My blog guest this week is… my husband, Steve Morton! He’s just published his first book, an expert guide to using a Filofax (an other organisers and planners) ‘File of Facts’. Although he bought his first Filofax organiser in 1986, like many people Steve moved to an electronic organiser in the 1990s. A change of job in 2005 to a security-conscious environment prompted his return to paper, specifically a Filofax. He has used one daily ever since.

He now devotes his time to the Philofaxy blog website and the planner community. Quirky fact: he featured in the highly acclaimed ‘The Dull Men of Great Britain’ book published in 2019 by Random House due to his Filofax dedication.

Since 2016 Steve has been co-hosting a podcast – The Hitchhiker’s Guide to the Plannerverse  – devoted to making better use of planners.

Welcome Steve!
(This is a little surreal, interviewing one’s other half, but I’ve grilled him in the same way as I do my other guests. 😉 )

Let’s do the easy one first! Why did you write this book?

I wanted to bring together all my acquired knowledge from the last 10 years or so into one easy to access reference book.

Who is the audience for your book?

Any keen paper-and-pen planner user and somebody who is a Filofax or other brand of ring-bound organiser user who wants to know a little bit more. Or anyone considering using a Filofax and isn’t quite sure what the advantages are or how to choose the right one for their needs.

Filofaxes were the essential accessory for the self-respecting Yuppie in the 1980s and 1990s. Aren’t we all electronic and digital these days?

A lot of Filofax users aren’t afraid of using digital devices; some including myself use both. Digital devices tend to be slower to make entries in and they are overall much more expensive than a Filofax. And paper based organisers don’t need charging…

Is there any future for paper-based organisers?

They’ve been around for over 100 years, so I don’t see them disappearing any time soon. Unlike digital equivalents, they don’t become outdated or need constant upgrades. You can still read the contents many years later. The same can’t be said for modern digital devices.

What’s the difference between a Filofax and other planners and organisers?

Mainly the design and the quality of the materials used. Filofax tries to cater for the whole range of price points, whereas some of the other brands concentrate on the luxury end of the market. It’s a big market these days, bigger than it was in the 1980s, I would say, and there are enough interested potential customers for all the companies supplying organisers.

How big is the Filofax and organiser community?

It runs to tens of thousands! In the last 10 years, the number of ‘planner groups’ has grown dramatically, covering the different types and different brands. I started one FaceBook group with just 35 people that I knew from the Philofaxy blog, that group now has nearly twelve thousand people in it! And that’s only one group online. I can’t imagine how many there are offline.

What activities are there for enthusiasts?

We share details about new organisers, where to get particular models, the pros and cons of models and accessories and how to personalise them. Finding the right diary inserts for different people’s needs is a constant topic. People enjoy sharing their own set-up with others.

Philofaxy meet-ups in Los Angeles, Chenonceaux and Denver

And we meet in real life!  I’ve organised meet-ups in London, New York, Los Angeles, Edinburgh, Chenonceaux, Niort (France), Toronto, Denver, Washington DC, Stockholm – to name just a few.

Where can readers find out more?

The Philofaxy blog at https://philofaxy.com is the main outlet for my writing about organisers. We feature posts that include reviews, history posts and a whole gamut of posts about all aspects of organisers. We also have a large range of downloadable files for different diary inserts and a host of other useful pages to fill up your Filofax.

I have to say as Steve’s publisher that he’s enjoyed very good success with his book. Unsurprisingly, he’s sold more paperbacks than ebooks. Readers live all over the world: UK, USA, Canada, Australia, Germany, France, Italy, India, Japan, Spain – truly a worldwide community.

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Connect with Steve

https://philofaxy.com
https://www.facebook.com/groups/filofaxusers
https://www.facebook.com/Philofaxy/
https://www.facebook.com/MrPhilofaxy/
https://twitter.com/philofaxy/<
https://instagram.com/MrPhilofaxy/

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What’s File of Facts about?

Filofax – the great survivor turned indispensable cult

– But how do you choose the size and the inserts from so many on offer?
– How do you select the design to work best for you?
– How does your Filofax fit into and enhance your life?

Whether you’re thinking of getting your first Filofax organiser, have just bought it or are a long-term user, this guide will help you get the best out of it, from the basics to the clever stuff.

– Easy A-Z format
– In-depth review of different designs (and their quirks!)
– Secret features users might not suspect exist
– Timeline of Filofax’s history through the last 100 years
– Introduction to other leading manufacturers of organisers (Gillio, Van Der Spek)

Several years of pain, fun and experience are brought together in one book which will suit both new and established users.

Buy File of Facts:
Ebook (all retailers including Amazon)
Paperback: Amazon UK   Amazon US    Barnes & Noble  Book Depository   Abe Books

Alison Morton is the author of Roma Nova thrillers –  INCEPTIO, CARINA (novella), PERFIDITAS, SUCCESSIO,  AURELIA, NEXUS (novella), INSURRECTIO  and RETALIO,  and ROMA NOVA EXTRA, a collection of short stories.  Audiobooks are available for four of the series.Double Identity, a contemporary conspiracy, starts a new series of thrillers. Double Pursuit, the sequel, is now out!

Find out more about Roma Nova, its origins, stories and heroines and taste world the latest contemporary thriller Double Identity… Download ‘Welcome to Alison Morton’s Thriller Worlds’, a FREE eBook, as a thank you gift when you sign up to Alison’s monthly email newsletter. You’ll also be among the first to know about news and book progress before everybody else, and take part in giveaways.