Category Archives: Authors

The Gentle Author of Spitalfields Life

By tim | Published: 02/02/2012

‘In the midst of life I woke to find myself living in an old house beside Brick Lane in the East End of London.’ With these words the Spitalfields Life blog was born, back in August 2009.

Also posted in Attention span, History, London, Reading, Storytelling, Tone of voice, Writing | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | 7 Comments

Comfortable among the clouds

By tim | Published: 24/01/2012

Joseph Roth’s What I Saw captures his impressions and observations as he wanders Berlin in the years between the two World Wars. He re-constructs the city before the reader’s eyes. But it’s very much his Berlin – one moment a hard reality of stone and traffic, the next a floating world of dizzying shapes and elusive symbols.

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Buskers told to Foxtrot Oscar

By tim | Published: 22/01/2012

‘Most people are other people. Their thoughts are someone else’s opinions, their lives a mimicry, their passions a quotation.’

Also posted in Copy analysis, Design, Free speech, History, Jargon, London, Plain English, Poetry, Tone of voice, Writing | Tagged , , , , , , | 1 Comment

Random Spectacular

By tim | Published: 14/12/2011

Spitalfields Life is an important counter-argument to the ridiculous but common notion that people don’t like to read online.

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Tis as human a little story

By tim | Published: 09/12/2011

Designers don’t always limit themselves to pure function; why should copywriters restrict themselves to functional language?

Also posted in Brand, Business, Copy analysis, Jargon, Plain English, Reading, Tone of voice, Writing | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , | 4 Comments

WORDSTOCK – One Amazing Day

By tom | Published: 14/10/2011

WORDSTOCK began as a twinkle in our collective eyes at a 26 Board meeting: Could it be possible to attract 70 people who are mad about writing and communications to a wordstorming Saturday somewhere in central London? And if so, who so, where so, when so? Approaching likely punters was the easy bit because 26 [...]

Also posted in 26, Art, Books, Brand, Business, Campaigning, Copy analysis, Design, Food, Free speech, Graffiti, History, Jargon, Letters, London, Magazines, Photography, Poetry, Reading, Storytelling, Tone of voice, Workshops, Writing | 3 Comments

You’ve got mail

By tim | Published: 28/02/2011

There are some profoundly important pieces in this collection – asides, sideswipes and ruminations that bring the often complex theories and personalities of individuals into the language of everyday life.

Also posted in History, Letters, Politics, Reading, Speechwriting, Tone of voice, Writing | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , | 1 Comment

Write Copy, Make Money

By tim | Published: 25/11/2010

We copywriters need to invest full and proper time in commercial matters, as well as our commercial writing. But sometimes we forget about the basics of good business when we’re trying to hit a series of fast-moving deadlines.

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A blazing star

By tim | Published: 05/11/2010

Despite the anti-popery, there’s something Bellocose about Lewes Bonfire’s combination of dark fuming and expressive zest, this farrago of black powders. Effigies of ‘Enemies of Bonfire’ – usually local officials – are paraded on pikes, but there’s also a sense of togetherness and vitality.

Also posted in 26, Books, Free speech, History, Photography, Plain English, Politics, Tone of voice, Writing | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | 2 Comments

Then we take Berlin…

By tom | Published: 03/11/2010

The delicate dynamics of East and West no longer hold the city in aggravated tension. The no-go-zones and wastelands of divided Berlin are now crammed with generic curtain wall architecture, and gentrification of the old east has blurred all the distinctions I remember.

Also posted in History, Travel, Writing | Tagged , , | 1 Comment