MANILA, PHILIPPINES — Bookshelf PH is now accepting applications for its first annual Manuel P. Quiogue Writers’ Workshop. The workshop is named after Manuel “Meckoy” Quiogue, a legendary leader in advertising and marketing in the Philippines, who previously held leadership roles as the President of J. Walter Thompson, Managing Director of Studio 23, President and COO of GMA Marketing, and CEO of GroupM Philippines, among many others in an illustrious career. He also worked with Solar Entertainment Corp and multinationals like Coca-Cola and Unilever.
In honor of his legacy, the Manuel P. Quiogue Writers’ Workshop is looking for creative non-fiction writers, whose work – like that of Manuel P. Quiogue – seeks to improve the Philippines through excellence in marketing, advertising, or business. Writing that falls under this broad mandate may include works related to technology, innovation, entrepreneurship, the economy, branding, digital marketing, investing, wealth management, leadership, and many others.
For the twelve to fifteen writers selected for the inaugural run of the Manuel P. Quiogue Writers’ Workshop, the program is particularly keen on accepting writers from several categories:
- Business or technology journalists or bloggers
- Business, marketing, or economics faculty
- Business analysts or other professionals with unique insight into industry
- Brand managers and marketing or advertising professionals
- Corporate business leaders or entrepreneurs
The Bookshelf PH team is proud to have partnered with the Manuel P. Quiogue estate, as represented by his family, wife Ina and his children, Luis, Lourdes, Ramona, Manuel Jr, Margarita, and Lorenzo, for the workshop.
“Long-form business writing is still nascent in the Philippines. In order to inspire the next generation of authors and thinkers in this space, we could have chosen the best namesake in Manuel P. Quiogue. Like him, we know the work produced during the workshop will call from its readers the same excellence in marketing, innovation, and business that he achieved during his storied lifetime,” said Kyle Nate, the deputy editorial director of Bookshelf PH who organized the partnership.
The writing workshop will span four weeks beginning Wednesday, August 11 and ending September 1, convening once a week for 2 hours. There will also be substantial 1-on-1 consultations between program faculty and Manuel P. Quiogue fellows in order to work on their manuscripts in a more thorough fashion. Both the workshop and the individual consultations will be held entirely virtually to keep all fellows, facilitators, and guest speakers safe amid the ongoing pandemic.
The Manuel P. Quiogue Writers’ Workshop will be taught by the in-house writers and editors of Bookshelf PH, who have together produced several notable works of non-fiction, including The 50: HR Leaders Reimagining the Filipino Organization, The Evangelists: Insights from Leaders of the Nation’s Most Beloved Brands, Fearless Filipinas: 12 Women Who Dared to Be Different, and the forthcoming The E-Hustle: Everything You Need to Know About Launching and Growing Your E-Commerce Business.
The goal of the workshop is to produce a publishable manuscript by the end of the term. Applicants are thus encouraged to have a complete manuscript or substantial work-in-progress.
Applicants without a manuscript can still be considered, so long as they furnish a thorough outline of their intended manuscript and can commit to creating a full manuscript during the duration of the workshop.
The Manuel P. Quiogue Writers’ Workshop will be built around the traditional workshop focused around the craft of writing. These workshops will be supplemented with lectures and talks around the profession of writing. The workshop wants to produce Manuel P. Quiogue fellows who are not only skilled writers of non-fiction, but also savvy marketers of their own work in order to find a wide readership, just as Manuel P. Quiogue would have wanted.
To apply, interested writers should send in a cover letter, resume or CV, and a writing sample of at least 20 pages from their manuscript in progress, or an outline of the work they would complete if selected for the workshop to hello@bookshelf.com.ph, with a subject of “MPQ Writers’ Workshop” on the email. Deadline for applications is Thursday, July 29.
In addition to the workshop itself, chosen fellows will receive the designation as Manuel P. Quiogue Fellows, continuing access to professional development support as program alumni, and digital, print, or audio distribution via Bookshelf PH.
