I’m in kind of a communications muddle right now.
Background:
• Worked on high school newspaper 1952
• Ran US Air Force base newspaper in Germany 1958-60
• Shelter editor of Whole Earth Catalog 1969-73
• Published Domebook One in 1970, Domebook 2 in 1971
• Published Shelter in 1973
• 1973-present day, published series of various books, mostly on building and fitness
• Interspersed between: a series of magazine articles, pamphlets, brochures, flyers, posters, hand-crafted, hand-lettered scrapbooks (print runs of two (2), panoramic photo collages, a few videos, and stretching software (StretchWare). All extracurricular.
•Started a blog in 2010. Why not? I gave it a whirl and liked it. (Thanks, Eszter!) Some 5,000 posts later, I realized it was taking a lot of time, and no income. I backed off and so did my readers (see graph):
•At that point I started with Instagram. Photo-oriented, whereas my blog was word-oriented. I liked being able to record something (iPhone photo) and get it up there right away. I liked the age group using it. All my Instagram posts automatically go up on my Twitter account and blog, but it’s not a great solution. The formats don’t transfer very well. Hmmm…
So here I am.
I have a ton of, I believe…content.
Problem is, it doesn’t fit into typical forms. A 24-page book on Southeast Asia, a 36-page book(let) on driftwood shacks. A 32-page book on a trip to hot springs, canyons, cave paintings, sleeping out under the stars, and Pop’s diner in Page Arizona and Mom’s Home Cooking in Beatty, Nevada. Various communications that work (or don’t) on “social media.”
I have other maybe full-size books in the wings: Barns, the Half Acre Homestead, Baja California (The Real Baja), French carpenter Yogan’s book about unique, creative, often wild homes around the world…
Well, what can a poor boy do — (if he can’t play in a rock ‘n roll band)?
I’m going to try some small-print-run books when I get back. And I’m working on a book on the ‘60s. There’s so much horseshit being written (and displayed) these days about those times that I’m motivated to give a native (San Franciscan)’s take on the times. It was all over by the summer of love!
There’s something happening here
What it is ain’t exactly clear…
I think it’s time we stop, children, what’s that sound
Everybody look what’s going down…
PS I know I repeat myself in this blog, but it would take too much time to go back and see what I’ve already posted. Sorreee…
Looking at that graph I don't think the blog is a waste of time. I discovered you through the blog in 2010 and have since bought most of your housing books. Think of it as self promotion. Personally I'm super interested in the 1/2 acre homestead and would pick that up from you in a heart beat. I'm in my early 30's but I'll probably end up getting your book on the 60's, especially if you have a lot of meat on the back to the land side of things.
I don't see eye to eye with you on politics (Not a fan of Trump, he is an asshole, but I think the democrats/mainstream media have lost their way and don't have our best interest at heart to put it politely.) Oddly enough I find myself in sync with everything else you're up to.
Anyway appreciate what you do, and I hope you keep it up!
Take care,
Michael Allison