The Hurt Within

Real Name: Matt Erman

Age: 18

Location: Mckee, Kentucky

Favourite Bands: The Epidemic, Secret Mommy, Ghengis Tron, Dntel, Pavement, Sigur Ros, Explosions In The Sky, Godspeed You! Black Emperors, Blonde Redhead, Mew, Nick Drake, My Morning Jacket, Neutral Milk Hotel, Camera Obscura, Belle & Sebastian, Bright Eyes, The Good Life, Cursive, Interpol, Mogwai, Her Space Holiday.

Most Inspirational Writer (Lyrically): Currently, it's probably
Joanna Newsom, she's a brilliant lyricist and there's so much emotion behind
her vague lines. It's really beautiful coupled with the harp music. I'm also
really into the quirky lyrics of Mates of State, it's powerful but really
simple at the same time. It's really great.

Why Do You Write: For the
Chicks/Gals/Dames/Bitches/Hoes/Sluts/*****s/Girls/Sallies/ and then everyone
else, then me. In that order.

Anything special you do while you write: I usually put on a select
mix of about 5-7 songs, all instrumental. Andrew Bird - Yawny at the
Apocalypse and Mogwai - Kids will be Skeletons are probably the two most
listened songs I've done for writing poetry. There's also Radiohead - Kid A
and Lullatone - Wake Up, Wake Up. The last can be listened too at the
myspace S&L group page. Go there and join! So yeah, it's mainly either
avant-garde post rock or electronic minimalism that I listen too when I
write.

Favourite technique/style: I love just sitting down and starting from
a single word. I'll pick a word that I think evokes an emotion that I want,
and just start there. I never really have a thought in mind or a meaning,
only a few times. Sometimes after I'm done I'll go back and change a few
letters and make it about a girl or an event. Mostly everything I write is
on the spot, and I typically never sit down and honestly think about a good
"plot" or "theme" for my poetry. When it happens, it happens, and I think
the heavens I've been blessed with the ability to write well.

Favourite Writer on UG: Landon (Vicious Sid), he had a piece a long
while ago, it was one of the first I read on the site, back in 2004 I think.
It was about a swingset or something, it was one of the best things I've
ever read. If I had it, I'd show it, but I never saved it. So there's
Landon, and then I think I'm surprised most by the new writers. I think a
lot of the older writers have gotten in a comfortable niche and sort of
peacefully write how they've always written. I don't think it's a bad thing,
it's just a boring thing to me. I have a lot of different ways to write, I
write simple, or overly complex and with oodles of metaphors. It's nice to
know I can write with a lot of different styles and still have good poetry.
It's just that you know, when I read something great by a new guy, it is
always a little more fresh and exciting than say, reading Ol' Steve's new
piece. I know exactly what I'm getting when I go into Steve's poetry, a ****
load of references to old things that I don't care about, but I adore Steve
and think he is one of the best writers on the site.

Most Helpful Critic: Uhhhhh, Knifetoagunfight (Jesse) is pretty
helpful, sometimes. I don't get many good crits anymore. It's the trade off
for being amazing. You sacrifice helpful commentary for the ability to rock
people's faces every god damn time. Oh well, I've been blessed with a curse.

Your Most Recent Work and Reason behind It: My latest piece is a
little diddy called, Kingdom Of Leaves. I think it is one of my more
powerful peices and I try to again draw a contrast between nature and
machine. It hasn't beed read much so anything on it would be much
appreciated.

Tips for Newer Writers: Never stop writing. I think Randy
(Stellar_Legs) said it the best in his WOTM. Write about the morning, write
about when you walked out of your horse and talked to a cute girl. Write
about when you stubbed your toe. Write, write, write. Eventually you're
going to find something you do well, and then you can go from there. When
you have nothing better to do, write about your childhood. Write stories,
write prose, write dialogues between two imaginary people. When you find
something interesting about your life write about. As Randy said, there's a
beautiful, digusting, and dazzling world three feet in front of you and out
your door. If you can capture that with your eyes you can put it to a piece
of paper. The next time you walk to the store you can "disprove god" or fall
in love.

Any Final Comments or Thoughts: Thanks everyone who voted, even if it
was in spite. This makes the fourth time I've won this, and I'm retiring my
name from the writer of the month, Steve is also making a rule that you
can't win over four times, so no one will ever surpass me. Ever. I've left
my mark on more than a few people with what I've written, good and bad. I'm
greatful for that. I'm currently writting a Novella about my life, and most
importantly how I've dealt with my friend and old frequent user, Rachel
(Poop Is Cool/Laura Laurent) We met on this damn board and she's been my
best friend since then (three years ago.) She just got out of rehab
about...a week or two ago, and she's going to some boarding school later
next week. I'm just grateful for everything I've recieved in the past 3
years, be it friendships, enemies or sweet, sweet, vagina, I'm glad it's
happened. I don't plan on leaving this place, according to Steve I've got
two more bans before I have to find a new username, so I'll be pretty good
for awhile. Again, thank you everyone that voted for me and thank you for
reading my stuff after me being such an asshole.

Myspace
S&L
Community Myspace Group
Noir York City
aim - matt is art


Real Name: Stephen C. Ralph

Age: 22

Location: London, England / Tel-Aviv, Israel

Favourite Bands: Tera Melos, Million Dead, Cursive, Circle Takes the Square, Three, A Case of Grenada, A Trillion Barnacle Lapse, Devendra Banhart, Frank Turner, Au Revior Simone, Bjork.

Most Inspirational Writer (Lyrically): I don’t really have anyone that inspires me per se, I take all my inspiration from what I do in my life. Such as my Gehenna piece; I’ve visited the place where it was supposed to have been. I guess I have to mention Maudlin the Well and the Mars Volta as my leading patriarchs, but I feel as though I have used them and found my own path, or as Matt puts it, a ‘niche’. I listen to music as a form of entertainment not inspiration.

Why Do You Write:Because I can. I’m not saying I am the best writer, I’m no where near it; no one on this site is, anyone who says otherwise is having delusions of grandeur. But I’ve been writing nearly 6 years now and I’ve covered a lot of styles, structures and content. I continue writing so I can feel confident enough to sit and write a book.

Anything special you do while you write: Like Matt I also listen to instrumental stuff; classical and progressive stuff, there’s nothing better to launder emotion. Either that or just in silence; I write pieces in one go, without breaks so it’s not normally a long period of time. I’ve tried many things and nothing else really works for me.

Favourite technique/style: Over the years I’ve tried so many, some successful, some not, but at the moment I am really into using historical elements in my work, that and philosophical messages. I find metaphors too basic now, and if I’m honest see them as a cover for bad writing, if you can’t convey the image without comparing your message to something else then you’re aren’t putting the effort into other aspects like diction and overall imagery, which is probably why a lot of my work is misinterpreted.

Favourite Writer on UG: This is a hard one, I like a lot of peoples stuff, but to name my favourites is a difficult one. Not for the obvious reasons, Carmel is one, she is an effortless writer, and by that I mean it all comes so naturally, she can just spill a quality piece of work out of nowhere. Out of the new faces, Chak has really made an impression since she started posting and I can’t help but feel she should be filling out these questions. Finally, Daemonika is still undervalued.

Most Helpful Critic: Hmm, recently Confusius has always got to mine. Jesse as mentioned above. Carmel is always helping me. But generally anyone who comments on my work has helped me, so ha, everyone.

Your Most Recent Work and Reason behind It: http://www.ultimate-guitar.com/foru...ad.php?t=626186 – Matrioshka. Quite straightforward for me, I am still in a storytelling phase and that piece is an example of what you will see in the future from me. There’s an explanation in the thread. This piece was inspired by a short film and the combination of me loving the night-time. I just want the reader to question what they think is real and what is out of the realms of possibility.

Tips for Newer Writers: Ignore most praise. Take all the criticism you can. Writing is about putting what you see into words, and that is all you need to know. Just keep writing about anything and everything. Experiment! There’s so many people here that have stuck to a certain style for way too long. If you don't change you style, structure etc. you’ll never grow as a writer, ever.

Any Final Comments or Thoughts: Firstly thanks to everyone that voted for me, I never expected this. I wish everyone here the best of luck with their writing, and can only hope that you stick with it.

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Carmel

Congrats sweetie




Oh, and Matt too

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This is not a pipe

ninja monkey

I should so have Matt eventually block me on aim... ha ha ha...

Good job Stevie...

You know what though... I need a nickname for carmel... hmm???? I'll think it over...

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Promises mean a lot to me.

*Truly Ninja*

Congrats sweetie

Oh and Steve too.

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Vicious Sid

Mckee, Kentucky

wtf?

Congrats to you both (moreso to Steve, of course, but whatever).

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-Landon

culex-knight

Congrats to ya both.

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jiminizzle

Congratulations, very much deserved.


a lot of ties lately too...

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Anatomy Anatomy
Whale Blue Review

Park that car
Drop that phone
Sleep on the floor
Dream about me

Something_Vague

I moved to Kentucky three weeks ago, as I was tired with Ohio.

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Final

Ohio is for lovers, but Matt was too much of a lover; Kentucky is for extreme lovers.

Congrats to you both, you know I love you both with all my soul, and heart. Sometimes I'll let my genitals get involved.

Goob job.

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I've set a date with the infinite.

My music.

Chak

Congrats guys, well deserved!

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Drop another coin in the slot, and I will tell you more...