4 (+ 1) Questions Bloggers Ask Me All The Time

Below are four questions new and seasoned bloggers ask me about PagesbyIke and my blogging experience. Come to think about it, readers ask question #1 all the time. Hmm, what are they all trying to say? 

#1 "Where do you get your ideas from?" (What they are really asking is, "Do you think, somehow, someway, you might be a nutcase?)

Lol! Well, yes. I've always been a little nutty but who isn't, right? *hollow empty silence*. I guess it's just me then. Anyway, I believe I get my ideas when I am still, when I'm not fidgety and when I have peace with God and peeps. They just come at me and slap me in the face. Wet slaps in the shower, while driving. Anywhere.

Tip: Create Me-time. Clean your heart out. You need creative space and peace to channel your energy.

#2 "Where do you get your photos?"

I use photographs from stock photo sites such as unsplash.com and pixabay.com. My husband, Ed takes some photos and I do some photography as well. I also work with David Bragdon who is a great photographer and always makes shoots too fun!

Tip: Buy a camera. Just do it. Return those Ted Baker shoes and buy a camera.

#3 "Ike,*sigh* how do I start my blog?"

Just write. That's what my husband tells me. It's the best advice anyone could ever give you. Don't get boggled down by the logistics and site-hosts, just write. There are many pretty blogs no one reads. Content, however, is to live and die for!

Tip: After reading this, write 5 posts, 300 words each about 5 independent situations that interest you! Do it, yes you can! Yes, you can!

#4 "What if people judge me?"

When I started blogging, my friend said to me, 'You are about to open yourself up to a lot of scrutiny, people will do screen shots of your writing, take you and your literal work apart literally." He asked if I was ok with that. I sighed. I am a very private person you see, so it was a hard pill to swallow but I did anyway with some chilled mango juice. Swallowed it. You have to be willing to accept that side of the job. It's kind of a work-hazard, if you know what I mean. I've had a few run-ins with critics but I can assure you, those who you reach and serve through your writing are far more important and rewarding than any critic.

Tip #1: Say with me "Judgement is sexy!"

Tip #2: Keep improving your writing skills. Don't ever stop!

#5 Whenever you refer to someone as "my friend" in a blog post, are you really talking about yourself?

Haha! Always my friend and I always get permission too. I won't publish until I get permission to use their story, as a rule.

Tip: When your friends agree to their story being used on your platform, let them choose their pseudonyms! Fun.

Do you have any questions for this blogger? Do you need tips for your blog launch? Someone needs to have a blog-launch party and invite us, please! I hope this post helped you. Please remember to share!

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How to Make Eye-Contact without Getting Kissed

Making eye contact during a conversation increases the quality of your conversation by at least a hundred percent. It's one of the most powerful non-physical connections we, as living beings, could have. People who are able to make eye contact, are seen as confident, trustworthy, interesting, (as well as interested) and they are generally perceived as amicable. Now, it’s not the easiest feat, this eye-contact business. It takes a lot of conscious determination and practice, for those who are working their way to adopting it into their lifestyle.

I remember when I was learning to maintain eye contact during conversations, i would look into the person's eyes for as long as i can, then give my eyes a break by letting my eyes fall lazily to the person's lips and i'd watch the person's mouth move as they spoke, then look back into the person's eyes..........whatever you do, do not use that technique ever! One day, i was talking with this guy and i kept doing that eye-lip stare, the next thing i know, he's leaning in to kiss me! I guess i should have expected it. I probably also had plastered on my lips a default zoned-out smile. Smiling at another person's lips with a smile and a distant look is like waving a Fuschia flag, yelling 'Kiss me'.

Since then, I've tried to maintain just the eye contact, no more lazy eye-lip glares. Making eye contact and maintaining it makes conversations more personal and engaging, enabling both parties to benefit from the conversation maximally. That's what you want, beneficial conversations....... not kiss-attacks! Below are some tips that helped me learn to maintain eye-contact, hope it helps!

• Put away the phone, that's number one! It wasn't number one a decade ago but it is now. Eye contact with your phone during a conversation isn't pleasant.
• Look straight into the person's eyes, whether a cashier, interviewer, friend, until you notice the person's eye color and then say to yourself, 'Her eyes are green!' Remain in that space for as long as you can, while listening, break the eye contact for a split second by looking at something else (not the lips), then look back into her eyes.
• Also you might want to avoid complimenting the person's eyes unless you are trying to get kissed with that as well! Gosh, the mistakes I've made!
• I've found that giving a firm handshake at the beginning and leading the conversation or at least being active in the conversation works with maintaining attention and eye-contact.

Try these out and in no time, you'll be staring everyone out of this galaxy! Try not to stare too hard though. It gets creepy after a while. Umm, and remember to blink.
How well do you maintain eye-contact? Do your eyes wander all over the person's face? Please comment below! Commenting just got easier!

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