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| Tweeters help a Manchester designer write a book for teenage cancer charity | Tweeters help a Manchester designer write a book for teenage cancer charity |
| (30 days later) | |
| Manchester-based designer Dave Kirkwood got the news that a friend's teenage daughter had cancer a month after his own father and an aunt had a similar diagnosis. | Manchester-based designer Dave Kirkwood got the news that a friend's teenage daughter had cancer a month after his own father and an aunt had a similar diagnosis. |
| "How do I respond to that?" he wondered - and after a period of introspective hopelessness, he had the answer. He organised 3hundredand65 a unique project where Twitter was to write a graphic novel, a Tweet at a time, a day at a time. Dave would then capture those days' 140 characters with artwork and raise funds for the Teenage Cancer Trust charity. | "How do I respond to that?" he wondered - and after a period of introspective hopelessness, he had the answer. He organised 3hundredand65 a unique project where Twitter was to write a graphic novel, a Tweet at a time, a day at a time. Dave would then capture those days' 140 characters with artwork and raise funds for the Teenage Cancer Trust charity. |
| It was a walk on New Year's Day this year which got him thinking: | It was a walk on New Year's Day this year which got him thinking: |
| You offer help but how can I help? I'm not a leading cancer research scientist with an instant cure. So that voice in my head (you know the one) was saying 'Dave you're useless – you don't actually do anything useful.' Out came this idea. | You offer help but how can I help? I'm not a leading cancer research scientist with an instant cure. So that voice in my head (you know the one) was saying 'Dave you're useless – you don't actually do anything useful.' Out came this idea. |
| The finished project will run to over 10,000 words and 366 illustrations (all drawn by Dave) and nicely contained in a free iPhone app. The words from the daily Tweets penned by a different user every day are the skeleton of the story and the illustrations are key frames within the action. | The finished project will run to over 10,000 words and 366 illustrations (all drawn by Dave) and nicely contained in a free iPhone app. The words from the daily Tweets penned by a different user every day are the skeleton of the story and the illustrations are key frames within the action. |
| Both Tweets and illustrations are the story's blueprint. Dave and writer Dom Conlon hope to eventually fill in the gaps for a hardback book, available on pre-order now. But entrusting the central plot to Tweeters is what excites them both. Dave says; | Both Tweets and illustrations are the story's blueprint. Dave and writer Dom Conlon hope to eventually fill in the gaps for a hardback book, available on pre-order now. But entrusting the central plot to Tweeters is what excites them both. Dave says; |
| I have expectations and I get frustrated when the plot doesn't go where I think it should, but that is the nature of the beast we have created. | I have expectations and I get frustrated when the plot doesn't go where I think it should, but that is the nature of the beast we have created. |
The project embraces both us mere mortals and Twitter royalty too. Celebrities such as Stephen Fry have contributed their 140 characters of the tale. | The project embraces both us mere mortals and Twitter royalty too. Celebrities such as Stephen Fry have contributed their 140 characters of the tale. |
| We've made it so easy for them. All we ask is one Tweet. Stephen Fry is possibly one of the busiest men in the celeb world – he found time. | We've made it so easy for them. All we ask is one Tweet. Stephen Fry is possibly one of the busiest men in the celeb world – he found time. |
The project is in support of Teenage Cancer Trust. 3hundredand65 wants to raise £125,000 by June 2013. People can donate through the website and their Just Giving page. | The project is in support of Teenage Cancer Trust. 3hundredand65 wants to raise £125,000 by June 2013. People can donate through the website and their Just Giving page. |
| Dave and the team have also planned an extraordinary event at the Manchester Velodrome on 2 March 2013. | Dave and the team have also planned an extraordinary event at the Manchester Velodrome on 2 March 2013. |
| This will see teenage cancer sufferers and celebrities racing around the track to raise money for the charity. | This will see teenage cancer sufferers and celebrities racing around the track to raise money for the charity. |
| There will be a live streaming and of course moment-by-moment Tweeting. The team has commissioned (again free of charge) a special micro-payment piece of software, that will allow people to donate through the site. | There will be a live streaming and of course moment-by-moment Tweeting. The team has commissioned (again free of charge) a special micro-payment piece of software, that will allow people to donate through the site. |
| The final graphic novel will also be available in a hard-back book form. The book will contain all the Tweets and pictures and is available on a pre-order for publication next year. | The final graphic novel will also be available in a hard-back book form. The book will contain all the Tweets and pictures and is available on a pre-order for publication next year. |
| The project is due to finish on New Year's Eve and Dave and his team is aiming to line up some Twitter celebs to take care of December for them. Meanwhile the Manchester creative scene has embraced the cause. | The project is due to finish on New Year's Eve and Dave and his team is aiming to line up some Twitter celebs to take care of December for them. Meanwhile the Manchester creative scene has embraced the cause. |
| The creative community in Manchester has been amazing. When you turn your mind to something and you haven't got the man telling you to do it and people do it for just goodness, things like this just happen. | The creative community in Manchester has been amazing. When you turn your mind to something and you haven't got the man telling you to do it and people do it for just goodness, things like this just happen. |
But what is it about art that is so rewarding? Dave explains: | But what is it about art that is so rewarding? Dave explains: |
| When we hit a period of austerity like we are at the moment the first thing that gets hit is the arts and it's the thing that makes life worth living. | When we hit a period of austerity like we are at the moment the first thing that gets hit is the arts and it's the thing that makes life worth living. |
Intrigued by what the story's plot may be? Go read. Luke Martin was Scott Trust student at Sheffield University last year and is a regular contributor to the Northerner. With thanks to Tom Stables @3ManFactory | Intrigued by what the story's plot may be? Go read. Luke Martin was Scott Trust student at Sheffield University last year and is a regular contributor to the Northerner. With thanks to Tom Stables @3ManFactory |
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