worstquarterly.com

WORST $12 I Ever Made

Wow, I actually sold four copies of WORST #1 at the craft show/going away party! Many thanks to Liz, Mary, Kim, and Kelly for the support!

Tags: worst #1

WORST Hits the Streets

The much-delayed debut issue of WORST is finally in my hands and will be in the mail soon to contributors and others. I will be taking it to a craft show/going away party for its public debut later on today!

Tags: worst #1

Which Worst is Worst?

Now that you’ve had a chance to read issue #1, take a moment to help decide which writer’s experience was the worst — ie. which experience you’d least like to have happen to you!

 Loading …

Results will be announced just prior to the publication of WORST #2.

Tags: poll, worst #1

Welcome to WORST

Welcome to WORST — here’s the deal: as with most creative endeavors, WORST is the result of a confluence of influences, of which, I’ve been able to identify five.

1) As a teenager, my friends and I were very much into various music-based subcultures (for me punk, hardcore, and ska). It’s hard to convey just how dominant mainstream pop culture was back then. If you were into any kind of “underground” music, there were no web sites, blogs, listservs, or anything like that for you to connect with a larger national or global scene. What we had were ‘zines of all shapes and sizes. We hunted these down and scoured the articles, interviews and ads for clues and cues about how to situate ourselves within the subculture (mainly what to listen to and how to dress). I never made any ‘zines myself, but I had friends that did, and now I’m finally taking my stab at it.

2) I’ve been working in print design for around fifteen years, but now my main job of taking care of our little girl, marking the end of any paid design work for the foreseeable future. There’s something very satisfying about print work, because at the end of the day, you have something to hold in your hands—and WORST is a way for me to keep creating something I can hold on to.

3) Speaking of our kid, she’s the force behind the third and fourth threads. Anyone who’s been a stay-at-home parent knows that, while it’s incredibly rewarding, you have to work hard to not feel isolated. WORST is a way for me to collaborate with friends and stay connected.

4) At the same time, WORST is a way for its contributors to tell stories about ourselves that we may never get around to telling our children (or grandchildren). Put a little sticky note marking your WORST story, toss the issue in the family memorabilia box, and presto, fifty years from now, your family will discover a new side to you.

4) Finally, there’s Chris Craun—whom some of you know as a friend of mine from high school. Chris is one of those people who always has crazy and hilarious stories about stuff that happens around him. He’s the kind of guy you wish you were recording as he told stories, because he’s that entertaining. Chris is the embodiment of the idea that people around us have interesting stories to tell, and can often be just as skilled in telling those stories as the “professionals.” Hopefully, WORST can capture and share some of the great stories that friends of mine have inside them.

Thanks for checking WORST out!

Tags: welcome