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Welcome everyone, to the first PC Mag in months, maybe even years,
I don't know. A lot of people don't pay attention to this section of the
site and that's really a shame. We have some incredibly talented writers
that hang around and post some great shit every now and then.
And with the return of Picture Perfect activity is at an all time high
in Poet's Corner. Last month I took away the link rule and the result
was some great quality work from many poets. This magazine will contain
interviews, spotlight section, a slept on section to highlight a few pieces
that just missed the mark with getting fed. Honorable mentions; those
that got nominated but didn't get inducted into the Hall of Fame.
Special thanks to Emily and those that participated in the interviews.
As many of you noticed, the 2 link rule was revoked for the month of
October. This allowed writers to be uninhibited by rules and really let
their creativity do the work for them. I'm happy to say that this is one
of the most active months I've seen in Poet's Corner in a long time, and
I'm hoping it continues. For the month of November, the link rule is
back in effect; but with a slight change. There is only 1 link required
now. Picture Perfect will continue for as long as there is interest in it.
Emily and I want to thank all of you for dropping such great quality poems.
I've yet to read one that wasn't up to standards, some really great work
this month. Also want to point out that all of the hall of fame nominations
are greatly appreciated, and you will see later down in the mag which pieces
were inducted. The Picture Perfect winner for October will also be announced
later on. Many thanks to all that continue to make Poet's Corner active.
If any of you have any suggestions on what Emily and I can continue to do
or start doing in efforts to keep this section afloat, post them below or
send them to me via PM.
Emily
Mic S
Thank you mic s for the interview.
Not a problem,
How long have you been writing?
Since as long as I can remember. I think I started in middle school tbh.
What genre/theme is your favourite when you write?
I like to write about things that strike emotion or are thought provoking,
I don't really have a favorite though - I just love to write, whether im trying or not,
it doesn't change my love for it.
What is it about writing that you enjoy?
It just gets my mind off of things for a little bit going on in the real world -
every human has problems, but this is how I forget about mine for a few minutes per day.
What advantages does a place like RB have for writers?
I'm really not sure, every writer is different - it is a place to share your work and get familiar
with other writers - I would encourage more writers to feed each others work and post more
though / with that being said I wouldn't discourage people using RB for any reason.
If you're anything like me, words and sentences pop into your head
at the most inconvenient times. Does this happen to you and if so, do you write
them down or lose those thoughts a lot of the time?
Yes, I write them down -whether at work / home / out & about / -- but i also lose
plenty of thoughts because sometimes i dont have the means to write it down.
What do you find challenging when you write?
Nothing really - the most challenging part is watching people not understand what is wrote &
then post something negative - like their style is the only one. (i can be guilty of this every
once in a while instead of judging, it (any work i judge), for what it is)
How long does it take you to write, let's say, an OM piece?
anywhere from a half hour to a week. (Although I haven't wrote a OM in a while)
How does a poem for pc differ in the writing process?
I just like poetry - i feel everything i write is a form of poetry, but I try to
be more to the point in a poem.
What sort of writing do you like to read?
Dark & Twisted writings or something really creative where the
imagination is nothing like reality
How about some writing 'strengths' and 'weaknesses'?
Strengths (Vocabulary & lots of life experiences) - Weaknesses (Completing
my thoughts the way i want & rushing my writing)
Do you have a special time to write or can you sit anywhere at any time and write?
Anywhere anytime really --- if by myself i can concentrate more but when around crowds of
people i gather more thoughts I can't think of contained to my own - so really when i get an
idea i try to remember it or jot it & i throw it with all my other writing notes. I may not use a
particular thought for months.
Do you write on a pc or longhand?
Both.
Do you work to a plot or do you prefer to just wing it and see where an idea takes you?
I prefer to work to a plot - I do have to say winging it is a lot harder... with a plot i can throw
random thoughts and make it seem like im going no where with what im writing which makes it
easier for a more creative twist-
How do you think you've evolved creatively?
Over the years going through new experiences have put me in certain situations to incorporate
in my writing. Learning patterns and words.
Any tips for getting through writers block?
Take a break. consistently though. a day here - a day there - a week here - a week there -
but never stop focusing on ideas.
Which writer (of song or book, dead or alive) would you like to meet and why?
Jack London because he did it all. I mean from novels to poetry from plays to short stories etc.
I wanted to see how he cleared his mind to write so much.
If you could have been the original author of any song, which one would it
be?
Tim McGraw - My Little Girl ------- just a bad ass song -
so much truth and feeling behind it, so i can relate.
What advice would you give to aspiring writers?
Write what you feel / going through - no matter if people say its played -
if its not played to you / if you never personally wrote it - that shouldn't matter - just write what YOU feel
Thank you so much for taking the time for this interview, mic s.
I appreciate it.
Any last thoughts?
Why is everybody sleeping on each other???
Emily
'phx
Thank you 'phX for the interview.
You're welcome, thank you for giving me the time!
How long have you been writing?
Actively, a little over se7en years now.
What genre/theme is your favourite when you write?
I like writing fantasy style pieces, because when you do those you're in your own
world, you can craft anything, go any way you want, you can even - at times -
make it personal and very heartfelt with an abstract twist to it all.
What is it about writing that you enjoy?
The fact that we're limitless with our imagination, we are a truly limitless
creative power in our own way.
What advantages does a place like RB have for writers?
From what I've seen, the best writers tend to be the least spoken but most
direct with you in terms of feedback... A lot of these people on here don't like
pussyfooting around your flaws, if you're fucking bad you should be told you are
and a lot of y'all make it apparent for newcomers.. People always get those things
mixed up, they think telling you that you're 'bad' or 'stupid' for some errors is to
stunt your growth as a writer when all it is, is helping you grow as a writer with
constructive criticism.... That's how it needs to be, and RB is pretty good at that
from what I've seen. OG Maestro straight up said my shits booty on one piece
then praised my other haha... that's honesty. And thats good.
If you're anything like me, words and sentences pop into your head
at the most inconvenient times. Does this happen to you and if so, do you write
them down or lose those thoughts a lot of the time?
YES!!! All the time, every day, wherever I go.... It gets really annoying tho
sometimes when you get something really dope in your head, so good that
you're like 'wheres a pen and paper omg' and you forget it because of something
happening... I hate that. After that happened to me so many times, I bought a
little electronic notepad, a fancy one with a stylus. It's my only old man item
I have... Works great tho lolol so to answer your question, it's both. I still cant
help sometimes losing a few thoughts due to real life happenings.
What do you find challenging when you write?
Putting the reader in your shoes, looking through your eyes when you write,
painting the world.: That is the hardest thing I've come across as a writer,
on rare occasions I am able to craft something in a way where people see it
unfolding before them, in their mind, and that's a goal I think most writers wish
to reach... I'm still struggling to do that in most writtens, but when it really
matters and I'm on level, I can confidently pull it off (I think)..
How long does it take you to write, let's say, an OM piece?
After reading a lot of my work, you'll see that some are given time and precious
thought and some are rushed and just pushed out in 15 minutes.... If it matters,
It takes me roughly 2-3 hours to get an acceptable verse I'd use in a battle or
league battle, regular OM's to keep the rust off or a nice collabo 15-45 minutes
depending on the topic etc.
How does a poem for pc differ in the writing process?
PC writers focus more on the prose side to things, the beauty and vanity of
metaphors and colorful imagery.... OM cats have their free-write styles and
you never know what to expect there, but the biggest difference lies in the
topic preference... OM always has different things being written about and
PC always has their hearts in hand about life, etc.
What sort of writing do you like to read?
When I'm skimming through posts, I really enjoy pieces that have a beautiful topic,
creative language and colorful world to them... really unique pieces with their own
music to them... something that gives me a look into a new, alien planet, I rarely
see those anymore. I miss them to be honest. Hypothesis and Jukon are the only two
on here I know can craft that though.
How about some writing 'strengths' and 'weaknesses'?
Consistency. Colorful Descriptions. Metaphors. Those are three main strengths for me,
I need those, as I feel most writers need, to get good with writing... Rhyme comes
to us like secondhand nature, so you cant stress about that... Weaknesses as a writer
would be, being unable to grow as a writer.... not being able to take constructive criticism,
never changing styles, never challenging yourself..... never opening your mind to bigger
things... never living up to your potential... I started out doing shitty writtens, thought I'd
always be a text head, nope.. I went on to do spoken word poetry, still do it, frequently to
be exact... and I rap, I rap really fucking good... I also dabble in community events around
my area and speak for troubled youth, etc.. All because I knew what I learned could help
others and change some things. I still do all of that, but mostly write nowadays and some
spoken word events nearby... BTW SPOKEN WORD WRITING IS SO FUCKING HARD. Anyways,
what I really mean is... The only real strength and weakness as a writer is yourself if you think
about it.
Do you have a special time to write or can you sit anywhere at any time and write?
I only write when I am in my zone haha... I can't write if people are swarming around me, babbling on
about nonsense .... uhg annoys me just thinking about it.. I can only write alone, listening to music...
I guess thats why a lot of people call me an old man. lol
Do you write on a pc or longhand?
Both! PC is way faster for me though... world at my fingertips
and music to accompany my creativity... goes hand in hand for me.
Do you work to a plot or do you prefer to just wing it and see where an idea takes you?
When I do collabs I work to a plot with others, because collabs work out the
best like that... I mostly wing every topical(OM) piece I've ever written though,
most of the stuff comes to me, a lot of the time music helps aid the process of
writing because of the emotion I feel when writing to a certain topic matches with
the sounds and floods my head with so many feelings, thoughts, hypotheticals,
etc... so much stuff.. and it really makes it a ton easier for me.
How do you think you've evolved creatively?
[I]Went from Mal to Cody Phoenix... haha, anybody who knows me will say
'holy fuck' to that, because I was a scummy shitlord back when I first started,
I was the worst troll, worst person... truly toxic in general. But...After years of
constant feedback, time in my head, I learned to respect myself and my tongue
too, because you can't take back what you've said to people... but what you can
change is who you are in those moments when you're mad.. And through writing,
I really learned how to battle those demons, growing up I have always had anger
issues and being a broad 6ft something guy that doesn't really sit too well...
Writing helped me by showing me ways to vent rather than freaking out, and to
finalize my 'metamorphosis' ... I recently had a son 6 months ago with my fiance
and that mellowed me out even more.
Any tips for getting through writers block?
Sounds corny but I do this all the time and love it, it's better than writing
sometimes.. Just sit down somewhere you like to relax, put on some amazing
instrumental music... like anything from Yann Tiersen..David Nevue...Dax Johnson...
Emancipator...DJ Okawari...Nujabes (Jun Seba RIP)... Anything that is thought provoking
for you, really, and let that tend to your garden (your mind) and you'll see many things
grow, what you harvest is up to you..
Which writer (of song or book, dead or alive) would you like to meet and why?
This is a good question, Emily, but if I had the choice to meet any writer, ever?
Hemingway by a long shot. I'd try my hardest to have a conversation with him haha...
he's a genius to me.. I think if I could just see someone like that, of that nature perse,
I'd really learn a lot more than what meets the eye. And as for music, I'd like to meet
Atmosphere or RA The Rugged Man, just to talk to them about music and how they
pushed themselves to where they are now.
What advice would you give to aspiring writers?
Just be yourselves when you write and study the writers who are better
than you, accept they're better and emulate ( in your own way(s) ) that
style... keep studying, learning and you'll eventually find your own style and
way of writing. Teach people, don't write just for yourself.
Thank you so much for taking the time for this interview, 'phX.
I appreciate it.
Any last thoughts?
If you read my interview with Emily, thank you. I'd like to see more voters and competitors in the Haiku league
and Sacred Scriptures league... so please sign up and teach people like me a fucking lesson...
Emily
Idealizt
Thank you Idealizt for the interview.
How long have you been writing?
I have been writing for over 15 years. My first couple of years as a preteen, I wrote solely short
stories and did not care to dabble into the nuances of poetry of any other writing. At that time, It
wasn't until a few years later that I picked up some random contemporary book full of poetry in my
home and started flipping through pages, amazed at the way these writers were crafting words so
elegantly a la a fine piece of art. I mean, writing itself is clearly an art - not many motherfuckers
can grasp the difference between "to" and "too" and "were" and "where" (hi Dia). Then I finally read
the famous poem of Frost, "The Road Not Taken" and it changed my life. I think many writers use this
poem as a cop-out hipster way of saying, "I'm different," but Frost's words truly resonated with me on
that faithful day. Not only did I have an emotional, intellectual, and overall psychological binding to his
very words, it really explored an area of my mind's thinking I had never dared to explore before. Thus
I embarked on a journey of writing my own poetry - a lot of it bad. I finally found my groove when I wrote
a love poem to a girl I had been crushing on for years. I was sure I was going to be ridiculed, rejected,
and outright lambasted as a fool, but much to everyone's chagrin, it worked and she loved it. That was
when I knew I was born to be a writer.
What genre/theme is your favourite when you write?
I don't like classifying my writing under a genre. More so because I don't know what genre of writing
it would fall under. Such an identity crisis is something I've become quite accustomed, however, and
I simply don't care how I or my writing is classified. I have seen others classify my writing as poetry,
topical, and a shortbar topical/poetry hybrid; I imagine I fall into there somewhere. As for my favorite
theme, since I differentiate between it and genre, I would say writing straight from the heart. I suffer
from bipolar depression a lot and have had the worst two years of my life thus far. I have lost a lot.
My writing is usually just that channeled despair, angst, hatred, and nihilism into words on paper in
order to produce something creative and constructive.
What is it about writing that you enjoy?
Getting into the rhythm of writing. Starting the first few lines can be somewhat difficult some times,
but since I am one who concentrates on rhyme scheme and multis, I usually find that once I get those
first few lines down, I can keep going. I just like the rhythm and flow of my words as I spit them out loud.
What advantages does a place like RB have for writers?
I'm not an RB loyalist by any means, but what I will see for rap forums in the same vain as RB,
particularly RR (let's gooo), they are a community that allows a multifaceted group of individuals
to come together and express themselves. A lot of people are coming to these forums for selfish
reasons: looking for views, hits, feel-good pats on the back. On the other hand, a lot of people
are coming here to foster a community livelihood where they can express themselves freely,
perhaps because with their offline obligations they are not allowed to nor have the resources to
or any number of reasons. In short, onlne forums give serious writers a chance to communicate,
collaborate, and help each other elevate. That is what I love most of all about these forums, I don't
love all of the shit heads, but there are gems on every site and once I find them, I always do my best
to stay in contact with them.
If you're anything like me, words and sentences pop into your head at the most inconvenient times.
Does this happen to you and if so, do you write them down or lose those thoughts a lot of the time?
lol, yes. I am ADHD like a motherfucker. I have so many one-liners or pairs of multis written
down everywhere just waiting to be incorporated into something more polished. The worst part
is being in the shower: no bullshit, I will jump out the shower, run to my room or the nearest pen
and paper, and write some shit down before I lose it. I have actually lost a lot of really good lines
due to this. However, I pride myself on being a good writer who is only getting better and do not
fret too much because sometimes the words find their way back to me and on the other hand, I
am capable of creating something better anyhow. These lines from Sadistik's "Petrichor" have
always resonated strongly with me, as I'm they would with you:
"I'm fiending for an out that can set me free from writer's block
I keep forgetting to remember everything that I forgot"
What do you find challenging when you write?
Initiation. I need motivation to begin just crafting words, even if it's just, "Hey, keystyle some
sick rhyme scheme shit with some cool vocabulary words." Also, story telling. I get a lot of feedback
these days telling me I am focusing too much on scheme and not enough on the story. I feel like if
I can get over that hump, perhaps with the right mentor, I'd be nearly unstoppable when it comes to
writtens. At the moment, I actually do tell stories, but they're over everyone's heads because the stories
are personalized to me about me. In other words, in every word I write, I am telling my own story, a
sort of autobiography in a way. This stylistic nature of mine will never change, but I perhaps need to
learn how to flesh out the story so that others can relate as well. Sadistik does this amazingly well and
he's one of my biggest inspirations. Once I finally understand and develop a pattern in the vain as his
that is unique to me, I think I will have elevated greatly.
How long does it take you to write, let's say, an OM piece?
Great question. Don't have a good answer. Depends on my level of motivation. I work better -
read as am more motivated - when I am collaborating with others, especially like-minded writers
who share a similar vision as mine. If I'm writing by myself, I kind of find it boring and just think,
"What's the point? I want to share this with somebody, not just do the old routine of 'write, post,
glorification/critique, yay!'" If I wanted to go off in keystyle mode like I normally do, I could key
16 lines with a dope ass scheme and nice vocabulary within 30 minutes if I wagered a guess.
Probably less than that; never really timed myself because I'm ADHD as fuck, so I start and stop
projects all of the time, constantly going back and forth.
How does a poem for pc differ in the writing process?
Leading back to an earlier answer I gave about my "genre," there isn't a difference for me.
I write the same either way. I know some people do not like rhymes in their poetry
(even though rhyming is at the heart of poetry) and are riding the dick of today's new aged
poetical structure. Don't get me wrong, I like all sorts of poetry, so I don't hate non-rhyming poems -
there are those who do it much better than myself (such as you) and I do it occasionally myself.
I just know that for me, I love to rhyme words, especially multisyllables, that are hard to rhyme.
I suppose this may be my problem if I cared to fit into the paradigm of things, the division between
topical and poetry. Poetry is typically more about metered prose it seems like where the focus is on
the emotion evoked from the reader whereas topicals are more about telling a story. I don't believe
in that differentiation and I personally blur the line every chance I get without trying to be honest.
What sort of writing do you like to read?
Poe, H.P. Lovecraft, Emily, and other writings here and there. Not particular to a specific
subject, but I do stick with what I know is good; not afraid to venture out to read others, though.
How about some writing 'strengths' and 'weaknesses'?
Weaknesses:
- audience relation. I need to learn how to get the reader inside of my head so they understand
what I am telling them.
- story telling. Just not much of a story teller this day and age because I like to write about how
I am feeling and what I see in the world.
- collaborators/mentors. Just don't have enough writers to my liking that I communicate with on a
regular basis to further push my motivation.
- self-doubt. When no one else really cares about or believes in you, why should you?
There's no real point.
- I'm there are others, but can't think of them at the moment.
Strengths:
- observational skills. I see and sense things that people believe is only possible in Harry Potter novels.
- emotional. At least to me, I feel like I can usually evoke emotional responses from people with my words.
- decent writer. Sometimes, I write some epic ass lines that just make me go, "Gotdamn,
I just thought of that?" Could definitely be a lot better though.
Do you have a special time to write or can you sit anywhere at any time and write?
Silence is a necessity, so usually night, but time of day is irrelevant. Just depends on when I feel inspired.
Do you write on a pc or longhand?
Both. If I'm out and about, it's pen and pad. If at home, PC.
Do you work to a plot or do you prefer to just wing it and see where an idea takes you?
Been touching on this question all throughout the interview. By now, we know I have the more
of a "wing it" style but I would very much like to change that. I don't really want to blame anything
for this, but I feel like my ADHD really debilitates me in crafting out plots and working towards them.
I'm an impulsive person, so when I feel inspired and motivated, I just have to go for it. I think this is
why I prefer freestyling so much.
How do you think you've evolved creatively?
I don't know if I have evolved at all to be honest. I just survive day by day and try to
put my best foot forward always.
Any tips for getting through writers block?
Listen to your favorite tracks. If there's a certain mood you're looking to capture, listen to tracks
with that mood. I'm a melancholic individual, so I listen to a lot of Sadistik. Every time I listen to him,
I hear him say something that I have already heard him say several times before, but a lot of times it
pushes a new image into my head or a new line to feed off of what he said.
Which writer (of song or book, dead or alive) would you like to meet and why?
Poe, Eyedea, Sadistik, and Aesop Rock. Poe is one the greatest writers, that's undeniable. I love his
works so much. You can read them over and over. And the amount of literary elements he would include
in a story were crazy - you wouldn't even catch them all at first until you looked on the Internet or reread his
stories. Not to mention he was a poet with some awesome poetry. Eyedea and Sadistik are two of the greatest
writers the rap game has ever scene, if not the top two. R.Eye.P. Michael Larsen. The two were friends, so
that speaks a lot; they would hang together, write together, freestyle together, etc. They essentially molded
each other. Eyedea and Sadistik are poets in the same vain as Poe. Not to mention that all three were/are
unimaginably smart. Every word they have ever written or spake makes complete sense in my mind.
I understand them without ever having met them. That's pretty radical. And Aesop Rock is just a monster.
He's the flipside of the coin. Whereas the prior three were more melancholic, Aes Rock comes through with
that supersonic energy induced zany off the wall rap - and he's unfuckwithable when it comes to it.
He's another huge inspiration in my writing to just say whatever the fuck I want without really giving a
fuck what everyone has to say - someone, somewhere is going to like, so fuck that motherfucker whose
IQ 72 and comprehend the diction.
If you could have been the original author of any song, which one would it be?
My own.
What advice would you give to aspiring writers?
Um, wow, this is a huge question. Simplest and realest answer: just be you and fuck the world.
Thank you so much for taking the time for this interview, idealizt.
I appreciate it.
Any last thoughts?
Thank you so much, Emily, for giving me a spotlighted platform to say my piece despite me being a
newcomer to RB. I really like what yourself and Jukon are doing with the PC section. Sucks I have to
take a leave of absence for a bit, but I can't wait to be back. Thanks again
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Originally Posted by Fatt Sajak
