Mizz Erna

But then, that sucks. What if I want to write a story that doesn't necessarily portray ourselves in a positive light? Actually I think I already did with "Tsismis." And when I was in a wrtiting workshop and my story, "Salt and Blood Pudding" was being critiqued, they were concerned with the negative portrayal of the Philippines. I mean here was this Filipino American girl, going to the Philippines for the first time, and she encounters a horrific character like a mananggal? Of course, I don't write these pieces with the intention of portraying the Philippines or Filipinos in a negative way. In fact, because I know where I'm coming from when it comes to writing my stories, I don't necessarily see them as negative. That doesn't stop me from being concerned about how other people will interpret them though. Like with, "Tsismis", everytime I get to perform it, I'm always scared that I'll come off as this self-hating FilAm who likes to make fun of the Filipino accent. Which is not true! Really! I mean, how much responsibility do I have to portraying Filipinos? How come I don't get the luxury of making up things, having a Filipino setting but have it totally fiction, without worrying that non-Filipinos (or Filipinos who've never been to the Philippines or near other Filipinos) will take my fiction as fact? Like they'll read "Gift of Tongues" (a story I have yet to post up) and think every Filipino member of a prayer group is a freaked out, overzealous, and complacent hypocrite?

Okay, I REALLY need to get to work now.