Throwaway Wordstock A word in your bin by 26 board member, author and crypto-gleaner, Elise Valmorbida Look down! That’s what you must do in London. Not just to avoid the unpleasant stuff. There be unburied treasure. Leavings, losings, fallings from pockets. A piece of plastic widgetry. A painted sign. A scrap of paper, scrawled on, rain-soaked, grimy …more
I’m not from these parts. I grew up and have lived mostly across the water. But if there’s one thing I’ve learned about Belfast over these past 8 years, it’s that there’s creativity in abundance. It’s hard to walk down a street without tripping over a bit. Carelessly disgarded by some passing artist; bag over-flowing …more
Creative Mischief by Dave Trott, published by LOAF Marketing, £7.99 Musings from the colourful Mr Trott on various issues pertaining to advertising and creativity in general. Various pearls scattered throughout. Similar in ambition and form to the Paul Arden books. Lots. Of. Short sentences. Create. A. Self consciously. Edgy. Feel. Roger Horberry The Power of …more
Secret Life of the Grown-Up Brain by Barbara Strauch, Penguin, £9.99 This book is for everyone who walks downstairs, then has to go back upstairs to remind themselves why they went downstairs in the first place. It reassuringly describes new research into neuroscience, explaining that absent-mindedness of middle age develops at the same time as …more
By Rob Self-Pierson We all tell stories. It’s how we engage with each other. Come home from work and tell your wife about the window cleaner who didn’t realise the window was open. Head to the pub and chat to Matt about his latest trip to the hospital with his pregnant wife. Stand in a …more
A few weeks ago, Lemon Quay in Truro was home to a shipping container filled with words and stories celebrating theatre and performance. Disappearing nearly as quickly as it arrived, it feels about time to look back at what we made. By Sam Gray It’s Sunday afternoon and I’m sat, feet up, in a room …more
I never thought I would live to see grown men queuing excitedly to have their photo taken with a couple of cuddly toys. But it came to pass on 20 January at the Skype HQ, when Peter Firmin gave a talk to 26 members about his life as the creator of Bagpuss, the Clangers, Basil …more
Pads, Pens and Yellow Pencils was a joint event organised by D&AD and 26 to provoke discussion about the Writing for Design category at D&AD, and about writing in general. It took place at the Vibe Bar in London on 11 November 2010. Audience member Dan Radley and panellist Nick Asbury give their perspectives here. …more
Howard Jacobson turned up to the 26 Annual Speech. It’s fair to say that some other people might had found a good excuse not to, if they’d just won the Booker prize, done 35 interviews, lost two nights’ sleep, shot into the New York Times bestseller list and had their lives changed for ever. Getting …more
Writing your own luck Have idea. Write book. Submit to agent. Receive rejection. Try again. And again. Eventually secure agent. Submit manuscript to publisher. Receive rejection. And another. In fact, start rejection collection. Have idea. Call it Rejection Collection. Approach agent… Sound familiar? To a lot of those writers who are mingling in the Whitechapel …more
