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LEMMINGS
In reverse
alphabetical order
WyrdWolf
Guru of Irrelevance and Irreverence
WyrdWolf is a talking
Lupine who occasionally brings back a nice dead rabbit or bird for
his best friends.
Sakka-Fenikkusu
The great, powerful and
egotistical phoenix who somehow manages to hold a pencil without
burning it.
rayachan
Master of physics, fluffy animals, and your future
rayachan comes from
another time and possibly dimension, likes cookies lots, and also
enjoys the occasional pedicure.
Locus
Information will be
released on a need-to-know basis.
Burnt Bread
Supreme Chancellor of
the Republic
Bread is actually a
six-legged robot from Planet Wagamama, enjoys walks on the beach and can be found in all good toy stores.
Stop The Press was created because I truly believe that people instinctively want to know. I believe everyone should be curious and critical of their surroundings and that ‘normal’ is but a comparison. When asked for advice, I encourage first hand experience and widespread common knowledge.
Inspiration can be found in the simplest, strangest things. A storyline can spark from a visit to the library and characters from peculiar strangers in the city. Exposure is inspiring.
Beginnings marks the start of a production that does not seek to gratify, but to explore and encourage. It is aimed at people who want to know. Read specialist topics, observations, and quotes that will inspire you to create and live out your happy life in the knowledge that you know and you will continue to know.
You can choose to read the whole issue, or only the authors and headlines that interest you. But whether you choose to take a little or a lot, I guarantee entertainment and tasty brain food.
Says Burnt Bread,
While
eating Nando’s. Mmmmm Nando’s.
The Big Bang theory is widely accepted by the scientific community as the explanation for how space-time began. However, the theory has just as much evidence going against it as for it. Numerous inconsistencies in the theory have been shunted, hidden and denounced by scientists. Interesting, considering that science markets itself as a transparent and fallible system that readily accepts faults in its own practices.
I sat down to write about beginnings, thinking to myself, “There couldn’t be an easier subject to write about. I’ll have this done in twenty minutes.”
Twenty minutes later, I had a page of notes and felt that I was on good footing with the subject, so I turned the page (call me old fashioned, but I do a lot of work on paper still) and tried to start.
I didn’t know where to begin. Funny, so much thought on beginnings and endings, and here I was, sitting with a full mind and a blank page, wondering what I was doing wrong. Why couldn’t I start? Why couldn’t I begin?
There is a series of sites located deep in Mesopotamia, in what primary education textbooks would call The Fertile Crescent, called Jemdet Nasr. Although there are quite a few sites in the area, the one we’re concerned with is a site is of pre-urban and urban development circa 3100-2900 BCE. Why is it important? This site contains the first concrete evidence of writing. Some of you may point out various sites in Asia and northern Africa may predate this site, but may I point out that Jemdet Nasr is the earliest agreed upon site in which writing occurs.
This art that we use today as an escape was invented as, what we believe, a way to keep track of goods processed at commodities redistribution centers. A system of numbers and descriptors that mark goods had been received from an individual or area. Writing ensured that an early system of centralized distribution could survive, opening up possibilities to develop more complex systems of government and commerce, leading primitive societies closer to our modern times.
From a method of maintaining compliances among a population to a method of free expression, what a ride writing has taken.
So here is my beginning.
Once upon a time.
Whoever worked out that guinea pig babies can run for three hours straight after being birth should be taken out the back and shot.
Why does a race have to start with the firing of a gun? Wasn’t the classic, “On your mark, get set, go!” good enough? Or a flag wave?
Come to think of it, maybe they use a gun to give the racers extra incentive. Like, “Get moving or the next bullet is gonna be in your ass.”
I just want to be there when the gun is misfired and hits and audience member…or a blimp. Maybe the occasional hang glider or skydiver. You know, anything that would make a race more interesting than, “They’re going left! They’re still going left! And they’re all really sweaty, wearing spandex, and probably smell like armpit soaked in mayonnaise! Tune in after commercial…or don’t, it really doesn’t matter. God, this job sucks. Hey starter, can I borrow that gun for a minute?”
Belly button lint begins
its life from the waistband of your underwear.
Belly hairs work as
a conveyor belt to move it to your navel.
When I found out about this newsletter, I immediately started writing. After writing something remotely okay, I abandoned it for a little while. Enter tonight, 12:51 AM of the day before the deadline. I've just discovered that I misplaced what I'd written. So here I am, starting completely anew, to give you tips on writing centered on the topic "beginnings".
Personally, I think my situation ties in very well with this topic. Because it makes me think more and more that the earlier you write, the better. Start as soon as you can. Don't procrastinate. Of course you'll have a rough beginning (and a rough middle, and a rough end, but that's not the point) but you need to push through it.
Essentially, a captivating beginning is better than one that explains a detailed history of a fantasy world, but both are acceptable. The first step is to begin, then work with it. Believe me, there are forgiving readers who will read past your detailed history of Kuzukawa: The Holy Land of Ponies and tell you that, beyond that, the story's pretty dang good.
Also, if you launch off a story and it doesn't get any reviews, don't fear. You've got a lot more ahead of you. This is only the first step. It might not get extremely easy after this point, but at least it’s a little bit simpler without the worry of how to start tormenting you.
I guess this brings up the question, “How the heck do you start a story, anyway?” I can’t really completely answer that. I don’t think anyone can. You have to experiment with different things. Some techniques people use are showing a very exciting scene, then later going back to where the story actually begins and building up to that point, or perhaps just starting wherever the action begins. Whatever works for you. Always try different things.
Remember all of this when you're starting a story. But, above all, remember to write the beginning of the story at the beginning, all right? Not 12:51 AM.
"There is a huge wall that blocks your other side. Your only option is to struggle over the wall to the other side. Maybe then you'll get back to your city street. Maybe you'll land in another alley. She told me that no matter what, I have to get over that wall. "
by mobman, dedicated to lostandwandering
Mobman is an author who uses words to expose; scratching away at the layers of self-delusion to reveal beauty in the ragged form of imperfection. With a distinct signature of unflinching honesty and macabre verse, Mob’s work provides a glimpse into unglamorous lifetimes of wanting and struggle. His work often engages critically and emotionally with harsh issues that are not recommended for the delicate minded or easily offended.
His short pieces frequently focus on the last events of a character’s life, however the emphasis is not so much on the end, rather, the beginning. Collectively, his work demonstrates the choices and circumstances through time, often beginning indifferently but ending in tragedy.
This author paints a world of opposites that is both startling and beautiful in its complexity. Written mostly in first person point of view, Mob’s metonymic descriptives bind narrative and character tightly in intense and personal recount of important, life changing events. His works cover a range of themes from love, hate and devastation to religion, money and hope.
Beginning with Russian Roulette, highlights of his work include Forever, Insomnia, The Room, A Friend and I’ll Lie about the Rain.
Here’s something to ponder; why do airport flights begin at the terminal? Hm? Got an answer for that? Didn’t think so. I’m going to make a flashy exit now.
So, a rant, eh? I can rant. I promise. I’m not just tiresome plot exposition through character dialogue, I can write interesting and thought-provoking pieces of informative literature!
“So Locus,” you begin, “What will you be ranting about today? Bad drivers? Music television? The Red Sox not making the postseason?”
Good ideas, one and all, but not my topic today. I feel like venting about clothing. More importantly, and specifically, I want to talk about the extremes of clothing worn these days.
First, I am a college student. I am also a morning person. Those two things will be crucial later in this paragraph, so keep them in mind. Anyway, I attend classes many times a week, many of them in early time blocks. We’re talking 9 or so in the morning. Anyway, I go to these classes and what do I see? People, immaculately dressed and primped, sitting bored in a class on the cultures of Egypt and Nubia. Are you kidding me? Perfect outfits, hair, makeup, you know, the stuff you take time to do. An hour of time, quite possibly, at the very least. Who. Is. Going. To. Care. What. You’re. Wearing. In. Class. At. Nine. In. The. Morning. Save yourself some trouble and sleep in some more. There is nothing more annoying than watching fashion model after fashion model walk through the door and act like they care about the class.
The second thing, and the other end of the spectrum, is what kids are wearing these days. A few years back, I volunteered at a Youth Center, running a study room for middle school aged kids. That’s twelve to fourteen years old, for those of you unfamiliar with America’s school systems. So, these are newly minted teenagers, and would you believe how they dress? The girls? Exposed midriffs, revealing shirts with nothing to reveal, bare shoulders. The boys with their pants around their thighs and their boxers hiked up, baseball caps every which way. Not to be a prude, but aren’t they a little young? That’s not the half of it. They don’t have jobs. They don’t have cars. Who takes them to buy these clothes, or worse, buys it for them? The parents. Honestly. That’s enough for now, I need to go wonder why the world it turning the way it is.
Many thanks to those who contributed to Beginnings, the first issue of Stop The Press. We look forward to writing with you again in the next issue. For those interested in writing for the paper, please email your queries and contributions to the email on the profile of this accoint.
Next Issue: SPACE
Submissions due: No later than 20th October 2006
