My first proper blog post, on an award winning site!

[sam55]

So I've been toying with the idea of becoming an automotive writer for some time now. Having graduated from Leeds Uni last summer, I've been working in sales to earn some quick dosh, but throughout I've been thinking of doing a masters in Automotive Journalism at Coventry Uni.

In order to 'dip my toe' into the world of automotive writing, I've started blogging. It's not the highest quality stuff but I'm still learning! My blog can be found here: www.samsheehan.co.uk

Just this week I wrote a piece for Keith WR Jones' blog. Keith won the prestigious Guild of Motoring Writers Breakthrough Blogger of the Year in 2012, so knows a thing or 2 about writing! This is my first piece to be on a high traffic site, and I'm very hopeful it can be the first of many!

For this post I wrote about a 1987 Mercedes Benz 300 SE. It was quite tough to review as I only had it for 20 minutes, but I did my best to build up a solid opinion!

Check it out here: http://keithwrjones.com/2013/01/28/mercedes-benzs-w126-an-s-class-act-three-decades-on/

Any comments are welcome, go easy though as I'm still very new to the game ha!

 

[leeds_182]

'twas a good read.

 

[Lawro]

You've definitely got something about you mate, that was a great read.

 

[sam55]

Thanks guys!

 

[BigNick01]

Nice....Well Done & All The Best!

 

[MG cup]

Good that, I'd read more.

 

[SharkyUK]

That's really well written and presented, mate. Good luck!

 

[sam55]

Cheers guys! Seems the responses on here and from friends is generally positive! I'm even more motivated to pursue this route now

 

[Rob]

You're writing definitely gets better as you get further into the article, you seem to just find a flow you're lacking a little at the start (imo of course).

An enjoyable read though.

 

[sam55]

Yeah I see what you mean, I think at the start the 'setting of the scene' was quite tough, I tried to bring the reader into my experience. So yeah I guess the actual reviewing of the car is the stronger part.

Thinking of writing about budget Motorsport next as that's something I'm passionate about, and actively invovled in. Might mention Club100 karting as that's familiar to me, but I'll need to do a lot of research for other modes

 

[BeXE]

Pistonheads ran one of those a few years back as a 'Shed of the Week' special. It looked identical to the one you blogged about. Good read BTW.

 

[Advikaz]

Nice one pal. I'm of the same back ground as you except I went down the Max route.

Couldn't get on with club100's chassis tho made out of pig iron & tyres made out of recycled bin lids lol & i'm confident my budgie has more bhp

 

[sam55]

Cheers!

And yeah the Club100s aren't the best pieces of machinery, but the thing that sells it for me is the driving standard. If you win a Club100 race I feel like it's a proper achievement with all the ex British Championship drivers and single seater racers.

But yeah, agreed, the karts are poo!

 

[Advikaz]

Cheers!

And yeah the Club100s aren't the best pieces of machinery, but the thing that sells it for me is the driving standard. If you win a Club100 race I feel like it's a proper achievement with all the ex British Championship drivers and single seater racers.

But yeah, agreed, the karts are poo!

I did a bit with them & have to say despite max standards being bad (senior death as i call it) I thought the difference in standards was terrible. Some people in c100 have literally no race craft at all & seemed literally clueless lol.

But saying that on the opposite side there was some good peddlers as well. It seems alright tho for a bit of fun & I like the fact you as a driver aren't footing the bill.

 

[sam55]

Yeah I suppose there could be a few 'numpties' out on track! My objective is to be invited into the premier class as being invite only I think the driving standard is very good.

I would love to be cocky and say I'm gonna be quick, but I have a feeling i'll be just a but rusty on the old race craft!

 

[JoeyD]

The decade saw the growth of the hot hatch and and high performance saloon markets, creating some of the most iconic cars in recent motoring history.

Just FYI!

 

[Advikaz]

Yeah I suppose there could be a few 'numpties' out on track! My objective is to be invited into the premier class as being invite only I think the driving standard is very good.

I would love to be c**ky and say I'm gonna be quick, but I have a feeling i'll be just a but rusty on the old race craft!

They aren't like driving a proper kart thats for sure but with your TKM back ground you should be alright i'd imagine providing it was tkm 2 stroke and not the smokey 4's. Direct drive and all that.

 

[sam55]

Cheers for pointing that out Joey! I'll see if I can get that fixed (sure that wasn't there when I sent it to Keith!)

And yeah the Club100 feel like a nippy rental kart, in my old TKM days the karts were far more nimble. But it's the value for money I think that keeps people happy. I'd love them to replace the bricks with a set of soft slicks, but I don't think that's likely

 

[Advikaz]

Cheers for pointing that out Joey! I'll see if I can get that fixed (sure that wasn't there when I sent it to Keith!)

And yeah the Club100 feel like a nippy rental kart, in my old TKM days the karts were far more nimble. But it's the value for money I think that keeps people happy. I'd love them to replace the bricks with a set of soft slicks, but I don't think that's likely

Probably not those Bridgestone's they use are enduro tyres practically made out of wood lol. The chassis is an old 97 Birel job or something, massively stiff haha.

 

[2Damnsly Andy]

The article was a good read but it almost came across as if you were trying to impersonate a stereotypical motoring journo. You cover the features of the car well but some of the terminology that you used and phrases are full on Alan Partridge meets Jeremy Clarkson. Its your first article so i guess using its difficult to find your own style and I'm sure after a couple of articles you'd be great. I wish you all the luck, its one thing to have a dream its another to achieve it.

 

[NoahRobinson07]

I really enjoyed reading that, Well done.

Look forward to reading more!