Tuesday, February 28, 2012

A Writer's Voice: Of Being a Bookworm And Loving The Fantastic Flying Books

Last Lecture by Randy Pausch - and other books

I don't know if I told you this but... I love books soooo much! ;-)

The words just jump out of their own pages and I am left in this state where I find myself deliciously savoring its lingering essence. I devour books with such passion that sometimes I find it more interesting to bury my head inside the pages of books instead of going out to parties and socializing with others. Not that I'm anti-social. Not really. It's just that I love books so much and I see to it that I spend some moments - during my wakeful state - reading a book (whether online or offline). That's when I'm not busy writing or researching stuff. ;-)

I love books that are inspirational, informative and educational. Stories, poems, essays, etc. It actually depends on what I wanted to read for that day.

But what if books wouldn't have the words to help complete a story? What if the author is still in needles and pins trying to come up with the best ways to tell a tale?

Writers need to find their own voice not merely for the need to be heard in order to stand out in the crowd, but also to be able to convey their ideas, adeptly transfer them on paper or on the computer screen, and lovingly share their work to others. I know that because I've struggled to find mine, too, even though a lot of people told me to find another thing that I would be passionate about.

My love for books encouraged me to join our school's official publication during college. I was a bundle of nerves that time. Luckily, I got in as a news and features writer then.

My first issue with them got two of my articles on the front page. It also got me included in CEGP (College Editors Guild of the Philippines). The next issue, I was promoted to the Editorial Board. And the next issue after that, I became the Editor-in-Chief! It was sooo thrilling!

Corporate work took me in - sometimes as an editor, most of the times as a writer, and on rare occasions, as a teacher. I've worked with an advertising agency, a publishing firm, an International corporation, and schools. I've also worked with a celebrity, and helped edit his books and other articles. I've taught English to Koreans and Filipinos in grades 6 up to the Fourth year Secondary levels.

Don't think I've never gone through rejections.

I did.

It was horrendous!

Having learned most of my skills in college and in a corporate setting, I learned that submitting to (local and international) writing markets was a whole different story.

I cried for days on end after I received my first rejection. It made me feel unsteady, unsure... Nevertheless, I  continued to write.

It paid off. It got two stories of mine published at a local magazine. A poem at another. An article at another. Those were in print; not online.

Now, I'm on the Internet most of the time - brushing up my skills more, ditching old habits, learning new things, meeting (writer) friends from all parts of the globe, and loving every minute of it!

Online work got me editing some earlier chapters of a story written by a prolific American writer. I've also had the chance of making a webinar for a business woman. I've ghostwritten a lot of topics, and I also have my own share of works under my name.

While I have a lot of articles, poems, and stories published (online and offline), I am now entering this stage of publishing my own books, too. It's scary... But I want to do this. I want to do it not only for myself but also for those who would take the time to read and share my work to others.

I'm doing this because I love books sooo much. And having my own books under my name would be such a wonderful accomplishment to look forward to, doncha think so? I'll keep you updated on this. ;-)

You know what else? Of all the things that I've shared with you today, this Oscar Winner for (Animated) Short Films just hits the spot.

To those who weren't able to see it, here's the complete film of "The Fantastic Flying Books of Mr. Morris Lessmore."

I'll leave you with this lovely film.

Enjoy!

And keep writing! I hope you find your own voice, too.

I'll see you next post. ;-)


9 comments:

Unknown said...

ang haba sumakit mata at ulo ko..ARAYYYYYYYYYYYYYYY!!!!!

SittieCates said...

lol! Well, naganahan ako sumulat e. ;-)

Thanks for the comment, Nes. ;-)

Anonymous said...

I'm speechless, still couldn't find the right word to say...I got tongue tide with your writings... <3 :)

papaleng said...

Nag-enjoy akong basahin ang tula mo.. ;)

Charlie said...

i love books but hardly purchase them, normally get from library or purchase 2nd hand book at a very reasonable price :D

Scribbles by Raisie said...

wow, your story is inspiring! it's interesting to read your experiences. =p

SittieCates said...

Anonymous: I really, really hope you would write your name next time. Thanks for dropping by. ;-)

papaleng: lol! Thanks po. It's all right if this looks like a poem to you. lol! Thanks for reading it, papz. ;-)

Nath: Hi there! It's my first time to see you here. Great to meet another book lover. I also visit the library when time permits. And 2nd hand books are really good, too. ;-)

el lector: Oh wow! I've got another newcomer. Hello to you el lector! So pleased to meet you. Thank you for visiting my blog. I do hope you'll visit more often. ;-)

arjesi said...

Books can certainly take people far.

SittieCates said...

Hello, arjesi!

Yeah, it certainly can. ;-)

It's just so wonderful to see new people here. Thanks for the visit, arjesi.

Do keep in touch. Have a happy weekend! ;-)

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The Musings of a Hopeful Pecunious Wordsmith by SittieCates is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivs 3.0 Unported License.