Festive for cookies

Writing is hard.

Dear friends, 

This week, I wrote for money.

It was a commission for the Tết issue of a local newspaper. The pay would be high but it was not enough of a reason. It was me who basically couldn’t say no. I wanted to be polite, nevertheless, there was no excuse that might sound reasonable. 

For Vietnam’s institutional newsrooms (and 100% of them are state-owned), there are four annual flagship issues – Western New Year, Tết (Vietnamese Lunar New Year), April 30 or Reunification Day and September 2 or Independence Day. 

Of these issues, Tết one is the most important, usually printed on couche papers with extra adorned editorials. There are no rooms for shoe-leather reporting with the acknowledgement that for those who read, light-hearted articles are more preferable during first days of the year. 

The Tết issue is also considered a tool for advertisers to pay tribute to the newspaper. Look at the fourth cover and you would know which business lived in symbiosis with the newspaper during the past year. And if you’re a curious reader who has all the time in the world, see if they had any scandals and what sentiments the newspaper presented. 

I’m not trying to be bitter; it’s just the way of life at the end of the day. 

It’s indeed a privilege for any staff writers/reporters to have their writings selected and published in the issue. The pitching season starts in mid-October or early November and the chosen ones need to be submitted by mid-December for editing. 

I came across these words by Susan Sontag the other day. The quote is in As consciousness is harnessed to flesh: Journals and Notebooks, 1964-1980 which I’ve basketed in my Amazon account for a while but no friend seems to be back to Vietnam for holiday anyway: 

It’s not ‘natural’ to speak well, eloquently, in an interesting, articulate way. People living in groups, families, communes say little – have few verbal means. Eloquence – thinking in words – is a byproduct of solitude, deracination, a heightened painful individuality. In groups, it’s more natural to sing, to dance, to pray: given, rather than invented (individual) speech.

It’s provoking thinking of writings in top newsrooms’ Tết issues and Sontag’s take on eloquence: there’re definitely independent voices dancing and singing in style. Festive sensation is inevitable – one might say. Pay a bit attention to their movements if you don’t mind, patterns are recognizable. No matter how one tries to push back the editorial cookie cutter attempting to fit them to print, individuality is mild. 

All words conclude to a hopeful future, absolute trust in the society we’re operating in and wars kept at bay – a ultimate “linguistic slum” that Sontag once advised Vassar graduates against. 

How should I see this piece of writing? Let’s say, lucky money for mom to prepare for Tết?

We will forever live in a slum if we have enough reasons to stay, don’t you think? 

Till next time, 

T. 

P/S: Send me some words too. I can’t see your email addresses anyway. Be honest. 

This week’s top picks 

Spent some time rewatching How to with John Wilson and got to know season 3 was out. 

I need Rap Monster to rescue me from Jung Kook. Very radical take on English language K-pop though: 

A report by Sen Nguyen with photos by Koach Coach – winner of the 2023 ILO Global Media Competition on Labor Migration. Facebook recommended a video by a public television station on a “billionaire village” that made me feel like throwing up.

Started reading (almost) all Nguyễn Huy Thiệp’s short stories this week. Now I know why he has so many fans (or believers?). [Not an affiliate link by any means. I bought this version by Đông A. The one on Goodreads has a dull-looking cover though.]