About
Born and raised in Manila, Philippines, Ianna chose to go down the creative writing path several years after completing her bachelors in digital filmmaking at De La Salle – College of Saint Benilde.
Originally interested in pursuing a career in film and screenwriting, life had different plans for her. She was immersed in the media and entertainment industry before deciding to dip her toes in creative writing.
During the course of her degree, Ianna's interest in writing shifted from film to prose, focusing on short stories as her creative thesis. It also served as the starting point of serious fiction writing. Her stories tackle mostly about human connections, realistic emotions, and the life that is lived through inspiration, representation, experience and immersion.
Prior to pursuing writing, she worked as a social media manager and digital content creator for a radio station in Manila. Now, she's straying away from the online world and going analog by dabbling in various forms of writing, mainly in fiction and free verse poetry, honing more of her craft as she starts to develop a future career using the power of words, and a pen and paper as her tools.
Other Half: Short Stories
Other Half: Short Stories explores the intricacies of human bonds through five short stories that examine a range of connections: a chance encounter between two strangers inside a convenience store; a young girl helping a woman better understand her importance as an older sister; a test of trust and secrecy among long-time female friends over dinner; the contrast between the imaginative dream life envisioned by a young girl and the actual reality she lives alongside her father; an elderly sapphic woman grappling with her partner’s dementia as memories of a past male lover resurface.
Professional practice
Catalina Rembuyan
Dan Wong
He Jia Wen
Pratima Balabhadrapathruni
Florence Loh
Leon Oh Jun Cheng
