What next in 2017?

 

What will 2017 bring? If I knew the answer to that, I'd be a rich man. I can however, think out loud about how I'd like this blog to develop. Then you can tell me what you think and perhaps we'll come up with a plan. 

When people talk to me about this blog, the first thing they usually say is along the lines of, "How do you find the time to post every day?"

The answer is I don't know. I am proud of the daily posts but can find it hard to come up with the content required. If I've a project on the go then words are easy to find, but sometimes there are posts that I know are a bit thin, or a little random, but that's what I've got. I have a life, work to do and although my blogging is a spin-off of this, I like to try to keep content aimed at magazines off the web. It's not fair on those who have paid for it, and ultimately pay my wages, to give it away free. At least not in the first instance. 

This rule doesn't apply to model boats, but the resulting article will always be a far tighter and better balanced piece than the collection of blog posts that often act as a virtual notepad to remind me what I did over several months.

Of course this means I need to do stuff for print and stuff for me. That's no different from anyone else who has a job and makes models in their spare time, it's just that I sometimes feel it's all I do. This isn't always a bad thing - magazine readers are very conservative in the things they like to read about (Not GWR 1935? I NEVER want to read that sort of thing etc.) and I like odd-ball projects. They can go on the blog.

I have pondered on restricting posting to weekdays - it's when most of the readers arrive because they are bored at work and sat in front of a computer. Never underestimate the size of the "bored at work" audience, it's massive. For the moment, I'll try and do something at weekends, even if it is home to simpler and sometimes odder posts. 

Another thought is to include more news content. One aspect of MREmag I really enjoyed was the journalism. Getting out and seeing what was happening was great fun and I had the chance to meet up with some interesting people. The question is, on a budget of no money, can I do anything other than report what the manufacturers are saying when it's likely to be everywhere anyway? 

Reviews are another obvious inclusion. Trouble is, I don't buy very much RTR stuff and the more interesting kits and tools sent my way are intended for magazine consumption, so no on-line spoilers please! And I don't think anyone is going to send stuff to a blog like this (If any manufacturers want to prove me wrong, please feel free). There are a million people out there doing the same thing after all. 

Video is another area to look at, but I'm conscious of the production values I'd want to aim at, and the huge amount of time it takes to do a Vlog. I'm no Zoella and am pretty certain you aren't all 12 year old girls who spend all day watching videos on the web. That said, is there more I can do?

Perhaps there are people out there who would like to guest blog occasionally? If you fancy knocking out a couple of hundred words and a picture or two, I'm certainly interested. I could be a great way to plug your own blog, or just get something on-line with no commitment. 

Once thing I need to do is get more organised to achieve more. Taking a part-time job was a step along this path, it's already made me re-think my time management, something my editors will be delighted to hear! To be honest, more organisation generally needs to be a big part of 2017. I have too many part-finished projects along with a huge queue of models I'd like to build. 

For the minute, I'll keep blogging. There will be stuff made and some of it will go wrong as it always has done. Along the way, I hope to be entertaining and sometimes informative. If I'm not, well, you can have your entry fee back...