New members
A big thank you for joining 26.
We started meeting as a group in 2002. We were eight individuals in search of others involved in the daily business of working with words. We simply wanted to share our experiences and ideas, and learn from one another. You can find out more about us at
http://www.26.org.uk/who.htmNews spread of our meetings, and it soon became clear that 26 could be, should be, something much bigger than just us. So we decided to open up the organisation to other writers, editors, language experts and anyone else with a love of language. We launched 26 formally in September 2003...
..And here you are. We're delighted you've become one of 26. We hope we’ll get to explore and enjoy language together in all sorts of interesting and unexpected ways.
26 is open to new ideas from any of its members. We would be especially pleased to hear from you if you'd like to be involved in 26 talks, publications, seminars or other initiatives – even in a small way. You can reach us on 0870 121 13 26 or at
talktous@26.org.ukAs for your 26 quid... thank you very much. The funds we're raising with your annual subscriptions will go towards running events (most of which will be free to members), developing our web site, creating an online message board for members, and bringing to life a whole range of other initiatives we haven’t even imagined yet.
A number of members have asked whether they can refer to 26 on their business card or in their emails, web site, autobiography or whatever. We think this is a great idea as it helps to raise awareness. We just ask that you use the phrase One of 26, followed by the web site address www.26.org.uk.
In the meantime, your friends and colleagues can find out more about 26 and join at
http://www.26.org.uk , so spread the word.
What Not To Write
Time: 6.30pm for 7pm startDate: Tuesday 26th JulyVenue: October Gallery24 Old Gloucester StreetLondon WC1N 3ALNearest Underground station: HolbornSpewing bad-breath dogs, Clare Rayner’s ‘wings’, f’ing fcuk… where do you draw the line? Matt Wilson of the Advertising Standards Authority will explain the rules, and dip into the file marked ‘controversial’ to pick out some recently banned ads, and others which have run despite provoking the ire of Middle England.
1 + 1 = 3
Review by Nick AsburyThe knotty relationship between writers and designers was the subject of an entertaining evening hosted by Mike Reed. Dan Radley, a senior writer at Start Creative, bemoaned the fact that good conceptual writers still tend to gravitate towards advertising. Anelia Schutte, formerly a senior writer at Lloyd Northover and now at The Writer, contrasted the monogamous writer/art director relationships in advertising with the design industry’s kerb-crawling approach to sourcing copywriting, usually paying by the hour and then coming back for more if satisfied. The client perspective came from Jon Staines at Orange, who noted that few of the creative directors he encounters come from a writing background. He also expressed his dissatisfaction with the words ‘copy’ and 'copywriter', asking what was wrong with 'writing' and ‘writer’. Finally, Paul Cardwell of Doner Cardwell Hawkins injected a healthy note of scepticism, arguing that too many writers spend their time fiddling with apostrophes instead of tackling the big ideas. He also achieved the admirable feat of standing in front of a sizeable audience of 26 members with a board reading ‘Writers are wankers’ and still managed to get a warm round of applause.
26 members recommend…
Fyne olde insultsA mad US website which spews random Shakespearian insults at you. You’ll find this a pleasant five-minute diversion, guaranteed to enrich your vocabulary. Also you can vent your spleen at myriad poltroons of everyday life without them having the faintest idea of how rude you've just been to them. “You starvelling, you eel-skin, you dried neat's-tongue, you bull's-pizzle, you stock-fish…“ ad infinitum. Visit
http://www.pangloss.com/seidel/Shaker/index.html for some verbal ammunition.
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‘Married to Genius’ by Jeffrey Meyers (Southbank, £9.99 list,
£6.99 AmazonDo you have to be a complete bastard to be a good writer? Jeffrey Myers tests out this theory by digging into the relationships of nine eminent 19th and 20th century writers, from Tolstoy to Hemingway, DH Lawrence to Virginia Woolf. And by and large, it appears, you do.
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‘Shop Horror – The Best Of The Worst In British Shop Names‘ by Guy Swillingham (4th Estate,
£7 on Amazon)
In the age of the identikit High Street, let’s hear it for the quirky bastions of independent retailing. Pun-loving shop-fronts from up and down the country vie for the biggest groan in this must-have collection. There’s lingerie from Brief Moments, fish and chips from Battersea Cod’s Home, haircuts at Cliptomania. For a taster, visit
shophorror...........................Taschen 25th Anniversary Series (£6.99 – £14.99)
With its roots in a small comic book store in Cologne, Taschen has grown to become one of the most recognised art and design publishing houses around. Edgy, contemporary and affordable, its eclectic list covers everything from Art Nouveau to erotic cinema, Renzo Piano to cartography. To celebrate 25 years in business, Taschen has re-released some of its best-sellers at knock-down prices. See
Taschen for details.
..........................Where wordsDid you sample a balti before 1984 or sport a mullet before 1994? And do you know how they got their names? A forthcoming BBC 2 series invites people to hunt for words and help rewrite the Oxford English Dictionary. The 50 words or phrases on the list all have a date next to them, corresponding to the earliest evidence the OED could find. Can you trump it? Entries include: bog-standard (1983); bomber jacket (1973); chattering classes (1985); codswallop (1963); cyberspace (1982); handbags at dawn (1987); and, of course, minger (1995). Visit
wordhunt for more.
..........................Howies Summer 2005 CatalogueA modest, interim effort from ‘Cardigan Bay’s third largest clothing company’. But it’s mix of eco-attitude, understated design and excellent writing are on the button as usual. Look out for a chilling essay on Moab Valley in Utah, a beauty spot on the surface, but an ecological disaster waiting to happen. Oh and some great T-shirts too. Visit
Howies to order a catalogue
..........................July’s Word magazineI know, I know, we seem to recommend Word magazine every month. But they keep coming up with such darned good feature ideas. And they’re not all about music either. This month there’s a piece on how popular phrases enter the language via TV, movies, novels and advertising. Examples include ‘If you’ve got it, flaunt it’ (Braniff Air ad), ‘Keeping up with the Jones’ (a comic strip in the New York Globe) and ‘She who must be obeyed’ (from a Rider Haggard novel). And of course we all know where ‘Doh!’ comes from.
One good learn deserves another
Two prominent members of 26 are involved in running forthcoming workshops for D&AD on – you guessed it – writing. The Writer’s John Simmons’ ‘Writing for Design – Decorator or Communicator’ is on 20 September 2005. This is designed to heighten your sensitivity to language and consider appropriate tones of voice. Will Awdry, Creative Director, DDB London hosts the Writing for Advertising session ‘A Warm Feeling for Words’ on 17 February 2006. Will will be looking outside the world of books for words that will surprise and intrigue you.
For more details visit
www.dandad.co.uk or call Nia Evans on 020 7840 1130.
Message board
Traffic to the
message board has more than doubled this month. Members are swapping views on everything from innovative methods for dealing with late-paying clients to great puns (current leader: a rubbish collection firm's slogan 'Speedy Gone Garbarge', in front by a short head from the Bargain Booze strap line 'Making life richer... for the pourer!').
Hate mail has built up for brand names written in caps, with an obnoxious ™ or ® added for good measure. Tone of voice remains a popular topic, with much discussion of business letters, together with information about a thought-provoking seminar by the Reputation Index. And there's been a very interesting exchange as to whether writers and agencies should charge for briefing time. But the burning topic this month is copywriting tests, and if asking a writer to take part in an unpaid competitive pitch to win a job is a reasonable request or potted evil.
Visit the
message board — the password is 20six (keep that to yourself, this is a members-only site).
Update
The book
‘From here to here: stories inspired by London’s Circle Line‘
is now in full production. We’ll have more details in the August newsletter, including a special offer from the publishers Cyan. You’re urged to buy it in vast quantities for your mums and dads, friends and neighbours, and Great Aunt Mabel (you never know what to get her and she’ll love this book because it has something for everyone – you might need to steer her away from the Euston Square chapter though).
Just a week or two behind is a second book, ‘26 malts’, that originated with the Scottish chapter (notably Jamie Jauncey, Stuart Delves and Damian Mullan). They’ve been hard at it, gathering in work from the teams, setting up deals with the Scotch Malt Whisky Society and occasionally having a wee dram to keep out the cold. The creative collaboration between 26 writers and 26 designers is turning out to be a real thing of beauty. Again there will be a special offer (on the book, not the whisky) in our next newsletter.
Both books will be featured in an event at the Edinburgh Book Festival, and both will become exhibitions at the London Design Festival. We’ll let you know more later but please do your best to support the books and the events.
Our friends in the North
26 has members all over the country, and Scotland’s a real hot-bed of activity. So don’t wait for us, you can come together as regional chapters and get cracking on your own ventures whenever you feel like it.
For any members in the north-east, we recommend the Ed Kienholz exhibition at Baltic Gallery in Gateshead/Newcastle. A great place to have a meeting as well as a great exhibition – groundbreaking artist of big ideas, disturbingly executed. Just let us know what you’re up to, and we’ll give you a plug in the newsletter.
