We had a favorite TikTok meme last week as we were manning the #RomanceClass booth at the Philippine Book Festival: “Bigla kang sumakses eh, pero istep by the step pala bago ka sumakses.”
We used it to tease H. Bentham, who, after 8 years, was finally able to finish and publish his first full-length novella in time for PBF. And he didn’t just publish it, mind you — his book, Kiss Away the Goodbye was picked up by Blush Books for its Philippine print edition, and so many people came to the booth looking to buy it! The very definition of success!
But we also kept repeating it whenever another author had their moment. Either someone bought their book at the event, or someone brought copies of their books bought elsewhere to get them signed + their photos taken. We must have said the words a hundred times a day, coupled with giggles and silent wishes that more books fly off the shelves as the hours went on.
Spoiler alert: Our wishes came true.
By the end of the four-day event, we’d sold at least four times more books than we had last year. Hindi lang ‘to sa imagine namin, sumakses talaga kami!!!
In my ten years of self-publishing, I’ve learned to measure success in many different ways. A win is a win, no matter how seemingly small or insignificant. Finished a chapter? That’s a win. Hit Publish on Amazon? Also a win. Got an invitation to run a writing workshop at one of the biggest universities in the Philippines despite ~the academe looking down on your genre of choice? Definitely A. WIN.
It’s safe to say I’ve had my fair share of wins where writing and publishing are concerned, and right now I’m including #PBF2025 on my list. Not only did we manage to introduce ourselves (and our books, our community) to so many new readers, but we were also present to celebrate H. Bentham’s milestone. I was also in the audience during their Saturday panel on gender-inclusive voices in Philippine literature (together with Chi Yu Rodriguez, Chuckberry Pascual, and Bernadette Neri), where Ben attributed his achievement to having a safe space where he could simply express whatever he wanted in his writing.
The words resonated with me. Belatedly, I should add, because the message didn’t really hit me until Monday as I was scrolling through my phone gallery. Seeing all of our happy faces, all the books we’ve managed to churn out, and all the friendships we’ve made these past several years just got me in my feelings.
Look at all that you’ve accomplished, the photos seemed to tell me. You’re doing so well.
In 2015, entered this community unsure if I even wanted to call myself a romance author but stayed and learned from the people I’ve met anyway. I sat behind the table at my very first Komiket where no one seemed to bother with the books we had on display. Why did I do that? Because I liked the vibe, I liked the company. Soon, I realized I was spending time with people who shared the same beliefs I had, and whose perspectives enriched my view of the world. It wasn’t just about the writing anymore. It also became about my growth as a person — which, of course, contributed to my growth as an author.
And now, ten years later, I’ve had the honor of helping put together and managing a whole booth of books by authors who continue to choose love and happy endings. Yes, despite people still finding it “corny,” “escapist,” and “unrealistic.” I’ve also had the honor of recommending our books to school representatives asking for young adult romance because “this is what the students are requesting to see in our library” or “this is what the students find relatable.”
We’ve had readers coming up to the booth asking for books by specific authors they’ve already had the pleasure of reading. We’ve met a reader who brought really old copies of their books to have them signed by Carla de Guzman, and another who brought their heavily (and colorfully!) annotated copy of Field Guide for Six de los Reyes to sign. We have amazing theatre actors who come back and share their talents with us every event just because they love what we do and how they’re welcomed in our space.
What #RomanceClass has achieved in its twelve years of existence is ultimately the creation of a safe space where authors, readers, artists, and creatives can coexist and inspire each other not only to create, but to uplift one another. I believe it’s because of this safe space that we continue to produce good work, attract good vibes, and meet good people, and what had transpired within the community during the Philippine Book Festival was testament to that.
Again and again, thank you, #RomanceClass. <3
And thank you also to everyone behind the Philippine Book Festival, for creating a space that puts the spotlight on Filipino authors, creators, publishers, and stories. We appreciate the work you’ve done, my only hope is for these endeavors to continue until every Filipino-authored book finds its intended readers. Until the next one!
