I have been reflecting on why I blog and do my YouTube
videos. This self-reflection has come about because of a change in life, from
working to retired; and as a result of comments received on FaceBook, blog and YouTube
channel.
So, here I am with a blog and video channel that started way
back in 2009 and some reflections on the six great questions: ‘why, where, when, who, how and what?’
Not necessarily about to be taken in that order by the way!
Why and what am I blogging and vlogging?
Because I wanted to have a written and visual diary of my
trips; something that I could look back on in later years and that siblings
scattered across the world (at that time) could dip into. To keep them in touch with me and something
for Mum and Dad to follow so they could see I was trying to live life to the
full as they have always encouraged me to do.
Over the years I have tried to write in a way that captures
the excitement, frustrations, mistakes and essence of building one’s own boat and
then learning to sail it. I am not, nor will I ever be, as proficient a sailor,
writer or videographer as I am expeditioner. But I am happy in what I do in
Arwen and I try to learn new things and keep myself and those around me safe. Whether I have been successful in the way I write or vlog to myself, I don't know but I have some doubts if I were truthful.
Whilst writing and vlogging for personal fulfilment, I have
been surprised over the years about the benefits that have arisen from it. I
have become part of an online community of friends and acquaintances and I am always
genuinely surprised that there are people who subscribe to my blog and channel.
But now, I have come to realise that perhaps my blog and
channel need to be worked on. Do they
need to be much better than they are, if people around the world have taken the
trouble to subscribe to both; to invest their precious time in viewing and
reading about my adventures?
If the answer to this question is yes, what happens next? Do
I intentionally set out to grow the blog and channel by trying to focus my
writing entirely on sailing; by improving how I write and video? If so, what do
I possibly have to contribute that is of use to anyone? Far from an expert on
anything, my naivety and lack of experience in dinghy cruising is there for all
to see.
Or, do I keep firmly to my original purpose – to inform
family and friends but at same time to try and be a source of inspiration to
others; to encourage some to follow my journey of building a boat, sailing it,
enjoying the wonderous outdoors, meeting like-minded people – hoping that they
do it better than me!
And then there is the issue of money!
I have noticed that many bloggers have monetized their
blogs. They write to earn money and I am fine with that. Good luck to them. I
hope they succeed. I admire that entrepreneurial spirit.
I have never gone down that road. I write for personal
pleasure and self-reflection. I have never intentionally promoted a product or
service. I have on occasions commented on equipment I have bought or been given
as presents and then really only to sum up what I liked or disliked about it. I
will acknowledge and thank people whose services I have used. I refrain from
negative comments or criticisms and on the whole, try to be as self-deprecatory
as possible. (I am always amazed at how
skilful people are and how really dim I am by comparison but as I age I become
more comfortable with the fact that I am basically ‘nice, but dim’ and I am OK with that).
And so, to the how.
How do I blog and vlog?
Well I use blogger and YouTube and have done so very
successfully. But now I am considering whether it is time to switch to
WordPress and to buying a web domain and hosting service. This point links back
to the previous one about money I guess.
I have no control over Blogger. Google could take it away at
any moment. I can’t see why, but it is a possibility. Although I save each web
page, to lose all my diary archive material and videos would be personally
tragic to me. The saved pages aren’t the same. The videos on YouTube, less
traumatic – I have each one. It would be a case of reloading them but then why
bother if they are only for me? Is it back to my sense of ‘obligation’ to those
who took the trouble to subscribe and stay with me through the years? I assume
they subscribe because they find something in them which interests, attracts
them. Over the years their comments and on-line friendships have become valued
to me; I welcome and value their advice and constructive comments. They have
helped me improve. So, what do I need to give back to them?
Or is YouTube just a convenient way of storing and accessing
from anywhere my videos so I can watch and learn from them? It saves carrying a
hard drive around. If I was technically a little savvier I could just save them
to a google cloud account I guess. Maybe I will investigate this further.
I could start paying out money for a WordPress site and
website hosting annually. But why would I bother doing this? I guess it arises
from a concern over losing blogger as previously mentioned; and another concern
that I have expressed before. I blog posts on my world travels, Dartmoor,
dinghy cruising, caravanning, daily life and I find it confusing. I want a
sense of order to my on-line diary; discrete sections where I can post videos,
photos and blog diary extracts more easily, in higher quality. It is a memory
issue. Mine was always useless, as all my students would testify to; and it is
getting worse, far worse. (Family and friends are beginning to notice more and
more. I have, already since I retired,
lost the car in a car park on eight occasions; as in can’t remember WHICH car
park, or level! On the plus side – I know EVERY city centre car park really,
really well!)
I think a new website front with discrete menu headings
would help me. Anyway, lots more reflection to do on this point. Blogger serves
me well and I don’t just want to abandon it without good reason. I don’t want
to inconvenience those who subscribe to it; who have made comments through the
years that have helped me so much.
How about monetizing the blog?
If I start to pay out, do I need to start thinking about
monetizing the blog? The very thought really repels me. At its simplest level,
it could be affiliated with Amazon. If I write about a product and provide a
link to Amazon for said product and then someone purchases it off that site, I
get a certain %. They don’t start paying out until you reach £25 I think. I’d
never make much but would it be enough to pay for the WordPress and hosting
costs annually? Doubtful if I’d ever reach the £25 threshold, since I rarely
comment on products. It has only ever been now and then. But, I could do it. I
come from a reviewing background. But could I post a negative review? I have
always tried to see the positivity in everything…..tricky! And in addition,
would what I say be of any value to anyone anyway? And is there a line crossed
philosophically?
Should content change? Back to the what and when!
In reflecting, I have started to think more about content.
After 9 years, I have failed miserably at developing any style or format to
either blog, my writing or YouTube channel videos. I blog on an ‘ad hoc’ basis,
whenever the I feel the need to record something. There is no specific time.
Place, experiences and mood often influence when I write, post, vlog. I usually
ramble because I don’t pre-plan it! Up until now it hasn’t worried me because I
selfishly do it all for myself, family and close friends. But what about those
who subscribe to both blog and YouTube? Are subscribers not entitled to
something better; that shows improvement over time if they have invested time
watching it and commenting on it? If it is personal and for me, should they
feel entitled to want and expect something better? Do they have a right to expect me to post
more regularly within a set routine? I don’t know but I feel I ought to
consider these issues.
I have tried to record my fascination with the appeal of
dinghy cruising; and my ‘development’ journey as an amateur boat builder and
fledging dinghy sailor. I’ve tried to record my sense of awe and wonder about
places and people I have been to or met through description; to jot down the
‘funny’ side of experiences I have had, especially those where, as normal, I
confirmed my self-belief that deep down I’m an idiot! Snapshots, photos,
captions recording things I have done, places I visited. A record, something I
can look back on when I am old and unable to move. A portfolio of wonderful,
and at times, not so wonderful memories……people, places, personal growth,
friends, family, trials, achievements, tribulations. I guess that one thing I have consciously
tried to do is actively to promote Plymouth and Dartmoor; and the coastal
communities of our SW coast. But now, other topics tug at me….caravanning,
walking and cycling, travelling. Do I start to include these in my online
journals?
So here I am, 55, early retired after 35 years of teaching
and educational consultancy; married to an extraordinary woman and father to
two amazing children.
My dream?
To be a good father, son, brother, uncle, husband and friend.
To travel more, to meet more people, particularly those who I have developed
friendships with over the internet; to grow older gracefully but keeping that
youthful thirst for knowledge and adventure and curiosity that so many of my
students and colleagues have instilled in me over the years; to find some new
purpose in which I can give something back to my local community, who over the
years have given so much to me. To keep an open mind, to be quick to question
but slow to judge. To value all the people that I encounter on the way. It’s a
work in progress, prone to lots of slippage on my part, but I do try to
generally head in the positive direction. And I need this to influence what I do now on blog and vlog in the future.
And so the future of the blog and YouTube channel?
I think it is time to pay for my personal pleasure of blogging
and vlogging; to better organise myself and my writing. It is time to learn new
skills; how to write better for myself and for those who invest time in reading
and viewing what I produce on-line. I want to learn how to write creatively,
with skill, brevity, passion and insight - mainly for personal satisfactions
sake. I find joy in writing for myself, whatever the inadequacies of this
writing are. But I remain very aware of my deficiencies on this front. I need
to embark on a journey of self-improvement on this aspect of my life.
I am slowly leaning towards switching across to WordPress
but running two sites concurrently. Arwen’s blog will continue. A new one on
travelling, caravanning and family will emerge. I may or may not use the same
website to access both. I need to research this further. I will need to consult
the IT guru, ’her-indoors’. I have
always suspected she has had some ‘long time
but undisclosed expertise’ in this area of web design! She always has down
played her skills!
As to the videos? I am, by nature, a visual person. I use
the most basic of camera equipment and good old movie maker. I will never be a Matt
Baker, Reggie Yates or John Craven, nor could I ever be. I’m no Dylan Winter
either. I have nothing of value to say to people. So, for now, I will keep to
this theme. My videos are a conversation
with my older self…….me talking to my 80 year old self, reminding him of
what I did, where I went, what an idiot I was.
But out of self-development, I really ought to try and
improve their quality, in content and post production. I may have to grapple
with some video editing software and I know this is really, really going to
pain me greatly!
And, where subscribers do comment or ask questions, then I
will do my best to answer them. My ‘comment conversations’ with subscribers and
members of the various forums I belong to, have been, without a doubt, one of
the very best bits of this nine-year video/blog diary. It’s that learning
thing……. I never want to tire of learning new things or hearing other peoples’
viewpoints and perspectives…. So many of them, whether they have known it or
not, have enriched my life each day.
And I guess, this leaves me at this point wanting to say one last thing.....................
Thank you. Thank you to those of you who have taken the
time to comment or contact me over the years on my blog, channel and in the
forum groups, who were kind enough to accept me. I really value your
perspectives, advice and on-line friendships and acquaintances. I hope they will long continue.
