The Writers’ Guild Saga — The pain, the joy, the choices we made and the dreams we weave!
THE BEGINNING:
It started as a dream, of putting together our published and unpublished poems, essays, featured stories in a book. It aims to chronicle the lives we lived. “You girls should start a Writers’ club,” my friend used to say. “And the foundation to bring AA (Alcoholic Anonymous) to every provinces,” I added. “Yes, when we get rich,” was her sad reply, sounding melancholic. “Someday Ate Lin, someday,” I ended.
This light exchanges happened over one of our very rare meetings where food and coffee got cold –a sign that you’re enjoying your conversation with your friend, she used to tell me. With it was the promised to do it more often.Death prevented us from having more of those, and for the first time, I knew what grief was. She was the first closest friend, “mother”, and mentor that I had lost. Tributes were everywhere, people making speeches — but not me. Not many knew that I had to seek a therapist to help me deal with it.
A sibling encouraged me to start the writing group, and not to wait for others who were too busy talking. However, I was not ready and there were issues that needed to be resolved among “the others”. All the while, Mr. Tony Bartolome, a.k.a. mr. b/kuya Tony, was always on my side, giving me reassurance and support. Having found a benefactor and secured financial help to come up with a magazine, which in turn will ensure a monthly fund for The Guild’s operational expenses, I put things together and submitted our group’s name to the Hong Kong Police Society for approval before flying out with my employer to England.
With the drama and false pride and unfounded allegations from the very group of people who asked me to start the guild, I made a painful and conscious decision to change the name of the group into The Writers’ Guild. I fully understood other people’s concerns, worries and doubts, taking into account that I, simply was just “the quiet and invisible” friend. I could have gone ahead, but I made the change, knowing deep in my heart that someday they will realize their mistake and that, the name may have been changed, but our goals remained the same.
The magazine was well into place. I was in Austria when I first saw the maiden issue and I cried. In real-estate parlance, it was a showcase house, but it was not a home. I understand the quality that was aimed by the editorial staff, but it was becoming a bearer of false selves. It was meant to be a reader’s magazine, but it turned out to be the opposite. The voices of domestic helpers like me, the de rigueur, as to why there was a magazine to begin with, became nothing but a distant murmur. By then I knew that the magazine will not and will never conform to the mandate of The Guild. And so again, I have to accept the painful truth that it has to go.
THE CHOICES:
I decided to leave and pull out The Guild but worked instead on the Dec-Jan issue as requested by our benefactor and conciliator. I did some traveling and picked on a new hobby and put writing on hold. The Guild was still doing some “charitable” works and Ms Miam “The Boss” Medrano accepted the post as Secretary General. Our kuya Tony got involved in another newsprint and made it known that we are welcome, anytime. I was also contacted by another publication who offered to be our benefactor. After a meeting, I agreed for a three-month try out, citing the previous bad experience. With all the (unrealized) plans, my heart was not really in it, but I did call up our contributors and members whose works are with us, asking their permission for The Guild to submit their works with other publication. They all agreed — a very touching gesture that inspired and motivated me to go on.
By March, the ideas of what to write started to overwhelm me once more. But I suppressed the urge, instead, I started a 50-word writing competition with True Friends Newsmag, and once again discovered good writers and new friends. No matter how much caution I would like to take, the “forces” of writing and The Guild’s mandate is far stronger. With Miam, a new set of officers were put in place. A very wise and fruitful choice, because by this time, everyone knows that to write from the heart, is the fun bit of The Guild. To be of service is the bigger goal and we need committed individuals. Not necessarily writers themselves (though they proved that they are) but women in action with a heart to be a part of a giving group. With Ines David, Internal Vice-President; Malyn Galicia, External Vice-President; Miam Medrano, Secretary General; Daisy Vanzuela, Treasurer; Fe Raguindin, Auditor and Jennifer “Sky” Rodriguez; Cecilia Salarda and Lerma Tagalag (Canada) as P.R.O., we could work like a well-oiled machine. With artists, writers, financial consultant and a barrister on board as our advisors and a philanthropist who redefines kindness and understanding as our patron, I could never ask for more. But most of all, the support we got from distinguished individuals (i.e., Rolly Cruz, Cora Carsola, Naresh Kumar, Henry Lobrin) who saw the importance of what we are aspiring to be, is as heartwarming and motivating.
Author: Catherine Montano, President, TWG
*Published in True Friends Newsmag (July 2008 issue)
