Takot: Short, short Tagalog horror stories for your mobile
A project that I’ve been working on for the past few months that not a lot of people know about is Takot (Scare). Basically, if you’re a Smart subscriber, you can call a number and listen to a short short story in the genre of your choice on your cellphone. Aside from horror, the service also offers OFW (Overseas Filipino Workers) stories and love stories.
The stories change every day, which means I’ve been writing short short horror — in Tagalog, no less — for over a quarter of a year now. The exercise has forced me to come up with interesting plots on a daily basis. It has also taught me to pare down my writing and to practice my Tagalog.
Writing seven short shorts a week is harder than it sounds. Because the service ha been around for more than two years, I couldn’t rely on the staple aswang (viscera sucker), white lady or duende (dwarf) stories, though I do have some of them in there. I’ve found myself plumbing the dark corners of my childhood and eavesdropping on elevator conversations just for material. The effects have been interesting, to say the least.
I have yet to translate some of the better ones into English, but I have plans for that soon.
If you’re a Smart subscriber, you can dial *8970151 for a new scare every day.
horror author, third world minimalist, Esquire Philippines Writer at Large
is this still working? i am a globe subscriber but I am willing to buy a smart sim…♥
I think so.
You can ask a Smart subscriber to try calling and find out. Good luck!
i love it!
id like to read some tagalog horor story
ders no online stories?
Unfortunately, no. I’ll see if i can post some soon, though.
i really2 love horror stories……….
still working po…sana may online na…thanks!!!
gus2 ko talaga ng mga horror stories,,, kasi sobrang exciting,,,,
i realllyyyyyyyy love it
nice story..,,…