Motivational/Humorous Posters as Promotional Freebie?

Question

The recent discussion of a NaNoWriMo promotion kicked me in a random new direction, and gave me a cool idea for a promotional product we could distribute: motivational posters for writers.

I'm picturing choosing some short-and-sweet writing advice ("BUTT IN CHAIR, HANDS ON KEYBOARD," anybody?), prettifying it all up and maybe an illustration courtesy of the good designers of SE, and adding a slogan and a URL to the corner. I'm thinking of something on the lines of a pullout poster from a magazine - cheap, compact, easy to produce and distribute. We could mail 'em out, or hand them out in stacks at, ummm, writing-related venues of any type.

It's a product I can see writers really enjoying getting free; something cool to hang up in their writing space. Some might prefer something motivational and optimistic; others might prefer something sharp and clever (kind of a writing equivalent of hanging Dilbert comics up by your computer...). The point is, writing is done at desks; writers jump at anything that helps get them in the right creative frame of mind; that's what we can give 'em.

Points for discussion:

• Does this type of item appeal to you as a writer?
• Is the design and printing of such posters feasible for Stack Exchange?
• Where, how, and to whom could we distribute these?
• Ideas for poster slogans, design, and content?
• Problems with this idea?

Answer 1

I don't really know that I would ever follow through to obtain anything like this as a writer. I tend to write in an area with as few distractions as possible, and that includes no Dilbert comics or even desk calendars. On tip of that, the cost and effort to create, distribute, and promote these items would not be insignificant. Just finding volunteers to take on those tasks alone may prove to be too much.

Answer 2

Here are quotes I think good posters could be designed around:

• "Butt in Chair; Hands on Keyboard"
• "A blank piece of paper is God's way of telling us how hard it to be God." --Sidney Sheldon
• "Don't get it right, just get it written." --James Thurber
• "One writes to make a home for oneself, on paper, in time and in others' minds." --Alfred Kazin
• "The role of a writer is not to say what we all can say, but what we are unable to say." -- Anaïs Nin
• "The difference between the right word and the almost right word is the difference between lightning and a lightning bug." --Mark Twain

Answer 3

If you just want flyers to hang in bookstores or wherever, here you go. Based on Standback's proposed quotes:

(I can do more of these if these get a good reaction.)

Answer 4

Maybe we could have a nice design that would look good even just printed out on a standard printer? Then distribution would be a snap.