So as we enter our tenth year in existence, you will have noticed that NewsBiscuit has had a bit of work done, a nip and a tuck here, bit of botox and liposuction there etc. The site can now be easily viewed on smart phones and some stupid ones as well. Enormous thanks are due to TechGuy and NiceAdminLady who have done tons of work for free - many of you have expressed your gratitude already, so thank you.
Our ambition is finally to get ourselves up to where we deserve to be in terms of reach - NewsBiscuit was Britain's first daily news website but we were overtaken by others who copied our idea of copying The Onion and then did the non-comedy promotion and marketing stuff much better than us. We have people working on that stuff, and on the advertising so that we can afford to give Writers of the Month the odd T-shirt or mug from time to time and lots of other things happening behind the scenes so we can continue to provide free comedy and an outlet for new writing.
However where I think we can do better on the writing front is submitting strong impactful headlines that are inherently funny. That's what makes people click on a link, if they are smiling when they read just those first few words...
So for example, there was a story posted this week entitled 'Man discovers extra parking button on new car' which made it as a news in brief story when it was given the headline 'Hazard lights renamed 'parking like a twat' button'. Not subtle I know, but just a question of taking a gag that was in the text and shoving it right under people's noses.
So if there is a great joke inherent in your submission, don't wait till paragraph three to detonate it. This is the digital age, we can't wait that long, give it to us in the headline, and then people can be disappointed when they click on the actual link and read the rest of it. That's what the internet is all about.
One other thing - do make the most of the marking system... seems like some half-decent stories are getting no stars at all, which is a bit demoralising for people who make the effort to post stuff in the Writers' Room.
Also, please do not take food from the fridge that is not yours and wash up your mugs.
Onwards and upwards...