Seeking a wider audience

Why do I write this blog?

Quite simple really -because I love writing and what I love even more is that people out there are interested in reading my writing. Until blogging came along I didn't have a public forum for my thoughts.

I bemoaned the lack of Bicester bloggers in a recent post and that's still the case. But there is clearly a demand for it - the number of people reading my blog continues to escalate and I have people come up to me in the street and say things like "Hey - you're that blogger guy - you have a real way with words" or "have you ever considered writing professionally"?

Well - yes, I have, but I've never really given it any serious thought, considering it more as a hobby. But then I said that about DJ'ing which I dabbled in and out of for years, until suddenly realising there was a living to be made out of it - that I could do alongside being a full time dad - and the last four years I've been living the dream.

But it's never been my intention to DJ for a living forever. I read articles in the national dailies and weekend supplements by people and think I could do that. Couldn't I?

And then I got to thinking about those national papers and then our local papers and something very interesting dawned upon me - aside from the geographical considerations there is a huge difference between these two types of paper.

I'm going to use two newspapers, The Times and the Bicester Advertiser to illustrate my point. I've chosen The Times not to be elitist, but merely because it's the one I buy most often at the weekend and it's also the one to best illustrate my point - but really you could make the same point about any of the national dailies, with the possible exception of the red tops.

The Times at the weekend has the usual mix of news and sport and business that you would expect. However, what it also has are a number of columnists who write blog style articles week in week out in a light-hearted style on any subject they choose. It may touch on a current story of national interest e.g. the Jubilee or it may be a completely random observation on something they personally have been doing. Some have a theme e.g. Winners Dinners in the Sunday Times in which Michael Winner (love him or hate him) takes restaurants to task in his own unique way.

The point is - that all of these writers are writing to entertain, on subjects they feel inspired to write about. They frequently have me chuckling. In a nutshell, they are pretty much doing what I am doing on my blog but via the newspaper.

Now these columnists are well known, the likes of Hugo Rifkind, Caitlin Moran and the others have been writing these columns for years, but they all had to start somewhere.

I then got to thinking about local newspapers. I will use the Bicester Advertiser as my example as it's where we live, but my comments could again apply to any provincial newspaper. I can say this with some confidence as whenever I travel to different parts of the country I invariably pick up a local paper and they all pretty much follow the same format.

What the Bicester Advertiser does is to provide excellent coverage of what's going on in Bicester - news wise. If there's a big event happening - such as the Jubilee - they will promote it. If there is a major issue affecting the town's residents (I think back to the proposed asylum centre a few years ago) they will provide a forum for the residents to have their say and fight the issue if needed.

There is also a letter page where residents can write in on issues affecting them and have their say - I know because I have had letters published in it myself on a number of occasions.

But - what really stands out for me - the real difference between local and national papers is that they very much do concentrate on news reporting in an impartial way. Other than a small section giving an editorial view on one or two of the major issues, there is hardly any opinion and little writing designed to entertain. It is very much matter of fact news reporting. There are certainly no columnists such as the kind I love to read in the Times - and consequently nothing along the lines of what I write.

If a new restaurant opens - the paper may cover it and describe what the new venue offers. But nothing such as for example the review I wrote of Maba (1000+ hits) - purpose to inform AND entertain.

A new store opens - Aldi - again covered by the paper - but how much more entertaining would it have been to have "Bicester Blogger" go in and give his unique take on the place - as in my Aldi blog a week or two back?

So - why don't local papers have this kind of content? Maybe it is down to a lack of potential writers. Alternatively maybe it is a lack of courage on behalf of the powers that be at local papers to stray from the tried and trusted formula and let someone like me loose on their pages - lest I should offend. Still - that's what editors are for. And I am always extremely careful what I write - whereas some of it may seem very tongue in cheek I go out of my way not to libel anyone and to present my comments in a measured and well reasoned way. Maba were very happy with the review I wrote of them.

What do you think readers - would you be more likely to buy the Bicester Advertiser if you knew that "Bicester Blogger" was going to be in there every week? I think my page could be the most widely read in that paper.

If you do - please leave a comment below - not on facebook and if there is enough support I will email Sam McGregor at the paper a link to this page and who knows what might happen?

If you have enjoyed reading this blog, please take a look at my books on Amazon (Paperback & Kindle), where you can read lots more of the same! Click here.

Jason xx

NB: Apologies for lack of pictures - I was going to put up a front page from the Times and the Bicester Advertiser but I'm being careful as I'm well aware of issues of copyright infringement.