Interview with a Romance Writer.

May nag-interview sa akin para daw sa project nila. They want to interview Martha Cecilia pero dahil ako ang available na romance writer pinagtyagaan na nila ako. hehe


Ini email na lang ang mga tanong para mabilis. Alam nyo naman ako anti-social ng konti. So ito na nilagay ko na sa blog ko. Ito ang gusto ko dual purpose ang mga sinusulat. pang project na pang blog pa.

Questions:

            What are the concepts in publishing pocketbook?

Im not really sure of what you mean by concepts here. As a writer the goal is basically to have a published work that people will like to read.   Kung sa side naman ng publisher I think ang gusto nila or what I think they want is to publish affordable reading materials. Mahal ang libro kahit pa nga paperbound umaabot na ng 350. So imagine a 37 pesos pocketbook. So I think that’s the concept of pocketbook. Affordable books that you can share to everyone. Madaling idistribute.

What are the procedures in publishing a pocketbook?

Another question for the publisher but this is what writers do to get published.  First you need to have a Finished manuscript to submit. The required number of words is 23 to 24 thousand,  that’s for PHR . You can email it to the editorial staff  kung interesado kayo magpasa here is their email address ed2rialstaff@yahoo.com and after a month (or less if you are lucky). Tatlong bagay ang puwdeng mangyari sa pinasa mo. Your work could be returned. Ibig sabihin its not fit to be published yet. Another feedback is for revision. It can be a minor revision or a major revision depende sa dami ng gustong ipabago. Bibigyan ka naman nila ng instruction.  Ito yung tipong may potential yung story pero maraming dapat baguhin na hindi kaya ng editor.  Kapag ganito you’ll need to rewrite some parts tapos you can submit it again. Then the best feedback is Approved.  If its your first time to get an approved MS. They will ask you to send in three pen names na pagpipilian nila. You will also need to send a teaser and a caption sa lahat ng Approved MS mo.

After maapprove ang nobela mo after a week you could go to their office and claim your check. You will have to sign some documents na nagpapatunay that you’ve already sold the story to the publisher. Hindi ko na sasabihin kung magkano ang bayad.

The earliest released of you work would be after 3 months upon approval. Sometimes mas matagal. Yung sa akin before kalahating taon bago mareleased.

Who are your target audience?

Those who love romance and happy ending. Basically women of all ages and if you’re a guy and love romance then you’re also my target. Pero siyempre depende sa story. Ako madalas young adults ang target audience ko. Romantic comedy kasi ang genre na sinusulat ko at medyo bata pa ang mga characters ko.  

What is the difference of your pocketbook in other pocketbook?

Its hard to compare my work to other writers. We all have different style, a different voice. That’s like comparing apples to apples. May matamis may maasim but in the end mansanas pa rin yan. May formula naman kasi kaming sinusunod. As a writer puwede kang magstick sa formula o baliin ng konti. Ako I stick with the formula dahil subok na yon. Maybe pag medyo tumagal I could write something na medyo iba sa gawa ko dati. So yun lang yon.

Is there a time where your pocketbook is not become bestseller?

I’m not a bestselling author. Masaya na ako kapag may napapublished akong gawa. Cherry on top na lang kung maging bestseller ang gawa ko.

What did you do?

Just write a new and better story. That’s what writer do, we write.

What are the significant attributes of pocketbook in the industry?

What do you mean? if you mean contribution malaki siyempre. We need more publisher of pocketbooks thats for sure. It’s the publisher that brings the books to the masses. Specially pocketbooks dahil its cheaper its also easier to distribute and it gives opportunity sa lahat ng gustong magsulat at magbasa na rin.  

What makes an author effective?

That’s a hard question. So I’ll answer it bilang mambabasa. As a reader a writer is effective if she/he can stir up emotion. Sa romance specifically kailangan kiligin ang readers kapag hindi sila kinilig then you need to try harder as a writer. Depende rin kung plot centered or character centered ang sinusulat mo but in the end its all about emotion. But that’s just my personal opinion.

What are the risks did you take in writing?

As a writer marami, una writing is a type of work na madalas mag-isa ka. Sabi nga nila a writer is most alive when he/she is alone. Hindi katulad ng ibang trabaho na you can spend a lot of time with other people. Lalo na kapag nobelista ka. Kaharap mo lang talaga is the computer.  Hindi rin ganoon kalaki ang kita ng writer lalo na pag baguhan. Hindi ko na sasabihin kung magkano pero okay din naman kung masipag ka. Yun nga lang kailangan mo talaagng isakripisyo ang social life mo.

Then another risk eh mga critics  and I just don’t mean yung mga readers or those who review your work. Some critics are family members who think writing is not a lucrative career. Kumbaga sayo palang kulang nayung kita. Which is in a way true. Kaya maraming writers na may iba rin trabaho bukod sa pagsusulat o sobrang daming writing gig ang kinukuha bukod sa pagsusulat ng  romance.

Another risk is you are very exposed emotionally. Kapag nagsusulat ka kasi kahit fiction pa yan you basically put a part of your soul sa sinusulat mo. Parang anak mo na yan. So kapag nareject masakit talaga. Para kang nabasted after mong mangharana, magpadala ng loveletters, bulaklak at magregalo ng sandamakmak sa iyong sinisinta.  Pero it should not hinder or discourage you dahil ganoon naman talaga. Parte yan ng pagsusulat.  Hindi puwede ang balat sibuyas.

How did you adjust yourself in many negative critics?

I only listens to those who matters:  my editors, my publisher, my co-writers and some readers. Negative man o positive ang sabihin nila alam ko na makakatulong sila sa akin. You just need to filter out the constructive one from those who are just plain haters. But pocketbook readers are nice people. They are not too critical. Cool lang sila.

           What can you say about the media convergence in our industry?

I like it. That’s how the industry works. It helps for a writer’s work to reach a wider audience. Im sure you’re talking about novels na ginagawang TV series or movie. Okay yon dahil mas namamarket yung gawa. Most if not all are happy na nakikita nila na yung gawa nila eh naisasabuhay using other medium.     

As we all know some of the pocketbook story is now airing in television is your production affects it?

            I don’t think so. Martha Cecilia did not write her Kristine series thinking it will be aired on  TV. Ofcourse some write with that goal in mind. If your goal is for your work to make it on TV maybe you could make it more TV friendly I guess or become a script writer. Pero iba naman kasi talaga ang nobela sa TVscript so its better that your production will not be affected by it.   

 
What is the impact of media convergence in the industry?

Basically the impact is mas nagiging mainstream pa siya lalo. Which is good for writers in general. Ofcourse may ibang opinyon pero you know sa akin kasi mas malayo ang nararating ng gawa mo, mas maganda.

What is your opinion about the issues in pocketbook? Like easy to get a copy, the sensationalistic words, etc.

Okay nga na madaling makakuha ng copy, that’s basically the point of publishing reading materials para maidistribute sa lahat nang kayang magbayad. But if you are talking about censorship. Sinicensor na nga mga palabas sa TV pati ba naman reading materials. Let the editors do their job. And it’s the parents job naman to control kung ano ang nababasa ng anak nila. But then ang dami nang available sa internet na hindi kid friendly material. Pocketbooks should be the least of their concerns.

Sensationalistic words?? hmm im not sure what you mean by this but I would assume this is the use of mature languages and scenes? siguro sa mga foreign books like 50 shades of gray na may mature theme pero sa local very wholesome kami. Minsan nga sobrang wholesome na. Fairy tale like na nga ang dating.

Tapos doon sa mga nagsasabing hindi makakatotohanan ang genre namin. Thats why its called fiction. Hindi naman masama maging optimistic. Let real life teaches you what you need to learn and let fiction helps you imagine that life isn’t that bad.

Isa rin sa mga issue na naririnig ko nakakabuntis daw ng maaga ang pagbabasa ng romance pocketbook. Highschool palang ako nagbabasa na ako ng pocketbook at ngayong nagsusulat na ako hindi pa naman ako nabuntis. Hindi nag-aasawa ng maaga ang mga kabataan ngayon dahil sa nababasa nila sa pocketbooks. If you are a reader alam mo na halos lahat ng mga heroes namin ay successful, handsome, almost perfect at ang mga heroine ay modest, madalas nga virgin, matapang, minsan clumsy and unassuming. For whatever its worth, romance pocketbooks in my opinion teaches young women to not settle for mediocrity.  

What advise can you give to our future writer?

Just write whats in your heart and mind. Huwag matakot sa sasabihin ng iba. Hindi naman yon nakamamatay. At laging tapusin ang nasimulan. Marami kasi nagsisimula pero hindi tinatapos. Ang istoryang hindi tapos kahit gaano kaganda hindi puwedeng ipublished. And oh yes read a lot. At huwag magdiscriminate ng mga libro. Kahit sa tingin mo basura yung gawa ng isang manunulat may matututunan ka pa rin dyan. Paano mo malalaman ang maganda kung hindi mo alam ang basura?