My Love of Web Site Writing

I guess it’s time to talk about my obsession with web sites. When it comes to the Internet the public seems to be divided between those who embrace the new technology and use it and those who do not understand it and haven’t a clue what it’s all about. Among the more clued up there seems to be a split between those that think it is a wonderful thing and those that think it is an excuse for evil.

To my mind the Internet is the greatest invention in the written word since the printing press was invented. I know that’s a cliché but it is true. There is virtually no piece of information that you can’t find online. This week I have spent some considerable time writing a quiz for charity and the Internet has helped me with writing questions and checking answers. If we have any controversy this evening over answers I can just go onto the Internet.

As I keep mentioning two of my passions in life are writing and music – the third is sport. Before the Internet I didn’t really have an outlet for all my writing other than via newspapers. Now I can write as much as I want and put it on various web sites. Likewise I now have an outlet for my photography.

But is this all just me going on an ego trip. Well I hope not. I have received many e-mails from people who have written to say how much they enjoy reading some of my articles on music and sport. This is very humbling. The internet allows you to go to infinity and beyond, to boldly go where no man has gone before (no prizes for recognising where those two quotes come from).

So today I write for and edit a number of web sites as follows:

Hethersett Village Web Site -  This is in many ways my pride and joy. A number of years ago I wanted to produce a village web site to stand up against any in the country. When I say that I’m not talking about design as I’m very limited when it comes to design. I am talking about content. As I was already writing about the village for a number of local newspapers it seemed a logical step to put all my copy and photographs on a special web site. There were quite a few Hethersett based web sites in existence but nothing covering what was going on in the village on a day to day basis.

So gradually I began turning up at more and more events and it was a logical extension of the kind of work I used to do many years ago on local newspapers. Getting into the fabric of a village is a very interesting experience. We have the best part of 6,000 people living in Hethersett which makes it a very large village. With that many people there are organisations and groups for just about every interest and every age and a wonderfully active community that has won numerous awards for its go-ahead attitude.

Today the web site continues to grow and it is fast becoming a full time job – well it would be a job except for the fact that I take in no revenue. I have always insisted that the site should be free of charge, a service to the community and independent and willing to feature any views providing they are not obscene or libellous. Anybody is welcome to have their say on the site, but mainly it is being used to promote events and report on them after they have gone.

I am very pleased that the site now seems to be part of village life with many organisations sending me information and people using it for newsletters, application forms and many other community based things. Being a one man band I can never get to every event but I do try and cover as many as possible. I know the site will continue to grow and at times I feel that I could do with some help – so any offers?

My second most time consuming site is one I designed and edit for Hethersett Athletic Football Club of which I am chairman. This mainly involves keeping statistics and results up to date and again I can boast that it is updated at least once a week.

Same with the Hethersett Hawks Cycle Speedway site which is regularly updated with results and reports.

I also look after a site for Café Morello in Norwich and for a friend who wanted one set up in memory of her mother who was a nursing sister during the Second World War.