Rofel Brion
Main points
- After listening to comments about your work, just say “Thank you.” You don’t have to explain your work.
- Give comments to works you like. Tell what you like about the work and why.
- Ask when you don’t understand something.
- Share if you have any comments about how to improve the work.
Full advice
Alam mo naman na may mga malulupit na magbigay ng comments — ang iba dahil gustong makatulong; ang iba dahil gustong magyabang.
Ang ginawa ko sa UP Writers Workshop nang fellow ako noong 1984 ay nakinig lang ako sa mga comments nila tungkol sa mga tula ko, at nang pagsalitain ako matapos nilang “katayin” ang tula ko, ang sabi ko lamang ay “Maraming salamat sa inyong lahat.”. Palagay ko’y hindi naman kailangang ipaliwanag ng sumulat ang kanyang akda.
At nag-comment ako sa mga akda ng iba kung gusto ko ang mga yon — ano ang nagustuhan ko at bakit ko nagustuhan. At nagtanong lang ako kung may hindi ako maintindihan, o kung may maimumungkahi ako para mas mapaganda ang akda.
Gawin mo lang ang ginagawa mo sa Tungko. Ang palagay ko’y dapat maging safe space ang bawat workshop.
Taks Barbin
Main points
- Express your feelings then mention what lines made you feel those feelings.
- Connect what you read with what you have read in the past. “This reminds me of…”
Full advice
Hmmm kung hindi mo pupunahin ang mga elemento ng mga akda, pwede namang yung naramdaman mo lang muna at saang mga linya/salita mo yun naramdaman. Maaari mo ding i-ugnay sa mga nabasa mo na dati na naalala mo dahil sa akdang ipinabasa ngayon.
Pwedeng ganito: Naaalala ko sa akdang ito yung kwento/tula/sanaysay na nabasa ko dati. Yung…
Ang alam ko io-orient naman kayo kung paano magbigay ng komento. Kelan pala ang simula ng palihan? Online ba?
Froi Medina
Main points
- Welcome the opportunity with gratitude and joy.
- Use the opportunity to connect with other writers.
- Trust on the mutual respect and maturity of your co-fellows.
- There is nothing to be afraid or ashamed of.
- How to comment on others’ works:
- Start with gut feel and understanding about what they want to say.
- Look at clarity, style, elegance, evocativeness, and voice.
- Aim to help make the workshop a mutual learning experience by providing constructive feedback.
- Prepare but be open about other perspectives and styles.
- See how the work balances clarity and simplicity (it is essential that I understood what is being said) with elegance and evocativeness (how was it said to experience and feel it?).
- See how the writer balanced their natural voice with their learned craft.
- Read the work aloud (esp. well-written works) to get the feel and sound of the work.
Full advice
Good morning Vince. Kapatid, salamat din sa mainit na pagtanggap at suporta ninyo sa LB. Was really happy to see you and the others in such an idyllic setting - at creative pa. Una, CONGRATS! Happy for you. Go! Pangalawa, naiintindihan ko siguro yung anxiety mo dahil ako rin dati “coming in from the cold” o galing sa DIY writing, etc. Normal yun. Pangatlo, the fact na natanggap ka, big deal yun. Nakita nila yung kakayanan mo (kung malamang nagsubmit ka ng sample essay or work). Lastly, agree ako sa approach at tanong mo — anong tamang mindset. Maturity yun. Palagay ko lang din, baka ibang generation na rin ngayon kaysa noon na medyo malupit o parang crucible ang ibang workshop. Marami namang chill lang din, very nurturing. Palagay ko ganun yung sa Ateneo. So welcome it with gratitude and joy. Constructive criticism can be good for growth. Sabi nga ni Nietzsche: what doesn’t kill you makes you stronger. hehe. Learning & growth mindset kap, part of the journey to bring out your best. Ganda rin maka-connect sa ibang writers. Masaya yan. Paalis lang ako ngayon. Pero open itong usapan na ito sa atin anytime.
Walang anuman Kap. Sige kung pwede, pabasa ng essay mo. Maganda yung personal essay on leaving your childhood religion. Choice talaga kung ang subject ay mas hindi autobiographical, pero hindi ito disadvantage sa tingin ko. Palagay ko magtiwala na lang din muna sa mutual respect at maturity ng mga kasama mong babasa. Experience. Pero wala sigurong dapat ikatakot o ikahiya.
Sa kung anong titingnan sa pagbasa ng gawa ng iba siguro simula sa gut feel at understanding sa gusto nilang sabihin. Pwedeng tingnan yung clarity, style, elegance, evocativeness at voice ng sinulat at pagkakasulat. Sa alam ko lang din. Hehe. Andun yun sa On Writing Well na book. So ang intention ay sabay na matuto at siguro bigyan ng feedback ang isa’t isa na helpful o constructive.
Maganda rin maexpose sa ibang perspectives at styles ng pagsusulat ng mga kasama sa workshop. They will probably do the same with yours. So tama na maging handa pero bahagi nun ang pagiging bukas.
Pahabol - sa isang online writing class, ang apat na haligi ng prose ay: clarity, simplicity, elegance, and evocativeness. Binabalanse ang apat na ito, which means minsan dapat lean at walang sobra sa mga sentences (omit needless words - Strunk & White). Pero minsan dapat hayaan ding dumaloy ang salita dahil sa elegance at evocativeness, rhythm at voice. Pinaka-essential ano ang gustong sabihin. Pero ang art & craft ay sa kung paano sinabi para maintindihan, maranasan, at maramdaman ng bumabasa. Sa alam ko lang din, practice ito kasi balanse ng natural voice at learned craft at technique. Hope that makes sense. hehe. Baka mas maayos at malawak ang paliwanag sa mga librong na-share ko.
Lastly, I think you are already an avid reader. An editor-mentor of mine once guided me to read well-written articles & essays ALOUD. This is to get the feel and sound of words, the rhythm, phrasing, etc. Sana makatulong at hindi overload. hehe. Just choose what you can use Kap.
Welcome Vince. Happy to help and vicariously inspired by your passion to learn and write. I think common sa ating lahat na mag-isip o mamili sa simple o mas complex na style ng pagsusulat. Parehong valid at pwedeng powerful depende sa gumagamit. Sa iba ang exercise nila ay imitation muna, ibig sabihin try mo sumulat ng simple tapos try din sumulat ng mas complex. Hanggang mahanap ang sariling way/voice at style. But this is just one way. Pwede ring diretso lang. Salamat sa pag-share ng essay mo. Babasahin ko ito. Looks very interesting at talagang lived/walked. Yung online class ay sa Udemy. “Writing with Flair: How to Become An Exceptional Writer” ni Shani Raja, former Wall Street Journal editor. Minsan meron silang discounted rates kaya naka-tiyempo ako. Sa Coursera meron ding free courses on writing. Pero suggest ko mag-focus muna siguro sa isa o dalawang learning tools/modes e.g. On Writing Well. But up to you. Dami nang channels of learning ngayon. Enjoy the journey!