I am not so well-known as to get requests from readers to have their names and love stories used for my manuscripts. But I have had my share. And always, I would say, best effort po. Bahala na. I can’t commit.
Why is that, you ask?
It’s this:
Books choose their authors; the act of creation is not entirely a rational and conscious one. – Salman Rushdie (Indian-born British Author)
I’m the type of writer who cannot impose on my characters. They choose their names, they choose who they want for a partner, they choose their plot, they choose their lives.
If I insist on what I want, I will end up just staring at my manuscript, not knowing how to proceed because my #@*%&!!! hero and/or heroine is/are glaring at me for giving them outrageous and/or hideous (alam niyo, OA kayo eh) names/partners/jobs.
So, while I will not discourage my readers from asking, and while I will keep saying, sige, try natin to any and all requests, please also understand why there is a bigger possibility that you will not ever end up in my manuscript. Those who do are special.
They were chosen.
May nabasa din akong ganitong sentiment kay Ms. Elise dati. Well, not really sentiment. Sa FAQ section yata ng website niya iyon. Sabi niya, mahirap magsulat ng love story ng may love story, especially if you don’t hear them at the back of your mind.
Pero ang gusto ko lang sabihin ay “I agree”. Mahirap talaga ipagpilitan kung ano ang gusto mong mangyari sa manuscript mo, kasi magtatampo ang mga characters mo at hindi na sila makikipag-usap sa ‘yo. At para sa isang writer, malaking problema ‘yun kasi hindi na uusad ang MS mo.
Kagaya nga rin nang sabi ni Ms. Doreen o ni Ms. Aira (kung kanino man sa kanila), ang book ang boss. š
napakahirap talaga eh. kaya nga kapag ‘di sila dumadaldal, hindi din ako makasulat… haaayyy…
Penge akong hero. Harharhar!!!
magtigil kah! meron ka na noh. wehehe!!!
Oo nga pala! I’m one of the chosen ones!
pasalamat ka di ka niya ipinagpalit. š