Overview: A Face In The Crowd will include a collection of photography by Marla Watson with commentary by various members of the crowd as highlighted in the photos.
Objective: To create an oral history of punk rock by gathering commentary from people who were there at the time. This book will be focusing on people specifically in the crowd. Much like my first book My Punk Rock Life this book strives to tell the personal story of punk.
Guidelines:
- Tell your story
- Write from the heart.
- Everyone’s memory is fuzzy. Sometimes a Google search can help you remember, but no plagiarizing.
- No band reviews but you can write about a band member.
- Your story does not have to be about the photo you are in.
- Your story can be about any punk related episode in your life although I would rather the writer aim to tell stories from the era of the book which is the early-mid 1980’s or stories that connect with that era.
- You can write a tribute/ memorial for a deseased punk who meant a lot to you if that person is in one of my photos. I will be creating a list of punks for whom their stories should be told.
- Your stories might be edited for spelling, grammar, continuity and length.
- If you do not feel comfortable with your writing we can do a short interview and I can ghost write your story.
- The length of your story should not exceed 2 typed double-spaced pages, although 1 page is a great size.
- You can write more than one story.
- You are free to contribute your own photos or flyers which may or may not be used. Please submit scans at 300dpi.
- If you want to include a current photo of yourself I would appreciate it, but it’s okay if you don’t.
- You are free to use swear words but absolutely no hate speech, no politics or religious views unless they directly relate to the time period of the 1980’s.
- I can’t guarantee that your story will end up in the book.
- There is no pay but great appreciation.
I am attaching three pages from my last book which illustrate what I am looking for.
Here are some themes that might inspire you:
- Tell your punk rock origin story.
- Tell a story about an event that is punk related.
- Tell the story about how others treated you as a punk.
- Tell your story how punk has influenced or changed your life.
- Tell a great parking lot or hanging out story.
- Tell about your first punk love or crush.
- Describe a club or events at a show
- Tell a story about the drive to a show or the drive home.
- Write about how your parents felt about you being a punk.
- Write a story about a punk(s) that inspired you or one that pissed you off.
Please send your submissions to marlawatson@icloud.com
If you can send them as a pdf that would be best but they can also be in MS Word.
If you have photos or flyers please send them as a jpeg and please send them as a high resolution scan.
Thank you for your contribution.
Marla Watson