Insecure Writers Want to Know: What was an early experience where you learned that language had power?

            For me, it was simple. I was a communications and English major at college. This particular community college didn’t have a journalism degree at the time. Once I became editor of the college newspaper, I discovered how powerful my words were in covering the news on the college campus. While the monthly newspaper had come out sporadically before I took over, maybe once a semester, I made sure it came out every month. And I organized it into sections and put substance in it. I discovered I liked sniffing out news stories for the paper. I became an advocate for the student body, finally finding my college voice at the community college level, investigating life on campus from why the administration closed the pool to why some buildings became a lake each time it rained.
http://victoriamarielees.blogspot.com

Anything that affected the student body and college campus found its way into the student-run college newspaper. Where the administration had been all excited about the new look and content of the student paper, department heads and vice presidents soon started to glare at me and hold their tongues until I made them understand that I was going to report on an incident whether they spoke to me or not. I permitted the administration equal space within the article to inform the student body what was being done about certain situations.  
But how did I know administration was upset with my coverage of events at college? Once a semester, all leaders of student organizations met with the president of the college and the provost and vice presidents. We students introduced ourselves and reported to the president what our organizations were doing around campus. We also brought up any concerns students may have. I had no problem with this, as I was doing it already in the newspaper. The president zeroed in on me and relentlessly drilled me as to why I kept harping on any problems the college was having. If it wasn’t for the provost reminding the president that I was only doing my job, he was a college reporter in his time too, I thought the president was going to kick me out of college. I really got under her skin.
 But the important issues in life need to be brought up, need to be discussed if we’re ever going to make things better in this world. That’s why we need honest and moral writers to bring the issues into conversation to help those in charge see the importance of addressing the issues.
I can’t wait to see how you learned that language had power. Thanks for visiting! Please follow Adventures in Writing if you haven’t already and connect with me online. Leave your blog link in your comment so I can be sure to do the same for you.
This post was written for the Insecure Writer’s Support Group. We post on the first Wednesday of every month.  To join us, or learn more about the group, click HERE.  


34 thoughts on “Insecure Writers Want to Know: What was an early experience where you learned that language had power?”

  1. Being part of a college newspaper was one of my dreams, but I didn't end up going to college. I did do the newspaper in high school for 10th grade, though. 🙂

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  2. What a learning experience running the college paper must have been! By then you obviously knew you’d become a journalist/writer. I don’t even think our (small) college had a paper. Let alone in English. 🙂 Still, I wish I would have picked up “serious” writing earlier than I did. I’ve read some great answers to this month’s question on the IWSG blog hop, but still have no story to share of my own.

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  3. A college newspaper is valuable as a two-way communication channel to keep both students and administration informed about various issues. It's also a great opportunity to groom those "honest and moral writers" of the future.

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  4. Yes, they would Alex. I reported on the good and the bad at college. I'm a positive thinker and always looked for the good at college; from arts and activities to join to student accomplishments and what new professors could offer students.

    Thanks for your comment here at Adventures in Writing. All best to you, sir!

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  5. Good for you, Chrys. I couldn't do much in high school as I needed to be home right after school for you younger sisters and start dinner. I did theatre at high school because rehearsals were at night, after my parents got home.

    Thanks for your note here at Adventures in Writing. All best to you!

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  6. Good for you, Lee. And thanks for your encouraging words. I'm sure that being an adult in college helped but so did the provost. We had a literary magazine at college, too. Another student had that position.

    Thanks for your comment here at Adventures in Writing. Enjoy your weekend!

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  7. Yes they do, T Drecker. And this is where the whole truth matters so readers can make their own informed decisions about a situation.

    Thanks for your comment here at Adventures in Writing. Enjoy your weekend!

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  8. Oh my gosh, Liesbet, was running the college paper a learning experience. Many, many late nights getting the paper out on time!

    As for "serious" writing, aren't you a translator? That is a difficult thing to do to be able to render into another language the meaning of a piece of writing. And another good thing, Liesbet, is that you've documented your travels and journey into finding peace within yourself and wrote a cohesive piece of writing. Bravo!

    Thanks for your note here at Adventures in Writing. All best to you!

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  9. Yes it is, Michelle! Like I said, it's important to be sure those in charge actually know what concerns students and others in their day to day activities whether at college or in the world.

    Thanks so much for sharing your insight here at Adventures in Writing. All best to you!

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  10. I always loved (and have been) writing – in Dutch – for myself Victoria, but it wasn’t until ten years ago or so that I started making money with writing (that’s what I meant with “serious” writing) articles and doing translations. We were living on our sailboat back then. I’m actually a certified primary school teacher by profession. 🙂

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  11. No kidding, Liesbet. That's fascinating! Did you ever teach primary school? As I've said, you have a truly amazing life.

    And bravo to you to be able to live anywhere and produce publishable [ie, making money selling it] writing. Seriously, I am so glad to know you. All best, Liesbet!

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  12. You are being very kind, Victoria! I actually taught primary school for four years in Belgium. After graduation, I traveled for a year, then I taught for two, then I backpacked for another year, and then I taught another two years before leaving permanently (without knowing it would be permanently). 🙂 So, I had to find another profession to make money on the road and on the water…

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  13. Glad that you stood up for the paper and yourself. My journalism career didn't start until I left college (in Canada), and there was a period when I edited a political magazine (back in the UK) so had to raise tough issues. Not so often as an equestrian journalist.

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  14. Kudos to you! I don't know if I could be a reporter. As a teacher, I know that my language has power. The students remember everything you say. You always need to be truthful.

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  15. I was on my high school's newspaper. Loved the students I met. Back then I don't think I wrote about anything controversial. My mom still has one or two of those issues. Thanks for this post.

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  16. Thank you, Roland, for your kind words. Good for you editing a political magazine. It takes a tough person to be able to raise any issues in politics. Bravo!

    Thanks for your comment here at Adventures in Writing. Happy IWSG Day! Enjoy your week.

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  17. Absolutely, Michelle. And teachers have so much power, for they are instilling knowledge and opinions into young minds. Good for you!

    Thanks for your note here at Adventures in Writing. Have a beautiful day.

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  18. So neat, Dawn. I bet it would be interesting to read the article now just to see what was important to the teenage you back then. I was only interested in writing stories with my favorite stars in them back in high school. More power to you.

    Thanks for sharing your experience here at Adventures in Writing. Have a beautiful day.

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  19. I am so fascinated by your life, Liesbet! Not many people have courage enough to try something like that. More power to you, my dear.

    Where was your first destination of travel? Did you go with a friend? What an adventurer you were and are. Gosh! I can't wait to read your book. My life doesn't seem nearly as thrilling.

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  20. Your life s thrilling in a different way, Victoria – you are a successful writer and mother. You have five children to be proud of and you undertook a challenging journey not many have done at that age. Power to all of us! 🙂

    My first adventurous trip was hitchhiking to and in Italy for a few weeks with a friend when I was 16. And, no, my parents weren't too fond of that. 🙂 My most exciting trip was a solo backpacking adventure in SE Asia for one year when I was 25. Those were the days…

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  21. Right, I'd have problems with my daughter hitchhiking at 16, too. Bravo to you for going solo backpacking in SE Asia. My son was only 19 when he solo hiked a large portion of the Appalachian Trail here on the Eastern coast of the U.S., a challenging, rock-strewn trail.

    I've backpacked only a small portion of the A.T. with both my son and one of the twins, but only for 3 or 4 days at a time. That was about all I could handle while carrying "the world" on my back. We packed much too heavily to do the whole thing, approximately 2190 miles through the Appalachian Mountains. We have camped in various national parks as a family where we took the five kids on the A.T. for day hikes. We just carried day packs with snacks and water on those hikes.

    I'm guessing you traveled light when you backpacked, like we saw the smart “through” hikers do on the A.T. “Through” hikers were hiking the whole A.T. at one time. You probably bought supplies as needed for one. Did you only carry a bed mat and a change of clothes, an extra pair of shoes or sandals? Do they have shelters on the trail you took in SE Asia? You probably covered many, many miles a day, as opposed to my 5 to 8 miles backpacking with my son and daughter. I hope you kept a journal. What treasure that would be to have your thoughts captured on the pages. We did on our short A.T. hikes. Did you keep a journal of sorts on your ocean voyages?

    Sorry for all the questions. I’m just so fascinated. All best to you, Liesbet!

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  22. Hi Victoria Marie – I was hopeless at school … and communication via my blog is where I found I had a voice. I've realised reading here that my Africa letters out to family and friends were 'respected' – but just thought that was 'politeness' rather than being good at – comes of being put down a lot educatively at school … and with a not easy family life. We grow and thankfully we develop our own path …

    Kudos to you though – now I see where you're coming from! Cheers Hilary

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  23. Hilary, your blog is sooo very interesting. You bring up important issues, too. In fact, your life of travelling or living in different areas is truly inspirational. I understand completely about feeling put down educatively both at school and at home. Yes, we do grow and develop our own paths.

    It's always a pleasure seeing you here at Adventures in Writing. I hope it’s dry where you are. We’ve been having too much rain lately. All best to you!

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