We’ve come a long way together
Now entering my sixth year with Scootering magazine, I’ve met many great characters within the scene along the way.
In February 2016, I sent a message of congratulations to newly appointed editor of Scootering magazine Dan Clare, but little did I realise how his appointment would affect my own life. Within hours of sending that message, a lengthy phone call followed and I was signed up to be part of the new editorial team after sweeping changes had been made almost overnight. Already having had dealings with Dan through his scooter business, Scooterotica, I knew he had both the ambition and drive to continue the magazine's success, not forgetting he is a hard taskmaster and only the best will do. It was those qualities that made me sign up, but I soon realised I was being thrown in at the deep end.
It wasn't like I hadn't done this before, having previously written articles for Classic Scooterist and other publications, but they were a much tamer affair without hard deadlines and often no set criteria for specified content. From now on it was full steam ahead, not just the odd article here and there but several at a time, all covering different aspects of the scooter scene. There was no time to dwell on it as the first deadline was only a matter of days away due to Dan's late appointment. In a way, it was a good thing because it set a precedent for how things would be done in the future and making sure there would not only be enough content for future editions, but that it was newsworthy and what the reader actually wanted.
This process resulted in me being taken out of my comfort zone, and not just writing about subjects in which I had a deep personal interest. The spectrum of the scene is so wide that it covers a vast number of subjects and that is why it becomes so appealing, because you realise there is far more happening out there than you first imagined. Doors are con st tantly opening to new avenues of scoo ot tering, not just in the UK but globally to o some of the remotest outreaches which you never realised existed. I soon learned what makes a good story and what doesn't, and those that are worthy need to be told in a manner that keeps the reader engaged. The problem is, you are often told details about an historical event or experience that happened but b were not there to witness. You t hen need to interpret that in nformation, so the reader can vis v sualise it rather than get lost in in na ane ramblings.
WhenW I look back at some of my early wo or rk in 2016 it's clear to see the im p rovement over time, and rightly so, as the e mmore you do something the better you sho ou ld be at it. That's where Dan comes in, to point out when you're not doing the job ri ight or if you need to up your game; if som me ething is not right he explains exactly wha at the problem is… occasionally he doe s give the odd bit of praise too. Com mp placency should never be allowed to cree ep p in because you are only as good as you r last job, in this case that means the articles we write. No one can ever know everything about a subject and when it comes to writing you never stop learning. You may get better at it but there is always room for improvement.
The hardest challenge by far is seeking out and choosing the correct content; without it there is no story to tell in the first place. In the beginning, it's easy because you are starting with a blank piece of paper and have plenty of ideas, but slowly they whittle down and with deadlines coming around so fast the search for new stories never ends. I remember an early conversation with Dan, saying: “I've got plenty of material for the next few years so there is no need to worry.” Well, those few years have passed and simply relying on them is no good any more, you have to search for something new. Thankfully if you look hard enough you realise there is so much about the scooter scene that still needs telling. Of course, there are new subjects such as custom scooters, tuning and rallies that are ongoing. There is, though, also a lot of history… some 70-odd years of it to be precise, and it's fascinating too. Finding the people who were there at the time is a challenge but when you do come across a good story it's worth the effort to seek it out.
The biggest part of it all is you, the scooterists, because that is what makes the whole thing tick. The scooters are the catalyst, the object to work around, as are the events we all attend… but it's the owners who create the scene. That's the great part of this job, speaking to all the people involved, not just the big names, but the grassroots characters who make up the DNA of it all. Believe me, there are thousands of scooterists out there, each giving a different insight into the world of scootering.
I'm now entering my sixth year, having weathered the Covid world storm, and Dan and the rest of us are still here… and plan to be for quite some time yet! We are but small cogs in making the whole thing tick, but it takes a good team to make it happen. So from myself, thank you to every one of you for the last five years, here's to the next five!