DIGITAL BOOK: www.teachersol.blog-city.com
~Susan Wittig Albert~
It was only now that I realized that I could already publish an anthology of my life story with all the manuscripts I have about my life. I kept a journal and wrote poems since I was a sweet provincial girl until I was in college. I already have a collection of diaries and poems just waiting to reunite with me. I was expressing myself more in poetry. I also kept a journal eversince I learned that it would be easy for me to recall events in my life if I write them. I could put them all together like a jigsaw puzzle to finish my lifetime project of creating a book about my life.
I always knew I was a writer...
In preschool I was writing verses, it was just a requirement. I was writing about my first infatuation, I used to believe it was just a passing hobby. In grade school I won third place in a Milo short story writing contest, I do not remember anymore what it was about. I was a contributor in our school newspaper; I thought it did not have any weight. But still I was writing. I remember just locking myself up in my room writing, drafting, editing, revising my poems. Poems about my delight upon seeing someone I love, my sadness when my beloved grandfather passed away, my frustrations in life, my anger, my dreams…I had to transfer what I was going through onto the paper. I would not stop writing until I felt right again.
But I stopped writing…
I met someone whom I cannot write about because he was a writer. A potential excellent writer who thought I write cheesy stuff. I do not write fantasy stories like his because mine is reality based. His style is just not my cup of tea. I wrote a poem for him on our wedding day. And I said it would be the last.
Call it twist of fate, I was invited to join a writing workshop for a children’s TV show. Afterwards I was accepted as a script writer for the science educational TV show. I wrote several scripts (in audio-video format) which were accepted after so much panel deliberation, few were rejected but that was okay. I saw my stories aired on TV and excitedly searched for my name in the closing bill boards. Alas! Another writer took the credit for all my sleepless nights and anxiety during panel deliberations (even if I got paid for all those scripts, it was still unfair!).
The inspiration was everywhere but the courage left me.
But I had to write again…
When I was in the train one morning on my way to the Invitational Summer Institute, DC Area Writing Project at Howard University, I remembered my darkest times - those days when my husband and I had to struggle in order to live…in a third world country…with a negative bank account…with no support from parents or any body. His mother disowned him, and my family was too far away from me. We were all alone, struggling to get through the day. We would dream of eating good food every night. I was pregnant. We were starving but we were happy just being together. I guess the fates of most young couples who elope are like that. We were longing for the blessing of our families and the church. I had this urge of writing that chapter of my life.
I also had to write about our best times. That was when after we really worked hard, we surpassed our trials, we disappointed those people who wished for us to fail. We made it! On our own. After four years we were living in a big, 4-bedroom, single detached house, with a maid 24 hours on call, with a flourishing business, every night we would eat out in expensive fancy restaurants, shop all we want. We can pay the bills now.
Like the sea, life is a cycle of high tide and low tide. I had to write about this new chapter of my life, a new struggle in a foreign land. And I had to capture every moment of my life. So I have a story to tell my children. I want to pass this on as a legacy to them. I want my story to be an inspiration to my children…and my children’s children…forever.
My life story (according to me) is written in my DIGITAL BOOK. Have you read it?
24 comments:
Great story. :-) Personally, I prefer writing that captures the essence of the human condition. And you do it so well. :-)
Glad to see that you're still writing. :-)
my dear friend (and long lost twin?,
nabanggit ko na ito kay Pat, ang panuntunan ko sa pagsusulat. "A writer is born, not made".
Nagsusulat ka na mula pa nung bata ka. You are not a wannabe, Sol, writer ka na. Kulang na lang ipanganak kang may lapis sa bibig.Siguro ang hinahanap mo yung adjective sa unahan, yung "published". I'll tell you a secret sa publishing world. 50% of the so-called published writers are self-published. Meaning, pag may pera ka, puwede mong i-publish ang sarili mo. Kaya maraming basurang libro sa mga bookstores. Siguro sila rin ang bumibili ng mga libro nila hehe.
Yun namang second part, 'yung "writers are not made". Meron akong kilala na pangarap niyang maging "writer". Dahil mayaman sila kung saan-saan siya nag-aral ng creative writing, sa US, sa Cambridge at sa France pa. Milyon na yata ang ginastos ng magulang niya. Hanggang ngayon wala pang tumatanggap na publisher sa works niya dahil...ummm... ayokong mamintas.Ayaw naman niyang i-publish ang sarili niya dahil alam niyang karumaldumal 'yon sa daigdig ng mga writers.
Keep on writing , my friend. you belong to the first group..."writers are born". Cheers!
teacher sol, sana wag ka magalit kung medyo pansinin ko yung title mo. kasi po, kahit ba hindi ko masabing "writer" ako, medyo "editor" po ako =)
kasi yung "wannabe" isa lang po ang "e"... sabay ilag LOL!
Your digital book was one of the first 'Filipino' blogs that I've read when I got hooked into this 'blogging' thing.
You have come a long way, Marisol. It is with your persistence and talent that you are where you are at right now.
BTW, your digital book can be a tangible reality via Cafepress at a very reasonable price --- I'll buy one :)
RONALLAN, I can only write from the heart. I don't know if I am considered as a creative writer.
AILEEN, women gifted with the "Midas touch!", wow! yep,literally teue also, I see to it that I give my students a pat on the back when they did well, it creates a bond, an affirmation, and...basta there's a miracle that happens when you touch someone.
ISABELA, yes twin, naluha anko sa mga sinabi mo. Di ko naririnig yan kahit kanino, at kailangan ko siguro ng affirmation sa pagsusulat ko. Di naman yung bayad yung habol ko sa publishing. Published writer naman ako (TV and print)at alam ko ang mga sinasabi mo. Pero parang kulang eh. Di ko pa napa-publish yung istorya ng buhay ko. Pag nangyari yun mananahimik na siguro ako at blog nalang...hahaha.
VONJOBI, na-correct ko na po. Natawa ako dun, kasi naalala ko nagprint ako ng maraming hand-outs at na-distribute ko sa mga estudyante ko. Di ko alam yung "blogger", naisulat ko ng "booger". Kaya nga kailangan ng writers ng editors eh, di ba Isabela? At dahil nandyan ka, i-beep mo lang ulit ako ha pag may mali. Yung PLAGIARISM entry ko dami ko tuloy nakita na mali ang punctuation marks. Tinatamad na akong baguhin. Itong title nalang kasi major at napansin mo. Alam ko ang feeling, di ka makakatulog, di ka mapapakali, pag di mo nasabi ang correction sakin, right?
MILKPHISH, nasa internet na nga yung lifestory ko, para may pumansin naman sana na publisher. Ayaw ko kasing gumastos para mag self-publish eh. Kuripot ako kasi baka walang bumili, hahaha...Bibili ka ha, pag napublish yan? Bibigyan sana kita ng libreng kopya :D
A wannabe writer -thats more like me sol haha
i sure one of these days may madadaan na publisher sa blog mo at magiging libro din ang life story mo. kaya just keep on writing saka para naman may nababasa kami at na-iinspire kami palagi.
p.s.
sana lang may libreng kopya
ako kapag napublish na life
story mo pero w/ autograph ha!
:-D
i am not ashamed to be a wannabe. i am a wannabe and proud of it.
when my parents first read my secret love letters to my high school crush(es)(yes my mom and dad made kalkal on my stuffs, shame on you ma and pa !!) they said to me: son you are a lovah not a writah, then giggled to my dismay.
so damn it, i tried and i tried to bettah myself (my chickas thank god loves my buladas)
until finally many years passed by my dad wrote me a lettah saying "I can write" ohhh dad, but i wanna be a wannabe !!
Ang tao'y kumikilos batay sa idinidikta ng kanyang kamalayan... at sa pagbubuo ng kamalayan, napakalaki ng epekto ng salitang nakasulat, lalo na at kadalasan maaaring magawa ng nakalimbag na salita ang mga bagay na hindi malimit na nagagawa ng karaniwang pag-uusap.Ang pagsusulat ay di natatapos sa huling tuldok....o(....) Hindi ito tulad ng pagtae na sa sandaling maideposito mo ang iyong tae sa inudoro ay masasabi mong "ayos na ang butu-buto," sa lokal na islang.
Isa lang mai-aadvice ko sa'yo maam wag kang mawawalan ng "tanong" yan dyan ka makakabuo ng sari-saring "lesson plan" na aabot hanggang maging isang libro ng katutuhanan sa mga "tanong" na nag-umpisa.may mga manunulat na pumapayagpag ang pagmamataas dahil alam nila na sila ay nakakapagsulat hindi nila alam na meron pa silang di naisusulat na walang "laman"(eto ay may ibig sabihin)....
HONEYPOOH, I can see a writer in you, keep writing, girl!
NIKKI, that's one of my goals in life, to publish my autobioghraphy, or memoirs, they say it's really inspiring and well written. That's the reason why I have the eppetite to write more, it's because of these people who give me good feedback. Syempre friends ko yata kayo lahat, hahaha...libre copy din? Di kaya malugi ang future publisher ko dyan? hehehe :D
AIR MILIKAY, nakakatuwa mga comments mo...hahaha...I remember I was also good in writing letters no my bestfriends and mga barkada, marami sila noon. I used to write each of them a novelette na nga, at least 5 pages ng intermediate pad. Mahilig lang ako magsulat dati. Natatawa ako nang mabuking ka ng parents mo sa mga loveletters mo, at least very supporting sila sa passion mo di ba (alin? sa girls o sa writing? hahaha)
ANONYMOUS, wow! meron nang pinsan si LWS dito sa pagiging makata, pinsan mo rin si Balagtas? Seriously,your comment is inspiring as well, pero di pa naman yata ako nasosobrahan sa curiosity, di ko pa itinatanong sa sarili ko kung saan ang hangganan ng buhay.
ako yang anonymous maam
LWS, sabi ko na nga ba! Di mo maikakaila pagkatao mo, pa-anonymous ka pa ...hehehe...Balagtas pa rin ang dating eh :D Nag-iisa ka sa mundo, girl!
ey baka kasi sipain ako eh hehehe.
http://magickstudio.com ko pinalaki pic niyo maam hehehe ayos ba?hehehe
Writing from the heart is all that matters naman, di ba? :-)
As long as we have the urge to express ourselves, there will always be a writer within us.
hindi naman po sa hindi makatulog. di ko lang matiis =)
hindi naman ako talaga namumuna ng mali. at ok lang yung paminsan-minsan may wrong spelling kasi ito and nagpapaalala na blog--at hindi libro--ang binabasa ko.
hindi ko lang talaga natiis yung title kasi nga "wannabe writer" ang topic =)
but going to the subject of the post, just keep on writing... and learning... and living. writing, after all, cannot exist in a vacuum.
LWS, sino naman ang sisipa sa iyo? saludo kami sa pagiging makata mo. Youre always welcome to post your thoughts kahit na gaano pa kalalim yang Tagalog mo :D Salamat sa magicstudio, may bago na naman akong natutunan dito, try ko yan mamya.
RONALLAN, if that's the case, we all have the writers in us *wink*
JP, "As long as we have the urge to express ourselves, there will always be a writer within us" so true!
VONJOBI, very well appreciated. At least may editor na ako na libre, hehehe, hindi masama yang ginagawa mo dahil trabaho ko rin yan sa mga estudyante ko. Beep lang ng beep pag may mali (uso pa ba beeper ngayon?)...
ako ang unang bibili ng copy - pag famous ka na, wag mong kalilimutan kaming mga lowly bloggers, ha :)
pero cafepress does not charge you. your buyers will shoulder the cost - you just charge above the cafepress cost and pocket the difference.
sige, matutulog na ako - my kids have to take their SAT-9 tests early tomorrow morning. please pray that they do well.
Nakakatuwa naman yung mga comments dito. Isang araw lang ako nawala. Lalo na yung kay Air M. You do have the talent for writing! Bel is right, they are made not born. Me, I have a talent in drawing. Started drawing on our walls and up until college, I had wanted to take up painting but my Dad considered it a hobby not a career. As to painting, si kaibigang Bel pa lang nagsabi na may talent ako. syempre, nakakataba ng puso :) Sadly, I disliked english when I was in school. ayoko yung mga grammar, etc. etc. hehe
Hi marisol,
kamusta? it was one boring night that i can't go back to sleep dahil my husband was called to work due to an emergency at work, that i decided to surf on the net. I love reading inquirer,then i started reading your blogs from bottom to top. It was really good, brought smiles and tears to my eyes, siguro tipikal pinoy pa rin ako, very sentimental. I am very happy for you.
I went to sleep that night with a smile and believing in "hapilly ever after stories". Take care,
norina
ps. we live in the caribbean, we've got no yatch to invite you to but we got everyday heavenly views of the caribbean seas, cruiseships, yatchs and palms.
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