August 27, 2004

Re: Present! Magazine Issue Two, Contributing

From: Here

 

Dear potential contributor,    

 

We hope you are doing well in this difficult time, and hope to see you soon. In the meantime, please examine the enclosed information, which should prove alimentary, lucrative and crucial to the continued success of the country.

 

Here is a fact: Present! is a magazine about “culture”, sometimes commenting on it, sometimes consisting of its, ahem, ephemera. It is made of letters, pictures and, occasionally, dance moves. From time to time it isn’t even printed on paper, but can be found inside suitcases and noodle restaurant bathrooms, and, for those of you familiar with cultural studies, written ‘on the body.’

 

For the rest of you, no doubt familiar with cutlery studies, sometimes we like to say we “take knives to our interests,” cutting them up, arranging them, serving them in new ways, perhaps slightly damaging them (but then, what isn’t already damaged these days). Like, “I totally took a knife to Rob Lowe.” We apologize if we cut you or wrote something on your body with a sharpie, but it was a sign of love more than anything. We invite you to return the favor, perhaps with an essay or drawing on the cultural significance of the sharpie, beet cultivation, or how to make a drum beat.

 

For more information, here is a letter from the editor.

 

Now, let’s get down to pleasure business:

 

 

What we would like

 

Exciting writing and art of any genre

      (essays, fiction, letters, poetry, news, drama,

      travel logs, photos, how-tos, comics, manifestos),

      infused with genius, love, excitement, humor, fear,

      joy, revelation, doubt, mystery, invention, brilliance,

      eroticism, insanity, acrobatics, wonder, experimentation.

      But please, no convention, cliche, snarkiness, or meanness.

 

Send ideas and submissions

to present at gmail.com.

 

 

     

The next issue

 

The informal theme of the next issue, due for release in late 2004,

is BEAT or this, or beet.

      Interpret that as you will.

 

      We are also eagerly accepting submissions of

found sounds, original music, and audio interviews.

     

(Articles do not necessarily have to relate to the theme.)

 

 

 

Some notes

 

Note 1: Make it personal, but not inaccessible.

Make it accessible, and interesting, and good.

 

Note 2: We encourage pieces that are out of the ordinary,

the sort you wouldn’t normally find in a fancy glossy magazine.

 

Note 3: We encourage research and even erudition, but not the

annoying kind. This way, when people read the magazine,

they might learn something and be joyful too.

 

Note 3: We love drawings with text, text with drawings, photos and sound,

silk and honey, and other interesting combinations.

 

Note 4: If you have an idea for the design, please say

something. But careful—you might end up with the presidency,

a distinguished and lucrative but very tough job.

 

 

 

And as far as choosing goes

 

      While exercising their “editorial discretion”, the editors

are not a cruel bunch, and the selection process, while

“selective” of course, is a happy and democratic one,

and pieces are looked at anonymously.

 

We promise to publish any piece that is

interesting and thoughtful and heart-felt and not mean.

Offensive but not mean.