WRITING ADVICE
Notwowriterstakethesamepath,buteverywriterhas wisdomtoshare.Inthisissue,we’vegatheredadvice straightfromthesource:writersandartistswhohave learned,stumbled,andgrownthroughthecreative process.
Theseinterviewsgobeyondtheusualtipsandtricks,and offerREALtalkaboutwhatittakestowrite,keep creating,andpushthroughdoubt.Somelessonsare practical,somearephilosophical,andsomemightbe exactlywhatyouneedtohearrightnow.
Happyreading,
MadelineRosales ChiefEditor
M.S. BLUES
MS Bluesisamultiracial,queer,versatilewriter poet,playwright,shortstory-ist,lyricist,and novelist.Herworkrevolvesaroundthedarkerpiecesofhumanitysocietytendstoneglect.Whenshe isn’tboundtopaper,pencils,orthecomputer,sheenjoyscostumedesigning,reading,playingguitar, watchingoldfilms,andstudyingasteroids Shehasbeenpublished3xbyLiteralImpact,2xbyTeen Ink,TheTrailblazerReview,Eber&Wein,Pa'lante!,and5xbyWinglessDreamer.Shecurrently residesintheBayArea,CaliforniaandislookingforwardtobeginninghercollegejourneyintheFall
What was it like building your magazine from the ground up?
Blues:“Anyonecancreateamagazine,butittakespassiontokeeponerunning. SomethingcommonlydoneinthecommunityiswhatIcall“temporary”–peoplewho createmagazinesnotoutofpassionorwantingtoforgeagenuinechange,butfor attention.Forcollegeapplications.Forthebenefitofthemselves,notforthegreater purpose.
“Moreover,IknewI’dbeanoddoneouthereandIwasright.Beingpassionatedidn’t seemtomeanmuchandbelieveme,itwasastruggle.Thisteamstartedoffwithonlythree peopleandIhadtocarrymostoftheworkout,sinceIdidn’twanttooverwhelmmy otherteammates,whowerestillgettingonboard.
“Designingpostsandthelayoutforissueonewascertainlythebiggesthindrance,because letmemakethisclear–Iwrite,IdoNOTdesign.Therefore,thissetusbackbecauseI wasunabletomakepoststhatwereintriguingorwouldleadmoreeyesovertous.Wesat ataflatlineoffollowersforafewmonths,alluntilIbroughtalongagraphicdesigner,Ben Ramakrishnan.
“Bennotonlychangedthedynamicofourbrand’simage,butheundertookamassiverole forpromotingourstuff.ThedesigntonehecultivatedexposedIBRtoawider,greater audienceandbeforeIcouldevengetaholdofmyself,weweremetwithhundredsofnew followers peoplewhofounduslikeasecondhome.Representation.”
Have you faced a lot of oppression or discrimination as a POC in a creative industry?
Blues:“ThoughIhavenotfacednearlyasmuchoppressionasothercreativesfromthepast,Ihavehadmy share.WhenIfirstenteredthecommunityasawriter,Iexperiencedalotofmicro-racism.Peoplewouldimply myintellectwassmallerduetomyracialbackground,andalwaysseemedsurprisedthatIwasindeedjustas qualifiedasthem.ThiswouldonlyamplifyasIbecameaneditor.Then,whenIBRstarted,ittookaturn. WhenIwasfirststartingoutandIhadpostedaslideshowcalled“ConcludingNationalIndigenousHistory Month”,someone(whoseidentityI’veyettofigureout),hadsentthepostbacktothemagazineaccountwith amessageunderneaththatread,“Nobodygafaboutthatandyourredskinmagazine”
“I’vealsobeencalledaredskinbyanauthorwhoIpolitelyrejected(notatIBR,butatanotherestablishmentI editedfor),andI’vehadseveraloccasionswherewhiteauthorssaidwoefullyignorantremarksaboutmy heritage.
“Therefore,yes,Ihavereceivedmyshareofoppressionanddiscrimination.Idonotallowittobotherme, though,becauseIknowmystance.I’manaccomplishedBIPOCwoman...Whatarethey,exactly?”
WHAT IS ONE MESSAGE YOU’D WANT TO LEAVE A YOUNGER FOLLOWER WHO’S TRYING TO MAKE AN IMPACT ON THE WRITING COMMUNITY AS YOU HAVE?
Blues:“Justbeyourself. “BE YOURSELF.
“Andmostimportantly,followyourheart.”
JESSICA SEIGEL
JessicaSeigelisanaward-winningmagazinewriter,radiocommentator, andeditorwhohasexcavatedancientbonesattherealArmageddon, generatedelectricitybybicycle,andranwithwildhorses alltogetthe story. Herfeaturesonculture,health/science,travel,andcelebrityhaverun inTheAtlantic,TheNewYorkTimes,Smithsonian,Washington Post,TheIndependent,KnowableMagazine,Nautilus,Chicago Tribune,LosAngelesTimes,NationalPublicRadio,BBC,National GeographicTraveler,LosAngelesMagazine,Reader'sDigest,Salon, andVillageVoice.CriticsattheDailyNews,ChicagoTribune,and NewYorkPost.
HOW DO YOU NAVIGATE THE PRESSURE TO MEET DEADLINES WHILE MAINTAINING QUALITY?
Siegel:“Youhavetoplaninadvanceandstart outliningfromthemomentyoustartreporting. Youcan’tjustreportandnotunderstandhowyour workisgoingtobeorganizedlater.Alwaysoutline asyougo.Thatisthesecrettomeetingdeadlines, alongwithgivingyourselfplentyoftimetodoa finaloutlinesoyouknowexactlywhatyouwantto doonceyoustartwriting.Alwaysrecordinterviews, butdoyourbesttotype/writeinthemomentto cutdownontimespentgoingthroughthe transcripts.”
WHAT
ARE YOUR THOUGHTS ON THE USE OF ARTIFICIAL INTELLIGENCE IN JOURNALISM AND THE LITERARY WORLD AS A WHOLE?
Siegel: “The use of AI depends on the context in which it is used. First, we know that AI is a plagiarism machine, but if it is used to gather large amounts of information or synthesize it, it is incredibly powerful. We are all learning how best to use it as an assistant to journalism, but it cannot replace the journalists themselves.”
HOW CAN A YOUNG WRITER STAND OUT IN SUCH A COMPETITIVE INDUSTRY?
Sigel:“Findanareaofpassionandcreateaniche.Gatheranareaof knowledgewhereyouarethego-topersonandbecomeknownfor coveringthatsubject.Especiallyifitisanunderpopulatedtopic, youmayfindmoresuccessthanthosewhocovermainstream topics”