A Long-Term Relationship

I got acquainted with Writing when I was in High School. That was the period when all the other girls in school were hooked up with boys, kissing, and teenage drama. I was then in love with animes and books. There was a time when I thought some animes did not work according to how they should, and being an ambitious child with so many dreams, I thought I could do little changes in them. Little did I know that I was already into writing fanfictions.

My fantasy of rewriting fanfictions sugarcoated itself with a made-up dream of becoming a journalist. I got inspired by reporters and I had this fantasy of going to England through BBN to meet J.K. Rowling herself and thank her for introducing Harry Potter to the world. This was just a diversion though.

When I learned that there was a website called Fanfiction.net, I knew that Writing wanted to have a steady relationship with me. After reading things from the website, I thought it was my turn to share things to the world. There I started my long term relationship with Writing.

This relationship was not smooth sailing. I stumble and fall. Writing found me falling short of its standards. I could not express myself sufficiently and effectively. I misused words and tenses. Alas, I thought it would forever dump me.

But Writing was patient. It recommended reading books to widen my vocabulary. After a while, not only J. K Rowling inspired me. There were Jack London, J. R. R. Tolkien, Mark Twain, C. S. Lewis , etc. Writing also told me to practice and put extra effort in my writing assignments. It encouraged me to write more fanfictions as they trained my mind to weave plots and put words together like Lego Blocks. College became my official training ground. I failed several times. Funny though, that in the times that I stumbled I gained rewards.

Then came the challenges in our relationship. In every competition I joined in, I thought our bond was being tested. We proved to be unbreakable as I won them again and again. Every year, I made sure that I had my name on top. It was a proof that I was unwilling to break off this relationship. Every year, I renew our contract.

After 13 years of being in a relationship with Writing, I thought it was a little topsy-turvy. Sometimes we were at cold war and I wouldn’t be writing anything for days, even weeks. At times when it is smoothly sailing, I could write two short stories a day with a stanza of poetry at the side. I’m still looking for a stable relationship though. I need an assurance that Writing won’t ever leave me as I have promised to do the same. Although I don’t join contests anymore, I still write journals and blogs. I won’t let the fire die and leave this world with nothing to show for. I’m willing to have a long term relationship with Writing.

submissive and dominant animals

"When two creatures meet, the one that is able to intimidate its opponent is recognized socially superior, so that a social decision does not always depend on a fight; an encounter in some circumstances may be enough." - Hediger (1950)

I got this quote from the Life of Pi.

By the way, I haven't made up my mind on getting back on track in this blog but one thing is for sure, I will be posting from time to time this summer. Fortunately, we have a computer with internet access. Yep, out of 5 computers available for faculty assistants, only one has internet access. Besides, my situation needs it.

Last Friday, I wrote about a slithering snake in our midst. Well, it seems that issue isn't finished yet and it is going from bad to worse. I heard from a reliable source that the one who professed caring for me was the one who reported my text to my dear Superior. Sheesh. This text, the source said, became the trigger to the Superior's fury. What? A single, one-peso worth of text?! Seriously, someone needs a course on Anger Management more than I do. 

What irks me here is a statement made by an outsider whom I did not even risk involving in my situation. An unsollicited advice is more unwelcome than a statement that everything is gonna be alright (rock a by).

I do not require anybody to see my side. I am grateful to those who have chosen to believe in me after serious consideration of the situation I am in. I do not require help--I don't need it. I don't ask anybody to defend me nor stand up for me. Last but not the least, I do not need any unsollicited advice particularly from people who dare not save their asses.

They are hypocrites. They suffer. They complain. However, when push comes to shove, they hide or worse, they purr like cats. I don't take advice nor warning from animals who can't do anything to save themselves. Are they going to act like my saviors when they can't even stop complaining? Can't they even solve their problems first before they try to solve mine? (I don't even consider myself in hot waters)

"Socially inferior animals are the ones that make the most strenuous, resourceful efforts to get to know their keepers. They prove to be the ones most faithful to them, most in need of their company, least likely to challenge them or be difficult."

This is another quote I got from Life of Pi. I have to thank Sherwin for lending me the book. AND YES, I DARE TO DROP NAMES IN MY OWN BLOG.

Deconstructing the quote a bit, I therefore conclude that the strong animals thrive without being pets. They run free in the wild and they live for a longer period of time.

I have existed in this world for 24 years and in those years, I have learned to solve my own problems without  anyone helping me even my parents. Thank God, I don't need to suck up with my Superiors just to have a name for myself. 

Should I get terminated from my current job, the battle would have been won. Not by them, the superior, nor the snakes they have for pets but by me. It is not like this is the only job in the world. Aside from that, who has heard of a an employee being fired because she has edited her Boss' Memo? If I would be the first, then I would have my name posted in the Guiness Book of World Records. That would be remarkable.

On Using Poems to Develop Productive Skills

I found this article from the literature category of www.teachingenglish.org.uk. It exemplifies how teachers can use poems as a springboard of their day's lessons.

After reading the article, I have come to realized some reasons that students have very shallow appreciation and interpretation of literature. Teachers themselves who are supposed to encourage students to study literary texts only use them to teach "more important" subjects and consider the entire process as teaching literature.

Since my Undergraduate Degree is teaching English and my Masters is Literature, I have conflicting perspectives on this article. Being a language teacher, I agree that Poetries are authentic texts. They are pretty short and accessible. Some short poetries are easy enough for students to read. Because of internet, looking for extremely short poetries is easier. However, not all poetries can serve the same purpose any time. One example is the very short Haiku. According to our class, before teachers can discuss Haiku, they should discuss Japanese ideologies first. The authenticity of the Haikus can also be questioned as they have already been translated from Japanese to English. Haikus may be easy to read but very difficult to interpret. They may be short but that does not mean they possess the same grammatical structure as how we use English in conversations. Another point to consider is not all students enjoy reading poetries. Some may even find them boring as their content is not literally manifested just like in short stories or novels. It will be very difficult to use them as tools to teach English grammar or even productive skills when the students aren’t even motivated to study poetry yet.

As a Literature Major, I appreciate how we can expose learners to Literature when we use poems for our motivational activities. However, this exposure, I think,  is not sufficient to encourage students to  have a deeper understanding of the text, and go look for more literary pieces on their own. For several years, Language teachers have used Literature only as a tool to deliver their subjects well and have forsaken the interpretation of the masterpieces. What is worse is they label this teaching as teaching of literature. As a result, students become disinterested in reading because they already anticipate the grammar rules that will follow. Little exposure then means little interpretation and even less appreciation.

Even though the objective of the article is only to teach productive skills and even though it claims that one does not need to be a literature expert to use poems in the classroom, I still believe that it takes a good Literature teacher to deliver a great lesson using poetry. One cannot give what he doesn't have. Maybe this is the reason students only study literature for its grammatical components because their teachers can only do so much.

On Hollander's "Teach the Books, Touch the Heart"

From time to time, teachers feel the need to exert more effort in ensuring students' learning. A part of us believe that our success in teaching is measured not only through our students' scores but their lives. Our highest goal becomes making them apply what they learn from Literature to their daily lives because Literature is the study of life. However, this application of learning seem impossible to measure.

In her article Teach the Books, Touch the Heart, published in New York Times, Claire Hollander discusses the ambiguity of assessing students' literary aptitude through objective types of tests.

She summarizes this ambiguity in three points:

1. reading classic literature does not guarantee high scores in national exams

2. appreciation of literary materials needs reliable assessment

3. assessing students' literariness cannot be done through objective tests.

She concludes her article by pointing out that school administrators need to have “extensive written examinations”. This, in the Philippine setting, is not plausible.

I agree that we have to measure our students' learning in different ways apart from multiple choice examinations. I also agree that learners have various ways of interpreting texts and this may be measured by essays. However, essays are not at all reliable. It is considered to be the most subjective among all the tests.

There are so many things to consider in administering essays to students. Among them are the freedom of students to choose their literary texts, the partiality of the instructor toward the subject, and the number of texts a student has to read and analyze, and thus the number of essays teachers have to check within a grading period.

            What the author wants to promote is too idealistic. In the Philippines, teachers have to handle several classes, each of which has 40 + students. Let us say, there are at least three reading tasks, and each task is to be assessed through an essay, that will mean 120 essays in one class for one term. If a teacher has 4 classes in a term, that will be 480 essays to read with varied lengths. A teacher does not only read essays in a semester. He or she has to make other tests, read more books, organize more lessons, etc. With barely five months, how can he or she juggle his/her responsibilities with checking written examinations? Moreover, how can the teacher prove fairness in judging the exams when exhaustion and biases hover in the process even with rubrics at hand? Loving Literature is not tantamount to loving writing. Not everyone likes to write particularly as a requirement. Not everyone can write magnificently.

There is also an issue of grammar.

Ms Hollander writes from a point of view of a Literature teacher handling only a handful of students. Her ideas are idealistic and they drive us back to our original objective of making students learn and love literature and not only pass standardized exams. However, in reality, true appreciation of literature is exhibited in different forms that are difficult to assess. One thing that makes testing easier is the presence of objective exams.

On Teaching Literature (I. Cruz) and Teaching Classic Literature Classically (A. Kurn)

In his article, Teaching Classic Literature Classically, Andrew Kurn summarizes the classical process of teaching in four stages: clarifying the purpose, deliberating materials, reading contemplatively, and teaching intentionally.

Kurn believes that the ultimate purpose of a literature teacher is to cultivate wisdom and virtue and I acknowledge this. The other stages however have triggered numerous questions and reactions in my mind.

Kurn says that teachers must select books with ‘virtues to imitate.’ I don’t exactly agree on this as I think that the preference of materials must reflect the purpose of teaching. If the purpose is to magnify beauty and goodness, then choose works with heroes and their extraordinarily good deeds. If the goal is to open the learners' minds to reality, choose pieces that don’t hold bars. As teachers, we often want students to learn morals from texts but we have to remember that many great literary pieces were not written with the same purpose. We cannot assume and we must not teach students to assume that writers always want to instill lessons in their works.

Kurn continues that educators can choose between didactic (contemplating models) and Socrates (exploring opinions) approaches, both of which are done inside the four corners of the classroom. This raises another question: if we are teaching our students about the study of life, why are we boxing their literary lives in the classroom?

Students respond to technology. They are more likely to read Facebook status and ‘like’ Instagram photos rather than listen to ala-Socrates teachers sharing knowledge in masterpieces of the past. They are more into seeing movie versions of the great novels rather than read the book themselves. How are teachers going to cope up with this budding need to be educated and entertained at the same time?

I have expected the article to enlighten me on making classic literature less boring for learners, given the advance technological age that we are in. However, it sticks to the traditional way of teaching literature as it has promised in its title Teaching Classic Literature Classically the last word now reads as ‘conventionally’. In this Digital Age, when telephone companies and gadget manufacturers release new phones, computers, softwares, and applications every week, and even a five-year-old kid knows how to use iPad, Kurn’s idea of teaching Classic Literature the classic way seems remotely outdated.

Apart from having classic books downloadable as ebooks in iPhone, how else can classic literature invade our learners’ lives?

 “The world has changed, the world is changing, the world will change. The more things change, the more they stay the same.”

Isagani Cruz explains this in his article, Teaching Literature in The Philippine Star. Since the teaching of literature is a very old specialization, instead of trying to come up with ‘new’ techniques, educators can improve old techniques that are uploaded in the World Wide Web. What he does in his lectures is not very far from what Kurn has mentioned in his article. Cruz has come up with his own class paradigm called FREE (Feeding the text, Reading the text, Enhancing the text, and Enjoying the text). He improves the ‘classic’ teaching by showing different videos in class. He also divides the time allotted for Socrates-discussion so learners will have enough time to discuss their opinions in class, the author can ‘talk’ through the texts, and leaves 10 % of his time for discussion. Most importantly, he emphasizes that ‘good literature teachers always relate a literary text, no matter how old or foreign, to today’s newspaper headlines.’

Students can be asked to ‘tweet’ significant lines from novels. They can be asked to blog about their reactions on poetries. They can be asked to show photos that capture themes of short stories.

Literature is a study of life. Educators must not only aim to successfully deliver their literary lessons to students. Their goal must be to let Literature influence the lives of the learners. As Victor Ordoñez said, “We cannot equip the youth of the future with the tools of the past.” The classic way of teaching is not totally bad but it needs enhancement. If educators won’t be updated with the latest trends in teaching Literature, students won’t find time to squeeze in ‘boring’ classics in their fast paced, technology-packed, highly interactive lives even when their gadgets are practically full of Classic Literature ebooks.

Gemini

We could have been twins—twins separated by months. Ten months and ten days to be exact. He has always been my protector. I have always been his fan. We’ve been each other’s counselor every time we have problems. We have been each other’s refuge.

 The first time I heard he would get married before I would, I didn’t treat it quite seriously. One month before the wedding was when I broke down. I had been getting used to the fact that he had gone home only once a week but marriage would permanently dislodge him from our home. That was the harshest news that affected our nuclear family. We had always been five people despite our different schedules.

the Viter-Ybasco family

But we cannot always be five forever.

That was when he left and decided to tie the knot.

My brother has been married for 23 days already and Syme has been bullying me ever since: why haven't I written something about the wedding? It is an important event that has shaped not only my brother and his new wife's life but also our family's. Why don't I have a record, except the pictures, of that event? Most importantly, why is Syme more driven to have the event posted in my online journal more than I am? The last question I shall not answer.

 

I was the emcee in the reception. The fact that I was late in the wedding made the whole thing quite ironic. There had been a problem with the service of the wedding and my mom and I had been delayed. I was not even able to hear them say their vows. I was only able to attend the last part of the ceremony. I even thought I wouldn't be the emcee anymore and I already heaved a sigh of relief...only to figure out that I sighed too early.

 

I was still one of the masters of ceremony. I gathered my courage, thinking that the task was specifically assigned to me. I was there for a purpose and I intended to give my best for my brother.

The reception went well although there were minor problems. We were still able to include some wedding traditions like slicing of the cake, drinking of wine, and throwing of the garter and bouquet.

There were tear jerking speeches from the Bestman, my youngest brother, Drex, maid of honor, Grace's bestfriend, parents of both the groom and the bride and of course from the protagonists themselves, Grace and Ken.

I was not driven to tears by the speeches actually. I was even astounded hearing Bjorn speaking in English because it was the first time I heard him do so. What made me cry was when they started dancing to the tune of Butterfly Kisses.

That wedding may be the reason we are not together right now but it has made him extraordinarily happy. It is also the reason we have two additional family members, Grace and BJ.

With all of these said, I think I have to admit that the only thing that I want to say is, though it also pains me, I am happy that my 'Bal' has settled down. He deserves to be loved by someone he has devoted his life for. It is one kind of love that even a sister cannot give.

To my Kambal, you know that I'm always one of your greatest fans. That will never change.

-----

  

The Importance of Being Earnest in Keeping a Blog

It is a shame of we can’t recall memories. It is heart breaking if we don’t have anything to look back to and in case we can, how sure are we that those are pure memories and not tainted with things that we have wanted to happen? I don’t want to be problematic about that. If a lot of people depend on pictures to revive memories, Syme and I depend on our blog that can retell me the thoughts, the feelings which have not and cannot be captured by photos.

Syme and I have committed ourselves to blogging. We have devised ways on how we can keep our journals without doing it as an additional responsibility.

I have shared the technique of “breaking the last year’s record.” This goal makes me check my past blog entries and motivates me to write more. We ought to change for the better and it is not different in blogging. So far, I have always broken my annual records. Currently, my aim is to break my monthly record and I have done so for some months already.

Syme, on the other hand, has shared that he reads other blogs particularly those that feature his interests. This way, he gets inspiration from other writers, and he can write about the same topics from a different angle. Also, he writes as soon as inspiration kicks in. Since he is an out-door person, it is not difficult for him. What he finds difficult is fighting against his laziness. J Syme has promised he will try to follow my suggestion and beat the crap out of laziness.

As for my part, I have started writing long entries already and have decided to post those which are composed of 200 + words. If not, I should put a picture to go with my scanty words.

Following Syme’s example, I am also trying to be as objective as I can in reading other blogs and, instead of putting harsh comments on the site, I only post my reactions in my own blog. Not only do I add posts but I also keep the peace from those close-minded writers such as myself who cannot accept negations and criticisms.

The most important key in blogging for us is to have the time to write stuff. As soon as we get the inspiration to write, as soon as there is an opportunity or experience or situation that subjects itself for us to write, we will.

Lesson 1: Back to Basics

Haughty and naughty students who don't like to be reprimanded usually think that they can just treat teachers as people who only work in order to feed themselves and their family members. They think that the lives of their professors lie in their hands. What is worse is they make us, teachers, look stupid. These notions are a crap if not ridiculous. One thing students often forget is why they call their professors, instructors, and proctors 'teachers.'

Perhaps, some examples can enlighten their deprived minds.

We can inspire and motivate people who already have goals in their lives. We only need to nourish these goals, and help our students go to the right path. Flexible that we are, we can do this in our out of the academe. Teachers can go to different schools. As long as we have our license we can teach anywhere. And even without license, we can venture into other jobs. We can go to call centers, or even become event’s organizers. On the other hand, students, once kicked out, can never go to any. It will take a long time for them to get their act together and start anew. There are exemptions to this of course but they are scanty otherwise nobody will go to school anymore.

Second reason that students must be on their toes is there are many students in the world who deserve the instructors' best efforts. We don't like wasted effort-nobody likes it in the first place. I, for one, don't bother myself caring for those who do not want to help themselves. I rather be stuck with bookworms who forsake their lunches for good reads than teach those who make my blood boil. I rather comfort below-average students who still follow my instructions than those who think they are high and mighty. The point is, if some students don’t like listening and participating in our class discussions, the teachers only need to interact with those who show interest in learning. We will not forsake those who depend on us. We are neither caregivers nor nannies who follow their bosses around. We make Bosses.

Lastly, one of the reasons we are called teachers is we have gone through series of studies and tests which not all students can go through. Students can't even pass regular quizzes, how much more a nationally standardized examination. Giving us alibis for their violation of classroom regulation is an insult to our intellect. Trying to pit their pride against our pride is a mismatched challenge because we belong in a different level.

It is high time that these irresponsible students know who they fight against. We are not ordinary persons who wear stifling clothes to look formal, makeup to look older, high-heeled shoes to look respectable. We have already succeeded our trials in order for us to be where we are right now. A challenge coming from a stray batch of school sheep is but an ordinary case for us that we are willing to take any time of the day—except when we are at home, that is—knowing and believing that in a school, there are more students who are willing to learn than those who throw their lives and their parents’ toil away.

We are not only teachers. We are Professional Teachers and it takes more than just a bunch of rowdy kids to take this title away from us. 

2011 Top Ear Candies

It has been awhile since I have written something about the songs I listen to. It is just appropriate that before the year ends, I must share those which have made most of my days, and accompanied me through my ups and downs--my 2011 playlist.

10th Departure & Gather (PoT official soundtracks). In the first quarter of 2011, I was addicted to Prince of Tennis. Along with my friends I made up worlds filled with the characters that we liked best and publish them in Fanfiction.net. I used to write fanfics while listening to these songs along with the rest of the tracks from the voice actors of the anime.

9th I Hate You & Ugly (2ne1). In Kpop I am quite YG biased and it all started with Bigbang. I  may not call myself a real Blackjack but one thing I know is I like the songs coming from this group. They have enough spunk and girl power. Though I can only understand bits and pieces of these songs, I can pretty much just settle with the melody.

8th Hands Up (Bigbang). Speaking of YG-biased. I like both Korean and Japanese versions of this song. Every time I listen to this, I feel like having my own concert.

7th Good Day (IU). I find this girl cute. The music video is also cute. I have this funny feeling though that she can be a good substitute for a missing SNSD member any time. But that is just me. The song has a nice feel to it, even though the message is quite sad. It helps that it is not English and I just have to imagine it is a very happy song. I like the bridge part best.

6th Head Over Feet (Alanis Morisette). This song speaks so much about how I started falling in love with the man I see myself growing old with.  It took me years to appreciate this song in its entirety. Now I know that feeling as if the song was written for me or could have been composed by me. Hehe.

5th For Good- (Wicked). "Like a comet pulled from orbit as it passes the sun...Like a stream that meets a boulder halfway through the wood...who can say if I have been changed for the better but because I knew you...I have been changed for good."  I was in the church when I first heard this song performed then by a member of the music team. Then, Simon recommended the musical Wicked and I found out that this song was a part of it. As soon as I got a copy of the song, I kept on playing it. It's quite addictive particularly if I want to feel lonely (sometimes people like me 'want' to feel lonely, believe it or not). I feel like crying every time I wholeheartedly listen to it while thinking of my beau. Hehe.

4th You Can Count on Me (Default). Since I am using his phone, I get to listen to his playlist and one of the tracks is this. I like it, being alternative/grunge. The lyrics is quite mushy but the melody tones it down. It is one of the songs that I sing to him.

3rd I Believe (Fantasia). I haven't created a playlist for confidence-related songs  but once I do, I'll make sure this is a part of it. I know that I'm pretty arrogant and I don't seem to need this song but from time to time I need a boost for my ego. I may not be at the pinnacle of my career yet (not yet I hope because that would mean I could never go any higher), I know that I am already a step toward it. That is saying something.

2nd Defying Gravity (Wicked). I hate it when people tell me what I can't do. I laugh at those who tell me things that I do best. I think these are the things that I should declare.

"So for those who ground me, take a message back from me...Nobody, in all of Oz, nor wizard that there is or was, is ever gonna bring me down."

1st Something Right (Westlife). Although this is a love song and it's nowhere famous last year (I got the song two years ago), this speaks for what I am feeling today. There have been a lot of things I have done in 2011 that are remarkable. I have been to different places, and met different people. I have made so many decisions. I have been turning my life around.

I am still surrounded by tribulations but that doesn't mean I am just going to surrender.  I am still standing.There are things and people that remind me that I am indeed in the right place, in the right situation.

I must be doing something right.

That is about it for my 2011 playlist. I hope I can listen to some real good songs this year. I think I need to revamp my playlist, have enough room for new things. Right.

sunset from my--and my brothers'--room

“Do I easily get tired of people?” is one question I often ask nowadays. There are some instances in my life that I let go of people as soon as I meet them. I even cut ties from ‘friends’ I have been with for a long time. The answer has come to me sooner than I have expected and as usual, God has played tricks and He has sent it through the most unlikely person and thing. I don’t easily get tired of people. I only lose my interest in those who don’t offer much challenge because I can’t see myself growing with them.

I live in this Earth for a purpose worth of more than being stagnant water in some dirty canal. There is no room in my social bubble for those who can’t strive with me. If society can be symbolized by the ecosystem, I’d rather be the weed competing for sunlight than a blossom plagued with aphids. Flowers wither and die. Weeds—well, you can see them even in unexpected places.

2311 tips for writing- Holly Black

Hello…I received this peptalk weeks ago…I have just had the time to repost this. Credits to Holly Black.

1) No one can tell if the writing was fun or if it was hard. Trust me. I know it seems like writing that pours out of your brain in a passionate flood should be better than writing that comes slowly and miserably, but the only person who will ever know the difference is you. So no excuses—get the word count done. (I prefer saying “GET IT DONE”)


2) You don't have to believe you can; you just have to do it. I remember everyone telling me I had to think positive when I was writing my first book. If I believed I could do it, then I could! If I pictured myself published, then it was going to happen! Which sounded great, except...could I do it? If I didn't think I could, was I doomed to fail? What if I was almost totally sure I would fail? I am here to tell you—what matters is sticking with it… just get through today. Then get through tomorrow. Don't worry about the day after that, until it's today. Then you know what to do. (I used to always wish to see my name running along the spines of books in the library. This made me realize that if I would focus on that, I wouldn’t be able to write a book)


3) There aren't good books and bad books. There are finished books and books that still need more work. Please don't let wondering if there's a market for your book or wondering if the book you're writing is genius or evidence that you should be heavily medicated get in the way of the writing. Remember, right now you are not writing a good book, you are writing a good draft. Later, you will have lots of time to kill your darlings, make the suspense more suspenseful, to add foreshadowing and subplots. Later you will have time to change the beginning or change the ending or change the middle. Later, you will have time to cut and polish and engooden. For now, trust the process and write (that said, if you suddenly wake up in the middle of the night and realize what's wrong with Chapter 7, then by all means, jot that down for later). (this goes to those people, like me, who don’t like editing their works…hehe…)


4) Figure out what happens next. Some people swear by outlines; other writers are like to find the story along the way. Whether you're a plotter or a pantser, before you quit for the day, write a little bit of the next scene or a couple of lines on what you think will happen next. That way, you are never looking at a blank page. (“carry a notebook and pen wherever you go” may seem as cliché but remembering how J.K. Rowling drafted Harry Potter inspires me to write in any piece of paper I can put ink on.)


5) Write for your reader self, not your writer self. You are the best audience for your own work. If you would absolutely love a character like the one you are writing about, if you adore books like the one you are working on, then you are going to know how to make the book appealing—write it like you were the person who was going to read it. Remember the fun bits, the juicy bits, the stuff you linger over in other books—the good stuff. (self-explanatory…hehe…I like the italicized part so much)


6) Talk it through. When you get stuck, sometimes it helps to talk through the book out loud—even if only your cat is listening. Sometimes hearing the plot is enough to engage a different part of your brain in solving the problem. (I know some people who talk to themselves while walking to and fro)


7) Give yourself regular rewards. A fresh cup of coffee (even if it is your 353rd) when you get to the end of a scene, an episode of your favorite show, a snack, a couple of minutes rearranging your My Book is Awesome mix—if you give yourself regular motivational rewards, you will have small goals to work toward. (I go to the movies alone to reward myself and get more ideas from the films)


Over the course of this November, you are going to feel frustrated, despairing, elated and exhausted. You will walk around in a foggy haze at your job or the bank or the supermarket. People will talk to you for twenty minutes and you won't have heard a word they said because you just thought of a fantastic new subplot. You will look up things on the internet that make you look like a serial killer. But it's good practice—just think, once you become a professional writer, that's how you'll behave all the time! 


Holly Black
Holly Black is the New York Times bestselling author of The Spiderwick Chronicles. 

*I cut some parts, thinking that her tips are applicable for all writers out there and not only those who are sweating their heads off this November (to the NaNoWriMo participants, Kudos!). The “bold” parts are mine…hehe. To be honest, I haven’t read any of her work yet(I have seen the film though) but I find her tips really informative and refreshing.

resurfacing

I’m back from the grave. I’ve been so engrossed in reading mangas and watching animes lately (finished Rekka no Hounou manga last Sunday. My heart broke. Finished Shaman King animation this Monday, my heart broke again… wah…am reading Nodame Cantabile –which I have first seen as Japanese Drama. Good Lord, when am I going to finish reading the novels I have lined up for this month?).

In addition to that, I’ve been so busy updating my fiction that I don’t really have time to post things in my blog aside from hurried rants).

To make up for my absence, I’ll share something significant to you guys.

I registered in NaNoWriMo last month to motivate myself to continue working on a “novel” that has been in my head since when I was in high school. However, I think I wasn’t motivated enough. For the record, I haven’t submitted anything to the word counter. The digits in my account are still rigid six zeroes.

I won’t say that the registration did not help me in my writing adventures. I have been so busy entertaining myself with childish things (remembering a part of a quote that runs along this line: The time that we start growing old is the time we stop playing). I receive help from time to time (since registering in NaNoWriMo means getting newsletters called “Pep Talk”). Some renowned writers give pointers on how participants can get through the 50,000-word requirement. Most of the tips are the usual ones, but, according to Holly Black (The Spiderwick Chronicles), there’s nothing wrong in being reminded.

I’ll be posting the gist of some of the tips that I am receiving. I have to make it clear, however, that I’m merely posting them to share what I find substantial (I’m a teacher by license after all) and not to gain credit from the authors’ thoughts.

I guess, with all that said, I’ll be able to get back in track in blogging. Hehe.

getting hooked again

Am getting back to an old hobby—writing fanfictions of my favorite anime.

I thought and still think it is the easiest thing to do. Characters and settings are already supplied. The fanfic writer only needs to supply the “flashback” and “side-stories” of the animation. I used to draft my stories in my notebook or any piece of paper I could get hold of. I remember writing one beside my school notes when I found the class boring (people had the impression that I was studious. Nope. I just wrote things to wake myself-up)

Truth be told, I almost forgot that I even had made some. These past few days, my mind was fogged up with the idea that I was old enough to start taking life seriously and be in love with real human beings and not with some products of someone else’s imagination.

Then again, I was wrong. Good thing, a friend reminded me of the so-called fanfiction.net and I’m back to writing fics. Just recently, I have updated one that I drafted four years back. It feels like having a reunion with a very important high-school classmate.

Hope I still have enough creative juices though. I’m afraid I’m starting to go deeper into the rabbit’s fur. I want to see the magician’s eyes once again.

At the first time you saw this envelope, you felt obliged to give. It was your responsibility to help.

At the second time you saw this envelope, you thought, probably there had been a mistake. Probably the distributors were just in the direst of needs. Probably it was coincidental that the words were the same, the penmanship was the same. The distributor? Could you possibly have seen his face? Was he that significant that his face stuck in a side of your brain you thought didn’t exist? You reached for your wallet.

At the third time you saw the envelope…you got irritated.

And for the next, you found yourself totally indifferent from the cries of the paper, the pleas of the dirty hands.

And people would brand you as an Unfeeling Unmerciful Git.

You didn’t care.

Who was more unfeeling: you, who learned your lesson the hard way, or that Unknown who used your pity to make their pockets bulge? 

ways to deal with The Indifferent

People don’t have to tell you they don’t like you. You just know that they don’t. They don’t talk to you. They don’t want to spend time with you. They don’t give you a fraction of their time. To summarize, they do things you don’t want them to and they don’t do things you want them to. (Game: Please count the number of do’s and don’ts in this entry)

The funny thing is sometimes they treat you as an unimportant piece of their lives for no apparent reason. They just do. Most of the time, without even meaning to—they’re completely unaware or worse, indifferent.

So what’s your next action?

1) Approach them—this is a big NO NO! Whoever told you that approaching these gods actually lead to good results, he is completely mistaken or quite lucky to have found one who returned his greeting. If these cold people want to talk to you, they should have at least showed inkling that they are open. You wouldn’t be having problems in the first place! What about the ‘introverts’? Please forget the idea that they need help—that they need you to reach out to them. These loners are professionally called introverts because they have chosen it. Or they like it. Who are you anyway to try to change their minds to what they are used to? Nah. You are your own superhero—NOT THEIRS. Besides, where did you hear that you can make friends by saying, “Hey, I like you.”

2. Please them—Oh, Please! You’ll only make a fool of yourself. You don’t aim to be their entertainer or worse nanny in the first place, right? If you’ll keep pleasing them, you’ll eventually tire yourself and wonder why. Before you regret it, avoid it. And think about it: if you really can please them, there is no reason for them to blot you out of this world. Here’s the ugly truth (try imagining Gerard Butler saying this): the more you try to please them, the more they resent you.

Effort counts in friendship. But this doesn’t count. You’re not friends yet, Stop dreaming.

3. Ignore them—Who cares? You might think this is the best way but ask yourself: have you ever looked at something you really like to eat? Have you tried ignoring it? If you have experienced the same situation, you know what I mean. The more you try to pay no attention to those persons, the more you think about them, the more you want to talk to them.

Hey! If you want to make them feel they don’t matter, the more you prove that they do, otherwise, you won’t be making an effort.

What is the best way then to deal with the indifferent? LET THEM BE. Greet them if that’s how friendly you are but don’t dare to invade their space bubbles. Why do you like them to be your friends anyway?

What are you so afraid of? That because they aren’t your friends, they might be your enemies? There goes self-importance again! Why would they want to be your enemies? Are you important? You may think so, but they don’t. Believe me. People make enemies of those who they think are of their equal importance—most of the time, superior. Did they hurt you already? Did they show signs of opposing you? Nada. You wished they had, but they didn’t. They are plain indifferent—ok I’ll favor you this time—or ignorant of your existence.

Probably they just don’t have time. Or they have so many friends already they can’t accommodate you anymore. Which one will you favor: people who tell you they are your friends but you end up being the excess baggage or those people who directly show you signs that you can’t really be their friend—they just can’t see you as a potential-friend?