Ok – where to begin? The beginning? Right…
I do web stuff for a living. Hence I get to sit in a lot of meetings where people throw phrases about like “pan media content” – when I’m not going glassy-eyed I guess they’re on about the illusive goal of creating stuff for TV that also works as a website, or the other-way round.
It always sucks. People see the pound signs before they see that square TV ideas don’t always fit into round internet holes.
I see things differently – I see the internet as a vast machine that can be put to work finding stuff for other media. That’s not to dismiss websites that work only for a internet audience, but we’re seeing so much web stuff pouring into other media these days that it fuggles the mind. You want examples? Ok.
* Arctic Monkeys – a Britsh rock group that found an audience via fans trading their MP3s on filesharing aps. And on putting the songs out using conventional media – straight to the top of the charts with the highest selling debut UK album ever.
* Nicecupofteaandasitdown – UK website that reviews biscuits (run by the very lovely Nicey and Wifey), they get a book deal and end up on Richard & Judy.
* Kittenwar.com – all over the papers last week because they gave the picture editors something that they could sell papers with: cute photos of cats.
Ok. So that’s the plan: use the internet to both generate the very content and to get a book into the shops.
If this fails, it will be a public failure.
Stuff I’ve done today
* Opened a challenge on the b3ta website to ask people to make illustrations.
* Written up an overview of the idea
* Told people about the idea via the b3ta board.
* Bought the domain name www.sickjokebook.com with the idea of starting this very blog you’re reading right now. I figure documenting the process will make the whole thing a little more interesting for you internet peoples.
* Gone for a walk to pick up my son from the child minder, and cooked some pasta for my wife. (Tagliatelli with pesto, mascarpone, mushroom and red onion. Cook mushrooms and onions then chuck everything over the pasta and mixy mixy. Lovely stuff.)
From idea to publishing. I shall tell the story here. Woo.
congratulations rob, i love the sickipedia website jokes. i am so happy
that theres going to be a joke book out. i’ve pre-ordered it on amazon.co.uk. please keep up the good work.
i do have one problem with your jokes. please could you explain what an emo kid is as i don’t know. thanks for a fantastic laugh otherwise.