From canadianinquirer.net
By Matte Laurel-Zalko
How society thinks or perceives is based largely on what journalists, columnists, writers, authors, speech-writers and bloggers write. It’s often been said that “history is written by victors” and that according to American novelist and essayist, William H. Gass, “The true alchemists do not change lead into gold; they change the world into words.” Writing is such a powerful tool used in our everyday lives — it is an essential communication skill utilised to make a permanent record, to store and share information, to convey, and yes, to influence and change the world (for the better hopefully). Writing is believed to be the most high-powered weapon to help shape the world we live in.
The main reason why we write is that it helps us communicate effectively with others. It really is a no-brainer that if one can’t write, one simply can’t communicate with others. When we write to others, it is because we want to stimulate a reaction, an interest, a response, and a conversation from others. When we write for ourselves, we use writing as a tool to help us learn, think, and understand. Writing for ourselves helps us express our feelings, thoughts, and opinions. There are five purposes writers use to write: to persuade their readers, to express their opinions and feelings, to inform their readers, to create a literary work, and lastly, writing activities yield a great number of emotional, physiological, and intellectual benefits to individuals.
Based on my own experience, there are so many benefits one can gain from writing: it can be therapeutic and can be a form of cathartic stress relief; it gives you an avenue where you can vent and express your feelings, opinions, and frustrations; it allows you to reflect and clarify your thoughts; it keeps your mind refreshed and challenged therefore it’s good for your brain; it turns you into a better reader and a more effective communicator; it’s a great creativity jumpstart; and enables you to be a more passionate version of yourself.
LEARNING HOW TO WRITE
(Photo of the book, Anne Frank, The Diary of a Young Girl, photo courtesy of Indigo bookstore)
While living and studying in London, England, I discovered my passion for writing at the age of 14 — by keeping a secret diary. I was actually inspired by Anne Frank after reading “The Diary of a Young Girl.” I wrote diligently in my diary every day about what happened at my school, Marymount International School; I wrote about what I ate; what made me sad and angry; what made me happy; what I was thankful for; I wrote about my secret crushes; I wrote about my family, and about my hopes and dreams.
Mainly, I wrote about my innermost secrets in my life — experiences that I can’t share with anyone, not even to those who are closest to me. My diaries became my sanctuaries and safe havens. I had different types of diaries: I had diaries that had locks, I had colourful and scented notebooks that I used to buy from WHSmith at Oxford Street or from the stalls of the famous Portobello Road in Notting Hill Market. Fast forward to this day, I still keep a diary albeit a digital one! My secret diaries are the doors to my soul, my heart, and my mind.
LEARNING FROM LITERARY GIANTS
There are so many writers that one admires and learns from. Through the years, I found myself totally immersed in Dostoevsky’s works — I particularly loved “Crime and Punishment” — I’ve read this masterpiece a hundred times, literally (pardon the pun) and I still read it when I’m in the mood for soul searching. I love George Orwell’s “1984” and “Animal Farm.” I still swoon over Jane Austen’s “Pride and Prejudice”! If I want a bit of a fright, I’d always turn to Edgar Allan Poe’s classics. I’ve always been a voracious reader ever since I learned to read! Through these literary giants, I learned to avoid using the word “very” as it’s apparently a weak word that diminishes your writing!
(Photo of the book cover, Point of Order by Joe Guevara, photo courtesy of Carousell)
When I was a child, my late maternal grandfather would bribe me with Serg’s chocolates and either Chiz Curls or Chippy snacks if I read him the Manila Bulletin from front to back, even the obituary section on a daily basis! I still remember my grandfather’s preferred column, “Point of View,” by columnist Jose “Joe” Guevara. My grandfather loved reading his articles because they were both Batangueños. Also, my grandfather favoured Joe Guevara’s “bullet points” writing style and tradition over other Manila Bulletin columnists. As per my 8-year-old self, I could barely understand what Joe Guevara wrote about back then! Nevertheless, it was a great introduction to reading well-written articles and I only have my grandfather to thank for!
These days, I have my own favourite modern-day columnists from the Philippines. I may be based now in Vancouver, but thank heavens for modern technology, I’m able to read their articles back home through online. When I read the articles of these much-admired Filipino columnists, I always feel as though I’m transported back to the Philippines sipping my beloved cafe mocha at The Curator while I read their articles! I’m fortunate to be connected with two of these highly esteemed Filipino columnists through Facebook and they’ve been so generous and kind to share with us why they write and how they started as writers.
MONIQUE TODA: LIFESTYLE COLUMNIST FOR THE PHILIPPINE STAR
(Ms. Monique Toda, photo courtesy of Monique Toda’s Facebook profile.)
Monique Toda is the total package. She’s beauty and brains and a K-Drama connoisseur. In her past life, she headed the public relations and communications department of two of Manila’s top luxury hotels, New World and Raffles Fairmont Hotel. She’s now focusing on her lovable dogs and has a lifestyle column, “All in My Head,” where she writes passionately about anything from post-pandemic anxiety, K-dramas, celebrities, health and wellness, food and beverage and the modern Filipina in the evolution of Maria Clara. She also writes restaurant reviews for The Tatler Dining Guide.
I’m drawn to Monique not just as a lifestyle writer, but as a woman who is a dog-lover and a woman who has a strong bond with her close female friends — they call themselves Seoul Sisters. Apparently, they meet regularly discussing their passion for anything Korean: K-dramas, celebrities and food — which is something I totally associate with because here in Vancouver, I belong to a group called Sisterhood Tribe and just like Monique’s Seoul Sisters, we also bond over life’s many pleasures and sorrows. I gravitate towards Monique’s articles because I share her love for food, travel, and dramedies. Suffice to say, I find her totally relatable! I also find it a bonus to know that she’s such a kind person and so willing and generous to share her experiences as a writer. Plus, she shares the same name as my youngest sister!
My two favourite articles that Monique wrote would have to be “The Reality and Fantasy of Ageing Gracefully” which is about the struggles of ageing gracefully! My other much-loved article of hers is “A Moveable Feast with Peninsulares” — an article about the delectable dishes one could indulge in at the legendary hotel, The Peninsula Manila, which incidentally happens to be my second home because I had my first job there as a young waitress at the Spices restaurant in the early 90’s.
When asked how she started writing for the Philippine Star in 2019, Monique shares, “I was asked to write for the Philippine Star by editor Millet Mananquil. We both had this love for K-Dramas, and she wanted me to share what I knew since I’ve been into it for a few years already. Aside from anything Hallyu, I write about different topics, which is why my column is called All in My Head. I literally write what I am thinking about at the moment.”
Another thing I found relatable to Monique was how she learned to write. Monique says, “I have always been writing, even since I was very young. I would write in journals or diaries constantly. Then I got into PR and Marketing as a career, which involves a lot of writing.”
What made you want to become a journalist? Monique replies, “I never sought out to be a journalist. It just happened. In my opinion, it’s very exciting.”
(Ms. Monique Toda, photo courtesy of Monique Toda’s Facebook profile.)
I just had to ask her about her favourite story to write and why. Monique responds, “Oh, there are too many favourite stories to mention. What really gives me satisfaction from writing is learning new things and meeting new people. My world is so much bigger, and I worked in a hotel. Yet, writing is more expansive in terms of knowledge and scope.” Aha. Another commonality we share: we’re both past hoteliers and we also have common friends in the hospitality industry!
Lastly, when it comes to interviewing famous personalities, who’s on your bucket list and why? Monique replies, “I want to interview many people. In Korean entertainment, it’s actor Lee Min Ho and King of Kpop G-Dragon. But my ultimate bucket list interview is Elon Musk.” Knowing Monique and her indomitable nature, it’s just a matter of time when we can all read her interview with Elon Musk!
BOO CHANCO: BUSINESS COLUMNIST FOR THE PHILIPPINE STAR
(Mr. Boo Chanco, photo courtesy of Boo Chanco’s Facebook profile.)
Pedro Chanco III, or famously known as Boo Chanco is an old school journalist with interests in economics and politics. He is a distinguished alumnus of The University of the Philippines College of Mass Communications. At only 19 years old, Boo Chanco was a cub reporter for ABS-CBN and was one of the two reporters who covered Ninoy Aquino’s Opposition Party’s Miting de Avance, which would be known in history as the 1971 Plaza Miranda Bombing.
Later on, he became the Editor for the now defunct Manila Chronicle and in 2010, he retired as the Senior Vice President for the Lopez Group of Companies’ Corporate Communications. Mr. Chanco is also a multi-awarded journalist having been recently recognized as Newspaper Business Opinion Writer of the Year by the Rotary Club of Manila. Prior to that, he also received the Glory Awards during the UPCMC annual homecoming in 2018.
If you want to read about the current political or economic pulse of the Philippines, you must read Mr. Chanco’s articles at the Philippine Star, where he is currently its business columnist. My two most favoured articles of Mr. Chanco would have to be: Left Behind, a compelling story about the poor health of most Filipinos, and the other article is Tourism Promotion, an article that is so timely due to the new tourism slogan “Love Philippines” controversy.
His most recent article, Mass Housing, about the housing problem in the Philippines is also quite an eye opener and he opines that the only way it can be solved is “if the very profitable private property developers work with the government towards a sustainable solution.” I’m a huge fan of Mr. Boo Chanco, unabashedly.
With regard to how he started writing for Philippine Star, Mr. Chanco says, “I started writing for the Philippine Star in the early 90s on the invitation of Max Soliven, its publisher. I was then writing for the Manila Chronicle in addition to my work as VP News and Public Affairs of ABS-CBN. I had been writing columns for various publications since the 80s. I wrote a Corporate Communications column for Business Day; then I wrote on the op/ed page for the Inquirer after EDSA, moved to Malaya, then was editor of the Manila Chronicle and wrote an op/ed column there too in addition to the day’s editorial. Max was a good friend and he convinced me to move to the Star, writing opinion for its Business section.”
When asked why he writes, Mr. Chanco responds, “Essentially, I write as a means to gather my thoughts in an organised manner so as to make heads and tails of the events of the times. It is like writing a diary except it is very public and involves public issues and personalities. These days, I write to keep my brain working and fight off the onset of Alzheimer. I believe that unless we use our brain, we lose it. And it is a means to again, figure out what is going on in the world around us.”
(Mr. Boo Chanco, photo courtesy of Boo Chanco’s Facebook profile.)
Please share what made you want to become a journalist, Mr. Chanco shares, “I thought I wanted to be an economist even if being a journalist was something I also wanted to do even back in high school. I was in college during the turbulent 70s with student activism at its height. I figured being in journalism will enable me to get into the middle of it all and also advance the causes which were important to us at that time. Then I took a summer job as a cub reporter at ABS-CBN in the summer before my senior year. I enjoyed it so much I almost didn’t complete my college degree until martial law closed down the network. I enjoyed covering big events, hosting TV news specials and even annotating political rallies like the one in Plaza Miranda that ended in a carnage. I was the youngest among the reporters on coverage and that gave me a sense of doing something important at an early age.”
I wanted to find out what was his favourite story to write and why? He answers, “I really don’t have favourite stories. Stories are stories and it all depends on what seems to be most important to people at that time. I took up graduate units in economics and I like trying to explain economic developments in language that common readers can understand. Economics is important and it is unfortunate that it is not well explained on the whole. The quality of our lives depends on economic decisions being made. Unfortunately, populist politics always end up trying to repeal the economic law of supply and demand, so to speak. So, I find a need to try to make ordinary readers understand what we are getting into.”
When it comes to interviewing famous personalities, who’s on your bucket list and why? Mr. Chanco replies, “I have no favourite personalities. But business entrepreneurs who have made a fortune starting from scratch always fascinate me. It is nice to write their stories because someone out there may get inspired enough to try to replicate the success and that’s good for our country’s economy. But always be careful not to write puff pieces that serve no purpose but to bloat a personality’s ego. Always be ready to ask the tough and often embarrassing questions.”
Ms. Monique Toda and Mr. Boo Chanco are truly inspirational writers. They make me believe in the power of my own thoughts and words as a columnist. In March 2020, I was given a wonderful opportunity to write what’s on one’s mind via “Maria in Vancouver,” a column where I can freely share my musings, opinions, and life experiences publicly. I find it such incredible luck to have one of my dreams turn into a reality: from writing diaries to writing a column for Canada’s largest Filipino-Canadian news website and newspaper.
As a new columnist, I make it a point to keep learning about writing techniques on a daily basis. I read my favourite columnists’ works and through their writings, I gained a lot of invaluable tips. Recently, I learned from Ms. Monique Toda and Mr. Boo Chanco the importance of expressing one’s viewpoints and beliefs with utmost authenticity — which is really the key secret to writing effectively. You just have to be honest and true to your words and you’ll find that your writing will flow easily!
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