Interview with Successful Blogger: techniquealtechie

So folks, here is our first interview with a blogger. Techniqueal was chosen because she’s a very talented (and friendly!) blogger, and her blog has been very useful for many people. She’s also active on our blog, so consider this interview as a reward too --- we like to shine the spotlight on readers.

1. Could you please tell us a little bit about yourself?

A: I've been blogging since May 2006 and it began with a private/online journal. After some encouragement from two good friends, creating a personal blog sounds like a great idea to enhance creative writing so went on with it. Being a former educator and tech fanatic with lots of info to share, a personal blog was not enough hence The Technical Thought of You was born.

2. What inspired your impressive blog design? And which tools/resources did you use?

A: Joining a web development company opened doors of opportunity to be deeply exposed with the web industry. Since then, it's really been a frustration of mine to apply the knowledge gained. Four months ago, a chance to explore different blogging platforms came by so I grabbed it right away. Later on, Blogger seems an excellent choice for its functionality, more so when I found a theme at  BlogAndWeb which I instantly liked. Tutorials from Ajaxdaddy, Javascriptmall, Dynamic Drive, Mandarin Design, W3Schools, and GIMP helped a great deal in tweaking the design. Readers may see the resources used from the Resources page and Credits section at the blog's sidebar. Am working on posting tutorials one by one. ^_^

3. What advice do you wish you had when you first (or before you) started blogging?

A: If there is one thing I've learned since I started blogging, it's got to be -- blogging is addictive! It's so much like Pringles -- Once you pop, you just can't stop. ^_^ Blogging is freedom. Whether it's a personal, technical or even a monetized one, it will always give the blog author a heady feeling. Coz it's an art. The design, the content, the overall message it depicts, they all appeal to the senses, to the emotions and readers respond to those messages. Let's not lose it. ^_^

4. Why are you using nickname for your author name? Is there any particular reason?

A: Before I answer that, let me share a short story behind the name. "Techniquealtechie" was supposed to be "*technical*techie" (patterned after the title - The "*Technical*" Thought Of You). When I googled the name and found out that someone has gotten it already, needless to say, I was disappointed. It's been an "obsession" (^_ ) to me to strive and be unique in my own way, so the word "*technique*-al techie" came up (patterned after the site's content). As I want this blog to stand out from the usual, I opted to use and stick to a unique nickname instead. (Well, my real name is soo ordinary anyway, lol)

5. Pick one: WordPress or Blogger?

A: Without batting an eye, Blogger forever ^_^

6. Do you have any plans to monetize your blog?

A: I'm certainly considering it. Still weighing the pros and cons. If I am to base this blog's estimate value on websiteoutlook, hmmm, it sure sounds very tempting. ^_^

7. Have you considered to buy your own domain? If you have, what domain would you use (e.g .com .net or .org?)?

A: Yup. In fact, a good friend graciously offered for one year free. .com is still a first choice.

8. Would you do team blogging?

A: I have heard of great reviews about team blogging especially it being a good strategy to build better traffic. I am open to the suggestion of being a member, i.e. should anyone in the relevant field send an invite. ^_^

9. Have you ever thought about quit from blogging?

A: Actually, I did -- in my personal blog. There is something about blogging that can really get into one's skin. One may have tried giving it up at one time but it will always find its way back, one way or another. Just like how it happened to me.

10. What are the plans for your blog for the next year?

A: There are still blogger add-ons, hacks and tweaks. More blogger template design-related tutorials, blog optimization techniques, and some random tips and tricks. Useful widgets will be added as well. "Suggest a topic" is one so as to invite readers to share more of their thoughts and views.

11. Do you have any fav blogs/blog authors?

A: Oh definitely. For technical blogs, all links in the techie and blog hacks section of my sidebar are faves. Some of the popular ones which I highly recommend include DeanHunt , DCBlog and Aaron Wall's SEOBook Blog.

12. Have you ever told your real life families/friends/workmates about your blog?

A: They do know. Most of them though are more inclined to personal, family oriented, non-techie kind. In fact, 90% of links in the LINKY LOVE section are from RL friends, family and colleagues. ^_^

Conclusion
And that’s it!Thank you Techniqueal for your insights! Continue blogging with success...

By posting interviews like this, we hope to spread the successful blogger stories  so everyone can learn from them. We will certainly do another interview in the future. If you have someone you wish to see interviewed, let us know. Use the contact form with the subject ‘Interview Request’ so we can react quickly.