Fireside Chat: Establishing a New Heading

Hey there, marksman. I think it’s time I talk a bit more about my last post and the new direction that we’re going with The Everyday Marksman. I know I’ve been quiet lately, some of that was from a need to decompress after a very busy project at work, some of that was just wanted to spend time with family, and a lot of it was thinking about what it means to be an Everyday Marksman.

It all kind of came to a head when I was getting interviewed by the guys over at First Focal Plane Podcast during their weekly livestream. Sadly, YouTube saw fit to tear the stream down half way through so I can’t share it with you- but that’s not the point.

A Plan Solidifies

I had a vague sense of where I wanted to go with things before I went on their show. And then, during the “banned”portion of the interview, they flat out asked me about it. There’s nothing like a bit of pressure like that to force you to get off the pot and start talking about it.

So here we go.

To build an audience, online media creators generally try and do one of three things: inform, inspire, or entertain. To date, my primary focus has been on informing you about shooting. At first that was purely with articles, and then with the podcast by way of bringing renowned experts to come talk about it.

While I was talking to those good’ole Canadian boys, I realized two things.

I Want Your Stories

I love talking to the experts, as they bring a depth and breadth of knowledge that I find fascinating. But I also sincerely feel like The Everyday Marksman needs to showcase everyday people like you as well. I want to share the everyday stories of victory, trials, tribulations, and more.

So, of course, I need your help with that. I’ve set up a page here on the site at everydaymarksman.co/story for you to submit your stories. I can’t promise that I’ll feature each and every one, but I do want to talk to you about it and then share it with everyone else.

This is part of letting others know that there are more people out there just like them facing the same issues, questions, and victories as you.

I Want to Do Something Different

My favorite type of podcast is not the interview shows, the dudes sitting around a microphone and chit chatting, or even the talking head solo acts. I enjoy those, for sure, and that’s what I’ve been producing so far as well. But I’ve also realized that everyone else is doing that as well.

Moreover, my favorite type of podcast is the highly produced stuff by big media houses like NPR, BBC, Gimlet, and others. These organizations tell stories with style, and they inform along the way.

The problem, as I’m sure you know, is that these companies rarely touch on topics relating to shooting. When they do, it pretty much never comes out flattering for us. 

So I thought to myself, rather than hope and wait for someone else to produce the thing that I want to listen to, why not try and do it myself?

Investigative Entertainment

For now I’m going to call this “investigative entertainment.” My goal is creating several episodes in a series arc. Each episode tells an aspect to the overall story. Of course, this is going to be difficult, time consuming, and probably overwhelming (at first). But I’m going to do it with help from Allison, my wife, who wants to step into the role of producer.

The first series will begin with the next episode, hopefully. It’s still a ways off, but I can tell you know that the series will be called, “The American Martial Art.”

I used to think I was the only one that said that phrase, right up until Graveyard Fields said it while we were chatting over a beer.

So while we’re working on this first series, let me know your thoughts on the subject down in the comments. You never know, maybe you’ll inspire an episode all on your own.

So What Else?

Also in this episode, I’m announcing plans for a recurring livestream. Not everyone wants the highly produced and curated audio experience that I tend to go for. Some people just really enjoy the raw conversations being unfiltered. I’d like to oblige that.

Allison has also agreed to come on and help produce a recurring livestream. Stay tuned to the newsletter for more information about that!

How will this affect the articles on the website? Well, for now it’s not. I’m probably not going to be writing as much or as thoroughly, but I’ll be keeping things updated in the meantime.

Thanks for Joining Me

I realize that I’m not as focused or prolific as some websites and creators out there. But you know what, that’s fine. I’ve been a one-man-show most of the time while others have full time staffs and can pay others to do the work. I’m proud of what we’ve accomplished so far in our evolution, and I’m glad you’ve been there with me.

So with that, thanks for being here. Make sure to subscribe to the newsletter, the podcast, and maybe help support what we’re doing by clicking that “Support Us” button.

Oh, and don’t forget to send me your stories!