Hello darlings!  It's been a while since the last update. Medyo nawala ang momentum ko dahil sa tingin ko ay wala naman talagang nagbabasa ng book na 'to kung meron man mga close friends ko lang din.

Earlier today I saw a thread that really awakened me. Charotera. Sabi raw ay bakit ka maghihintay ng magko-comment o magbo-vote sa book mo kung layunin mo naman talagang makatulong. Kailangan daw regardless sa feedback hindi dapat maningil o iasa sa mga votes at comments ang mga bagay na gusto mo ishare.

Some people are genuinely trying to learn and if you have the chance to help, you should always do it wholeheartedly.

Grabe 'di ba. Mga sudden epiphany na 'to sa Watty ko pa nakuha. Kaya naman na motivate ako na ipagpatuloy ang aking naumpisahan.

Bale iyon nga ang tatalakayin natin ay 10 Commandments for Every Creative Writer.

Little background about this, I actually learned this in a film making workshop a few months ago. The lecture was actually very raw and unscripted. Kung ano talaga ang genuine na gustong i-share ng mentor namin iyon talaga ang tinatalakay. Walang fancy production needed.

I was actually wanting to share it for a while now kaso hindi ko mahanap ang mga old notes ko. Then narealize ko na hindi pala talaga ako nag-take down notes. Mabuti na lang maganda ang memory retention ko.

So bale ito siya guys. Hihimayin natin ang sampung kautusan na ito.

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1)  Thou shall write original concepts.

Oh pinakauna talaga maliwanag na maliwanag. Ang pagsusulat po ay hindi take home exam na iniwan ng biology teacher niyo. Hindi po katanggap-tanggap ang pangongopya.

Always make it to a point that when you craft something make sure it is yours. Pour you blood and sweat in your craft. This is what makes being a creative writer meaningful.

Sa mundo ng wattpad na mayroong sobra 40 million users,  aba mahirap nga talaga makapag-isip ng bukod tangi na kwento. Kaya malamang ang iba ay idadahilan nila na, "na-inspire po ako ni ate b3iHb3ihMhu1436969."

Walang masamang ma inspire hindi na po ito bago. Kahit saang sining ay kailangan ng inspirasyon. Lalo na kapag artist ka. Kailangan mo ng study material. Pero magka-iba po ang na-inspire kesa sa nangopya.

2) Thou shall always respect other writers.

Kasing uso ng plagiarism ang crab mentality. Kagaya ng inaasahan hindi rin po katanggap-tanggap na hahatakin mo papaba ang kapwa no manunulat. Uso 'yan ang palitan ng post tungkol sa trash stories. Naku naku hindi po magandang ugali iyan.

Wala pong kwentong basura ah. Tandaan niyo 'to. Every story is a work in progress. Every writer is a work in progress.

May iba na nag-uumpisa pa lang o may iba na slow burner, may iba na medyo tumaas na ang rangko o dumami na ang experience, may iba na pinanganak na may natural gift (huhu sana ol). Pero walang sino man ang may karapatan na i-disrespect ang sino man.

Disrespect only comes from a position of insecurity and self doubt. Kaya as much as possible let us not be toxic. Let us help one another in harmony.

3) Thou shall always strive for excellence!

If you love your craft, your goal is not just to complete. Your goal is not to be famous. Your goal is solely to excel and help other people excel.

Once you've finished your story do not settle. If someone corrects you, do not be ignorant. Take all these and use them to make a better version of your work and most of all to make a better version of yourself.

4) Thou shall keep your artistic heart.

Do not loose yourself just to conform to other people's expectations. Rise above those expectations!

Do not let anyone tell you that you're better off doing other things because writing gets you nowhere. Keep your passion. Keep your identity. It is a good thing to be flexible and being able to adapt but most phenomenal people never loose their identity. They become icons.

Always remember that you are your own icon.

5) Thou shall be resourceful.

The virtues creativity and resourcefulness go hand in hand.

Kung may mga bagay ka na gustong abutin huwag mong hayaang hadlangan ka ng kahit na ano. Mag-isip ka ng iba't- ibang paraan upang maabot ang mga pangarap mo.

Hindi dahilan ang, "Ayoko magpasa ng manuscript. Wala akong laptop na gagamitin pang-edit."

Ate, kuya, nene at totoy,  hindi katapusan ng mundo. Nasa golden age na tayo. Marami nang mobile software na puwede mo gamitin para matapos ang manuscript mo na ipapasa para sa traditional publishing.

Hindi rin katanggap-tanggap ang, "Ayoko na magsulat. Eh hindi naman ako kagalingan. Wala akong formal training para sa mga ganyan-ganyan."

Babatukan talaga kita. May mga tao na pinanganak na gifted. Pero karamihan sa atin ay talagang mediocre lang. Ang pagsusulat natututunan naman iyan eh. Nahahasa ka. Kailangan lang handa ka matututo. Hindi rin ibig sabihin na baguhan ka at wala kang formal education sa creative writing eh ikukumpara mo na ang sarili mo sa iba.

Marami pong mga guide book, writing tips, at free trainings na puwede mong lahukan. Tapos ngayon dahil sa technology ay may access ka na sa mga bagay na gusto mong matutunan.

Do not limit yourself. We live in a golden era. The resources you need are just a few clicks away. Ika nga nila, "Kung ayaw may dahilan, kung gusto maraming paraan."

6) Thou shall not be blinded by the stars.

Both 'yong star na sa sa votes and 'yong mga stars na lodi na nating lahat.

Huwag kang ma- intimidate kung baguhan ka pa lang at nakikita mo ang iba na milyon-milyon na ang reads at votes. Lahat tayo ay nag-umpisa sa pinakailalim. Nasa pagsisikap at pananalig lang iyan. Huwag panghinaan ng loob. Focus on making your journey meaningful, not hopelessly fixating on the finish line.

Same goes with "peymus" writers. Kung sandamakmak na ang stars mo huwag sanang lalaki ang ulo. Your worth and all the things you could be are not measured through superficial votes.

7) You are not the best! Thou shall always stay humble.

Life. Reality.

Tandaan niyo sa buhay kung ikaw ang nasa tuktok ngayon hindi ibig sabihin na lagi kang nasa tuktok. Hindi ka pinanganak na winner agad at hindi pa sigurado kung mamatay ka na winner pa rin.

The world is always changing. People continue to grow. Somewhere out there, somebody can also do what you can do. Thay somebody can even be better than you.

Do not let being on top fry your brain.   Ego check rin minsan. Huwag maging hambog. Hindi ka makakarating kung saan ka man ngayon kung wala ang mga tao na laging nasa likod mo. Kapag masyado kang mapagmataas, kapag bumagsak ka, wala nang sasalo sayo. Kaya naman darlings,  stay humble.

8) As you keep moving forward, thou shall take some time to look back.

Naalala ko sa interview ni Brendon Urie about sa bago niyang album. If I remember it correctly he said, "I am only as good as the people surrounding me and supporting me all this time. I will be forever thankful."

Parang supporting idea rin ito ng commandment seven. No man is an island. You will be lost if you were on this road alone. So do not forget the people who held your hand and lit up your way. Darlings, stay thankful.

9) Thou shall not exploit minorities, other cultures, and the things they represent.

As a writer, of course we write about life, people, and the world. We take our readers to different places and introduce them to different kinds of people.

This is what makes art divine.

Now you want to be unique and you want to take on sensitive issues or use indigenous culture as a backdrop for your next masterpiece. That is wonderful!  Seriously somebody should really pave that path.

Pero tandaan po natin na bahagi po ng tungkulin natin ang magmulat hindi lamang mag-ulat. Do not twist facts or bend people's beliefs. Do not introduce inaccurate stereotypes. Being in a minority I know that we are almost always misrepresented or exploited. Huwag ka nang dumagdag sa mahabang listahan ng disappointments na iyon.

Research and field study can never hurt you. As much as possible try to open up people's horizon. If you are writing about sensitive topics and you don't have personal experience on it, try to talk to people who have. Try to dig up information. Study different literary resources. Also if you are immersing yourself into a culture, respect it. Respect the people behind it and the things they believe in. Ang magsulat nang matalino ay madaling matutunan. Ang magsulat nang may puso ay kailangan paghirapan.

10) THOU SHALL NEVER GIVE UP.

Last but never the least. Huwag susuko. Ayos lang magpahingga, ayos lang masaktan, ayos lang na paminsan-minsan ay tinatamad. Pero huwag susuko. Kahit maging flop ang story mo, ma-reject ang manuscript mo, kahit may UFO na mag-landing sa EDSA huwag kang susuko. Pangarap mo 'yan hindi ba?  Gusto mong maipahayag ang kwento mo. Gusto mo na balang araw ay mahawakan mo ang hard copy ng libro mo. Hindi mangyayari 'yan kung susuko ka ngayon.

Take time to rest, restart, rewrite. Hindi ibig sabihin na isang beses ka nadapa ay pilay ka na agad. Bumangon ka at ipagpag mo 'yan. Ok lang din na umiyak kapag masakit talaga. Pero huwag susuko.

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Sana po ay kahit papaano ay nakatulong ako. I would really really love feedback from you guys!  Let me know if you also have some insights to share or maybe questions to ask.

Keep writing!

Love,
DYOSA