Interview: Dave Clarke

The basics

What made you become a content creator?

Dave Clarke of AeroCar Journal: My mother was a voracious reader. English was her sixth language and she went to the library every two weeks to check out new books. She took me along with her from as far back as I can remember. Growing up, I became increasingly aware of the power of content to entertain, inform, educate, and influence hundreds of thousands--sometimes millions--of people. I wanted to use my skills to help make the world a better place. 

What are some of the challenges you face as a content creator? 

Dave Clarke: Making sure I’ve told an interesting story, gotten the facts right, and developing as tightly written a piece as possible—making every word count.

What are some digital publications that you follow?

Dave Clarke: I read half a dozen news publications, local, national, and global. I try not to follow any digital publications on a regular basis because I don’t want our editorial selection process to be biased unintentionally by something I’ve read. So, I subscribe to Google Alerts to keep me posted on relevant topics that might spur content ideas for AeroCar Journal. 

Choosing syndication

Why did you decide to syndicate your content with Newstex?

Dave Clarke: Newstex is big enough to give our content global exposure with well-established publishers, yet Newstex itself is a good fit for us to get help and attention from the Newstex team whenever we need it. 

What do you think are the benefits of syndicating your content through Newstex?

Dave Clarke: Newstex has the right connections to get our content to a broad audience. That brings AeroCar Journal exposure that leads to increased readership that ultimately translates into increased revenue—all from the work we’ve already done. 

Pros and cons

What do you like most about creating digital content?

Dave Clarke: The ability to be timely, to provide additional resources for readers through hyperlinks, the fact that your content is available globally, can be found by search engines, and gives you the opportunity to be interactive with your audience. 

What do you dislike most about creating digital content?

Dave Clarke: There’s nothing I dislike about creating digital content. It’s fast, flexible, readily available worldwide and, if you’re doing it right, easily discoverable by all the major search engines and social media outlets. 

What inspires you to keep writing? 

Dave Clarke: Writing is like breathing for me. I have to do it every day. I learned long ago that if you love your work, it’s not ‘work.’ I love writing, discovering new things and finding the right combination of words that will make that topic interesting and relevant for readers. 

Looking ahead

What are the top 3 tips you can give to others wanting to develop successful digital publications?

Dave Clarke:

• Read 1,000 words for every word you write.

• Keep on top of technological innovation. It’s a digital world and it’s constantly evolving.

• Be honest with your team, your sources, your partners, and keep the commitments you make along the way. 

Where do you see your publication in 5 years?

Dave Clarke: AeroCar Journal started three years ago while the urban air mobility movement (UAM) and market was in its infancy. In five years when it’s ready for prime time, we will have established relationships with industry leaders and an established history and reputation that makes us a leading source of news and information for this exciting new era in transportation for industry professionals. 

What has been your proudest achievement as a content creator?

Dave Clarke: A novel I wrote that made it to the Top 10 bestseller list on Amazon and was accepted for sale in the bookstores at two of the world’s most prestigious museums.

Dave Clarke learned how to write professionally at San Jose State University and UCLA. He began his writing career at a small community newspaper. From there, he went on to write for regional publications and then got hired by a Fortune 200 high tech company in Silicon Valley. He saw a unique opportunity to create a digital publication for this evolving new age of transportation.

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