The Straits Times Saturday Special Report
by Jeremy Boo
My story was published in the The Straits Times Saturday Special Report today, with the introduction realigned and certain sections repurposed.
It’s my first time being published in The Straits Times (and with such a lengthy story too), so it was interesting to see the workflows and editing layers in SPH. As I had complete control over my publication when I was editor, I was unaccustomed to the fact that some of these processes, e.g. sub-editing, take place independent of the section editor.
I am a little nervous because I would not personally use certain adjectives or phrases to describe my subjects. They are not unfair or untrue; it’s just not my writing style. Of course, I did think about the implications if this article was more narrative in nature; if every adjective used had an imagery objective, if each punctuation was selected for its participation in repetition and rhythm, if the flow of the story determines the message.
But this story is not a narrative feature so I accept that these changes are the few necessary trade-offs of getting your message published in a mainstream newspaper.
In case you’re interested, you may read my original submission to the ICRC here.
Hi Jeremy,
Is there any email address i can contact you by? Pls let me know by replying to the email given. Thanks!
Hello WL, I have replied you by email. (:
Thought that it was a very good piece which highlighted all the forces complicit in the product of poverty; above all of them, the banal hopelessness that pervades the slums.
Hello Norvin, thanks for this. (: Yes, I wrote the story wanting to share some factors that contribute to poverty in the Philippines as well as the apparent hopelessness. But underneath all these, what I also wanted to portray, is quiet tenacity and audacious hope.
Good piece. Had a good human feel to it.
FYI My students, members of the Interact Club of ITE College East, helped start a candle making facility at Brookside (one of the communities around Payatas) to give residents another source of income. We received our first shipment of floating flower candles and, last week, we launched a student lead business to promote, market & sell candles manufactured by this facility. If you are interested, we would be pleased to help you on your followup story on Payatas.