The Interview Showcase #106 - Exclusive Talk with A South African writer/ Steem blogger

This week, I visited a nearby country in Africa and that was South Africa just to have interaction with @jaynie, I mean, that's where she is from. Jaynie is a professional writer and I think her middle name should be "art" because she is so passionate about arts. She owns two curation accounts that showcases some interesting or hidden contents in the blog. Today, she is here on my show....

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: Hi Jaynie, It's my pleasure to have you on the interview showcase program today, how would you describe yourself and how did you join steemit?

🔶Jaynie : Hi @Ubongudofot :) Many thanks for the invitation to join your show, it is my pleasure to chat with you! How would I describe myself? Hmmmm…. Just a girl who loves to write, draw, cook and spend my days barefoot in the garden. I was told about Steemit way back in 2017 by my eldest of three brothers who has been an avid crypto man for many years. He knew I loved to write so shared this space with me as he thought it would be a good fit for me to step into the crypto space.

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: How would you describe your experience on Steemit so far?

🔶Jaynie : Ever evolving is probably the best way I could describe it. I am grateful to have been here since close to inception and had the opportunity to travel the road of Steemit with all of it’s twists and turns - good and bad. My personal experience on Steemit has only ever been positive though - it provides people with such a wonderfully unique platform to explore the world of crypto as well as to express themselves and socialise with people from around the world.

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: What has been your biggest achievement since you joined the Steem ?

🔶Jaynie : Though she has passed on now, I would probably say that it was getting my mom involved here… and though she was a little technically challenged - I helped her along her way and the efforts she made here helped her enormously from a financial standpoint - the day she was able to buy herself a new fridge with her steem is a moment I will never forget. She was so ecstatic that her writing and sharing of her garden knowledge had actually gotten her out of a situation that her IRL money was not able to.

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: You just activated your activities on Steem not quit long, what pushed you out for such a long time?

🔶Jaynie : In a word? Hive. I do not speak about this very often (actually never) because the past is the past - but never in my life have I been exposed to such an absolutely TOXIC community of people… in fact, I don’t even feel comfortable calling them a community because they are more like a cult. I wish I had just come back to Steem straight away, but I actually just needed the break from ALL of it. I took that time to focus on my art and my family. Then I decided that I wanted to get back into writing and though I had not been around on Steem for a few years, I decided to dip my toes into the water and see if it was going to be anything like Hive, It isn’t. Thank goodness! I have never regretted my decision to come back here.

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: What would you do as a curator to improve our current contents in the ecosystem?

🔶Jaynie : I think the logistics can be a little overwhelming to many so I think encouragement is probably the best method to get things moving in a positive direction. Even the people who may initially come here to make a quick buck can be turned around if they are shown that there is actually so much more to be gained here - friendship, community and self expression - that probably being the biggest draw card. People do not need to create perfect, astounding content to be acknowledged. I think praising small efforts, which may be BIG efforts for them is a good start. When people feel like they are doing something right - they are inclined to want to do more of that. Brow beating people is NOT how you get the best out of them. Rules have a place, but they shouldn't feel like a dictatorship. Nobody wants to feel like they are stuck in a school classroom.

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: You write a lot of content on lifestyle, do you want to tell me why you choose this as your niche?

🔶Jaynie : I just like to share what is real to me. I need to be able to relate to the content which I write about - and my hobbies are the things I love. I have also long since been known to write a lot of emotionally driven content too - and that, I suppose you could say is my approach to personal healing.

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: What has been your most successful post?

🔶Jaynie : Actually it was one of my very first posts and I think it was called “Calculators and Crypto” - I think I wrote it just a few months after joining Steemit. It was a story about my family and crypto and at the time I think the value of earnings was something like $350 I cannot remember exactly, but it was huge and I was totally blown away.

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: Why do you think it was appealing?

🔶Jaynie : I suppose it was the bridge drawn with the story - connecting the past with the present - old school and new school, as I spoke quite a bit about my dads growing up years and how he has literally crossed the line of generations yet he still manages to keep very “in the know” with the crypto world. I suppose it made the story relatable.

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: Could you describe your writing process, from concept to publishing..?

🔶Jaynie : 😂 Process?! I don’t have one. I just write! Like I said, I need to connect with what I am writing about, so that is why I write about stuff which comes naturally to me because that allows me to write in an expressive manner which is also authentic.

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: How do you attract new readers to your blog?

I am not always very good at this, as my time is so thinly stretched in so many areas and facets already, but I really enjoy connecting with others on the platform and reaching out through their content - not my own. This creates a natural tendency for people to explore your blog and it is a method which generally sparks natural connection - if you have already conversed with someone and you both found the engagement interesting or entertaining then you are likely to go and see what they write about and chances are - that would appeal to you too - so its a positive development on both sides..

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: Apart from the steem world , is writing part of your real life professional skills or just your hobby?

🔶Jaynie : It has been both. I used to write semi-professionally as I wrote many articles and edited for magazines which I was the editor for some years ago. But mostly, I would say it is a passion.

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: Do you think there are some areas in which users needs to work on in other to produce more quality content in the steemit ecosystem?

🔶Jaynie : I think people should worry less about that. Just write. Be yourself and allow your natural personality shine through. Authenticity holds a lot more value than professionalism. Besides, professionalism in writing is a skill set you can learn should you wish to - authenticity cannot be taught.

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: What's your advice to users for a better growth?

🔶Jaynie : I would say precisely as I just said in the above answer. Write about things which means something to you. Be yourself. Don’t be afraid of making mistakes or what people will think of you. Just allow yourself to explore the wonderful world of expression through writing. Make an effort to get to know other people - but do it genuinely. When you connect with people who you enjoy the company of, you will naturally lift one another up.

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: Who is your favorite writer in the real world?

🔶Jaynie : I am definitely more of a non-fiction reader and Dr. Wayne W Dyer is definitely my favourite author.

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: Whose blog do you enjoy reading on Steem?

🔶Jaynie : There are so many fabulous writers and creatives here - but to name a handful - @denmarkguy, @soulfuldreamer, @event-horizon and @nainaztengra would definitely be some of my first picks.

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: If I were to visit South Africa which I would be coming for a special solar installation very soon, which relaxation spot will you suggest for me and why?

🔶Jaynie : You have to come to Hermanus! It is a gorgeous little seaside town with nothing but natural beauty and great vibes!

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: Which South African circular song was popular during your childhood?

🔶Jaynie : Honestly, I have absolutely no idea! Haha! I liked a LOT of music.

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