Five Essentials for Tagalog Romance Writers

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1. A laptop or desktop computer

If you’re going to take this whole writing seriously, you’re going to need your own computer.

What if inspiration suddenly strikes and someone else is using the computer?

What if you have to meet a deadline and only have two hours to write every day?

It’s pretty obvious that sharing is not an option here.

2. A decent Internet connection

The days where you have to print out and photocopy your manuscript are long gone. In fact, submitting a manuscript has never been easier.

When I first submitted my manuscript to Bookware Publishing in 2009, I didn’t even have to print a single page. I typed up the entire manuscript in a Microsoft Word file and saved it.

I attached the file to an email and sent it to Bookware Publishing. Three to four weeks later, I got a response from one of their editors stating that my manuscript had been approved.

The internet is also a great way to network and connect with your readers and fellow writers. When I first started out, I was too afraid to send in my manuscript.

To gain more confidence, I sent a ton of annoying emails to several published writers, asking them questions about how to get a manuscript accepted and how to handle rejection. It was pretty great.

3. A Tagalog-English Dictionary

You might not need this if you speak Tagalog on a daily basis.

However, I personally find this very useful. I grew up in Visayas where we speak a completely different dialect, and I sometimes struggle when it comes to finding the right words in Tagalog.

4. Inspiration

Unlike the other things in this list, inspiration isn’t a tangible thing. It can be found in the books you read when you’re stuck on a particular passage or the people you talk to when you’re looking for ideas.

These are basically the things that give you ideas and fuel your writing.

When I write, I get most of my inspiration from music. I have to find a “theme song” for my book, and I listen to it over and over while writing. It can’t just be any song, because it has to completely encompass how my characters feel about each other.

5. Confidence

Do you hear a voice inside your head telling you that your writing isn’t good enough to be published/read/used as tissue paper?

That’s great, because you’re not alone. All writers struggle with confidence and question their writing at some point or another.

In my opinion, questioning if your writing is good enough or not is actually a good thing. It means you’re open to feedback, and you’re already a step ahead of other writers who stuff cotton in their ears every time someone criticizes their work.