baguio reportage

On Thursday, we began with Alvin's poetics, characterized by an elevated magical realism and "bagabag". I think this is a form of literary horror and feel that, while it may have other concerns in terms of its problematics, it's spec fic - which is really cool (his text, alternate history, has beautiful stuff like mice adopting a human). During his workshop session, an undue amount of time was spent discussion jsut who the hell introduced sodomy to the Philippines (some say it was the Chinese, pero hindi ba posible na meron ng man-to-man action ang ating mga ninuno bago dumating ang kung sino-sinong impluwensya?).

Cris, who came next, is an ex-journalist who transitioning from creative non-fiction to fiction. She's a fellow for CNF but her text is fiction, which threw me for a loop. It's very well-written, but the discussion tackled the ethics of CNF, the issue of naming real people (which would later be reprised with Jing Panganiban's session). Ever since Mia, I've been intrigued by CNF.

Carlomar presented his poetics for his poetry, expressed in the context of his next collection. He used the language of fashion and talked about voice. He was great to listen to, as he linked his thoughts to his work.

Yesterday, Friday, we began with Jing's poetics, which she calls "Akology". Apparently, one of the concerns of CNF is the "I", so it was instructive to listen to what Jing Hidalgo and the other panelists had to say. My question concerned the issue of truth versus fact, and if what truly mattered was the core subjective authorial truth or insight, rather than the mere facts. Later in her workshop, we tackled her delicious piece and again the issues of naming names came up. CNF is fiction under oath.

Iwa is simply the man. Once I read his transgressive fiction, I was hooked (and that's hard to do given my ineptitude and low ennui levels with text in Filipino). We share similar sensibilities - especially regarding the primacy of story - and I'll look for his books back home. Wasak ang workshop niya - utter fun. Tuwang akong makilala si Iwa, bilang kapwa nobelista pareho ang pinoproblema namin.

Noong gabi, may kaunting inuman, kwentuhan at tawanan - at food trip (pinapak ko yung relyenong bangus).

Today, I woke up before 6AM, looked at the work that has piled up at the office and am thankful once more for this break, kahit isang linggo lang. Pero malapit nang matapos. Malapit na ang uwian. Miss na miss ko si Nikki at ang mga anak ko. Kagabi, tumawag ako at umiiyak si Sage (something about a lizard, hindi ko masyadong maintindihan) at napakalakas ng pagnasasa kong yakapin siya. More and more I realize what is truly important to me. Miss ko rin ang barkada ko (in my absence, Alex ran Call of Chtulhu). Alam kong paminsan-minsan kailangang lumabas sa aking comfort zone para makakita ng iba, makarinig ng iba. Pero tama pa rin si Dorothy about home.

to Dumaguete!

No, not me (though I wish I had the time and money to visit again), but shout outs to Mo Francisco, Keith Cortez, Stanley Geronimo and Philip Kimpo - who will be at the 48th Dumaguete National Writers Workshop. Kudos to all the fellows - you'll have a blast!

baguio 2009

(Top: Gelo Suarez, me, Carlomar Daoana, Vlad Gonzales, Mikael Co; Bottom: Alvin Yapan, Carljoe Javier, Jing Panganiban, FH Batacan, Cris Yabes, Ayer Arguelles)

Thanks to Philip Kimpo for the pictures!

workshop update

Yesterday morning, we took up Gelo's poetics and had his workshop session back to back (oddly enough, the sessions are structured such that the poetics presentation and the workshop session for each fellow is, by default, not taken in sequence - I think mas mabuti na tuhugin nalang ito, with generous ciggie breaks, of course).

Gelo's conceptual writing truly challenged my notions on what poetry is (and can be). For now, he has moved into spheres beyond the printed page, engaging his audience in so many different ways. His poetry goes beyond mere shock. One of the things I picked up from him I shall present here right now (nagpaalam ako sa kanya at sabi niya okay lang dahil hiniram din niya ito):

This sentence is speculative fiction if I say so.

My workshop followed next, and as expected parts of it became predictive critique (how can you critique an incomplete novel?). But there were good questions on my process and a little drama (oo naman). The resistance to spec fic is still there, as the critical frameworks used are looking for things that spec fic does not prioritize. Pero (and this is me talking to myself) tama na itong gritted teeth thingie, haha!

During the tailend of Kael's workshop session, an interesting point came up. One of the fellows commented that she used to like these particular poems. But after listening to Kael's poetics, she found herself questioning/maybe not liking them anymore. I agreed with how Kael framed his response - basically, nasa iyo na yun. Poetics are not published next to our work, and the author cannot explain everything to each reader - the text must stand by itself, and if the reader brings something/reads something sa text, then good. If not, well, yun na yun.

Later, we had our Fellows Night. Compared to stressing about our poetics, this was a non-issue. We were tasked to entertain the panelists and guests. Early on, we decided just to go with music (as opposed to anything literary, like reading stuff) so we agreed on 4 numbers, all revolving the single guitar that was miraculously acquired. As things began, tinopak ako and I asked to sing a capella, "Bring Him Home". Masaya naman (and I hope I didn't embarrass myself too much - all in the spirit of conviviality naman kasi) - to the point that Charlson Ong tapped me for an impromptu duet with him, more Les Miserables, this time "I Dreamed A Dream" with me in English and him in Filipino (sabi ko nga sa kanya, "I guess I found my mentor" haha). It was hilarious - and it felt good to just have some fun (halata bang sabik sa Red Box?). Jimmy Abad blew me away with recitations of poems from memory (in particular, "The Flying Monk") and some of our guests gamely got up and performed too (mahirap maging audience sa ganito, haha). Everything was hosted wonderfully by Butch G. and we afterwards, we hung out with beer and whiskey. I stayed up until bumigay na ang mata ko. Masaya, masaya - pero ngayon back to the grind.

There are pictures and other cool stuff over here.

pine fresh

It's only this morning that I finally really began to enjoy Baguio. For the past couple of days, I've been anxious about my poetics presentation, trying to follow Rio Alma's instruction to be honest and open, Ricky de Ungria's desire to see where I am and what I've got in the pipeline, my feeling that my poetics are less complicated or sophisticated than everyone else's, and my skepticism about blahblahs.

I've learned much from those who presented their poetics before me. Ayer blew me away with how he approaches his poetry, plus the way he thinks in terms of books of poetry (the analogy would be for me to think of writing a themed collection from the get go). What I had difficulty with was the way the panelists, during his workshop session, asked impossible questions of the (yet to be finished) text and made summary judgements ("this will not work") - predictive critique. Personally, I'd prefer to have submitted a finished/published book/s so the exploration of our growth as writers can be looked at. A work in progress - at least to me - can change completely. Sana kahit first complete draft man lang (although patay kami ni Ichi doon kasi buong nobela ang isusumite).

I guessed the reactions of everyone to Ichi's poetics, infused with clear ideas and vague details (by her choice) of how and why she got to writing. When Ichi had dinner with the LitCritters last year, I remember being shocked and distrubed by what she'd gone through, and have a better understanding of what drives her as a writer. And I think it's cool (and progressive) of the workshop folk to give the two English fiction slots to Crime Fiction and Speculative Fiction.

Listening to Vlad was like trying to catch a deluge with a paper cup. What I like about him (apart from his killer CNF) is the fact that he's brimming over with thoughts and ideas. I teased him about his tendency, when asked a question, to launch into something else he forgot to mention before answering the query. I admire the fact that he's gung ho about exploring the space he's selected. He is one of the few writers I know here in the country whose books sell (it is clear, with four printings of his book and comparisons to Bob Ong that he has readers).

Kael's poetics began with a light moment: Bien Lumbera started by calling him "Mario", before asking him to define critical three terms. Listening to Kael define what drives him, and hearing him articulate his thoughts during the Q&A session was instructive. Butch Dalisay asked the question I wanted to ask: Kael writes in two languages, so how does he choose which language to express that thought?

When my turn came, I dispensed with the original poetics material I submitted and opted to share with the panel and fellows what I (and other spec fic writers here) negotiate when we write fiction. And in the spirit of honesty, I shared my concerns when I wear multiple hats as author and advocate. Along the way, I said that spec fic did not need anyone's validation or permission or approval - but it will be up to us to apply rigor and such. During the Q&A Ichi suggested I lighten up haha. Oo nga naman. Minsan, over itong "balls-to-the-wall" crap ko.

On Monday night we met up with the Baguio and Cordillera writers (and Frank Cimatu! my Facebook friend!). Climbing up six flights of stairs when Bien Lumbera made me want to be him when I'm older - up the stairs, no complaints (I know I'd have bitched about it). Our peers and counterparts were welcoming (if a bit shy at first). I mingled around and introduced myself - and was rewarded when a writer, JM, pulled out a copy of The Kite of Stars and asked me to sign it (siyempre naman happy ako).

Last night, after my poetics, I just felt so tired - but it did not stop me from taking a cab to SM Baguio and buying the one thing I need for better sleep. I found a large pillow, got a pillow case, and suddenly had to deal with a fire at work which involved talking to three people with nary a note in hand. Mukhang okay naman, pero madaming kailangang pagusapan pagbalik,

Today, I woke at 6AM, went out with my cigarettes and laptop and began to write. May dumaan na uwak, big and black and mysterious. Tapos, nawala.

Let's see what happens during my workshop.

no, no, to sarah geronimo and john lloyd cruz (or how i yet live)

I utterly loathe long bus rides. The sheer tedium, the cramped leg space, the same recycled air going around, the faulty airconditioning, the fact that I can't stop for a smoke whenever I please, my vertiginous reactions to attempts to read while in motion - I avoid it if I can. And today, irksome films make my list.

I actually like Sarah Geronimo as a singer. But this film, the "inflight" entertainment of the bus, wore away all my goodwill. Gah. So I dozed, going in and out of consciousness, hoping it would be done only to see more and more of the film.

My iPhone saved my brain from total disintegration due to ennui. I used Safari to Twitter and check out some sites (being careful not to engage the 3G capability, which previously cost me an arm and a leg when my bill came), listened to shuffled music (rediscovering a lot of stuff I forgot I had), tinkered with settings, and played the games I've been buying (I still love Virtual Villagers 2, Bookworm, Fieldrunners, Dr. Awesome and Orions), somehow responsibly maximizing my battery life.

When we finally got to Camp John Hay, we quickly checked-in, dumped our stuff and rushed off to Ben Cabrera's lunch feast (BenCab is one of the most accomplished Filipino artists). Dizzy with hunger (it was well past lunchtime), we were greeted by a canao feast when we got to his namesake museum. We missed the ritual but got to eat (hands only, no utensils please) and watch the dances with gongs. Afterward, I wandered through the various floors of the museum and took photos of the pieces that most intrigued me (sadly, still stuck in my camera since I forgot to buy a card reader before I left - hmm, but SM Baguio is not too far).

I got to know some more of my fellow fellows a bit more and we all shared our anxieties about our respective poetics presentations, scheduled throughout the week. I'm not certain I approached the thing correctly and may cobble together a powerpoint or something; we'll see.

I have some office work that I need to complete for a client's website so I need to make time for that or Nina will kill me. So I tried to connect via WiFi only to be thwarted repeatedly. Until Vic came to the rescue and walked me through the process of checking and unchecking my settings and such. And so, I am connected - and Luis and Janet were correct! It's a strong signal and I should have no issues posting stuff, sending work back to the office via email and getting my news.

Tomorrow, the work portion of the workshop begins formally and I can't wait to see just what is what, poetics-wise ;)

off to baguio

So I'm done with packing, stuffing everything I think I'll need (mostly clothes) plus my laptop, my camera and my readings. The call time is 5AM tomorrow (Easter Sunday) which kind of sucks, not because of the time, but because I don't get to spend Easter with my girls.

Since Sage was three years old, Easter has become a mini-Christmas for us. We indulge the pagan side of the celebration by buying lots of plastic eggs, filling them with all sorts of things which will delight a small child, hiding them all over the house (including the ref) and watching Sage turn the place upsidedown on Easter morning.

This afternoon, after checking out of the Crowne Plaza Hotel (where we retreated when we found out that there would be no electricty where we live on Good Friday), Nikki and I hit the malls and secured the toys for secreting in the eggs (with stuff for Rowan too). While selecting things for my kids, I felt bad that I wouldn't be there - but of course I understand that we, as parents, simply can't be there for our children all the time. It sucks, but it's true.

Another point of stress for me is all the work I'm leaving behind. Kestrel is in the middle of several things digital, and we're kneedeep in a couple of campaigns. I'm told that the place I'll be staying at has WiFi so communicating with the Kestrelfolk hopefully is not an issue. Work is simply impossible to completely behind - the curse (and blessing) of being a businessman.

But while family and livelihood are important, writing is too, in my totem pole of things. Writing usually takes a back seat in terms of priorities, but when it is writing's time, it's writing's time.

I'm one of the fellows for English fiction at the 48th UP National Writers Workshop over at the summer capital, along with eleven other writers (details are here and I have a page over here). I look forward to learning more from the panelists and my fellow writers - and yes, hopefully, get some writing done (I have three story deadlines looming). And some R&R, perhaps.

But I already miss my girls.

baguio in summer

A bit of happy news: I just got an invitation informing me that I was selected as a Fellow for Fiction in English of the 48th UP National Writers Workshop set in Baguio City this coming April. I happily accepted, of course.

I don't know what it'll be like. The last workshops I was a Fellow in were both in 1992, when dinosaurs ruled the earth - in Siliman and UP Diliman (gah, 17 years ago). This one is different though, with the fellowship specific to "mid-career" writers (the others were for new writers).

"Mid-career". Middle-aged is more like it, describing me. I look forward to listening and learning, eternal student of writing that I am. One of the interesting things is that I'm required to give a presentation of my aesthetics as well as my writing history. Now those endless conversations with the LitCritters on poetics will have some use.

So in mid-April, spec fic slams into academia. I'll make sure to bring my ray gun (or reveal my sinister genetic link to the Deep Ones).

litcritter originals

We're taking advantage of the time afforded by the holidays to critique new stories the LitCritters have written. The genre assignment is fantasy, and over the week we're taking up the following stories:

The Silent Season by Alexander Osias
The Legend of Dhul BaqTala, Last of the TiqBarang by Andrew Drilon
The Clockwork Dragon’s Heart by Vin Simbulan
Glass by Nikki Alfar
Bound by Nikki Alfar
Spider Hunt by Kenneth Yu
Light by Kate Aton-Osias
Messiah by Dean Francis Alfar
Remembrance by Dean Francis Alfar

The point, as usual, is to help make the texts more effective, give them needed polish, and prep them for publication in various markets.

novel talk at powerbooks megamall

Capping off my hectic week of presentations and pitches was another presentation - this time about writing the novel. And yes, this was the one I enjoyed most.

I was invited by Read or Die and the UP Institute of Creative Writing to be part of Write or Die. WOD is a series of lectures on different aspects of writing: for the novel, there's me, Charlson Ong, Jun Reyes and Amelia Lapena-Bonifacio, all at Powerbooks. One of the goals of WOD is to promote the UP Gawad Centennial Likhaan 2008, a special set of awards to be given out next year (and the huge prize money - P200k for each category - is incredible!).

Anyway, I had a great time sharing my own process (remember: description, not prescription) and hopefully, I was able to encourage some members of the audience to go for it.

I said a lot in two hours, so for those who have been requesting for my presentation, here it is (Dean's Novel Presentation). Please note that these are only my talking notes. Also, the incredible Charles has put up an audio recording as well as a partial transcription of my talk (warts and all, LOL) over here.

And since I wrote Salamanca as part of NaNoWriMo in 2004, it was great to meet the Pinoy NaNoWriMo folk. Thanks to Kyu of Philippine Genre Stories and The Lit Critters for being there for me (Vin especially for helping with my laptop and Alex for the timely hand-raising).

Some pictures (from Kyu):

On "the telling detail"

Pinoy NaNoWriMo with Read or Die

I was pleasantly surprised by Ichi Batacan - one of the Filipino novelists I admire (go and read her "Smaller and Smaller Circles"). One of her stories appears in PSFIII.

And here are the two hottest LitCritters :)

on writing the novel

From the good folk of Read or Die:

-Read Or Die and the UP Institute of Creative Writing in cooperation with Powerbooks present the first series of Write Or Die: Writers Write lecture-workshops. The workshops will be held every weekend from November 2007 to February 2008 in different Powerbooks branches and will be moderated by some of the best writers in the country. The purpose of the workshops is to promote the UP Gawad Centennial Likhaan 2008, a special literary prize sponsored by the University of the Philippines as it celebrates its centennial year in 2008.

We would especially like to encourage people who are not professional or academe-based writers to attend the workshops and submit their works for consideration to the Gawad Likhaan. Teachers are welcome to bring their students to the talks. No reservations are needed.

The workshops will have four areas: Fiction (November 2007-December 2007), Non-Fiction (January 2008), and Poetry (February 2008).

The schedule for the Fiction workshops is as follows:

Dean Alfar November 10, 2007Powerbooks Megamall2PM - 4PM
Jun Cruz ReyesNovember 17, 2007Powerbooks Trinoma2PM - 4PM
Amelia Lapena BonifacioNovember 24, 2007Powerbooks Trinoma2PM - 4PM
Charlson OngDecember 1, 2007Powerbooks Trinoma2PM - 4PM

Admission is FREE and open to the public.

For author profiles please visit this page.-

According to the organizers, I will be "talking about the art of writing a prize-winning novel in thirty days." Oooo-kay.

Aside: I was chatting with Jun Reyes at the Ateneo Workshop panel last week and in the course of discussing Philippine folklore and just how spec fic is an organic (and expected) form of telling stories, ended up talking about videoke, cell phones and how technology provides new venes for storytelling. I ended up offering him gift certificates to Red Box, natch.

novaliches

Today and tomorrow I'm at the Sacred Heart Novitiate at Novaliches as a panelist for the 7th Ateneo Writers Workshop. It was a wonderful morning session as I gamely attempted to critique Filipino poetry and short fiction in English. Tomorrow, we'll tackle around 4 texts, again a mix of genres and languages.

Because of my anxiety about locating the place, I left home at 5:30 AM and took a cab. We were at the outskirts of the UP Diliman campus when the sun rose and it felt like some sort of epiphany was waiting for me to discover it, what with the dim grey horizon slowly transformed by the muted colors of dawn - but I was too sleepy and anxious.

The Sacred Heart Novitiate is a lovely venue. A long driveway leads up to a cluster of buildings, in one of which the workshop was held. I was hoping to see Marge and Joel but it turned out that they had attended earlier sessions - but I was happy to see Mike Coroza and Luna Sicat-Clieto, as well as meet the other panelists and the fellows themselves (as well as workshop director Egay Samar - and PSF3 author Marguerite de Leon).

The atmosphere of critique is different from what I thought it would be (my personal experiences being only with the Silliman and UP workshops in the remote past - 15 years ago, in fact). But it was still fun and stimulating to hear other panelists voice their opinions (though it underscored my bias against prescription, but it could be argued that prescription is just what the fellows are asking for - and need - at this point in their writing life).

In critiquing the Filipino poem, I found myself hampered by the double whammy of my inadequte Tagalog language skills (which includes the Filipino words for critical terminology) and the fact that I did not consider myself a poet in the first place. Naturally, my LitCritter trainng took over (haha). I felt better during the session I moderated, and threw in a mini-lecture on story vs. discourse, to help the author out. It felt like a high-level LitCrit session, only more formal, with critical terms whizzing about everyone's heads once in a while.

We were all relaxed by lunch, and talked about PBB and why there isn't a reality show for writers, over grilled liempo, tinola and pancit and lots of laughter.

The last day of the workshop is tomorrow and the story I'm moderating is quite impressive. I hope these young fellows write up a storm in the future - I'll be happy to read.

ateneo national writer's workshop

The 7th Ateneo National Writer’s Workshop wil be held Oct 22-27 at the Sacred Heart Novitiate in Novaliches, Quezon City.

This year’s fellows are Ernanie Francisco Rafael, Sonny Corpuz Sendon, Enrique Sia Villasis (poetry in Filipino); Joy Anne Icayan, Camile May C. Ocumen, Miguel Antonio Lizada (poetry in English); Mary Anne Claure M. Umali, Joanne Rose T. Laddaran, Anna Levita Macapugay (short fiction in Filipino); and Catherine Flores Alpay, Andrew S. Robles and Katherine Gae T. Yamar (short fiction in English).

Award-winning poets and fictionists will be the workshop’s panelists: Dean Alfar, Marjorie Evasco, Mookie Katigbak, Susan Lara, Allan Popa, Jun Cruz Reyes, Joseph Salazar, Benilda Santos, Luna Sicat, Angelo Suarez, Joel Toledo, Roland Tolentino, Kimie Tuvera, Larry Ypil, Michael Coroza, Jema Pamintuan, Edgar Samar and Alvin Yapan.The workshop is organized by the Ateneo Institute of Literary Arts and Practices headed by acting director Marco Aniano V. Lopez, with the help of the National Commission on Culture and the Arts.

From Akosiyol

ateneo national writer's workshop

The Ateneo Institute of Literary Arts and Practices (AILAP) is now accepting applications for the 7th Ateneo National Writer’s Workshop to be held on October 22-27, 2007.

Each applicant should submit a portfolio of any of the following works: five poems, three short stories, or two one-act plays, written in Filipino or English, with a title page bearing the author’s pseudonym and a table of contents.

The portfolio must also be accompanied by a diskette/CD containing a file of the documents saved in Rich Text Format.

All submissions should include a sealed envelope containing the author’s name, address, contact numbers, and a one-page resume including a literary curriculum vitae with a 1x1 ID picture.

Twelve (12) fellows will be chosen from all over the country. Food and lodging accomodations will be provided.

Please address entries to: Marco A.V. Lopez, Acting Director, AILAP, c/o Filipino Department, Horacio de la Costa Hall, Loyola Schools, Ateneo de Manila University, Loyola Heights, Quezon City.

Deadline of submissions is on August 3, 2007.

For inquiries, please contact workshop coordinators Ms. Bong Oris and Mr. Yol Jamendang at 426-6001 local 5320-22. You may also e-mail Mr. Lopez at mvlopez@ateneo.edu.

dumaguete workshop

Krip Yuson has an article in the Philippine Star about the upcoming 46th Dumaguete Writers Workshop (or is it properly called the Silliman Writers Workshop now?).

It brought back memories of my summer there in 1992, with Sarge Lacuesta and my (then-secret) crush Mailen Paterno-Locsin. I was much younger then, quite the brash guy, and Mom Tiempo thought I was a powerkeg waiting to explode. I remember having so much unfocused anger coming in. At what precisely, I don't recall. But when it was over, I didn't want to leave. I'd found my new home away from home.

I was more of a dramatist then, with only a handful of published short stories to my name. I didn't want to get in the workshop via my plays though. It was my craft with fiction that I knew I needed help with. The workshop sessions affected me deeply.

I remember agreeing, foolishly, to go to Cebu with Sarge. His stipulation was that we did not take a plane. I didn't realize how terrible the journey would be for this city boy. The highlight of the trip was being crammed in a bus with pigs. By the time we arrived in Cebu, I was caked in dust and smelled haram. Oh, plus I think Sarge and I saw a UFO or something (noo noo noo noo noo noo noo noo).

It's an amazing three weeks because for that span of time you only have one hat to wear - a writer's hat. When you take it off, the real you is revealed. When you wear it, you can choose what "you" to reveal. It's a maddening truth/lies me/not me dichotomy thing that is both libertating and enslaving.

Fifteen years later, I think I've finally found the writerly road I want to travel.

And I'm excited for the new writing fellows who are going to take their first hops, skips and jumps down strange and wondrous paths.

litcritters summer workshop

It'll be a busy May for the LitCritters, thanks to A Different Bookstore.

For three Saturdays in May, the LitCritters will conduct a 2-hour writing workshop on Speculative Fiction at the Eastwood City branch of A Different Bookstore (they have a full line-up of summer activities including Digital Photography, Drawing & Painting, Comics & Book Illustrations, and a lot more).

We'll cover a range of topics and will be more than happy to take a look at existing work and offer helpful pointers (but no texts longer than a short story, please).

Dates: May 5, 12 & 19, 2007 - 4PM to 6:00 PM

Fees - P300.00 per head / per session

Age: 18 years old and up

Moderators: Dean Francis Alfar, Kate Aton-Osias, Vincent Michael Simbulan, Alex Osias, Nikki Alfar, Andrew Drilon

For inquiries and reservations, please visit or call: A Different Bookstore, Eastwood City - 687-3932.

I'm extra-happy because there is a Coffee Bean right next to the bookstore in Eastwood - so I can have an IV drip of Extreme Ice Blended Mocha to counter the oppressive sun.

litcritters

April is a special month for the LitCritters as we shift into workshop mode. Each of the LitCritters has written a brand new novelette - prose fiction with a word count between 7500 - 17500. This length is not within everyone's comfort zone. Most of us are used to the short story format (my personal sweet spot is between 3000-5000), but I think it is good exercise for writers to develop texts in different lengths. We shouldn't be afraid of length - how else can one hope to write a novel?

We have 8 stories to workshop, or 2 stories a week for 4 weeks. The goal, of course, is to improve the texts and move them towards publishable quality. During this time period, I won't be sending out the usual fiction pieces to the readers of this blog who request them. As these are original unpublished stories, it's better to wait for the final published form. Come May though, it's back to normal. I'll start sending out the stories the LitCritters are reading, critiquing and learning from (from those written superbly to examples of problematic writing).


(Photo by Benj Ordonez. L to R: Andrew, Kate, Sage, Alex, Dean, Nikki, Kyu, Vin)

I look forward to April's sessions, and to reading original fiction from Alex Osias, Kate Aton-Osias, Andrew Drilon, Vin Simbulan, Nikki Alfar, Ian Casocot and Kenneth Yu. My latest story will also be discussed, and I hope I pass the grade (you should know by now that I'm the last person to be impressed by anything I've written - I may be a harsh critic, but I'm hardest on myself).


(photo from fredjordan. L to R: -top- Ian, Lyde, Dirg, Robert; -bottom- Ianne, Michelle, Anthony, Fred Jordan)

I'm also planning to make time to read the new stories written by the LitCritters Dumaguete. Headed by Ian, they also wrote new fiction this month - Fred Jordan Carnice, Lyde Villanueva, Rodrigo Bolivar II, Robert Jed Malayang, Michelle Eve de Guzman, and Anthony Odtohan (Ianne Tapales is off in Japan). If geography were not an issue, I'd love to have Ian and these young writers with us every week as well. As reality and finances permit though, I think the best bet for all of us to meet each other is at the end of the year, when the Manila Litcritters are hoping to visit Dumaguete again, just like last year.

Sometime soon, I'll also be sounding the open call for submissions for Philippine Speculative Fiction Vol. 3, which should be out by the end of the year.

where stories come from

In the process of reviewing stories submitted to me for publication or critique, I got to thinking about where these stories come from (and no, the answer is not from the hearts and minds of the writers).

As a country where only a small fraction of the population write, it bears to consider the question. My best guesses (since I have no research handy):

a. Academe - Students enrolled in creative writing courses or similar classes that require the development of texts must write stories. It's sort of like forced savings, in financial terms. Some of the stories developed here are quite good (especially in the post graduate courses) and have gone on and been published and/or won literary awards (e.g. Janet Villa's excellent "Undercurrents" and Socorro Villanueva's "Mahogany Waters"). In the undergrad level though, finding a good story is a bit harder - people, after all, are still learning craft - but once in a while excellent stories written for a class come my way and floor me (thanks for Krip Yuson for asking his students to forward me spec fic stories) - with a little work, they're ready for publication. Included in this category are stories written by students even if they are not in a creative writing course - because I suspect that, given their exposure to things academic (including required readings and interdisciplinary studies), school is a profound influence on what they choose to write about and how they write it. Also included would be work by writers who are teachers or otherwise part of the university system - these writers also create surprising fiction that deserve a wider audience.

b. Writing Workshops - Technically, no writing is done in workshops as each fellow "auditions" with a select set of stories, plays or poetry which obviously was written beforehand. However, these texts undergo the workshop experience where they are critiqued in Dumaguete or Iligan or Bacolod or Baguio or whichever lovely place is chosen by the organizers. In my experience, rewriting occurs after a critique (whether placid or devastating), and so the work becomes more polished. A lot of workshopped pieces go on to publication and/or literary awards. But certainly the benefit here is not on a per story basis but in the critique and in what the fellow learns from the panelists (techniques, terminology, critical approaches, history). Apart from the formal workshops hosted by various universities, there are also a number of informal writing workshops (such as the LitCritters Manila and LitCritters Dumaguete) which go on during the year.

c. On Demand - Every so often an editor issues out a call for submissions for a certain anthology. Usually these anthology are themed (by subject or genre) and the editor is looking for a certain kind of story. If the writer has no story that fits the requirements, that author needs to write a new story if she wants to submit a story for consideration. Sometimes, this brings out exciting texts, sometimes it doesn't. But when it does, the resulting anthology is a fine read, a blend of editorial taste and manifold authorial flavors. Once in a while, an editor may contact an author directly (for an anthology or a magazine) and request for a particular story or type of story from that author, with the ecpress purpose of publishing that story in said antho or magazine. Whichever case, if the author's inventory does not contain that needed story, then the author must write a new one.

d. For Periodical Publication - A number of Filipino authors develop stories with the intent of submitting these stories to the various periodicals that publish fiction (Story Philippines, Philippines Free Press, Philippine Graphic, Digest of Philippine Genre Storie, Manual and others). Respect the "no simultaneous submissions" policy - once you submit a story to a particular magazine, you should not submit it to another other/s - especially if you're also looking at the international market. So it helps to have a number of stories awaiting their black or white fates with various mags; when one is rejected, you can pass it to another venue (after the requisite agonizing and rewriting, if you are so inclined).

e. Competitive Writing - There are a number of literary competitions, the most famous of which is the Don Carlos Palanca Memorial Awards for Literature. Some writers develop texts specifically for competition. My stand on this has always been clear - it is akin to athetics, and writers must also exercise writerly muscles in competition against other writers. Judges change from year to year and so do their tastes. Some people say that the awards are rigged (syndicate system wherein awards are given to friends of judges) and I must say this is not true. In my personal experience, 9 of my works have been awarded Palancas (plays, fiction, novel) and therefore been scrutinized by 27 judges (3 per category) over the course of 16 years (I won my first in 1990). I am more maverick than establishment and am certainly not friendly-wendy with the judges (a lot of them I don't even know personally). I've also been a Palanca judge and certainly did not collude to give prizes to people I knew. Believe me, having to read through all the entries is work, and wrestling with the other judges to determine which text wins which place is also work.

f. Personal Writing - There are a number of authors who just write stories because they like to write stories. Majority of these are not up to publishing standards but do give a sense of the author's potential. On occassion a gem can be found and this is just a delight. I firmly believe that stories are written to be read, and to be read they need to published, and to be published they need to be a certain quality. Young, unpublished authors with a number of stories need to start showing their stories to readers, other writers and certainly editors. That said though, I imagine there must be a number of unsung, unpublished writers with phenomenal stories waiting to be read. But ultimately, the action must spring from the author, to expedite discovery.

46th Dumaguete National Writers Workshop

Call for Submissions to the 46th Dumaguete National Writers Workshop

National Artist for Literature Edith L. Tiempo has announced a March 31 deadline for applications for fellowships to the 46th National Writers Workshop to be held in Dumaguete City from May 7 to 25.

Panelists this year are Gemino Abad, Alfred Yuson, Susan Lara, Anthony Tan, DM Reyes, Marjorie Evasco, and others. They will compose the revolving panel of writers together with National Artist for Literature Edith Lopez Tiempo, and resident panelists César Ruìz Aquino, Bobby Flores Villasis, and Ernesto Superal Yee.

Fifteen (15) fellowships are open for young writers all over the country.

The first screening panel, composed of the workshop’s resident writers, selects the writing fellows for the summer based on the manuscripts submitted by the applicants. These selected manuscripts are forwarded to the Director of the Workshop, who does the final screening and formally approves the final lineup of writing fellows.

The writing fellowship covers lodging for the full 22 days of the duration of the entire workshop, a modest stipend, one-way fare reimbursement, and workshop manuscripts and reading materials.

The applicant must submit original manuscripts consisting of at least three to five short (3-5) stories, or three to five (3-5) essays/creative non-fiction, or two (2) one-act plays, or seven to ten (7-10) poems. Stories, poems, plays, and essays in English are preferred. Only unpublished manuscripts are accepted. Works which have previously won in literary contests will not be accepted.

Other requirements include an application letter addressed to Workshop Director Dr. Edith Tiempo; a diskette or CD containing the various submitted literary works encoded in Microsoft Word; a recommendation letter from a renowned writer or literature teacher; two 2x2 pictures; and a brief biodata or résumé.

These must be sent before the 31 March 2007 deadline to Dr. Edith Lopez Tiempo, National Writers Workshop Director, c/o College Assurance Plan, 2nd Floor, CAP Building, Rizal Boulevard, 6200 Dumaguete City, Negros Oriental, Philippines.

Accepted fellows are usually notified by postal mail, or email, or by phone call, although the announcement is usually published by major Philippine dailies.

Interested parties may also apply for sit-in or auditing privileges.

The National Writers Workshop was established by Edith and Edilberto Tiempo in 1962, making it the longest-running creative writing workshop in Asia. The 2007 edition is sponsored by the National Commission for Culture and the Arts, Silliman University, and College Assurance Plan, in coordination with the Creative Writing Foundation Inc. and the Dumaguete Literary Arts Service Group, Inc. Donors to the fellowship program include Senators Edgardo J. Angara and Mar Roxas as well as former NCCA Chairman Jaime Laya and Ms. Erlinda Panlilio.