ABOUT ME

Name: Ro
Age: 26
Pronouns: they/them
Languages Spoken: Tagalog, English, intermediate-level Japanese

☆ ON WRITING

I started writing when I was around eight years old and haven't stopped since. I don't have any formal training in it apart from whatever I learned when I was still a regular student, but I've been publishing fanfiction online since 2010 (back on good ol' ff.net) and contributing to fan zines, digital and physical, since 2017. In 2020, I joined NaNoWriMo and managed to write more than 50,000 words in a month for an original novel. I have several in the works, but for now, they'll remain private. One day, I hope to publish at least one for real, though, and am also looking to open commissions before then. Other than this, I also have work experience as a Freelance English Editor, copyediting various documents from different clients. To view my most recent creative work and more information, please click here.

☆ ON ART

I don't consider myself much of an artist despite having taken a class in Visual Arts when I was in high school, but that doesn't mean I can't draw (this is true for all of us). For the most part, I like to make short comics and doodle in different cartoonish styles, but I'll occasionally draw a minimally realistic picture every now and again. Other than posting drawings online, I like to use them to make gifts like cards and illustrated poetry books for friends. I've also illustrated sprites for the visual novels I developed and have plans to make a web comic and more games in the future. I'll probably learn pixel art for that soon. To view my most recent work, please click on the Instagram link on the previous page or this text here.

☆ ON JAPANESE

In 2017, I plucked up the courage to take a Japanese class in my university and, since then, I've been learning the language. I took classes until 2019, stopped (for personal reasons), and have been studying by myself ever since. Formal education took me to an N4 level, and I've taken the JLPT and passed the N3 level, so that's where I'm at. I plan to study until I reach the N1 level. Needless to say, I'm average at Japanese at best, but I do extensive research whenever I translate things and even consult native speakers to fill the gaps in my knowledge. I've joined many a study server and language exchange app, and I'm always on the lookout for a study buddy! To view my translations, please click here.

☆ ON MUSIC

Singing has been one of my great loves for as long as I can remember, even longer than writing has been. I remember belting out ballads as a wee toddler and taking voice lessons, where I learned falsetto, one summer. Other than that, all I have by way of experience is the fact that I've been singing for decades now, learned to play a bit of guitar, piano, and drums, write songs, and know how to edit audio minimally using Audacity. I've tried recording trial covers but, up until recently, haven't exactly had the best equipment for products that I would want to publicize. I will upload actual tracks on my SoundCloud and YouTube, though. Both covers and original music, for sure. To view what I have so far, check out the links on the previous page.

☆ ON PHOTOS

Thanks to my five years as a member of the Records committee of a university student organization, I learned to use software like Adobe Photoshop, Illustrator, and Lightroom. My favorite thing to do with this knowledge is make GIFs. I'm far from an expert at this, and actual experts might argue that I actually suck at it, but I've managed to make a few that I'm satisfied with. I aim to be better at it, however, and learn how to improve and manipulate colors, optimize sharpness, and everything else that'll make the GIFs look good. To view my GIFs, please click here.

☆ ON STREAMING

I started streaming on Twitch in 2022 and am now an Affiliate. I use a PNG to represent myself, thereby making myself a PNGTuber, but unlike actual VTubers, I didn't create a character or lore or anything. Rather, I just don't want to show my face but want to personalize my stream screen at least a little, and not through an overlay because I don't want to overdo it. I stream a variety of content, from all kinds of games to Japanese study streams to karaoke streams one day, maybe. I don't expect to gain much of an audience by doing this. My main goal for streaming is to show whoever's willing to watch the games I love to play and hopefully create a community that thinks those games are pretty great too. To watch my streams, please click on the Twitch link on the previous page.

Please do note that the reason I bothered to write all of this down is transparency. I don't claim to be a master of anything I do, and my confidence is so low that I don't think I'm allowed to charge for anything, no matter how hard I work. But everyone's gotta shoot their shot some time, no? I'm offering all of these skills of mine to anyone who might be interested, to anyone who might disagree with me and think, "No, I think you do deserve compensation for the creative work you do." If you're one of those people, thank you very much, I look forward to your continued support, and rest assured, I will try my best to prove you right! If not, thanks for stopping by anyway, and hopefully one day, I'll become good enough to change your mind. :^)

Ro

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