Club Article Guide for the XJS Soft Tops Club
Club Article Guide
What is a Club Article?
Club Articles are longer-form stories and features written by members for other members of the XJS Soft Tops Club.
They provide somewhere for subjects that deserve more space than a Forum Topic, Gallery Photo or Activity Report.
An Article might document a major restoration, explain a technical subject in detail, record the history of an unusual car, tell the story of a long period of ownership or
explore some aspect of the XJ-SC Cabriolet or XJS Convertible that other enthusiasts may find interesting.
Together, these Articles help preserve the knowledge, experiences and stories surrounding our cars.
What Makes a Good Article?
A good Article does not need to be professionally written. What matters most is that you have something useful, interesting or enjoyable to share.
Suitable subjects might include:
- A detailed restoration or recommissioning project
- A technical problem and how you eventually solved it
- A modification or improvement you have made to your car
- The history of an unusual or particularly interesting XJS
- Your experiences of long-term ownership
- Advice for somebody buying their first XJ-SC or XJS Convertible
- A historical subject connected with the cars
- A particularly significant journey or adventure
- A comparison between models, specifications or components
First-hand experience is especially valuable. Information based on something you have actually repaired, restored, driven or discovered gives an Article a character that cannot easily be reproduced elsewhere.
Article, Forum Topic, Activity Report or Car Album?
Each of the Club’s contribution features has a slightly different purpose.
A Club Article is ideal for a substantial subject that benefits from a structured, longer explanation.
A Forum Topic is better when you want discussion, advice or answers from other members.
An Activity Report is for telling members about something you have been out doing with your Jaguar.
A Car Album is the continuing history of one particular car.
In simple terms:
Article — a longer story, feature or piece of knowledge.
Forum Topic — a discussion or question.
Activity Report — something you have been out doing.
Car Album — the continuing story of your car.
Preserving Knowledge
As our Jaguars grow older, the experience of the people who own, repair and restore them becomes increasingly important.
Some information can be found in workshop manuals, but many of the practical details of owning an XJ-SC Cabriolet or XJS Convertible are learned only through experience.
A member who documents a restoration, repair or discovery today may be helping somebody they have never met several years from now.
Articles allow that knowledge to remain accessible rather than disappearing into an old social media conversation or being lost awhen somebody eventually sells their car.
Would You Like to Contribute an Article?
Club Articles are written by registered members of the XJS Soft Tops Club.
Membership is completely free and gives you access to the Club’s contribution features, including Articles, Discussion Forums, Car Albums, Gallery Photos and Activity Reports.
Once logged in, this Guide also contains additional advice about planning, writing and submitting an Article for publication.
If you have experience, knowledge or a story that other XJS owners would enjoy, we would be delighted to receive it.
Already a member?
Log in to see the full Club Article Guide
Every Member Knows Something Worth Sharing
You do not need to be a professional mechanic, historian or writer to contribute something valuable.
Perhaps you have owned the same XJS for thirty years.
Perhaps you have just completed your first restoration.
Perhaps you finally solved a fault that had defeated you for
months.
Those experiences are part of the collective knowledge of the XJS Soft Tops community.
Write them down, add some photographs and share them.
Somebody else may be very glad that you did.