Envious of: Dani

(Dani with her daughter, Isis)

What's enviable: Si Dani ay isang magaling na journalist. Once an editor for a local paper in Baguio and a contributor to PCIJ's magazine. She is currently the editor of a property magazine.

When did you find out you could write well?
In second year high school, I wrote a piece about how I pitied my mom and how difficult her life was. My teacher gave me 1.0 and said my mom was lucky to have a child who understood her. A few weeks later, my Phil. History teacher asked me to write a column for a high school journal (for various high schools) that she was editing.

Does it run in the family?
Definitely. My lolo chronicled his part in World War II, my dad wrote my mom feverish love poems, my nephew is song writer (and guitarist and lead singer) for HardBoiledEggz. Isis writes well-written hate letters to me.

What was the first piece you ever wrote?
"Run, run, run, my son." Hahaha. My sister was learning to play with the guitar and wanted me to write words for a few chords. It was gothic, at age 5, about a son who has to run away from a mad killer.

How do you build your vocabulary?
Read. read. read. Merriam Webster word of the day?

What books do you usually read?
Mostly classics now. As a knee-jerk reaction, modern American writers. Am trying to read all works of Nobel-prize winners.

Favorite authors?
Salman Rushdie, still. Hemingway in my early 20s. There's a list on my Facebook; couldn't help it.

Any rituals?
None, because I'm a hack writer now and have to write on a deadline. But there's a period of soaking up info. There's a period of gestation. Then there's a period where it writes itself in an explosion (like an orgasm! hahaha). Then you edit this draft. Then wait, then edit again.

Tips for writers or aspiring writers:
Read. read. read.
Live on the edge (well but don't fall off).
Live a full life.
Be unafraid.
Write. write. write.
Accept criticism.
Believe that you have something to say.
Be willing to sacrifice comfort.