THE LEARNING PROCESS
Here at Lightning in a Bottle, we pay attention to those that have come before us and succeeded, and we learn from them, taking everything we can from them and using it to give you the best product possible.
It is with this in mind that I think back to the Seinfeld Episode when Kramer finds the set from the old Merv Griffin Show in the dumpster and transforms his room into the show. This is an absolutely brilliant episode, and also draws some stunning parallels to the Bolt. Kramer recreates the Merv Griffin show really with minimal expectations of it reaching anyone, to present something informative and entertaining to himself and his friends. And, if something were to happen that would enable it to be spread further outward, I'm sure he would have jumped on the opportunity, as it didn't look good for him ending his strike from the bagel place he worked at. After some time doing the show, Kramer realized it was time for a change. Even though there wasn't really much of an audience, doesn't mean he couldn't bring them the best product. When something gets stale, you do what you can to freshen it. He chose to get more edgy, modernize Merv Griffin with a touch of Jerry Springer.
WHAT I'VE LEARNED
Here at the Bolt, we know our audience isn't wide and our chances at success are minimal, but that doesn't mean you don't deserve the best. So it is in the mold of Kramer's Merv Griffin Show that we announce that The Bolt will be shutting down, while we consider its future aspirations. I did greatly enjoy briging my opinion on sports to whoever was willing to read it and I learned a lot about how I feel about sportswriting. Here is a synopsis:
1. I do love writing about sports in general. I would like to continue to try to do it.
2. Writing a blog where you are responsible for constant content daily, where you don't get paid, thus have to work full time at another job is difficult.
3. Along those lines, if you are responsible for constant content, you lose the ability to produce the researched, well-thought out, poignant, intellegent type of commentary that it what you really wish to be able to express. There is not enough time, and you end up getting very, very few articles like that, and a lot of just whatever you can scribble down in time.
4. The Dog Days of Summer provide very little to write about sports-wise. I love baseball, but without strictly becoming a specifically concentrated baseball blog or a team-oriented blog, what are you supposed to write about? (I know the trade-deadline, but that's it)
5. It is very difficult to increase readership.
Those are five observations that I have made. There are more that I can express if I think of them. I'll definitely come back to check on you guys during renovations.
THE NEW AND IMPROVED BOLT
Based on these observations, I've developed the following plan of action.
1. Close down the blog for now. The scheduled reopening will be late August or early September. It will correspond with a fertile time in the baseball season, story-wise, as well as the beginning of the NFL and College Football Seasons, with Hockey and Basketball not too far behind.
2. Look around for more people who would be interested in writing for a sports blog. If I want to put out the kind of product that people deserve to be able to read (see the epic previews to NFL playoff games, articles on crime in college sports or other things like that from the beginning of the blog), then I'm not going to be able to write as much personally.
I greatly enjoyed working with The BOMB and THE-A-TRAIN on this blog, but as I never asked them for any kind of committment to writing consistently coming in, it would have bothered me to require that of them at any point. As I'm sure you enjoyed their work as much as I did, they will be the first two writers on the list to join the staff of the blog upon its return. At that point we will ask every writer for a certain committment of content, either by week or by month or concentrated within a specific sport. The details are yet to be determined.
I will also be looking for new writers to bring on board to help pull the amount of material up to where it has been at times, without sacrificing the quality of the posts. If we can get 5-7 writers putting out a guaranteed 1-2 pieces per week, plus whatever else they want to contribute, and still keep on some of your LITB favorites (Sprites, Hottest Little Potatoes, Everyday Sports with Pierre Escargot, etc.), then we can really put forth a blog to be proud of.
Writers will be able to concentrate on games instead of having to worry about watching every one. We can feel free to attend games and report live, without missing 12 others sporting events we were supposed to write about. If someone needs a week off, there are other writers to fill the void.
I believe that with this kind of shared responsibility, we will be able to produce a blog with the kind of quality that dwarfs that of the first Lightning in a Bottle.
3. Come back with a fire to write again. Get it completely out of head that this blog is a chore. In the new format we can really just focus on our love of sports and sharing opinions. With the lessened committment, that enjoyment can be maintained, and it will certainly be felt within the content.
4. Once we've established a product that we are truly proud of, it will be time to try to step it up as far as readership. With more people on board we will a broader readership to begin with. We will have time to do cooperative work with other blogs, sharing readers, to get our names out there to anyone who will listen, more effectively use social networking: generally do what we can to get better.
THANK YOU
This is the plan and I think if it's done correctly, it can be great. I want to thank everyone that had been reading since January, when this blog was born. Just consider this a rough draft, and be ready for a well-polished masterpiece in the time to come. In return, I ask of you the following:
1. If you know anyone would might be interested in being a writer, get them in touch with me, so we can get the kind of commmitments we need to get this done the right way. Have them visit the blog and email the link, or if you know my contact information, feel free to give that out.
2. If you have any ideas, comments, criticisms that can be used to make the next version of this blog better, please let me know. Comment below or email the blog or tell me when you see me. I can take it, I promise.
3. When we come back with our renewed fervor, come back with yours. No blog is complete without the participation of its readership. Our readership is small for now, but that means we care even more abotu what you think. Fill up the comments section, email the blog. If you give us back a little, we'll give you back a ton.
4. Don't forget about us.....
Ravenously,
-APT
