Folks, I was just pondering the weblog calendar for next year. But does anyone download the calendar, print it out, use it?
Would people consider buying a calendar if I had one printed, rather than just making a PDF file available?
I notice that neither Patreon nor Vistaprint even offers calendars as “merch” – is the very idea obsolete?
Also, if I were to do one, any suggestions for themes? So far, it’s been:
2017 – historical photos and graphics of Montreal from the U.S. Library of Congress image bank.
2018 – historical photos, cover based on a promotional poster from the Crystal Palace in 1884.
2019 – theme: brutalism, photos by me
2020 – theme: columns on various buildings, photos by me
2021 – stairs, photos by me
2022 – Montreal by night, featuring photos by Ben Soo
Update: Vistaprint charges around $25 per calendar to print, standard size with a spiral hinge. I don’t know what those cost to mail, but say $5. Would anyone want to pay $30 for a calendar?
In the past I’ve always included a lot of historical date information on the calendar, but since people mostly use printed calendars to jot down reminders, leaving those on a print version might not be ideal.
Thinking aloud here, mostly. It’s quite a lot of work doing the calendar and it’s nice to know people do download it.
EmilyG 22:53 on 2022-08-24 Permalink
Theme ideas:
Nature in Montreal (trees, animals, flowers, etc.)
Pictures of art in Montreal (or artistic pictures)
Famous buildings
Little-known buildings
Lesser-known parts of Montreal
Margaret 06:56 on 2022-08-25 Permalink
I would definitely buy a hard copy. A wall-mounted calendar is still our go-to at home to avoid scheduling conflicts. I like EmilyG’s ideas, especially the Lesser-known parts of Montreal theme.
Tim S. 08:02 on 2022-08-25 Permalink
I print some out at Staples to send to the various ex-Montrealers in my life. It’s very Montreal without being cliché. Getting it to come out right is a tad fiddly but not too bad. But buying hard copies would be even better.
Blork 09:48 on 2022-08-25 Permalink
I always enjoy looking at the calendar, but I don’t print it. (Already feel overwhelmed with calendars.)
impossibus 10:15 on 2022-08-25 Permalink
I have printed the 2019 and 2020 editions. It’s great to have access to a pdf but I would very likely buy a printed copy for convenience and gifts.
Theme ideas: cycling in Montreal, more historical photos, Montreal gardens
Daniel 11:21 on 2022-08-25 Permalink
I download it, look at it, and enjoy it. But I don’t print it or use it, fwiw. I use electronic calendars these days. I do enjoy the photos, the selected comments, and the historical tidbits.
carswell 12:37 on 2022-08-25 Permalink
A few ideas though not many that could easily be realized by year-end:
Another architectural style (art deco, Georgian, mid-century modern, neo-classical, Québécois, etc.);
Ruelles vertes;
Specimen/iconic trees;
An identifiably Montreal scene taken from the same position on the same day each month over the course of a year;
Abandoned buildings;
New public spaces — for example, the Esplanade tranquille, Verdun beach, the former Lachine marina (which, now that it’s cleared out, you can see has the potential to be one of the city’s gems), Phillips Square, Pine Ave., the PVM esplanade, the REV;
REM stations, provided they’re not too cookie-cutterish;
Multi-year project: a borough a year.
I always have the PDF sitting on my desktop. Would buy a nicely printed version if for no other reason than supporting the blog. Suspect that, with a little promotional work, you wouldn’t find it too hard to sell copies to a wider public; most existing Montreal calendars are filled with predictable tourist shots and there’s probably a niche to fill (Montreal Cats! if you want to go bigtime…). Would greatly miss the historical date info if dropped.
Kevin 21:34 on 2022-08-25 Permalink
I have a feeling that shipping will be closer to $15 apiece.
You could probably get a deal if you have some sort of business account.
In the case you’ve Making me feel guilty That I don’t donate enough to your Patreon as I should 🙂
Moses 09:28 on 2022-08-27 Permalink
I’ve been printing my own calendars for the last six years, might be nice for someone else to do it. Shipping costs usually stop me cold — I’ve seen go as high as $60 shipping on a $8 item.