The Chicken Soup Trap

I’m in the process of creating a radio programme about kirtan at the moment, for a final year university project. It’s aimed at people who know little, or nothing about kirtan, and will include interviews with a wide range of people whose lives are affected by it. Yesterday I went for a tutorial with my project supervisor who picked my latest draft to pieces, exclaiming at the cliches and unnecessary sentimentality. It was liberating! It’s so wonderful to be edited by an unbiased ear. She advised me to be very aware of the fact that I’m a ‘believer’ and not to fall into the trap of telling the audience that they should be inspired, rather than simply showing them, and allowing them to decide. Another valuable point was that when writing about inspiring, transforming experiences, it’s easy to fall into the ‘Chicken Soup trap’. The Chicken Soup for the Soul books are a hugely successful American series of heart warming true stories and poetry that almost drip off the page with syrupy sentiment. Needless to say, that’s not the route I want to go down.

‘You’re not American, you’re English!’ she exclaimed. ‘You don’t need to write like this. If you put this kind of cliched writing on British radio, your audience will just laugh.’

So, it’s a work in progress. I’m just beginning to learn how to do the actual sound editing – another totally new venture. If all goes to plan, I’ll be able to broadcast it here once I’ve finished.