The Common Swings

I wrote this for librarything's "Early Reviewers" who sent me a copy for free. I recommend you head to the Santa Fe Writers Project to grab your own copy. It really, really is great: http://www.sfwp.com/the-books/

Self-publishing is a weird old thing. Why go to all the effort of creating something that often will only be read by family and friends, but takes you weeks or even months of effort to produce, then costs you too much money to get printed, and then can be incredibly difficult to distribute to complete strangers? Why not just do it electronically or just try and get it published properly? It’s surely just pure self-indulgence…

Well yeah, in a way it kind of is. And I say that as someone who has been happily, and not cheaply, indulging his silliest ideas for about five years now. I am struck with a deeply silly idea (what if I wrote something like “Roy of the Rovers” but from my own perspective of not caring or understanding a single thing about the kicking game?) that makes me chuckle and then doodle it down and hope it makes someone else laugh as much as I did (if you want to find out if that person is you, by the way, the resulting “Roy of the Rovers” parody is called “Johnny Kickfoot” and can be found in “The Common Swings Variousness Spectacular” available from, well, me). So in many ways it’s, yes, indulging myself in a very real way. But it’s also a wonderful way of spontaneously taking an idea and getting it down on the page very quickly. To me this is one of the most profoundly wonderful things about zines and mini comics: it’s quick to produce and is frequently (once you get the hang of doing them) pretty much the equivalent of opening up your head and allowing the ideas to plop out directly onto the page.

And the delight of it all is… you don’t have to care or worry about what readers might think about it. You’re not doing it for them. You’re doing it for you. No second guessing. As long as it’s not entirely self-obsessed, boring navel gazing that you’re producing (that’s what blogs are for, surely) you’ve got a good chance of finding someone who finds what you do enjoyable. I’ve had many baffled looks at my zines, but I’ve also found that one thing usually appeals to each person who reads them. Just one thing. And it’s usually the most unexpected thing in the world. My wife’s favourite was a kid’s book idea I basically knocked up on the spot about a vain pony called “Carl the Splendid Horse”. Just mentioning it sends her into giggles and I have no idea why. And I don’t’ think about it too much either, because by then I’m usually trying to think of another silly gag to make someone else chuckle.

This is a roundabout way of saying that I understand a lot of the world that “Zine” comes from. I may not have been creating an autobiographical, mainly text based zine like Pagan Kennedy did, but by golly did this book resonate with me. Kennedy started “Pagan’s Head” as a way of not trying to second guess what other people – and Pagan herself - expected from her attempts to write the Great American Novel ™. This was the Great American Novel’s idiot, carefree brother who just gadded about on the sofa and watched the telly while his precious sibling vexed for hours pondering how many times is too many when it comes to saying “said” on one page. In other words, this was a spontaneous, slight, silly, wildly creative outlet for the kind of ideas that she deemed unusable for her “proper work”. And before she knew it, that spontaneous, slight, silly and wildly creative outlet had actually become, in many ways, as important – if not more so - as the Proper Novel itself.

And that’s because a zine is like a dialogue. A dialogue between the creator and the reader. It’s a letter to people you initially know and then, hopefully, some you have yet to meet. It’s a bulletin straight from your brain. And having Kennedy’s insights into the creative process – and then being able to see that creative process itself – are fascinating. In many ways the quality of the zine itself is not important (although, handily, “Pagan’s Head” is a great read as it moves slowly from self-indulgence to finding a very real and confident voice, as Pagan moves towards the more themed issues: it’s a lovely companion piece to something like John Porcellino’s “King Cat Classix”, a similar collection of juvenilia slowly becoming bolder and more adventurous as the writer and artist grows in confidence in using his skills) – it’s the story of how it got there that really holds the attention.

Because in many ways zines, mini comics and the whole world of self-publishing are more about the journey than they are about the destination itself. Many novels suffer from being so focussed on the destination, they don’t take the time to enjoy dawdling and take in the view on the route. In the hurry to say something important about the human condition, writers don’t suddenly get waylaid by a comical cat or an unusual street name. The zine writer absolutely thrives on those tiny details. Most zine writers and mini comic writers couldn’t give a stuff about the destination. Some of them have barely left the house. Some of them could probably knock out ten issues of something based purely on their front door. Which is why they’re so wonderful. They’re entirely the work of a creative mind wanting to scoop out the overflow from their brain and pin it down on the page. Even the dullest zine or mini comic can contain something uniquely brilliant and vivid. And to read someone’s story about how they progressed along that route makes it even more wonderful. A great, great book.

so as part of the day job, i've had to transcribe a couple of MP3s of a lecture i couldn't get to. so i tried an online sound to text service free. it's turned up... quite a thing:

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single feelings and from the time in the residual income is not healthy as ever. This site will okay so I saw the FOIA is classified
as a result, you will look as okay so they see the limited question to be primarily practical work is really the last of the house in
the lives of many of the ancient investment appraisal of all the things that is going and what you want me to do is just make sure
everybody's pay as you have a design that is quick and understands how to him, they will be a question in the okay so as to
eliminate his reading through the requirements of the limited, and he roughly say I will involve you as you are the one in your will
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is on the ready. I believe a statement of changes in San Jose, so want to see that those are the only sound the same as I is
okay as long as an client is a little shack putting in close revenue is the study of the reserve lazy definition and will establish the
basic definitions and would include the catalyst is an inability to software comparisons come from homes that is so on
Wednesday and said it was okay to bring in a change in social shareholders. Your readers why Apple won't figure at the
beginning of the end of one figure in a sleeping of us in the financial position and posted presentation. Okay, so you are is a is
on your performance statement him him thanking her for anybody need a copy of Palin 's ideas are the downside is not a good
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drafting and say really: I think they call these of these will enable buildings and info. I still pay the same as always writing you. I
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and twelve. Current assets of value within twelve to that window. I think that the aggregate liabilities have been ready, there is
no current is the reason they are in an illegal assault on the database statement of changes in the way in a little you actually
evaluation revenues of him a him and him just remembering what goes into a recession and all culminates this is a closing is not
sufficient for us to make sure that the pro forma therapy will any questions so far away of their utility as you is for all of your list
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same as sometimes it is softening in saving histopathology him a him him not to follow them, so is the only redeemable in two
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probably saw myself I have no life in a piece that is the reason is that local liability, Tennessee five, and that is what is going on
is unsolvable on a financial instrument of all is the definition of financial instrument is something that you will mobile services
cash is always the matter is under voluntary something that says you you give me your money and I will give you a piece of
paper that says identity, but I hope you are okay. I was him on our unit tests a silver medal is ten= one eighty days of ethanol is
if you finish that is a financial instrument alone slimeball show reason is I love all of the pain shot timidity to something horrible in
the price of gas Olympic officials advise other buses on the road on the grass outside the Taliban sausage is so you are is you
and X on the cable. The thing that is to realize what was the significance of a line so you know who I stress that will be paid on
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have included on the available Tuesday I is an investment something that you all will and time. I already know that so much
time in a single long value is held meetings available for sale in the value is for you only as a form on the little aspects against
his skin is technical monster, the way you have an available-for-sale investments eighties value market value. I ate all shame
and will know that this must be revalued to the market value of each polishing their other readers are marking on a for him. Who
knows we were on our life is getting you only staff. So when you read it on the same child welfare and will is available as
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imposes them available for sale on the gnome is okay. I is okay. So I will and hang on in the day I get the buzz among thinking
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gathering government. These are old enough twenty oh four that is going on. I told my legal people, all of those see whether Al
Qaeda full ill health, or is the only thing in revaluation reserve, okay, what's the revaluation is the access, so you'll be in your
graveyard and so those labeled in the top off of abolishing the human radio fix a sexy little gray all and will and I also check
premium check premium policies and is reading the is a phenomenal value of shattering is the one and I know I is will the
nominal value of the shatters, i.e., of how the ship premium is excess on the volume they saw that about the hassles of trying to
see who is available as a problem? again, and I think this is a collateral testing. When I arrived I would buy anything that is
notably low level of a police already lease is the sauce. I even looked working out with his victim will will is will find they are
going, as the visualization day supposedly sold equals on operating leases on his feet. I know it is solely one of the ranges in
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revaluation on renting user could employ that within the revenues will I do believe that, then I will. Solomon is a problem is a
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successful as he is losing seven liabilities on the phone and he is in the article three is a little to the sixty four Phillies income tax
and excise to include the meeting and all the eighth of an appreciated for the Santa Fe line depreciation isn't there as consisting
not of direct cost of sales. These policies don't believe in it all the people in his paintings are the most pad file. The dividend of
seven dividend profit of the original application for the end of September, two four David Sasson, a legal claim from Cosmopolis
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confidently enough that you are selling is also the author of the cases that José will is will and not a whole lot of places is really
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seeing eleven is even anyone is working the way down the time to file a letter of credit you will somewhere. The vehicle for all
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five by faith over the life of the sources of the claimant health plan so you don't donate excess, and shall the liability seeking
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you assume on every other client who had a problem problem problem one half million is a only improves for the provision of the
way will allow Macedonia will improve as we were all who will ultimately been ultimately we found that we were okay probably
okay. The husband was using the problem is in the terms and conditions as he is a little digital evangelism, and somehow on
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teasing on is the one I'm not auditing, financial problems, but you have to tell me why you would definitely to his own question is
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depreciation) and was profitable, five seven five eight as the nine five, and provisionally some legal womanizer of income from
investments in the letter from operations on the ninety times that we don't finance costs– Haven placebo on a meeting is in me,
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decided to those of us during this visit. He denies that are you really so the half a million hands of capital assets means I'm
paying less time and less time in a month or in front I have to bring them on Tuesday to did you convey in a limited phone
conversation is a is an absolutely exact calculation. Nothing changes always saying is because of the allowances of coronary
on his right. Okay, so him: Olivier 's and so is the and is the diastolic allotment of you are him a him essentially the same
available-for-sale investments with our long-term health of phone volume on volume, you are in a the is is ready for you to look
comprehensively as an investment is a total comprehensive income for the year is the same problem. I hope training for the live
game on investment thoughts. The game from the market value to the market value any question will ask you are on you. You
will work on this and say the provision, which I haven't seen before the problem that I knew through discussion and schools. We
need to do with itself or something similar to a fair idea what is causing you want to discuss us. Okay that's that's that's that's
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available-for-sale investment known as Machiavelli is a good, so will their offensive is professor and is tolerating all of these are
alternately presentation on the Lisa Lindgren, a him horrifies him and is so as to receivables that will have the thing is– is the
process that I should get a few liabilities, while validity and reliability validity to say that I only got one in duty of a base of the
known as loans the loan will anything else in the middle. The number lot lot of the liability section will include those financial
instruments which are mono homes on N/A the third revision him him a good definition of the problem is in so to qualify as little
as those are for those interested root that is most than in the act. The main thing that he told his is him him, J J and revaluation
on the news on the settings and changes going on so they are only situations outside. Okay, I'm out of the revaluation
investment dividends and is yet another loved one who is willing to Chevy 's move. The rest will finish his disease. The extra
marketing agency when removing your presentation. So what are you trying to him: thousand and four at home. They are
comprehensively as you know all the results on revenues of possibility and penicillin in the evaluation process presentation thing
will be able people who really want to be interested in is looking at net profit fell over there and six eight, one hundred news, so I
will be about the same. Okay, I have a son of a greasy education goals. We revalued on investment is available for sale. I
shall not on your over comprehensive income training. I would think of the net profit or net profit you think about on a separate
line. You will assist in six of them is in his and since six and six is your role in everything set up check J London friendship
premium over the revaluation resulted in revenues is the only balance. Sitting in him why to almost) capital to hunger. Even, for
that he is on the revenue is also something is wrong miscellaneous education psychoanalysis, thirty two hundred people in the
same linear looking for movement shareholder meeting of one of the move from the revaluation. The only computer vendors
are appropriation prophecies that focal much of the statements of changes in my city from parading without a will will so you J
framing your evaluation is a you already knew him, José is the single farm will question the sanity by losing is the devil is in the
unit has included is valued on really two excellent questions. Really, who are as repeatedly recognized the will as a result
yesterday is the question should we fail policy of you studio of his reason is that is busy slapping the silent front of a little and
the reason for the final Messiah boys asking in what the examiner is not asking you to do only search is producing only did one
of those brought in walkway is a I don't want anymore and probably will will all become balance, as in and I I will I live in a show
of unity from usually lots of love. Anything was green on green is okay. I is anything that was right with the social self and hold
meetings and I'm not quite sure both you will a is him, I will write as if he is really more will will will will see is the is
3 / 3

Friday, 11 July 2014

whatever happened to cosmo mandinsky: coming soon

Monday, 7 July 2014

On "Zine" by Pagan Kennedy and the Wacky World of Self Publishing

Wednesday, 28 May 2014

more for warren bond #1

Thursday, 8 May 2014

warren bond issue one: cover draft

Wednesday, 30 April 2014

the sound of young nottinghamshire

Thursday, 3 April 2014

eh?

Tuesday, 18 March 2014

a nice review and some bookshop related things...

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