Mina V. Esguerra's Blog, page 4

Writing (Filipino) New Adult [UPLB]

The last time I taught “writing new adult” was in 2015, and while I’m always mindful of readership and publishing options and the “market” when I do a class, as an author I always prioritize story. Philippine publishers did adopt the category and to some degree continue to use it (see Anvil’s Spark Books which I helped develop via SparkNA, and Summit’s Pop Fiction New Adult). As the years went on, from a reader and consumer’s point of view, it looked like YA themes, just with more sex. This is how global (mostly US) publishing defines New Adult:

The way I teach NA now is to remind participating Filipino authors that adding the layer of being Filipino is perfectly fine. Our instinct, sadly, is to shed the parts of ourselves that we think we need to let go of to make a story more like US publishing. I did that, and released five New Adult books set in the US with US characters, which were successful but not where I wanted my career to go, ultimately.

Often when I do RomanceClass or a New Adult writing class the authors are there because they want their story to mean something to a reader, but they have to write into a Philippine publishing industry that judges you on how trendy you are, your follower count, and the number of people at your book signing. If you’re the kind of writer willing to push that down your list of priorities and focus on why you wrote the story and the kind of reader it’s for, then one of my classes will be helpful I hope. Because I still tell authors to focus on story first, haha.

Thank you, Lally Bucoy and Liwliwa Malabed of UPLB Department of Humanities, and all the faculty and students who showed up to participate.

I usually have a script and slide deck when I give a lecture, but if the class was any good, it’s because of what the students brought to the room. This day has become such a wonderful reminder to me why writing about us (Filipinos) and them (Filipino new adults) matters.

If we claim we want to write because we want people to feel seen, then it necessarily includes seeing and listening to the people we’re writing for.

So happy that I got to do this class with (RomanceClass authors) Bianca Mori and Dawn Lanuza, who are UPLB alums. The students got to interact with published, working, successful authors who were UPLB students just like they are now. This whole time I’ve been telling people that publishing can be accessible, and I hope meeting authors makes this clearer and more real to them.

The post Writing (Filipino) New Adult [UPLB] first appeared on Mina V. Esguerra.

Life Update: My new and continuing roles as editor for two Philippine publishers

So, an update: Soon I will start a new role as editor-at-large for a new adult imprint at Vibal Publishing. Very excited for this!

It’s a consultant role, and as an author currently focusing on adult contemporary romance (i.e. not all of it is New Adult), I’ll still keep working on what I’m working on, and will (self-)publish it in the same way. I continue as well as co-editor for Komiket’s Blush Books romance imprint, and as one of their authors. We have a Blush Books event coming up in February 2025, and a new book out in March.

What does this mean for RomanceClass? I’ve already told the writers who are part of our Discord and I’ll share it here too: It means every book by a (self-published) RomanceClass author, as long as it’s New Adult, is considered a submission to the imprint. (The same way that all books are considered submissions to Blush Books.)

Since I’ve been given time to develop the imprint, and a schedule of releases, it also means that writers who joined previous RomanceClass and any of my writing classes and workshops who started writing a New Adult manuscript but didn’t finish at the time can try to finish (includes beta reading and editing stage) within the next 6 months/May 2025, and have their work be considered as a submission.

I’m so looking forward to this! Over 10 years I’ve seen so many stories at the pitch and outline stage that I’ve loved and still hope the authors finish their book and publish it. If this is you, this is your chance to do so.

The post Life Update: My new and continuing roles as editor for two Philippine publishers first appeared on Mina V. Esguerra.

Filipino Romance and New Adult at the Frankfurt Book Fair

Before I recap the work that I did for my first-ever Frankfurt Book Fair, let’s get one thing out of the way: What is Filipino New Adult anyway? The simplest answer would be books with characters aged 18 to (about) 25, and if they aren’t exactly in that age bracket, then they’re acting like it. If the sub-genre were contemporary, we’d see characters in college, starting their first jobs, failing many times before circumstances and decisions showing them the path they’re meant to be on, and that they’re the person they want to be. If the sub-genre is fantasy/speculative fiction/sci-fi/historical we’d see characters in say, the equivalent of college in their dystopian or fantasy or alternate world, or starting their trade/craft, failing many times before they discover the path they’re meant to be on, etc.

Filipino New Adult is this — with Filipino characters. (If the Philippines doesn’t exist in the story then they’re “Filipino coded” thank you for the term that I didn’t have in 2015 when I first taught a New Adult class.) Having this category come into the mainstream had been exciting for me because as a Filipino author, it felt to me that the US-centric young adult books we grew up with didn’t line up perfectly for Filipino readers in terms of age. Many things cultural and societal and economic, we experience in the next age bracket. It was refreshing to have an entire category where it was acceptable for a 24-year-old “figuring it out” because it’s their first time to experience independence and the consequences of their actions, and they’re not expected to be the mature adult knowing all the answers. Many of us at the time realized we were writing New Adult.

Does this seem obvious to everyone else, or does it all just look like romance? Romance is one of the things a Filipino character is “figuring out” at that age and we think about it way too much probably, which is why it seems like every New Adult book is a romance. It doesn’t have to be. (Let’s not confuse this with my career as a romance author because I absolutely do write romance, some it in the New Adult category, so romance will be the main plot of those books.)

Isn’t it just YA with characters aged up (and having sex)? It does look like it when I see what traditional publishers release, but I think these are decisions driven by factors that don’t necessarily have anything to do with the story.

As authors, and as someone who teaches writing, I’d emphasize seeing Filipino New Adult as a way to properly contextualize our diverse and exciting stories about becoming an adult, into the age bracket when Filipinos actually do experience these moments.

Filipino New Adult and Romance

When considering Filipino new adult and romance for international markets, this is how I describe our work: The romance media that we are creating is in conversation with romance media from all over the world. We have many of the same tropes, write to many of the same trends, but offer our perspective.

I gave an entire talk on this, watch the full Masterclass here:

Our books at Frankfurt

Now, for the fair at Frankfurt. The Philippines had its own stand at the New Adult hall of Frankfurt Book Fair. Having over 80 books displayed in the hall that would attract New Adult readers (not necessarily knowing they would see Filipino New Adult that day) is the kind of thing authors hope for. We know the struggle of being the Filipino author shelved in Filipiniana and not where the actual genre authors are. But the point is, will our readers (or in FBF’s case, rights buyers) find us?

First, let’s talk about the Philippines stand at the New Adult hall, and what we did there. As a translation/foreign rights fair, I knew the intention was to showcase Philippine-published work in the genre, and get interest for rights sales and translations. There’s a print catalog that includes 30 titles, and the stand displayed over 80 titles total, in English and Filipino.

It’s apparently the first time that there was a New Adult hall at Frankfurt, so there were a few things that we learned quite instantly once the Philippine delegation started taking our places at the stand. This was a hall for readers. Not necessarily industry people. Carla shows what the hall looks like in her Frankfurt vlog:

This is what some booths around us looked like. Author signing tables, colorful special editions, and Instagram-friendly decor. It actually looked like what we expected of a romance hall!

Among the visitors to the Philippines stand at New Adult, readers outnumbered industry people (at least, those who identified themselves as industry people). Personally, I didn’t see a lot of international new adult represented in the hall. But there was a lot of romance media in other halls, in their respective country stands, in comics.

Here’s the larger Philippines stand, in Hall 5.1. Some of the romance and new adult titles were on display here as well:

Part of my schedule was to speak at the New Adult stage (“Success Stories in New Adult”) and Asia stage (“Women in Publishing”). Always appreciate the chance to talk about RomanceClass, and also the community work that keeps RomanceClass going.

Through NBDB, I met editors from BookLand Press (Canada) and Fischer Verlage. Through the Philippine stand at the New Adult hall, I met publisher Belle Epoque Verlag. Pulled all my people skills together to introduce myself at the Brazil and Mexico stands. Received some leads from our friends at other stands–which I’m learning is important not just in the local industry but also at a fair like this, because sometimes topics and coverage would overlap, and we can’t be at all places at once. (The venue is like 6 SMXs…we get tired!)

I think a more industry-learning person representing Filipino new adult and romance should spend time at all the halls where romance media can be found. They’re all over! Webtoons and apps and graphic novels and translations and possibilities for each country. It’s a lot to explore, and honestly my months of preparation wouldn’t be enough to cover everything. I’d recommend putting a strategy together, and then finding people to meet based on that, but also leaving room for the connections made while there. That’s my quick takeaway for someone going there intending to sell rights.

But when at the New Adult hall, we met, spoke to, and interacted with readers the most.

These were just some of the people who dropped by, browsed, and when told that they could buy the books, actually bought some. Most of the ones that sold were books in English, but some readers did drop by specifically looking for books in Filipino. (Wattpad authors they already know and love, actually.)

What kinds of books did people want and look for? Based on the rest of the hall, many people were in their romantasy era — dark was the operative word for covers, romances, academia, the general vibe. But looking past that at the tables and shelves, I could see which books were acquired for translation, and they include contemporary romances, rom-coms, young adult, Asian authors. All the things we write. There’s room for what we already make, in a global fair like this. I’d argue even that many books already fit in, just as they are. The choices some of us have made to serve our (local) audience can also make other audiences feel seen and welcome. I’m absolutely thinking about what I’ve seen from the hall and how our books can communicate this even more clearly to all interested audiences.

One of my best meetings (that was not a meeting) was a conversation with Consul General Ivy Banzon Abalos when she spent some time at the New Adult hall with us. We were just talking about young people, young readers, reading culture, and how our books are a possible (and natural?) way of connecting communities.

This is on-the-ground information that I always get from being in a community, and I don’t always get from talking to industry people. Not sure how it works for other genres but for romance and new adult I feel like for industry events to be helpful they should offer the chance to see both, and I got to do that, and I’m glad for it.

I attended the Frankfurt Book Fair via a grant from the Philippines’ National Commission for Culture and the Arts, through the Philippine Board on Books for Young People, and the National Book Development Board. Send your questions about this to mina@minavesguerra.com. I’m making a video to answer questions, and planning a workshop to help new adult and romance authors strategize (in a very sustainable and chill way) our international (and national) fair presence.

The post Filipino Romance and New Adult at the Frankfurt Book Fair first appeared on Mina V. Esguerra.

Upcoming events: Write Away, Frankfurt Book Fair, Ateneo National Writers Workshop, FeelsFest at Magdamag

Oct 10 to 13: I will be at the Write Away retreat in Baguio! Write Away is an annual writing and life coaching retreat for women. I’m one of the mentors and I look forward to this every year! There are limited slots and we usually open registration in March. When I meet people who find out a bit late that this is a thing (a wonderful thing), I tell them that registration will open early next year, and now I’ve told you too! Follow @writeawayph on Instagram.

Also Oct 10: This free webinar about the Philippines’ Book Market includes me talking about romance and new adult. Join and let’s discuss this, I love talking about what we do!

Oct 16 to 20: I will be at the Frankfurt Book Fair! (With Carla de Guzman and a couple other surprise guests from RomanceClass heehee) The Philippines will have a stand at New Adult Hall 1.2 displaying several dozen new adult and romance titles by Philippine publishers, small presses, and self-published authors. I was given the chance to help select the titles to be displayed and I’m happy that so many self-published authors responded to my messages. I will be at the Philippines stand for most of the fair. Frankfurt Book Fair is a rights selling fair so what we hope to do is introduce new adult and romance titles to the rest of the publishing world, for distribution to more markets, and translations. I’ve got some meetings and international press interviews scheduled, as well as a stage event with Fairyloot founder Anissa de Gomery (Oct 18).

Oct 18 to 21: I can only be at one place at a time lol but I’ve been helping the Ateneo Institute of Literary Arts and Practices prepare the 21st Ateneo National Writers Workshop, which is romance-focused this year. The workshop program will be like a mini RomanceClass (!), and I’m excited to see how our process works in this format. And I want to see all the new romance stories that come up! Very excited also for the RomanceClass authors and editors who are serving as panelists and mentors.

PS – a book launch with LIVE READINGS is part of the schedule! Watch out for the announcement!

Nov 9: This is a whole month or so away but please save the date because RomanceClass FeelsFest — with everyone back from our side quests lol — is back at Magdamag Market Cafe! We’re celebrating books, authors, new projects, and have new merch. Save the date for this too!

The post Upcoming events: Write Away, Frankfurt Book Fair, Ateneo National Writers Workshop, FeelsFest at Magdamag first appeared on Mina V. Esguerra.

A book is always new to someone (Thoughts post-book launch)

A book is always new to someone. Take it from me, who has written 28 books, and started in 2009. Every year, every day even, could be the day someone notices one of our books for the first time. Some of them will start reading, some of them will finish the book, some will proceed to go through our backlist and make sure to buy future books. Another day is another chance for our books to be discovered. That is, if our books are available to be found.

As far as self-published romance books go, the 2024 batch of Blush Books (Better at Weddings Than You, Scandalized, Beginner’s Guide: Love and Other Chemical Reactions) already had their moments. Each of those books received a warm welcome and enthusiastic support from an international community of readers and our peers. All the first editions, released on Amazon between 2016 and 2017 and available since then, are still around and being discovered, thanks to reviews and recommendations. Is that enough? It doesn’t have to be.

Here’s a tip from a self-published author: Treat a book like it’s new, give it the care and attention of a new book, and it’ll find new readers. I’ve done things like: release a compiled edition, change the cover, update the text, add new chapters, add illustrations, give away digital copies, put the entire book on a serial fic platform, celebrate a reprint with a get-together, and any combination of these.

If you discovered me (and RomanceClass) through our Blush Books published by Komiket, welcome! There are more books from us, new to you, to discover.

[photo of first edition and new edition Better at Weddings Than You by IG @chachicsbookbook]

The post A book is always new to someone (Thoughts post-book launch) first appeared on Mina V. Esguerra.

You are invited to a book launch (Sept 14, 2024)

Come to the launch of the new batch of Blush Books on Saturday, September 14, 5 PM at SMX Convention Center 2nd floor stage area!

Here’s a “previously on” recap: Blush Books is an imprint of Komiket, in partnership with RomanceClass. Through the imprint, self-published RomanceClass books get a new print edition with new cover art and interior illustrations by a Filipino artist, distributed at all Komiket fairs and retail partners. In 2023, Blush Books released new editions of Brigitte Bautista’s You, Me, U.S.; Danice Mae P. Sison’s Flipping the Script, Dawn Lanuza’s LuvByte Volume 1, and Jay E. Tria’s You Out of Nowhere.

The 2024 batch of Blush Books are: Scandalized by Tara Frejas, Beginner’s Guide: Love and Other Chemical Reactions by Six de los Reyes, and my book Better at Weddings Than You. We had the honor or working with Filipino artists Shai San Jose, Enid Din, and Karen Ebit.

Launch event attendees get the chance to take home a gift bag and also win one of three prize packs featuring limited edition merch and other fun stuff from us! See you!

And here’s a ticket to enter MIBF free, from Komiket! Print as many as you need. Bring your friends. Bring your barangay lol. I know a lot of us don’t print things anymore but this needs to be printed on paper and having this will save you from the line to buy entrance tickets!

The post You are invited to a book launch (Sept 14, 2024) first appeared on Mina V. Esguerra.

November 2024: A new RomanceClass for you (if you’re going to MIBF)

Here’s a prize from me if you attend all RomanceClass author signings at MIBF: I’ll do a new and free RomanceClass just for you (however many people complete this “challenge” haha), and it will start in November 2024.*

RomanceClass is my contemporary romance writing class, delivered online over 3 months, that has helped over 100 authors write and publish books being enjoyed at MIBF and over 50 other countries in the world. Delivering this class for over 10 years now, I can assure you that the class works best for people who already read romance, and reading other books by RomanceClass authors is the best way to start preparing for the class.

If you’ve missed a class before, or you just want to do RomanceClass again:

– Attend these author signing events at the Manila International Book Fair
– Take a photo with the author and their featured books (that you had signed of course)
– Post on social media and tag me. Or email to me minavesguerra at gmail if you aren’t into social media.

These are the authors and signings to attend: (Please check on September 10 for the final list as some schedules are still unannounced or changing)

September 14, Saturday

Celestine Trinidad, Six de los Reyes, Ana Tejano, Danice Mae P. Sison, other RomanceClass authors and Kilig anthology authors/artists at the Komiket booth, 2nd floor, 10 AM to 1 PM. (At least one author or artist at this booth during this time slot)

Carla de Guzman at the National Book Store booth, ground floor, 1 PM to 2 PM.

Catherine Dellosa at the Alkem booth, 2nd floor, 2 to 3 PM.

Ines Bautista-Yao at the Ateneo Press booth, ground floor, 3 to 4 PM.

Mina V. Esguerra, Tara Frejas, and Six de los Reyes at the 2nd floor stage area, 5 to 6 PM. (At least one author from this time slot)

See you at MIBF!

*If you’re not ready to start the class in November 2024 you can choose to start at your own pace! But doing this with a group has helped people a lot if that’s their learning style.

The post November 2024: A new RomanceClass for you (if you’re going to MIBF) first appeared on Mina V. Esguerra.

What to ask for in a publishing contract (when you’re a Filipino author working with a Philippine publisher)

Sharing, with the hope that it will be helpful to you, my list of things I ask for in a contract when working with a Philippine publisher.

I’m not a lawyer. But I am an author with 28 published titles, as of my posting this. I have been published by, or have worked on projects with, Philippine publishers Summit Books, Anvil Publishing, Adarna, the RomanceClass print editions published by Visprint, and most recently, Komiket. I have also been consulted by authors of other publishing companies about their contracts, and I do my best to help them. 

Philippine publishing as an industry is full of bad contracts, or contracts that do not value the author, and also authors who are not aware that they can negotiate for better terms, or are afraid to negotiate, or cannot simply walk away from a bad contract. 

This is a list of things that are already offered, or I have successfully negotiated, in a contract with a Philippine publisher. This is all possible and already being given to other authors, and I believe that this should be the standard practice for publishers of any size.

1. Copyright remains with the author. Yes, there are publishers who ask authors to turn copyright over to them. Insist that copyright remain with you, the author.

2. The author receives a talent or signing fee, or an advance. Amounts offered will vary depending on the publisher, but I believe this should be basic and standard. Yes I believe publishers should pay authors upon signing or turnover of the manuscript.

3. Royalties on books sold, up to 20%.

4. Online option for contract signing.

5. Contracts must be open for evaluation and review. Give only Philippine print rights to a Philippine publisher who mainly does print. (Meaning, don’t give them digital rights, or film, or audio, unless you know they are the best at it. Most of them are not.)

6. Authors must receive at least 10 complimentary copies of print books.

7. Publisher commits to a release date or release period and rights must revert back to the author if the release date is not met because of the publisher’s decision.

8. Publisher discloses to the author the print run (number of copies printed), and reach of distribution (how many retail outlets x how many copies). 

9. Contracts last from 5 to 7 years and publisher presents a marketing plan (including the channels, marketing activities, event schedule) covering the duration of the contract. 

NEW thing: 10. Publisher commits to not feed the work to AI and machine learning tools and commits to protect the work against the unauthorized feeding of the work to AI and machine learning tools.

This checklist for authors has been updated over the years and I feel like it will always need an update. The checklist is helpful but we shouldn’t be limited by what I did or didn’t get to include. We should agree on what the publisher’s role is, so we can make decisions based on what’s fair to authors and what a publisher can reasonably deliver. 

This is what I believe the publisher’s role is: 

I believe that publishers are supposed to amplify an author’s work and make it reach a larger audience than an author is able to do for themselves. 

I believe a publisher should pay for all the expenses related to publishing. If they are not covering all expenses, if they are charging authors for any service, then they are service providers, and are not that author’s publisher. The agreement an author signs with a service provider is not a publishing contract. It is a transaction, the service providers, do not get copyright, or subsidiary rights, or anything else of value related to the book. (Don’t “hybrid publishers” exist? Yes, but that’s not what I’m talking about here. I’m talking about the situation where authors think they’re signing with a traditional publisher, not a hybrid one, and have been led to believe it’s “normal” to pay for printing or distribution or other services.)

This list has worked for me and helped me get better contracts because of fellow authors and publishers who believe that our work has value. Is your publisher doing something awesome that everyone else should be doing too? Let me know!

[A version of this was presented at the webinar “Creating Author-Friendly Publishing Contracts,” hosted by The Indie Publishers Collab Philippines.]

The post What to ask for in a publishing contract (when you’re a Filipino author working with a Philippine publisher) first appeared on Mina V. Esguerra.

Currently #17

1. Currently I’m on a trip! Los Angeles with stopovers in Taiwan (mainly the airport though huhu).

This is a family trip with a bit of ~work mixed in, and getting to see friends also. All good things!

2. I have an upcoming session on creating author-friendly contracts, hosted by The Indie Publishers Collab PH. It’s free and you can sign up here: https://bit.ly/LearnIndie6

The post Currently #17 first appeared on Mina V. Esguerra.

These books are now at Ateneo de Manila’s Rizal Library

Ateneo de Manila’s Rizal Library (through the Filipino department and the Ateneo Institute of Literary Arts and Practices) placed an order for several dozen RomanceClass books. I brought the books over in several batches myself. On the day that I dropped off the last set, I was asked to sign all of my books.

I am, by the way, an AB Comm grad of Ateneo de Manila, and love that my/our books can now be discovered by students and put on reading lists by teachers. The books selected show a range of what Filipino romance (as we do it) is out there and hopefully reminds readers that we can do more and say more.

I love that students get access to our work and if they choose to look into how these books were created, find out about the value of communities, collabs, partnerships.

This is the full list of RomanceClass books in this first batch of books acquired by Rizal Library:

AuthorTitleAGAY LLANERAMango SummerAGAY LLANERA, KATRINA RAMOS ATIENZA,
INES BAUTISTA-YAO, C.P. SANTIThe Love We DeserveAGAY LLANERA, JAY E. TRIA,
INES BAUTISTA-YAO,
GEORGETTE GONZALES, C.P. SANTI,
CHRIS MARIANOPromdi HeartANA TEJANO ET ALMake My Wish Come TrueANGEL C. AQUINOFeels Like HomeANGELI E. DUMATOLHeartstruckANGELI E. DUMATOL, CELESTINE TRINIDAD,
SUZETTE DE BORJA, EK GONZALESThe Doctor Is In LoveBIANCA MORI, CARLA DE GUZMAN,
SUZETTE DE BORJALove Is All AroundBIANCA MORI, CARLA DE GUZMAN,
SUZETTE DE BORJAAltaBRIGITTE BAUTISTAYou, Me, US (Blush Books)BRIGITTE BAUTISTA AND
CHI YU RODRIGUEZThe Lease of their ProblemsC.P. SANTIDare to LoveCARLA DE GUZMANHow She Likes ItCARLA DE GUZMANBlooming LoveCARLA DE GUZMANIf the Dress Fits (2021 edition)CATHERINE DELLOSARaya and GraysonCELESTINE TRINIDADGhost of a FeelingCELESTINE TRINIDADHearts and SciencesCHI YU RODRIGUEZNo Two WaysDANICE MAE P. SISONFlipping the Script (Blush Books)DAWN LANUZALuvbyte Vol 1 (Blush Books)INES BAUTISTA-YAOMy Quarantine DiaryJAY E TRIA, TARA FREJAS,
SIX DE LOS REYESSecond Wave SummerMINA V. ESGUERRAWhat Kind of DayMINA V. ESGUERRAFirst Time for EverythingMINA V. ESGUERRATotally EngagedMINA V. ESGUERRASo ForwardMINA V. ESGUERRAKiss and CryMINA V. ESGUERRABetter at Weddings Than YouMINA V. ESGUERRA AND
PAOLO HERRAS editorsKILIGRONALD S. LIM AND
BRIGITTE BAUTISTA editorsStart HereSIX DE LOS REYESProject Saving NoahSIX DE LOS REYESBeginner’s GuideSIX DE LOS REYESField GuideTARA FREJASKeeping Miss KalilaTARA FREJASStay With MeThe post These books are now at Ateneo de Manila’s Rizal Library first appeared on Mina V. Esguerra.