How did I get started Blogging?

Having been told I’m a pathetic writer all my life (as if there’s anything more degrading than getting a ‘C’ in your O’Levels English Language exam), I thought I should give writing a try, what with English being my second language and all. It did take me a long time to really find my stride but eventually, I did overcome a lot of my fears. To be honest, it was love, real love, that got me into writing. After I got married in 2008, I started writing love poems and was surprised when people appreciated my efforts, especially my beautiful wife. Realizing I had some above-mediocre writing skills, no thanks to my teachers, I finally found my voice, an outlet for my introverted feelings and emotions, my insanity; ergo the blog!

What has been my biggest blogging hurdle?

When I first started, I would think about sharing something about me that I might have never shared before, something vulnerable, something that people might relate to; being an introvert, it didn’t come naturally to me. Fighting my inner turmoil about letting my guard down, showing who I really am rather than pretending to be someone I’m not has perhaps been the biggest hurdle I have had to overcome on my (blogging) journey of self-discovery.

As with all writers (except ones who churn book after book like there’s no tomorrow), sometimes I find myself at a loss of ideas, call it blogger’s block. That’s when I turn to people around me for inspiration. I try not to restrict myself to writing as I believe I have a lot more to offer than words, prose or otherwise.

What has been my biggest blogging triumph?

Overcoming my fears, and knowing that I am better than what people had labelled me for, is perhaps the most satisfying feeling I get while blogging. People loving and appreciating (and criticizing) your work doesn’t hurt either.

Briefly describe my ideal audience.

Insanity is what truly defines us. Everyone has their quirks, their idiosyncrasies (apologies for the big word), their OCDs, and these are what truly make us unique. Ideally, I would love reaching out to people who acknowledge and celebrate their insanity, embrace life, and wish to have a positive impact on people, even if it’s just a handful.

How do I come up with ideas for what to write about?

As stated earlier, my biggest influence and inspiration was, is and will always be my wife; my darling one-and-a-half-year-old daughter comes in a close second. Sometimes, I witness something that leaves a profound impact on my perceptions on life, something so insignificant that others might disregard as mundane, even lackluster. I, on the other hand, try finding a deeper insight into these encounters, pouring my feelings into words and images that clearly portray my emotions (or at least I try to).

I write on topics ranging from art to photography, from parenting to religion, from things I feel to the way things should be. People are restricted only in their minds and should you choose, you can do whatever you set your sights to.

What does it take for me to consider a post successful?

This one’s perhaps the most difficult question to answer, or should I say, put into words. Then again, I’m (supposedly) a writer so I should at least attempt to satisfy your curiosity. Everything I do, every word I write, every photo I post, comes straight from the heart. People generally count the success of a post in the number of likes or comments they get on it, but some of my favorite posts have had few or no likes at all. These posts, however, remind me of who I truly am and who I aspire to be, and I keep going back to them to relive the experiences, the memories associated with them, painful or otherwise.

I wish, hope, that when my daughter is old enough, she’ll be able to understand her old man better, learn from my mistakes and maybe even seek inspiration from my work.

Thank you,
Yousuf

p.s. I have submitted this to The Daily Post and thought my readers would like to read it too.