BG- Tell us something about yourself. Which five words would describe you the best?
Surya- I’m an Engineer by profession but extremely interested in dance, travelling, getting to be with animals [I’m an avid animal lover]. Talkative, spontaneous, go-getter, friendly and cheerful would describe me the best.
BG- When did you start blogging and what was your motivation behind starting the same?
Surya- I started with travel blogging almost in the second half of 2014. I always wanted to write but it was more of whether I could write good stuff or not. But then I decided to start writing for myself irrespective of the fact that people may like it or not. My biggest motivation was I was getting to experience these amazing things while I was on the go and I felt I needed to share my experiences with others too. There is so much to know and appreciate.
BG- Can you give us an idea on the theme of your blog (Wanderlust) and what kind of content your readers love?
Surya- I’m mainly into travel blogging letting people know how my experiences were. Some of my blogs introduce the readers to the place and its importance while some talk about my perspective about the place. But now I’m looking to get into other kinds of writing as well. In fact, my first cut in lifestyle writing was due to Baggout.
BG- How much time do you keep for blogging on a weekly basis?
Surya- Blogging has now become like a relaxation activity. So, I keep doing it whenever I feel I need to take a break. And I always ensure I post one article at least per week on my blog apart from writing for others.
BG- What are the top three lessons that you have learnt in your journey so far?
Surya- It is absolutely fine to get rejected. It will help you think where you went wrong and how you can improve.
Follow your dream and passion. Don’t worry whether you will succeed or fail. Taking the first step is what that matters
Don’t take your success too seriously because that is when you will grow more.
BG- How did you get to where you are now with your blog? To what do you attribute your success?
Surya- For me, it was like starting from scratch. I did not know anyone so closely who is so much into blogging. So, I had to figure out everything from where I could publish, to what the publishers look for, how I should be writing that best brings out my personality.
I would attribute my success to my perseverance. I have got many rejections. But I never take them seriously. Instead I work on why I failed and I try again.
BG- One of the hardest things for beginner bloggers is getting traffic. What tips can you give bloggers to drive traffic to a new blog?
Surya- Traffic is something that one can build over time. Ensure that you stick to your style of writing.
Try to reach out to other bloggers as well who have been doing this for a long time. There are many sites that publish your blogs if well written. Contact them and see if you can be featured there. Keep trying consistently.
BG- Where do you see your blog five years from now?
Surya- I see myself traveling a lot more and gathering some enriching experiences. I want to take my blogs to a level where it can inspire the readers to travel more often. Another thing that I wish to do is showcase India to the world. There are so many options available in our country itself.
BG- What are your five favorite blogs to read? What makes those blogs special?
http://the-shooting-star.com/ by Shivya Nath – I absolutely love the fact that she is following her dream and hence I love to read her blogs
http://www.lakshmisharath.com/ by Lakshmi Sharath- Her blogs are about some nice offbeat destinations
http://www.indiabackpackmotorbike.com/ by Venky – All his trip sound so much fun and that is what I love about his blogs
http://joshidaniel.com/ by Josh Daniel – All his pictures speak so much and they sound very interesting to me
http://www.tripoto.com/ – This is a community where people can submit their articles from all over the world. Most of them are very good reads
BG- What does Baggout mean to you?
Surya- Baggout will be special to me since I started off as a lifestyle writer here. Apart from the interesting offers that it provides, they also encourage good writers to write for them. I think that is such a big encouragement for amateur writers.
