The Write Stuff
Some of my high school batch mates, especially those who’ve not been in touch with me for quite some time, were surprised at my essay-writing skills. You see, I was asked to write a personal essay about our batch, and I emailed my first draft to some of them for their comments and reactions. I was quite taken aback when one of them wondered why they were unaware of this writing talent of mine in high school. That got me thinking.
In high school I never really saw myself as either a writer or a comic, much less a comic writer. Back then the funny man of the family was my older brother. The funniest thing I ever wrote, and this my first-year teacher can attest to, was a sentence for a grammar quiz: During Holy Week, meat turns to ashes. My teacher (who was also my brother’s teacher), upon returning my quiz paper, looked at me and said, “I see there’s another comic in the family.” But I never did take his words to heart.
However I was already a big fan of Erma Bombeck, the funny essayist whose works often appeared in Reader’s Digest. Her humor and human interest writings had me in stitches.
In college I discovered I can be funny onstage. But my writing did not progress beyond the usual reports, papers and of course our thesis.
After college I discovered the magazine Entertainment Weekly and Jessica Zafra’s columns. I especially liked how the former would often use puns in the titles of their articles. Working as a copywriter in advertising must have also prodded my love for the funny phrase. My favorite print ad headline is also, I think, my wittiest: to announce that Lucky Me! Pancit Canton had a new package, we had a visual of the new pack placed on a hanger and a simple headline: New damit, same pancit. (Now that I think about it, the headline might not actually be mine, but my creative director’s. Oh shit.)
Then I discovered blogging and things were never the same again.
I know I’m not the wittiest or the funniest writer online. But perhaps one day I could parlay this writing skill of mine into something more lucrative. My only problem is, the moment writing becomes work it’s not fun anymore. Argh!
In high school I never really saw myself as either a writer or a comic, much less a comic writer. Back then the funny man of the family was my older brother. The funniest thing I ever wrote, and this my first-year teacher can attest to, was a sentence for a grammar quiz: During Holy Week, meat turns to ashes. My teacher (who was also my brother’s teacher), upon returning my quiz paper, looked at me and said, “I see there’s another comic in the family.” But I never did take his words to heart.
However I was already a big fan of Erma Bombeck, the funny essayist whose works often appeared in Reader’s Digest. Her humor and human interest writings had me in stitches.
In college I discovered I can be funny onstage. But my writing did not progress beyond the usual reports, papers and of course our thesis.
After college I discovered the magazine Entertainment Weekly and Jessica Zafra’s columns. I especially liked how the former would often use puns in the titles of their articles. Working as a copywriter in advertising must have also prodded my love for the funny phrase. My favorite print ad headline is also, I think, my wittiest: to announce that Lucky Me! Pancit Canton had a new package, we had a visual of the new pack placed on a hanger and a simple headline: New damit, same pancit. (Now that I think about it, the headline might not actually be mine, but my creative director’s. Oh shit.)
Then I discovered blogging and things were never the same again.
I know I’m not the wittiest or the funniest writer online. But perhaps one day I could parlay this writing skill of mine into something more lucrative. My only problem is, the moment writing becomes work it’s not fun anymore. Argh!
posted by joelmcvie at 9:12 PM
2 Comments:
Yeah, what is it that people say...
The problem with doing what you love for a living is that you run the risk of destroying that love.
Or something like that.
yup. that's the curse of getting paid for doing what you love to do. it takes away all the magic.
well, at least now, you realized why a lot of people keep coming back to your blog.
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