At the height of a crowded international book fair, where hundreds of publishers compete for attention and tables overflow with printed matter, WIRWIR PUBLISHES chose a different approach. Instead of simply displaying books, they invited participation. Armed with a manual typewriter, they asked visitors a deceptively simple question: what is your advice about everything?
The result is Advice From Everyone About Everything, a 148-page publication made up of typed contributions from more than 130 people. Collected across three international book fairs in 2024, each piece of advice was written directly onto the page using the same manual typewriter. The physicality of the process remains visible in the final book, where slight variations in pressure, spacing and alignment become part of the aesthetic language.
The project emerged from an observation. As a small press navigating the intense atmosphere of large-scale fairs, WIRWIR noticed how difficult it can be for visitors to meaningfully engage with what is on display. Publications are often densely arranged, and audiences move quickly from table to table. By placing a typewriter at the centre of their stand, they shifted the dynamic from passive viewing to active contribution.
The invitation to offer advice proved surprisingly revealing. Participants, regardless of age, nationality or background, often responded with compact but deeply personal reflections. Under the guise of giving guidance, many wrote about their own lives. The advice became less about instruction and more about confession, aspiration or quiet resilience.
One contributor wrote, “If you loose hope, listen to the wind moving the leaves in the trees.” In a single sentence, the project’s tone becomes clear. The book captures fragments of vulnerability, humour, pragmatism and tenderness. Taken together, the entries form a snapshot of collective consciousness in the present moment.
Riso printed in burgundy ink, the publication measures 10.5 x 14.5 cm, reinforcing its intimate, pocket-sized character. The modest format contrasts with the scale of its contributors. It is both a social archive and a portable object, a chorus of voices bound into a single edition.
Founded as a collaborative and socially engaged initiative, WIRWIR PUBLISHES approaches print not only as a medium for sharing ideas but as a tool for building conversation and coalition. In this project, the act of publishing extends beyond authorship and into participation. The book fair becomes a site of gathering, and the typewriter becomes a catalyst for exchange.
Advice From Everyone About Everything stands as a reminder that publishing can be porous. It can listen as much as it speaks. In bringing together over 130 voices, WIRWIR PUBLISHES has created a small but resonant document of where people are, right now, in their own lives.
Published by WIRWIR PUBLISHES, 2025
Riso printed with burgundy ink
148 pages
10.5 cm x 14.5 cm
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