P2
Public Record
Compilation notes.

Introduction from the Compiler: On assembling the memoirs of a literary movement.

To begin, I would like to say that it has been my pleasure to build a compilation for a topic that is so dear to my heart.

At first I planned to call this compilation The History of Freeform Fiction in Remerica: A compilation by Samson Manoah, but I soon realized that history has never really been an interest of mine. So then, for a moment, its tentative title was A Comprehensive Compendium of the Freeform Fiction Experience: A compilation by the catalyst of a literary revolution, but this seemed to limit the scope of the compilation. As you are aware, ultimately I chose The Definition of Freeform Fiction: A compilation by Samson Manoah. The word “definition” is a fantastic one which, in my opinion, does not receive enough exposure. In fact, I think for our purposes, this word itself should be defined. I was unable to find a suitable definition for it on the Public Record to fit my present needs, so I have made my own:

definition: The definitive essence of a concept.

That is what I hope for this compilation to be: the definitive essence of what the Freeform Fiction movement meant to those involved in it, and what they were creating their art in response to. I believe that Freeform Fiction was a timeless artform, born outside of its time.

I have published several books, most of which were defaulted to the Collective Memory rather quickly. One reached mild success—A longitudinal case-study into motherlessness,—thanks to a man named Gerald Edwardson, who had the bright idea to invest in content that was “as weird as [he] could find.” Edwardson stated that my book had the added, built-in sale of the “dead parent” demographic. In an interview where I was asked to describe the work, I said, “I like to think of it as ‘freeform fiction.’ Like, the way poetry was just stuck in this confined little box of rhyming and meter, and then ‘freeform poetry’ came along to break everyone out of those boundaries and make something different. That’s the way I think of my book. That’s how it felt to me, at least. Freeing.” That quote was taken in early ERA 28.

Aside from my several works of literature, I made the mistake once to publish a short guide on how to give a dog a back massage. I had recently realized that my dog liked to be massaged as if I was massaging a person’s back. I started thinking about all of the areas that would feel nice to massage, taking into account which muscles the dog used the most. As soon as I made this discovery, I noticed a huge improvement in my dog’s mood. So I wrote this guide and it ended up gaining more attention than anything else I’ve yet written. The rest of my works have been Collectively Forgotten, and that article has resulted in my current Public Epithet: “animal masseuse.” The fact that I once wrote an article titled, “How to Massage Your Dog: An infographic,” means that I am now looking at death with the eternal stamp: “Samson Manoah | animal masseuse.” I’d prefer it was something else.

Once a person dies, as you might imagine, their epithet becomes their epitaph. All this means is that the epithet that was ascribed to you in life will in most cases remain unchanged upon death (aside from those who somehow discover post-mortem fame that causes their Public Opinion to shift).

To be truthful, this compilation is an attempt to garnish attention to my life’s works. Someday, long after I’ve forgotten how to breathe, perhaps it will grant me the epitaph: “Samson Manoah | creator of Freeform Fiction.” I believe that the selections included in this work sufficiently prove that I was the definitive creator of the artform. I have placed the works of my major influence, Ruth Crimson-Forde (without whom I don’t believe the movement would exist), alongside the works of a very gifted young woman, Frida Bilson, who claimed before her early passing that (I’m honored to say) I was a major influence of hers.

Ten months after my minor success with A longitudinal case-study into motherlessness, a man named Thresher Charles came out with a book of short stories called My Best Cellar. This book was released through Charles’ partnership with an ad-based-currency company called Frē. In an interview for his work, Thresher says “I’d describe it as… freeform fiction. It’s like freeform poetry, fictionalized.” This quote was taken in ERA 29. I don’t believe that his work qualifies for nor does it deserve the distinction.

As the creator of Freeform Fiction, I feel that I am perhaps the best-equipped person to define the what the movement was. This compilation focuses on the founder(s) and prominent authors in and around the Freeform Fiction movement, including myself, Samson Manoah, as well as Frida Bilson, Thresher Charles, Ruth Crimson-Forde, and various other authors who were active during the period. I have chosen essays, quotes, and literature that, I feel, convey the contemporary philosophical, psychological, and sociological ideals that existed within the cultural landscape. No movement exists in a vacuum, and therefore a compilation of a literary movement should attempt to encapsulate a total picture of the social atmosphere. (Politics don’t interest me, so by and large I’ve left them out. For a decent summation of the political landscape during this time, see Derble Sturbbol’s Who’s Steering The Ship? An unbiased look at the geo-politics of ERA 15-48.)

This compilation is split into three sections:

Section A:
An overemphasis the importance of interest.
Section B:
The history of Post-Historic Art.
Section C:
Timelessness and irrelevance.

Each of these sections focuses on what I believe to be the core societal issues that artists of the time were part of, and what they were responding to. Of course, these are not the only important topics relevant to the zeitgeist. I do not pretend that this compilation will encapsulate all that the movement entailed, nor do I think such a feat would be possible. But these are the themes which recur in the works, and I believe they provide a solid “true north” for any scholar attempting to learn about the authors and their cultural ailments.

Before moving forward, I would like to make a suggestion to the reader: Only read what is immediately interesting to you. If you find yourself disinterested, move on to something else. You will not be coerced into finding interest in something you inherently aren’t. (In fact, that is a common topic of this compilation.)

And lastly, I feel I that here should address the subject of personal bias. Being as I was heavily involved in catalyzing the movement that I am now creating a compilation for, it stands to reason that I may be biased in my selection and presentation of information. Any attempt to deny my innate bias, or to suggest that I have somehow avoided any personal bias (which is, of course, impossible) would only hurt my case. Instead I will merely acknowledge the possibility of my having a bias at the outset and leave any judgement to the reader’s discretion.

Samson Manoah