Manila, 3 August, 2010 – Three freelance writers dreamt of putting together a group where other writers could be inspired and armed with the proper skills to be more effective communicators.
It may have started out as a wish. But it was also the start of Writer’s Block Philippines, a group founded by Ana Santos, Nikka Sarthou and Nina Terol-Zialcita.
The trio collectively have two decades of experience in freelance writing as a career. Together, their works on lifestyle, travel, arts & culture, changemaking, advocacy, sex & relationships, and women’s issues have been extensively published both locally and internationally.
As freelance writers, they know how much effort it takes to establish and manage their own bylines and how hard it is to make writing a lucrative enterprise.
“Writer’s Block Philippines is the kind of support system that we wished we had when we were starting our own freelance writing careers,” says Santos, a sex & relationship columnist and sexual health advocate. Santos, who also writes about armed conflict in Mindanao, has had her work published in international publications like IRIN News, the humanitarian news agency of the United Nations.
“There’s a misconception that freelance writing does not entail serious work, but it’s actually a business in itself,” Sarthou says. “Aside from practicing the craft, you have to disciplined enough to manage your projects and meet all your deadlines. Through our workshops, we’ll share practical tips and insights on how to go about with having a freelance writing career.” Sarthou focuses more on lifestyle writing. She also manages corporate accounts, which give her the flexibility to pursue her other passions such as traveling.
Writer’s Block Philippines conducts writing workshops that cover a wide range of topics to get writers started on their freelance writing career.
The warm reception of their first workshop inspired Santos, Sarthou and Terol-Zialcita to do another run of “How to Jumpstart Your Freelance Writing Career 2.0” on August 22 and 29, 2010 at Powerbooks, Greenbelt 4, Makati. The two-day workshop will focus on writing techniques and practical insider information on how to get started with freelancing and is supported by Powerbooks and Travelife magazine.
“We were overwhelmed and also very happy about the response we got to the first workshop which was sold out,” says Terol-Zialcita, who is also a poetess and political communicator. “This session will be beefed up with more hands-on coaching on writing and a section on ethics. We included an ethics portion because we believe in maintaining a high level of professionalism and integrity in writing.”
While the most common avenues for freelance writing may be magazines and newspapers, “How to Jumpstart Your Freelance Writing Career 2.0” will discuss the variety of non-traditional media and international publications that can be tapped and the nuances of writing for each specific media.
“How to Jumpstart Your Freelance Writing Career 2.0” will be held on August 22 and 29, 2010. Log on to writersblock.ph@gmail.com or message 0927.850.8280 for more information. Avail of a special Early Bird rate of P3,500 for the two-day workshop by making a reservation on or before August 6, 2010.
For media inquiries, please contact:
Ana Santos: 0917.886.4862
Writer’s Block Philippines believes that writing is both art and craft, both creative and methodical, a form of expression and a discipline. Writing itself is only one aspect of “writing”; a culmination of other processes that make it easier for you to write your piece. Through its workshops, Writer’s Block will bring all these different processes together and teach you how to be an effective writer.
