XSPB FEATURE

Wield The Power Of The Written Word

An Invitation to Parent Writers

Karen E. Young, Parent

Posted Monday, 16-Oct-2006 12:46 PM

L to R Walter Cheng, Vicky Abraham, Karen Young

Ansel Beluso, Mae Amor

     If you enjoy expressing yourself in writing, please join us at the XSPB!

Please let your Year Level Representative know that you are willing to write so that you can be given an assignment. The XSPA will strive to conduct annual training for XSPB Contributors. 

     The latest training session was held last August 5, 2006. A half-day Writing Seminar held at the Fr. Papilla Conference Room for the XSPB Editorial Staff and interested parents. Our competent and inspiring speakers were Miss Donalyne Lampa (magna cum laude, Journalism, University of the Philippines, Diliman; English teacher, XS High School) who taught about the Basics of Writing and How to Find a Title for Your Article;  Mr. Ric Pinca (Public Relations Practitioner and Journalist) who spoke about News Writing;  and Ansel Beluso (print and broadcast journalist) who spoke on Advocacy Journalism.

Here are some EXCERPTS FROM ANSEL BELUSO’S

INSPIRATIONAL TALK

(reproduced with Mr. Beluso's permission)

     As writers, we should conscientiously exploit our God-given gifts, fully mindful of the reasons why the Lord gave them to us in the first place --- to effect meaningful change for the better in our world.

      We do this by, first of all, choosing to be good and to do good. To decide not to be bad is not good enough. We should struggle to be warriors for good. The world is ruined not just by bad people dedicated to the task of destruction but also by good people who either do nothing about it or who even help the Enemy without realizing that they are doing just that.

     I remember early on in my writing career in the entertainment beat, I poured everything I had to the mission of pulverizing celebrities’ lives.  I became the executioner of hopes of movie stars desiring to make something better of themselves. 

     Thankfully, I was given the opportunity to learn the folly of my ways. A huge paradigm shift happened in the way I wrote and lived my life when I got to know God and develop an intimate friendship with Him. Now, I am able to see clearly why I am gifted with talents and skills and how I should use them--- not for myself but for others.  What do I mean especially in the context of being a writer?  Or, in a larger sense, what then have I learned must we do?

     We must discover how to use the power of the written word to inspire, motivate, build up, affirm, support, encourage, uphold, sustain, enlighten, enliven, cheer up, enthuse, invigorate, enrich, boost, enhance, improve, augment, develop, and thereby make people care again, love again, believe again.

Go back to the top ^