ioddididso So you’re writing your story, completing chapter after chapter, imagining the big leagues for your book, when all of a sudden it hits you: your main character is boring as hell. NO. How did this happen? You were so careful this time and your intention was in fact to make the coolest literary character […]
5 Breakthrough Ways to Create Compelling Characters Read More »
It would be impossible to talk about this book without first talking about my own mixed feelings with my culture. I’ve always been a bit self-conscious about my upbringing. I grew up in a mostly white neighborhood and in the schools I attended, there were very few Filipinos. I was never taught Tagalog (the language
Why Arsenic and Adobo is Important for Filipino Literature Read More »
I owe a lot of my writing skills to my creative writing-specific classes that I took during college. However, my writing outlook on life changed forever when I took my first screenwriting class. Before it, I had all of these questions about the supposedly intangible writing process. Why is the middle of my story falling
Why You Need to Outline Your Novel Like a Script Read More »
If 2023 is symbolic of anything, it’s the year that I’m actively working towards my goals and my writing career. For a long time, I’ve waited until I was perfectly ready to accomplish something. When I had more time. Or more space in my life. Or more money. But the thing is, there is no
3 Reasons that I’m Creating an Online Writing Program Read More »
Read part 1 first here! NOTE: I’ll probably make a few more posts that will go more in-depth about each topic, so stay tuned! Also, disclaimer: I include some conversations I had with people at the conference. These are not direct quotes, but rather playful replications of what was said, in order to get the
The best Secrets from my First Writers Conference – Part 2 Read More »
Mid-February, I went to the San Francisco Writers Conference, my first-ever conference. While I did not get signed, I made a TON of connections and friends in the writing scene. On top of that, I learned so much about the industry that I wanted to share some of the best secrets and advice that I
The Best Secrets from my First Writers Conference – Part 1 Read More »
As you know, I’m going to the SF Writers Conference this very week. (Tomorrow, by the time this blog comes out). There’s a lot of moving parts and ways that I’m trying to prepare. However, probably the most essential one is preparing a book pitch. “What is a book pitch?” you might ask. Well, that’s
How to Write a Book Pitch Read More »
If I’m being honest, it all came down to money (that’s what it always is, isn’t it?). As a person who is currently unemployed, but still has a fighting dream, I understand that I’ve got limited resources. Prior to this, I was considering first that I should first get my manuscript edited by a professional
Why I’m Going to the San Francisco Writers Conference Read More »
I love this book. You heard me, I love The Secret History by Donna Tartt. (Spoilers ahead!) I’d actually read this book a couple years ago when a dear friend lent it to me during the pandemic. Back then, when I asked what it was about, her only explanation was “You should read it. It’s
Surprise, surprise. I read ‘the Secret History’ Read More »
I turned 26 today. On the same day, I also finished a vignette collection that I’d been working on for nearly 3 years. That’s got to mean something, right? Some metaphor, some closed loop in the story, perfectly wrapped up on a birthday. Right? It’s strange. I don’t think I can properly summarize how I
Finally Finishing My Vignette Collection Read More »