Tag Archives: writing

Writing for a global audience

Posted on January 23, 2020 by Jim Killam

Imagine you are talking with a friend. Then write that way. That was one of the best pieces of writing advice I ever received in college. It has served me well through almost four decades now, because it helps me … Continue reading →

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Brevity on the Battlefield

Posted on February 19, 2019 by Jim Killam

Last summer I spent a day on the battlefields at Gettysburg, Pa. From July 1-3, 1863, almost 50,000 men died here. The relatively short battle turned the Civil War; Gen. Robert E. Lee’s Confederate army would never again invade the … 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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Writing advice from a bear of very little brain

Posted on August 23, 2018 by Jim Killam
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The Write Stuff

Posted on August 7, 2018 by Jim Killam

Tom Wolfe died in May. Since then, I’ve been saving a podcast of NPR’s Fresh Air, featuring archived interviews with this major architect of the New Journalism. Today, three months later, I finally gave a listen. The 20-minute segment is … Continue reading →

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The defining moment

Posted on June 28, 2018 by Jim Killam

It was September of 1976, the week before the NFL season began, and Gary Fencik had just been cut by the Dolphins and signed by the Bears. On his first day of work, he borrowed his parents’ car and set out … Continue reading →

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The power of story

Posted on April 19, 2018 by Jim Killam
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Pointing people to God

Posted on April 11, 2018 by Jim Killam

Here’s an inspiring article about C.S. Lewis’ motivation. I think it works pretty well for journalists, too. … his methods were not manipulative. He was committed to objective value, seeking to follow the truth where ever it led. He was … Continue reading →

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A tragic story, told well

Posted on April 6, 2018 by Jim Killam

Vanity Fair has published an incredible, haunting account about the ill-fated cargo ship El Faro. The ship sank during a 2015 Caribbean hurricane, and all 33 people aboard drowned. …the ship was found resting upright on a sandy plain 15,400 … Continue reading →

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Develop an eagle eye for wonder

Posted on February 21, 2018 by Jim Killam

Near the northern Illinois farm where I grew up and where my parents still live stands a bald eagles’ nest. It’s about 100 yards back from the road, atop a tall oak tree overlooking the Piscasaw Creek. Miles of cornfields … Continue reading →

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