Before we go further, I would have to say no…I’m not going down that path again. This post is mostly about my work. No calls to arms about multiculturalism in ‘white-dominated’ horror. Maybe just a plea to readers to ensure fairness.
What is Filipino horror? What makes it new or different? Horror as part of the human condition is universal. There’s hardly been a topic that writers have failed to expound in creative writing. So, if you ask me personally what differentiates my brand of Filipino horror from the rest, there are several ways we can go, but as far as culture and heritage being unique, the Philippines offers so many things that are also distinct.
While I won’t expand on that notion to talk about my future manuscripts at length, owing to my desire to maintain the integrity and originality of my intellectual property, I can safely say that besides Filipino mythos, which locals have used in the past (see stories published by obscure Filipino writers about the myths of the aswang or tikbalang, for instance.), there are things that are so popular as talking points, they are woven into our culture and social dynamics. Take for instance, the Miss Universe Pageant, which I include in one of my manuscripts, is something very popular in our parts that may not be in other countries. Resultantly, it offers readers something new and potentially exciting. I also often include places that are known for their contributions to tourism revenue, being that the Philippines has so many. Other sources include Philippine socioeconomics, something to give the writing social relevance and a form of “content” to provoke thought and reflection.
Again, it seems frustrating to mention some of these topics of interest without delving too deeply, but precautions must be made to ensure that I don’t give it all way. For those who say, share your work and let anyone and everyone read it…or openly discuss your ideas with everyone; bounce those ideas off as many people as you know…I must argue against that notion because I’ve literally seen other writers take those ideas as their own before an originating author can publish theirs. Again, I wish things were different but they aren’t. The horror genre, more than any, encourages writers to reuse other story templates as they see fit, changing mainly the characters or settings. It may be interesting to readers that I say this without naming names, but we’ll do without the mess of social media scrums for the sake of peace of mind. I know, it feels acceptable to write the ten-thousandth handed-down version of the haunted house story only this time replete with queer and problematic characters, but it also gets old.
Still, horror tropes are collectively a thing. They are popular for good reason. Horror is a very binge-friendly genre, where fans endlessly want more of the same. Therefore, newer horror authors come in and supply that object in demand. It follows that I don’t want to spill my own secret formulas until they’re in print. I’ll give clues as to what, without divulging them in full.
To enumerate, here are some of my sources of inspiration:
1. Mythos is a big wellspring of ideas for me, as many countries have their own unique indigenous stories to tell.
2. Like I said, the tourism sector offers many places that have their own legendary statuses to travelers.
3. There are religious practices here that seem extreme to people from other nations.
4. There are many types of food here that add to the cultural dynamic of my stories.
5. The Filipino people, no matter how universal or alike with other nationalities, can also strike as authentic by way of their language and customs.
It is important for me to make my characters as authentically Filipino as possible, while stressing their universality and relatability with other peoples.
It is noteworthy that my upcoming debut novel, Below (September 2026), can sound like a contradiction to this emphasis on originality, since it follows the zombie apocalypse template, and is unique mostly by characterization and setting. Still, I’d have to say that Below refreshes the formula and does not solely adapt ideas used extensively elsewhere. The social commentary and deep dive in the history of certain drugs responsible for the pandemic offer novel and very realistic ideas.
Likewise, my upcoming novella, All Guts, All Glory (also September 2026), was inspired by the transgressive queer horror template, only with subtle differences in character portrayal and cultural cues. The inspiration behind this novella is simple: tell the story of a charismatic queer character battling adversity and oppression to arise victorious after a whirlwind adventure down the sewage tanks of a pig farm and a carnie show.
But tropes are tropes and are entirely different from instances where authors literally take someone else’s intellectual property and bastardize it. What seems to be the problem, you ask? If the story is new again, how can that be an issue? Well, as an example, I literally shared a Filipino movie on social media which ended up being remarkably similar to this one author’s book. No fucking around, everyone. The author didn’t even bother to change the title of his book version, meaning it couldn’t have been coincidental. Filipino screenwriters would have never heard of this author. Their movie project was released in cinema years before the offending author published his book. In the end, the production company responsible for making the movie would have never heard about this hackery considering the book’s inability to gain traction (thank god, right?). Still, how many times does this actually happen in the horror genre then? My answer? More than you think, if my experience serves me right. When they tell you that the mark of an amateur writer is how amateurs seem to stress privacy and confidentiality, at least until the book is unveiled, think again when veteran writers say no one actually steals writing. Trust a reputable editor, beta readers, or writer’s group, but be aware that authors can shamelessly steal.
Lastly, remember that cultural heterogeneity and multiculturalism are more important than ever. They bring true diversity and freshness to a genre that can bog down with repetition. Also, if you discover a horror novel or novel set in one country like the Philippines, demand that the author of such work originates from the specified nation, else boycott said work if penned by an author taking advantage of or stealing original ideas. We may accept or encourage the retelling of story tropes or templates to feed a readership demanding more, but these same stories must responsibly offer their own perspective. As an #OWN voices author, I encounter my fair share of difficulty publishing my unique brand of Filipino horror, but it always feels so deflating and demeaning to watch a white author with a more extensive publishing history hack ideas unalike their own.
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