CASE #048 | Writing Workshop for Wattpad and Booklat Writers

Are you fond of reading stories in Wattpad? Have you ever tried writing your own story and publishing it online? Aside from Wattpad, aspiring writers like myself now have another haven to express ourselves with a possibility of even getting published on print.

Precious Pages Corporation, a leading publishing company of Tagalog romance novels, children’s stories, and more, held a one-day writing workshop last September 29, 2018 at their new building in Quezon City. The workshop was entitled “Writing Workshop for Wattpad and Booklat Writers” and was hosted by Ms. Stefanie Anne Yanes. It was joined by more than 30 aspiring writers who either had created work in Wattpad and Booklat or is an avid reader in these platforms.

Welcome with a smile.

More than 30 participants attended the workshop.

Cutie name tags.

 The workshop was offered for free to those lucky participants who passed the diagnostic exam. Announcements and mechanics were posted in Precious Pages Corp Facebook page. Participants were required to register in a Google Form and answer a diagnostic exam which included writing a part or a scene in relation to a given storyline or plot. I was one of the lucky participants who passed and given the opportunity to be part of the workshop.

Registration was done using Google Forms.

A diagnostic exam was required to assess participants.

The program started at around 9:00 am with inspiring talks from known authors of Tagalog romance novels and Wattpad stories. Luna King, Makiwander, Rose Tan, and OwwSic were among the guest speakers that shared their experiences and tips about writing a novel. Stefanie also discussed the guidelines in submitting manuscript should any of us would want to submit our story for print.

The workshop was held at 4th Floor of JRich Building, Precious' new building along Sto. Domingo St., Quezon City

Program host, Ms. Stefanie Anne Yanes discussed the guidelines in submitting a manuscript.

Sir Jun in the house/

The second part of the program was the actual workshop which was facilitated by Mr. Albert Lang, another known Wattpad author and a works as a Creative Consultant on one of the country’s broadcast networks. Participants were asked to do group activities which included creating a character and interviewing strangers outside the building to create a plot. Participants were required to upload at least one story in Booklat to earn a certificate. Deadline of uploading is until December of this year.

Sir Abet (Albert Lang) facilitates the workshop activities at the 2nd part of the program.

 My Precious

As mentioned earlier, Precious Pages Corporation is the leading publishing company of Tagalog romance novels in the country today. Kung hindi mo pa naririnig ang Precious sa tanang buhay mo malamang ay panahon na para lumabas ka sa kwebang kinaroroonan mo dahil talaga namang napag-iwanan ka na ng panahon.

Image source: http://phr.com.ph/home/

The company is known for their flagship imprint, Precious Hearts Romances. It started in 1992 noong mga panahong pa-exit na sa eksena ang mga Tagalog Komiks at nagsisimula namang umusbong ang mga kung tawagin natin ay pocketbooks. Dahil hindi pa uso ang Internet at gadget noon at hindi pa naiimbento ang social media, naging patok sa mga readers ang mga Tagalog pocketbooks. They were easy to read, light weight, and could literally fit into one’s pocket.

Pocketbooks are easy to read, light weight and literally fits into a pocket.

Nagsimula akong magbasa nito noong Grade 6 ako. Lagi kasing brown out noong mga panahong iyon at wala akong ibang mapaglibangan. Mahilig naman din akong magbasa. Kinawilihan ko ang Precious Hearts Romances dahil mura ito at madaling bilhin. May tindahan pa nga noon sa amin na nagpaparenta ng kopya. That time hindi pa ganap na libro ang itsura nito. Saddle stitched pa lang at C2S ang cover. Iyong naka-stapler na parang magazine type at iyong cover ay parang glossy magazine na manipis? Ganun pa ang naabutan ko.

Image source: AntiqueBooks ForBidding (Facebook)

I remember reading the works of the late Martha Cecilia. Yes. Siya pa lang ang writer ng Precious Hearts Romances noon. Inaabangan ko lagi kung may bagong story siya dun sa tindahan na nirerentahan ko ng pocketbooks. Thirty years later, heto na sila. May sarili nang building na bonggang-bongga.

Precious' new headquarters: JRich Building along Sto. Domingo Ave. Quezon City

New titles, new cover designs

Meron na rin silang sariling stores sa napakaraming SM branches nationwide, napakalaki na rin ng pool of writers nila, at marami pang nangangarap na mapabilang sa hall of fame nila. Ilan sa mga kilalang writers nila sina Martha Cecilia, Rose Tan, Dawn Igloria, Vanessa, Laurice del Rio, Sheena Rose, Sofia, Sonia Francesca, at marami pang iba.

You may now order online through Precious Pages' online bookstore. Image source: https://preciouspagesebookstore.com.ph/

Some of Precious' bestselling titles have been turned into TV drama series.

In fact, meron na nga silang online bookstore, e-books, and TV shows. Ilang kwento na rin nila ang naging drama series sa TV like Bud Brothers, Midnight Phantom, Kristine, Araw Gabi (El Paraiso), at marami pang iba. The business also expanded and gave birth to other subsidiaries like Lampara Publishing House.

Wattpad

Wattpad is an online platform that allows people to create stories and publish them online using the application for free. It provides readers and writers a free access to the portal where they can interact and express themselves. It allows reading using a mobile device possible anytime, anywhere. It provides writers to publish their works within minutes and reach a wide range of readers globally. It gives them the freedom to express themselves without the limitations of publisher rules or within the comfort zone of anonymity.

Image source: 2018/digital/news/wattpad-funding-tencent-tv-film-entertainment-1202666935/

Wattpad is founded and based in Toronto, Canada. It started online in 2007 and has become phenomenal through the years. Dito sa Pilipinas, naging patok ang platform nang magsimulang matutong gumamit ng smartphones ang madlang pipol. Kadalasang readers at users ng app ay mga kabataang nasa high school pataas or at least sa estimate ko based sa mga nakakasalamuha kong alam kung ano ang Wattpad at gumagamit nito.

Pwedeng basahin kahit nakikipagsiksikan sa MRT.

Wattpad changed the landscape of readers in the Philippines. Dahil libre ang access, nabigyan ng oportunidad ang lahat na makapagbasa ng mga kwentong pwedeng gawa ng kapwa Pinoy or written by other nationalities as well. May kamahalan din kasi ang mga librong binebenta sa bookstore ngayon at hindi rin conducive basahin lalo na kung nakikipagsiksikan ka sa MRT. Pero sa Wattpad, basta may battery ang cellphone mo at load kang pan-download ng updates, keri na!

Wattpad became an avenue for budding writers to publish their works through a username or a pen name.

Naging madali rin para sa mga budding writers na mapansin. Kung dati ay kailangan nilang mag-antay na mapansin ng mga publishers para may magbasa ng mga gawa nila or wala silang lakas ng loob na magpasa ng gawa nila dahil takot sa rejection, ngayon pwede na. Isang click lang sa Wattpad, ayos na ang buto-buto. Marami na ang pwedeng makabasa ng isinulat nila at pwede rin silang magtago sa likod ng isang pen name or user name kung nahihiya sila.

Wala ring editor na makikialam sa gawa nila. Ang downside nga lang, mas maraming pwedeng maging kritiko ng gawa nila. Mas prone sa bashing at mas madaling malaman ang mga hindi magagandang komento sa gawa nila. Interactive nga kasi kaya pwedeng magkomento ang readers in real time.

Booklat

Although hindi pa fully na-launch sa public, I was able to encounter Booklat a couple of years ago. It was Precious Pages Corporation’s version of Wattpad. Filipino centered naman ang app kasi more on Filipino writers at artists ang focus nila. Parang Wattpad din kasi pwede ka ring mag-upload ng kwento mo under a pen name or user name in any genre, at pwede ka ring magbasa ng kwento ng iba. May interactive feature rin na pwede mag-comment ang readers at sumagot ang writers.

Image source: https://booklat.com.ph/

Pero dito, mas malaki ang chance to have your work published in print kasi may mga editors na nagbabasa ng mga istorya na naka-upload sa portal. Pumipili sila ng magagandang istorya na “print-worthy.” Siyempre iba pa rin kapag published on print ang kwento mo. Nagiging konkreto at makatotohanan ang pagiging isang nobelista mo.

How to write a novel?

Hindi naman ako expert sa larangan na ito. Aspiring writer pa lang ako. Yes, I have a few stories published way back in mid-2000s pero hindi naman iyon ganun sumikat. I still have a lot to learn sa industryang ito kaya naman I continue to educate myself. Nakakatulong ang mga ganitong workshop to keep me updated sa mga kaalaman.

Gaya ng itinuro sa atin noong high school, ang pagsusulat ng nobela ay required na may plot. Ito ang tatakbuhin ng kwento. Mahalaga na kumpleto ang bahagi ng plot. Ang exposition, conflict, rising conflict, climax, at resolution. Basic naman iyan. Here are a few more takeaways from the workshop.

1. Show not tell. Ilang writers na rin ang kinaringgan ko ng linyang iyan. Keep your readers interested by describing. Bukod kasi sa simpleng paglalahad lang ng isang pangyayari, mas maganda kung ilalarawan mo ng detalyado ang eksena na para bang isang pelikulang tatakbo sa utak ng nagbabasa. Remember, written words ito at hindi pelikula. Kaya dapat ma-visualize ng readers mo sa pamamagitan ng mga salitang gagamitin mo ang eksenang binuo mo sa kwento.

"Show not tell" -- Rose Tan

2. Kilalaning maigi ang characters mo. Dapat BFF kayo ng characters mo. Alam mo ang lahat sa kanya. Bumuo ng character na para bagang bumubuo ka ng isang tao. Specific ang physical appearance. Alam mo kung gaano katangkad, maputi o maitim ba, mahaba ba ang buhok o maikli, may nunal, may balat, may anghit, may bukol, may hadhad, lahat na. May paboritong kulay, pelikula, damit, pabango, pagkain. May address, pamilya, pinagkakaabalahan sa buhay, paniniwala, pinaglalaban, hugot…lahat na. Dapat isa siyang totoong tao na nilikha mo sa imahinasyon mo.

Know your character.

3. Create a strong conflict. Dito kasi nakaangkla ang buong istorya mo. Sa magiging problema ng character mo. Kung ano ba ang goal niya, anong kailangan niya, anong gusto niya, anong dapat gawin niya, at anong magiging desisyon niya. This will make your story interesting. Ang masarap sa fiction kahit anong conflict pwede mong gawin. Basta kaya mong ipaglaban hanggang dulo at panindiganan sa mga characters mo. Lahat ng frustrations mo, paniniwala mo, hugot, pwede mong ipaglaban sa conflict. Basta kailangan pasok ito sa personalidad ng mga characters na binuo mo at genre ng istorya mo.

Conflicts make stories interesting.

4. Good dialogue. Pagsalitain mo ang mga characters mo. Make it sound like a real person talking. Kung babaeng kikay ang bida, make her sound as one. Kung matandang lalaki ang bida, ganun din dapat. Sa dialogue mo mapupukaw ang damdamin ng reader mo dahil doon mo mas maipaparamdam sa kanila ang nararamdaman at iniisip ng character mo. Mas makaka-relate at maiintindihan nila ang istorya at pinanggagalingan ng mga conflict. Basahin mo ang dialogue ng malakas. Read it as if you are saying it para mas maramdaman mo kung kapani-paniwala ba ang sinasabi mo. Use a language na makaka-relate ang lahat. Kung present day ang story mo, use words that are commonly used. Tagalog romance novels are conversational novels. Kaya nga mas madaling basahin. Maliban na lang kung historical novel ang ginagawa mo at kapanahunan pa ni Rizal, Heneral Luna, at Goyong ang setting ng istorya mo.

Makiwander and Rose Tan mentioned the importance of a good dialogue.

5. Edit like pro. Hindi porke walang editor sa Wattpad or Booklat ay pwede mo nang i-post na lang basta ang sinulat mo. Tandaan mo, mas kritiko ang mga bashers kesa editors. Mas malupit sila at mas walang puso. Mas masasakit ang salitang maririnig mo sa kanila bordering on panlalait at insulto. Kaya ikaw na mismo ang tumiyak na tama ang gawa mo. Makatotohanan, pinag-isipan, at ni-research.

6. Research, research, research. Libre lang ang Google. Maging masipag ka lang sa pagse-search, madali mong malalaman ang mga information na kailangan mo sa kwento mo. Like medical terms, language translations, geographical locations, legal terms, at kung anu-ano pa. Wag ka ring mahihiyang magtanong. Kung may kakilala ko or kakilala nang kakilala, pwede kang mag-interview. Maski nga sa messaging app lang pwede ka na mag-interview. Para sigurado ka sa mga isusulat mo. Kahit naman kathang-isip lang ang fiction, dapat naman malapit pa rin sa realidad.

7. Make an outline. Ito kadalasan hindi ko ito sinusunod. Ayoko ng outline kasi pakiramdam ko nalilimitahan nito ang takbo ng kwento ko. Pero nasa iyo naman kasi ang desisyon pa rin kung paano tatakbo ang kwento. Ang mahalaga meron kang outline sa kung anong gusto mong mangyari. Para kapag dumating ang time na medyo tinatamad ka na or nabablangko ka na, meron kang point of reference kung nasaang part ka na ba at kung ano ang susunod na mangyayari. Hindi ka maliligaw sa takbo ng kwento at mas magiging consistent ka rin. Lalo na kung mabagal kang magsulat na tulad ko.

8. Know the rules and break them. Importanteng alam mo ang mga guidelines sa tamang pagsusulat. Hindi para ikahon ang sarili mo dun kundi para gawin silang springboard sa kung anong klaseng kwento or istorya ang gusto mong gawin. Kaya nga sila guide. Reference mo lang. Pero sa creativity mo pa rin nakasalalay ang tatakbuhin at kalalabasan ng gawa mo. Be brave to break the rules, the tradition, the limits. Be brave enough to face criticisms for doing that as well.

"Know the rules and break them" -- Owwsic

In a nutshell….

The workshop was productive. Although, medyo bitin sa ibang topics at iyong na-discuss na sa mga workshop na napuntahan ko na at classes ko sa college and high school, may natutunan pa rin ako. I met new friends, had new experiences, and reconnected with a lot of people.

Mr. Segundo Matias, Jr., an awarded writer and founder of Precious Pages Corporation.

I was also able to catch a few minutes with Mr. Jun Matias, one of the founders and owners of Precious Pages Corporation. He is also an awarded writer both in print and television and finished a master’s degree in Creative Writing at the University of the Philippines in Diliman, Quezon City. His recently released book, Batang Poz, is a young adult novel which talks about HIV and the life of an HIV positive individual.

Batang Poz, a young adult novel which talks about HIV and the life of an HIV positive individual.

Sir Jun, as fondly called by Precious employees and writers, was the one who paved the way for me to achieve one of my dreams and that is, to have a published novel. He was the one who gave me my pen name and I am very grateful to be given such an opportunity. I got a copy of his recent book and will be posting a review once I finished reading it.

For those of you who would like to submit a novel for publishing, you may create an account in Booklat through your PC or download it as an app for IOS and Android. You may also visit their Facebook page: Precious Pages Corporation and reach out to their staff via Messenger.

Let us continue to support Filipino writers and keep the Filipino creativity alive. Mabuhay!

#iheartbooklat

#booklat

#booklatwritingworkshop