Don’t stop building on your Craft – SYNW Interview with Joshua P. Olatunde

DON’T STOP BUILDING ON YOUR CRAFT – INTERVIEW WITH JOSHUA P. OLATUNDE

SYNW - WHY ARE YOU A WRITER?

*$miles* 'Why...?' What a question?
I'm a writer so I could express myself (explore, act, play), simply put. In other way, I write to 'Say Something, each time I See(Sense) Something', humanely, responsibly, 'actively speaking', play my part for the world to be a better place. Then I write to stamp my feet on the sand of people's hearts through time. Want to be a great personality, represent Ibadan, Nigeria, the Yoruba and Africa as whole, and celebrated.


SYNW - WHAT POETS DO YOU ADMIRE?

I admire crazy, smooth super wordsmiths Fun ones like Okot P Bitek, Lola Shoneyin, deep dark lords like Christopher Okigbo, and of course greats like J.P. Clark, Whole Soyinka, and many more I can't exhaust here.

SYNW - WHAT INSPIRES YOU?

EXPERIENCES generally [Sensed (Seen, heard, etc) in every sense or thought out].

SYNW - TELL US ABOUT A NORMAL WORKING DAY…

*smiles* Lately, my normal working day is at the studio, writing lyrics, assisting recording acts, reasoning music ideas with producers and other music minds; or I find a very secluded spot to Think, ease off, then, Write, Write and Write whatever (songs, poems, other literary things, even non-literary stuffs like project-based write-ups, essays, etc.)

SYNW - HOW DO YOU WRITE?

I write anyhow possible, seriously. *smiles* I've been a very flexible person from way far back. Things pop up my cap like God-knows-what, wherever. [I take pen and paper to bath, and I write in the toilet.]

SYNW - WHAT’S YOUR THOUGHT PROCESS BEHIND A POEM?

There is really no specific or particular Thought Process. This still has to do with my spontaneous way of life. I cannot be found in a box fixed. You would rather find me dancing on it; or somewhere outside, working on it; if even found in it, probably purposely there to perform some 'out-of-the-box' wonder! [Feeling myself here, huh?? *Smiles*]

SYNW - DESCRIBE YOUR ROUTE TO BEING PUBLISHED:

This might sound crazy to tons of people who have known me J.-middle name 'Poetry'-Olatunde with writing since early 2000s in Educate Trust at the Leventis Building, beside Coca-Cola, Oremeji-Mokola, Ibadan: I have not been majorly published. The reason is, shortly after Educate where I rocked-and-popped with many other young potentials in such place filled with Ideas, Challenges and express Inspirations, I got cold in writing Poetry also for other reason I really cannot say.. Then, I caught fancy of Hip-Hop/Rap music, after being influenced by my Educate pal, Babs (Babatunde Olowojaiye) and R&B with Gabby (Gabriel Afolayan). Since then, I've been more of Music than any other thing that, Funny, people that professionally rock with me now hardly know I write 'straight Poetry'. Well, I still write o!--not just as before. But, I believe that Golden Times in Educare, where I had some of my works published on some anthologies and Poetry.com where 'Woman' topped to finals and won--is a phase I would fall back to. *smiles*

SYNW - WHAT’S YOUR ADVICE TO AN ASPIRING POET?

Be Charged!! Be FREE!; Be Super-Sensitive, pro-active, then Be Flexible, adjustable to Trends, other Clime, Time; Be open to advise; Don't stop Building on the craft (Learning cannot end until the 'Ultimate End'); Fuel further your POETRY/Literary Fire!! Don't die while alive.


SYNW - TALK TO US ABOUT YOUR WRITING ROUTINE; WHAT’S A TYPICAL WRITING DAY FOR YOU?

I really don't have any specific/special routine. I'm a pretty spontaneous person, freaky flexible; and as I earlier stated, these days, I down more of Tuned/Melody-laced Poetry (Lyrics) than the normal 'straight' Poetry-but still write POETRY o! *Smiles*

SYNW - WHERE DO YOU WRITE FROM?

As I earlier said, I can write just from anwhere, but I sometimes seek very secluded places to storm papers with my pen!!!

SYNW - ON THIS TOPIC, WHAT ARE YOU DOING TO BUILD A PLATFORM AND GAIN READERSHIP?

I'm planning to learn serious social media strategies, then SEO techniques to push wide across my pieces and promote my Songwriting, Content Creation and other writing services I passionately engage in.

SYNW - WEBSITE(S)?

Yet to set up one.

SYNW - FAVORITE MOVIE?

Foreign: 'Love Jones', 'Poetic Justice', 'Love & Basketball', 'Titanic', 'Why Do Fools Fall In Love?', 'Juice', 'Straight Outa Compton', and other awesome American Movies;
Nigerian/African: Any Mainframe Pictures productions ('Oleku', 'Saworo Ide', Thunderbolt, 'To Oluwa No Ile', etc.), and other Poetry-enriched films.

SYNW- FAVOURITE WRITERS?

Okot P. Bitek, Wole Shoyinka, J.P. Clark, Christopher Okigbo, Lola Soneyin, Bayo Adebowale, Niyi Osundare, Eugene B. Redmon, Jeofrey Chawser with 'Canterbury Tales'.

SYNW- FAVOURITE BOOKS:

'Songs of Lawino' by Okot P. Bitek, 'African Verses' anthology, 'So All The Time I Was Sitting On An Egg.', 'Songs of Solomon' and other poetic books in the bible among others.

SYNW - BEST PIECE(S) OF WRITING ADVICE WE HAVEN’T DISCUSSED?

Be ORIGINAL. Be REAL. Speak The TRUTH. Be Daring! Fearless! (and Fearful too! *Smiles*); Be The Voice of The Voiceless. Make Impact! [All aside the energy put in owning amazing writing skills.] By these, I believe the Poet/Writer would stand out, so much loved and stand the test of time.

SYNW - SOMETHING PERSONAL ABOUT YOU PEOPLE MAY BE SURPRISED TO KNOW?

I have been a Content Cook (Ghost-writing on some platforms, then openly creating contents for others as have been recently done for the Charley Boy Foundation). As much as I write 'free-rolled' writing like formal non-literary stuffs like Proposals, then Essays, I have never attempted a Literary PROSE. I really don't know what has been keeping me from trying.. *Smiles*


SYNW - WHAT’S NEXT?

I will be embarking on translating Banjo Akinlabi's super-epic Yoruba literature works, starting from this year, by God's Grace; then, will, hopefull, wake back up to Poetry and hopefully other genres.
Also hope to take the Song-Writing to the next level... *Smiles*

SYNW - FINAL QUESTION (PROMISE!): DO YOU HAVE ANY ADVICE FOR THE YET-TO-BE-PUBLISHED WRITERS READING THIS?

*Smiles* ~ Also speaking to myself, as one not as much published as should: ~ *Smiles*
Keep being 'Hungry', 'Thirsty' of Ideas; Seek Knowledge on, as said earlier; Attend Literary events to brush up and mix up/­network with like-minds for development. Use the Internet widely and smartly to source for ideas, gather useful materials, link up with remote amazing literary people, then find publishing platforms and all. Above all, #BELIEVEinYOURSELF #YouCanAchieveAnything #RISEandSHINE #LiftUp #TakeOff #FlyHigh & #TouchTheStars