Wednesday, March 25, 2009
Writhing in a dream of writing like Isabel
Many years ago, I read somewhere that Isabel Allende, one of my most favorite novelists, writes this way:
In one particular night at a particular time, she lights a candle, and sits at her writing table waiting for the first sentence to come. Once it comes, the weaving never stops, resulting to magical and enthralling novels: The House of the Spirits, Paula, Daughter of Fortune, to name a few.
Today, I found Isabel Allende's website where she narrates:
"That day, January 8th, which is a sacred day for me, I come to my office very early in the morning, alone. I light some candles for the spirits and the muses. I meditate for a while. I always have fresh flowers and incense. And I open myself completely to this experience that begins in that moment...
I try to write the first sentence in a state of trance, as if somebody else was writing it through me. That first sentence usually determines the whole book. It's a door that opens into an unknown territory that I have to explore with my characters. And slowly as I write, the story seems to unfold itself, in spite of me. It just happens."
I wanted to be her. There was a period in my life when I did a similar ritual. Alone in our house, I turned off all the lights, lit a candle and sat in front of my typewriter, meditating. Nothing came but sleep. Sore.
I also wanted to be like Anne Tyler. I wanted to be like Gabriel Garcia Marquez.
You see, I'm an incorrigible dreamer. Until my mind is able to churn ideas (no matter how stale they are) and until I breathe my last, I will hold on to my dreams.
(I am also an incorrigible dramatic queen!).
Gaano kadali ang pagpaslang?
Sansaglit, at may nakitil nang buhay.
May punglo na humahagibis,
At may pag-asa na napapatid.
A stanza from Palanca-winning "Pagtindig" poem of Ma. Josephine Barrios.
Itching to find out if you're writing is worth a Palanca? Carlos Palanca Memorial Awards for Literature is now open and will accept submissions up to midnight of 30 April 2009.
Categories are open for English/Tagalog poetry, poetry written for children, essay, short story, short story for children, one-act play, full-length play. There are also categories for short story in Cebuano, Hiligaynon and Iluko.
Interested? Visit the Palanca website for more information.
[By the way, have you already subscribed to my feed? If you haven't, I'd appreciate if you do. Thanks.]
mahirap magsulat ng walang puso..
kaya nga sa mga taong ang pinagkakakitaan sa buhay eh ang pagsusulat... bilib din ako sa kanila kase naka-come up sila ng sulatin kahit anong oras, well, dahil obligado sila.. pero iba pa rin ung hindi na kailangan pilitin na may lumabas para makalikha ng isang napakagandang sulatin..
iba talaga kapag sumusulat ka ng dahil sa gusto mo.. mula sa puso..
ewan ko kung may konek pa ba toh sa entry mo kuya nebz.. gusto ko alng i-share ahihihihi...
i missed ur entries kuya..
thank you so much...
God bless you..
wow! may palanca awards!
nebz, hold on to those dreams, because it is what makes us alive, excited and inspired!!!
Thanks for your post. Haha, mahilig ka rin pala sa palanca awards?
and Anne Tyler, yung sa Armageddon?
I agree with Mr. Thoughtskoto!Live your dream! Big fan of Garcia-Marquez as well.
First off, salamat sa pagbisita at pagcomment sa post ko. I really appreciate it.
Ganda pala dito. Sa sobrang busy ko kasi hindi na ako makapaghopping sa mga blogs. Isa lang ang masasabi ko, loyal akong blog fan sa mga iniidolo kong blogero at blogera. hehehe.
Natawa ako bigla ng mabasa ko ang line na 'to "I wanted to be her. There was a period in my life when I did a similar ritual. Alone in our house, I turned off all the lights, lit a candle and sat in front of my typewriter, meditating. Nothing came but sleep. Sore."
Nakarelate ako dyan dahil kapag iniidolo natin ang isang tao, we really wanted to be her/him. Pero am pretty sure, may sarili ka namang uniqueness sa pagsulat. Kaya goodluck.
Napansin ko lang sa poem ni Ma. Josephine Barrios, Palanca-winning piece ito di ba?
"May punglo NA humahagibis,
At may pag-asa NA napapatid."
Sa Balarila, dito talaga ako nalilito. Whew! Ang gamit kasi ng Pang-ugnay na 'Pang-angkop'.
Hindi ba dapat:
"May pungloNG humahagibis,
At may pag-asaNG napapatid."?
Sabi kasi sa Filipino subject kapag ang salita ay nagtatapos sa patinig dagdagan ng NG. Kung nagtatapos naman ito sa katinig, gamitin ang NA, at G nalang kapag nagtatapos ito sa titik N.
Pero Palanca winner na ito, eh.
Hindi ito related sa post pero nalilito talaga ako. Maipapaliwanag niyo po ba 'to sa akin, Kuya Nebz?
Salamat po sa dalaw!
Yanah: True ung sinabi mo. Mahirap magsulat pag wala sa puso. The thing I liked about blogging is that we get to pour our hearts out (and also our artistry) without anyone telling us not to do so. Honestly, karamihan sa mga nababasa ko (even your short stories Yanah about yourself), parang ganun ung mga nananalo sa Palanca. So why don't you try?
Josh: Yup. Palanca.
Kenji: Armageddon? D ko alam. Pero my Anne Tyler is from Baltimore. She writes about Baltimore and its people (the same way I like to write about Antipolo and its beauty). Salamat po sa advise.
Badz: Nabasa mo nb ung One Hundred Years of Solitude? Ganda no? Gusto nilang gawing film pero ayaw yata ni Sir Gabriel.
Redlan: Salamat po sa compliment.
RJ: As usual, napaka observant mo. Alam mo ba na hindi ko napansin un? Tama ka doon sa paggamit ng NG, NA at G (kailangan ko pa ngang basahin ung libro kong Wikang Filipino Retorika). Ayon sa aking pananaw, kung babasahin mo ung tula at iaayon mo doon sa alituntunin ng balarila, nawawala ang kanyang pagkamakisig.
Gaano kadali ang pagpaslang?
Sansaglit, at may nakitil nang buhay.
May punglong humahabigis,
At may pag-asang napapatid.
Pansin ko lang ha: nababago ang tema ng tula kapag 'punglong' at 'pag-asang' ang ginamit.
Salamat sa iyong obserbasyon. Pati ako'y natututo.
Oo nga po... Baka mas lalong malito ang mambabasa kung ano ang salitang 'punglong'. Hahahah! Dapat pala ang Balarila ay ina-update din. Makapag-email nga sa Surian ng Wikang Pambansa. U