I AM, once again, Peter Solis Nery, the provocateur.
Not that I really left that persona and designation.
But this time, I’m more than just the premier agent provocateur of Western Visayas.
With the explosion of social media, I have found a bigger platform.
I have become a national pastime.
*
I have found my new calling on Facebook.
And I traverse all kinds of kinds of things stupid and idiotic.
It helps that I’m 51, and richer than most.
It helps that I’m well-traveled, expatriated, and with great accomplishments to back me up so that I do not sound like a bitter protestor, and sore loser.
*
From my vocal critiques of the DepEd modules, and calls for academic freeze, I have ventured and spoken about the writing platform Wattpad, and the attitude of young writers in there.
And from these, I was introduced to the RPW, or role play writers’ world and community, which I ended up exploring.
All through these, I have earned new friends and fans.
And, of course, the critics and detractors, which knowing me, I didn’t give a chance to stand.
*
I have become a most colorful Facebook icon.
And I have won many people over.
Of course, I had to adjust my language.
Not just minimizing my English or switching entirely to Filipino, but perhaps more notably in mimicking their guttersnipe talk.
*
Still, I think my pieces on Facebook are great literature in low language.
But what is a great writer and great artist if s/he is not able to reach his/her audience?
I’m not saying that these literatures are for you.
But I thought you might enjoy these, too.
Witness:
*
Bakit ako tumanggap ng mahigit sa 1,000 friend requests on Facebook in one day?
Kasi, mahigit 1,000 friend requests din ang ipinukol sa akin in one day.
And it’s a day that changed my life — again!
*
Dumaan din ako sa maximum 5,000 friends ng FB.
Pero nilinis ko rin ang account ko last year hanggang sa 2,500 na lang.
Kasi nga, sa 5,000 friends ko, 500 or 50 reactions lang ang nakukuha ng mga posts ko.
If my friends are not engaged or interested in my life, for what do I need them?
*
But yesterday was a game changer.
Naisip ko —
Gago, #ThePSN, it’s not what you need them for.
It’s for what that they need you!
Di ba sabi mo, ikaw ang proud sponsor of the word “Inspire”?
Panindigan mo!
*
Ayoko talaga mag-accept ng dummy accounts, o ‘yong hindi tunay (lalo’t ang gaganda at ang popogi ng mga nasa profile pic).
Karamihan sa FB friends ko are tunay na kakilala, or teachers and students who I have met in many of my traveling lecture tours and seminars sa creative writing and filmmaking (since 2011).
*
Pero nangyari nga ang mga essays ko tungkol sa Wattpad, sa DepEd, at sa academic freeze na naging “viral” in the sense na umabot din sa 3.5K to 4K reactions, comments, and/or shares online.
And from the Wattpad brouhaha, may mga naging kaibigan akong Wattpaders at RPW (role play writers) na tumulong naman para maunawaan ko ang mundo nila.
*
Proud ako sa humility ko to walk in their shoes.
Kaya nag-Wattpad ako.
I mean, ginamit ko ang aking Wattpad account na parang scratch paper para isulat ang “The Adventures of Peter Valentine” #petervalentine, isang nobela in installments na tatapusin ko by the end of November.
*
I do not have a million readers.
Wala pa nga 500 followers, pero malapit na rin sa 1,000 readers if you count ‘yong icon na “parang mata.”
Englishero kasi ang piece ko, hindi pa chronological order ang sequencing, at very limited lang ang dialogues.
*
Pero proud ako sa work ko kasi alam ko na hindi ko isinacrificio ang quality just to get reads and votes (in terms of “stars,” na parang star rating).
I just knew that this is a novel I would like to write, and I enjoyed writing it.
(Baka magkajowa pa nga ako dahil dito!)
Inisip ko rin na isulat siya muli, o i-revise sa Taglish for a greater readership kapag natapos ko na.
Pero sa ngayon, I will finish the story in English as I have started. (To be continued/PN)
