Split Eight
08-31-2015, 07:43 AM
Art of Writing League: Season 5
Week 7: The On-Time Edition
[Introduction]
Sorry about the delay with topics. There was a slight confusion that made me not set them immediately, and I found myself horribly busy the next day. To make sure that it's not me (again) delaying the league, I've already set up a framework for the next magazine and gathered about 20 topics of a single theme.
Also, 24 hour extensions are available for everyone that requests them this week. There's no point in trying to get the writers on schedule when the administration is the one lagging.
Nonetheless, here is your magazine. Next week, expect:
Writer Bios
Midseason Power Ranks
Playoff Seeding: Explained
Top 5 Verses of Season 5 To-Date
Brief Season Recap
An interview with one of NC's most interesting characters
(timeliness)
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uxKWJQUuojA
[Reviews]
5. Championship Match: Godcomplex (3-2) vs. Razah (4-1)
GODCOMPLEX WINS, 4-0
Razah apologetically writes a no-show verse.
Shit happens dude, was really looking forward to this match but it is what it is.
4. Contendership: Dancake (1-1) vs. Rakontur (2-0)
DANCAKE WINS 3-0
A good match that deserved a much better vote turnout.
If you can't tell from my vote, I heavily favored Dancake's verse in every measure here. Rakontur had a decent showing that I personally felt was simply outclassed, but other voters may have had a different take. Dancake's outward-building monologue took the topic to heart, eclipsing Rakontur's sincere letter to a childhood friend gone astray.
Rakontur can write with clarity, or he can stitch together poetic imagery and visuals that make his verses come alive. But noticeably, not both at once. This seems to be a mental block for a lot of people-- how to blend the division between showing and telling, and how to convey a story with a purposeful twist or flourish. He's en route to a solid seed in the playoffs, but I do not see him champing the league any time soon.
Rakontur's verse was by no means disappointing, three votes guys? C'mon assholes.
3. Week 6: YDK (0-1) vs. Ullr (4-1)
YDK WINS 5-3
YDK upsets ex-champ Ullr with a solid but predictable verse.
I agree with several voters that YDK's verses lack that sense of presentation and polish that makes verses stand-out. That said, YDK surprised me a lot with this showing. It's pretty rare that long-time writers who are comfortable with their style and consistently compete elevate out of nowhere. The difference between what YDK demonstrated here and his usual fare is the kind of advancement by leaps and bounds that I would expect from an ambitious novice.
This piece had a more intricate plot than one would expect from YDK and the first two-lines were more eye-catching than anything he's put to page. Those two lines were cleverly repeated from the husband's perspective at the end. This device was the cornerstone of the verse and was executed pretty much flawlessly, very much upper-tier writing. The meat of the verse fell prey to complacency and stagnancy. A lot of the reinforcing details that would make the callback/ twist work were mailed in. I get the impression that YDK is usually happy with his verses the first time he writes them, and that with this verse he stumbled onto gold.
Ullr's lengthy narrative wasn't bad, but seemed to wear a bit thin. It lacked energy, and Ullr signed out to recuperate midweek. This downtick from his consistent outpouring of championship-worthy writing is all YDK needed to capitalize. If this was more than a fluke, YDK might see himself competing for top spot in a pinch.
[Writer's Choice]2. Week 6: POET MiNDER (0-0) vs. Timeless (0-2)
TIMELESS WINS 6-1
Timeless showcases raw talent with a one-sided victory over newcomer POET MiNDER.
We (league regulars) have been waiting for Timeless to peak for several seasons. Whether it be his repeat match-ups against Certain or his attempts on the current champ's life, we're all waiting for it to *click* and for him to start pumping out monster verses like it's his job.
I don't think this verse was necessarily evidence of that. To quote Dennis Reynolds:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=enVtvLyF2wI
I think that at the crux of his verse was timeless's tie-in to the topic, and it wasn't very convincing. Sometimes I can read his verse, suddenly get lost, and see that he's just placing rhymes and treading water. That absent feeling of wholeness and intent is hard to foster, but once it's there it almost becomes intuitive. You can't *not* write a verse without it, unless you rush it right before deadline.
I additionally enjoyed POET MiNDER's introductory offering. I was very worried that he was Dagel. I think that he embodied the 'story prompt' aspect of the topic in a much more meaningful way, but also feel that he lost steam a third of the way in. There was some weird phrasing after the enjoyably arranged plot progression in the beginning.
Good battle. Giving this writer's choice because while the actual battle wasn't gripping, what each writer brought to the table was noteworthy and admirable.
1. [BOTW]Week 6: Clutbuck (0-0) vs. Nigma (1-0)
CLUTBUCK WINS 5-1
Nigma is finally **not** no-showed. He is punished swiftly for this transgression.
Just fucking with you. This was a great match, both writers provided solid offerings. Nigma wrote his heart out, and Clutbuck stepped up in the nick of time to let a dope verse not be wasted. While Lars' writing is no doubt fully-formed, technically proficient (read: technically advanced), fluid and laden with rhymes-- I think his real strength in topical leagues comes from his ability to form a verse to a topic naturally and creatively. If we were to judge writings based entirely on how effectively they convey the topic, I think that Clutbuck would be challenged by very few writers. Zygote, Oats, and Godcomplex share this quality as well.
Clutbuck took the win; voters cited his strong narrative & impactful capitalization on the provided topic as key factors in their decision. I do wonder if Nigma would have approached the topic differently had he known Lars would be his opponent, but nonetheless I am really glad this match-up could take place.
[Previews]
[Adonis]
YDK vs. Witty
This is a battle that I'm certain has taken place at least 2-3 times over the past few seasons/playoffs. Not sure of the record but based off my knowledge of each competitor I would imagine YDK is actually up because Witty no-shows about half the time anyways...Shots fired!! But, when they both show, and at full force or something near there, I think Witty is the superior writer. He has a stronger command on rhyme scheme and structure while YDK can compose a better concept piece easily. Should be a fun battle and easy vote because both of these writers posses a style that is easy on the mind and eyes.
YDK 52%
NYCSPITZ vs. Soulstice
Welcome back you overly linguistic and intelligent lifeforms. This right here has the makings of BOTW in mid-season form, but given that you have each been away for an extended period of time I feel like you guys might under perform to your respective perceived skill levels. This is weird to say however, because, not to toot horns or anything, when either of you so much as produce 60% of ability that work is still able to beat out half of the league currently. I feel like you each should be motivated but could both no-show as well. I actually think NYC has overcome that reputation vastly and shows more then not these days. Soul on the other hand shows when he gets in the swing of things, which he is obviously not yet. Will be a tough read as each pose a verbal dictionary in the holster coupled with either a twist/story format (NY) or complex topical-concept/story-line (soul) that are equally hard to follow if the reader doesn't give full attention. Will be another close call.
NYCSPITZ 53%
Mr. J vs. Frank
Frank has been gone a long fucking time man. Meanwhile Mr. J has actually been producing above his previous plateau or peak which I previously thought, essentially he has improved in my mind. The interesting thing with Frank though is, his style is easy to pick up where he left off. There is almost certainly no well thought out and executed strategic rhyme scheme, he uses simple cadence with a narrative that grabs the reader like a war novel, he is very effective in this case. Jay on the other hand also utilizes a similar style but will mix in topical or concept works every now and again. This battle should be a very fast paced read and simply a fun vote due to each competitors knack for producing simplicity at high level that is able to overthrow anyone who over thinks a verse easily. Normaly would go Frank narrowly, but it's been a while.
Mr. J 66%
Poet Minder vs, 2Tripple0
I did not read 2k's verse from last week, sorry. But I do know that he is still improving in this league marginally. Not sure who Poet Minder is but I did enjoy and vote for him last week which is also the only verse I have ever read from him. While I think Poet minder will have the stronger grasp on mechanics and be able to produce something a bit more thought provoking, it seems like his style might actually be susceptible to 2k's dream scape of a style likened to a chicken with it's head cut off. I feel like this will be closer then I can imagine.
Poet Minder 75%
Nigma vs. rakontur
This is a rather interesting battle. Nigma drops verses that are polished but not perfect, same can be said about Rak. I think Rak has a stronger grasp on flow but Nigma conceptually is slightly ahead of Rak. So while everything I see can point to this being a very close bout, the one positive I see in rak's favor is the short due date. Dude has been competing at a decently high level in multiple leagues, either climbing to or around the title shot if not securing one or two. This battle will all come down to the readers prefernece. Nigma will drop something a bit more complex and Rak more simple, either can produce a gem or something that flies over the readers head by a mile. Should be neck and neck.
Nigma 51%
Contendership: Timeless vs. Clutbuck
While I have said that every single battle this week will be close or could be close, I feel like this one may not. Timeless can produce fine art, but is very inconsistent at performing at his peak, which even then, is still bellow the upper echelon of the topical food chain. Mr. Buck on the other hand is still rounding out his edges and hitting the stride of things. I think this is the week where everything starts clicking again in full force and out performs Time by a wide margin but where every voter says it's closer then it appears because it will be, but there will be a clear winner.
ClutBuck 77%
Championship: Godcomplex vs. Dancake
This will be a beast of a read in my mind. While God can write the most thought provoking and in-depth verses in this entire league, Dancake can do the same if he chooses but often times write in a more simplistic style riddled with imagery and phrasing that grips the reader. This will too be a voters preference, but Daniel has the better mechanics and should be able to squeak by assuming God doesn't just drop some Nagasaki type shit, which he is capable of at any given time of any week.
Dancake 60%
[Throwback]
[Adonis]
Red Glare -Season One
http://www.netcees.org/showthread.php?t=5366&highlight=Glare
This is in homage to welcoming back Frank. This is one of few verses I have remembered over a span of a few years, it's very rare that something actually stands out and you don't forget it. But when I read this verse, the entire concept just did me in. Red Glare, otherwise known as Frank, was given a topic of cape fear, the movie week similar to what we did three weeks ago. He battled Pent uP AKA. Pohfig and beat him despite pent writing one of the better verses of the season as well. This battle in all honesty is one of the greatest in the history of the site, both writers wrote something commendable and championship worthy. Glare came out on top this time around and did so in narrow fashion. So while this throwback verse is directed Frank , Pent uP deserves just as much credit for producing some fine work. With out reading his verse I can still, do this day tell you it was about two kids going on vacation to a lake and shit happened. The fact that I remember that much is amazing, but that was because if you read his verse, the description and character build up is just equal to none.
[Power Ranks]
5. Nigma
Despite a loss last week, Nigma is due for a crack at the title. We'll see if he can build enough momentum to earn one.
4. YDK
YDK's victory last week was not convincing, but the whole league should be watching now. With a firmly established writer like YDK, I have my doubts that he'll effect the necessary changes to make a solid grab at the championship, but writers with his consistency and experience seem to hover in the mid-upper ranks of the league with mindful patience alone.
3. Clutbuck
Despite being a very recent entry, Clutbuck stole the show last week-- and we all know he is serious about taking home the cup.
2. Dancake
PancakeBrah's outwritten everyone in his path by a wide margin thus far.
1. GodComplex
GodComplex has had nothing but strong verses so far. While retrospectively I wouldn't say they were classic or memorably matches, he now has to deal with an influx of highly competitive writers from seasons past.
[Outrospection]
[Split]
There you have it folks. Promises to be early with the next magazine. Stay up y'all.
TOLD YOU.
Good luck everyone.
Week 7: The On-Time Edition
[Introduction]
Sorry about the delay with topics. There was a slight confusion that made me not set them immediately, and I found myself horribly busy the next day. To make sure that it's not me (again) delaying the league, I've already set up a framework for the next magazine and gathered about 20 topics of a single theme.
Also, 24 hour extensions are available for everyone that requests them this week. There's no point in trying to get the writers on schedule when the administration is the one lagging.
Nonetheless, here is your magazine. Next week, expect:
Writer Bios
Midseason Power Ranks
Playoff Seeding: Explained
Top 5 Verses of Season 5 To-Date
Brief Season Recap
An interview with one of NC's most interesting characters
(timeliness)
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uxKWJQUuojA
[Reviews]
5. Championship Match: Godcomplex (3-2) vs. Razah (4-1)
GODCOMPLEX WINS, 4-0
Razah apologetically writes a no-show verse.
Shit happens dude, was really looking forward to this match but it is what it is.
4. Contendership: Dancake (1-1) vs. Rakontur (2-0)
DANCAKE WINS 3-0
A good match that deserved a much better vote turnout.
If you can't tell from my vote, I heavily favored Dancake's verse in every measure here. Rakontur had a decent showing that I personally felt was simply outclassed, but other voters may have had a different take. Dancake's outward-building monologue took the topic to heart, eclipsing Rakontur's sincere letter to a childhood friend gone astray.
Rakontur can write with clarity, or he can stitch together poetic imagery and visuals that make his verses come alive. But noticeably, not both at once. This seems to be a mental block for a lot of people-- how to blend the division between showing and telling, and how to convey a story with a purposeful twist or flourish. He's en route to a solid seed in the playoffs, but I do not see him champing the league any time soon.
Rakontur's verse was by no means disappointing, three votes guys? C'mon assholes.
3. Week 6: YDK (0-1) vs. Ullr (4-1)
YDK WINS 5-3
YDK upsets ex-champ Ullr with a solid but predictable verse.
I agree with several voters that YDK's verses lack that sense of presentation and polish that makes verses stand-out. That said, YDK surprised me a lot with this showing. It's pretty rare that long-time writers who are comfortable with their style and consistently compete elevate out of nowhere. The difference between what YDK demonstrated here and his usual fare is the kind of advancement by leaps and bounds that I would expect from an ambitious novice.
This piece had a more intricate plot than one would expect from YDK and the first two-lines were more eye-catching than anything he's put to page. Those two lines were cleverly repeated from the husband's perspective at the end. This device was the cornerstone of the verse and was executed pretty much flawlessly, very much upper-tier writing. The meat of the verse fell prey to complacency and stagnancy. A lot of the reinforcing details that would make the callback/ twist work were mailed in. I get the impression that YDK is usually happy with his verses the first time he writes them, and that with this verse he stumbled onto gold.
Ullr's lengthy narrative wasn't bad, but seemed to wear a bit thin. It lacked energy, and Ullr signed out to recuperate midweek. This downtick from his consistent outpouring of championship-worthy writing is all YDK needed to capitalize. If this was more than a fluke, YDK might see himself competing for top spot in a pinch.
[Writer's Choice]2. Week 6: POET MiNDER (0-0) vs. Timeless (0-2)
TIMELESS WINS 6-1
Timeless showcases raw talent with a one-sided victory over newcomer POET MiNDER.
We (league regulars) have been waiting for Timeless to peak for several seasons. Whether it be his repeat match-ups against Certain or his attempts on the current champ's life, we're all waiting for it to *click* and for him to start pumping out monster verses like it's his job.
I don't think this verse was necessarily evidence of that. To quote Dennis Reynolds:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=enVtvLyF2wI
I think that at the crux of his verse was timeless's tie-in to the topic, and it wasn't very convincing. Sometimes I can read his verse, suddenly get lost, and see that he's just placing rhymes and treading water. That absent feeling of wholeness and intent is hard to foster, but once it's there it almost becomes intuitive. You can't *not* write a verse without it, unless you rush it right before deadline.
I additionally enjoyed POET MiNDER's introductory offering. I was very worried that he was Dagel. I think that he embodied the 'story prompt' aspect of the topic in a much more meaningful way, but also feel that he lost steam a third of the way in. There was some weird phrasing after the enjoyably arranged plot progression in the beginning.
Good battle. Giving this writer's choice because while the actual battle wasn't gripping, what each writer brought to the table was noteworthy and admirable.
1. [BOTW]Week 6: Clutbuck (0-0) vs. Nigma (1-0)
CLUTBUCK WINS 5-1
Nigma is finally **not** no-showed. He is punished swiftly for this transgression.
Just fucking with you. This was a great match, both writers provided solid offerings. Nigma wrote his heart out, and Clutbuck stepped up in the nick of time to let a dope verse not be wasted. While Lars' writing is no doubt fully-formed, technically proficient (read: technically advanced), fluid and laden with rhymes-- I think his real strength in topical leagues comes from his ability to form a verse to a topic naturally and creatively. If we were to judge writings based entirely on how effectively they convey the topic, I think that Clutbuck would be challenged by very few writers. Zygote, Oats, and Godcomplex share this quality as well.
Clutbuck took the win; voters cited his strong narrative & impactful capitalization on the provided topic as key factors in their decision. I do wonder if Nigma would have approached the topic differently had he known Lars would be his opponent, but nonetheless I am really glad this match-up could take place.
[Previews]
[Adonis]
YDK vs. Witty
This is a battle that I'm certain has taken place at least 2-3 times over the past few seasons/playoffs. Not sure of the record but based off my knowledge of each competitor I would imagine YDK is actually up because Witty no-shows about half the time anyways...Shots fired!! But, when they both show, and at full force or something near there, I think Witty is the superior writer. He has a stronger command on rhyme scheme and structure while YDK can compose a better concept piece easily. Should be a fun battle and easy vote because both of these writers posses a style that is easy on the mind and eyes.
YDK 52%
NYCSPITZ vs. Soulstice
Welcome back you overly linguistic and intelligent lifeforms. This right here has the makings of BOTW in mid-season form, but given that you have each been away for an extended period of time I feel like you guys might under perform to your respective perceived skill levels. This is weird to say however, because, not to toot horns or anything, when either of you so much as produce 60% of ability that work is still able to beat out half of the league currently. I feel like you each should be motivated but could both no-show as well. I actually think NYC has overcome that reputation vastly and shows more then not these days. Soul on the other hand shows when he gets in the swing of things, which he is obviously not yet. Will be a tough read as each pose a verbal dictionary in the holster coupled with either a twist/story format (NY) or complex topical-concept/story-line (soul) that are equally hard to follow if the reader doesn't give full attention. Will be another close call.
NYCSPITZ 53%
Mr. J vs. Frank
Frank has been gone a long fucking time man. Meanwhile Mr. J has actually been producing above his previous plateau or peak which I previously thought, essentially he has improved in my mind. The interesting thing with Frank though is, his style is easy to pick up where he left off. There is almost certainly no well thought out and executed strategic rhyme scheme, he uses simple cadence with a narrative that grabs the reader like a war novel, he is very effective in this case. Jay on the other hand also utilizes a similar style but will mix in topical or concept works every now and again. This battle should be a very fast paced read and simply a fun vote due to each competitors knack for producing simplicity at high level that is able to overthrow anyone who over thinks a verse easily. Normaly would go Frank narrowly, but it's been a while.
Mr. J 66%
Poet Minder vs, 2Tripple0
I did not read 2k's verse from last week, sorry. But I do know that he is still improving in this league marginally. Not sure who Poet Minder is but I did enjoy and vote for him last week which is also the only verse I have ever read from him. While I think Poet minder will have the stronger grasp on mechanics and be able to produce something a bit more thought provoking, it seems like his style might actually be susceptible to 2k's dream scape of a style likened to a chicken with it's head cut off. I feel like this will be closer then I can imagine.
Poet Minder 75%
Nigma vs. rakontur
This is a rather interesting battle. Nigma drops verses that are polished but not perfect, same can be said about Rak. I think Rak has a stronger grasp on flow but Nigma conceptually is slightly ahead of Rak. So while everything I see can point to this being a very close bout, the one positive I see in rak's favor is the short due date. Dude has been competing at a decently high level in multiple leagues, either climbing to or around the title shot if not securing one or two. This battle will all come down to the readers prefernece. Nigma will drop something a bit more complex and Rak more simple, either can produce a gem or something that flies over the readers head by a mile. Should be neck and neck.
Nigma 51%
Contendership: Timeless vs. Clutbuck
While I have said that every single battle this week will be close or could be close, I feel like this one may not. Timeless can produce fine art, but is very inconsistent at performing at his peak, which even then, is still bellow the upper echelon of the topical food chain. Mr. Buck on the other hand is still rounding out his edges and hitting the stride of things. I think this is the week where everything starts clicking again in full force and out performs Time by a wide margin but where every voter says it's closer then it appears because it will be, but there will be a clear winner.
ClutBuck 77%
Championship: Godcomplex vs. Dancake
This will be a beast of a read in my mind. While God can write the most thought provoking and in-depth verses in this entire league, Dancake can do the same if he chooses but often times write in a more simplistic style riddled with imagery and phrasing that grips the reader. This will too be a voters preference, but Daniel has the better mechanics and should be able to squeak by assuming God doesn't just drop some Nagasaki type shit, which he is capable of at any given time of any week.
Dancake 60%
[Throwback]
[Adonis]
Red Glare -Season One
http://www.netcees.org/showthread.php?t=5366&highlight=Glare
This is in homage to welcoming back Frank. This is one of few verses I have remembered over a span of a few years, it's very rare that something actually stands out and you don't forget it. But when I read this verse, the entire concept just did me in. Red Glare, otherwise known as Frank, was given a topic of cape fear, the movie week similar to what we did three weeks ago. He battled Pent uP AKA. Pohfig and beat him despite pent writing one of the better verses of the season as well. This battle in all honesty is one of the greatest in the history of the site, both writers wrote something commendable and championship worthy. Glare came out on top this time around and did so in narrow fashion. So while this throwback verse is directed Frank , Pent uP deserves just as much credit for producing some fine work. With out reading his verse I can still, do this day tell you it was about two kids going on vacation to a lake and shit happened. The fact that I remember that much is amazing, but that was because if you read his verse, the description and character build up is just equal to none.
[Power Ranks]
5. Nigma
Despite a loss last week, Nigma is due for a crack at the title. We'll see if he can build enough momentum to earn one.
4. YDK
YDK's victory last week was not convincing, but the whole league should be watching now. With a firmly established writer like YDK, I have my doubts that he'll effect the necessary changes to make a solid grab at the championship, but writers with his consistency and experience seem to hover in the mid-upper ranks of the league with mindful patience alone.
3. Clutbuck
Despite being a very recent entry, Clutbuck stole the show last week-- and we all know he is serious about taking home the cup.
2. Dancake
PancakeBrah's outwritten everyone in his path by a wide margin thus far.
1. GodComplex
GodComplex has had nothing but strong verses so far. While retrospectively I wouldn't say they were classic or memorably matches, he now has to deal with an influx of highly competitive writers from seasons past.
[Outrospection]
[Split]
There you have it folks. Promises to be early with the next magazine. Stay up y'all.
TOLD YOU.
Good luck everyone.