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Telegraph | Entertainment | john sutherland IS SHOCKED BY THE STATE OF book-Reviewing on the web
One should worry, for example, about what the web is doing to the craft and ethics of reviewing.

This is a funny old can of worms. I’m glad the Telegraph actually got round to putting this article but as this is the first time I’ve read it. And  it  sparked off a whole debate involving bloggers including Susan Hill(who I really must read - her new crime series is doing well in terms of getting my attention), Skintwriter and a posting by Shameless.

Though to be honest the only thing I can add is that I’d like to read some broadsheet reviews that feature books I read and for them to have more space in the places where they appear so they can actually read more like a review than an advert but I guess they’re not supposed to appeal to me anyway.

Day 6 already? Good god time flies.

Ok, doing badly at this doing something everyday thing. The advert I thought was finished wasn’t and it now has a series of new fonts, images, and colours. And i don’t think I’m allowed to show it for a while. I’ve been playing with Illustrator some more and I think I’m in love.

On other fronts, did I tell you that I got tickets to see Rocky Horror when it comes to Cardiff and it brings new meaning to the word VIRGIN. I really don’t fancy walking through Queen St. in a Basque.

I haven’t read anything story wise today, my brain is very frazzled and I think I need a still drink.

This is a little late, but anyway… That bit of flash-fiction is the first narrative thing I’ve written in about 4months if not longer. I’d forgotten how much fun it can be. Yesterday I spent the evening making an advert for a new photography studio. I would post it here but my blogging software is being a pain in the bum.

It took quite a while last night talking about what images to use, the colour, the typeface. I wanted to put in patterns and funky fonts but was beaten down to a plain blue and gill sans-esque font.

Today has been spent reading: The Graphic Designer’s Guide to Pricing, Estimating, and Budgeting as Leaf is revamping it’s writers services for those wanting help to self-publish. I’ve already got a price plan in place I just need to make sure I’ve covered everything. That could count as creative.

I’ve also been playing with Adobe Illustrator, the same programme that I used to create the mouse, and I’ve discovered it has a knife and scissor option for chopping up shapes. For me that was quite exciting.

So no real writing has gone on since the last prompt. I should make a cup of tea and do one. Maybe I will. I really should.
More later

I shouldn’t be out here. I’m sure I didn’t chuck it out. But I can’t find it anywhere. I’m going to have to tidy up when I get back in. I don’t want to be out here. I didn’t chuck it out. I’m sure I didn’t but then it isn’t by the microwave, or in the bathroom, or by the bed. My ring isn’t anywhere. I definitely had it on me last night. It wasn’t that I knocked off the bedside table or that it fell down the sink. I’m always loosing my glasses but I’ve never misplaced my ring. Well not until now. Was it last night or the night below we had spag bol? God it smells rank. Thank goodness it’s the middle of November otherwise this bag would be humming. Who am I kidding I’m never going to be able to find it this weather - it’s dark, cold and it’s pissing it down. What’s this? You have won £10,000 - yeah and all I have to do is pay a £20 registration fee and drive to some hotel in Bournemouth. What’s this? Final Demand - You have 14 days to pay us the £526.26 owed. Or we will be making a visit. I thought Mark had plenty left in the bank?

Time limit: 5 Mintues
Date: 24 November

Happy Birthday to me!

So what’s coming up in the next year? I haven’t got a clue.

But you’ve called this post 365 Day 1. That must mean something? Dunno. It just sounded good. Actually I do have a little idea. I’m a creative person who is a little blocked - though you could call it more lazy or at least say I’m an expert in procrastination so I thought marking off days and summing up what I’ve done each day will help me a) focus and b) get something done. This could be a doodle, a word count, detailing that I’ve sent something off, saying that started reading something, finished reading something, or describing anything that I consider creative.

That sounds boring! Yeah, but it’s for my benefit not yours!
One thing I used to enjoy when I went to a weekly writers group was using prompts and doing 5 or 10 minute timed writing exercises on them so that is my plan for today. I’ll let you know how I get on tomorrow.

mouse2, originally uploaded by Gav’s Studio.

I’ve had quite a productive day for what is supposed to be a day of rest. I’ve made my first steps into mastering the pen tool in Illustrator. The pen tool, for those who want to know, is about as easy to grasp hold of as a pissed off snake. It’s not a case of moving your mouse/pen across the screen you have to pre-plan exactly what you want to draw before you draw it. Anyway I’m getting to grips with it.

Along with that I’ve been playing graphic designer and making new-headed notepaper for Leaf. I was in the mood for a design challenge and I think it came out quite well. We’ll have to see on monday when I show the team on Monday.

I’ve finally made time to finish reading Wee Free Men. After a few shaky moments Pratchett surprised me again by making it into something entertaining and thoughtful. I’m taking a novel pause and going on to try and catch up with judging. I’ve got a pile of stuff here. I love doing it but it does take concentration.

Anyway, what do you think? Should I finish him?

Bestsellers banned in new Iranian censorship purge | News | Guardian Unlimited Books

Dozens of literary masterpieces and international bestsellers have been banned in Iran in a dramatic rise in censorship that has plunged the countrys publishing industry into crisis.Companies that once specialised in popular fiction and other money-spinners are being restricted to academic texts under a cultural freeze instigated by President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad. Several thousand new and previously published works have been blacklisted by Irans culture and Islamic guidance ministry, which vets all books.

And we complain it’s hard to get into print. Reality check people: the only thing that really stops us getting into print is whether it’s going to make money for the printer or if we have the money to fun d it ourselves. There is  very little that we cannot print. So thank your lucky stars.

I’ve been reading all about typography and discovering all sorts of weird and wonderful things like em dashes, en dashes, and hyphens, which I would say more of but I’m still getting to grips with it. And I’d probably bore you.

The other thing of note I’ve been spending time on listening to podcasts by some very talented and creative people. People like the rookie designer, the indesigner, indesign secrets, and the person behind Creative Sweet TV.

Oh and I almost wrote something but then came to my senses.

I’m still reading Wee Free Men by Terry Pratchett. It’s getting good now and I’m finally giving it some attention. I not sure what I’m going to read next. I think it might be On Beauty but it could be anything off the shelf really. I also have a collection of Lovecraft’s work I want to properly read.

Apart from reading I’ve been spending time drawing and trying to spend more time with InDesign (the typesetting package). It’s amazing the work that goes into actually making the books, magazines, and papers we see everyday. Good design in those products is under-appreciated.

I’ve been skimming the limited-edition collection by Matthew Francis (which I only found out about in a review in the Guardian) and apart from the poems, which I’m yet to really read, what has impressed me is the design and layout of the pages and the care that has gone into making the book itself.

More later