Interview on Collaboration with Julián Martinez and Mike Andrelczyk

Sometimes the hardest part of collaborating is getting started. Here are some tips from creators that have collaborated — sometimes with an absolute stranger — and made something wonderful!

Did you know your partner in collaboration beforehand? Explain how you got together. 

MA: Julián and I both had some poems in Vol. 2 No. 4 of Words & Sports Quarterly last spring and Julián messaged me. Julián had this great short poem based off of a rap song by Serengeti called, “Dennehy.”  I never heard the song before but I love it now and play it / quote it regularly. We started dm’ing about random shit, Frank O’Hara poems, sports, music or whatever and making up ridiculous freestyles for fun.  

JM: Me and Mike had some poems in an issue of W&S Quarterly together. His work had this energy and sharpness and humor that I loved. I’ll never forget this one image about hockey players drunkenly looking like Martin Scorcese’s eyebrows. I was just like, man, this guy rocks. We got to messaging, picking each other’s brains, talking music, writing bars inspired by “Dennehy.” We unintentionally wrote this poem over DMs over the course of give or take a year.

How did you collaborate? What was your process?

MA: These were just lines we did for fun in a DM. Julián suggested we could maybe publish it. He edited / ordered it. We wrote a couple new lines in a Google Doc. We were gonna make a video and rent some cars, yachts, flashy suits and shit but then decided to just do the poem.

JM: Yeah, it’s a damn shame. I kept my suit, though. Zubaz formalwear. Fuckin’ A.

What were some challenges you faced during the collaborative process, and what did you learn?

MA: Trying to decide on a good rhyme for “Seinfeld.” And stopping.

JM: This was unique since we didn’t even know we were writing towards anything until after the fact. So, in editing the piece, it was a fun challenge to see what kind of narrative arc could be found in the descriptions and punchlines of the bars. Mike and I both wrote some new lines that, when trying to find a spot for them, opened up new directions for the piece.

Any final words of advice for future collaborators?

MA: Doing things for fun first typically yields good results and if someone has a strong vision go with it and always listen to “Dennehy” as you write. Keep the juices in the brats and buy Stanley brand tools.

JM: Listen to the new Serengeti album, KDIV, which is a continuation of the “Dennehy” character, Kenny Dennis. Check out Mike’s latest book of poems and his upcoming book of poems, ‘cause if you like this poem, then you know he rocks and you’re gonna be a better collaborator ‘cause you’re reading him, one of the dopest poets in the game.

It’s like musicians— you could have a great start to a solo, but if you’re not listening to the other artists, it’s gonna fall apart pretty quick. Collaboration feels the best when the end of one’s lines are feeding into the start of another’s lines and there’s this conversation and play going on. Listen and respond. Lead with curiosity and enthusiasm — you can’t go wrong.

Read Julián Martinez & Mike Andrelczyk’s piece, “Sports Bars”

Julián Martinez (he/him) is the son of Mexican and Cuban immigrants and is from Waukegan, IL. His poems have appeared or are forthcoming in HAD, Hooligan Mag, Maudlin House, The Sonora Review and elsewhere. He's not a sports guy but he loves sports guys. Find him online @martinezfjulian or www.martinezfjulian.com, or IRL in Chicago.

Mike Andrelczyk (he/him) is the author of “!!!” (Ghost City Press) and “Tennis Leg” coming out with Gob Pile Press later this year.