Istoryan Writers

[galenostiel]

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hi von!-x

I hope you don't mind me giving my thoughts as well. The last part went by a little too fast for me; it was building up but the climax came too quickly. Maybe a little more anticipation for the reader? But those are just my ideas. I'm no expert at short stories myself.


gareb! Musta na? Looking forward to reading more of your writings.

[gareb]

icarus
September 12th, 2006

the beautiful have their own way of destroying those that love them, blinding them with its searing light.

it has been known to render the senses useless, cause an overwhelming sense of yearning, induce pain, create madness, destroy reason. power is gained and lost in a mere glance at beauty. time stops, and the vaunted laws of physics are warped at the approach of the divine.

let's just say that i have witnessed an episode of such last night. approaching midnight, a shining beacon of light appeared not far from where i was, a heavenly light whose dazzling charm i have suffered to resist for some time.

until now.

"hey, are you going home?" the touch of those words was electrifying. i felt reality gracefully violated by those words, by that smile.

"yeah." imbued with power that could only come from heaven, i answered back.

"hmm... can we go home together? i hate walking alone." i had to close my eyes to still the chaos caused by the laws of physics being torn to pieces. "just wait for me a bit, will you? need to finish a few things."

to sit there with butterflies on a fit of rage was sweet suffering. it was simply impossible to wipe the smile off my face. and then it began.

it was a burning sensation that started on the tips of my fingers, creeping up my arms then down to my feet. and then i thought, 'fire'. my heart throbbed scenes from way past began to flash inside my head. i could not make out the images, nor remember what they were, but i know the feeling that was attached to each one of them.

i was burning. to even think of touching skin with divinity threatened to be the death of me. the heat did not come from them, but from inside me. it was a pain that needed a cold douse of reality; the very same reality that was violated with the presence of this entity of light.

no wonder there's a huge barrier between mere mortals and the divine.

"hey, i'm not yet done here. are you going home na?" those half-hoping magnificent eyes boring through my layers, trying to see what was wrong.

"yes."


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diem, as usual, i need your thoughts. tear it apart i you must.
galenostiel, lingaw lingaw lang. :mrgreen:

[diem]

Call for submissions for the 7th Ateneo National Writer's Workshop

The Ateneo Institute of Literary Arts and Practices (AILAP) is now accepting applications for the 7th Ateneo National Writer's Workshop to be held on October 22-27, 2007.

Each applicant should submit a portfolio of any of the following works: five poems, three short stories, or two one-act plays, written in Filipino or English, with a title page bearing the author's pseudonym and a table of contents.

The portfolio must also be accompanied by a diskette/CD containing a file of the documents saved in Rich Text Format.

All submissions should include a sealed envelope containing the author's name, address, contact numbers, and a one-page resume including a literary curriculum vitae with a 1x1 ID picture.

Twelve (12) fellows will be chosen from all over the country. Food and lodging accomodations will be provided.

Please address entries to:
Marco A.V. Lopez, Acting Director,
AILAP, c/o Filipino Department,
Horacio dela Costa Hall, Loyola Schools,
Ateneo de Manila University, Loyola Heights, Quezon City.

Deadline of submissions is on August 3, 2007.

For inquiries, please contact workshop coordinators Ms. Bong Oris and Mr. Yol Jamendang at 426-6001 local 5320-22. You may also e-mail Mr. Lopez at mvlopez@ateneo. edu.[br]Posted on: June 06, 2007, 05:38:16 AM_________________________________________________@gareb, great mix of poetry and prose you showed there. Poetry in prose. You really like to take a moment, a situation and heighten it with words describing emotion succinctly and with such clarity. It's a trait of internal denouement or revelation which written stories and novels have over TV and movies.

So far, I reviewed your past works you cared to share on this thread and in the other thread, Mindless Thoughts and Serious Scribblings and there is, I think I see, a general theme rising out into the surface... several scribblings are referring to this 'person', divinity with great hair

Maybe you should really compile them and place these under a heading: "Moments of You" or something like that but not so cliche heheh how about "Pieces of You in Me", "Given Glances", "Seconds, Minutes, Hours and Her"?

And speaking of titles; you could try putting some proper nouns. I don't know, just me I guess~ sometimes the 'generality' of your writings may have a wide appeal but sometimes maybe putting some names of people and places can anchor a reader more to your writing.

[galenostiel]

The result of frustration...heheheh...I think I got carried away.

_________________________________________________

I haven't been writing enough lately.

I've been afraid, afraid that I could no longer find the precise words on my own, and my writings will be nothing but mediocre.

Afraid that I could no longer find inspiration.

That when I try to delve into my thoughts, I will find only senseless chatter. And beyond... a dark void, a bitter chasm separating me from the masterpieces that I seek.

Alas, the writer grows silent.

I contemplate the filmy cobwebs that now adorn the once resplendent recesses of my mind. Spiders have chased away the visions in my head, it seems.

Where now is my muse? I am in need of an epiphany!

Behold, I am speechless. But only in passing, this I vow! This fleeting intermission will meet its demise, and I shall conquer the words, reclaim my visions, and rise again.

On this day of reckoning, inspiration will find ME.

_________________________________________________

I was reading through the older posts...those way back at the start of the thread made me feel rather nostalgic, even though I wasn't really part of this group's beginnings (wish I had been, though).

diem, what's happened to Caleb?

I'm trying to write more these days, though I find it not as easy as when time was in my hands. Right now I feel like I'm always running after it. *sigh* When you write for both work and for your own creative satisfaction, there comes a time when your brain just asks for a time-out.

[gareb]

scent
April 15th, 2007

you smelled of sweet, freshly laundered clothes; clean and innocent.

i saw you standing there near the glass panels waiting for me. your hair was the usual unkempt, pointing-to-ten-different-directions style that you usually had. that was the first time i saw you then. you had a ready smile. your puppy eyes too darn beautiful to resist. then we went inside.

imagine a family size pizza that's good for two. yeah, we ate it all. drawing silent and secret deep breaths to calm the excitement, i was able to get a whiff of your scent.

you smelled of sweet, freshly laundered clothes; clean and innocent.

a few nights later, i was able to slowly undress you; peeling away at the pieces of cloth that frame your brown body. with your muffled moans, my pale fingers traced fine lines on your shivering skin.

suddenly there was wild fire on your once innocent eyes. sweat and musk, your body was aflame. and the heat was contagious. i made furious and tender love to you.

you, lying there languorously recovering from post-ejaculatory triste, with the smell of *** emanating from the sweet secret places of your body...

while your sweet, freshly laundered clothes, clean and innocent, were everywhere on the floor.

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diem: let us just say that i am not referring to just one person. and because you offer such flattering comments (i doubt you do flattery, it's just that i am flattered. ), another offering from the recent archives.

galenostiel: sh*t happens. but it's up to us not to let it happen too often.

[diem]

@gareb, keep it up bro!

@galenostiel, I completely empathize with you girl friend~ because I am in such a situation myself. I work as a technical writer by day and I strive to author some creative fiction at night.. and its not really working in terms of productivity. It's either I get too tired or too distracted.

I mean when it comes to creating new concepts, the spring flows but actually starting, moving and finishing... that is another matter that I've got to work on.

But through this I realized that I am a task-oriented writer; I need a sort of authority figure~ an editor, a publisher to 'push' me to write and complete a set piece. Because though I maybe my own worst critic and my own ardent fan, I can really be lenient when it comes to pushing for projects.

And about Bless My Blade, actually I was planning to continue with Chapter 2 where Caleb survives the fiery explosion caused by him vanquishing the demon breed and he wakes up again in the seminary with Rachel watching over him.

Then a group arrives, accosting guardianship of the girl seeing the Caleb has lost his memory and is unfit for his 'duty'.

Because of the attempt in the school, they were to be moved to a new location. Caleb learns more about himself which only confuses him. And suddenly more demon breed attack the seminary.

[gareb]

hmm... speculative fiction.

[galenostiel]

@diem, good luck on Bless My Blade. I hope we get to read some more of it sometime soon.

As to my own venture into speculative fiction, well, I only just finished the prologue. Hehehe, tough luck. But I'm now trying to re-develop the habit of writing every day, even for just an hour. I've been telling myself not to forget that this is one of the things that matter most to me, and that I owe it to myself to set aside time for this.

So good luck to me, too.

[diem]

This is interesting, let us continue talking about this some more...

On speculative fiction, actually this is the most popular and prevalent form of contemporary fiction today. It's just basically an academic term that encompasses science fiction, fantasy, supernatural themed fiction, alternate history fiction and magic realism. In short it begins with the question WHAT IF and the writer runs along with it taking the reader for a ride.

When Neil Gaiman came here to the Philippines during a FullyBooked event, he remarked that Filipino writers should really delve into this fiction genre considering the fact that our culture is so rich in supernatural beliefs, superstitions, pagan notions and animas.

From his words, I figure that speculative fiction best fits Filipino life~ I mean a lot of Filipinos relate to it. Don't we all have heard or even experience of brushing sides with something unexplainable or magical? It's our mindset, its our heartset, it's who we are-- it's who we should remain to be.

But here's the problem I think with Filipino speculative literature, it's becoming too set, too formulaic much like the fantasy themed Filipino movies and TV shows we see.

We got to mix it up, deliver stories or themes that are original yet familiar enough to be appreciated by a lokal and a global audience.

On BLESS MY BLADE I would really like to continue this story really I do.. but I might have to do a reset because I feel I've taken the original concept via a wrong direction storywise.. will still have to see. I have some other projects in mind and yes that's my problem.. which project to commit to.

On the Goals of iStoryan Writers As always the purpose of iStoryan Writers is to cultivate and nurture the passion for writing for any genre, any form This can be a circle (a growing circle) of people who share and support each other's aspirations. But personally I'd like to set a definite set of courses of action to guide our aspiring and maybe even professional writers in achieving their personal goals and fulfillment for this craft.

Since we do not write the same, we do not write the same things~ iStoryan Writers is that heaven where writers weary in their solitary literary journeys can come to port, share information, gain some inspiration then shove off and maybe in a week or month, come back again, restore the spirit and go off again... never stop writing, if it makes one fulfilled and happy, never stop writing.

My personal goal with iStoryan Writers that I hope that our inspired interactions with each other would ultimately lead to having one of us or most of us getting published! It could be me, it could be you or it could be anyone! It's just nice to know, going to National Bookstore then picking up a book then brag to someone, I know this author~ he's an iStoryan Writer

If anyone care to share any suggestions on what we can do to keep this thread active with interest and challenging for people to participate in, please please post.

This thread is yours

[diem]

On a whim, I looked through www.gutenberg.org and found these.

Short Story Writing: A Practical Treatise on the Art of The Short Story

Barrett, Charles Raymond
http://www.gutenberg.org/etext/20526

The Art Of Writing & Speaking The English Language: Word-Study and Composition & Rhetoric

Cody, Sherwin
http://www.gutenberg.org/etext/19719

On the Art of Writing: Lectures delivered in the University of Cambridge 1913-1914

Quiller-Couch, Arthur Thomas, Sir,
http://www.gutenberg.org/etext/17470

Please remember that writing is a craft is timeless... what worked then still works now.