Lost in Limbo
Lost in Limbo tells the story of a group of Iranian men who had—voluntarily or not—joined the People’s Mojahedin Organization of Iran (PMOI), also known as Mojahedin-e-Khalq (MEK).
- gullabbasi334
- 11 Apr 2025
How to tell
this story?
With a background in Journalism and Psychology, I WRITE (schrijf) and put other creators in their POWER (kracht).
Voor non-fictie storytelling
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years of experience
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media outlets I’ve written for (and 6 books)
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countries I’ve worked in
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creators coached
Who am I?
I strive for a world in which we are curious about each other, to enable us all to make informed choices.
Hi, welcome! My name is Paulien Bakker, and I’m the founder of Schrijfkracht (Writing Power). With a background in Journalism and Psychology, I’ve specialized in storytelling, cultural differences and mental resilience.
I come from a Dutch reformed family with a lot of thinking in black and white. From an early age, I went looking for the emotional layer underneath to see the world in color again.
I now have over 25 years of experience as a journalist. I wrote for at least 35 media outlets, including de Volkskrant, Vrij Nederland, NRC, Trouw, Psychologie Magazine and the American Narratively en Al Jazeera English. In addition, I have produced several commissioned magazines.
For the past 7 years, I have enjoyed coaching writers and photographers to find the emotional heart of their story. Before becoming a story coach, I was a founding member and was 5 years the director of the Initiative for Narrative Journalism in the Netherlands, de Stichting Verhalende Journalistiek.
In addition, I am the author of 2 well-received literary non-fiction books.I have worked in some 18 countries, either as a journalist or as a trainer in journalism. From articulating deeply personal stories to helping creators with a special project, my mission is to bring you stories that arouse curiosity and give you an experience.
I’m Paulien Bakker, the founder of Schrijfkracht. With a background in journalism and psychology, I specialize in uncovering the stories that connect us—stories rooted in cultural differences, human motives, and transformative experiences.
My journey has taken me across the globe, writing for renowned publications such as de Volkskrant, Vrij Nederland, and Al Jazeera English. From articulating deeply personal stories to developing impactful magazines, my mission is to inspire understanding and foster curiosity.
At Schrijfkracht, I merge authenticity, openness, and storytelling expertise to help individuals and organizations communicate with clarity and purpose.
Paulien Bakker
Founder of Schrijfkracht Subscribe to my bi-weekly newsletter Subscribe to my bi-weekly newsletter
What I do
Under ‘Writing’ you will find what I can do for you as a journalist/writer. Under ‘Power’ you will find more about my work as a coach and story doctor.
Writing
When I first started filing stories from Iraq in 2008, I noticed how difficult it was to get people in the Netherlands involved with people there. I became fascinated with narrative journalism and was one of the founders and the director of Stichting Verhalende Journalistiek (the Initiative for Narrative Journalism in the Netherlands)
Power
I coach creators (photographers, journalists and writers) in finding the emotional heart of their story. Usually, once that is clear, the rest follows naturally.
Why storytelling?
How do you hold the reader’s attention in a time of information overload? And how do you tell a layered story both on- and offline? We are all meaning-seeking creatures. With everything we see and experience, we look for connections, and turn it into a story in our heads. In a time of information overload, storytelling is the way to hold your audience’s attention.
I came under the spell of storytelling in 2008, when I started reporting from Iraq and looked for ways to make the reader here sympathize with its people. In the Netherlands, I became one of the co-founders and was for 5 years director of the Stichting Verhalende Journalistiek (the Initiative for Narrative Journalism in the Netherlands). I now have years of experience in on- and offline storytelling, often on multiple stages. See for example: this story, this story or this story.
And then?
Storytelling is a way of structuring information. One that connects to how our brains work; our brain is always thinking “and then
Tension arc
In storytelling, you consciously choose a perspective and a narrative voice; think about who your main character is, which scenes are crucial, and of course your narrative arc.
Heart
The best storytelling connects head, heart and gut; thus adding an emotional layer to information.
Facts
Storytelling gives context to facts. The facts are the facts, but what do they mean?
Portfolio
Here you can find some examples of my work, and of course my books.
The Grandchildren of Genocide
A teen orphaned by the Rwandan genocide makes the heartbreaking choice to abandon her children. Years later, an unshakable bond keeps her bruised boys looking toward the future.
Closure of Rwanda genocide orphanages exacts heavy toll
Four years ago, Rwanda took the radical decision to shut down all 34 of its orphanages—making it the first African country to do so. The move aimed to place children in family-based care, but the transition was fraught with difficulties. The country’s orphanages had grown in response to the 1994 genocide, which left thousands of children without parents.
Baghdad’s Biggest Loser
After surviving a car bombing and a freak workplace accident, a young Iraqi man resolves to lose over 300 pounds while dreaming of a life without war.
Meet a Kurdish Commander Who Stares Down ISIS Every Day
For hundreds of years, Hussein Yazdanpana’s family has fought for freedom from an endless array of enemy forces. But today’s battle is truly one for the ages.
What my clients say about me
Over the years, I have worked with inspiring creators and for renowned publications and organizations. Read how they have experienced working with me.
“Paulien is the first person we think of when we have a photographer-in-residency who does not yet know HOW to tell their story and WHY they are making it. To find out, we send them to our Story Doctor Paulien. She always delivers. It is always an intense experience that opens new doors to whole new levels of storytelling.”
“Paulien helped me write an eight-page article with several story lines that I would never have thought of on my own. I was able to quickly dive into the deep with her. Paulien provides overview, structure, step-by-step guidance and feedback in a pleasant, light and clear way to achieve an attractive result.”
“Paulien is not only an experienced journalist and writer, but also an academically trained Psychologist: a unique combination of qualifications, and it shows. She has an impeccable understanding of structure and tension and always a creative and effective idea of how things could be done better. I’ve never had a better editor.”
“Paulien helps you, through in-depth interviews, get to the heart of your story. Always with special attention to the construction of tension arcs and narrative style. For me as a filmmaker, the vision with which Paulien looks at my story as a writer and journalist is meaningful.”
“It took me the whole weekend to fully absorb the impact of the previous week. It was so much more valuable than I had imagined and I already went with high expectations.”
“Paulien’s workshop got me thinking about my topic choices. I learned what is a good approach for writing an artist statement. I now better understand how to bring my own background together with my images.”
The Creative Spark
Read my bi-weekly blog (in Dutch) on creating here.
English 
Dutch