keep them on for a couple of weeks only. Out of 10 such blogs, I may keep back one or maybe none.
But the blogs on my front page remain there more or less indefinitely! It takes a lot for a blog to disappear from there. Up till now I have just put one person on ‘hide’ but have not deleted that person. However in another 3 months I intend to delete this person plus one more, if they do not turn up.
What are your top 5 blogging tools?
My brain is the one and only tool I have. As I said I consider blogging to be writing…
Any blogging tips you have that you want to share with newbie bloggers?
To me, being a good blogger means being a good writer. So brushing up on one’s writing skills is important.
It is said that blogging is a learning experience. What are your 5 take aways from your blogging journey?
My take-away as you put it are the people. My commentators and my fellow bloggers.
Any favorite blogs? (You can not name yours)
All my favourite blogs are on my front page.
And I noticed my blog, Visceral Observations is also on your mammoth blogroll. Thank you Nita, for such a revealing interview! It was great to have you at BaB.
BaB Readers, watch out for the next blogger interview on Friday.
Links elsewhere:
Due to the advent of wireless internet service, we can now use any web hosting service. Even a cheap host today will be able to deliver email hosting. Not only that, but it will also be able to hold up any web site design. With free web hosting, a lot has indeed changed about internet marketing.
nita’s blog diary is truly amazing.
came across her blog when i found one of my designs (about mobile phones) in her blogpost titled “Public service ads don’t work but jail does!”. felt good to see the design accompanying a superb piece of writing.
i got hooked to her blog, and blogrolled it instantly. have been a silent reader there.
thanks for a great interview nita & poonam.
regards and best wishes
rk
Thanks Poonam for giving me the opportunity to share my thoughts.
@Rk: Thanks for writing the first comment here.
Most readers of this post seem to be lurkers. It has already had 450 views, yet no comments other than you and Nita. 
hmm, another revelation, a good design in a blog can unfailingly attract you.
@Nita: I was just writing about your achievement. Well, my task was easy whereas you had to earn that hard achievement. Our pleasure to have you at BaB.
“People say I blog. I say I write. And I started writing as soon as I could form words.”
what crap is that???
I don’t know why people even blog… and it really amazes me that people write about others blogs. Blogging was started as a diary to be shared between friends. Not a click-a-dime page that craves for hits everyday.
“My brain is the one and only tool I have. As I said I consider blogging to be writing…”
I am stupefied at this point, wonder how one can possibly confuse the words blogging and writing. They are the synonyms (like surfing and browsing). Just that you cannot blog with a pen (just like you cannot browse with a surfing board).
And talking about the tool you seem to possess. Everyone has one. Even GodZilla and King Kong had one each. And apparently, so do you.
CONGRATS (aka congratulations)
@Vikraman: You are entitled to your opinion. Yet everything was apparent to me in the interview. Reading something out of context, would not make sense.
“People say I blog. I say I write. And I started writing as soon as I could form words.”
She is emphasizing on writing skill. This has been mainstay of her blogging.
“My brain is the one and only tool I have. As I said I consider blogging to be writing…”Again, she means to say she does not use any technological tools…lots of us do so…she has later emphasized that she thinks out a post in her head before blogging..how many of us can claim to do that.
I could not visit your web page. My system would not allow for some reason. But why do you blog?
@vikraman
Surely blogs started as diaries but as internet evolved blogs almost means any web content that is arrange in a chronological order. This can be information about hacks for life, system tweaks, finance guidance, project detail updates, new launches or just anything you can imagine.
Blogs are important because you can deliver updates to your readers without having them to make a point in their appointment diary to come back to ones website.
Now as for why people share information ..don’t ask me as you yourself would have goggled infinite number of times to find information on internet which is blogged by others.
Thanks that you got AMAZED .. the whole point is to bring in focus the people who spend their precious time spreading information or creating awareness. Surely they need more acknowledgment than Shahruk Khan.
Views is not the thing one carves for, but how do you keep a count of how successful you are ?
Its English.
I agree that was pompous. But there is nothing wrong to be proud of tools you posses.
thanks for comment ..
@ Poonam dearest, I don’t know how to make flashy websites, I hope python style scripting will help you discern my comments from yours.
1. “”"
@Vikraman: You are entitled to your opinion. Yet everything was apparent to me in the interview. Reading something out of context, would not make sense.
“”"
You have conveniently assumed that I had read out of context. Can you please elaborate on how you arrived at that. This is an interview with someone who has gone on rambling over some “skills” that she seems to possess. Just because you read Harry Potter, you dont become a wizard. Just because you blog, you don’t become William S.
2. “”"
“People say I blog. I say I write. And I started writing as soon as I could form words.”
She is emphasizing on writing skill. This has been mainstay of her blogging.
“”"
Hurray, she can form WORDS… Is she wonder woman???
It is that emphasis that I believe is redundant and as Nishu says “pompous”. Everone forms words. Did she come up with supercalifragilisticexpialidocious?
3.”"”
“My brain is the one and only tool I have. As I said I consider blogging to be writing…”Again, she means to say she does not use any technological tools…lots of us do so…she has later emphasized that she thinks out a post in her head before blogging..how many of us can claim to do that.
“”"
I am not willing to believe that other people use AI to write their blogs. We never wrote our exams with anything more than a pen. 3 cheers to technology and the fountain pen.
4. “”"
I could not visit your web page. My system would not allow for some reason. But why do you blog?
“”"
That is because I don’t have one. “http:// dont have one”. I cant believe you didn’t figure that out yourself. You probably read it as “Don Thaveone”. That is just all the romantic novels getting to you.
And Dear Nishu, you have a pretty name, and I am sure you are pretty as hell.
I know that was “English” , do you know that this is “sarcasm”???
@Vikraman: Everything we say is open to misinterpretation. I was putting interviewee’s interpretation. But you are hellbent to misinterpret. Suit yourself.
As for your web page, I did not bother about the URL. It was not important.
As for Nishu, he must have never got a compliment about being pretty.
@Poonam, I just knew it that Nita’s interview will appear on your blog sooner or later. No surprise here
I came across her blog recently and admire her love for India and her style of talking about pertinent issues that are affecting our society today.
@Nita, Thank you for a great interview. Your blog truly reveals what real journalism should be like. It’s objective and to the point.
@Ruhi: Yes, Nita’s interview has been on my mind for long.
But next two interviews are surely going to be surprise you. Watch out on Friday and Monday. 
You have a nice blog, why don’t you get listed in BLOGKUT.COM. Also refer some of your friends blogs there. Thanks for your co-operation.
Good and Informative article. Good for new comers
365GREETINGS.COM
@Nita: I have been a fan of your writing… and it was nice reading ur interview
@Poonam, Nishu: Good one! Keep it going stronger
And yeah, the comments by Vikraman were “amusing” to say the least!!!
[...] Interview at Being a Blogger Posted on November 29, 2007 by Nita Poonam Sharma interviewed me about my blogging experience at the blog Being a Blogger. On this blog several bloggers have been interviewed and you can read my interview here. [...]
nice interview
nita i am a big fan of your posts
You guys might be surprised at Vikraman’s comments, but I am not.
I get people like that…you can now imagine the abusive comments I get on my own blog! Vikraman is pretty mild. Things like who do you think you are, who the hell cares what you write and stuff like that! 
And worse words. As I said, on sensitive posts, some of them on the posts I write on sex. There are sick people who drag my family members into it and I don’t even write about my personal life or my family. And I don’t even rave and rant, I present information with relevant links!
From what I read on the web, it’s women who write on sensitive stuff who get the worst of it. People are generally scared of writing bullshit on men’s blogs, but this also happens. In fact some people told me to get a male blogging partner so that abusive comments would stop, but well, I don’t care about stupid comments now. As I said people who lack brains do this sort of stuff. There are all sorts of brains in the world isn’t it, Godzilla’s for example?
You see the more popular you get, the more people there are who attack you. Sorry, if this comes out to be pompous! But it’s the truth.
poonam again a great interveiw and Nita deserved all accloads for her skills. this interview is forcing me to visit her blog. Nita I Appreciate your grit and yes this world will have all sorts of people to make an argument make a fruitful discussion on various issues we are interested is good but while commenting you must restaint abusive comments needs to be deleted. one is free to expresss their different views and at the end I feel you must agree to disagree and continue and continue the journey. however the real world is different like the five fingers everything can not be equal so we must go on keep up your writing and continue your honest journey
Poonam your are really smart as you are able to pick the right bloggers for the interview so my sincere appreciations to you too and keep up the good work
@Nova: Thanks, and Vikraman is amusing!
@Nita: I now understand why you have a comment policy on your blog. These are side effects of wide viewership.
Nita’s blog certainly has wealth of information and ideas! Kudos to her. I hope you like other interviews that we publish this Friday and Monday. 
@praneshachar: I am glad you like this interview as well.
@vikraman ..
Glad to know.. you think of me as pretty as u think of thyself
I use AI to write …now believe it
..
you surely used a scientific calculator in most of your exams for sure..
the “sarcasam” was targeted towards english.. and not at your knowledge of english .. Dude don’t be so ‘touch me not types’
@poonam
yeah .. , no one said i m pretty
@blogkut, 365 greetings
you dont need to give away you links in signature .. they will have nofollow tags ..
oops… Nishu is a guy!!!
I visit Nita’s blog everyday. I find it very interesting, I like her choice on topics, the indepth analysis and research she does on each topic.
Nita u rock.. keep writing !
There is a very interesting link that a reader sent me recently, in case you want to check it out: Draft Blogger’s code of Conduct.
i think logo on that code of conduct website is crap !
I had a great pleasure of blogging with Nita on Indian Mutiny last year. She was one of our bets bloggers with quality posts and regular posts. Her posts are refreshing. Great work Nita
[...] sweet of Poonam to interview me for her cool blog, “Being a Blogger“. You may want to take a look. Tagged with: Blogging, General ramblings, Interview, Life, [...]