With this “Chill Chat With Cool Bloggers” series, I feel extremely happy to feature another a loving and most inspiring blogger Ms. Sunita Rajwade aka BellyBytes of “Mumbai On a High“. She writes about lifestyle, food, reviews and travel that are soul filled. She has more than 10 years of blogging experience.
Today I am very much delighted to feature Sunita to our readers. I take this as an opportunity to learn how to be more active in spite of our age through this chill chat. We had our chat to know more about her successful blogging journey and her fun side too. Carry on to enjoy her words of blogging wisdom.
Chill Chat With Cool Blogger Ms. Sunita Rajwade aka BellyBytes
Hello, Sunita Tell us a little bit about yourself.
Sunita: I am a 60 year granny from Mumbai. After having lived the first 23 years of my life as a Naval brat, I finally put my roots down in Mumbai when I got married. But I am still a wanderer at heart and love trying out new things especially food and gadgets. For the first two decades of my married life, I raised two wonderful girls, contributed articles and stories in mainstream magazines and newspapers, helped my husband in his Pharmaceutical Sourcing Business, worked intermittently as a French translator and Mumbai Guide. I have been lucky enough to travel ( both in India and the world) and meet many interesting people in my life like the French and Kenyan President, Mother Theresa, and Prakash Amte. I love listening to stories and telling stories. I love watching movies, eating chocolates and reading books. In short, I just love my life. With three grandchildren who interact with me on a daily basis, a mother-in-law and a husband to look after as well, I don’t have a dull moment in my life. Education wise, believe it or not, I was a University Topper in Economics and Psychology during my BA. I also studied three years of Law but didn’t give my finals as I got married instead. Since I learned French way back in college, I speak it occasionally. I am passionate about art, history, good writing, and my family.
Q1. An ever since moment in your blogger life or your turning point in blogging.
Sunita: Even though I’ve been blogging for a while, it was only when I joined Write Tribe did I realize what blogging was all about. Reading all the different blogs, interacting with the different bloggers was a game-changing experience. Till I interacted with other bloggers on Write Tribe, mine was a random blog – just writing in the dark with no direction or purpose.
Q2. Your definition of blog success.
Sunita: Many bloggers feel that numbers don’t matter. But of course, they do. Who wants to write if nobody is reading what you write? Also, what is the point in blogging, if nobody values your stature as someone to be reckoned with in the blogging community. e.g Darren Rowse and our very own Corinne and Shailaja V? They have worked hard at creating a ‘name’ for themselves. And the day people consider me as an ‘authority’ in blogging, the day I have a million readers and a healthy blogging community revolving around my blog, I will consider my blog a success. Do you think I am leaping much higher than I should?
Q3. Your top 2 regular practices that have helped you in blogging.
Sunita: Reading and interacting with other bloggers are two practices that have helped me in my blogging.
By reading others’ blogs, I figured out many things that were lacking in my blog. I discovered what I wanted to write about, how I wanted my blog to look and basically where I wanted to go with my blog.
Reading about the developments in blogging is as important as reading others’ blogs. This practice has helped me keep tabs on the progress made in blogs. I regularly read posts by blogging gurus like Yoast, Syed Balkhi and Darren Rowse. I also follow Corinne recently started following Shailaja V.
Writing meaningful comments on others’ blogs has helped me get more regular readers. For instance, during the A to Z Challenge, I discovered many new blogs and bloggers and after consistently leaving comments on their posts, they started visiting my blog too!
Q4. Your motivational factor for your best blog.
Sunita: Pardon me for sounding boastful but honestly, I always like to put my best foot forward. It may be vanity even, but I don’t like giving in a shoddy job. So what really motivates me to blog is to be the best blogger ever!
And of course, I love getting all the support and comments from my readers. Whenever I see the numbers rise, I get inspired to write another blog.
Q5. One relationship who contributed to making your blog.
Sunita: As the African saying goes, it takes a village to raise a child. There are several relationships that have contributed to making my blog. For instance, Shalini of Kohl Eyed Capers, Shalini of Shalzmojo, Shilpa of Metanoia, Tina of Tina Basu have readily given me advice when I asked for it offline.
But the starting point of all these relationships has been WRITE TRIBE. So I would say my relationship with Write Tribe and other Write Tribers has been instrumental in making my blog the way it is. So if there is one relationship that contributed to my blog it would be Corinne of Everyday Gyaan, the founder of Write Tribe.
“The day I have a million readers and a healthy blogging community revolving around my blog, I will consider my blog a success.”
– Ms. Sunita Rajwade
Q6. One factor, out of your comfort zone in blogging.
Sunita: One factor out of my comfort zone would be hosting a blog hop. I tried to host a blog hop which was quite outside of my comfort zone… Sadly it didn’t work and I realized that hosting a blog hop is not really for me.
Q7. A book / movie / person / blog that transformed you.
Sunita: In 60 years, I’ve been through many books, seen many movies and met many inspiring people. Right from Mother Theresa to President Giscard d’Estaing, war heroes and ordinary people who have overcome obstacles. So it would be difficult for me to pinpoint any one book, movie or person who has transformed my life. Each person that I have met has influenced me in some way – whether it is the stranger who helped me and my family when my mother met with a road accident.
But definitely, if there is something that has transformed me, it would have to be the INTERNET. It has given me mobility I never thought I’d get and a reach that is quite unimaginable.
Q8. Your strength and weakness as a blogger.
Sunita:
My strength as a blogger is my determination to get it right.
My weakness is my desire to get out a post asap. Often I find that I’ve hit the publish button only to find an error or omission.
Q9. One principle you are proud of.
Sunita: One principle I’m proud of is always striving for original content. I never copy content and if I do reproduce stuff, always acknowledge the provenance.
Q10. Blogging tips to share with your readers.
Sunita: There are enough blogging gurus out there giving their tips so there is nothing really new to share. But if I do have one tip to share it is this. Do not lose heart. From my earliest blogs which had no readers at all, today after 10 years, several failed blogs and many trials and errors, I have finally reached a number of 914 readers. So like the tortoise, it is worth plodding on till you catch up with the hare.
Bullet Questions
Best Blog – Travel With Intent by Debbie Smyth
Best Blogger Friend – Shilpa Gupte of Metanoia
Best Dream – Can’t really remember. I dream every night
Best Food – Steak and Mashed potato
Best Book – To Kill A Mockingbird
Best TV Series –Anthony Bourdain’s No Reservations
Best Life Motto – This Day Will Also Pass
Thanks again Sunita for this open and honest interview sprinkled with a full dose of inspiration. You never failed to make me awe and this interview is the perfect highlight. We feel proud to have you as our Featured Cool Blogger.
Dear readers, please leave your queries, if any, in the comment section and we will try to get them answered by her.
Meet you at next chill chat with another cool blogger !!!
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