Updated: RomanceClass Intro Lecture and textbook
Time flies, but it really has been 10 years since I first offered to do #RomanceClass. We’ve done the class about 10 or so times since, and when I’m unable to do a full class (like right now), I do intro lectures instead. An intro lecture to RomanceClass is just me talking participants through every section of the textbook, giving context to the assignments, and answering questions.
I’ve updated the textbook for 2023 and it’s available here:
Gumroad [free if you already purchased or claimed a previous edition, just go back to the product page and download the new file]
Snack [accepts Gcash/Maya/GrabPay + Paypal and other cards]
One of the things that is new to this edition is my updated introduction, where I mention pretty clearly that there is a lack of institutional/systemic support for us (self-published Filipino authors of romance in English) on practically every level in 2023 despite very “trendy” calls for inclusion in the past years. I had to mention that right away in the introduction because it is a discouraging thing for an author to discover if they were expecting certain doors to be open or remain open. (This requires recognizing the difference between being included as a token and the door being opened for us and everyone else.)
There are less opportunities for us offered by publishers, retailers, media, and social media. What’s there is only there because of people making intentional moves to include non-big pub authors, and often they do this at risk of losing their standing with corporations and algorithms. I suggest supporting those platforms/accounts/people instead; let’s help each other out here.
It might be frustrating but not enough for me to stop doing what I’m doing. I’m still writing, and I hope you do that too? If you feel like it haha.
I did a video version of my intro lecture on Twitch, and it’s available on demand here (you’ll need to subscribe to the RomanceClass Twitch channel at P100 or whatever is the minimum in your territory):
