Friday's Star: Alvin Reyes
Alvin Reyes is an SEO copywriter, blogger, column writer, and automotive expert/review writer. He graduated with a degree on B.S. Civil Aviation Major in Flying from Airlink International Aviation School, and B.S. Accountancy from PSBA before working as an automotive review writer for Gforces.uk and Isotree, LLC. Alvin is also a comedy writer and relationships expert.
Hi Alvin. Welcome to Mandy’s Pages. It is an honor to have you here. Please tell our readers a little bit about yourself. Who are you? What is your name?
Hi Chris! My name is Alvin Gonzales Reyes. I am a pilot by profession, and I also took up B.S. Accountancy during college, but I don't practice the art and science of accounting.
I started writing while in high school, but it was only in 2007 that I started writing articles online. I guess you can call me an automotive writer extraordinaire, because I write from my own experiences, including auto repair and automotive reviews. When it comes to the topic of cars, you can be sure that I know what I'm talking about.
Oh, I can understand what you’re talking about, holding a Finance degree myself. So, when did it all start? What was the feeling when you first sat at your desk to write?
I wrote a science-fiction short story while I was a young teenager. There were no Windows OS and no MS Word during that time, and I remember using a brilliant word processing program called WordStar. My PC ran MS- DOS, and all my files were stored on primitive floppy disks!
The feeling was pretty special, and I quickly discovered that having a broad imagination was the key to my writing prowess.
Fast forward 18 years and here I am sitting on my desk using a sleek laptop, writing automotive reviews and SEO articles online. Times have changed, but the imagination is still here. Just thinking about sports cars, sleek sedans, and agile SUVs is enough to keep me glued on my computer!
So, how do you usually find your ideas?
I soak up knowledge like a sponge--or so they say. I read books, newspapers, and magazines. I do not watch a lot of television, because I feel eroded after watching programs. However, my ideas come from everything I see, hear, and do.
This is the reason why I can easily write about pets, science, aviation, mobile phones and smart phones, technology, iPhone apps, music, movies, online marketing, and virtually any topic that you can think about because I am curious about everything!
What do you mostly write about, Alvin?
I am at my best when it comes to auto reviews, automotive engineering, and mobile technology. My brain fires up like a locomotive steam engine when it comes to topics about cars, engines, suspension, and new vehicle releases!
My current hobby is about raising organic chickens from your own backyard, and I was passionate enough to create a blog about raising organic Kabir chicks and 45-day old chickens. My mother passed away due to liver cancer last October 2012, and that horrific incident gave me the motivation to spread the word about the harmful effects of GMO and pesticide-infested food.
I am particularly proud of that blog because majority of the content was written using the WordPress app for the iPhone!
So, would it be safe to call you an expert in your field?
I still have a lot to learn, but my flaming curiosity will never cease. Would you consider a trained pilot as a car expert, similar to renowned car experts such as Jeremy Clarkson or James May of Top Gear? (It is important to point out that Mr. James May is a trained pianist.)
Seeing you so eager to learn new stuff and write about them, I wonder: do you face writing blocks?
I can't remember a time when I was staring at a blank wall, because I had the opportunity to write about a plethora of topics when I was starting out in the online marketplace. Everything was so fresh to me! The mere act of using Google and browsing websites was enough to infuse my brain with enough information to write 10 or 20 articles about the same topic--using similar keywords. It was tiring, but the feeling was similar to taking an early morning jog in the local park. It was brain exercise, and I loved it!
With all this enthusiasm about writing, I would almost safely consider that you don’t face any challenges as a writer? Correct?
The only time that I encountered challenges was when my mother was diagnosed of liver cancer during the summer of 2012. That really did it for me. Writing is all about using your imagination, and just thinking about losing my mom to cancer was enough to make me quit my job as a copywriter.
I am still in the process of rehabilitating my thoughts as we speak, because the reality is that you can never fully recover from an incident such as that--you just train yourself to live with it, along with the pain and the emotional burdens that accompany such a tragedy.
I understand this emotional burden and I feel your loss, Alvin. My heartfelt condolences on the loss of your mom. May she rest in peace.
Moving on to something entirely different now: If a publisher is to review your work, how do you think (s)he will rate you on a scale from 1 to 10, 10 being the best?
If a publisher were to rate my work two or three years ago then I can honestly say that my grade would be between 8 and 9. Now is a slightly different story, but I am slowly getting back in shape!
And how would you rate your quality of writing from 1 to 10?
I always aim for perfection in everything that I do. You can't fly a plane and not give it your best, because there are lives at stake. It is the same with writing. Writers have an important obligation to the readers, and what you write might influence the young mind of a particular reader, so I am very careful when it comes to spelling, grammar, and content.
Is there any special piece of advice you would give to an aspiring writer?
Read, read, and read. Stop watching useless YouTube videos and pick up a newspaper or magazine instead. If you want to develop your writing skills, I highly suggest reading a good book, or subscribing to a good magazine.
How do you think Alvin Gonzales Reyes visualizes his future?
I don't think too much about the future. I try to live my life one day at a time. I don't think about what tomorrow might bring, because life can end all of a sudden without you even knowing it!
What I do think about is how I can make a difference today, because what you do now can greatly influence the events of tomorrow. I am a firm believer of Quantum Physics, and I know that my legacy will not be based on what I leave behind, but rather on the values that I impart to every person that I encounter.
Alvin, this has been a wonderful interview. It has been a pleasure sharing this time with you at Friday’s Stars. I wish you the very best in your endeavors. May your writing fly high like the airplanes you choose to fly. Thank you so much for obliging to this interview.