– Candidly in deep wonder.
I felt small. When I read the survey where I had to rate myself, I figured it best to answer it with all honesty. And while doing so, I felt so small. Nanliit ako.
Just to give you a glimpse of the questionnaire that we answered for our blog entry, here are the list of qualities and skills that Development Communicators possess – and my personal ratings to myself:
Qualities of a Media Writer
- Curious/Inquisitive – 2
- Intelligent – 3
- Industrious – 3
- Resourceful – 2
- Persevering – 2
- Imaginative – 3
- Puts a premium on accuracy and truth – 2
- Loves to read – 1
- Interested in and loves people – 1
- Service-oriented – 1
Skills of a Media Writer
- Gathering data – 3
- Validating and clarifying information – 3
- Organizing information – 4
- Writing clearly and effectively – 2
- Proficiency in the operation of communication tools/devices – 4
Personally, among the listed qualities, I think that I need to work on intelligence the most because honestly, I am not quick-witted. It takes me a lot of personal and meditative time to formulate a decision or idea that will satisfy me and the others around me. It’s quite a blow to me, knowing that I have to work on intelligence. There is a difference between having a lot of knowledge and having the creativity to use those information at hand.
To get over myself and get that 1.00 ratings, I have to be willing to bend and get hurt. I was used to getting things right the first time, but it’s different here in college. There will be a lot of times that I will get corrected, whether lovingly or bashfully, it does not really matter. It takes pain to grow a muscle.
Looking back in junior high school, I have developed a pretty good knack for writing clearly and effectively, thanks to our wonderful school paper and also to my RightNOW Community. I credit the skills that I learned to my mentors who patiently and lovingly encouraged me to practice learning my style, to sit down and listen for my writing voice, and to find my heart beat. To be honest, I am not a journalistic writer, although I can comply if asked. But my heart beats for and leans on the free and creative writing where I can speak, soul to soul.
However, being that kind of writer is a huge responsibility because it surpasses the surface of where one could reach into a person, so it takes a genius to write it – the genius that Elizabeth Gilbert was referring to in her Ted Talk. My creative process requires a moment where I have to be in a sensitive position to receive something to write, something that speaks to me more than it will speak to others. And whenever I fail to grasp it fully, I still try to put it down on paper, however hard it takes me to fully organize my thoughts.
Overall, I think that the biggest responsibility of a writer is to build a well to draw from, whether it is for journalistic or liberal purposes. A writer’s job is to write. And while everybody can write, not everybody an be a writer. Only writers have a well that they draw from: experiences, insights, stories, melodies, and a voice.
I have a long way to go, calling myself a writer – a development writer, that is. As I mentioned earlier, I feel very small in this field, and I gladly accept it. I would rather begin in this position, that to refuse this place because I am already ‘someone’. I would rather be tiny than proud and boastful. Because I was once proud of what I have achieved, but being here now I had my eyes opened that I am but a small town writer. And having nothing to boast about is a great way to begin again, with a better character and intentions.
So, if I would be given a choice, I would rather be empty-handed – if that is the way to receive and to grow more.
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