Tag Archives: storytelling

Overcoming the monster

Posted on February 3, 2021 by Jim Killam

People who teach writing like to talk about the basic elements of any good story. Characters. Setting. Conflict. A 350-foot-tall lizard that breathes lightning and threatens humanity. Stick with me here. Any story needs a monster, and according to three … Continue reading →

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2019: Year of the Shed

Posted on June 25, 2019 by Jim Killam

I’m building a backyard shed this year. Several months ago, I would have told you I’m building a backyard shed this weekend. We needed more storage space and this seemed like a good idea at the time. That was before I … Continue reading →

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Impact stories and the power of one

Posted on October 1, 2018 by Jim Killam

Think of the best movie you’ve ever seen. A movie that did more than just entertain, but impacted you — changed the way you look at the world. In fact, list your top three. We’ll wait. Got ’em? Now summarize … Continue reading →

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Report globally and help the Church engage

Posted on July 16, 2018 by Jim Killam

A video segment from Jimmy Kimmel Live! is getting big social media play this week. People interviewed on the street could not identify a single country on a world map. Not even their own. It couldn’t possibly be this bad. Could it? Things … Continue reading →

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The power of story

Posted on April 19, 2018 by Jim Killam
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A Writer’s Mission

Posted on March 10, 2015 by Jim Killam

Quick: What’s the goal in any story we write about ministry? Show readers what God is doing in a particular place? Further the mission of Bible translation? Further the Great Commission? Engage people? Inspire more prayer and funding for a … Continue reading →

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The Old Man and the App

Posted on February 11, 2015 by Jim Killam

Among the best self-editing tools I’ve ever seen is “Hemingway,” an app that helps you write like Ernest Hemingway. Well, sort of. The app — $6.99 at http://www.hemingwayapp.com — analyzes any piece of writing for simplicity. Short sentences. Plain language. … Continue reading →

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Story, simplicity and wormholes

Posted on December 2, 2014 by Jim Killam

I saw “Interstellar” with one of my sons last week. Up until the last 30 minutes I thought it was one of the best movies I’d ever seen. But the ending made my head explode. Here’s a good line from a … Continue reading →

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Aristotle’s eye for story

Posted on July 22, 2014 by Jim Killam

The Greek philosopher Aristotle identified six elements of drama: plot, characters, theme, dialogue, rhythm and spectacle. Those elements still apply today, whether we’re talking about a stage play, a written feature story or a YouTube video. Here’s a quick look … Continue reading →

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Blessed assurance

Posted on May 16, 2014 by Jim Killam

Editor’s note: This guest post is by our friend Jennie Anderson, who recently attended the Evangelical Press Association convention in Anaheim, Calif. What did I learn at the convention? To be completely honest, what I learned was not gleaned from … Continue reading →

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