The Big Plan
Okay, so things have gone pretty darn well.
On a budget of 10 dollars a year, plus shipping costs, I have built this little site. You have all helped out a lot. But I want to make sure I have the best content out there. I can't offer you flashy graphics or Pulitzer Prize winning photograph or even speel check (that one was on purpose). I can, however, make sure that what you read is reliable, knowledgeable, and systematic. I do lots of research before posting stuff and I have had scoring systems in the works since the site started, only a few of which have been implemented. I would like to cover more stuff, but I don't have the knowledge base to cover certain things. There are five areas I would like to have some help covering: bags, watches, jackets, electronics, and pens.
Bags are really difficult to test. You can only use one at a time and even then it is pushing it. Weather impacts a lot of bag testing and I can't very well hike 5-10 miles with a three year old in the snow. I can always use a briefcase, but there are certain things I have no knowledge, time, or experience to test. I'd love someone to help out testing and reviewing bags. The scoring system is all done, but I need another person to help keep the volume up.
As much as I try I cannot seem to penetrate the complexities of the watch business. I would love to understand all of the ins and outs of horology, but I can't seem to do it. I need someone that knows this stuff cold and willing to write about it. I need someone to cover watches because I am interested in watches and I think you are too. If someone could develop a 20 point scale for watches and implement it, I'd love to add those products to the stable of reviews.
I'd also like someone that is knowledgeable about outerwear. I have tried, really I have, but I can't seem to motivate myself to think about jackets all that much. My research putters out and I end up defaulting to: GOOGLE TAD GEAR JACKETS. I know they make great stuff, but I wish I knew how to distinguish between their stuff and Kuhl stuff, as an example of another high end maker. We all wear jackets every day or most days in the winter and having that information would be awesome.
If I could I'd like to also have someone that covers electronics (phones, earpieces, and cameras) from an EDC perspective. There are a million tech blogs out there. I don't want that. I want someone to talk about how these devices are used and how they work in day to day life. I don't care if they have the newest processor. I'd rather know how they hold up, how good they are at multitasking in real life, and how they can be made more useful through accessories and apps. Just as I don't go crazy with the integrating spheres and runtime plots on flashlights, I'd like someone to knowledgeably cover phones for the site. I hope this person would also be able to write intelligently about apps and accessories for these phones.
I have stretched a lot to learn about pens and I have glad I did, but it'd be awfully nice to have someone with more knowledge and experience than me reviewing pens and writing about them. I know there are folks out there.
Aside from specific areas where I am lacking, I'd like to have someone else to help out with product reviews. As you have probably noticed, for the past few months it has been almost all reviews all the time and I like that, but I still have a backlog. I'd love for someone with good writing skills to help out and process some of the products for review.
In the end the problem is one of money. I have 10 dollars a year to spend on the site. The URL costs 10 dollars. That means the writers, the Bags and Packs Editor, Watch Editor, the Outerwear Editor, and the Pen Editor would have to work for the same amount I do: zero. This is not an entirely unfun situation though, even if you don't get a dime. You get to handle a bunch of stuff. You will get a ton of packages. You get sneak peeks at new stuff. And, let's face it, using and writing about gear is fun. I have a video camera and a still camera to give away, so that might help you start doing reviews. Additionally, if you write for the site, it would be easy to have you float on to the podcast whenever. But the pay is still zero.
Here are the specific requirements:
1. A distinctive voice (be yourself, unless your boring, then be someone interesting)
2. Knowledge about gear in general or specific topics mentioned above
3. Ability to write an article a week (including choosing the topic), formatted in the Blogger format (I want to cut the HMTL out of an email and paste into an open Blogger window, no editing or hunting for pictures).
4. A legit address, PayPal account, and email address
5. A Skype account
6. Knowledge of the Everyday Commentary scoring systems and/or development of a new system for a different category of products
7. Prior writing experience is a plus
8. Experience or connections in the industry a plus
If this sounds like a good idea, send me an email with a 1000 word article in the HTML Blogger in it. I will probably just pick one person to start out, but eventually, I'd like to have folks writing in each of the areas outlined above.
everydaycommentary at gmail dot com (in the usual format).
On a budget of 10 dollars a year, plus shipping costs, I have built this little site. You have all helped out a lot. But I want to make sure I have the best content out there. I can't offer you flashy graphics or Pulitzer Prize winning photograph or even speel check (that one was on purpose). I can, however, make sure that what you read is reliable, knowledgeable, and systematic. I do lots of research before posting stuff and I have had scoring systems in the works since the site started, only a few of which have been implemented. I would like to cover more stuff, but I don't have the knowledge base to cover certain things. There are five areas I would like to have some help covering: bags, watches, jackets, electronics, and pens.
Bags are really difficult to test. You can only use one at a time and even then it is pushing it. Weather impacts a lot of bag testing and I can't very well hike 5-10 miles with a three year old in the snow. I can always use a briefcase, but there are certain things I have no knowledge, time, or experience to test. I'd love someone to help out testing and reviewing bags. The scoring system is all done, but I need another person to help keep the volume up.
As much as I try I cannot seem to penetrate the complexities of the watch business. I would love to understand all of the ins and outs of horology, but I can't seem to do it. I need someone that knows this stuff cold and willing to write about it. I need someone to cover watches because I am interested in watches and I think you are too. If someone could develop a 20 point scale for watches and implement it, I'd love to add those products to the stable of reviews.
I'd also like someone that is knowledgeable about outerwear. I have tried, really I have, but I can't seem to motivate myself to think about jackets all that much. My research putters out and I end up defaulting to: GOOGLE TAD GEAR JACKETS. I know they make great stuff, but I wish I knew how to distinguish between their stuff and Kuhl stuff, as an example of another high end maker. We all wear jackets every day or most days in the winter and having that information would be awesome.
If I could I'd like to also have someone that covers electronics (phones, earpieces, and cameras) from an EDC perspective. There are a million tech blogs out there. I don't want that. I want someone to talk about how these devices are used and how they work in day to day life. I don't care if they have the newest processor. I'd rather know how they hold up, how good they are at multitasking in real life, and how they can be made more useful through accessories and apps. Just as I don't go crazy with the integrating spheres and runtime plots on flashlights, I'd like someone to knowledgeably cover phones for the site. I hope this person would also be able to write intelligently about apps and accessories for these phones.
I have stretched a lot to learn about pens and I have glad I did, but it'd be awfully nice to have someone with more knowledge and experience than me reviewing pens and writing about them. I know there are folks out there.
Aside from specific areas where I am lacking, I'd like to have someone else to help out with product reviews. As you have probably noticed, for the past few months it has been almost all reviews all the time and I like that, but I still have a backlog. I'd love for someone with good writing skills to help out and process some of the products for review.
In the end the problem is one of money. I have 10 dollars a year to spend on the site. The URL costs 10 dollars. That means the writers, the Bags and Packs Editor, Watch Editor, the Outerwear Editor, and the Pen Editor would have to work for the same amount I do: zero. This is not an entirely unfun situation though, even if you don't get a dime. You get to handle a bunch of stuff. You will get a ton of packages. You get sneak peeks at new stuff. And, let's face it, using and writing about gear is fun. I have a video camera and a still camera to give away, so that might help you start doing reviews. Additionally, if you write for the site, it would be easy to have you float on to the podcast whenever. But the pay is still zero.
Here are the specific requirements:
1. A distinctive voice (be yourself, unless your boring, then be someone interesting)
2. Knowledge about gear in general or specific topics mentioned above
3. Ability to write an article a week (including choosing the topic), formatted in the Blogger format (I want to cut the HMTL out of an email and paste into an open Blogger window, no editing or hunting for pictures).
4. A legit address, PayPal account, and email address
5. A Skype account
6. Knowledge of the Everyday Commentary scoring systems and/or development of a new system for a different category of products
7. Prior writing experience is a plus
8. Experience or connections in the industry a plus
If this sounds like a good idea, send me an email with a 1000 word article in the HTML Blogger in it. I will probably just pick one person to start out, but eventually, I'd like to have folks writing in each of the areas outlined above.
everydaycommentary at gmail dot com (in the usual format).