Comics & the Craft of Writing. It was the 1970s; I was in my early 20s, and a freelance assistant editor on Tammy, a girls comic published by IPC Magazines. I’d already written numerous serials for girls and boys comics.
respect to you Pat. A major influence on my growing mind & followed your work through the decades. Still relevant (still think Torquemada's plans have been taken on board by the WEF!) and glad to see you passing on the real-deal advice as creative careers become ever more out of the reach of people without connections or money. Especially glad to see you call out the kool-aid journal which is The Guardian keeping many of minds you once opened firmly shut in a cosy middle-aged consensus
Weirdly I’m applying some of these ideas to art. When you start painting it can be daunting seeing some of the fabulous work out there, but like pat says, you have to work from the gut and find your own voice or you might as well paint by numbers.
So there is Life on Earth. Great to read your skewering of The Guardian as the propaganda mouthpiece it is. But that seems true of most, if not all, media outlets at present. No wonder people are a little batty as a result and heading for the margins (which are themselves peopled by puppet 'alternatives' - extreme, in order to justify more state control?) Thank Goddess for the Muse ... and the many Snakes, traps and challenges we have to overcome in this existence might be a kind of assault course for the Spirit ... Just remember, before they do a cover story on it, the Guardian don't have exclusive writes (or rites) ...
About your friend who was put off writing early on and never recuperated the skill. I don't know what education is like now, but certainly encountered teachers in times gone by who seemed bent on deforming the student's abilities and undermining potential - creating mutants suitable only for menial work. Some of these individuals had obviously been scarred themselves by failure and rejection, so it's mutants begetting mutants ... Luckily, I understand from The Guardian that everything is fine now, apart from a few rude men, and apocalyptic fire & flood. Though he is part panto villain, I think Grauniad secretly admires Blair for being a 'feminist' and Rock Star Messiah figure, who selflessly sacrificed his reputation as a sort of peace-loving bank-manager (with a groovy past! And how!!) to become Brosnan-era bond Action-Christ figure who has made War clean and of a good home. But much as the Upper Classes of yore looked enviously upon Jazz etc., I hope and that the slave class will break out of the present yoke, laugh at the myriad false-alternatives foisted upon us, and cultivate vibrant heresies that will needle and irritate the powers-that-be. We have a good time, taht's our greatest strength
respect to you Pat. A major influence on my growing mind & followed your work through the decades. Still relevant (still think Torquemada's plans have been taken on board by the WEF!) and glad to see you passing on the real-deal advice as creative careers become ever more out of the reach of people without connections or money. Especially glad to see you call out the kool-aid journal which is The Guardian keeping many of minds you once opened firmly shut in a cosy middle-aged consensus
Love your work, but I'm now embarrassed to be an English teacher.
Weirdly I’m applying some of these ideas to art. When you start painting it can be daunting seeing some of the fabulous work out there, but like pat says, you have to work from the gut and find your own voice or you might as well paint by numbers.
Finally, I'm getting a real education! Looking forward to the rest of this, Pat!
Great! This is the book I was hoping you would write. Looking forward to every chapter.
This looks both useful and interesting.
Excellent, Pat - thank you. Such a refreshing voice to read. Very helpful already, on the Muse. Look forward to more.
Very informative, Pat! I shall be looking forward to many updates!
So there is Life on Earth. Great to read your skewering of The Guardian as the propaganda mouthpiece it is. But that seems true of most, if not all, media outlets at present. No wonder people are a little batty as a result and heading for the margins (which are themselves peopled by puppet 'alternatives' - extreme, in order to justify more state control?) Thank Goddess for the Muse ... and the many Snakes, traps and challenges we have to overcome in this existence might be a kind of assault course for the Spirit ... Just remember, before they do a cover story on it, the Guardian don't have exclusive writes (or rites) ...
About your friend who was put off writing early on and never recuperated the skill. I don't know what education is like now, but certainly encountered teachers in times gone by who seemed bent on deforming the student's abilities and undermining potential - creating mutants suitable only for menial work. Some of these individuals had obviously been scarred themselves by failure and rejection, so it's mutants begetting mutants ... Luckily, I understand from The Guardian that everything is fine now, apart from a few rude men, and apocalyptic fire & flood. Though he is part panto villain, I think Grauniad secretly admires Blair for being a 'feminist' and Rock Star Messiah figure, who selflessly sacrificed his reputation as a sort of peace-loving bank-manager (with a groovy past! And how!!) to become Brosnan-era bond Action-Christ figure who has made War clean and of a good home. But much as the Upper Classes of yore looked enviously upon Jazz etc., I hope and that the slave class will break out of the present yoke, laugh at the myriad false-alternatives foisted upon us, and cultivate vibrant heresies that will needle and irritate the powers-that-be. We have a good time, taht's our greatest strength