Vivien runs the popular site Inspiration Bit from Canada. Vivien also runs her own company VG Universe. Since starting Inspiration Bit in December of 2006, Vivien has been able to convert her new site to an increasingly popular destination for people who want to learn more about different kinds and techniques of inspiration for different things.

Vivien was one of the original supporters of RA Project since the opening day. You can find Vivien being mentioned regularly on this site as she is not only a good friend of RA Project but a good friend of the RA Project authors including myself.

Because of the way Vivien runs her site and the way she appreciates others online, I asked Vivien if she could answer a few questions related to reader appreciation. I am grateful that Vivien agreed. Here are 9 questions I asked Vivien, and the answers that she contributed to everyone including RA Project and the blogosphere. The person “Bes” asking the questions in this interview is me, by the way. But you already knew that, right?

Interview with Vivien - 9 questions & answers regarding inspiration, reader appreciation and more

1. Bes : Could you tell a bit about yourself and your site please? What are some of the needs of your readers?

   Vivien : I’ve been designing web sites since the early days of Web, the days of tiled backgrounds and animated GIFs, turning many “under construction” pages into the functioning web sites. I started teaching web design and programming in 1997, and was teaching pretty much full time until 2006, when I decided to concentrate more on building sites and working in a graphic design field rather than only teaching about it.

   In 2003 I started my own design studio VG Universe Design, and worked on clients’ projects from home. In 2005 my baby daughter was born and for the next 2 years I’ve been working from home. On Christmas of 2006 I launched my blog Inspiration Bit, and got hooked on blogging ever since. Currently I work full time as a Web Developer/Designer with eZ Systems during the day, freelance at home in the evenings, take care of my family and blog in-between.

   My blog Inspiration Bit is about all things that inspire us to learn. The site’s motto: “Knowledge comes from inspiration - one bit at a time“. My readers find learning fascinating, they love challenges, thought-provoking posts, inspiring design examples and stories. They are interested in anything from blogging to design to literature to history and in between.

2. Bes : How important is the concept of reader appreciation on your site? Can you share with us some of the things you have done or would like to do to appreciate your readers?

   Vivien : My readers are the inspiration for this blog. I crave the interaction and am always grateful for their comments and feedback. I try my best to reply to all their comments whenever I can. Some of my readers are now my friends who are very dear to me.

   I’ve participated in the first Reader Appreciation Week with hosting 5 different contests for my readers, with 4 non-monetary and one money prizes. I had to work extra hard that week but it was all well worth it in the end, it made my relationship with the readers even closer.

3. Bes : What do you think of the current state of reader appreciation in the online world? Are you satisfied or dissatisfied with it, or something else?

   Vivien : I would say it’s 70/30: 70% of the blogs I read and visit can do much better when it comes to their reader appreciation, while the other 30% of the blogs leave me in awe. I’m blown away with their involvement and grateful approach to their readers. It actually shows in the number, the quality and the tone of the comments those blogs receive.

   Sincerity works both ways: if you’re respectful and sincere with your readers, they pay you back with the same respect and sincerity.

4. Bes : You are also an Instructor/Teacher in the offline world. In your view, are there any similarities between appreciating readers online and appreciating students in your classroom?

   Vivien : Yes, indeed, there are many similarities between readers and students, teachers and bloggers. It doesn’t mean that all bloggers teach, nor does it mean that all readers treat blogs as online textbooks. However, if a blogger doesn’t look down to his/her readers, invites them to participate in discussions, accepts their feedback, gets back to them to continue the conversation, answer the questions, then that blogger becomes as well-respected and loved as the teacher who engages his/her students to contribute to the lectures and become a part of the team.

   This way both teachers and students, bloggers and readers benefit from such a healthy relationship. The blogger (teacher) knows his/her audience better, clarifies the direction of the blog (lecture), while the reader (student) enjoys every minute he/she spends on the blog (in class).

5. Bes : Are there any kinds of readers or commentors that you do not want on your site? E.g., disagreeing commentors, users who own gambling sites, etc.

   Vivien : Definitely no spamming, so gambling sites are not welcomed, unless that reader has a valuable comment to make that everyone (blogger and other readers) would benefit from. I’ve been fortunate with not having that many disagreeing commentors.

   I never had any negative comments on my blog (knock on wood), but I do respect everybody’s opinion, I welcome constructive criticism, I want to know what readers think on certain subject matters that I talk about on my blog, and if they disagree with me, I’m happy to find out their reasons and learn another side of the issue.

6. Bes : So all you focus on is the comment content, correct? Even if a commentor links to an objectionable site in their profile/commentor url or within the comment, as long as their comment is valid and has something useful in it, you will allow that reader to comment and participate on your site?

   Vivien : hmm…. I guess it does depend on the commentor’s URL, I don’t want to have any outgoing links to adult sites, or sites promoting violence. If I really like that commentor’s comment and it would contribute to the post, I will leave the comment but change or remove the offending URL

7. Bes : Have you ever been unappreciated on other sites or blogs, or by readers on your own site? What is your reaction to such experiences and people?

   Vivien : Of course, I’ve been unappreciated on other blogs, when my comments or questions remained unanswered. I either stop commenting on those blogs, or comment only to gain an extra exposure from that blog’s other readers. In other words I play the same game those bloggers play with their readers, if you know what I mean

8. Bes : In your view, can there be any situation where reader appreciation should be ignored on purpose?

   Vivien : Yes, when readers are attacking you for no reasons, when they start stalking you, when you see that no matter what you do, you can’t change or soften that reader’s opinion.

9. Bes : What advice would you give to both new and old bloggers related to appreciating readers?

   Vivien : Treat them the same way you want to be treated as a reader on other blogs.

Bes : Thank you for answering the questions Vivien.

Vivien : Thank you for this lovely interview

Interview Summary

Vivien exhibits a good example of how to appreciate others based on 2 main things: how one wants to be treated, and the quality of the comment content. Vivien’s answers also show how the online and the offline world, in the form of teaching and blogging respectively, can come together to create a better practice: appreciation for others. Appreciation in the online world is a concept many practice daily in the offline world, and thus a single aspect, respect, can motivate and inspire us to do variations of the same thing in the online world also.

Take special note of how Vivien treats comments from people who link to sites that can be considered objectionable by many: Vivien will not delete the comment if the comment is good, and instead may change the url to not point to a site she may consider objectionable. Thus, a step is taken to satisfy the needs of all involved parties: readers, commentors, and Vivien who is the blog owner.

Please let me know if you have any questions about this interview, or about anything discussed here. Here you can also ask Vivien questions, and she will be glad to answer them.

Don’t forget to read a case study about the ways Vivien appreciates others in a Brief Case Study on Inspiration Bit that I did before.

Thank you for reading.

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