It's Time for the Summertime Snooze
Last summer nearly killed me, so this year I'm taking July off
Do you have a zine or a book you’re wanting to sell but you’re not ready to build an entire website around it? Reply to this email because you’re not going to want to miss this one!
Some of you may remember the chaos that was my life last year. Normally, I take time off during the latter part of June because of all the family events, but last year was a mess because I came down with a case of shingles so intense, I started Googling exorcists
That was nearly three months of pain, and while that was happening, July ended up being even busier than June. Between multiple doctor’s visits and my son participating in three different athletic sports at the same time, I was a sickly taxi dad, chauffeuring with one hand and pressing a cold compress to my face like my head was on fire (that’s literally what it felt like at times).
This year, I don’t have the shingles, but the kid is still doing three sports all throughout summer—most of it happening in July. So I’m taking a break to spend time with the family and retool for a slight creative reinvention.
Next!
A few weeks back, I mentioned how I’m leaning more into zines now. I’ve got a couple simmering on the back burners while I focus on scheduling content throughout July in advance.
While I’m in my downtime, I’ll also be working on a plan to turn my personal shop into a highly curated collection of zines, books, comics, art, and merchandise. The goal is to bring together some of my favorite talent in those respective spaces.
I want to have partnerships worked out with several other artists and makers in time for the holidays, in what will become the Manual Transmission shop.
I’m using BuyOlympia.com as the framework. Where they focus on products from artists and designers in the Pacific Northwest, Manual Transmission will spotlight makers who actively mix their digital lives with goods made by hand.
This is Not Etsy
I won’t be taking everyone. In fact, I’ll only be accepting items that I feel fit well with the Manual Transmission vibe.
What is that vibe? I’m not sure yet—but it’s somewhere between a Xeroxed punk flyer and a soft leather couch with a USB connection.
That said, I will be taking applications in the near future. If you’re interested, it’s a good time to be a subscriber. I’ll be turning to you all first, and loyalty is always rewarded—just saying.
If you know someone who might be a good fit for the eventual Manual Transmission shop, share this post with them (offhand, referrals gets you things).
Relationships > Sales
I get that you want to sell your things. I do too. But most people do not enjoy straight, in-your-face selling of their goods.
I don’t do art markets anymore because they wear me down. The money made is short-term, with very little guarantee of repeat purchases.
Instead, I prefer building long-term relationships through connections formed by bludgeoning people with my point of view in written form (and sometimes video).
I try to support others often, even if I don’t know them, with the goal of creating solidarity and a creative network that helps everyone rise together. It’s not always easy, and people fall off now and then—because online relationships are often loosely tied together through ideas, not personal connection or partnership.
That’s one of the main reasons I want to build the Manual Transmission shop: to find partners who want to work together cohesively, lifting each other up—and hopefully earning enough money to keep our creative fire stoked.
That’s the plan for the second half of the year. For now, I’m signing off—but not before sharing that if you’d like to support the future launch, you can start by grabbing a few zines and digital goods from your buddy Dave.
Next time you see the shop, it might look a lot different.
External Signals
This is the post-tariff energy we need! Crafted With Pride is a physical directory of American companies making fine crafted goods entirely in the U.S.A.
- from post zine recs, announcements about new zines, and sample articles around 2-3 times a month. She dropped Issue 7 last week and I’m eager to see what she comes up with next. 👀 👀 👀
Last week, on
, I wrote two posts that I think a lot of people could use. First was how to use ChatGPT to help automate the pricing of your work.The second is a tool to help you write product descriptions for your listings that grab attention when you hate talking about yourself.
That’s going to do it for this one. I’ll see you in August, and if you’re interested in being a part of the Manual Transmission shop, make sure to drop a comment.
Starting in July, members get free zines as well as digital goodies. Become a member of Manual Transmission and you can start with this one below.
Thank you for the shout out! :)