My Leafy Writing Experience

It all started with the loud courage, “the only asset that I have”.

When I tasks to cover my first beat – the seminar series on “climate change” it took me a galloon of sweat and a month long of sleepless nights constructing my one-page news report. This experience pushed me to give extra effort on everything. Extra effort in reading more references, extra time to practice and extra energy to learned the preferred writing style. I must do these, just to meet the standard of the company I am working at that time. Of course, I want to survive not just because I don’t have no choice! But I want to learn and be at par the required criteria of at least an amateur writer.

I still remember when the editor talked to me deeply, probably because he can’t endure the article I submitted for that month issue of our publication. “This was my first article”, my “nose-bleeding” article. Yes, I am amenable, probably you’ll also be discouraged if you’re able to see how poor it was. But I am grateful, i have a good environment to learned and practice writing. The team assisted and drown me with their stories of encouragement. In fact I’m inspired to learned how they started too. I don’t know if they were exaggerated, but it help. “I am worst more that you before” said my colleague. “In my article, only my name is not “bleeding” the term we use to describe our article full of corrections – red ball-pen marks by our editors.

I spent more time to write at night. It became my habit, because I am easily destructed with noise at daytime. I read references and make notes during office hours and “burn eye brow” at silent night – usually at about 3 O ‘clock in the morning to write and conceptualize my article. It makes me comfortable that way but it stakes my time for my family, which is dangerous for a new couple like us.

But you know what – sacrifices become frothy when you see your output get published. It feels better when your boss praised it and put it on publication’s front page. It even feels better when it get published on the newspaper bearing your name as a by line. And much undauntedly better, very fulfilling (I don’t know what adjective to describe) when an awarding body selected your article as “one of the best” amongst the hundreds of entries in the competition. Very inspiring!

I found it unbelievable the first time, but God did it.

Late Sunday afternoon, one of my friends sent me a message that made me terribly happy. “Mon congrats” and I continue reading the details of her text. I grabbed a copy of newspaper to prove it myself. I was dumbfounded and feel blessed.

My entry for the 4^th Brightleaf Journalism Award for 2010 won the “Best National Feature Story”. Thanks to Brightleaf for entrusting me this and for continues support in chronicling agriculture stories for the betterment of our fisherfolk and farmers. Of course to God who made this possible for me, and to all friends, bosses, and family (my wife and my daughter) who are in any ways helped me achieved this.  Thank you very much.

With all these things – happening to me, I’m “on fire” (as in flamming) to be on the double for my spiritual and personal development as I continue searching the will of God to my life.

And of course, my writing skill, so as I am doing now. Sorry if you will find some lines that are grammatically erroneous. Just what I said, I keep on practicing. Thanks for reading!

Read my article here: R&D efforts to manage and restore sea cucumber populations underway