For those of you who choose not to follow the advice in our “How To Be Conspicuous” article…

(INCONSPICUOUS)
Staff Application
The first issue of Inconspicuous was distributed January 19th, 2006. The
vision of Inconspicuous was of an outlet for students to publish their
thoughts and ideas outside of a classroom setting and the restrictions
imposed on writers of the Axe.

Today, we follow that tradition and extend that vision to you.

Inconspicuous wishes to give all unheard student voices the opportunity
to write about whatever they desire and to silently watch as people
appreciate their hard work.

If you want to be a part of Inconspicuous, email

InconspicuousLit@gmail.com with the subject “2009 Application
Request,” and we will reply with an application for you to fill out. Each
member of Inconspicuous also has a facebook account, if you would
rather message us (and tell us your email) there. Keep in mind that,
because you may be writing for Inconspicuous next year, wall posts
requesting applications are discouraged.

All applicants should send in their applications as soon as possible. We

want to talk with next year’s staff before school is out – some of us have
full summers. Try to get your applications in by May 19. This means
that you should request an application soon. If you suddenly desire to be
a member of Inconspicuous after the deadline has passed, check in with
us. We may still choose to accept you.

Tell your friends.

-The Inconspicuous Staff

 Part 1 - Info

Name: ___________________________________

Pen Name: ________________________________

Age: ____

Grade in the fall: _____

Phone Number: (___)-___-______ e-mail address:

______________________________

If there is any point over this summer during which you will not be able to
respond to a phone call or email, please give us those dates:
___________________________________

Time Commitments (Extracurricular Activities, Community Service, etc.):

________________________________________________________________________

________________________________________________________________________

What do you like to write? Preferred Subject matter (check all that apply):

[ ] Comedy/Satire
[ ] Fiction
[ ] Non-Fiction, Informational
[ ] Opinion
[ ] Politics
[ ] Philosophy
[ ] Other: ______________________

Do you have any non-writing skills that would be useful for Inconspicuous?
Examples could include, but are not limited to, website design, photography,
artwork, layout, and being in possession of a nice printer.
 Part 2 – Short Answer

Keep in mind that ‘short’ answer is subjective. If you have something more
interesting for one of the prompts, write as much as you desire. All of your
answers should be at least a sentence or two.

1. What is your favorite quotation?

2. What is your greatest fear?

3. How would you want to die?

4. What would your last words be?

5. What is your favorite word?

6. Who is your greatest inspiration?

7. How would one of your friends describe you? How is this different
from how you would describe yourself?

8. What is your favorite subject at school?

9. What is your favorite book / author / series?

10. Why does Inconspicuous want you?

11. Why do you want to join Inconspicuous?

12. Tell us something amazing.

13. Make us laugh.

 Part 3 – Essays

Choose one of the styles listed below.  Choose one of the subjects listed below.  Write 250­500 
words on it.  Then do it again.  Email us both.  They can’t both use the same style or subject.

The idea here is to make us think that you are creative and a good writer.  That also means that if 
you think of an “easy” way rather than a fun way to write one of the below topics, think again. 
We want to get you thinking in new ways about new issues.

If you want, you can also make up your own subjects.  It might insult the person who spent their 
time writing these subjects, but it probably won’t.  You have to stick with the same styles, though, 
unless you can think of something so utterly distinct from one of the ones listed below.

The list of styles:
1. Write a persuasive satire in defense of one of the subjects.  Think “A Modest Proposal.”
2. Write satire of one of the styles in the list of subjects.  
3. Write an informational piece / a tutorial / a how­to on one of the subjects.
4. Write an (auto)biographical piece.  It could be serious, like the bathroom piece in the 
previous issue, or it could be funny, like “Garland!” or “‘Mart Madness.” Do it on one of 
the subjects.
5. Write an opinion piece on one of the subjects. 
6. Write a rant on one the subjects. 
7. Write a fake news piece on one of the subjects.  Think 2020.
8. Write Poetry on one of the subjects.  It can be an ode, an emo poetry, or just about any 
othey style of poetry you want.
9. Write a sci­fi / fantasy / fiction piece on one of the subjects.

The list of subjects:
1. [applicant’s name here] should not be allowed to join Inconspicuous.
2. The Axe is much better than Inconspicuous
3. Armed vigilantes (think people on the border shooting immigrants) are good
4. A preemptive nuclear strike by the U.S. against China or the U.K. would be good
5. All hospitals in the U.S. should be immediately shut down 
6. The U.S. should, within the next year, transition to a police state and suspend all 
democratic rights and civil liberties. 
7. Email
8. A lecture from your most favorite teacher
9. Fan fiction
10. Something filled with academic jargon
11. Something filled with science jargon
12. A rant
13. Any part of the Axe
14. Actual news
15. Pissing off the administration (we clearly mean the Bush administration. We would never 
advocate anything against a more local administration of a purple prison­building)
16. Hey Gertrude (Ie, write an actual Hey Gertrude)
17. Write something that students will actually be able to use… like How to Text in Class or 
How to Sparknotes and Shine or How to Survive with X teacher
18. Choosing which pet dies.  If you want, you could do this for someone at the pound.  
19. Remember the Choose Your Own Adventure (“Best Case Scenario”) from the previous 
issue?  Well, your subject is the hatchet murderer.  This should take place two years after 
the murderer hatchet­murdered the protagonist of the Best Case Scenario
20. The Gertrude from “Hey Gertrude.”  That is, write about the writer of Hey Gertrude 
21. The shower in the drama department.  If you’re going autobiographical, think, “if these 
walls could talk…”
22. The Emo in “Emo Poetry”
23. Yourself
24. Someone back from war
25. Kucinich, Nader, or someone similar
26. Living in a college town
27. 4­20
28. TV
29. Consumerism
30. That realization you made as a result of reading that one book
31. The media
32. Web culture
33. Futility 
34. Disease
35. Milk
36. Mechanical spiders
37. Magic Wands
38. The Harry Potter club
39. Wood
40. Skeletons