Yvette Tan Shares Her Journey in Writing Horror Stories
The Chinoy community has contributed to the Philippines’ vibrant culture by interweaving with Filipino beliefs and traditions. Through this, Chinoys developed their unique take on creativity, making the landscape of arts and literature richer in context.
While creativity runs through many Chinoys, one stands out: Yvette Tan, one of the most prominent writers in modern Philippine literature. She has published short story collections: Walking the Dead, Seek Ye Whore and Other Stories, and other works of fiction, deservedly earning her the title “Queen of Philippine Horror Stories.“
As the Chinoy community celebrates Ghost Month, it’s time to highlight Yvette Tan’s journey to becoming a writer. She shared her passion for writing horror stories, which is timely for this month’s occasion, riddled with spooky tales.
Indeed, Yvette’s passion for writing enriches modern literature and gives Filipinos a diverse reading experience. As she writes books for her readers, we shall also learn her story and journey to becoming a writer.
Yvette Tan: Writing Beyond Chinoy Norms
“When you’re Chinoy, you don’t know you grew up Chinoy because you live in a bubble,” said Yvette Tan in an interview from Chinese by Blood Filipino by Heart.
In the Filipino-Chinese bubble, certain professionals are deemed to be more valuable. Typically, Chinoy parents expect their children to inherit their businesses, following in their footsteps to continue the entrepreneurial family traditions.
Straying from these expectations, a less conventional career would leave you with little support from your parents and peers. So, when I asked Yvette how her Chinoy background helped her writing talent, she shared a candid answer from her upbringing.
“Honestly, it didn’t. I’m surprised that I’ve gotten to where I am considering the utter lack of support I got growing up because Chinoys during that time looked down on writers because they didn’t earn as much money as business people. What was even worse was that I wrote horror stories.”
Yvette’s insight into Filipino-Chinese culture is a testament to our community’s need to be more accepting of our differences. As we move toward inclusion, the modern Chinoy community will be able to embrace their authentic selves to inspire creativity.
You Can Also Read: Chinoy LGBT In The Philippines: Breaking Pageant Barriers
Though the modern Chinoy community is more open to change, Yvette’s upbringing had a different view of what were the accepted norms.
“To be fair, my parents raised me very well, but I guess there was always a pressure to be a certain person I wasn’t, not just in the family, but also outside. Because of that, I got bullied; I didn’t know how to deal with people, so this is what contributed to me escaping to books,” Yvette shared.
Detached from the norm, Yvette poured her time into reading, which helped her hone her creative mindset, and without the pressure of conforming to the norms, Yvette mastered the idea of forming her unique identity, a crossroads between Filipino and Chinese.
This unique situation of Yvette in the Chinoy community made her view of the world around her distinctive: she channeled creativity by breaking social norms.
Yvette advocated on her Facebook page that she hopes to see aspiring Filipino writers have a better support system. She also hoped that her story could comfort Chinoys, who are also drawn to pursue less conventional careers.
As a beacon of inspiration, her beginning as a writer shows how going beyond norms can inspire the next generation of Chinoy creatives. Her story can touch people’s hearts and encourage them to be brave in pursuing their passion even if it goes against social expectations.
Bridging Fiction and Reality
Books became Yvette’s escape from reality, and that was when she started to hone her love for words. By retreating into books, she found a way to escape the rigid expectations and developed her voice: crafting stories that bridge fiction and reality.
Yvette’s creative journey started with writing fan fiction in high school. She shared, “I would write fanfic about my friends and our crushes, who were members of a boyband. I’m not saying which boyband. Now that I think about it, those were novel-length adventures! I had a different group of friends about whom I’d also write fantasy stories.”
Yvette nurtured her love for fiction by writing imaginative stories as a pastime activity. Because of this, she empathizes more with herself, becoming more attuned to her emotions. She then believed that fiction can also make a reader more empathetic.
She also shared, “I write a lot of fiction. Fiction may not be real; it may come from somebody else’s imagination, but it’s a bridge for a reader to think in a different way to see things from a different point of view, and I think that holds power.”
Using fiction to depict reality, Yvette creatively used this element in her short horror stories to paint real-life situations.
“I like to describe my stories as tales you’d conceivably hear from a neighbor or colleague. I know they’re classified as horror, but in my head, they’re realistic stories of your reality in the Philippines.”
On Why Yvette Tan Writes Horror Stories
In an interview with the Horror Writers Association, Yvette shared that she has always been interested in the supernatural despite growing up in an Evangelical Christian household and being easily frightened.
Yvette, accustomed to Filipino folk beliefs at a young age, believed that supernatural elements were part of our daily lives, especially in the Philippine culture.
She described supernatural happenings “as a fact, but are no less scary” due to her Filipino point of view. Indeed, the Philippines still has many real-life horror stories that can inspire modern Filipino writers to use fiction to enlighten people.
Yvette also shared that she is drawn to the language used in horror fiction because she resonates with the words. This made me curious, so I asked her which horror writers inspired her the most.
“My favorite horror writer is Poppy Z. Brite, who now goes by Billy Martin. Their work is what made me fall in love with horror.”
After taking inspiration from this author, Yvette formed her voice when writing horror stories. Her unique take on the horror scene makes her voice stand out as she interweaves Chinoy culture into her narratives.
Interweaving Chinoy Culture into Horror Stories
Are you curious about a horror story in a Chinese school, or how about incorporating Chinese traditions with a terrifying spirit from the past? These stories are all inside Yvette Tan’s book, Seek Ye Whore and Other Stories.
Two notable short stories blend Filipino and Chinese culture: Fold Up Boy and The Lost Girl. Not to spoil the content, but these two stories uniquely narrate the horror elements in a Chinoy environment.
When I asked Yvette Tan how influential her Chinoy upbringing was when writing horror stories, she told me:
“Growing up Chinoy was kind of painful for me because I’m not your typical Chinese Filipino woman. I’m dark (well, not glow in the dark white), I have a low voice, I suck at math, I’m not petite, I like to read, and I’m socially awkward. Being Chinoy wasn’t always fun for me. Including Chinoy elements in my stories is actually a way for me to deal with my loneliness and past pain.”
As a way to heal from a painful past, Yvette has creatively written horror stories that could reflect the culture and daily lives of Chinoys. Channeling her experience through her craft allows Yvette to look deeper into how her Chinoy upbringing has affected her positively and negatively.
Yvette Tan’s Unique Voice in Modern Philippine Literature
Yvette Tan’s success symbolizes her dedication to her craft as a writer. Undeterred by social norms, she has established herself in modern Philippine literature as a unique voice that showcases the reality in her horror stories.
Her bravery in pursuing a less conventional path as a Chinoy can also inspire modern Filipino writers to pursue their passion despite lack of support within the community.
She hopes to inspire aspiring writers by giving a tip: “Write what you want to write. Don’t listen to other people. If they want to dictate what you write, tell them to write their own stories.”
Her boldness to stay true to her passion allowed Yvette to continue writing her stories. She also shared that she is currently working on her third collection of short stories and her first novel.
One lesson we can learn from Yvette Tan is that courageously pursuing our creative passions despite the community’s lack of support can be inspiring. We can say that her journey can be a source of inspiration to pursue what our hearts truly want.
For more Chinoy stories, visit our social media today!
