Stories and Publishing: What Changed? What Remained the Same?

It was my first time to attend the Manila International Book Fair and wow, it was also my first time to see thousands of locally published books in one place all together.

My MIBF Haul: The "Hindi raw bibili pero ayon!"

(L-R from top): Dancing Waters: The Story of Leni Robredo (Story by Yvette Fernandez, Illustrations by Abi Goy), Ako ang Bayan (Sulat ni P.D. Guinto, Guhit at Disenyo ni Manix Abrera), Alon and Lila's Last Summer Before Doomsday (by Ingrid Valenzuela), Mga Nilalang sa Aming Bahay (Kuwento ni Liwliws Malabed, Guhit ni May Aguilon) [I won this book in Vibal's booth as they were having a quiz], Subversive Lives: A Family Memoir of the Marcos Years (by Susan F. Quimpo and Nathan Gilbert Quimpo), and Mga Uring Panlipunan (Idea at Titik ni Equipo Plantel, Guhit ni Joan Nagrescolor)

I was not surprised but elated seeing readers coming to the venue checking each booth. It only means print, together with the Philippine Literature, is not dead in the age of digitalization and colonial mentality. Perhaps one, it's because people, just like me, are sort of "collectors" and two, soft copies of Filipino books are hard to find. Though some may say people just come to these events for the gram (heck, I even told myself that before I came in but we all know I'm lying), once you see them buying the books, you know for a fact that they are indeed readers and they look and choose books that may be talking about socio-political topics. But then, one shouldn't be gatekeeping reading as just a form of learning or as I say, "pang matalino" activity (just intelligent things). Some people read to escape, to laugh, to entertain themselves.

For me, the event also mirrored how the world of publishing and writing stories have changed or remained the same through time.

We now see a lot of comic artists, especially the indie artists, uploading their works online that then turn into books. We are no longer limited to Abrera and Medina (and the late Funny Komiks). We have Tarantadong Kalbo among others and publishers like Komiket and Penlab (Penlab which by the way now has a mobile app!).

I have seen a lot of books with covers that feel and look the same. As I browsed through them, I felt that it all started when Wattpad stories were published as physical books. And that amazes me. Of course, when I was younger (when I was still a gatekeeper which I am not proud of), I used to cringe at those books whenever I see them on stalls (but joke's on me now because, I do read Wattpad stories and I even published two stories there. Lol). Imagine, branches of National Bookstore have one whole shelf of those books! Or even two! Now, more and more Wattpad stories get published that some of them even become movies and TV series. Today, there was even a book signing of Wattpad authors and I may have not read any Jonaxx story but I remember the days her name trends on Twitter together with her stories. There were days before that she trends every day and today, you know it — saw her name again in the trending topics.

But what stayed the same for me (with a bit of a twist)?

I have not yet read any Wattpad published book but if I look at the titles it brings me back to Precious Hearts Romances pocketbooks. I feel like they have the same stories but Wattpad books (or books alike) are converted for this era's readers. Words used in the titles are now of the generation's language together with the design covers — they have started to attract younger readers. Hence I strongly feel about maximizing different platforms the younger generations use (like Wattpad) should be a priority as these are more accessible to them. Filipino authors, especially those who already have big names in literature, should also look into it and immerse themselves in the platform. We always complain that kids today no longer read but do we even try to reach them?

Some of us might have started their love of reading of Filipino authors from pocket books like the famous Precious Hearts Romances franchise or perhaps because of those texts our Filipino high school teachers asked us to analyze — from Matute to Bautisa, from Balagtas to Reyes-Aquino and to Rizal. I on the other hand started with Psicom's True Philippine Ghost Stories, which indeed, was ironic given I am not a fan of horror movies. I would remember that I would go upstairs to fetch the dictionary (Althea's pre-Internet circa) when I stumble into a word that sounds and looks foreign to me. Spectre was that word followed by mirage. And sometimes, I will start to imagine in a heartbeat that someone I don't see is lurking by my side when I am reading TPGS in the afternoon, alone in Aling Gina's house during summer. Then our list start to grow — just like when you try out new food, your palate expands as your tastebuds dance. You start to learn about Ricky Lee, Bebang Siy, Jhoanna Lyn Cruz, Danton Remoto, Bernadette Neri, and so the list goes on. But just like how I consume visual media, I hope I get to see more of LGBTQIA+ Filipino books, especially sapphic content. Yes, I know these texts are starting to emerge into the scene but I am having a hard time getting my hands on them. More than marketing and accessibility, I think it's still how Philippines as a country and us as a society remains to be conservative and yes, let's say it loud and clear, homophobic.

Anyway, today, I think I learned that more than writing, reading has been and always will be my first love. And that's despite me not reading regularly nowadays.

And also probably because reading makes me look smart. Meh.