Michael J. Tyger - Legacy Collection

An Interview with MichaelTyger

PP – Hello Michael, thank you for allowing us to speak with you.

PP - Would you tell us a little about yourself?

Michael –

Grew up in a small backwater town. Had two younger sisters. Have had many types of jobs over the years. Worked in the medical field for over 20 years. Currently I work in the sign industry and try to develop my writing on the side. I hope to one day be a known author. Michael J. Tyger is my pen name. Michael is my real middle and baptismal name. I added Tyger from William Blake's poem about The Tyger when struggling with the question from that poem - Did he who made the lamb, make thee? Then the middle initial is for Jeremiah. This name represents my inner sadness about the things I see in the world around me such as the Jeremiah from the Old Testament who watched his beloved country fall. I try to work constantly to develop my writing and I hope to inspire others along the way. As I have been.

PP - How long have you been on Wattpad?

Michael –

Just over six years now.

PP - What do you enjoy most about the PoetsPub?

Michael –

I love how you encourage poets to explore their abilities through a safe and supportive channel and inspire them to develop their voice and their craft. I have seen that Wattpad in general had the potential to do that but, you have taken it a step further. I applaud all of your efforts to do so.

PP - How long have you been writing poetry?

Michael –

I suppose my love of poetry started with nursery rhymes. I loved reading and memorizing them as a small child. But the first thing I remember writing were small creative writing assignments in the 5th grade thanks to a nun at Catholic school who encouraged me. I always won her little class competitions. Then in the 8th grade I had an English teacher who was very encouraging when I began writing poetry assignments. He saw that I had a natural ability for it. Since then I have written many hundreds of poems and probably a couple thousand. I don't know because I've probably gotten rid of more than I kept. Unfortunately as a young man I went through many stages and cleaned out a lot due to those changes. Now I wish I would not have rid myself of them.

PP - Where do you find inspiration for your poetry?

Michael –

That is perhaps the most difficult to answer. Some things are easier such as my own life experiences. Some things are more difficult. I am a people watcher. I listen and I watch and I try to read between the lines when others talk or don't talk. I try to sympathize with them and put myself in their place. In so doing I allow myself, like a method actor to become a 'method poet'. I let the idea of living in their world become my world for a day or so and allow those emotions as I imagine they would be to soak into the depths and I take on who I would be in that situation. Then I try to attach that feeling to the natural world or anything that comes along in that moment. Then I take my blank canvas and I begin to paint that picture. I get all the emotions out that have been welling up - imperfectly. I just get them out and then I go back and begin editing until it feels right.

PP - Is poetry your main genre or do you write other things? If so what else do you enjoy writing?

Michael –

Poetry is the talk I have with my soul. It is a therapy and also a way to develop skills for other writing. I do not view it as separate from my other writing per say because in many ways I try to incorporate it into my other writing processes or even in my prose. I do write other things. I have 3 books available on Amazon right now. I began a series that will develop into scifi and fantasy with elements of romance and mystery. The first is called 'Shadowray'. And the second is called, 'Prying Eyes'. It is a book about a young woman named Runa, living in a mysterious small town that is secretly run by a ladies' book club. Then I also wrote an allegory about a girl who feels the world is ending. That is titled, 'How To Peel an Esoteric Orange'. I have parts of all these on wattpad as well as a couple others I began.

PP - What advice would you give to poets who are just starting out?

Michael –

Don't focus too strong on copying others or following the rules per say. Give yourself time to develop your style and voice and do not force a line. Review your work and don't be afraid to edit it. Expand your vocabulary daily. Find words that fit the flow of the rhythm and mean what you want to say or change the line entirely until the words work. Research an idea well. Always collect scraps of inspiration and keep them ready. Keep a journal of things that inspire you.

Also - for more advice - I wrote a book of poetry on Wattpad called, 'The Storyteller'. This is my poetry dedicated to writers and writing. It may inspire you.

PP - Do you have a favorite author on Wattpad? What about outside of Wattpad?

Michael –

I have several favorites that I have found so far but, it's like asking if I have a favorite hillside. I haven't been to all the hillsides. There are several with amazing views and I love going there. But I am sure there are many others with views like this or better. So I will refrain from naming any favorites here. I do have a meager list of favorites on wattpad and you can take a look at them there. These are by far nowhere near a fair representation. Only a starting place of favorites.

PP - You are throwing a dinner party and you can invite any 10 authors, living, dead or fictional. Who do you invite?

Michael –

Well, that is a question. I would say that it would be quite an eclectic group. But I will try. Certainly Emily Dickinson and Charlotte Bronte come to mind. Then there is Mark Twain and Charles Dickens. Ray Bradbury, Lewis Carroll, Mary Shelley, William Blake, Michael Ende and a great spiritual writer - St. Teresa of Avila.

Now that would be a party.

PP - Thank you so much for speaking with us. Is there anything else you would like to add?

Michael –

I invite you to read my work. I know we are all busy writing our own and it takes time to read others' but we can all be an inspiration to each other and sharpen each other as iron sharpens iron. We are not the same, nor should we be but, we can feed on each others' passion and craft to challenge us and reach greater heights. Write on, my friends.

PP – Thank you for speaking with us Michael. It is truly a pleasure to get to know you better. Your poetic contributions to the Pub are revered and appreciated. Congratulations on being our 2020 Poet of the Year!