Testing 1212…I’m an Author!

One of the best ways to learn the dynamics of a medium and how things work is to get involved and try it. YouTube videos, books and seminars are all very helpful but they cannot replace practical experience.

I have been running a media experiment for nearly a decade now using a glossary of terms as the content. It is titled Testing 1212 and is an online dictionary of audio terms for live sound engineers. This part of the experiment was to see how much traffic could be delivered to a site with reasonably good static content. Today Testing 1212 receives thousands of visitors a month…with no maintenance.

My second fun learning exercise was to reversion the content on Testing 1212 to create an eBook. That was pretty straightforward. The learning exercise was taking the content from Testing 1212 creating eBooks on Apple and Kindle. A few swear words later, a bit of effort and the task was complete, the content uploaded to the platforms and the eBook put on sale.

To be honest, I’d forgotten about the eBook until an email arrived telling me about royalties earned. So not only am I now a published author, I’ve got income! We’re counting this in the low pounds at the moment, so it’s not life-changing.

The reason I’m really pleased is that I’ve learned a lot through the process. The pinch points and the successes can never really be discovered from other people. I recommend you consider giving this a go with a project of your own.

I’m not thrilled with the quality of the book, it’s okay but could be better presented. That will be my next exercise, creating a 2nd edition.

Kevin Harrington

I’m a UK-based B2B marketing consultant, specialising in strategic advice for SME business owners. I bring extensive hands-on expertise to every client engagement. Senior leadership roles across technology, media, payments, and publishing have shaped my practical approach. Highlights include serving as Chief Marketing Officer at The Panoply plc (now TPXimpact), Chief Commercial Officer at Tungsten Network, and Global Marketing Director at BBC Worldwide. Over the years, I’ve guided numerous SMEs through transformation and value creation. Helping businesses evolve and thrive is a genuine passion. Practical marketing insights and succession planning strategies are at the heart of what I do, as I believe growing a business’s asset value should be a rewarding and positive journey for every entrepreneur.

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