Last month, it was mentioned on this blog that we were carrying a new publication called The Digest of Philippine Genre Stories. We’ve taken a closer look at it and have decided that we like it. And since it is a new publication and we do want to see it in print for issue #2, at least, we thought we’d mention it again.

For Readers and Writers

Every story is introduced by the editor. In his introductions, the editor tries to give you something to think about. In one it is about fate, in another it is about how the author may have come up with his story. Some of you might find this unnecessary but given a Filipino audience of which most have yet to be introduced to genre stories, this can actually be very helpful in guiding the reader. (Genre stories are those that fit into specific genres like science fiction, fantasy, mystery, crime, horror, detective, etc. It’s really a big group of different kinds of stories if you think about it so you will most likely find something you like.)

The magazine doesn’t just give you good stories to read in a handy and affordable digest format, it also encourages you to write. At the end of each story is a short description of the author and a few words from the author about writing his story. The short profile also includes an e-mail address so you can tell the author what you thought of the story or maybe ask questions about it. This focus on the authors and interacting with authors will hopefully inspire many of you who have always thought of writing to actually sit down and write. You will see these authors are just like you, they go to school or they go to work, but they also write. Write to your favorite author. Ask him how he started writing. Ask him how long it took him to write ten pages of fiction. Ask what inspires him.

Near the end of a magazine is a story prompt. In the first issue we are given a photograph. Write a story based on the photograph and submit it and you could win a free issue of the digest. There is also, of course, information on how you can submit your own story to the magazine for publication. I believe that authors are paid for their stories.

At the end is the story of how the magazine came to be. Here you get the impression that the publisher without guarantees and with all the risks jumped in and went to press anyway because he wanted to make something good and readable.

The magazine is very affordable at P100. You don’t have to be very careful with it. You can roll it up and put it in your back pocket if you like. Take it with you on the MRT. Read it during your break. Pass it on to your friends.

The Feature Story

Our favorite story for the first issue has to be the feature story, The Middle Prince, by Dean Francis Alfar. It gives you humor, whimsy, and that feeling of wanting to know what will happen next. It’s also a story that many middle princes out there will find familiar. What’s a middle prince (or princess)? I happen to be one. Find out for yourself when you read the story.

Something About Writing and Publishing in the Philippines

Why is it so important to us that we encourage people to write? Because there is so much to write about and hardly anyone is doing any writing. We will not be talking about important it is to read or write here because we all know that already. One of the reasons people don’t write is that, for most, it’s just not a career that will pay the bills. What can we do to change this?

We can support publications like The Digest of Philippine Genre Stories. Brave efforts like this need our help. We can help by reading their stories, telling them what we think of their stories and what stories we would like to see, writing our own stories and publishing them even if just for a small fee because we all have to start with little steps.

Support the National Book Development Trust Fund Bill or HB 1531, which, if passed, will give local authors grants that will give them some financial leeway so they can produce manuscripts for publication. When you attend RodCon 2007 this February, please make sure to sign your name as a supporter of the bill before you leave the event.

Encourage the youth to read and write. When we attended the launch of Philippine Speculative Fiction Volume 2 last month, we were pleasantly surprised that some of the contributing authors were teenagers! Thank you and congratulations to their parents who taught their children to read and allowed them to write.