Whether it’s a novel or a tweet, a script or an op ed, all writing deserves our best thinking and words. All the time. Sure, it’s hard work. But the pay off of catching—and keeping— readers is worth it. Here are 4 writing clues to make your writing as compelling as it can be: Continue reading →

Chris’s documentary subtitled, Why India celebrates Bartholomaeus Ziegenbalg, was featured at the launch of a new museum in Tharangambadi, in the state of Tamil Nadu on Friday, August 14, 2015.  The Consul Generals of Germany and Denmark joined Indian leaders at the event to mark the beginning of a collaborative project, which preserves the revered 150 year legacy of the Halle-Danish mission Ziegenbalg began in 1706.

The Francke Foundation from Halle in Germany initiated the event and screening with the intention of returning to India many of the historic records and artifacts pertaining to the history of Tamil life and culture that have been in the foundation’s archives for more than 300 years. Continue reading →

Straight from Jo’s bookshelf, here are some time-tested pieces of advice (in no particular order) from great writers on the writing process, and why we should approach it with care:

•”If you don’t think cheaply, then there at least won’t be the quality of cheapness in your writing . . . Any discipline can help your writing: logic, mathematics, theology and of course and particularly drawing. Anything that helps you to see, anything that makes you look. The writer should never be ashamed of staring. There is nothing that doesn’t require his attention.”—Flannery O’Connor, “The Nature and Aim of Fiction” in Mystery and Manners Continue reading →

With so many helpful lists out there, LampPost Media wanted to contribute one of its own for anyone interested in telling spectacularly bad stories:

1. KEEP IT RANDOM:  Create a super complicated plot with lots of characters and conflicts, settings and dialogues so no one knows what’s going on. Or better yet, have no plot at all. If you can’t answer the question, “What’s your story?” in one simple sentence, you’re on your way to a truly terrible one. Congratulations.

2. LET IT GO:  Forget about a plan or a structure or an outline of any sort. Telling a story is so easy, whether in print or on camera, it just happens organically anyway. No need to think it through. Continue reading →