How One Becomes a Journalist
On Feb. 26, 2005, Tobey asked:
hello... i was wondering how you started being a journalist... cos i want to be one someday, taking aside my other interests :) hope you could give me pieces of advice or something... im an undergrad at ateneo. but i stopped cos i abhor my course... so im currently a bummber. hehehe... please write me back if you may. have a great day! ;]
Dear Tobey,
Back in college, I never envisioned myself as a journalist.In fact, I had a hard time churning out essays during English class. It was sheer torture for me to be assigned to write a piece that will be submitted right after class. I was never confident about how I expressed myself in words. My professors didn’t give me much encouragement either. My forte then was photography. I expressed myself more eloquently through this medium.
Eventually, photography left me feeling like I had no voice. I wanted to share more to the readers, and that was when my passion for writing was born. During my last semester in college, I took all the writing classes I found. One that was really helpful was the Feature Writing class that I took under Ruel de Vera. Of course, I had a hard time that semester, but I endured because I wanted so badly to have my article published.
Right after college, I applied to an advertising agency and easily got in. My first week in advertising left me feeling drained. I knew I was not meant to conceptualize ice cream and deodorant ads for a living. After much soul-searching and prayer, I discovered that what I wanted most was to be a writer. I prayed hard for God to give me the skill to be an excellent writer. What I lacked in talent, I made up for in tenacity in praying.
In 3 months time, I found a job as a feature writer at a small company that produced Lifeline Magazine. The dingy office made me think if it was what I went to college for. But then, deep inside, I knew God wanted me to take the job. He was saying: “Do not despise the day of small beginnings.” So I took the job, even if my parents were not that happy with my decision.
God knew what He was doing, because in my one year in that company, my writing and editorial skills were stretched. My editor Alexis Pineda was a former Colegian ed-in-chief who had high standards. He envisioned his magazine to be the Philippine version of Reader’s Digest.
For every investigative article, we were required to find at least 4 credible sources (3 interviews and one book source. Articles didn’t count). Every issue, I had 4-5 full-length articles to write, with only 2 weeks to finish them all. I still don’t know how I managed. I remember having lots of late nights, but had lots of fun anyway. I found immense pleasure in seeing my byline in print. Even now, I get thrilled every time someone tells me they read my work.
After a year (1998), I submitted my resume to Good Housekeeping. They were just starting at that time, so they quickly got me as a contributor. Talk about being at place at the right time. Because of the training I got at Lifeline, I found writing for Good Housekeeping very manageable.
In 1999, I started working in television. I kept writing on the side to help me keep the creative juices flowing. Last 2000, I did a TV segment on this Payatas kid (See: The Little Hero) for a show and couldn’t get him off my mind so I decided to write an article about him. After it came out in the Sunday Inquirer Magazine, I submitted it to Reader’s Digest and they decided to put the boy on their Every Heroes section. I was so happy that an international magazine recognized the heroism of this boy from the slums. I have since kept close contact with my editors in Reader’s Digest and they always ask me for good leads and interesting personalities from the Philippines.
So to answer your question, how does one become a journalist? Well, it all starts with being clear about your calling. I believe every one of us has been assigned a mission on this earth. To know your mission, you have to ask your Maker. I have been so blessed to have a very personal relationship with Christ and even in college I would always ask Him for guidance in all the major and minor decisions I had to make. Sometimes our vision for our lives is so much smaller than what God had intended for us. Let Him lead you to your destiny. You’ll never regret it.
I don’t believe it’s hard to know what one’s mission is because God has given us clues. First of which is passion. What do you want most to do? What is your message to the world? What will most fulfill you? What can’t you live without? I didn’t know I was going to be a journalist, but I wanted so badly to write. I was dying to write. Most of all, I had a message that could best be communicated through my writing skills.
Once you discover your passion, the next step is to plunge into it all your heart and mind. What stops most people from writing is fear. The antidote to fear is to do it anyway. Do it even if you’re afraid. I really believe that if you can speak, then you can write.
As you hone your skill, God will bless and make it grow. He will also open avenues for you to be seen and read. You are smart. I have read your blog, so I don’t think you will have a hard time entering this field. Make God proud of you! I’ll be applauding on the sidelines when you get published! All the best to you!
posted by Jennifer Yap Caspe @ 4:15 PM
2 Comments:
Thanks Ms. Jenny, this comment may have been more than a year late but I just want you to know that I was enlightened when I read this entry.
I have always believed that God has a specific mission for me but never have i asked myself the ff. questions:
What do you want most to do? What is your message to the world? What will most fulfill you? What can’t you live without?
For now, I guess I'll just have to seek more of His face, of His desires for my life. One can never go wrong when he/she is in the arms of his/her Creator.
Thanks.
To God be the glory!
~ice
Your words can truly move mountains and bring forth light to a very murky mindset. I think it was also God's plan for me to lay sight on your article (this article or maybe message). Keep on inspiring half minded people to be on the brighter side.
-Eugene Alejandro-
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