Paul Stewart: 10 Questions

Pre-amble: I gave Dall-e/ChatGPT a picture of me and asked them to make it more psychadelic and they came up with this? I then asked for a quill and paper to be added because you know, writer. Like...wtf AI.

This is following on from Rick's intriguing self-interview prompt thing.

You can find out more below and read his own answers to the questions.

I may not be a lot of things...but...that sentence got away from me.

Anyway, saw this prompt and it meant not writing another Villanelle and delaying the incoming publishing of the latest part of my Psychopath saga thing...

I like the idea of pushing yourself by asking these self-directed questions. I have no idea if what I produce will be enjoyable, but here goes anyway.

What type of writer do you feel you are?

An uneducated, scrappy amatuer with big ideas and a love for experimentation. I love to immerse people in emotions, situations. I have actually been working on a poem or maybe even a piece for the Writers community about it. Since dabbling more and more in Horror and connected genres, I've discovered I love the idea of illiciting fear from people through my writing.

The same could be said, really about any type of writing I do. If I write a funny piece, I really hope I can just hit people's laughter spots. If I write an emotional piece, I care if people care?

I have said many times, I hate rules. I also find rhyming poems hard work. I just think...like...if it's too obvious it makes me want to rip the screen from my computer and chuck it out the window. or if I hear a rhyming poem that is too obvious, I want to rip my own head off and deleting the strand connected to my brain where the memory of that rhyming poem is stored.

I also, love rhyming poems when they are done so well. So contradictions be thy name. Or something?

It's silly really, because I love things like acrostics, haiku/senryu, tautograms and now villanelles - all forms that have lots of rules and stuff.

I didn't write this question and I would rather not lie. But free form was such a breath of fresh air for me. In terms of poetry. I also, guess, I'm a wordy writer. Given the amount of space this has taken up already.

What type of writer do you not want to be?

A crap writer? Fake writer. All that usual guff. I never want to write boring crap. Really. Like...I would rather write something that was flawed, if it was interesting and pulled the reader in. Than writing something that was essentially technically very well written but was as much fun as reading as a polished turd.

What do you like about yourself as a writer?

I like that I just throw myself in to stuff. I've set myself a lot of stupid headache challenges since writing more seriously on Vocal and outside of Vocal. Being a content writer, just has been quite soul-destroying in a lot of ways. I hate writing good stuff and it then not being credited to me. So, yeah, I like that I experiment, try not to take myself too seriously, while also trying to get better with each new poem, story or whatever I publish.

What do you look for in other writers?

The same kind of stuff. I just love honesty. The more brutal, filthy and horrible the better? There are some writers I cannot be bothered with because you can tell from their writing that it's all an act. Like a writer mask. I look for authenticity. That's a good word, isn't it?

Who am I speaking to? You or me?

I'll let you decide that.

I like writing that suckers me in. Whether it's funny, sad, twisted, scary (good luck with that one...I'm a picky Percy when it comes to what scares me as my first unofficial challenge on this platform was evidence of)

What do you not like about yourself as a writer?

I procrastinate a lot and also rush things out too quickly sometimes. I don't think my poems sound as deep as they could, at times. I know I need to work on my descriptive writing for stories. Something I keep doing. And consistency. I really want to write consistently good. Don't we all?

Here's the thing though - it's impossible.

Which writing genre or category do you feel is your best?

Poetry, horror, twisted stuff and humorous stuff. I also am very good at writing about really sad and depressing stuff. Stuff with twists and turns and surprises!

In which genre or category do you feel the most challenged?

Romance. Like...straight-up romance. Also fantasy scares me a little? LOTR is one of my all-time favourites and I just never feel I can get to that level.

When did you first start writing?

Like. At school...a b c. Sorry, sarcastic answer there. You mean, writing for writing's sake. Well...I've worked as a writer for the last 12 years or so. I think it's probably more now...you know when you do that thing of quoting the length of something, but then forget to add the years that have passed since you last used that number? That's how long I've been writing. Content for websites and the like.

However, I did dabble a little in my teens and at various points over the last 21 or so years... but it was only in the last couple of years that I really gave it any real good go. Poetry was something that never really interested me because I thought, crudely and offensively and wrongly that it was for pompous assholes that thought they were the bees knees (unless you were the bard, Rabbie Burns, Dylan Thomas, or Poe, obviously). I was wrong though. But, I think I'm a fast learner? Maybe poet Paul was hiding in there all along.

Why do you write?

It's in my blood. Pretentious answer, obviously. But, the more I write, the more I want to write. The more I read, the more I want to write. The more I live, breath and get through another 24 hours, the more I want to write.

This last question is off-topic. If you could be part of any television sitcom family, which one would it be and why?

Rick with all he's curveball questions...

I have always been a bit like Chandler Bing to be honest. He was my favourite Friends character. I often feel a bit like Seinfield too, but he's a jerk. I'm a jerk, but not a jerk. Maybe Father Jack from Father Ted? lol.

No.

The only answer I can give to this is Creed Bratton from The Office US.

That is all.

I hope this has proved invaluable to someone. Maybe you could print it off and use it for darts practice...or if you are into archery or using semi-automatic firearms, print this bad boy off and fire away.

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Thanks for reading!

You can find literally hundreds of other pieces by me at my profile. A veritable mixed bag of just...everything? Right here.