In this episode, we'll feature a few of the techniques and devices one could use in writing and executing drama. It is important that as playwrights or screenwriters, we understand not only the structure, conventions, and the elements that make up a drama, but also these devices that could give various effects to the audience. After all, the goal of literature such as drama is not only to entertain people but to create an impact on their lives.

To know more about the mentioned terms, you may consult the following references:

Encyclopædia Britannica, inc. (n.d.). Deus ex machina. Encyclopædia Britannica. https://www.britannica.com/art/deus-ex-machina.

Lannom, S. C., R. watts. (2021, May 5). How to Break the Fourth Wall with Impact. StudioBinder. https://www.studiobinder.com/blog/breaking-the-fourth-wall/.

Maio, A. (2021, May 5). Deus Ex Machina - Lazy Writing or a Genius Twist? StudioBinder. https://www.studiobinder.com/blog/deus-ex-machina-meaning-definition/.

MasterClass. (2021, May 5). Deus Ex Machina: Definition and Examples in Literature. MasterClass.https://www.masterclass.com/articles/understanding-deus-ex-machina#5-examples-of-deus-ex-machina. 

Soliloquy. LitCharts. (n.d.). https://www.litcharts.com/literary-devices-and-terms/soliloquy#:~:text=A%20soliloquy%20does%20not%20always,is%20instead%20addressing%20the%20audience.

Aguila, A., Galan, R., Wigley, J. (2017). Wording the Word: The Art of Creative Writing. Quezon City:C&E Publishing, Inc.

You're probably wondering how writers become so excellent with their words that they were able to sway you, transport you in another realm, feel emotions you thought you wouldn't ever feel. I used to wonder about that, too. Up until now, to be honest. But as I've studied more about Creative Writing and Literature, I realized that writers employ literary devices and techniques to turn their writings into a work of art and encapsulate the meanings they desire to share their readers. In this episode, that's what we'll talk about.

Now, there are myriad of techniques and devices used in literature, but we'll discuss some which are helpful and important. So click on that play button and take a listen.

We’ve been talking about fiction as a literary genre, defining what it is, describing its form, and looking into some of its genres. But what is it that makes up fiction, you ask? What are the ingredients of fiction and how do these ingredients contribute to the art and craft of writing fiction?

Tune in to find out.

Apart from classifying fiction based on its word count, it’s also good to take note that there are many different genres under fiction. In this episode, we'll explore some of the most common genres out there and distinguish them from one another. 

This episode details what fiction is—its definition, some misconception, and its classification. You know, fiction is more than just being "unreal" and  "imaginary." It's a giant of a literary genre, so let's explore what it is as you tune in to this discussion.

Ever heard of the line, "Show, don't tell"?

I'm sure a lot of you had heard this before. In this episode, we'll expound on the importance of narrative and descriptive writing, how they're interconnected when we deal with Creative Writing, and how descriptive do we need to be in a narrative. When do we tell and when do we show? 

It's so easy to say, "Show, don't tell." It isn't so mouthful, is it? But how do we exactly 'show' rather than 'tell'? Listen to this podcast episode to find out. 

In this episode, we’ll digest the major forms of writing, talk about Creative Writing, and what separates it from the other forms of writing.

Here are the links that helped me put out this episode:

Aguila, A., Galan, R., Wigley, J. (2017). Wording the Word: The Art of Creative Writing. Quezon City: C&E Publishing, Inc.

Alred, G., Brusaw, C., Oliu, W. (2009). Handbook of Technical Writing.Boston, MA: Bedford/St. Martin’s

Dugger, A. (n.d.). Public Relations 101: Intro to Public Relations “What is Journalism? - Definition, Roles & Issues.” Retrieved from  study.com: https://www.thoughtco.com/what-is-academic- writing-1689052

Valdes, Olivia. (2020, February 11). An Introduction to Academic Writing. Retrieved from https://www.thoughtco.com/what- is-academic-writing-1689052

What is writing? I think most of us haven’t really even tried to ask this question yet because, again, writing is one of the macro skills we need to learn even before we could learn the art of questioning. So basically, we are already doing it before we could even make sense of what we’re doing. In this episode, let’s step back a little, define writing, and trace its roots.

For more information regarding the topic discussed in this episode, you may refer to these links:

What is Writing? (n.d.). Retrieved January 16, 2021, from  https://www.englishclub.com/writing/what.htm

Where did writing begin? (2019, April 09). Retrieved January 16, 2021, from https://www.bl.uk/history-of-writing/articles/where-did-writing-begin#:~:text=Scholars%20generally%20agree%20that%20the,Southern%20Mesopotamia)%20and%20other%20languages.

Welcome back to So Lit! This time, I’m introducing you to our second season where we’ll not just talk and appreciate literature, but we’ll also get in the crux of making it. Join me as I tell you the basics of Creative Writing. 

So for the first episode this season, let’s start with digesting the question: Why is writing hard?

"The Hunger Games" series by Suzanne Collins is a young adult dystopian fiction that was first published in 2008 and was later on turned into a movie in 2012. It's one of the most famous American literary pieces produced in the 21st century.

So for this episode of our Literature in Focus segment, stay with me as I read to you a literary criticism or a commentary I wrote and published in 2016 on my blog. This was the time that I just finished reading The Hunger Games and was still high with it.

If you want to read the original article I wrote, I posted it here: 

https://laracrasom.wordpress.com/2016/04/19/a-literary-analysis-of-the-hunger-games-series/

With America being recognized by many as the most influential country, it is also undeniable that their literature is also influential. Their many known writers--classic and contemporary-- are recognized all over the world. They have inspired and influenced a lot of readers and writers.

In this episode of So Lit, we'll wander around America by looking how their history determined their literature.

If you want to get to know more about the US and their literature and history, here are some articles from websites you may read:

"American History Through Literature 1870-1920. . Encyclopedia.com. 16 Oct. 2020 . (2020, November 10). Retrieved November 10, 2020, from https://www.encyclopedia.com/literature-and-arts/literature-english/american-literature/american-literature

American Renaissance. (n.d.). Retrieved November 10, 2020, from https://www.britannica.com/art/American-literature/American-Renaissance

Berke, A., Bleil, R., Cofer, J., Davis, D (n.d.). Writing the Nation:  A Concise Introduction to American Literarure--1865 to Present. Dahlonega,  Georgia: University of North Georgia Press.

Romanticism. (n.d.). Retrieved  November 10, 2020, from https://www.britannica.com/art/Romanticism

Shmoop Editorial Team. (2008, November 11). American Romanticism Introduction. Retrieved November 10, 2020, from https://www.shmoop.com/study-guides/literary-movements/american-romanticism

Join me in the short reading and discussion of Haruki Murakami's Scheherazade and just like Habara, let's be enthralled to her stories.

For  more information about this story, you may click on these helpful links:

Men Without Women by Haruki Murakami. (2017, May 09). Retrieved November 04, 2020, from https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/33652490-men-without-women

Treisman, D. (2017, August 21). This Week in Fiction: Haruki Murakami. Retrieved November 04, 2020, from https://www.newyorker.com/books/page-turner/fiction-this-week-haruki-murakami-2014-10-13

6, B., 11, R., 18, G., 18, B., 12, M., 18, K., . . . 30, A. (2014, October 09). Haruki Murakami: "Scheherazade". Retrieved November 04, 2020, from https://mookseandgripes.com/reviews/2014/10/06/haruki-murakami-scheherazade/

Murakami, H., Updike, J., & Treisman, D. (n.d.). Scheherazade. Retrieved November 04, 2020, from https://www.newyorker.com/magazine/2014/10/13/scheherazade-3

We'll be taking our lit talks into something much bigger now. This time, we'll be going on a quick journey to Asia by looking at its literature.

If you want to learn more about Asian literature, here are some of the articles I can recommend:

Bersola, G. (2013, September 17). Asian literature. Retrieved November 04, 2020, from https://www.slideshare.net/kazumaki/asian-literature

Indian literature. (n.d.). Retrieved November 04, 2020, from https://www.britannica.com/art/Indian-literature

Kabuki. (n.d.). Retrieved November 04, 2020, from https://www.japan-guide.com/e/e2090.html

Noh Theater. (n.d.). Retrieved November 04, 2020, from https://www.japan-guide.com/e/e2091.html

What is Orientalism? (n.d.). Retrieved November 04, 2020, from http://arabstereotypes.org/why-stereotypes/what-orientalism

By understanding the literature created in the past centuries can we only understand, too, the significant role literature still plays in today’s society. But by studying the current literature can we only understand the changes, developments, the new ideologies that have probably risen or the new genres that have come to life to still encapsulate the pressing matter of the past that is still relevant today. By studying contemporary literature can we only see the movement. That’s the only way we know literature is continuously flourishing and thriving, and that the learners of the 21st century get to enjoy and understand the literature of their time.

In this episode, we'll talk about the themes and the forms that have evolved in our time.

For the references, you may also try to read these sources:

Comics 101, Part 3: What's the Difference? Comics vs. Graphic Novels vs. Illustrated Novels. (2019, August 26). Retrieved August 02, 2020, from https://www.ampkids.com/blog/comics-101-whats-the-difference/

In Focus: 5 AUs That Got Us Falling Deeper Into the Twitter Serye Hole. (n.d.). Retrieved August 02, 2020, fromhttps://lifestyle.abs-cbn.com/articles/8159/chalk/in-focus-5-aus-that-got-us-falling-deeper-into-the-twitter-serye-hole

Manusos, L. (2020, January 25). What Is Speculative Fiction? Definitions + Examples. Retrieved August 02, 2020, from https://bookriot.com/what-is-speculative-fiction/

Ocay, J. (2017, July 29). What is 21st Century Literature? Retrieved August 02, 2020, from https://www.slideshare.net/jahwella/what-is-21st-century-literature

Walton, A. (2020, June 05). Themes in Literature in the 21st Century. Retrieved October 04, 2020, from https://classroom.synonym.com/themes-literature-21st-century-8320321.html

What is Digital Fiction? (2014, April 25). Retrieved August 02, 2020, from https://readingdigitalfiction.com/about/what-is-digital-fiction/

In the last episode, we learned about the life and works of Nick Joaquin and we marveled on the beauty of one of his most notable work, "May Day Eve."

This time, we'll get to know another inspiring National Artist for Literature--Edith Tiempo. 

Being the only woman in the roster of the Philippine National Artist for Literature, Edith Tiempo's prolific style of writing indeed made her stand out. But she wasn't just a writer, she was a teacher and a literary critic who helped in cultivating and elevating the quality of the Philippine Literature. Let's get to know her by discussing one piece of writing that has immortalized Ms. Tiempo. In this poem titled "Bonsai," she explored the meaning of love. Albeit short, the poem has truly encapsulated the meaning of love despite it being abstract and something hard to define.

To get to know her further, you may also access these links below:

Bonsai by Edith Tiempo (2010). Retrieved  from https://readalittlepoetry.wordpress.com/2010/03/31/bonsai-by-edith-tiempo/#comments

Ignacio, I. (2008, March 11). Reduce love now for safety: An Analysis of Edith Tiempo’s Bonsai. Retrieved from https://writerscollide.wordpress.com/2008/03/11/reduce-love-now-for-safety-an-analysis-of-edith-tiempo%E2%80%99s-bonsai/

Official Gazette. (2010). Edith Tiempo. Retrieved from http://www.officialgazette.gov.ph/banner-artwork/edith-tiempo/

The Philippines, as you have already learned from the previous episodes, really has diverse literary pieces that mirror its life, times, culture, and identity. But behind these great works of literature are also great people with great minds and incomparable gift in writing and story telling. Some have even noticeably helped hone the "Filipino's sense of nationhood" through their works that they were regarded as the Philippines' National Artists for Literature.

So far, the Philippines has 17 Filipino writers who were conferred as a National Artist.

For this episode, we're going to talk about one of these 17 great artists and that is none other than Nick Joaquin. Definitely one of the best, Nick Joaquin had embedded his name so deep in the layers of Philippine Literature. So as you listen, you'll get to know who Nick is and what honed him to be a great writer. We'll also discuss one of his most notable works that catapulted Nick Joaquin on the pedestal of literature.

To get to know Nick Joaquin more, you can also visit these sites I visited:

Limos, M. (1970, January 01). The Fascinating Life of Nick Joaquin. Retrieved August 06, 2020, from https://www.esquiremag.ph/long-reads/nick-joaquin-life-a00293-20190507-lfrm

PeoplePill. (n.d.). Nick Joaquin: Filipino writer (1917 - 2004): Biography, Facts, Career, Wiki, Life. Retrieved August 06, 2020, from https://peoplepill.com/people/nick-joaquin/

The Editors of Encyclopaedia Britannica. (2020, May 04). Nick Joaquin. Retrieved August 06, 2020, from https://www.britannica.com/biography/Nick-Joaquin

Now that you have been well acquainted with what literature is and how important it is in our lives, let's now delve deeper into it.

Have you ever wondered why some people love reading literary pieces? What beauty do they see in it? Or have you ever wondered why despite you and your classmates reading the same literary text--say a poem or a short story--you still got different interpretations? In this session, that's what we're going to answer.

Information in this podcast is taken from and/or supported by these sources:

Cruz, A. (2017, March 9). Madonna and the madwoman: on the women of Jose Rizal’s classic Noli Me Tangere.Retrieved from Book Riot: https://bookriot.com/madonna-madwoman-women-jose-rizals-classic-noli-tangere/

Formalism (2020). Retrieved from Shmoop University Inc: https:// www.shmoop.com/study-guides/literary-schools-of-theory/formalism

Napikoski, Linda. (2020, February 11). Feminist Literary Criticism. Retrieved from https://www.thoughtco.com/feminist-literary-criticism-3528960

Reader Response Theory Introduction. (2020). Retrieved from Shmoop University Inc:https://www.shmoop.com/study-guides/literary-schools-of-theory/reader-response-theory

Solmerano, E., Ondevilla, M., Palencia, M., Jerusalem, V., & Cruz, J. (2017).21st century literature from the Philippines and the world (2nd ed.). Manila: Fastbooks Educational Supply, Inc.

Structuralism. (2020). Retrieved from Shmoop University Inc: https://www.shmoop.com/study- guides/literary-schools-of-theory/structuralism

The Writing Lab, T. O. (1995-2020). Marxist Criticism (1930s-present). Retrieved from Purdue University: https://owl.purdue.edu/owl/subject_specific_

writing/writing_in_literature/literary_theory_and_schools_of_criticism/marxist_criticism.html

The Writing Lab, T. O. (1995-2020). Psychoanalytic Criticism (1930s-present). Retrieved from Purdue University:https://owl.purdue.edu/owl/subject_specific_writing/writing_in_literature/literary_theory_and_schools_of_criticism/psychoanalytic_criticism.html

The Writing Lab, T. O. (1995-2020). Structuralism and Semiotics (1920s-present). Retrieved from Purdue University: https://owl.purdue.edu/owl/subject_specific_writing/writing_in_literature/literary_theory_and_schools_of_criticism/structuralism_and_semiotics.html

Welcome to the first full episode of "So Lit!" Again, this podcast is dedicated for literature, so if you are a literature student and anyone who's in love with literature, here's the podcast for you.

For this inaugural episode, we would be talking about the things that make up literature. We would make labels and categories. We’d cut and divide the big bulk of literature—its broadness and vagueness—and examine each part that make its whole.

For us to better understand literature, we'd cut it into chunk--its ingredients, forms, categories, and genres, all for the goal of understanding literature and its significance in our lives.

Please see the references below that helped make this episode possible:

Rowling, J. K., author. (1998). Harry Potter and the sorcerer's stone. New York:Arthur A. Levine Books

Rexroth, K. (2019, February 22). Literature. Encyclopædia Britannica.  https://www.britannica.com/art/literature

Solmerano, E., Ondevilla, M., Palencia, M., Jerusalem, V., & Cruz, J. (2017). 21st century literature from the Philippines and the world (2nd ed.). Manila: Fastbooks Educational Supply, Inc.

Tan, A. (2001). Introduction to literature (4th ed.). Quezon City: Academic Publishing Corporation.