Category Archives: Writing

TPL’s Writer-in-Residence: Allan Stratton

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This season, Allan Stratton is Toronto Public Library’s Writer in Residence. The author of Chanda’s Secrets, Chanda’s Wars, and Leslie’s Jorunal, Allan is an award-winning author and playwright whose works have been published in twelve different countries.

The year, I had both the honour and pleasure of submitting my short story, “Colour Blind”, for review by Stratton. Meeting on Friday, October 22, Stratton’s feedback was inspiring and invaluable. The stress he placed on focusing on writing a true voice as opposed to writing for an audience, as well as his mission to write true stories whether they contain hard truths or not, was refreshing. Furthermore, his advice helped me re-evaluate my current writing style and question certain issues I had when becoming close or distant to particular characters.

Shortly after our meeting, Allan hosted a workshop at the North York Central Library called “Writing Based Fiction”, during which he recounted his travels and research in sub-Saharan Africa. During this workshop, Allan discussed how to find the universal in the specific and the way in which literature could be an agent of social change. He also read from his novel, Chanda’s Secrets. It was especially captivating during Allan’s reading when, most of the time, he didn’t even have to look at the page. It was as though he were so close to his work that he no longer had to refer to it outside of himself.

This Saturday, November 13, Allan will be hosting yet another workshop at North York Central Library called “Using Theatre Techniques to Create Characters from the Inside.” Targeted towards younger writers, Allan will start with relaxation techniques then lead participants through visualization exercises in the creation of characters. Participants are then interviewed “in character” to learn techniques that will lift characters off the page. They will also learn about considering the Goals, Obstacles, Tactics, and Expectations for their characters, which will maximize dramatic space. Since space is limited for this workshop, if you’re interested in attending please call the HUB to register at 416-395-5674.

I strongly recommend writers to either participate in Allan’s workshops or try to find time to speak to Allan themselves. The Toronto Public Library’s Writer in Residence program is one of a very few that offers what it does to the Toronto writing community. Though the WIR program has been around for some time, continued patronage to the program is always good. And writers can never underestimate the benefits of a meeting like-minded artists. Check it out!

Tone-Deaf Writing

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What do all of these people have in common?

They all suck. Badly. And surprisingly, they don’t seem to know it.

Over the past year, I’ve gotten increasingly involved with various online and print publications and have really enjoyed it. This type of writing, however, is not what I ultimately wanted to do. I love to write, but I don’t want to spend all my time writing about other people’s books. I want write my own books, too.

Recently I decided to leave shift work to focus more of my time on art. This included applying to Humber’s School for Writers Correspondence Course – a renowned course, but one that cost a tiny fortune.  I knew that if I got accepted into the program, I’d have to pay up, so I began looking into grants and scholarship programs.

One of the grants I applied for belonged to the York Region Arts Council. Silly me thought that my chances of landing a YRAC grant were pretty darn good. I had a pretty good portfolio and I’d agreed to write for the YRAC’s new YorkScene website, too.

Months passed and the deadline to hear back about the grant came and went. I took to checking my mailbox every day. People say that a watched pot never boils. Well, a watched mailbox never fills. On Thanksgiving Day, after hearing nothing in the mail as I was supposed to, I was included in a mass e-mail sent out to all rejected Grant applicants. “Thanks for trying. Sorry you didn’t make it,” was the gist of the thing.

I was devastated, of course, but it wasn’t about the money. It was about the above. It was about American Idol contestants who suck and suck badly. When people watch American Idol, they watch it as much for the success as for the failure. The above video has been viewed over 6 million times! These awful singers are just hilarious to watch. How do they not know how bad they are?

Over the years, after that first bout of curl-up-and-cry rejection from grad school, I’ve harboured a fear of what I term “tone-deaf writing”. What if I’m just not good enough? What if I just can’t see how awful my writing actually is? What if I’m one of those sad, sad people who pursue a dream to death to the point where it is no longer inspiring, but shameful and a tad depressing?

Being rejected for the grant -not even through snail mail like I was advised I’d be, but through a mass BCC – reinforced all my fears about being a tone-deaf writer. I found myself thinking, ‘Gee whiz, good thing I didn’t quit my day job, and thank goodness I signed up for courses in Project Management too.’

Of course my relationship with writing didn’t end there, but it certainly was a low point for me. Feelings of insecurity and uncertainty are normal, but what do you think of these feelings in relation to art? Of course it’s only natural for every artist to experience a certain degree of insecurity. Then again, what if you’re a “tone-deaf” artist? It’s naive to believe that a certain degree of talent isn’t needed to succeed in art. Some people just don’t have an affinity for certain arts. I can’t sing for beans and I know that. What if I can’t write for beans, either, but I just can’t accept it? What if you’re a tone-deaf artist? How would you ever know? And when, in the pursuit of art, should you accept your limitations and stop?

NGP/YorkScene: Reading Relevancy

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Check out my article on the relevancy of reading in contemporary society on either Nerd Girl Pinups or YorkSccene.com. Don’t forget to comment please!

Also, if you’re already going to be there, may as well check out my NON-PIXEALTED profile pic on YorkScene.com. Enjoy it, folks, because this photo took many takes with my dad behind the lens, who is the person I know who is most competent with the camera. Needless to say it was awkward.

Clutch 2010/2011

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Each year, the Kapisanan Centre offers the Clutch program to young Filipina women between the ages of 17-24. Clutch is an annual six-month arts based program for young Filipinas, providing them with mentorship from professional artists within the community and giving them access to professional tools to hone their creativity, define their identity, explore their cultural heritage, and tell their stories on their own terms.

In addition to weekly artistic mentorship in various studios throughout Toronto, Clutch incorporates weekly history and language lessons and encourages program attendees to blog regularly on the Kapisanan website.

As a writer with a special focus on culture and background, the Clutch program was extremely alluring to me. I applied for the program in August of 2010. After frequent follow up phone calls, I was ecstatic to hear that I’d made it into the Clutch roster for 2010-2011.

Time spent with Clutch was certainly eye opening. It gave me a new insight into Filipino culture, history, and current events. The program largely focused on thinking outside of thinking critically of Philippine circumstances and becoming an active agent in Philippine matters. The program stressed social awareness and volunteerism.

Furthermore, being part of the Clutch program made me re-evaluate who I was as a Philippine-Canadian. I’m not going to lie, sometimes I experienced moments in Philippine history class where I’d feel uncomfortably detached from the issues discussed. The matters we talked about felt so far away that I wondered if I was even a legitimate Filipino. The questions the Clutch program rose for me – about what it means to be a Canadian, Filipino or even cultural being – were and still are extremely important.  They are questions that I still have not fully resolved, and that I am sure I will be thinking of long after my involvement with Clutch.

Even better than the program were the people I met through it. Whether an artist, activist or entrepreneur, each person I met was passionate and inspiring in his or her own way. The other Clutch girls were especially inspiring – visual artists Michaela Cruz and Lyndel Aguilar.

With all that being said, it may seem surprising when I now admit that I withdrew from the Clutch program. My decision was a result of many factors, many of which were practical or economical. Though the program itself was free, the time and effort it took to commute down to the centre in Kensington Market at least three times a week during rush hour was extremely difficult. It was guaranteed that the trip would be at least two hours one way most of the time. Furthermore, due to time constraints imposed by prior writing and work commitments, adding another commitment was not wise of me. It is with regret that I withdrew from the program. It certainly offered a lot.

In this little corner of the internet, I’d like to take the opportunity to thank the Kapisanan Centre for the opportunity offered to me. I strongly encourage everyone to keep up to date with Clutch happenings this year. With Michaela and Lyndel on board, this year’s Clutch will certainly lead to great things.

YorkScene Launch Event

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Pardon my last minute notice, but if you’re somewhere near the Town of Newmarket tomorrow afternoon, come drop by and celebrate the YRAC Grant Recipient Announcement and YorkScene.com launch with the York Region Arts Council from 4:30-6:30pm in the York Region Municipal Offices.

YorkScene.com is the York Region Arts Council’s inaugural website featuring What’s On in our local arts, culture and entertainment scene. In addition to the main website, we have a whole host of bloggers from across the arts scene, from literary artists and visual artists to graphic designers and fashion designers. It is with great pleasure that I am one of the bloggers for the new YorkScene website, which is super handy and cool looking, just FYI.

Come out and celebrate the site’s launch with us tomorrow afternoon, or at least check out the new site after tomorrow’s 6pm release. We love reader feedback, so I hope to see you guys there!

Nerd Girl Pinups: Bang! Bonanza

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Okay, well two articles don’t really constitute a “bonanza”, but check out my latest articles on NerdGirlPinups.com to learn more about the super cool card game, Bang!

Though the Bang! review is almost exactly like the one I posted on MiaHerrera.com a few months earlier (I know, I know. Boo for unoriginal content), the game night article is completely new. Check it out for a step-by-step guide on how to host a super cool, super nerdy game night of your own, and to see a really cheesy photo of me dressed as a French chef cowgirl.

NGP Reviews: Settlers of Catan & Acquire

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Though both are a slight variation of material that can already be found on MiaHerrera.com, if you’re feeling for some traditional gaming reviews check out my reviews of Settlers of Catan and Acquire on NerdGirlPinups.com. As things progress and I free up more time for writing, I definitely hope to get some new material out there – perhaps even some themed game night tips (January’s jam of Bang! inspired food and clothes was super fun).

Other than that, if you’re still looking for your NGP fill, check out the NGP booth at the FanExpo or drop by to party with the girls at the Charlotte Room this Saturday night.

Book Review: A Thread of Sky

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Check out my review of Deanna Fei’s A Thread of Sky on the SideStreet Review website. This review may also be found in the newest (June 2010) issue of the magazine.

Though my review of A Thread of Sky is already quite enthusiastic as it is, I’d just like to take this blog post space to state exactly how much I liked this book in a more colloquial way:

Out of the 33 books that I’ve read to date this year, Fei’s novel is one of my favorite novels of them all. It is beautifully written and, to me, it was deeply touching. I am not exactly sure how to describe the chord that it resonated within me. Perhaps I found her novel so relevant because it was able to do what I have been trying to do with my own writing: tell a tale from the position of a distinctly female, Asian American writer.

When someone states the above – “female, Asian American” – a series of stereotypes arise. In my opinion, the female Asian American occupies a certain space in accordance to gender and race. Despite how progressive our society is, the label of “female” writing still often conjures up ideas of books that are distinctly feminist or emotional or descriptive in a certain gendered way.  Furthermore, the “American” perspective is often overpowered by the word “Asian” that precedes it – a word that connotes exoticism and alternative culture.

As a result of the above, even I myself am hesitant to refer books as “female, Asian American literature” because the description comes with so much baggage. Because of the terms’ connotations, assumptions about books that fall into this category can easily be made and, as a result, such books may be easily overlooked or dismissed.

Because we live in such a hybridized society, however, I don’t believe that its fair to lump books into one “female” or “Asian” or even “Asian American” experience. My own experience of being “female Asian American” and of knowing others of “my type” lends itself to stories of variety and difference rather than the generic stereotypes that attend the label.

A Thread of Sky struck a chord with me so strongly because it was capable of portraying the story of multiple Asian American women that could not be described as strictly “female” or “Asian” or “American”. I fell in love with the way Fei reflectively portrayed the hybrid life of Asian American women – lives that were lived in the in-between that results from being oneself and yet also being a “model stereotype” for others.

Anyways, I’m not too sure if any of the above made sense, but I suppose all I can say is: Read Deanna Fei’s novel. It is awesome.

And read my review too. It is not as awesome, I think, because it fails to say much of what I truly felt the novel did, but I wrote it, so read it, too! : )


Interview with Felicia Day

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Check out my interview with the beautiful Felicia Day on CGMonthly.com. Felicia is the ingenious creator, director and actress of the hit web series, the Guild. Now on it’s fourth season, the Guild is being released online, in stores on DVD, and via Xbox Marketplace and Microsoft distribution platforms. The Guild is so wildly popular that it has even been turned into a graphic novel series by Dark Horse.

Despite the fact that this interview can be found online on C&G’s newly revamped website, be sure to check it out in the actual magazine too. The mag comes packed with a bunch of awesome content that can’t be found on the site, including some gorgeous full-page pics of the beautiful Ms. Day.

And speaking of the physical publication, be sure to check out C&G Monthly, SideStreet Review and Lucid Media Magazine on the endcaps of Chapters and Indigo stores. The promo for these mags lasts until July 24th, so be sure to check it out.