Mid-2019, I crossed a street and got hit by an overtaking jeepney. The whole vehicle--from front to back--passed over me, albeit none of its wheels ran over any part of my body. Its right front wheel, however, struck my ankle. The impact tore the tissues between my tibia and fibula and left a tiny crack... Continue Reading →
Most of my treasured memories are from childhood. As far as I remember, I was that naughty, brave, and curious child. Every day, I would be busy tinkering, creating, and making mess around the house. My parents gave me freedom to explore as much as I wanted to--as long as I would do after-care, of... Continue Reading →
What does carnal mean? By dictionary's definition, carnal means "bodily" or "corporeal." OK? So what is a "carnal writer" then? I am borrowing the term from the exquisite memoirist and author of The Art of Memoir, Mary Karr. I actually attempted to explain what she meant by "carnal writing" on Chapter 5 of my memoir... Continue Reading →
Some people find it uncomfortable to share personal stories. One, they value their privacy and prefer to keep most things close to their chest. Two, they don't want to look like a fame-chaser or a narcissist. Three, why should people care? Some people don't feel important enough to be heard. All of us are, in... Continue Reading →
Muse is unpredictable. It comes and goes as it pleases, and you're most unfortunate if it does in the wrong time--comes in the shower, in an ungodly hour, or in the car while you can't stop to pen an idea; then leaves at the precise time your laptop opens to MS Word, once you hold... Continue Reading →
Do you believe that you are a natural storyteller? "Human beings are embedded in their stories," Jason Silva of Shots of Awe said, "The human race--who we are--is a story. We are a narrative. Mind is a narrative." Every day, your mind runs with words. The world breathes with information. Wherever you look, you see... Continue Reading →
You've probably noticed the surge of aspiring authors around the world in the recent years. Since the virtual world constantly prompts people to express themselves--What's on your mind? on Facebook, What's happening? on Twitter, Write a caption on Instagram, and Write a post on blogs--the tendency to develop a love for words has become almost... Continue Reading →
This has been my routine when entering a bookstore: I walk straight to the Biography section, linger there for less than an hour or two. I then amble along the Fiction Section and allow myself to be awed by Stephen King, Agatha Christie, John Grisham, and other authors whose books occupy big spaces in the... Continue Reading →
March 7, dawn. News about an NCOV-infected Deloitte employee in BGC came online. My morning and afternoon small group discussions were cancelled. Weeks back, Ate Fel booked us tickets for a theatre play called Joseph the Dreamer, and we chose to see it on March 7. "Ticket World said no advice from the promoters yet.... Continue Reading →
I reckon that the terms “intrapersonal intelligence” and “introspection” are germane to a discussion in memoir writing. When I penned my first memoir in 2017, I thought it was my initial first-hand encounter with the literary form. Wrong, I was. After teaching and studying about memoir, I discovered that I’ve been a memoirist all along,... Continue Reading →
Elaine Marie Factor 