Interview with Aira Ledesma

Aira Ledesma discovered her talent in writing as early as seven years old. Up to date, she has written hundreds of pocketbooks including the very popular Bestfriends Series. Here's a short interview with her.


1.)When did you start writing?
As romance pocketbook writer,1995.

2.)Did you experience rejection? How did you cope with it?

The first time I experienced rejection, I stopped writing. I felt bad and frustrated. I kept the rejected manuscript for months. Then, there was this new publication that opened doors. I decided to submit my rejected manuscript with this in mind: if ever ma-reject ito uli, it means I am not meant to be a romance pocketbook writer. So what I did was I ironed every crumpled page of my rejected manuscript to make it appear newly typed. During that time, computers were not that popular yet so writers used typewriters instead. To my delight, which gave me a new hope, that manuscript was approved. In addition, an editor of another publication talked to me and got me to be their regular writer. That ended my frustrations and the rest was history.

3.)What do you do if you have the writer's block?

I stopped writing and turned off my computer. . I'll do something else and try to relax my mind. When I have rested enough from writing, I figured out what's wrong with my manuscript. That's the time I'll think what scenes should comes next. It is very important to get rid of the writer's block before a writer continues writing. For me, it's like an obstacle in a game. You can't continue playing in another level unless you have resolved the hindering obstacle.

4.)Any tips for the aspiring writers?

If you feel you are a borne writer by heart, don't stop dreaming to be one. Read as many romance pocketbooks as you can for a start to familiarize yourself with the formula. Yes, love story writing has a formula. As for myself, reading Mills and Boons was my training ground. By constant reading, I was able to determine how a story should run and what are the important elements that should compose it.

I got this tip from the first publisher that accepted my first published manuscript. According to him, the dilemma of the characters must already be established in the first ten pages of your story. He also said that the writer must have the ability to arouse the curiosity of the readers at the very start of the story. Most of the time, it must be written in the female character's point of view since the target market of romance pocketbooks are women. Aside from being a wide reader, the writer must know her characters and can give justification if ever there are deviations from the normal characterization.

Be attentive, be a good listener, be a wide reader, be a keen observer, be alert and aware with everything and everyone around you. For who knows? A single word that you may hear from a person next to you or a funny act from someone you bump in a department store may lead you to a good story plot.

Write with Passion

A Place for Writing

Do you have a particular place where you write? Do you sit down in the same desk each day? If you don't, then maybe it's time you do!

Having a place for writing can actually help you write faster. It's almost like a habit. Your brain gets accustomed to that place, so every time you sit down to write, words and ideas can flow out easily.

It doesn't have to be grand or paradise-like. You don't even have to spend big bucks for it. Making it special in your own way is enough. Here's a list of things you can do to make a place where you can do what you love most. Writing!

• Find a desk. Even an old one will do. If don’t have any desks or tables, you can purchase plastic tables at low prices.
• Place it in a very comfortable room. Make sure it’s near an electrical outlet so you can plug-in your computer or if the day’s hot, an electric fan. It’s also nice to put the desk beside a window to let the air freshen you. Seeing the world outside can also bring new ideas to your brain!
• Design it. Go! Let your creative mind work. Put something that inspires you to write. Some people like having papers on their desks. You can arrange some books from authors who inspire you or even books that you wrote.
•  Put some flowers or pictures. A flower can brighten anyone’s day. But if you don’t like them or you simply don't have flowers, you can put pictures of loved-ones instead. You can choose whatever you want. After all, it’s your own place!
• The last but absolutely not the least, maintain cleanliness. Did you know that mess is one of the factors of stress? Yes, it is! So, every now and then, keep your writing place in order. Besides, having a comfortable, clean place is good for your health. Haha!