Tuesday, 14 February 2017

A dilemma

retirement is on the horizon, somewhere, a distant glimmer. And with it comes the hopes and aspirations of lots of travelling with 'her indoors' .
We intent crossing continents, reaching far flung destinations, going off grid and and off track. It is our kinda thing.
Then there is 'Stacey' our vintage motovespa. A few long trips are planned for her across the U.K. And how could I forget 'Arwen' my beloved boat, built by my own hands and many people I love....all her voyages to come as we camp cruise our way across southern England and tour other U.K. Coastlines and lakes.

Which raises a dilemma. I think I need to change my blog format to something more versatile. Something with headings and different page sections so that subscribers can link into the pages that suit them rather than suffer topics of no interest to them at all.

So do I change blog platforms? Do I stay with blogger but change to a more dynamic template? Do I download a new free blogger template? Will it risk losing all the current blog content? Do I stay with what I like, trust and know and just let readers decide whether to read it or not? Will my current subscribers get fed up of non sailing content?

It has never been about blog numbers....those who join me and Arwen on our voyages are most welcome and distance internet friendships and aquaitences have ensued which I deeply value. A sort of Internet family........

So the dilemma........any blog subscribers who have a view, do please comment. What you like, dislike about current blog format (rather than content for the moment), whether you can put up with more varied content in the future or would prefer it to be just about Arwen and our voyages; whether you would prefer a different format with headings to gain easier access to differing blog content.

As always,  constructive comment is greatly welcomed

Steve 
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9 comments:

  1. Steve-the-Wargamer14 February 2017 at 13:00

    I have/had the same problem as I have two main interests that are widely divergent, and I can't expect people interested in one to be interested in the other as well.. in fact I know of only one other chap who has the same two interests! My solution was simply to start a new blog for one of the interests and put all the content there.. no need to lose previous content.. just do an export of your blog, import it to the new one, and delete any posts that don't apply..

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  2. steve14 February 2017 at 21:16

    Actually that is a good possible solution
    Thanks Steve
    You well and busy?

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  3. Steve-the-Wargamer15 February 2017 at 07:18

    Hi Steve -- good thanks, and far too busy to be honest... scrounging minutes and hours when I could be doing with days to catch up on the "good stuff".. I'm also fighting the usual start of year, cold and dark induced, lethargy to stir my stumps and get Sparrow ship shape for the summer! :o)

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  4. steve15 February 2017 at 08:41

    I saw the first glimmers of light on eastern horizon last week. I start my school day at 6.30am at my desk and it was good to see spring is on its way and the lighter hours. Haven't done much to poor Arwen. She lies neglected on the driveway and she will have to wait until Easter time when hopefully we will get out on the water. Roll on the next seven weeks! 😉

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  5. robert.ditterich16 February 2017 at 09:30

    I think there is room within a blog for a more than one dimensional life. I take the view that I write mainly as a journal of the things that enthuse me at any given time- and I want to have broad interests and endless curiosities. I'm aware that there are readers who are just searching for stuff that will enable their current obsession- i.e. boat building etc. I'm also aware that there is an almost audible hurumph when I post book reviews and other stuff, but they, for example, are just a terrific way for me to be in the habit of forming opinions and communicating verbally, so I just do it for me, and it seems that most readers still tune in quickly and move on....but that is OK.
    You could include a subtitle to your blog; Arwen's Meanderings
    and Musings from Plymouth

    Just a thought.

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  6. robert.ditterich16 February 2017 at 10:56

    I just wrote a bit of an essay here, but lost connection for a split second and lost the lot. Suffice to say I think a blog benefits from being more than a one dimensional journal. Maybe give your blog a new sub-heading to cover the possible breadth....ie
    Arwen's Meanderings
    and Other Musings from Plymouth
    or some such. Good luck!

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  7. steve16 February 2017 at 16:46

    hi Robert. I am sort of leaning that way I think. what i cant quite decide is whether to just keep it as it is and alter the heading as you suggest or update the template to give me more versatility with more headings. Hopeless at decision making, absolutely hopeless!

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  8. Anonymous18 February 2017 at 12:12

    Hi Steve, I've been silently following you (as I am sure many other do) for a while now. Have to say that your blog has rekindled my interest in sailing, so thanks for that. But have to agree with others that there is a lot of value in including a wider content which puts the boaty activities into context. As long as articles are well headed and tagged readers can have the choice of including everything or filtering to their own taste. Hope that helps.
    Having said that I have two blogs one of which is multi-subject, the other just about a boat restoration - but then I'm not very disciplined and don't update either very often!

    Bob

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  9. steve19 February 2017 at 18:10

    Thanks Bob. Useful comment, appreciated. I am leaning towards new blog template with multiple headings so people can select what they read but I will continue to muse on it. I also think that the blog looks a little old now for the 21st century

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Thanks for taking a look at my blog. All comments and advice are welcome - drop me a few lines. You can always find videos about Arwen at www.youtube.com/c/plymouthwelshboy. Look forward to hearing from you.
Steve