“Humor is the rubber sword with which I can make my point without drawing blood”

- Gopinath Mavinkurve

So here is our one of the most experienced blogger on webneetech.com, Gopinath Mavinkurve, 52, a Management Professional runs Gopinath’s “ArTicKles“. The blog is filled with his thought, observation and many good opinions too.He posts humorous write ups on his blog and makes his point in his own funny way.

The blog was started in 2008 and receives around 1500 views a month.

Read the exclusive interview with Mr. Gopinath, to know more about him and his experience as a blogger.

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Blogger’s  Details:

Blogger’s Name: Gopinath Mavinkurve

Age: 52

Occupation / Profession: Management Professional in the field of Foreign Trade especially EOU/SEZ, export facilitation, Government liaisoning and logistics working for an MNC in Mumbai

Blog name and URL: http://whatnonsanz.blogspot.com/

Blog Focus Area, domain: humorous observations, insights, comments about incidents, issues, current happenings, lifestyle and  language trends, word origins, anecdotes, interesting trivia, personal experiences

Blog launched on: 10^th April 2008

Monthly visits on website: About 1500

Do you have team of bloggers? No.

Interest / Activities: Reading newspaper columns, books magazines and blogs; writing; tourism and photography; music and movies are my hobbies

Located at: Mumbai India

Contact Details:

Twitter Id: @gopinathmm

Facebook Id: Gopinath_Mavinkurve

Email ID: g_mavinkurve@hotmail.com

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Interview (Q&A Round) :

Q. What motivated you to start blogging?

Well I never wanted to blog nor did I really know what it was to be blogging.  I just wanted to revive my writing habit and began posting my write-ups in websites like MSN Contribute, when I found many other contributors’ links to their blogs. I thought it was a good idea to back up my pieces on blogspot (in case MSN vanished one fine morning or deleted their archives).  Soon I found other bloggers coming over and leaving some encouraging comments on my blog!  Soon enough I bluffed myself that the entire universe loves my ‘whatnonsanz’, so go ahead and post more of it and it worked!

Q. Tell us in detail about your blog, your idea and how it can benefit others?

Though I began my blog without any particular theme or subject, soon enough I made up my mind to post humorous write-ups. “Humor is the rubber sword with which I can make my point without drawing blood”, I declared on my blog. That was when I had made my choice – no ranting or complaining – just making my point in my own funny way. We had our own Chintan Baithak with the editorial team, which comprises of my mouse, keyboard, monitor and my right index finger which clicks on the Publish button (or doesn’t depending on its mood).  The editorial team decided (which is unusual, though) that if one wanted to make fun of the world around you, one would rather begin with making fun of oneself.  It’s a lot easier and buys some acceptability before I turn on my rubber sword on others (mostly our dear politicians and our social quirks). That’s when we decided to call my posts “ArTicKles”.

The effort is to at least put some smiles on the reader’s face. That some of the readers tell us they ROFL at our posts, is simply because it’s their personal exercise routine, I guess. I also share some real life experiences, lifestyle trends, inspiring incidents, anecdotes, language trends, neologisms and word origins which may interest readers.  I avoid posting any email forwards in my blog.

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

Anything above the sun – because everything under the sun has been blogged about anyway. Well, I try to avoid subjects that others have already blogged about, unless I feel very strongly about or have something different to say about it.  I don’t want to be predictable – surprises can work on my readers too!

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

Blogger or Blogspot. I never knew other platforms existed.  Some bloggers did move to Wordpress and sounded thrilled and excited about their change and wanted us to “convert”, but some how, I felt that Blogspot served my basic needs

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

I try to post one per week, usually over the weekend, but then if the idea I am working on is not good enough, I would prefer not to post it rather than posting it just for the sake of regularity.  Besides, reading, writing and blogging are my hobbies that are to be pursued in one’s spare time.  I have 80 posts on my ArTickles blog till date.

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

I have listed my blog with Indiblogger, BlogCatalog, Blogadda and Labnol’s (Amit Agarwal’s blog) ‘List of Indian Bloggers’.  Labnol brings in a lot of traffic to my blog, *Hey, Thanks Amit* and of late, Blogadda’s Tuesday Tangy Picks and Saturday Spicy Picks have featured my posts and have brought in some new readers *Thanks, Blogadda!*.  I am also on Twitter (follow me @gopinathmm) and Facebook, where my tweets get automatically updated.  My comments on other websites/blogs bring in some new readership. My occasional contribution by way of guest posts to Tickledbylife.com, Trak.in and India Tweets also help me reach to more interested folks across the globe.  Interestingly, when I write about current events, more people land on my blog through Google search. “Google Maharaj ki jai!” (and thanks Feedjit for letting me know).

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

Well, now that I know several bloggers, each one is out there for different reasons. But certainly one thing runs through all of them – they want readers to come and read their work and get hooked to their stuff.  One’s got to be original – give your own perspective of the subjects and say it in your own unique style.  Readers are sure to get addicted! Its content, content and quality content all the way.

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?

No. I am not in this for earning money and am unlikely to try to monetize my blog in the near future.

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

Now you’re being cruel with me!  I love several blogs and listing only five of them would mean leaving so many good ones out in the lurch.  I have listed my faves in my Blogroll – just click on them and check them out.

And for being so mean with your parting shot, I will not let you get away without me getting back at you in equal measure – Read all my 80 posts and tell me the top 5 posts in my blog!

Thanks for this wonderful opportunity to feature in WebNeeTech! Wishing your team all success in all your endeavours!

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