In writing the 100 letters for the 100 Pixie Packages I’m alternating fonts and type sizes to suggest those pasted-together ransom letters. I love the effect of using numbers and wing dings, also. N0t a 4orm leTr. Is there a program that will randomly mix fonts and sizes? It would suggest Burroughs’ cut-up technique. How would you use it??
Yes. Paired with the right story, it could have just the right effect. Paired with the wrong story it might result in a disconnected retina and book burning ceremonies.
The way I've done it in the past for cards etc has been to go through a few magazines and cut out a selection of letters I'd need, then arrange them on the paper without sticking them down, photo that paper and then print out the photo. That way you can keep re-using the cut out letters for the various cards.
The reaction my efforts got though was probably "what a cheapskate, he didn't even want to buy a proper greetings card"!
One glue option is to take a screen shot, cut/move string together the words using an image editing program (Photoshop?) Save. Import to preferred word processing program.
As just about every typing program gives you a ridiculous amount of options, many looking very similar, I think this font has every right to become part of that arsenal. Thinking back to all the books I've read in my life, I really can't recall this type of thing being used unless it was actually depicting a ransom note.
Speaking of AI created text— I need to share this with all of you— this is a group that reads Star Wars based scenes created with AI— read as the Lando Calrissian— I enjoyed this way too much! Please let me know some thoughts— https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=9UJwv81KKnk
Here I'm opening a can of worms, but this devious "ergodic" literature is intended to make reading more of an effort/investment. And after a lifetime of slick, quick, easy-reading books I'm attracted to these hurdles. Witness the "objects" obscuring dialog and facial expression in Fight Club 2. More here: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ergodic_literature
Ergodic seems to describe Burroughs' cut-ups mentioned at the top of this post. This gives me the idea of writing random scenes on index cards—not unlike Brian Eno's Oblique Strategy cards—then try to find ways to connect them. Or disconnect them.
Which edition do you have? I looked into the book and now I have to possess it. But I am seeing that there’s a color version, a black and white versions, multiple. Not sure yet which is the “best”
You can use MS Word Macros to do this. Create a new Macro under the Developer ribbon. Use the following code and modify FontList and FontSize list as you see fit. Once you are done typing up your ransom note, run the Macro on the whole document to apply it.
Code:
-----
Sub RansomNote()
Dim oDoc As Document
Dim oText As Range
Dim nList As Long, nSize As Long, iChar As Long
Dim FontList As Variant, FontSize As Variant
Set oDoc = ActiveDocument
Set oText = oDoc.Range
FontList = Array("Arial", "Times New Roman", "Calibri", "Century Gothic","FightClubSoap")
Thank you, Carl. But do you know how stoopid I am? The blender baffles me. I remember the advent of FM radio. You've done a glorious about of coaching, here, so I do appreciate your faith in me.
Forgive me for having a bit of excess faith - and wanting to see more innocuous ransom notes in the world. I spent a few minutes making a quick screen capture of how to do this using the Windows version of MS Word 2013, 2016, or 2019. I sped things up by having the script pre-customized with my font choices and having my ransom letter already written. Here's the animated gif/video: https://imgur.com/a/EZ6fa1r
This is definitely me when it comes to technology. I graduated college with a word processer. Blenders don't have anything on the fancy espresso machine my husband bought that I had to figure out how to use when I'm cranky and sleep deprived in the morning.
this gives me a great idea for something i'm writing on. all my chapter headers are xxx, so now i'm going to macro them up and change the fonts for each.
You could use it to show what your character is doing without having to say it. For instance, your main character speaks, thinks, and acts (in most readings), right? So you could use this typeface when the text represents the characters thoughts, eliminating the need for clunky and boring language such as: "thought Michael"
And what assistant?! As Fran Lebowitz wrote, "A society that provides a helper for tuna yet compels a writer to pack her own suitcases desperately needs to reorder its priorities."
(she wrote it in the 70s when Tuna Helper was a big thing)
I also have an adobe creative suite membership so I have all of the programs that come with that, but for down and dirty quick and easy I still use Canva 90% of the time and leave the photoshop and illustrator stuff to times when Canva can't do the job. It's a little more manual than just typing, but I think you will find it easy to use.
In your specific use case you would create a new document then add an "element" then type the letter you are looking for in the search. It will return all kinds of pre-styled letters of different shapes, sizes and colors and you can add them to the page and re-size and arrange them as you see fit with your mouse.
Super easy to use. It should work for what you are trying to achieve. Should take less than an hour to get a basic mastery of it, and they have a phone app. You can make art and memes from the beach if you want to with your fingers. I do it on the go all the time.
It has stock images, elements, gif's, templates, etc.
I use the paid version and its well worth the small price per month. I definitely get my money's worth out of it but they do have a free version too if you just want to try it out.
Of course. My skills include highlighting and pull-down menus, but that's the limit.
Tell Oliver I just wrote his cover letter. Thank you for those Twinkies, and the grim realization that the underside of a Twinkie with its injection sites looks a bit track mark-y.
Fabulous. I just got off the phone with the fabulous Kerri Rickard who recently received a box of treats from a certain someone. Her writing is sensational. I’m her #1 fan. 😁
I got a bookmark last year. I broke the head off the turtle bead so I had it custom framed with the letter and tissue paper. I got my new bookmark the other day. Cannot wait to get this one custom framed as well. Thank you for the mints. The glitter balls were an excellent touch. Thank you ever so much.
I'm not sure if links work on substack but I found this www.ransomizer.com
I might use ransom note text for dialogue spoken by a particular character. Or maybe everything told by an omniscient narrator.
But if you have an omniscient narrator, wouldn't the whole book save for the dialogue be in that text?
Yes. Paired with the right story, it could have just the right effect. Paired with the wrong story it might result in a disconnected retina and book burning ceremonies.
Used sparsely and only if organic to the story.
(excited)
This is great, but work done in Ransomizer doesn't seem to cut and paste into Word, where I write my letters and make mailing labels. Bummer.
The idea of one particular character's dialogue coming at you in ransom type actually does sound awesome
The way I've done it in the past for cards etc has been to go through a few magazines and cut out a selection of letters I'd need, then arrange them on the paper without sticking them down, photo that paper and then print out the photo. That way you can keep re-using the cut out letters for the various cards.
The reaction my efforts got though was probably "what a cheapskate, he didn't even want to buy a proper greetings card"!
My dad gave me a birthday card like that a few years ago. I was impressed with how much time must of gone into it.
it was actually the first card I ever received from him, as he divorced my mom a year earlier
That's good to hear!
I've tried that, but when I paste them on my laptop screen it ruins the screen. What am I doing wrong, here? Should I use a different glue?
One glue option is to take a screen shot, cut/move string together the words using an image editing program (Photoshop?) Save. Import to preferred word processing program.
I'm not sure on that one. I'm only just allowed to use scissors without supervision, let alone be let loose with glue......
lol
This reminded me of collage poetry. Cutting out a bunch of words that stand out and making them something
As just about every typing program gives you a ridiculous amount of options, many looking very similar, I think this font has every right to become part of that arsenal. Thinking back to all the books I've read in my life, I really can't recall this type of thing being used unless it was actually depicting a ransom note.
'House of Leaves' took so many chances with its type. This "ransom" effect could be used in a limited way but still work.
Speaking of AI created text— I need to share this with all of you— this is a group that reads Star Wars based scenes created with AI— read as the Lando Calrissian— I enjoyed this way too much! Please let me know some thoughts— https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=9UJwv81KKnk
Interesting. I'll have to check it out. Any book taking strange chances is worth looking into.
Here I'm opening a can of worms, but this devious "ergodic" literature is intended to make reading more of an effort/investment. And after a lifetime of slick, quick, easy-reading books I'm attracted to these hurdles. Witness the "objects" obscuring dialog and facial expression in Fight Club 2. More here: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ergodic_literature
Ergodic seems to describe Burroughs' cut-ups mentioned at the top of this post. This gives me the idea of writing random scenes on index cards—not unlike Brian Eno's Oblique Strategy cards—then try to find ways to connect them. Or disconnect them.
I want to read that book!
That book was pure art! Still have mine. ♥️
Which edition do you have? I looked into the book and now I have to possess it. But I am seeing that there’s a color version, a black and white versions, multiple. Not sure yet which is the “best”
Mine is soft back— all different font colors. Some only came with one font color. Blew my mind going through it!!!
You can use MS Word Macros to do this. Create a new Macro under the Developer ribbon. Use the following code and modify FontList and FontSize list as you see fit. Once you are done typing up your ransom note, run the Macro on the whole document to apply it.
Code:
-----
Sub RansomNote()
Dim oDoc As Document
Dim oText As Range
Dim nList As Long, nSize As Long, iChar As Long
Dim FontList As Variant, FontSize As Variant
Set oDoc = ActiveDocument
Set oText = oDoc.Range
FontList = Array("Arial", "Times New Roman", "Calibri", "Century Gothic","FightClubSoap")
FontSize = Array(12, 13, 14, 16, 17, 69)
nList = UBound(FontList)
nSize = UBound(FontSize)
For iChar = 1 To oText.Characters.Count
oText.Characters(iChar).Font.Size = FontSize(Int(Rnd() * nSize))
oText.Characters(iChar).Font.name = FontList(Int(Rnd() * nList))
DoEvents
Next iChar
End Sub
-----
Thank you, Carl. But do you know how stoopid I am? The blender baffles me. I remember the advent of FM radio. You've done a glorious about of coaching, here, so I do appreciate your faith in me.
Forgive me for having a bit of excess faith - and wanting to see more innocuous ransom notes in the world. I spent a few minutes making a quick screen capture of how to do this using the Windows version of MS Word 2013, 2016, or 2019. I sped things up by having the script pre-customized with my font choices and having my ransom letter already written. Here's the animated gif/video: https://imgur.com/a/EZ6fa1r
See the comment from Jason, below. Carl, you are benefiting the whole world here!!
This is definitely me when it comes to technology. I graduated college with a word processer. Blenders don't have anything on the fancy espresso machine my husband bought that I had to figure out how to use when I'm cranky and sleep deprived in the morning.
this gives me a great idea for something i'm writing on. all my chapter headers are xxx, so now i'm going to macro them up and change the fonts for each.
You could use it to show what your character is doing without having to say it. For instance, your main character speaks, thinks, and acts (in most readings), right? So you could use this typeface when the text represents the characters thoughts, eliminating the need for clunky and boring language such as: "thought Michael"
Expanding on my thought...I suppose this could be done with other fonts of course. I'd use the ransom type to reflect particular disturbing thoughts
Interesting choice of letter to use for this graphic haha
You caught that? It was the only example they gave that fit the space. And it also struck me as creepy.
Why did your assistant do the one you posted, is it a stock photo or did it just take too long?
A stock photo. Substack gives me a Getty account for pilfering, but I'm trying to do most of my own art.
And what assistant?! As Fran Lebowitz wrote, "A society that provides a helper for tuna yet compels a writer to pack her own suitcases desperately needs to reorder its priorities."
(she wrote it in the 70s when Tuna Helper was a big thing)
I use Canva.com for most of my stuff.
I also have an adobe creative suite membership so I have all of the programs that come with that, but for down and dirty quick and easy I still use Canva 90% of the time and leave the photoshop and illustrator stuff to times when Canva can't do the job. It's a little more manual than just typing, but I think you will find it easy to use.
In your specific use case you would create a new document then add an "element" then type the letter you are looking for in the search. It will return all kinds of pre-styled letters of different shapes, sizes and colors and you can add them to the page and re-size and arrange them as you see fit with your mouse.
Super easy to use. It should work for what you are trying to achieve. Should take less than an hour to get a basic mastery of it, and they have a phone app. You can make art and memes from the beach if you want to with your fingers. I do it on the go all the time.
It has stock images, elements, gif's, templates, etc.
I use the paid version and its well worth the small price per month. I definitely get my money's worth out of it but they do have a free version too if you just want to try it out.
Wait, so without a program you changed individual letters ONE AT A TIME for a master copy????
I’m framing mine. 😉
Of course. My skills include highlighting and pull-down menus, but that's the limit.
Tell Oliver I just wrote his cover letter. Thank you for those Twinkies, and the grim realization that the underside of a Twinkie with its injection sites looks a bit track mark-y.
Fabulous. I just got off the phone with the fabulous Kerri Rickard who recently received a box of treats from a certain someone. Her writing is sensational. I’m her #1 fan. 😁
I have conveyed your message, my liege.
I got a bookmark last year. I broke the head off the turtle bead so I had it custom framed with the letter and tissue paper. I got my new bookmark the other day. Cannot wait to get this one custom framed as well. Thank you for the mints. The glitter balls were an excellent touch. Thank you ever so much.