Listening to the 2006 Pulitzer Prize winner in feature writing

I knew it was going to be emotional. And in fact, it was very emotional to hear Jim Sheeler, the reporter from the Rocky Moutain News and the 2006 Pulitzer Prize winner in feature writing, spoke at West Virginia University tonight.

And I have to write this down right away because I'm afraid these emotions will go away.

He cried almost during the entire talk, which lasts about 1 hour and a half. He literally choked up in front of the microphone. I could feel it. I could feel he didn't prepare to lecture us nor to give a power point presentation.

He looked a little different from the picture, but so frazzled. You feel like because he has so many emotions inside; it's like he's gonna collapse someday. And this sounds stupid, but I really feel like I want to hug him so bad.

So, I managed to ask two questions. But what I learn from his talk? I learn that besides having a talent to do this kind of stories, you need a heart. An obnoxious reporter who competes for fame and headline, and front page stories will never be able to come up with such a masterpiece. He didn't write it for the Pulitzer Prize.

I read that story, the Final Salute, so many times. When I wrote the piano student story, I pulled Jim Sheeler's story on the side of my computer, so that I could use the verbs, the words, and could put that much emotions into my story as well.

I used to want to become a business reporter. Just because covering finance, banking sounds important and cool. After last summer, and ever since, I change my direction to be a feature writer. It takes personality and characters to do this kind of story. Maybe I have these characters, quite, shy, frazzled, emotional.

I was gonna ask him for an autograph. But I decided not to. He would probably think I'm one of those people who come hear him talk because of the Pulitzer Prize. I don't feel that he needs to hear how I love his work.

He knew his work has already been loved...

Morgantown, W. Va.,

11: 17 p.m.