Midnight Circus | CLN Interview Shop (CLOSED)

DAJ2020

Hello! I'm Pearl from Crazy Late Nighters Community aka CLN. I'm really glad to know that you have won awards in CLN. So, here I am, taking the honour of interviewing you. What is your name/ pen name? By what pronouns do you like to go by?

Hello, Pearl. Thanks for giving me this golden opportunity. I'm called Drici Amos James. My pen name is DAJ2020 and I'm a 24 Year old poet from Uganda, Africa! I'm Male.

Aye, that's really good to know. So, as a poet, what really have inspired you to write poems?

Most significant thing that made me start writing poetry was the death of my beloved father, growing up with a single mum wasn't easy. So, I wanted to express my inner feelings, thoughts and emotions through poetry that someone out there can get to know my pains, fears and struggles. That's why I named my first poetry book ‘Emotion’. Cause it's my emotional bank. Even past experiences and memories, friends and family, nature and so on inspire me to write poetry and basically helping someone see, discover and exploit their true potential is my joy.

Wow! That’s actually deep and motivational. I can understand your pain, growing up with a single parent, it's not really easy. So, when did you start writing poems?

I began writing poetry on 5th September during the lockdown.

Last year, right? Last year was really a kind of self discovery for some people, as I myself have started writing from last year. So, as you know readers play a big role in any kind of writing. Do you think, your readers have played a vital role on your journey?

Oh, yeah! I began last year. That's why my pen name bears ‘2020". Lol. Hmm… yeah. I think my readers have played a very very big role in my writing career cause they consume and expose my writings to their friends and family or even the writing communities around the globe. I won the poet of the year 2020 through a reader, fan and a fellow writer from Jamaica who shared my book to the King Awards Contest. So, my readers have helped me a lot in my journey.

Wow! That's actually good. Readers indeed play a big role on our journey. And congrats on your success as well. So, do you think your poetry form is different from others?

Yes, they do! Thanks so much buddy. Yes, I think my poetry form is different from others cause I'm different from them too, lol. Everyone is special in his/ her way and so are my writings. I have read a lot of poetry books and even listened to the spoken word or poetry of other poets but most of them follow a particular trend and structure which I don't. l don't follow the trends I see others do.l follow my emotions and heart beat and pour out exactly how I feel and paint it with words that spark emotions out of my reader to feel my pain, happiness, fear and whatever. So, I kinda think I'm different in my own way! Lol.

Hehe! That's good, we all are different in our own way. It's really nice that you follow your own heart, that's what is needed the most in any kind of writing, be it in poetry or somewhere else. So, do you have any update schedule? And do you try to follow it?

Yeah, I think being true and following your heart makes you your own master and not a slave to others and their ideologies. I don't really have an updated schedule cause I'm kinda busy with school too. So, I have to balance and I don't wanna rush and publish half baked poems just for the sake of sticking to a schedule. I promised my fans, currently I'm working on my 2nd poetry book ‘A Dark Soul’. Initially I wanted to update it weekly or on weekends. But I found out, It kinda puts me on panic so I take my time and update when I feel it's now perfect for consumption! Hehe! Though an update schedule for the novel writers could keep their fans hooked unto the next update of the series but to me it's when I feel like, I don't rush!

Ayee, that's actually good! Being a student, keeping up with your studies, it's actually hard. But yeah, you are right! To keep us hooked with your book, regular update is needed. But what can we do if we can't manage? Just follow your heart, be a rebel! XD So, as we know as a poet or a writer, we do face writer blocks sometimes, have you ever faced it?