Malaya Kundiman Novicio is a seventeen year old Creative Writing student from the Philippine High
School for the Arts. She lives in Tagaytay City where she spends all of her free time hanging out
and talking to her five cats. In 2024, she published her first book ‘gabi na, matulog ka na’ under her school. The said book
contained a collection of children’s short stories focused on highlighting a Filipino’s narrative,
something she finds to be important in her works.
Do you think there is a big difference between school writing and creative writing?
As a creative writing major, sometimes it becomes hard for me to differentiate the two. However, I think it’s important to see that they are and should be two separate things; school writing is a requirement and creative writing issomething you don’t have to do but can choose to. Blurring the line between these two can lead us to forget what drew us into creative writing in the first place, and it might lead us to confuse our art with schoolwork.
Is creative writing taught at your school? If so, what's that instruction like?
Creative writing is a major offered in our high school. Those in it, like me, get to explore the different types and genres of writing. Subjects range from more technical works like playwriting and journalism to freer genres like poetry and fiction. The teaching styles we see are mostly tailored to our grade levels, meaning we definitely see many different approaches when it comes to writing.
How many genres or kinds of writing do you like to write?
I have tried many writing styles, but I find that I gravitate towards poetry most especially when I am only writing for myself, and not for school. I mostly like to explore and show real life as it is here in the Philippines because I have realized that it is what I know best.
What's your favorite word in Filipino and your favorite word in English? Why?
I really like the Filipino word ‘gigil’ because even though it is so common, we cannot find a single English word that has the same meaning it does. We use it regularly yet somehow, even as anEnglish speaking nation, we can’t agree on a proper translation. Also, I like how versatile the word is. You can use it to describe how you feel about a cute animal or an annoying person.
In English, I like the word ‘whilst’.' I do not know why, but there’s something satisfying about figuring out whether the correct word to use is while or whilst, even if most probably won’t care what I choose. The same goes for who and whom, but I really don’t know how to explain what makes them so fun.
Tell us about your writing process––your writing habits, preferences, techniques, ideally from drafting to finishing.
When I write, I like to have complete silence so I can focus on writing only. I typically do it at night when everyone is asleep. I find it helps to not over think while you’re working since it is only the first draft. No matter what you make, you’ll find something usable or interesting out of it, and that will ultimately help you find the direction of your work. I also like to keep snacks and drinks with me since (even though it might not be evident to some) writing is a very tiring task. It’s important to take care of yourself since it will only help you work better.
Do you ever encounter writing blocks?
Yes, very frequently. Because I have to submit a lot of writing assignments, it gets very hard racking my brain for new ideas all the time. But, I’ve learned that the best way to deal with it is to not, because forcing yourself to find a great idea won’t work. I like to stop thinking of it, go watch a movie, and take a nap. Somewhere in the middle of not looking, I find what I need.
What advice would you give a teen reader of UTM who is hesitating to send their ownwork out for publication?
I’d tell them to send it in, because what would happen if they do? They won’t lose anything, but they just might get what they want in return. I know sharing apiece is like sharing a part of yourself, and that doesn’t have to be a bad thing. It just means there’s more of us out here trying this writing thing out.
Do you think Philippines has the world's best writing supplies (pens, folders, mechanical pencils, ink)? Just asking...
I wouldn’t say so. Sure, you can work with them and they’ll do just fine, but I think what would make them the world’s best writing supplies is if they were properly distributed to those who need them. A lot of children don’t get the chance to try writing out, and the only thing stopping them is their inability to access these simple materials.
"1031211" by Biblioteca Rector Machado y Nuñez is marked with Public Domain Mark 1.0.
