Business Cards

Do any of the writers here have business cards - if so, did you just put 'writer' or were you tempted to put something funny/unusual to sell yourself? (a comedian friend of mine just has 'Jew' under his profession, which is hilarious but a bit risky, and, well, there's at least two reasons why I couldn't do that.)

I'm getting a bit American Psycho about designing one now, but I'm thinking anything 'funny' is going to rapidly become lame the longer it lives in my wallet. And as I need to hand out a card about once every six weeks, that's going to be a long time to get through 500 printed with 'Federal Breast Inspector' (I'm not actually going to put that)

I very nearly had some business cards made for an event where I thought I was going to meet some producers (but it didn't happen).

However. I did put a lot of thought into what should be on them.

I thought it would say something like

MY NAME
Comedy Writer - Jokes, Sketches, Songs, Sitcoms
contact details

with the card being illustrated by the logos of the shows I have written for ie NewsRevue, Treason Show, Sitcom Trials, BBC7 Tilt etc.

I may still do this.

I have a double-sided business card with an illustration of a human heart on it and coming out of one of the ventricles, the slogan "Writer of Wrongs"

I've yet to land a job off it.

Quote: David Bussell @ October 1 2008, 1:46 PM BST

A have a double-sided business card with an illustration of a human heart on it and coming out of one of the ventricles, the slogan "Writer of Wrongs"

I've yet to land a job off it.

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I've got one of your cards in my wallet. I use it occasionally to pick out bits of food from between my teeth.

I might get some cards made one day, if I feel I'm in a position to use them. I don't go to enough hob-nobbing dinner parties though.

Perhaps we should write each others' business cards.

a double-sided business card with an illustration of a human heart on it and coming out of one of the ventricles, the slogan "Writer of Wrongs"

I've yet to land a job off it.

It is very funny though.

I really debated whether the business card should be a gag in itself or just a bog-standard statement of "here's me, I reckon I'm a writer".

In the end I went with no joke based on the advice "producers hate people being funny in cover letters" (except I didn't, cos I never got round to printing it).

But the way you've done it Dave, it's not really a "joke", more of a slogan/branding which says something about your writing style. Hmmm. Good stuff.

I would simply put your name, contact address phone number email etc.

Quote: Griff @ October 1 2008, 1:51 PM BST

It is very funny though.

I really debated whether the business card should be a gag in itself or just a bog-standard statement of "here's me, I reckon I'm a writer".

In the end I went with no joke based on the advice "producers hate people being funny in cover letters" (except I didn't, cos I never got round to printing it).

But the way you've done it Dave, it's not really a "joke", more of a slogan/branding which says something about your writing style. Hmmm. Good stuff.

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I reckon a striking, simple one with just a name and contact would work well.

Quote: Graham Bandage @ October 1 2008, 1:49 PM BST

Perhaps we should write each others' business cards.

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Jake How-'I Am Jake How'

Its never actually crossed my mind to get a business card. Not sure if you would end up really using them?

Quote: Seefacts @ October 1 2008, 1:47 PM BST

I don't go to enough hob-nobbing dinner parties though.

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You don't? That's the only reason I'm in this thing - the free red wine.

Quote: Matthew Stott @ October 1 2008, 1:55 PM BST

Its never actually crossed my mind to get a business card. Not sure if you would end up really using them?

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Me neither. I think it would be a bit pretentious at MY level.

My ex-boss asked me to design her two different sets of business cards. One was with her job title Sales & Marketing Manager and the other with...

Cheerleader

While odd it was actually quite appropriate for her and her standing in the industry. Maybe you could resurrect it.

Quote: David Bussell @ October 1 2008, 1:59 PM BST

You don't? That's the only reason I'm in this thing - the free red wine.

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I'm more of a free lunch man.

There are some events I think business cards would be useful for. For example, if you got through to something like the finals of the Sitcom Trials (INSTEAD OF BEING FUCKING ROBBED IN THE SEMIFINALS) there were quite a few producers, agents etc there last year. Surely if you end up chatting to someone and arranging to "speak soon" it's better to hand over a card with your contact details on, than scribble your phone number on a beermat?

Tuumble you had a boss who was a cheerleader?

Quote: Marc P @ October 1 2008, 1:52 PM BST

I would simply put your name, contact address phone number email etc.

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And then pop it in a London phonebox.