The ghosts of Xmas (toys) past…
Jon Drew, one of the guys from the T-Shirts and Suits seminar a couple of weeks ago sent round a link to his interactive picture quiz by way of season's greetings.
I managed 22/30 without having to think too hard, but I obviously didn't waste enough time on console games in my callow youth, so I only recognised a couple of the electronic gizmos on show there. And what the heck was the name of that viewer-thingy with the circular movie-still cards you slotted in the top..?
Anyhow, it certainly brought back a lot of happy memories. Ah, the hours I used to spend playing Subbuteo with my mates back in the '80s. Of course, it's all Pro-Evolution-this and Football Manager-that now, isn't it... I dunno, kids today... don't know they're born... not like when I was a lad...
Panelling at Alt.Fiction, Derby, April 26th
I'm delighted to say that Alex Davis, organiser of Alt.Fiction - Derby's annual, day-long gathering of genre writers, publishers and readers - has asked me to appear on a panel event on the day.
The panel is tentatively titled 'Writers and the Internet' and although the precise theme and discussion points will be decided on much nearer the time, I'd imagine topics will include setting up a website, making the best use of social networking opportunities, enhancing sales potential through online promotional activities, and so forth.
I happen to know that long-time blogging author Charles Stross is one of the author guests on the day, so I'm hoping that Alex will be able to get him onto the panel as well; as one of the early adopter-pioneers of online profile-boosting, Charles' input would be invaluable, I'm sure.
Generally speaking, the last two Alt.Fiction days have been excellent; condensed conventions that offer a great chance for readers and fans to hear from a range of top-name UK genre authors and for writers to pick up plenty of tips, on the art of writing and seeking publication, from editors and agents as well. Definitely worth attending if you're at all interested in the genre scene in the UK. Tickets should go on sale in the new year.
T-Shirts and Suits: Creative Marketing seminar, December 6th, Manchester
On Thursday 6th I spent the day at an absolutely fantastic creative marketing seminar hosted by Manchester's Creative Industries Development Service (CIDS) and facilitated by David Parrish, the author of T-Shirts and Suits, A Guide to the Business of Creativity, which if the seminar is anything to go by ought to be a definite purchase for small creative businesses everywhere (or you can download a free e-book version of the whole text from his website, take a look and see what you think before you buy).
Along for the ride were ten other incredibly creative business people from around the Manchester area, hailing from a real mix of business backgrounds, artistic disciplines, and project types, but all of them incredibly interesting, talented and friendly folks and each with a similar aim: to build on an existing base or concept; to reach new customers and goals.
By the end of the day I think it's safe to say that we'd all learned an incredible amount; about our own businesses, about each others' businesses, about how to focus on our goals and plan for the future rather than just drifting from half-grasped opportunity to half-failed side-project, and most of all about how being a creative business doesn't mean that you have to be a starving, garret-based artist... it's okay to succeed without selling out.
David was an absolutely excellent facilitator. Unlike some seminars, in which the whole point has clearly been for the speaker to talk about their ideas, their vision and, ultimately, so they could hear the sound of their own voice parroted back at them by their new acolytes, David's approach is much more about putting the emphasis on the participants of the group. He very quickly got a room full of strangers to relax, talk to each other and about each other, and freely discuss their own state of mind, issues, problems and, ultimately, swap ideas and potential solutions for each other.
Okay, from my point of view it helped immensely that David turned out to be a local bloke, based in the town I was born in and a fellow armchair supporter of Bury F.C. to boot, but those were just bonus items. Ultimately, it was his quiet, intelligently expressed pointers, questions and comments that ensured that the emphasis of this session was on us, our businesses and how we could succeed, both individually and perhaps, if circumstances allowed, as future project partners or co-clients. I know I'll certainly be buying my next bit of camera equipment from a chap called Jem who owns the Real Camera Company in Manchester's Northern Quarter, and who happily spent twenty minutes over lunch explaining (with illustrations!) how I could use even my bog-standard pocket camera to take better photographs in future.
So, all in all this is one seminar I'd definitely recommend you try to get a place on. If you live in an eligible area of Greater Manchester then CIDS will fund your attendance for you, otherwise, shell out whatever David Parrish is asking these days. You certainly won't regret the investment.
And before I finish, shouts out to my fellow seminarians (in no particular order): freelance graphic designer Jon Drew, freelance composer and poet Anwen Lewis, Mark Stringer of Bourn Design in Stockport, artist and surface pattern designer Mark Finzel, bespoke bridal accessories designer Lucy Griffiths (no website yet?), jewelled garter designer Beth Lomas, freelance arts and education consultant Annie Anderson (likewise, website pending), urban arts promoter Nick Hardy, 'Not Part Of' festival organiser Gareth McCann and photographic equipment supplier Jem Kime (website planned, awaiting implementation).
Hey, if any of you guys end up dropping by, do leave a comment below, say hi, yeah?
New client website goes live: www.pendragonpress.net
I'm delighted to announce the launch of a new website for my latest client: www.pendragonpress.net.
Pendragon Press is a small independent UK press that specialises in a mixture of science fiction, fantasy and horror novels, novellas and short fiction collections and anthologies. Pendragon is run by Welsh Wizard Chris Teague and has published titles by a number of the UK independent scene's best-known writers, winning a number of awards, including several British Fantasy Society awards, along the way.
The new website is built on the Wordpress platform, which will enable Chris to update his own news and content when required, and the design - clean and minimalist, putting the emphasis on the content and the cover imagery - looks like this:
Chris seems very happy with the new site, and I'm sure we'll be talking about additional promotional possibilities in the very near future...