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Tips for Aspiring Novelists Ep. 008 & 009

June 6, 2013 • Leave a Comment

*  Masarap ang chopsuey. Lalo na kung maraming klase ng gulay, tsaka quail eggs at atay. Pero hindi masayang magbasa ng chopsuey.

* image from Google images

*  A prolific imagination does not guarantee you can be a good novelist. You also need that ability to translate the images in your head into picturesque and emotional prose that will hook your readers just as you are hooked by the stories you make up.

 

Lemme explain further…

Aspiring writers have this … uhm… shall we say, disorder. They think (and say)

I can be a good writer. My family and friends tell me I have a vivid imagination.

Yes, we all get that. I was also told by my dad I could be a good lawyer because, according to him, I liked to argue and I was (am) really articulate. But there’s more to being a lawyer than arguing and articulating just as there’s more to being a novelist than having a prolific imagination.

Writing needs talent and skill, I maintain. For some, their talent and skills may be immediately and greatly apparent. With others, they need to be trained to sharpen what they can bring out. But well, if you’ve got nothing, then you’ve got nothing.

So if you do have something, you have to remember, learn first the ropes. Learn the basics. Focus on simple things before you move on to bigger stuff. Unless you have a big mouth, you can’t put the whole cake in there. Try bite-sized pieces first. Practice. Practice. Practice. You can’t improve by constantly asking what to do. Because what you should do is write.

And what I mean when I make a comparison between chopsuey and a novel is the plot going haywire. Anything goes. This isn’t your first and last piece of work. Don’t put everything in there all at once. It shows how shallow a grasp you have of your plot. That’s not good.

Again, practice makes perfect. Practice brings out a good read.

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This is an invitation to Join #HeistClub and Sachet Novels Publishing.

Chosen stories will be published through the following media:
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We are looking for stories which highlight a heist of valuable Philippine historical artifacts. The following conditions should be met:
1. Story must be centered on an artifact. The artifact must belong to a historical character from the Philippines (from any era). Item may or may not be an actual historical artifact. This will be your McGuffin.
2. As this is a #HeistClub crime fiction story, the planning and execution of the crime must be well explained. Criminals may or may not be caught but police/detective must be shown doing steps to catch them.
3. Genre: Romantic Suspense
4. One character must be a reclusive genius. This character does not have to be main character. He or she can be a friend, a mysterious person who provides assistance, or the villain.
5. Apart from your artifact, you must have the following keywords mentioned in your story: church, wings, cries in the night, curse, moon, betrothal/wedding.
6. Required word count is 5,000-8,000.
7. Since the artifact in your story will belong to a real historical figure, do your research!  We want realistic, well-rounded stories. Not all your research will need to be shown in your manuscript, but your story must not have any obvious plot holes or historical inconsistencies. 
8. Sensitivity must be taken when incorporating research. No plagiarism is allowed. Research material cannot be quoted verbatim.
9. No sex scenes please. If you need to include it in the story, it must be "behind closed doors," or "fade to black."
10. No swear words or profanity. “Damn” or “Dammit” may be acceptable depending on the context used.

The official start of this workshop is May 1, 2018, so we are taking sign-ups for now. Accomplish this form if you’re interested: http://bit.ly/Heist_Sachet

Submission of stories is on June 15, 2018. Chosen stories will be launched on August 4
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In Fair Verona and Valentine Promise by Edith Joaquin.
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I can’t articulate my thoughts about Tagalog romance properly bec these are my first Tagalog romance books and I generally struggle with the language. A filipino stuggling with Tagalog fiction? Yeah, i know. 🤦🏻‍♂️ I’m not gonna make lame-ass excuses. 
Instead, I’ll quote words from @minavesguerra ‘s post on #BuwanNgAkdangPinoy last August: 12 Essential Romance Books.
“The past twelve years have been very important for romance because several reader-friendly innovations changed things. Online communities (in Wattpad, Facebook, Twitter, Youtube, Instagram, Goodreads) emerged and allowed Filipinos to read, create, and explore what it is they love about the genre. Important conversations are happening about how we can write better romance, and cover what’s necessary when writing about love, sex, and relationships in this country. The romance genre in the Philippines can and should be more inclusive—to authors, readers, as well as characters.”
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I’ve fairly recently discovered my love for romance and realized I’ve been missing out on wonderful HEA’s my whole life. Just imagine how many wonderful things I’m missing out when I’m not reading Tagalog! I can’t wait to start reading these!
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Give me your amazing Tagalog romance recs!💕
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