The Pakistani Spectator

Would you please tell us something about you and your site?

I am Gillian Martin, known as Misssy M in the blogging community.  I am a working mother of two who writes and makes visual communications for a living, mainly in the corporate sector, although I’m hoping to also move into writing non-fiction books and articles for entertainment in the future.

My blog is a storytelling blog, I suppose.  I started writing it as a travelogue when I visited Sri Lanka nearly four years ago, and when I came home I just kept it going, telling funny true stories of things that have happened to me and my family.  I almost always try to keep it humorous, and think about my readers, so I don’t do it as a diary, because I don’t necessarily think that people would realistically be interested in my life day to day.

Do you feel that you continue to grow in your writing the longer you write? Why is that important to you?

I hope my writing has improved. Certainly feedback from friends and readers has inspired me to take my writing more seriously. I would never have really thought about writing a book otherwise. The trouble is, the rest of the world is also trying to write a book!  Writing is important to me because I really enjoy it and now that I’ve been keeping a blog for over three years, I don’t think I could live without it.

I’m wondering what some of your memorable experiences are with blogging?

One of my favourite posts and experiences is when I wrote a rundown of the famous people I had come into contact over my life. Most instances were tenuous and ridiculous which is why I entitled the post “David Bowie Sold Me a Raffle Ticket” (incidentally he did not, but you see what I mean.)The response I got was fantastic with so many hilarious comments from people all over the world telling funny stories of their own about serving Hollywood stars a burger, or making coffee for members of the Royal Family. The best posts are the ones that make people reading them want to share their own experiences- that’s what makes blogging special. The post really shouldn’t be read without reading the comments afterwards as they have become part of the whole story.

I also got one of my posts chosen to be included for a book called “You’re Not the Only One” alongside so many bloggers who’ve inspired me and I admire. It sold pretty well and the proceeds went to a charity called War Child who help children in poverty all over the world. You can still buy the book from the publisher Lulu.

I’ve also met so many nice people through my blog that I feel I have a connection with. Even if they are thousands of miles away and I’ve never met them face to face.

What do you do in order to keep up your communication with other bloggers?

I read their blogs and comment on them, it’s really as simple as that.  I don’t think that you can really be a good blogger if you don’t share your attention outwith your own blog. It’s very much a feedback based medium which is why it’s so rewarding. It actually annoys me when other bloggers don’t answer comments or deem themselves too important to comment on others’ blogs, even if it’s only occasionally. I also answer anyone who emails me through the blog and have actually co-written a book with one of my corresponding fellow bloggers which we are currently trying to get published.

What do you think is the most exciting or most innovative use of technology in politics right now?

I am not really a political commenter and try to keep my posts lighthearted, but I do read political blogs. Scotland has some really terrific political blogs, and they are not all serious, in fact I think the best ones do it with humour. So I would say that blogging has had a huge impact on politics, because people do really pay attention to them and sometimes public reaction to events can be seen first though blogs. People have so much more of a voice now and bloggers can get away with saying things that the news media cannot.

Do you think that these new technologies are effective in making people more responsive?

For sure.  The newspapers have even started doing blogs, which is actually ridiculous seeing as blogs were for people who didn’t have access to a readership before.  It says something about the quality of political blogging in this country that the newspapers have jumped on the bandwagon. I still say the real independent bloggers are better than the newspaper ones.

What do you think sets Your site apart from others?

I’m not really one for identifying anything about my site that is better than anyone else’s, or has any “unique selling point”. All I know is how I approach each post.  Firstly I never post just because I feel I have to, even if I have nothing to say.  A lot of blogs do that and I find that wearisome. I always keep in mind that anyone could be reading, so I try to be as objectively entertaining as I can- no in jokes that only my friends would get, no sentimental stuff that would only appeal to people who know me, and certainly nothing that would offend my friends and family.  I think of my blog as being like a magazine column and I always try to appeal to as wide an audience as I can. I don’t write anything unless I really do have a story to tell. Keeping up the quality is important to me. If I post fillers, or just link to other things I’ve seen on the internet people will stop reading.

If you could choose one characteristic you have that brought you success in life, what would it be?

In life? I think choosing the right husband has had so much to do with any success I have! My husband is my number one fan and doesn’t allow me to wallow in self doubt, which I have a tendency to do. Everyone should have one of him! I also have a very supportive extended family.

What was the happiest and gloomiest moment of your life?

The happiest single moment in my life was when I was on my way to my parents’ house sitting in the back seat of my car as my husband drove with my first baby one week after he was born. I remember it so clearly.  I remember thinking I was so happy and life just couldn’t get any better.  Funnily enough it did five years later when I had my baby girl, but that day in the car with my husband and son is the first thing I think of when people ask me that question.That was nearly eleven years ago- I wish I had been able to start a blog then, as you forget so much.

As for gloomy, I found the first six months after leaving University to be the gloomiest of my life.  It took too long to get a job I liked after five years of study when you felt you were unstoppable. The real world was a shock to the system and leaving my University friends behind to move back home was hard.

If you could pick a travel destination, anywhere in the world, with no worries about how it’s paid for - what would your top 3 choices be?

Number one would be a tour of Australia

Number two would be a return visit to Brazil where I lived for year when I was a teenager. Not only would I like to retrace my steps in Rio de Janeiro where my family lived, but I’d also like to go on nature safari on the Amazon.

Number three would be the Galapagos on a natural history tour. I would absolutely love that.

I love anything to do with natural history so anywhere I could watch animals in their natural habitat would be amazing. I should have been a zoologist, I suppose.

What is your favorite book and why?

My favourite book is The Tin Drum by Gunther Grass. I am a German Literature and Language graduate so that has made an impact, and I love reading about the period surrounding the Second World War and particularly the aftermath of the war in German society. I find all that so interesting.  I did my University dissertation on post war German cinema.  But the main reason I love The Tin Drum is because every page I read I’m thinking that I wish that I could write something as incredible as this.

What’s the first thing you notice about a person (whether you know them or not)?

I notice if they are friendly or not. I don’t like people who try to act cool. I like all the loveable idiots!

Is there anyone from your past that once told you you couldn’t write?

I don’t think anyone particularly encouraged me to write at school, so I probably didn’t show any promise, but I don’t remember anyone being so direct as to tell me I couldn’t write. I would say that my Dad has always encouraged me to write and was one of the first people to comment directly and positively to me about my blog.

How bloggers can benefit from blogs financially?
From what I’ve seen this only works if you specialise in a certain area that provides benefit to a customer. Business blogs seem to do well financially but personal blogs don’t seem to unless they are scandalous in some way and therefore attract a lot of traffic, advertisers or offers of publishing. I think it’s a bit of a myth to say that you can make your living by blogging. Few have managed it and I’m a little skeptical of the personal blogs that do. I tried advertising on the Misssives as an experiment last year and it was an utter waste of time.

Is it true that who has a successful blog has an awful lot of time on their hands?
I think there is an element of truth in that.  To get lots and lots of readers you almost need to approach your blog like a businessman. You would need to research the “marketplace”, see what “sells” and spend a lot of time and energy on promotion.  Yet in my area of blogging, which I suppose is personal blogging, there’s no need to do that. In fact, if getting thousands of readers reading your personal experiences for no money is so important to you, you should probably rethink your life a little!

However if you are happy with a decent amount of readers all you have to do is write well, keep the quality consistent, post regularly, be friendly in the comments box and visit and comment regularly on others’ blogs you like to read.  If you’re forcing yourself to do any of this and not particularly enjoying that aspect, then blogging really isn’t for you.

What role can bloggers of the world play to make this world more friendlier and less hostile?

I think they are already doing it. I “speak” to people around the world daily through writing and reading blogs.  You are also getting a glimpse into life around the world, which is a great thing. I also think that bloggers have an etiquette that is sometimes lacking in other areas of life. We are a very polite bunch, on the whole.  Anyone abusing or causing offence on most blogs are quickly shown the error of their ways.

Who are your top five favourite bloggers?

I have tons of favourites, to pick five is extremely hard and your readers should check out my blog side bar for my full list, but if you must, here are five great ones:

1. For political observation:  Mr Eugenides. http://mreugenides.blogspot.com/

2. For writing advice and writing inspiration: What Kate Did Next. http://katelordbrown.blogspot.com/

3. For a good laugh: Mommy Has a Headache http://mommyhasaheadache.blogspot.com/

4. For pathos and humour: Bete de Jour. http://betedejour.blogspot.com/

5. For an amazing ability to write consistently great posts on one subject area (infertility): Xbox for Nappy Rash. http://xbox4nappyrash.blogspot.com/

Is there one observation or column or post that has gotten the most powerful reaction from people?

I broke from Misssives tradition recently and did a serious post on obesity that really fired people up. I got an amazing amount of comments, yet it is one of my least favourite posts because it wasn’t really a Misssives style post.  However, I think sometimes the best posts are the ones that don’t do so well in terms of volume of comments.  Maybe if you’ve written well enough, there’s nothing for readers to add.  I could start a debate every day on the Misssives if I wanted to and get hundreds of comments, but I like telling funny stories instead. I’d much rather that people laughed out loud but said nothing in the comments box than write posts than provoking people charging to the comments box in a lather about something. Although I’m not saying I don’t like getting comments; quite the reverse. I just don’t blog in order to procure them.

What is your perception about Pakistan and its people?
I’ve never been to Pakistan but was very close to the border on a recent trip to Rajasthan to the point of being able to see over the border! My only direct experience of the people of Pakistan is through our quite substantial community of second and third generation Scottish Pakistanis who I grew up with when I was a kid and student in Glasgow. Pakistanis (and Indians) have added to the culture in Scotland in immeasurable ways.

Have you ever become stunned by the uniqueness of any blogger?

In the last year I have been amazed by the inspirational writer’s blog What Kate Did Next (http://katelordbrown.blogspot.com/). Like me, Kate is trying to get a book published and she writes about the writing process and gives readers inspiration and a forum to talk about writing issues. She is a fresh distinct voice in blogging and I marvel at her ability to post every two days with something fresh every time.

What is the most striking difference between a developed country and a developing country?

I think it’s all about realising how lucky you are. My time in India last year made me not take my lifestyle for granted. Unfortunately a lot of people in developed countries are a little too unaware of how charmed a life they lead. I hope my children will always remember some of the street kids they met in India and appreciate how lucky they are not to have  a daily struggle for survival.

What is the future of blogging?

I can only see blogging getting even more popular, but I don’t necessarily think that’s an altogether good thing. Certainly I’d love it if reading blogs became more accepted but the internet has already got a little crowded with quite a lot of detritus which seems to drag the reputation of blogging down.  Too many people set up blogs, run with them for few months and then get bored. If you use Stumble Upon or other search engines you’ll come across thousands or badly written blogs or thousands of abandoned blogs. Perhaps now that Twitter has taken off we’ll see less of that and the quality dedicated bloggers will remain and the public perception of blogging will change. I think blogging may turn more towards self publishing. We’re already seeing authors releasing chapters of their books on blogs. That’s exciting. Publishing is open to all that way, and the reader will be the judge of what’s good and what’s not rather than a celebrity obsessed publishing industry.

You have also got a blogging life, how has it directly affected both your personal and professional life?

Personally it has given me confidence in my writing.  I like the fact that when I meet friends I haven’t seen in a while that they comment on what I’ve been blogging about recently, although it does mean that they’ve already heard all my stories!

Professionally it has led to some opportunities.  I was recently asked to speak about blogging at a festival and as I’ve said I have a couple of writing projects that I am hoping will lead to a publishing deal. I also think my blog was in some way responsible for getting the opportunity to become a film critic on my local radio station for 18 months which was fun.

What are your future plans?

I am learning to write fiction. It’s something I have never really tried before, and I am trying a writing style which at the moment is alien to me. It is harder than you’d think! I am also considering working with someone to produce regular film review podcasts which I will link into the current blog, or a new one altogether. The Misssy M Misssives will continue to grow, I hope.

Any Message you want to give to the readers of The Pakistani Spectator?

In terms of blogging advice for readers thinking of starting a blog it would be this: when you start a blog don’t worry if you don’t seem to be getting any visitors or comments, keep doing it, keep the quality high, read other blogs, get involved in the blogging community and it will happen for you.

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