Introduction to Kai Ford Publications
In the preface to his first book of essays, the French Renaissance writer/philosopher, Michel de Montaigne, introduces his work in such an honest way that is rarely seen by his contemporaries. Instead of indulging in self-obsession and feigning his brilliance – as many would-be philosophers do – he addresses the flaw inherent in all writers, current or otherwise. Regardless of how prophetic and universal they appear, all writers are mere individuals.
He identifies that many writers, old and young, past and present, try to shed this aspect of themselves in their prose. They see their feelings and opinions as a weakness, and choose to portray everything written as incontestable. But not Montaigne.
Montaigne chooses to see the individual as something to be relished: individuals have thoughts, worthy of being expressed to as few or as many people as possible; they have opinions, ones that can be correct and contradictory; they can have interests, that might be shared by those around them or no one at all.
It’s these aspects that Montaigne looked to capture most in his body of work, stating that “I want you to see me as I am, in a plain, natural, and ordinary way, free of pretence and artifice.”
Since being introduced to Montaigne’s work in early 2022, this philosophy has become a driving force for anything and everything I do. There is something intensely incredible about the natural world and the people living in it, something that I look to cover in the projects that I publish.
After 23 years of education and experience, including an Undergraduate Degree in English & History and an MSc in International Journalism, I’m now looking to self-publish work that aligns with this philosophy. This website aims to be a portfolio of my capabilities and interests – which aren’t limited to one specific subject.
The work I’m looking to publish here will vary in length, style, subject, and medium, with their main connecting force being that they focus on a subject that’s interesting to myself; and potentially to others as well. With a background in English, history, and journalism studies, the work I choose to produce will likely focus on these specific topics, and any other subjects that share a connection with them.
While many pieces of published work may not share a direct connection in theme or topic, there is also the potential for some articles to be part of a series. For example, during the summer of 2023, I joined the non-profit organisation, Jeeps for Peace, as they took part in a convoy to deliver aid and trucks to the people of Ukraine. I chose to cover this topic in a multi-part series of articles that became a larger research project. As one of these articles was already published by The Ferret, which can be found on my home page, I have decided to publish my other articles on this website throughout the coming weeks.
On the topic of publishing in general, this website aims to stick to a regular upload schedule. Unless specified otherwise, the website aims to stick to a consistent weekly upload schedule, starting from the day of the publication of this introduction. If there appear to be any delays to the upload schedule, these will be addressed at the earliest possible moment – which should be few and far between.
Like many people out there, lost in the continuous cycle of thoughts and actions, there is no set end goal for this website. Its end goal, at this moment, is to merely exist. Whether the work that’s published here has something to say to you, says nothing, or says something that you can understand but aren’t interested in, all these outcomes are valid to the individual. If the latter option applies to you, then, in the words of Montaigne: “I see no reason why you should spend your free time on so unimportant and pointless a topic.”