This document discusses various topics related to writing, communication, and being a religious writer. It provides tips for writers, such as knowing your audience and using writing tools. It explores reasons people read and discusses whether visual media have replaced written works. While new technologies exist, books remain popular due to their portability and personal nature. The document also outlines steps for writing a book, including choosing subjects, avoiding plagiarism, and approaching publishers. Potential areas of interest for religious writers are also listed, such as religious fundamentalism, intellectual property rights, and intercultural methodologies in theology.

1. Sharing of Experience as a Writer
in the Field of Communication
Presented in the Writer’s Workshop
by Rev Joshva Raja

2. You are a writer if you …
 know what you want to say…
 know how to organize your material….
 Are able to select your target audience
and write for it…
 Are sure to use the tools of writing
 Know to write down your thoughts
 start writing at anytime…
Fern Badcock Grant Guidelines for Writers…1975, Quezon City,
Regal Pub.

3. Why do the people read?
 For entertainment
 For education/learning/memorizing
 For information
 For Communication
 For understanding
 For Improving their General knowledge
 For relationship
 For enquiries/search for life
 For improving their faith
 For knowing the other people and their culture

4. Visual Culture?
► Oral Communication – Free versions – not authentic –
judgment from different versions by oneself – not
fixed – oral communication with purpose and
application
► Written Communication – fixed? – Bible versions –
Walter Ong and Jacques Ellul – Word emerged in the
written communication?
► Visual Communication – replaced written and oral
communication? – print media or books disappearing?
– Everything Visual? – libraries with CDs, VCDs and
DVDs? – Books are read still… Online books – Books
on Demand! – widening or limiting

5. Book has survived!!!???
 In the midst of new audio-visual and Web- hypertext
culture books have survived
 People buy books and read them. It is easy to carry
and read.. Do not need a battery to operate it! People
have a personal feeling in reading the books.
Reading on the television or monitor screen are not
popular yet!
 Many industries are involved in publishing and
distributing books with different genre for different
audiences.

6. We have an Audience who
reads!!??
 Children
 Young people – Graduates, PGs, Lecturers,
researchers
 Middle aged
 Senior Citizens
 Theological
students/Philosophical/arts/humanities
students?
 First decide - who are my audiences or
readers?

7. Choosing a subject for writing
• Looking for a subject
• Thinking about the subject
• Reading about the subject
• Setting time to write or take notes about the
subject
• Organizing the paradigm of thought and writing
process with the focus on the subject
• Classifying, filing up and grouping the material
• Placing them in order and developing a
structure around the subject
• Reading, editing and rereading your first draft…

8. Writing a book is different from
• Writing a thesis – not too academic- style and
language – building up case or argument
through an interesting reading – keep the
reader to discover your mind at the end of the
book – Continuity is smooth not with much of
summaries and introductions
• Writing a story book – not merely for
entertaining rather for the students to study
the matter and reproduce it – subject matter is
more systematically organized and is
substantiated with footnotes and details at the
end

9. Learn not to Plagiarize
• To represent as one’s own idea of an idea of another in any academic work
• Acknowledge immediately after quotations or
references or ideas
• Even if you put them into your own words you still
need to refer the sources
• Record others’ ideas to distinguish yours from
others
• Check up with catalogues/reference online
libraries/google search Engines/ATLA/Abstracts
• Need permission with Unpublished material,
quotes from the published books, periodicals,
published poetry, illustrations, figures, tables,
charts, photographs, webmaterial
• Not needed are – facts and material in public
domain – Bible texts

10. Outlining the book
 Introduction – introduce the main theme, concepts and
characters - explain rationale for overall organization of
the book - an indication of what use you will make use
of illustrations – explain any unusual format in the book
 Body of the book – a fine breakdown of each chapter –
Continuity – paragraphs simple and quotations are
small – any discontinued additions in the appendix –
any new words need simple definition or description –
give examples – give some exercises – simple
sentences – organize theories, models under a
systematic number system-
 First point – Developing the point – one
aspect of this development – another aspect- your own
point
Second point and so on…
 Conclusion

11. Outline of the book contd
• Write down the main purpose or argument
of the book in one or two sentences
• Classify the material that are gathered
• You can follow – a topic outline/sentence
outline/metaphor outline…
• Rules – use the standard lettering or
numbering system- make logical divisions-
Lists ideas only – use connecting
sentences between divisions..

12. Introduction and conclusion
 Intro – a direct statement of the thesis –curious
statement – vital question – fact – quotation
 Conclusion – Climax – Logical or case ends –
Restatement – Summary – Application
 Division – Be complete (Spring, Summer,
Autumn, winter) and Be Consistent (Car, bus and
two wheeler) – Follow either narration/Method
analysis/comparison and
contrast/description/tracing cause and
effects/interpretations/Validations….
 Harry M Brown How to Write New York:1978, Holt, Rinehart and
Winston.
 Jo Ray McCuen and Anthony C winkler, From Idea to Essay A
Rhetoric Reader and Handbook, Sydney, SRA, 1983.

13. Approaching the publishers
 Popular subject matter - Mass read books- particular
group/religious reading – publicly debated subject
 Expectations from the publishers
 Having a schedule - Manuscript submission
 Having a contract – Royalty and advances
 Writing about the book – description/the author
 Working with the editor and reviewers – technical
editors – reviewing the text and proof reading.

14. Recently interesting areas for
writing books
 Religious Fundamentalism – Christian
Fundamentalism – e.x. Use of the Media by
the Fundamentalists
 Intellectual Property Rights and Medical
Issues – Theological Response
 Global Disasters and Questioning Religions
 Justified War?!
 Inter-cultural methodologies in doing theology

15. Issues in Communication-
Concerns for a Religious
writer?
Social Integration
Power and inequality
Political economy
and concentration
of ownership
Technology
Determinism
Developmental
Dissemination
Human Rights
Advocacy
Alternative
Communication
Democratization of
Communication
Globalization
of media
New Media
Culture
Gender
and Media
Normative roles –
Freedom of press,
access to Public,
diversity
Segregating
Public Sphere

16. Old Testament/
New Testament
Interdisciplinary areas to explore
Theology/Ethics
Rhetoric of Paul
/Discourse
analysis of
wisdom Literature
Biblical themes in
Films/Visual
Hermeneutics –
Passion of Christ?
Ministry – Christian
Education, Homiletics,
Counseling and Worship
Communitarian
values/Role of
Aesthetics
Religion
Mission/
History
Stereotypical
representation,
inter-religious
Intercultural
/ tract/radio
mission
Gender
Studies
Women
in ads
CE text
analysis, online
counseling,
visual worship
Ramayana
in TV and
Hindutva