Featured authors of the UST Publishing House stressed how writing is a serious profession, in the panel session held during the Philippine Readers and Writers Festival on August 10, 2018 at the Raffles Hotel in Makati.
“A writer is never not writing,” claimed playwright Nicolas “Nick” Pichay. It is more than the act of writing, Joselito de los Reyes added, for one to claim that he is writing.
“Pwedeng nakaupo lang ako at nagmumuni-muni, pero ‘nagsusulat’ na ako
nun,” (I may appear to be merely seated and contemplating, but I am actually already ‘writing’) de los Reyes, current chair of the
UST Department of Literature, said. Poet Mookie Katigbak-Lacuesta agreed, stating that “writers’ minds should always be active to absorb everything in their surroundings.”
When commended by a member of the audience for their courage in embarking on such profession, the authors concur that writing is, in fact, a “demanding craft” on various levels.
“Katapangan talaga ang dine-demand o hinihiling ng pagsusulat,” (writing demands courage) said fictionist Angelo “Sarge” Lacuesta. He pointed out that writers should be prepared for possible criticisms on their
work once it is made public.
For fictionist Chuckberry J. Pascual, another challenge
of the craft is following traditions.
“Kailangan mong alamin ang mga naunang naisulat na. Challenge na sundan ito, at yung alamin kung paano makaka-contribute ang sarili mong gawa sa tradisyong ito.” (You have to know what have been previously written. It is a challenge to follow them, and to know howyour writings can contribute to the established tradition.)
The Philippine Readers and Writers Festival was a three-day event organized by the National Book Store and Raffles Makati. It featured bestselling international and local authors, as well as book signings, discussions, and panels about books, literature, and culture.
