Writing needs to be done regularly. Today, for example, felt like a struggle, though by the end of 1000 words, I was back in the groove Iā€™d lost over the long weekend. I guess itā€™s one of those small rules about creativity that you learn by doing and doing regularly. Which is why Iā€™m hoping that John Cleeseā€™s new book titled ā€˜Creativityā€™ will help me. I probably need the help.

The book arrived today, and I intend to spend the rest of this wonderfully dark and rainy afternoon reading it beneath a window suitably positioned to drum gently as the rain hits it. Shouldnā€™t take too long. Itā€™s 100 pages long and those are small, narrow, widely spaced pages. It explains why the book was so cheap for a hardback but, I also admit, I bought it because I could get a signed copy. My greatest sin is probably collecting signed books and this one goes on my shelf next to my prized possessions: my Vonnegut, Steve Martin, David Mamet, and John Le Carre.

In other newsā€¦ Last night, I drew a new full colour editorial cartoon which I then sent off to a national newspaper and, naturally, heard nothing. I know I must repeat this complaint this ad nauseum but itā€™s shocking how hard it is to find contact details at the nationals. I see them publish cartoons objectively worse than those I send (I usually only bother them with the cartoons that work the best) but Iā€™ve never once had a reply. Iā€™ve asked people I know who have been published in those papers and theyā€™re always polite in their replies but notably donā€™t tell me who they contact. I genuinely think they donā€™t want anybody else in on the secret. Or they think Iā€™m too pushy or just insane, which I think about far too often lately. Perhaps Iā€™m mad, though last night I was encouraged by other people to submit the cartoon. So, if I’m mad, it’s a madness shared by others. Stillā€¦ I donā€™t know.

I was reading a couple of interesting articles by Private Eye cartoonist, Nick Newman, over at the Professional Cartoonists Organisation last night. He was lamenting the death of the industry but also how so few new cartoonists are coming through the ranks. He wonders why, whilst also acknowledging that rejection usually breaks the spirits of new cartoonists. I certainly understand that. He reckons every issue of Private Eye gets 500+ cartoons, of which they only select 50. 500 divided by 50 means that I should (in theory) have a 1 in 10 chance every time I submit. I know Iā€™m well beyond 10 attempts over about 10 years of periodically trying. Plus the maths are surely better since I never send a single cartoon. I send a fewā€¦

I sometimes wonder about moving into graphic novels but it doesn’t appeal to me. Iā€™d rather write a real novel than illustrate one since the difficult bit is constructing a narrative. Iiā€™s something Iā€™ve singularly failed to master, even at the most rudimentary level. If could figure out a narrative, the writing bit wouldnā€™t bother me in the least.

Which is perhaps why I should leave this here and go read this book before the rain stops.

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Why Dunciad.com?

It’s a cool domain name and it was available. Yes, I know. Available. Crazy, isn’t it?

Really?

Yes. It also helps that it’s also my favourite satire written by Alexander Pope, one of the most metrically pure English poets who also knew his way around a crude insult or two. If you’ve not read it, you should give it a try.

So this is satire, right?

Can’t deny it. There will be some. But it’s also an experiment in writing and drawing, giving work away for free in order to see how many people are willing to support a writer doing his thing. It’s the weird stuff that I wouldn’t get published elsewhere in this word of diminishing demands and cookie-cutter tastes.