 "I missed what writing did for my heart and soul — even though it depleted me and had me lost for words."I always wanted to be a journalist.
Throughout high school I always wrote and edited student publications. At home, I would spend hours filling notebooks with ideas, stories and ramblings. I’d type, cut and paste together newsletters and zines. I was consumed by storytelling. I desperately wanted to study Journalism at Royal Melbourne Institute of Technology [RMIT] — one of the most prestigious journalism tertiary courses in Australia. I sat for the entrance exam but it didn’t go too well. I was devastated when I didn’t get an offer. Dreams don’t die — we just find another way of making them happen. I studied Arts + Education for a year before transferring to Professional Writing + Editing. I was in my element — learning and refining my craft. Whilst studying, I hustled my way into working for the drive time program on ABC Radio 3LO and in the publicity department of Channel Ten. I was hungry for experience. When I graduated, I landed a role as Co-Editor of Neos Kosmos English Weekly [NKEW]. Neos Kosmos is the largest circulating Greek Newspaper outside Greece. The paper features news relating to Greeks of the diaspora. We were producing the English language supplement. Nothing motivates you more than blank pages to fill. Landing this role was an amazing opportunity and it was thanks to the paper’s long time Editor, Sotiris Hatzimanolis who believed in me. I had been submitting and getting published for some time — Sotiris knew my work and had become familiar with my passion for journalism. NKEW was previously edited by journo and now author Stella Tzobanakis-Dos Santos. Stella, an absolute powerhouse of a writer did great work in modernising the publication for a new generation. Day one. There I was, sitting at my desk on a Monday morning with my Co-Editor mapping out content for the week —nothing motivates you more than blank pages to fill. Our designer Dimitris Antonopoulos, a creative genius, was scheduled to come into the office later that week to design the publication. More motivation. We kicked into action. The first of many Monday planning meetings.
The list went on. We weren’t just writing an article a week. We were producing and editing an entire publication. 2 Co-Editors + 1 Designer. Just the 3 of us. Yes, we had submissions from some worthy and consistent contributors [thank you Dean Kalimniou] but not enough to carry the load. Week in, week out, we produced. We gave our hearts. We gave our everything. We’d put the publication ‘to bed’ on a Friday night [thank you Chrystal for the pizza]. Usually pulling all-nighters with Dimitri making sure it was ready for print. The paper was printed on Sundays, for national distribution on Mondays. After finishing on a Friday, we’d hope nothing major happened [or anybody died] on the weekend before publication — otherwise, it was back to the office with updated news and design. The experience was unforgettable. We interviewed Prime Ministers, Premiers, entrepreneurs, musicians, celebrities and people doing amazing things. I was fortunate enough to interview people like Dennis Paphitis, the founder of luxury skin care brand Aesop. I connected with Dennis, a humble and softly spoken man, when he first launched Aesop at his store in Carlton, Melbourne. “What’s your goal?” I asked him at the time. “I know we’ve made it when we’re given some counter space at Macy’s in New York,” Dennis said. Aesop has more than made it. There’s now more than 240 stores worldwide, with 16 in NYC. Another interview with acclaimed writer Christos Tsiolkas was on the eve of the launch of his first book, Loaded. Our interview was in a bar on Smith Street in Collingwood one night — drinking and smoking with a micro-tape recorder between us. “How are you feeling about the release of Loaded,” I asked Christos. “I’m nervous,” he said. “There so much of me here, I don’t know if people are ready for this.” Yes, people were ready. Christos experienced great success with Loaded. The book was also adapted into a film, Head On by ground breaking director Ana Kokkinos. Christos has since written, Jump Cuts, Jesus Man, The Devil’s Playground, Dead Europe, The Slap, Baracuda, Merciless Gods and just recently, Damascus. When you write for the love of it — you write at your own pace and for your own reasons. When you’re writing to a constant deadline — everything changes. Interviews with Jerry Lewis the American comedian [no Greek angle, just a massive fan], musicians, actors, authors, so many interesting people. Ground breaking reports on HIV transmission in the Greek community, reports on systemic racism, deep dives into the impact of gambling and the investigative series of the heartbreaking story of Mersina Halvagis, brutally murdered as she visited her grandmother’s grave. So many stories we had the privelege and responsibility to share. It was intoxicating. It was exhausting. When you write for the love of it — you write at your own pace and for your own reasons. When you’re writing to a constant deadline — everything changes. Interview schedules, interviewee availability, fact checking, legal clearance and everything else we were responsible for. Whilst Mondays started off fun, after time they became confronting. Fridays became impossible. Another week to fill. Another week to produce. Blank page fear just got real. We were doing too much. We were doing everything and when you do everything, you become depleted. Some weeks I was writing 10–15 pieces as well as editing contributions. I was outworded. I became a writer who was lost for words and unable to tell stories, unable to express. After five intense years in the media, writing and producing for NKEW, Mega Channel, O Kosmos, The Voice [together with my deep thinking friend Yiota Gousas] and 3XY Radio — it was time to go. I wrote my heart out. I stopped writing for 10 years after that. Until, my heart was ready again. Until now. If you’re a full time journo or writer — I totally respect you. I get you. I appreciate the thinking, effort, research and attention to detail to make a story happen. I know that every word is contemplated. I know what goes into it. Thank you for keeping stories alive. Thank you for doing what you do. Now, I’m writing at my own pace — sharing the stories I want to share here on Medium. I’m grateful that platforms like Medium exist because they democratise media. I also recognise there are still so many people in the world without civil liberties to express or access to basic technology. I’m humbled to write, share and express myself freely. Telling stories is primal — it goes to the very heart of being human. It’s intimate and revealing. It’s what good campfire conversations are made of. I have deep respect for people who share their story and for the writers who responsibly capture them. I’m a little bit older and wiser now and so very grateful for the unforgettable experiences I’ve had as a journalist that enriched my life unimaginably. Every day I carry with me the people I’ve written about. Their stories have made me. I absorbed the joy, pain and learnings from their journey. Thank you for sharing your stories. Thank you for trusting me. I’m ready. My heart wants to share so much more with you. Stories never stop. Photo by Bruno Bučar on Unsplash
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