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Ch-ch-check the contest out!

I got tagged by Katharine for a writer’s meme.

List three things [I] believe are necessary to make writing good and powerful:

1. Write about what you want to know more of.

There is passion when writing about something you want to learn about. I find research boring, but if it’s something that interests me, things go much better, of course.

2. Proofread.

Goodness. I forget to proofread sometimes. Especially for short blog posts which should be written quickly.

3. Develop your own writing style.

I don’t want my writing to be generic riffraff. I’m on a quest to find my voice and my own writing style. I believe it’s a big factor in succeeding as a fiction writer.

Thanks, Katharine, for tagging me. =) I don’t have many people to tag here so I’ll move the tagging to another one of my blogs.

Also, Katharine and Diana, a very funny thing happened. I asked my cousin to send out my letters last December 23 or so. I thought everything was all right when to my surprise, the letters were delivered to my doorstep on January 3. It seems my cousin made a mistake and the Post Office didn’t even ask why the “from” addresses were marked USA and Russia while the “TO” addresses were marked “Philippines.”

Well, my cousin isn’t the brightest bulb in the box, but she’s all right. So after a minute’s fit of anger, I sent out the letters myself on the same day (January 3). I’ve also gotten your cards!

Panama is lovely, Katharine. My sister was enamored. She says Panama looks like a princess’ pony. LOL.

I’ll try to blog more, from now on. Thing is, I think the client I’ve gotten last December and I are a really good fit. We got a backlink from New York Times for one of the pieces I’ve written and things went from there. My workload tripled and I’m just very thankful that he’s a really nice client to work for. Problem is, I don’t have much time for anything else anymore. But I’m at the stage where I’m getting used to it. In a couple of weeks or so, I think I’ll be able to cut down the time I usually spend on my new projects.

I’ve never had a slow month since July until recently. But then again, I’m sick, so I guess that’s a blessing in disguise. Still, I was getting worried. My savings would run out by May next year if I don’t keep earning. I know that’s being pessimistic, but hey, I can’t help it — I can’t be a happy camper 24/7. I discussed things with my mom lately and she told me not to worry because gigs would start pouring in by January. I sure hope so. I remember Katharine’s post on Feast or Famine sometime ago. While others could afford being on famine, I cannot. Which is the exact same reason why I was scared of taking risks and raising my rates.

Last week, I had this gut feeling. I was thinking of my biggest-paying client and I was suddenly seized by this FEELING. I KNEW, somehow, that something would happen soon. In effect, I’ve, again, been vigilant for new gigs, something I haven’t been since November. A couple of hours ago, I left my computer running while I was downstairs watching TV. When I decided to go back to work, I was welcomed by two new emails. The first was from my current client, asking me to cut back on my weekly output by half for now. While on an ordinary day, this would have made me a nervous wreck, today was different.

A mere 15 minutes after this email was sent, I’ve received another from a new client, hiring me. The funny thing is, I’ve applied for an opening in his blog last August. When he replied by September, I already had too heavy a workload (due to my current client) to take on his, so I declined politely. When I saw he was again, looking for bloggers, I applied and got the gig. I guess I was meant to work on his blog at the right time, and I can’t think of a time more right than now.

Thank you, God, for always, ALWAYS helping my family at the right moment. Thank you for making me brave enough to become a freelance writer, an occupation which, we all know, is like a rollercoaster ride. Thank you for making me highly resourceful that I’ve been earning almost as much as my father did when he was still working. Thank you for all the gigs I land which let us afford not to sell our house and to send my sister to school. Thank you, Lord, for loving even a sinner like me.

M

My plans for my Holiday vacation consist of the following:

1. Launch a new science-centric blog. The theme would be science that even the lay audience could understand. I have a particular sub-discipline in mind, but I don’t want to risk idea piracy so I’ll keep that to myself for now.

2. Do heavy promotion for my Japanese entertainment-centric blog. I got into contact with one Japanese indie artist, one Japanese major label artist and one American indie artist over the past few weeks. If nothing happens to prevent them, I’ll have three exclusive interviews for the web site by early next year.

3. Turn this blog into a role-play blog. Basically, my idea is to write as a different character each day and as myself during Sundays. I’m still coming up with the details but it’ll most probably start after December 15.

4. Rest.

I have to go now. I have a ton of stuff to do and my eyes just hurt too much to dilly-dally.

The catch: you have to send me a card in return! :D

One of mine would be when I respond to an ad and the client gets back to me with a “I like your style, I could use you” type of reply.

You could USE me? Excuse me, but I’m not some kind of a tool you could use. You could use my SERVICES, that’s what you could use.

Another would be when I quote a client the price for the project and they get back to me with a “someone quoted me a lower price than you did.” Well go on, I’m not holding you back. Go work with someone who’ll mangle your web site and stuff it with senseless articles of 99.99% keyword density.

I have a lot more but they’ll have to come later.

8 things I’m passionate about:
1. Writing fiction
2. Reading fiction
3. Japanese urban music
4. Classical music
5. The many different Japanese subcultures
6. Trying to etch my mark in history
7. Being a good and conscientious individual
8. Maintaining a relationship with God and my family

8 things I want to do before I die:
1. Write and publish many, many books
2. Live in Japan
3. Travel the rest of the world
4. Build my mansion
5. Inspire people to better their lives and follow their dreams
6. Learn five different languages
7. Learn how to play the violin and piano
8. Help my underprivileged countrymen

8 things I say often:
1. Fantastic!
2. Love it!
3. Puh-lease
4. That is so cool!
5. As if!
6. Please, Lord, help me survive this day.
7. I’m hungry…
8. I hate this!

8 books I’ve recently read: (Since I haven’t read anything NEW recently, I’m listing 8 books I’ve recently RE-read)
1. The Godfather (Mario Puzo)
2. Queen of the Damned (Anne Rice)
3. Jane Eyre (Charlotte Bronte)
4. The Cell (Stephen King)
5. Chromosome 6 (Robin Cook)
6. Tuesdays with Morrie (Mitch Albom)
7. Breakfast at Tiffany’s (Truman Capote)
8. To Kill a Mockingbird (Harper Lee)

8 songs I could listen to over and over: (Everything’s Japanese, sorry…)
1. Hide & Seek (Namie Amuro)
2. Kiss & Cry (Utada Hikaru)
3. Your Name Never Gone (Chemistry)
4. Itsu Demo Kimi no Koto wo (Soulhead)
5. Kokuhaku (Soulhead)
6. So Exclusive (m-flo)
7. First Love (Utada Hikaru)
8. Fish (Namie Amuro)

8 things that attract me to my best friends:
1. Good Humor
2. Dependability
3. Loyalty
4. Honesty
5. Compassion
6. Open-mindedness
7. Intelligence
8. Genuineness

8 people I think should do Crazy 8s:
Everyone else reading this ♥

(more…)

Last week, my mother’s two old aunts came over for lunch. The elder of them was so old; she walks by shuffling her feet forward like a Chinese granny with lotus feet and the younger of them lost all her teeth about a decade ago. I was in the middle of blogging when they arrived so I didn’t get to welcome them. I was summoned by my mother when it was time for lunch and I had to go through the perfunctory greetings between relatives — you know how it goes. My mom told them I was working as a writer and Lotus-feet Granny smiled widely and detailed about her stint as a journalist (way before World War II). She asked me what subjects I write and for what newspaper I was working for. I shared a look with my mother in knowledge that it will be a hard-time trying to explain blogging to my ancient grannies.

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And Katharine, I had a long reply written to your last email but there was a sudden blackout in my place so everything went poof. I’ll type it out again tomorrow and send you my reply!