I’VE
ALWAYS loved my position in the llonggo newspaper industry.
When I started way back in late 2000, I immediately positioned myself as the
columnist who would write the non-mental, non-political, but mostly heart,
mostly sentimental stuff.
It is a position that I still lord over.
*
I mean, I’m still king of “heart” columns in the newspapers.
And I appear on the Op-Ed pages.
I mean, I write literary and “soft” topics, and I’m placed right there among
hard-hitting political critics and analysts.
I mean, there were a few copycats of my style, but they end up forgettable.
Because they don’t have my balls, and pizzazz.
*
Copycats don’t have my great heart and honesty on the page.
Sure, they can talk about soft topics, but they write with their brains.
Their articles are ideas—what they think in a structured way.
And
more often than not, their ideas are ordinary, common, pedestrian.
My columns are decidedly different.
You can feel that I write with my heart.
*
My writing is mostly stream of consciousness.
If I talk about ideas, they are ideas processed by the heart.
And a real, unique, personal heart.
Which is to say, my columns are very personal.
And they are unique because I don’t think to be safe.
I take great risks in writing.
*
Because I also take great risks in life.
If you have been a fan reader, you would know.
If you aren’t, well, you can always check the back issues.
Or, you can just marvel at my tenacity, and audacity, to be writing pieces like
this one you are reading for the last 20 years.
*
Next year, I will celebrate my 20th year in the Ilonggo newspaper industry.
And I am very proud to be still here writing.
And writing in the way that I want, in the way I like it.
Not dictated by the political climate.
Not dictated by the trends in social media.
Not dictated by the newspapers.
*
To be fair, I would like to thank all my publishers past and present for their
faith in me.
For trusting that I could deliver something different and unique in the Ilonggo
newspapers.
And I would like to thank my avid supporters, and fan readers, for making sure
the publishers know my position in their hearts.
*
Nothing makes me more fulfilled as a newspaper columnist than when editors and
publishers tell me that readers “request” for my work.
When they tell me that I can slow down, but not stop, writing because my fan
base wouldn’t like it.
So, yeah, I’m kind of bigheaded about that.
*
But I believe what editors and publishers say.
Because readers often come up to me to tell me the same.
And mostly, these are intelligent people, professionals.
People who actually read Panay News on a regular basis.
People who subscribe to Panay News so they could read what crazy things I
write.
People who could quote lines I have written in my columns.
*
I like my editors and publishers who fully support me.
A while back, one subscriber threatened to unsubscribe from the newspaper if I
don’t issue a public apology for how I lambasted her ignorance on social media.
This is what happened:
The woman commented on my Facebook post.
She tried to be smart with me.
But you know I’m always smarter.
*
So I put her in her place.
She couldn’t take that.
She threatened me because I am a columnist in a newspaper she subscribed
to.
She emailed the newspaper with her version of what happened.
She also threatened to stop her paid subscription if I don’t issue an apology.
I never heard from her again.
*
My editor told me they got her email.
But in consultation with my publisher, they replied to her:
“Sorry if you decide to stop subscribing, but we are keeping Peter Solis Nery.
He has many other readers.”
These kinds of story make me love writing for the newspapers.
I may not get much money out of writing for the newspapers, but when editors
and publishers stand up for me, I tend to be loyal to my newspaper.
*
I like that Peter Solis Nery is equated to good writing.
‘Good’ meaning popular, entertaining, and mostly brilliant.
I mean, I can write brilliantly.
I’m a multi-awarded writer, for Pete’s sake!
But it’s exhausting to write award-winning pieces day in, and day out.
So, for the newspaper, I settle for what’s entertaining.
Especially when I write two, or three, times a week.
*
And to be honest, I’m also thinking about my readership so I aim for
popularity.
I cannot really write about stuff that would totally alienate my readers.
I mean, I am okay that I settle for them what feelings and opinions they have,
but can’t articulate.
So, yeah, that’s my gift.
Merry Christmas! (500tinaga@gmail.com/PN)
