#Blogchatter : #Blogbuddy 3.0 - One For All and All For One !

That constant yearning for writing something new; Being preoccupied till it's done; The frustrations of Writer's Block; The elation of just finishing a post; The immense satisfaction of knowing that people read it and found it a story or a point of view worth telling are just some of the stages that have been a constant for me for a long while now.

7 years, to be precise!


But make no mistake, everything else associated with blogging has changed!

This is the part where I am going to sound like an old man. Trust me, I am not! But I can’t help the reminiscing, when it comes to blogging.

Back in the day (Yo Yo Grandpa, in the house!) blogging was just about two simple things – expression and feedback. I remember writing my posts, from PoliticallyIncorrect, in my hostel room and then sending emails with the link to a group of about 20 people. All that mattered was for those 20 people to read that post and comment on it. Not that my entire readership was just those people, but the concept of “hits” had not, well, hit home yet! The “word of mouth” publicity was unbelievable, largely because it was a University and Hostel set up. The satisfaction of comments cannot be stressed more. In a world where there were barely any smart phones or free Wi-Fi in hostel rooms and Sify “cyber cafes” still charged an upward of  ₹30 per hour, logging in multiple times a day to check on every comment and replying back, gave immense contentment.

Things changed rapidly, post 2010, when blogging was no longer, just a hobby. It got elevated to a life choice and even a profession.

Some made it big in the Bull Run, some dropped out, and most, including yours truly, hung around, somewhere in the middle.

The most important reason that I am an active @Blogchatter member is because it’s a great platform that combines the nostalgia of blogging with the need of changing times. Its focus on community building through the weekly chats and the #Blogbuddy program, is today’s version of sending out emails to people with the blog link.

With leaving India, I had left behind great opportunities of networking with fellow bloggers. I left when blogging had started to become big there. I can neither be a part of the lavish and extravagant bloggers’ meets nor can I win any sponsored contests that are commonplace in India now. (Thus depriving my mother of many a “Sharma ji ka beta car jeet laya blogging mein!” moments!)

That’s when #Blogchatter comes into play for me. It stands out among many blogging forums out there in being personal. It lets me be me, while reminding of what needs to be done to stay current and relevant. What I can be is a #Blogbuddy to a select group of dedicated writers with similar goals and shortcomings. I can share my experience and learn from them. The certainty of having a bankable group of people to fall back on is a great motivation to keep moving forward!

Therefore, I am a #Blogbuddy with #Blogchatter !

I had a great year with Blogbuddy 2.0. I am going to be friends with my previous group for life! I am so grateful to them that I am speechless, talking about it. Thank you, #WriteHouse for a fantastic year!

I am entering another phase of Blogbuddy with similar expectations and hopefully with greater wisdom.

Go Team #BlogBusters

Let the games begin !

Writefully Yours

Like the Sunrise, some things are bound to happen!
Pic Courtesy - But.The.Words.Prevailed 

We are changing.

Nah...

We are transitioning !

After more than 6 years with 'Me and My Dark Side' , I have decided to move on.

The blog will now be called 'Writefully Yours'.  

You can connect with us on Twitter, Facebook, Google Plus, Prose, Facebook and Instagram.

The links can be found at the end of this post also.

Why?

Quite simply, it is the time to evolve, or at least, try to! One's work shall be a reflection of the evolution of self, the society and its sensibilities. From a while now, I had been feeling, that the brand of Dark Side and the body of my previous works, were limiting the topics and genres I could cover. Joining Twitter was somewhat liberating, as I could express myself with more freedom (while getting into occasional squabbles), but the old school writer in me couldn't be satisfied in just 140 characters!

Why is re-branding important?

As I said, I am Old School. I strongly believe that a blog shall remain true to its soul. While that might limit the spectrum of content on it, it stays true to it's reader base. I have always felt that I am being dishonest to my reader if, just for the lure of "hits", I cater them sub-par content or cover genres that aren't my natural calling.

Natural Calling

The concept of what is one's natural calling, is the essence of  the evolution of a writer. It's time for me to be more inclusive. I might succeed or might turn into a spectacular failure, but after 7 years of dedicated writing, I owe myself this chance.

This sort of transition is not the first for me. I transitioned, rather successfully, from Politically Incorrect, in 2010. At that time, however, I started a new blog altogether. But this time, it's the re-branding of the same blog.

What to expect...

• Wider range of topics
• More collaboration
• At least for this year, some Politically Incorrect, posts again
• Call for Guest Bloggers
• Campaigns

What not to expect

• Sponsored posts
• Advertisements
• Posts on senseless prompts and contests

'Me and My Dark Side' gave me the recognition, reader base and a great network of  kind and superb bloggers. We support and encourage each other across the barriers of age, gender, outlook, genres and language, just for the sheer love of  Writing. In the past year or so, I have been lucky and proud to be associated with one such group on twitter,@blogchatter. The mercurial rise of the group and their tenacity to help fellow bloggers is unparalleled and I wish to continue my association with them. 

Connections like these, I would always owe that to my blog. It might sound funny to a non-blogger, how I talk to and about my blog, as if she is a real being, but I know, you, being a fellow blogger get that :) .

Let the love of writing prevail ! Amen!

Writefully Yours,

Prateek Mathur

Connect. Read. Share. Comment. 

Twitter - @prateekmathur03

Facebook - Writers' Block

Instagram - WritefullyYours

The Prose - WritefullyYours

Google Plus - +prateekmathur

10 Reasons Why Arvind Kejriwal Must Lose

"I just need my muffler back, and then off I go- The return of the Mufflerman"
Source - The Hindu

I had been in India for only 10 days, when on December 8, 2013, Arvind Kejriwal's Aam Admi Party (AAP) swept the Delhi's Assembly Elections. It was only over an year ago, but it now seems like a different time and age. The time when we, the commoner, the real  aam admi, felt empowered, emboldened and capable of bringing a change that was long overdue. Even though it was the catch phrase of "the messiah", the one who shouldn't be disregarded on the sacred space of the internet, it felt as if the "acche din", would be brought to us by Kejriwal. The image of my domestic help, a young Bengali migrant in Rajasthan, being excited and hopeful for a Delhi Assembly election, is a hard one to forget. 

However, we are in a different time now and things have changed, for the better, we have been told. 

And this time, Arvind Kejriwal must lose. It doesn't matter who wins but that muffler wearing, influenza spreading, hatch-back driving, Naxal socialist shouldn't come back to power.  It's not that he can't win, it's just that he shouldn't. Period.

And here's why -

1) We prefer democratically elected MPs who enter our private matters to the extent of asking  us to have 10 kids, rather than the ones who ask us to read bills and ordinances. In other words, we would rather have them do our family planning than us play an active role in deciding country's policies.

2) We do not want to think how the national parties manage to afford full page advertisements in all the national dailies, on a regular basis. Or how would a news outlet be fair in reporting, if it has sold even  the mast head to a political party for campaigning. We just do not want to think about it.

3) We cannot see our dynasties fall. We have a rich history of rulers and being ruled. We would like to keep it that way, please!

4) We do not fret about re-electing MPs with serious criminal records, including murder and rape, but would definitely probe the ulterior motives of every candidate who is educated and who should rather be in USA making millions than toil in the rural areas trying to bring a change.

5) We would still rally behind a candidate who has not only switched her political stance twice in two years, but has also retracted her most well known folklore of towing a PM's car. She, being an icon of an independent woman,  has also endorsed the organization that thinks women get raped because they wear jeans. However, as very mature voters, we should look beyond this, towards the abyss that is going to be her political career! But she is so educated that she will go back lecturing in Harvard and Oxford, like she gives a damn!

6) We look at a chaiwalla, meeting, greeting and hugging Obama and bhabhi ji, wearing a "signature-d" suit, worth millions, and we roll in pride of a rags to riches story. It makes a perfect recipe for a Bollywood potboiler - great spectacle with little or no substance.  And what is politics, if not a spectacle! Quite simply, we like the pomp and show, and you got to flaunt it, even if you don't have it or don't want to! Simplicity has no place in the politics of a poor and developing country.

7) We have a censor board for movies. We can't celebrate Valentine's day.  We can't laugh at or poke fun at the "you-know-who" on any public forum on the internet. We can't use the word "Bombay" even in songs and now we can't laugh in or at a You Tube video.  A woman editor of an Urdu daily is in hiding and a Tamil literary laureate has given up writing. Yet, the discussion shall remain how Deepika Padukone flaunted at a party! This is the way it has always been and this is the way it shall remain.

8) We want the black money back.  But only if a certain political party gets it for us.  If anyone else talks about it, they are either not sincere or lying. And if that party totally ignores it, once they win the election, campaigning for it, we are fine with it. Yes, we are!

9) Despite being a country, which is famous for excelling in computers and technology, we have decided to completely ignore the fact that memes, internet trolls and funny internet videos are used as a device for propaganda and , in no way, are a measure of a person's popularity. We still form an opinion by how a candidate is depicted on social media, by anonymous people spewing hatred.

It's trending! Also, it's paid!
Source @babaglocal on Twitter

10) We have a short memory. Not just weak, we are talking, like Ghajini short.  So we have already forgotten how many points were promised in the beginning of this article. Just like how many things were promised in manifestos in 2014.

But we shall never forget how Arvind Kejriwal betrayed the trust of the people by not yielding and resigning in just 49 days.

Never.

P.S. Somewhere I know, this discussion would turn communal and party-specific. Consider that a bonus point # 11 !

Suggested Reading -

About Shireen Dalvi - The Silenced Urdu Editor
About Perumal Murugan - The Tamil Literary Laureate