HOW TO GROW IN ONE'S ART BY MICHAEL ACE

HOW TO GROW IN ONE'S ART

Good evening fellow poets, writers and sages here. My name is Micheal Ace. I want to believe that name rings a bell and if it doesn't, let me tell you little about myself before we proceed.

I am a poet, a writer, a blogger and a reader with at least enough knowledge about the basics and rudiments of growth especially in art. I am a product of evolution, transition and consistent learning. I believe the world is too complex for a pen to remain idle.

Were you expecting me to talk about my achievements, awards and recognition here? No
Those things are secondary goals, to me though. The primary purpose of me being a writer is to impact, to inspire, to heal, to redefine, to build a legacy and to make history. And this is what i want us to understand here, your motive towards your craft determines how far and how well you go. Believe me, as a poet, it’s so easy to get depressed, it's a norm to consider quitting, you’re very prone to get discouraged and that was why I said your motive determines how far and well you go. Reasons being that as a writer, the only essential part of your body you work well with is your mind, and when that gets bombarded and hijacked by different thoughts and issues that need attention, how do you concentrate?

I was correcting a notion some days ago, someone said poets are liars because we most times make exist what has never existed, we tell what never happens and I told her that the mind is a world on its own, and for me to write a poem, I must have conceived it in my mind- meaning everything that will exist therein must have completed its lifespan inhere. So telling you what has happened somewhere you have never being doesn’t mean I am lying. That you don’t see fire burn on the sea doesn’t mean that I can’t provide the ashes if you asked me to. And I furthermore explained that the mind is like a Computer RAM (Random Access Memory), the larger the size, the more efficient the system works, the less worked up it is, the more responsive your system gets. And you cannot install GTA on a 512mb, it’s either your system or phone crash or it stops halfway and begins to hang, but you can install Whatsapp and it will work effectively. SO therefore, as a writer you need to work on your mind first, because it determines how well you can grow and how unique your stories can be.

So how do you grow in your art?
You would ask me, why ‘your art’, that’s simply because as a poet or writer, you are solely responsible for your craft, and believe me, there comes a time when you will stop being an admirer and create your own signature. Imitation is suicide, Emerson said and I quote. So your art is yours no matter how many books you have consulted and how well you have researched. I said sometimes ago that a thousand poets will explore the same theme in a thousand ways. That’s what makes you a god as a writer. You own your language.

So follow these three simple cues below, I will briefly talk about them but if you need them in details, you can contact me.

*Experiment:*
As a poet, you are initially a product of what you consume. You are more prone to write like your mentor or probably someone you read often. But if you want to really succeed, then you have to create your own style and be unique and that’s why you need to experiment. Try different styles, approach and tackle themes in different ways, pick the ones that work for your and manipulate them to suit you. But you also need to know that at the time of experimenting, there is tendency you lose some readers and fans. Not everyone will love your sudden and unstable transitions. You will have to sacrifice some people to attain that feat but believe me, it worth it.

*Brand yourself:*
Ok wait! One good thing the literary community offers is the ability to brand yourself without spending a penny. The only thing you need is total dedication and consistency. Write; submit to blogs, magazines and journals for publication. If you get rejected, write again. Before you know it you will become formidable, recognitions will begin to come, various literary blogs will contact you to feature your works, people will register you on their minds and BOOM, you are becoming a brand. But also, understand that it will take extra effort and longer time before you begin to see monetary gain. But don’t relent.

And lastly,
Become a goal-getter:
Now, you have experimented and succeeded in owning your style- meaning people can now stumble on your poems and recognize it as yours even without seeing the writer’s name.
Also, you are now a brand, your name now rings a bell, magazines and journals now include your picture or works just to get reach. Websites feature your works just to drive traffic…
But there is something else you need to do to reach the peak of your career. Whether you like it or not, prizes and awards are essential in this space. You have to create a landmark, what people will always remember you for. Africans love achievements, if you want to go far, you have to include those feats in your biography. You have to push, push and push till you begin to win contests. Till you begin to make it to shortlists. Only then can you build history.

I hope in one way or the order, you have benefitted from this. In case you have a question you want me to attend to, you can ask here, right now...

Or reach me on:
Whatsapp 08166110313,
Facebook: Micheal Ace,
and Email: poetmichealace@gmail.com.