PROFILE: Children’s Book Author Excel Dyquiangco

In an exclusive writer’s profile on Pilipinas Popcorn, Filipino children’s book author Excel Dyquiangco shares some pointers on how to write for children. By sharing his own experience as a writer, he gives tips on how to come up with story ideas and how to hone one’s craft.

Excel currently writes for leading magazines, newspapers and websites in the Philippines. He also writes coffee table books aside from children’s books. Excel is also a licensed teacher, with a Bachelor’s Degree in Secondary Education from the University of the Philippines – Diliman.

Story Ideas Behind “I Don’t Like to Eat” And “Lala Burara”

When asked where he got his story ideas behind two of his children’s books, he said that both came from nowhere else but his own personal experiences.

“I Don’t Like to Eat,” according to him, is based on a story that his nanny often told him when he was just four or five years old. As the story shows kids why eating healthy food is important, it also reflected how as a kid, Excel had trouble eating. He shared, “When I wrote the book, I added a few elements to the story.”

The second book called “Lala Burara” tells the story about a young girl who did not want to clean her mess. She naturally learns her lesson the hard way. According to Excel, he wants to “convey a message of cleanliness especially that kids these days don’t want to look after themselves.” For him, not taking care of ourselves and what we have will bring about its own consequences.

Children’s Book Writing – How He Got Started

Even before venturing into writing for children, Excel already wrote for magazines, websites and other publications. According to him,  he became a children’s book writer “by accident.” He took part in a two-day workshop back in 2004 by a publishing house, after which his first book “I Don’t Like to Eat” got published by Adarna Publishing House.

His second book “Lala Burara” was published by Hiyas, a division of OMF Literature. Smart Parenting, a magazine, chose it as one of the six books it recommends for children.

When it came to writing in general however, Excel said that he started writing when he was eight or nine years old. He recalled how during that time, he passed time by reading. Since his dad managed a bookstore back then, he read to his heart’s content. “I remember during summer vacations, I would spend the whole day reading – there was a pile of books right next to me. The only time I took a break was during meals or bathroom breaks,” he recalled.

Tips For Aspiring Writers

Excel also gladly shared some pointers for aspiring writers. Aside from continuously reading and of course writing, he also said that one should never give up on their craft. Perseverance he said is key to succeeding as a writer.

Perseverance should also be accompanied with finding the right opportunities to hone one’s craft. For example, participating in writing workshops will not only improve one’s writing, but will also help writers “network with like-minded people.” For writers these days, he noted that it is much easier to search for learning opportunities because of social media.

He also shared a memorable experience he had when he presented his first manuscript to a panel of experts. One of the panelists was the late Rene Villanueva, a renowned children’s book writer and editor. As his book was receiving “harsh” comments, he apologized to the panel for writing “a crappy manuscript.” Villanueva’s response to this was simply: “Don’t say sorry for anything that you write.”

Excel shared that he is currently working on his third children’s book, which he said may be released by March or April next year.

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