bethgstories

I used to dread that question. Not because it wasn’t sincere, but because I felt like I had nothing good to answer. Most of the time, no one really asks me about my weekend, and when they do, I can’t help but feel like there’s nothing exciting to share. I hated it. Hated the fact that my weekends were often spent in solitary confinement, with nothing but Japanese novels and Asian dramas heavy on the romance. I didn’t mind those things, but the emptiness of it all—the lack of anything else—weighed on me. It made me feel like there were better ways I could be spending my time. Better ways to fill the silence. But there was something about you asking. Something about you taking the time to ask. I realized, through your simple question, that it wasn’t about the details of how I spent my time. It was about the fact that I had something to share, and someone to share it with. It wasn’t the what, but the connection that mattered. And suddenly, it made me realize: it wasn’t the weekend that ne...

So you want to write? You’re thinking of a story but you can’t just get it out of your head. Or maybe, you’ve been already been writing but it’s been a long time now and you haven’t even finished your story’s first act. Kinda frustrating, yes. Because the truth is, goals in writing can be a tricky thing. One minute you’re inspired and typing furiously, and the next, you’re staring at the blinking cursor wondering where the hell all your motivation went.  I should know. I’ve been there.  Setting realistic goals in writing is the key. And when I say realistic, I mean goals that are actually achievable based on your lifestyle, energy levels, and available time. Gone were the days when I believed in “ shoot for the moon; you will land among the stars ” (well, at least in writing), because when my target feels overwhelming, I tend to get frustrated and just give up altogether.  Why is setting realistic goals in writing important? Believe it or not, writing isn’t always about w...

I do not believe that writer’s block exists… at least until I attended a writing workshop where the respectable speakers said there is no such thing and it all comes down to self-discipline… and maybe a couple of routines. But for the sake of this post, and of those who’ve been asking how to deal with writer’s block, let’s pretend it exists. And if it really does, how do we overcome it. As I write this, I am on a break from editing a fifty-thousand word draft I finished writing in three months. This is the second book I’ve written this year (and a first in this genre so that’s saying a lot), proof that writer’s block can indeed be combatted. A change in environment Sometimes, a change in environment is necessary. Not just in writing but I guess in other life aspects that give us insurmountable (insurmountable???) amount of stress. For example, I went to this cafe in the nearby mountains just to be in the mood to write the final battle scene in my book. It wasn’t spectacular by any ...

Isang ordinaryong araw lang iyon. Walang bago, walang kakaiba. Tulad ng dati, naupo ako sa sa sulok ng paborito kong kapihan. Ang amoy ng bagong giling na kape ay parang yakap sa gitna ng araw na abala. Isang cup ng americano, lofi music sa background, at ang paborito kong libro—para sa akin ay hindi espesyal at karaniwang eksena. Hanggang sa pumasok ka na naman sa pinto. At sa unang pagkakataon, nagkatinginan tayo. Noong isang araw, isang sulyap lang, tapos na. Pero ngayon, napansin kong ngumingiti ka na. May kaunting laro na sa iyong mga mata, na para bang naisip mong hinihintay kita. Pagkakuha mo sa order mo, doon ka naupo sa mesang katapat ng akin. Pareho lang naman ang kwento ng mga araw natin. Ordinaryo at walang bagong hain. Pero sa pagtatagpo ng ating mga paningin, parang may nabago sa ihip ng hangin. Humigop ako ng kape, sa pag-asang masapawan ang kabang hindi ko alam kung saan galing. Marahil ay hatid ng bawat galaw mo at bawat pagkuha ng tasa. At nang mapatingin tayo sa ...

I discovered Joi Barrios'  works when Kim showed me Muli, sa Tag-Araw. It was a little poetry book, almost looking like the prayer books my mom stashed at home. I am not a fan of poetry book—girl knew this and showed me the book anyway. I randomly opened the pages, a couple of lines caught me eyes, and then I was sold! Poetry is sacred to me, not in the religious kind of way, but figures of speech should be there. I want it to play with my thoughts. I want it to show me to discover the secret it holds. There are many poetry books out there, but only a few made me feel something. Joi Barrios’ poetry was one of them. A dive to the novels The novels were short—I finished them in one sitting. They carefully reminded me of the 2 PMs when I was way younger, when my auntie would play the AM radio and Tiya Dely would read mails about life experiences of her listeners and voice actors would dramaticize it. The smoke of her unfiltered cigarettes packed in a printed paper, like the w...