By David Flin.
The new Editor, one David Flin, looks out over his new domain. He feels he should note that his hair has more grey in it these days.
Do you know how unnerving it is to be interviewed by a snowman? To be specific, by a snow-Marine. To be even more specific, by a snow-Marine Sergeant surrounded by what appear to be a lot of young hens.
Sergeant Frosty says "Hello." Even if he is saluting with his wrong hand. Maybe that's a statement of intent. Who knows? Hopefully, he'll be gentle in this interview.
"Hey, this beret is a chick magnet."
You see what I mean. It turns out Sergeant Frosty wants to ask me a few questions before he'll let me take on the position of Blog Editor.
Are you sitting comfortably? Well, stop it. Stand up straight, look to your front, and answer the questions.
Sorry, Sergeant.
What makes you think you're good enough to the the Editor of the blog of this thing, what is it? C-Lion Push?
Sealion Press.
Stupid name.
"Sergeant Frosty complains about someone else having a stupid name," I mutter.
What's that?
Nothing, Sergeant.
So, what makes you think that you're good enough.
Well, I've been an editor...
Boring. So, so boring. That was then and this is now.
I'll be operating on the Reithian Principles, and
Remember your audience. You've got to be understood.
Oh, they understand what the Reithian Principles are.
Not them. Me.
Oh, right. Well, John Reith was an early Director General of the BBC...
Get to the point. I'm melting.
Entertain, Educate, and Inform.
Entertain. If the readers aren't entertained, there soon won't be any readers.
Educate. The readers are students of history and like learning new stuff.
Inform. There's lots of stuff going on - new book releases, changes in staff, huge sums that Meadow will be giving to everyone just as soon as he gets the money from that Nigerian Prince, that sort of stuff.
See. That wasn't so hard.
And I've got a structure in mind...
And now you've gone and spoiled it.
How do you mean?
What do you need as an editor? Before you can print articles.
Articles, I guess.
And how many articles do you actually have at the moment?
In round numbers?
In whatever shape numbers you like.
Not enough. It's never enough.
So that means?
That means I need more articles.
Which means?
Which means I need to ask people to write articles. And until I know what articles I have, it's hard to create a structure.
Turns to face the audience, and points a finger at them.
Picture from Wikimedia Commons.
"Your Blog needs you. Specifically, it needs your articles."
"Well done. We'll make an Editor of you."
And that, dear Reader, was my interview for this position.
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David Flin has had several books published, including the Building Jerusalem series, set in the 1920s in a world in which WWI hadn't started. He has also edited the anthologies Comedy Through the (P)ages and How To Write Alternate History through SLP. He also edited the anthologies Building A Better Future and Ten Years Later, where all proceeds go to the DEC Ukraine Appeal.