Anniversary

Today marks the one-year anniversary since starting this blog. Gotta tell ya, it’s been a helluva a great ride! And to think it was all influenced and started by Ardis and I watching a movie about cooking (Julie & Julia).

My goals, when I started writing this blog were simple. I wanted to regain, and perfect, my writing discipline. Check.

I wanted to write every day. Check (for the most part). The only day I missed was when my best friends’ father passed away. The three other days—well, I just messed up the switchology on the WordPress software.

I wanted to see if people would read what I wrote. Triple check. Last spring, I discovered there were about 400 to 600 folks reading my blog daily. Wow! Last month, the total number of visits to the blog was over 21,000.  I was suddenly gratified…and humbled.

I wondered if people from around the world would read my writing. Double-check. Another wow! Aviators and writers from all over the world checked in to read. Additionally, a long lost cousin living in Europe saw my blog and contacted me (hi, Lulu!).

I wanted to meet new people in the writing world as well in the aviation arena. Check and check. I have met many through the magical ‘trons of the Internet, but meeting a couple of other bloggers and their spouses over dinner one night in Sanford was particularly enjoyable (you know who you are!). And following Dave (down under) as he learned how to fly was principally insightful.

I wanted to take complex subjects and simplify them for my readers. Check. Yesterday for example, I covered the question of the left turning tendencies caused by spinning propellers. It immediately got an email response from Holly, who owns a Yak. He went on about how it takes left rudder (because the prop turns the wrong way!).

I wanted to develop my blog as a vehicle for advertising. Check. Have a look at the bottom of this post. This is one of the books we published and as these ads have shown, the sales have increased.

I wanted to write about flying, writing, publishing, and life in general. Check in all areas.

Ahhh!

Now that I have accomplished these goals, it is time to adjust.

Rather than posting on a daily basis, I am going to scale back a little, posting three to five times weekly. By posting less, I hope to write more, and more in depth, particularly in the areas of teaching flight theory and aviation history.

Now, as I move into the next level of the blogosphere, here are your instructions. Comment more, ask more questions, and send in your own guest column, if, as we say down South, you are of a mind… If it is good, I will edit it with you and run with it on the blog—with credit to you.

See ya Monday, I’m taking the weekend off.

-30-

©2011 J. Clark

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2 Responses to Anniversary

  1. Dave says:

    G’day there Joe

    Very interesting to hear about your blog journey over the last year! I’m happy to have been a part of it – likewise you have been a significant part of mine, as you know.

    I think it’s a very good move to scale back on the frequency. Having reached your goal of “blog daily”, I think it will be very interesting to see how your writing is affected (if at all) by focusing on fewer pieces.

    I’m looking forward to your future articles with great interest! Enjoy your weekend off.

    Cheers
    Dave

  2. Jeanne says:

    I’ve loved reading your blog over the past year and learning oh so much. The dinner in Sanford was one of my highlights of our first trip ever to Florida. Only regret it was much too short. I will miss the daily posts for sure but am excited for the writing possibilities especially with all your aviation knowledge that you can pass on to pilots and would be pilots. Have a wonderful weekend Joe!

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