Hope

What tolerance for education, faith for practicing Christian I agree; hope could be the magic word for writers.  This it seems spring from the endless nights writing all there is that matters in his mind.  Writing is also a lonely battle and no one is allowed to disturb him  as he is pre-occupied waging his thoughts on paper.  This is on regular  basis extending extra time even just to beat the deadline or maybe going even pushing further towards an extra mile crafting whatever master piece he has from his mind.  Such is necessary and important in the making of a writer.  As multi-awardee and veteran writer Lualhati Bautista puts it:

“A writer works in solitude, in his own private room and with  only his thoughts to keep him company.  No one sees the love and passion and sacrifices he puts in his work.  He works while everybody else sleeps or make love but nobody sees that.  Nobody watches him falling into familial bond with his characters, living their joys and grief.

No one sees the hours, not to mention the heart  he puts in, not just to create a story, but to live and share a whole gamut of human experience.”

            Like humility, the virtue of all virtues as it is a precondition for you to have in order for  other virtues to come in, hope should be the last virtue any writer would give up. This could even be a factor any wordsmith could bargain for and most likely lying on the shoulder of an Editor-In-Chief to give it renewed substance of flesh and blood  translating his work into the print. Ergo, forget what would happen next after you poured in your best shot baring your soul  writing your piece.  Forget it. Judgment time if  you pass and effort would be amply rewarded.  It’s now  the Editor's turn either accepting or rejecting your work depending on its merit.  If accepted, fine.  The way for your writing career is on.  If not, don’t fret.  There might be some technicalities.  But otherwise, just write and write anyway squeezing further your creative juice making your day. Celebrate anyway if your work is rejected. That’s not far fetched because rejection, like failures are life’s best teacher.  It may even break your heart. So what if this is all what we get in return for burning midnight oil exploiting how far our discipline goes.  No problem here as you might be on the road of becoming a Philosopher.  When you do, thanks just the same because Philosophers are lovers of wisdom anyway.

            I could actually relate on this as writing has been there since High School at Romblon Agricultural College at Odiongan, Romblon.  But what would you get from school paper organ if not just the experience of formally starting your writing career and restricted readership as you have only students mostly patronizing your piece on the paper.  Nine years stay too in the Seminary helping me hanging my writing there.  But again not really that much.  But the difference and the important thing maybe is the continuing tradition of coming up with relevant write-ups for readers in whatever assignment your Editor-In-Chief gives you. I remember contributing mostly poetry to our Seminary paper as I was a Literary Editor.

                       

And speaking of continuity requiring constant exercise of discipline cultivating the art of writing, I think keeping up a diary with your daily entry on it is the one that truly  helped.  Of course, reading is already implied here as I am a voracious reader.  But without translating your your ideas into print like a diary, I think nothing happens. Precisely  writers are exhibiting such art made possible through constant writing habit. Good that tradition was carried all the way when I worked already in the government as Secretary to the Director of DAR contributing articles to our office newsletter handling Information Division.  But again, what would you get out  of the quarterly releases of that newsletter if not articles aged even before they are published. 

Speaking engagements too as member of Speaker's Bureau matters here and there but such is limited. That prompted me to write a column “Rainbow” from a local tabloid namely Mindanao Gold Star Daily.  Time indeed to level up as you are on your own free-writing  any relevant social issues of the day. I have to move however to another daily Sunstar Cagayan de Oro with my “Mindaviews” column still writing serious issues later after brief rest to explore other paper and general reading public. Good thing about this transfer is that  at least I was receiving checks for my regular articles published unlike in earlier tabloid where services were pro bono. You have even to donate ink for you to write your articles before they get printed. Good grief. I have now two (2) volumes from this experience and as my articles are biting commentaries and critiques on social issues of the day. I could have these works then collated and make into books as they are good reference for both professionals and students.

But time to level up. I foresee that this development is part of writing career. Money wise, here is another reality blowing right before your face - writing is not  really that good full time job. That if you don’t have business, the chief source of your bread and butter for the family. Not sure your take on this. Maybe this is also the reason why there is prevailing  existence of AC/DC media people who are more practicing what Cheche Lazaro coined as Envelopmental Journalism. Hard to tell as media people are also eating rice in this Rice Eating Republic. I don’t like to elaborate on this as this is a reality in the tri-media business. 

However, I believe there is way out on this when you venture in a competitive playing field. This if you could  manage exploiting international market through writing fiction! Anyway there is You tube University any writer enrolling in that Idiot Box has everything in his hand to learn  what there is in the world.

This what prompted me to write “The Needle” (Metaphor actually of Martial Law) three international publishing and marketing company signified interest  publishing them! There is AsiaWrites, who after reviewing my manuscript, stamped their approval and must have been trapped reading my work as they exclaimed in their comment: “You could be our next bestseller!”  Wow, I also exclaimed as I think Mr. Wallace said that in all honesty. Might also be it as page views of that fiction posted in my blog registered roughly 4,000 pages views in short period and still counting. That on top of more than one hundred bookworms all over the globe reserving their copies.  Came next Dorrance and Ex Libris Australia who also send in their on-line contract.  One question though hanging in my mind – Why require registration fees if any of this publishing company in demand are seeing handsome dividends as profit ensuing from this venture? Why can’t they make necessary arrangement packaging the deal the author enjoying the dividend of such work. I’m still waiting for the best deal and arrangement for this while enhancing that novel. Editing yes because there is no such thing as finished product. Here’s the link guys for you to validate what I am writing here.  I hope those in publishing business could answer my question or maybe provide the necessary lift! http://theneedlechapters.blogspot.com/

Incidentally, I’m also a musician being a National Awardee for Songwriting. I have already produced my own CD as I have also a voice having been a Champion in vocal contest from High school in provincial, regional and national competition. I wrote, arranged and performed all the songs in my RFM Himig Mindanao CD with three songs already uploaded in You tube. Yes I could sing as I could write – the discipline I imbibed since I had an awakening of this gift. But of course, I don’t have any illusion where would this led to. All I know is that I gave my best shot in all activities I’m doing leaving the rest to God. Time is of the essence in all this project acknowledging its primacy into our lives; hence  giving the desired focus. Isn't that we are only given life once! So be it, let’s use it productively as if there is no longer no tomorrow in service for our fellowmen. Isn't this is what we are actually really hoping for?

And my song to treat you reading this work.

(16^th Installment for My 500 Words Daily Challenge, January 17, 2014)