IN THE five weekends of October, I conducted “The PSN Weekend Poets Project” online.
My purpose was to give a free poetry-writing workshop to netizens who showed interest in the genre, but mostly to students and teachers who would like to take an active part in the shaping of the 21stcentury literature of the Philippines.
I have done online writing workshops of this sort since 2014.
*
The only innovation here for October 2020 was that it was designed just for the weekends: I give the prompt on Friday evenings, and the participants have until every Sunday noon to compose and submit their poems online.
I have asked the participants to allow me 36 hours to give my critique of their works, but what really happened was that I would give my evaluation in less than six hours, and mostly even within the hour of their posting!
As far as I am concerned, it was a successful workshop with over 350 poems submitted, in the minimum, every weekend; and with one weekend making a record of over 500 poems.
*
It was hard work on my part.
But I’m a trooper, and I love the challenge.
I just had to say No to prolonging and extending the workshop for a few more weekends.
I understand the need, and hunger, of writers and wannabe writers.
After all, who gives free workshops like this other than me?
*
I have a rather solid following as far as workshops are concerned.
And sometimes, it’s like a class or a batch of the same people just attending a new or advanced course.
That changed a little bit in this Weekend Poets Project.
After my rather scathing (if a brilliant eye-opener of an) essay about the quality of Wattpad writing today, I gained a rather big following of Wattpaders and ex-Wattpaders, who thought they could learn a lot from me.
(I have already published my 104 Poetry Tips in my previous columns.
And also the now-famous “Why Wattpaders Can’t Win…” essay.)
*
I wrote some lectures to help those who are new to my poetics.
I usually would write everything in English.
Just because I think that’s the way for me to reach a bigger audience.
But with Wattpaders coming in, and I realized many of them are just teenagers who are just in high school, I had to adjust and be bilingual in the conduct of my workshop.
I also developed a certain voice during this workshop.
I was still sure and certain, and I kept my funny, if a little sarcastic tone.
But now, there was more authority, more force and gravity.
Like I was a schoolmaster trying to mold and control adolescent hormones and rage.
Like I was trying to show who was boss!
*
My regulars noticed it.
And some even dropped the project because they thought I was more exacting, and they were too old, or already “too professional” for it.
But those who stayed said that I was most effective.
A lot of teenagers today, writing on platforms like Wattpad, think that they know everything because they can just Google stuff.
They are proud to declare themselves writers because they really do publish online.
But of what quality are these writings?
And since there are no grammar Nazis or poetry police online, what stops them blind mice from leading other blind mice?
*
The teachers in my group were amazed at how I handled the workshop with just the perfect attitude and tone that commanded respect, and also gave respect to all writers even if they were just teenagers.
And to my credit, everybody said “Thank you,” and “I will try to do better next time.”
One veteran of workshops in the Philippines told me, “Wow! You are the Pied Piper. You mesmerized them. At other workshops, the participants would just give their panelists and evaluators the finger, and say ‘F*ck you!’ if they try to tear the works like you do.”
Yeah, and that’s how the hashtag — #PSNLangMalakas — was born./PN
