THIS IS Part 3 of the Ronelo Ladiao interview that I have serialized since Monday.
Multi-talented Ronelo Ladiao often blogs about me.
Among my writer-friends, he’s the most updated about my projects.
For his blogs, he sends me questions that I actually enjoy answering.
Here’s the conclusion of his latest interview with me.
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Iconic Ilonggo writer Peter Solis Nery in the time of COVID
An interview by Ronelo S. Ladiao
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(RSL): In your personal pursuit as a writer and artist, what’s your most fulfilling achievements in the time of the COVID-19 pandemic?
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(PSN): That I’m able to beat my personal records of publishing four books (in 1997), and five books (in 2014) is a great achievement in itself. But also, I’m conducting online workshops, and have been featured in several webinars to help students in the Philippines this COVID year. I think those are great literary and artistic achievements, not to mention social action. But also, it is only August. Let’s see what else I can do before the end of the year.
And although the textbooks won’t be printed until next year for use in school year 2022-2023, I think that to author two textbooks for Philippine senior high school in a single year is a major achievement. If my publisher will still distribute my Creative Writing textbook in 2022-2023, that will be three textbooks for senior high by Peter Solis Nery. I dare anyone else to make such a bragging claim.
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(RSL): Moving forward as a passionate writer, how do you see the future of book publishing in this ongoing pandemic and beyond?
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(PSN): We have already established the publishing trend ten years ago: that is, more and more people will go to self-publishing either online, or in print. If writers were wise, they would have written more during the COVID quarantines. Nothing much has changed for me, but I expect many people to self-publish after the pandemic. The challenge is therefore how to attract more people to your story. If we are all telling our COVID story, why would a reader choose your book over a book by Peter Solis Nery? So, in the end, I do not see the point of the question about the future of publishing. There will always be publishing, it’s the quality of writing that’s the real issue always, and all the time.
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(RSL): One of your new books is entitled “Heart of My Youth”. If given a chance to rewrite your childhood or youthful days, what do you think would you like to change or alter to make it better?
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(PSN): I know this sounds unoriginal, but at 51, I am so integrated and holistic that there’s really nothing I want changed in my past. It wasn’t an easy road that led me to where I am now, but I understood and appreciated the journey. I’m really happy and content with what I have gotten out of Life in the past 51 years. I am very aware of what’s going on in the world. I have seen so many people, and have become part of the lives of others. I know I’m not as bad as many. In fact, I’m rather a good person.
But just for fun, if everything else in my life remains the same (my kind of success, my kind of celebrity, my financial security), but in addition I could get a pretty face, I’d take a pretty face, and probably use it to get more lovers. Haha. I mean, way more than I could chew. Or, is there a shortcut to just have more lovers even with my current face? Bwahaha.
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(RSL): Do you have any updates or plans for The PSN Arts Festival, or some future similar events?
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(PSN): First, an effective Covid vaccine available to me. Second, less travel restrictions all over the world. Third, easy access to my funds. Unless those three are in place, there’ll be no more PSN Arts Festival for now until the pandemic is over. Aren’t you glad I organized Functus Dos: The PSNF Regional Arts Festival in Iloilo last February? This year, most arts festivals are either postponed, or conducted online. I’m still a little unhappy with the online stuff. Like I feel I have no control. Haha. And I like control. Bwahaha. I’m doing a lot of webinars, interviews, and workshops online. I think that should be enough to satisfy the need for another PSN Arts Festival.
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(RSL): What’s your greatest advice to aspiring artists and writers on how to pursue their passion amidst the ongoing pandemic?
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(PSN): Write. Create. Repeat. Feel alive. Inspire others. Have faith. If you can’t be a part of the solution, don’t add to the problem. It is terrible that we have the pandemic, but what can we do? What can you do about it?
During the lockdowns, I read a lot of books, watched a lot of movies, wrote a lot of important and unimportant things. I tried to be safe, and was most conscious about ways to prevent infection. I also gave free online writing workshops, ministered to depressed and mentally stressed people over Facebook Messenger, Zoom, and Google Meets, and prayed for the dead (COVID-related and otherwise) and the frontliners. I think I was/am a good person in this whole COVID experience.
Our first job is to stay alive, and be a good neighbor. By being a good neighbor, I mean not causing others harm, not passing them the virus. Then, we try to love others. And by loving, I mean giving and sharing our stories, poems, art works, creative visions, products of our imagination. If literature and art are really your passion, you don’t need any advice from me. And no pandemic can ever stop you from pursuing your real passions./PN
