Stories from the Street
Hi. This page is being given over to a few friends who have begun this journey with me. Together we are wanting to explore different forms of story telling and the connection that journeys make between people and place. Not make sense? Well what fun would a journey be if everything made sense!
Here are some of the ways you could get involved.
- Jump on the web site. www.storiesfromthestreet.com Log in and begin to write part of your own story. Everyone has a story to tell. You are no exception to that, wherever you live in the UK or the world!
- If you would prefer to use the post, write to Stories from the Street at PO Box 318, Thorner, Leeds. LS149EB. Anything from 500 to 5000 words.
- Find a friend who also has a story to tell and invite them to be part of the journey also.
- Buy our launch book. 35 incredible stories right up from the streets.
- Take the opportunity to help shape a volume of Sfts for your own town, city, or special interest group. There is nothing more exciting that making room for the extraordinary stories of ordinary people to be told. Information packs are available on how this might happen.
- Become a share holder! Stories from the Street is a limited company and are selling 100 shares at £1000 each to pump prime the early years. Ask for a business plan or talk to Steve. We have already sold 28 shares.
Stories from the Street. PO Box 318, Thorner. Leeds. LS149EB;
steve@storiesfromthestreet.com
Launch Book
Over the last months we have been gathering stories from across the UK and beyond. So we are going to give this our best shot. Our launch book is currently in my hands and it smells just like a new book should!
In all seriousness, we have the most incredible set of stories with tales that will tear your heart up and make you laugh at the same time. Stories from the the West Bank, Uganda, Thailand and of course our own back yard. here in the UK.To read a slice of one of the stories that has been sent our way click here.
London Undressed
Over the last couple of months we have been featuring some videos of the alternative side of London. We are calling the series “London Undressed”. If you have not already seen it have a look at this from Parliament Square.
[It might be you live in London or have lived in London and you have something to say as to the true nature of the city away from the tourist routes. If so I would love to hear from you. What is London really like as a city to live in and what is the real deal? Maybe you work in the West End or Square Mile; perhaps you live in the East End or work on the river. What's your story? Email me at stephenlowton@googlemail.com Anything around 400 -500 words and we will post it.
Some Questions
Okay so here are some of the questions that me and my mates are asking? Do cities and nations have something to say? If so who is listening and what are some of the global cities saying at this time? Who has word from London, Rome, Istanbul, Damascus, San Francisco and so on?
Where are the ordinary people in this crazy world in which we live, and what are the extraordinary stories that are waiting to be told? We are tired of the glitzy gloss of the standard travel book that serves only the interest of the traveller. What about those who live in these places and who’s lives flow out of the struggles and wonders of where they live? What have you/they got to say?
Could it be that there are thousands upon thousands of unique stories waiting to be told that reveals the heart of our great cities and nations. What would London undressed look like and how would those in power cope with ordinary people finding their voice again?
Ethical Business
Okay so lets take this idea a little further. We look to see an ethical business start to rise; a vehicle that allows extraordinary stories to rise from the cities and nations of the world. Not a co-operative or charity that the large publishing houses can just dismiss as something quirky and for the trendy left,(that is in no way a slight at those hard working committed people who occupy that space). Rather something positioned out in the marketplace that is;
- self publishing
- paying national average wages
- giving large chunks of any profit back into grassroots iniatives in the cities stories are rising from
- Attempting to remunerate regular writers, whilst giving other contributors the thrill of having their own story published.
- Giving a fair and proprtionate return for investors
So the whole flavour would be grassroots, alternative, authentic, inspirational, allowing the voice of the city or nation to begin to be told not by the superstars and the tabloid heroes, but by the ordinary people of each city and nation.
Does this connect with anyone? Real true to life stories from the street-no gloss, just up from the ground itself. That’s the question me and my mates are asking.
Love some feedback here.
Jonesy said
That’s a really good intro there Steve. If my city could speak, what would it say? Who are the people who have a right to speak on behalf of a city? Is it the sports stars, the celebrities, the councillors, the MPs… or is it the contradictory yet somehow complementary voices of the people who feel the pain of the place? How can we hear/broadcast those voices without co-opting, misrepresenting or commercialising them? How can we hold conflicting views and opinions in tension with one another without pronouncing judgment or taking sides? How can we see both beauty and destruction in the same place at the same time?
Good stuff.
stevelowton said
Glad you like it Tim. Have to say this is a great way to begin a journey. Totally appreciate the interest.Think the so called democratic world has got to create some fresh space for new voices to be heard.We could get into some real trouble if not.Thanks for taking the time to write.
helen a said
What a great idea let the voices out the cages and lets hear the stories….. am in auckland at the moment …. it would spit out a bit of fire from one of its 40 odd volcanoes shake and rumble a bit too blow a conch shell ….then you would hear those fantastic stories the moaris can tell about the mountains sea and their land…. from the land of the long white cloud… Aotearoa… Go for it….
stevelowton said
Sounds like there is a story ot two rising from the other side of the world Helen. Thanks for posting and enjoy the land of the long white cloud.
julianannie said
Hi Steve
Am loving this. Have added your address onto the blogroll of our site.
I look forward to reading more….
stevelowton said
Great to hear from you Annie. Glad you are enjoying it and thanks for the post. How about a story from Lisbon or Mozambique?
pagnotta said
Dear Stephen Lowton,
I really love your initiative and I’m impressed by the similarity of your ideas with mines. I am actually looking for someone to go around London (I’m originally from Rome) and interview people, trying to capture their stories in a few questions. I think London is a unique place in this sense, dense with stories. I have to admit I would feel a little embarassed to do it alone, I tried once and I felt that people took me for a lunatic or something. Well of course, generous people like the men at parliament square would open themselves to anybody, but I would like to shoot at 360 degrees. If you are interested in meeting sometimes to discuss or you know about anyone who would be, just leave a message on my blog
stevelowton said
Thanks big time for the interest and comment Pagnotta. It was actually my mate Dan who did the leg work for the vidoes. He seems to have the cheek to get away with it! Nevermind London, how about taking us round your home city of Rome….a big city in our journey. Have let Dan have your contact details. Thanks again.
Caz Taylor said
Ola Steve, how art thou amigo? I hope I can now call you that since we have, to be fair, trod the same piece of tarmac and occupied opposite pews over a latte. Have to say, I am well down with the website and your ethical business idea – it’s like it knows where I’m at and I’m faith sure many other voices too. Releasing the fresh and gritty is surely all it’s about and I salute you Steve for creating the space for that to happen. Please do keep me in the literary loop and who knows? if I can muster some excitement from the gates of Prestonia, I may fling some bling your way
Hope your new home’s a happy one, Caz (at the Cookies)
stevelowton said
Caz good to hear from you you big walker! Yep wil have some of your bling so get those lakeland creative juices going. Stephen
Dave said
Enjoying your ‘moments’ Jonni Something very ordinary yet extremely powerful in this writing Will look forward to more when you get those boxes unpacked
Dave H
DriverX said
Steve- I started driving cab in Santa Rosa, CA, some time ago. I only did it for two weeks, as it actually cost me money, but I did realize that there were countless stories to be told in my city (population~175,000). I started writing things down, jotting notes in my daily meanderings through my burg, and worked some of the notes into true stories. Care to read a few?
stevelowton said
Hey a teller of stories from California! That’s great Sean! Love to read what you have got. You can either log into the web site http://www.storiesfromthestreet.com and post them there direct or email me them at steve@storiesfromthestreet.com Thanks for the connection