FOR THE “PSN Selects 100 Project”, with the goal of collecting 100 poems, essays, letters, stories, short plays written for young adults, I want essays that are not boring, and that are actually “thinking.”
I mean, I want the essays that have some new insights, some solid thoughts, maybe belief-shaking ideas, maybe newer ways of looking at things.
Key words: new, fresh, exciting, original ideas (or at least, not common knowledge).
I want youth for youth writing.
But if it does not happen, I want to see an older writer try to write for the millennials.
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I want essays that talk about our current culture.
Investigations, going deeper, something like research.
On bashers, Why are people nastier online than in real life? Why do people comment and meddle on other people’s affair like it’s a free for all? Would they be so bold to do the same in real life, outside of virtual reality?
On naked torsos, Should teachers post seductive photos on their social media accounts? Where does individual rights begin in this case? Where do teacher’s responsibilities, ethics, and decorum? What about nobility of profession and decent moral examples? And in the first place, is it really immoral to pose naked with your tongue out?
On cyber bullying, What’s your experience of it? How did it end, if at all? What’s the effect on you? Do you think this will impact your future relationships, and success?
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For the potheads and the crack users, what did you use to get high when illegal drugs and marijuana became scarce? Or did it (become scarce), at all? What was the effect of the ‘War Against Drugs’ on you?
For sex addicts (who don’t know it), How many times daily is considered normal masturbation? How many times is considered healthy? Is there a direct correlation between watching porn and masturbation? Who’s your favorite porn star? Or is Twitter feed enough to satisfy you?
I really want a healthy essay on masturbation because I never masturbated as a child.
And look where it got me — to being the region’s sex guru, and premier agent provocateur!
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For the literary folks, I want investigations on our language and idioms.
Like, I can’t believe people think “daw langka ka” (You’re like a jackfruit) is a metaphor.
Somebody corrected me, and said, “It’s not a metaphor. It’s a simile!”
The idiot. Trying to argue with me?
Similes are special metaphors!
Anyway, in “daw langka ka,” you are not being compared to a jackfruit.
Your face maybe compared to a jackfruit, but not you.
“Langka” here comes from “walang kaalam-alam” (knows nothing) of the Tagalog.
Look at the last syllable of the first word (lang), first syllable of the second word (ka).
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Thus, as a Hiligaynon idiom, “daw langka ka” means “you are acting stupid.”
Sorry, but it doesn’t translate as “You are like stupid.”
Because it is either you are stupid, or you are not.
But you can act stupid. Try it!
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And what’s an idiom?
An idiom is a group of words established by usage as having a meaning not deducible from those of the individual words.
“Hinugay linangka dira.” Stop being an idiot (there, or wherever you are).
There. Now, you know.
See? An essay that informs, gives new ideas, does research.
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If people are coming out of depression, I want to read essays about their depression.
How they treated or not treated it. How long they had it.
I use the past tense because I assume only people who have survived depression can write well about the experience of it.
I mean, I think depressed people don’t have the energy to think, and much more write.
But, as always, I want to be proven wrong.
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Obviously, the dead cannot write anymore.
Still, I want to read from suicide survivors.
No, I do not mean, suicide attempt survivors, silly. (Although that is also a good place to write from.)
But I want to hear from the survivors of those who had friends, family, relatives, lovers who committed suicide.
What did they learn? How did they process their grief? Why wouldn’t they recommend suicide to their children and/or friends?
It’s too tragic that after we add suicide to the statistics, we lose the lessons they were supposed to teach.
So, if you want to be a writer, write about this.
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I want city folks to write to rural/provincial folks. I want them to rant (or to boast) about their lives.
I want rural/provincial folks to write to city folks. I want them to rant (or boast) about their lives.
I want heterosexual boys to write how difficult it is to get a girl.
I want heterosexual girls to write how difficult it is to get a boy (because he is a closet queen).
I want gay boys to write how difficult it is to get a heterosexual boy.
I want to know the specific difficulties they have experienced, the instances, the examples of their love moves that failed, the love languages that went “toinks!”
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Oh, you can write anything if you have a writer’s mind.
Sadly, many wannabe writers don’t think.
They just feel intensely. So, they hide in “poetic license.”
They think composing “I love you like the flower needs the rain” makes them a poet.
Nah-ah. My flower doesn’t need rain. It’s plastic, stupid.
Nah-ah. My flower doesn’t need rain. It got me to sprinkle it, idiot.
Nah-ah. My flower doesn’t need rain. It’s a water lily on a pond, loser!
See how I think around that “flower needs the rain” motif three times?
Now, think for yourself.
I think, therefore I write!/PN
