I write my alumni ezine Jasper Jottings (http://www.jasperjottings.com) and each week I struggle to get it done on time, in the time “allotted”, and with a certain level of quality.
Up to now, I have just used email as THE communication tool. I email out the issue with the help of a Yahoo group after I post it on the website. I receive email from my fellow alums for inclusion.
Up to my laptop getting winrot and Microsoft Word 2003 stopped working, I’d just create the document and add to it every day.
I “budgeted” about 2 hours a day for Jasper Jottings. (That’s 14 hours per week for a hobby!) Some weeks I was better than others as on time, in time, and quality.
In the last year, at the readership’s requests, I spun “sports” to a blog. But didn’t do it very well. Recently, a reader didn’t want more obits. Also, the message traffic has dwindled to a trickle.
So my satisfaction is dwindling.
I did come up with an idea that would make it all better. A silver bullet!
Instead of my current methods, I need a new and improved method.
;-)
The weekly cycle is a problem. I’ve tinkered and pruned and noodled it around, but never came up with a breakthrough idea.
Till now!
What if I used a blog as my collection point? It has a lot going for it.
It would reduce my administrivia time. People could read it online, by email, or a feedreader. It would serve as a natural collection point for the weekly distribution. Sub topical feeds could allow that one reader to not subscribe to obits.
I’m working on the concept. But it seems to work for me.
Reinke Faces Life 