“It’s not easy to become famous overnight online, especially with the great number of blogs – if that is the only motivation, then you’re likely to get discouraged after sometime.”

- Melody Laila

Melody Laila has often been quoted in the press as one of India’s earliest bloggers – she started way back in 2002 – and till date maintains a variety of websites & blogs online. She is the founder-editor of Glorify God (http://www.Glorify-God.com) which is an Online Catholic Magazine and has a team of writers based in India, the US & Canada.

She also has been instrumental at organizing Mumbai bloggers through blog meets in the city from 2006.

The blog we’re talking about ‘Fit, Fine & Fabulous’ was earlier, the very popular ‘The Voice in My Head’ and was recently re-launched in the present format due to some life changes Melody underwent – and due to the fact she wants to reach out to other people in her generation, to educate & encourage them that it’s very important to maintain a healthy lifestyle right now.

In an interview with WebNeeTech, India’s earliest blogger “Melody Laila” shared her journey as a blogger and a word of advice for the new bloggers or who are thinking to start a new blog.

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Blogger’s Detail:

Blogger’s Name: Melody Laila

Occupation / Profession: Writer

Blog name and URL: “Fit, Fine & Fabulous”

http://www.thevoiceinmyhead.com

Blog Focus Area, domain: Lifestyle – Physical, Mental, Emotional & Spiritual Fitness & Wellbeing

Blog launched: Way back in 2002, Re-Launched in present format Oct 09

Do you have team of bloggers? No, though I sometimes invite Guest bloggers if the content is relevant

Located at: Mumbai, India

Contact Details:

Twitter Id: @melodylaila

Facebook Id: Melody Laila

Email ID: melodylaila@gmail.com

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Interview (Q & A Round):

Q. What motivated you to start blogging?

I have been a diarist all my life; have been at it since I was a little girl & as long as I can remember. The transition to online media in the form of blogs way back in 2002 came very easily to me. The interaction element which doesn’t exist in offline dairying was new & exciting. However, I take great pains to make sure that I stay true to myself and don’t write solely for the feeds.

Q. What area or topic you generally cover in your blog, any special reason behind it?

It was a few months ago (July 09) that I got a medical checkup and found out that I had high cholesterol – purely based on my unhealthy eating,  zero exercise & stressed filled lifestyle. The reason I got the medical checkup done in the first place was that two friends, both in their late twenties were diagnosed with high cholesterol & diabetes due to unhealthy lifestyles like mine. The doctors I’ve spoken to tell me that many others in my generation have similar unhealthy lifestyles.

The reason I changed the whole format of my blog – though it was very popular in its earlier format – is to education people in my generation & encourage them to lead healthier lifestyles.

So many of us think that illness won’t touch us because we’re still relatively young – but as I’m proving, that is a fallacy.

I had an option to not tell anyone about me having high cholesterol – but I found out only because my two friends told me about their problems. I’m really hoping and praying that through the blog, we can reach out to countless other people our age who’re living reckless lives thinking nothing’s wrong with them, when in actuality it may not be the case.

Already so many people who’ve read the few posts I’ve put up have emailed me or commented that they have been motivated to eat healthy or to start going to a gym or to get a medical check done. This aspect of being able to help others – in whatever small way it may be – is tremendously rewarding.

Q.Which blogging platform you are using (wordpress, blogspot, bloggers etc), any reason about it?

I use wordpress – mostly because I’ve been using it for years & find it very user-friendly, professional & upto date.

Q. How frequent you update your blog? How many post your blog is carrying at present?

I update the blog as many times I as feel I have something relevant to add – and not on any fixed time frame. I find that it gets me a better quality of writing than say if I forced myself to churn out 4 posts a week.

Q. What tools you use to increase your blog readership and bring people on your blog? Do you use social networking sites?

I’m already a fairly well known blogger in India, so as such don’t go promoting my blog anywhere. I did send mailers out – but only to my friends – when I re-launched the blog. Also if – and only – the posts are really something I’d like to share with a larger group, I might post a link on my FB or twitter (but never both at a time). I don’t particularly like people who’s FB or twitter is only full of links promoting their own writing and so I make sure I’m not like that.

Q. Any specific tips you have for new bloggers who want to make it in the blogsphere?

Well it depends what you mean by “make it”! I definitely do not encourage anyone to start blogging just to get known or famous or to make money online. I say this, because it’s not easy to become famous overnight online, especially with the great number of blogs – if that is the only motivation, then you’re likely to get discouraged after sometime.

Only start if you genuinely like writing and perhaps if you have something you’d like to share – something that you’re passionate about!
If you stick with it, I can tell you from my own experience that it is very rewarding.

Q. Do you earn revenue through your blog? If yes then how a blogger should monetize his / her blog? If no, then any plans in future?

At present am not monetizing the blog. Have no plans to do so in the future either.

Q. What are your other favorite blogs which you follow, can you list the top 5 such blogs?

• Prem Panicker – http://prempanicker.wordpress.com
• Amit Varma – http://www.indiauncut.com/
• Sakshi Juneja – http://sakshijuneja.com/blog
• Calvin Vaz – http://calvinandhobbies.wordpress.com
• Indicast: http://www.theindicast.com/

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